228 EXPERIMENT STATION KECOKJ). 



preparations; and a fonnnla of a medium was discovered in wliicli tlie l)acteria grew 

 readily and were capable of active growth when placed in the proper conditions of 

 inoculation. The organisms were found not only to be capa))le of fixing a large 

 amount of nitrogen, but did not lose this power by" prolonged drying. On this 

 account it is i)ossil)le to distribute the inoculating material, and arrangements have 

 been made for that purpose. A descri^jtion is given of the methods by which the 

 organism is to be ai)plied to the soil. 



ZOOLOGY. 



Audubon societies in relation to the farmer, H. Oldys {U. <S'. Dcpt. Agr. 

 Ycarliook 190J, pp. '205-JlS, ph. 2, Ji(js. 2). — The author presents a discussion of the ■ 

 value of birds, the danger of their extinction, the objects of Audubon societies, 

 their work in securing and enforcing legislation, and the interest of farmers in bird 

 protection. 



Birds in their relations to man, C. M. AVeed and X. Dearbokx {Philadelphia 

 and London: J. B. Lippmcott Co., 1903, pp. 380, pis. 20, Jigs. 95). — The purpose of 

 this volume is to present a general account of economic ornithology for the United 

 States and Canada. The authors have summarized the work of this Department, 

 the experiment stations, and other institutions in studying the feeding habits of 

 birds. Special accounts are presented of the economic relations of a numVjer of the 

 more important species and families of birds. The authors disc^iss, also, the methods 

 of protecting game birds and encouraging the presence of birds near orchards and 

 human habitations. In an appendix to the volume, copies are given of the bird law 

 of the American Ornithologists' Union and the Lacey bird law, together with a dis- 

 cussion of the principles of bird laws, and a partial bibliography of the economic 

 relations of North American birds. 



Birds and man, W. H. Hudson {London: Longmans, Green& Co., 1901, pp. 217). — 

 A popular and appreciative account of the relationship between birds and man, with 

 particular reference to daws, wrens, ravens, owls, and geese, and with chapters on 

 the birds of London and Selborne. 



Birds and horticulturists, H. A. Surface {Pennsylvania State Dept. Agr., Zuol. 

 Circ. 1, pp. 12, pis. 3). — Notes on nesting boxes and other means of encouraging the 

 establishment of bird colonies near houses and cultivated fields. Attention is also 

 called to the economic value of birds and to the necessity for further study of their 

 feeding habits. 



Birds versus gardening, C. E. Pearson {Jour. Roy. Hort. Soc. [London], 27 {1902), 

 No. 1, pp. 55-60). — Attention is called to the depredations committed by the various 

 birds on garden crops. The Ijirds which are mentioned as most injurious are the 

 English sparrow, black))ird, linnet, grosbeak, and other members of the sparrow 

 family. 



Two years with the birds on a farm, E. H. Forbush {Massachusetts State Bd. Agr. 

 Rpt. 1902, pp. 1 11-101, ph. 3, figs. 5). — The studies reported in this paper were made 

 on a farm near Wareham, Mass. Attempts were made to attract birds by distribu- 

 ting suitable food, especially during the winter season, and by the construction of 

 attractive nesting places. Special attention was given to a determination of the effect 

 of seed-eating birds upon the prevalence of weeds. It appeared that a number of 

 common weeds were almost exterminated on the farm on account of the destruction 

 of the seeds by birds. The majority of birds which were kept under observation by 

 the author are believed to do considerably more good than harm upon farms main- 

 tained for diversified agriculture. Crows, jays, hawks, cats, and squirrels are con- 

 sidered to l)e the most important enemies of beneficial birds. 



A popular handbook of the birds of the United States and Canada, 

 T. NuTTALL {Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1903, pp. LJII+904, i>As. 20, figs. 172).— The 



