Hoofe jBteto0 anD 3^ebieta0 



Wild Life at Home : How to Study and 

 Photograph It. By Richard Kearton, 

 F. Z. S. Fully Illustrated by Photo- 

 graphs taken Direct from Nature by 

 C. Kearton. Cassell & Company, Ltd., 

 London, Paris, New York, and Mel- 

 bourne, 1898. i2mo. , pp. xiv + 188. 

 Numerous half-tones. Price, $1.50. 

 In this book, Mr. Kearton and his 

 brother show that their patience and in- 

 genuity, as well as their field of work, 

 are inexhaustible. It differs from ' With 

 Nature and a Camera ' chiefly in being 

 addressed more especially to photogra- 

 phers, the opening chapters being devoted 

 to a description of the outfit required, 

 with practical suggestions as to its use. 

 These are followed by chapters on ' Birds, ' 

 'Mammals', 'Insects,' and the life of 

 ' Pond, River and Seashores. ' The 

 illustrations are fully up to the standard 

 of previous work by the same authors, 

 which we have before had occasion to 

 praise so highly, and continued experi- 

 ence with a camera leads us to appreciate 

 more fully than ever the truly marvellous 

 pictures they have secured. Mr. Kearton 's 

 paper in this number of Bird-Lore ad- 

 mirably illustrates the practicability of 

 his advice to naturalist-photographers, 

 who, in ' Wild Life at Home ' will find 

 both instruction and encouragement. The 

 book should be in every naturalist's 

 library, whether or not he uses a camera. 



F. M. C. 



Birds. By Annie M. Grant. Report of 



the R. I. Board of Agriculture, 1899. 

 The Birds of Ontario, in Relation to 

 Agriculture. By Chas. W. Nash, On- 

 tario Department of Agriculture, 

 Toronto. 



In Mrs. Grant's paper we have an 

 epitome of a great amount of useful in- 

 formation. The horticultural and agri- 

 cultural societies are doing a good work in 

 publishing such papers in their reports, 

 thus ensuring to them a wide circulation 

 among the class who most need this kind of 

 literature. 



In that portion of her paper devoted to 



the 'Decrease in Bird-life,' Mrs. Grant 

 puts her finger on some very sore spots. 

 There can be no doubt that much harm 

 has been done through egg-collecting by 

 pseudo-naturalists, who make no use of 

 their collections except to boast of their 

 size and rarity, and who gather thousands 

 of extra sets for purposes of exchange. 

 Another element of bird destruction is 

 seen in the South, where our common 

 singing birds are so generally offered for 

 sale in the market as food. A campaign 

 of education is needed here. The time 

 wasted in shooting these useful creatures 

 would, if properly applied, produce more 

 and better meat in the shape of domestic 

 poultry, or other equally palatable food. 

 We hope Mrs. Grant will continue her 

 good work. 



In Mr. Nash's paper we have another 

 concise statement of the facts with re- 

 gard to the usefulness of birds from an 

 agricultural point of view. The case of 

 the birds of prey is very clearly and for- 

 cibly presented. When these birds do 

 harm — as when they pick up a stray 

 chicken — the evil is open and apparent 

 to everybody ; but the good work they 

 are constantly doing is only appreciated 

 after the most careful and systematic ob- 

 servation. The depredations of the vast 

 hordes of small mammals is a constant 

 menace to the interests of husbandry, 

 and more especially to horticulture. 

 Without question, the Hawks and Owls 

 are the most efficient checks upon the in- 

 crease of these creatures, and it cannot 

 be too often or too forcibly impressed 

 upon the farmers that these birds should 

 be rigorously protected. 



With regard to the other birds, the 

 case is equally well put, and illustrated 

 by many interesting and valuable obser- 

 vations and experiments. There can be 

 no question that this is a valuable pa- 

 per, and that it deserves a wide circu- 

 lation among agricultural people. 



As to the merits of the illustrations 



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