THE OSPEEY. 



31 



creasing settlement of the country. But Prof. Butler 

 is forced to the sad conclusion that many feathered 

 friends which once tilled the fields and groves have 

 disappeared. iSor does he hesitate to place the 

 blame where it belongs. His arraignment of fashion 

 and its heartless <lemands should have the hearty 

 support of every lover of birds. 



The nomenclature used by Prof. Butler, lilie his 

 classification, is that adopted by the American 

 Ornithologists' Union. His descriptions are concise 

 and complete, giving entire satisfaction. His bib- 

 liography of Indiana ornithology is of great value to 

 those desiring to continue the study of the avian 

 fauna of this State. — A. B. 



Birds of the Unikd Stnles East oj the Rocbj Moun- 

 tains. — A Manual for the Identification of Species in 

 Hand or in Bush. By Austin C. Apgar. New York: 

 American Book Co., 18U8. Cloth, $2.U0. 



This work is designed as a text-book or manual 

 for beginners, and is admirably adapted to the pur- 

 pose for which it is intended. Mr. Apgar is a pro- 

 fessor in the State Normal School of New Jersey, 

 and is thoroughly alive to the needs and difficulties 

 of young students. He has not attempted to make 

 their work more easy by ignoring or evading the 

 difficulties, but has cut a clean swath through them 

 by explaining all technical words and phrases and 

 then using them repeatedly in their proper con- 

 nection. His book is an example of simplicity and 

 conciseness throutrhout ; the painstaking, con.scien- 

 tious teacher having himself a good knowledge of 

 the subject, and being desirous of imparting it to 

 others. He appears to have studied the " Key to 

 North American Birds" to great advantage, and 

 his treatment of the subject reminds us of the 

 Couesian methods. The drawings are careful and 

 generally correct from a technical point of view, 

 though not artistic. .Each has a scale of its own, so 

 that tlie size of- every bird figured may be easily 

 ascertained. The pictures have the beauty of utility, 

 if no other. 



The book is divided into four sections. Part 1 

 treats of the " External Parts and the Terms Needed 

 for their Description.'' This is intended for use 

 when the specimen can be taken in the hand and 

 observed closely, aud is concerned most with those 

 characteristics which change least with age, sex, or 

 season. This part is brief, but clear and easy of 

 comprehension. 



Part II contains the "Key, Classification, and 

 Description of the Species," and is niech more elabo- 

 rate, though no lets easy, than I'art I. Here are 

 keys to the families, genera, and species, with a\i- 

 propriate iD.structions as to their use. 'The Check 

 List of North American Birds in use by tlu.> Ameri- 

 can Ornithologists' Union is followed for nomencla- 

 ture and classification, but here the order of the 

 families Is reversed, the higher coming first instead 

 of last. The pronunciation of scientific nanus is 

 marked. 



Part III covers ground of the greatest interest to 

 the average amateur ornithologist, "The Study of 

 Birds in the Field." A key is given for the purpose 

 identifying birds as seen in the fields and groves, 

 emphasis being placed on those features which may 

 be distinguishe<l with the naked eye or by the aid of 

 a field-glass. Valuable hints are given as to meth- 

 oths of study, locality, season, time of day, etc. 



Part I^' is a treatise on the " Preparation of Bird 

 Specimens for Display or Study," and contains much 

 information as to the best methods of skinning, 

 stuffing, and mountingspecimens. 



A well arranged glossary and index closes the vol- 

 ume, making it a very complete manual. The 

 author's p«rpo.se may be best expressed in his own 

 words: "This book" is written chiefiy to help you 

 to recognize birds and not to tell you all about them. 

 But if you are interested in the study, it will be a 

 great jileasure to you to learn all you can about the 

 birds that frequent your locality. Through book 

 study alone no complete knowledge can be gained of 

 birds, or indeed, of any animals.'' — A. B. 



Familiar Life in Forest and Field.— By F. Schuyler 

 Mathews. New York: D. Appleton & Co., 1898. 

 Cloth, 81.75. 



The life that is so fandliar to Mr. Mathews is 

 known to manv, but few have seen it so closely or 

 known it so intimately as he. It is surprising, when 

 one considers it, how many animals are to beseen with- 

 in a .short sjiace of time in field and fortst, when we 

 have learneil how to look for them. 



This work comprises a wide range of species ob- 

 served witliin a comparatively small area. It is 

 more than anything else a defense of the animals at 

 which we are wont to look askance. In his estima- 

 tion, the only incorrigible and utterly vicious animal 

 in existence is the wild cat. Of the others he says: 

 "One of these days, when the cutworm, the grass- 

 hopper, the field mouse, the army worm, and the 

 gvpsy moth devour the farm, house and all, we will 

 wonder what has become of the benificent skunk, 

 weasel, and .snake. Perhaps we have yet time 

 enough to give these poor creatures a chance to learn 

 we are friends and not enemies." 



The book is charminsly illustrated with drawings 

 or photograiihsof the dilferent animals accompanied 

 with sketches of the .scenes among which they are 

 commonly found. — W. A. J. 



TTie Art of Tiuidenni/.—Tiy .Tohn Ronley. Illus- 

 trated wilh' 20 plates and 59 figures. New York : 

 D. Appleton & Co., 1898. Cloth, $2.00. 



This is an excellent and almost indispensable com- 

 pendium for the use of professional taxidermists, and 

 also po.sse.sses considerable interest for the amateur. 

 Mr. Rowley takes up the work at its first steps, the 

 collecting of specimens, and follows it through all 

 the successive stasies until we see the objects of nat- 

 ural history beautifully mounted and grouped. The 

 first chapter is a graphic description of a trip into 

 the woods in search of specimens, of which many 

 kinds, from a bear to a mouse, are captured. 



The taxiclermi>t's tools and materials are next de- 

 scribed and the best kinds for the various purposes 

 indicated. Chemical formula- which the successful 

 taxidermist should know and use are given. The 

 outfit recommended is simple and inexpensive, and 

 can, as Mr. Rowley's own experience shows, be 

 carried long distances and used even uniJer very dis- 

 advantageous conditions. 



The process of making casts and models is fully 

 explained, as is also the reproduction of foliage and 

 other accessories for trroups. Thus the book is 

 comprehensive and up to date. No bird is too small 

 to be overlooked in describing the different modes 

 of treatment, and no mammal is so larire that every 

 detail Is not carefully an I accurately treated. 



The numerous and effective illustrations are mostly 

 from photographs taken by the author ; others are 

 drawings by Mr. Ernest \V. Smith, his assistant in 

 the American Museum of Natural History. — W. A. J. 



