74 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



viduals especially interested in economic ornithology. The object 

 of printing this volume was to put within reach of farmers and 

 others a means of becoming further acquainted with the useful birds 

 and the insect pests which they destroy in immense numbers. It 

 treats in succession of the utility of birds in nature, the value of 

 birds to man, the utility of birds in woodlands, birds as destroyers 

 of hairy caterpillars and plant lice, the economic service of birds in 

 the orchard, the utility of birds infield and garden, checks upon the 

 increase of useful birds, and the protection of birds. Beginning with 

 chapter five, the birds are described in regular order, and full direc- 

 tions for identification are given. The life histories are very full 

 regarding the food habits of the different species. These pages contain 

 a vast amount of interesting information written in a peculiarlj^ enter- 

 taining style. Mr. Forbush, in all his works, is plain, straightforward, 

 and practical. He never errs in his scientific conclusions. There are 

 no loose statemens in his pages. There is a wealth of illustrations 

 in the book, largely half-tone plates. It is the most valuable con- 

 tribution to economic ornithology that has appeared in late years. 

 The Massachusetts State Board is to be congratulated upon this 

 handsome volume. The only pity is that the edition is not larger, 

 so that it might reach thousands of readers throughout the country. 



Birds of Labrador. 



The JoLTRNAL has received the proceedings of the Boston 

 Society of Natural History, Vol. XXXIII, No. 7, pages 277-428, 

 "Birds of Labrador," by Charles W. Townsend, M. D., and Glover 

 M. Allen. This is an extensive and reliable list of the birds which 

 occur in Labrador, during the year, with full particulars of breeding 

 as well as spring and fall migrations. It is of especial interest to 

 Maine bird students, because practically all the migrants here men- 

 tioned pass to and fro in due course along the coast of Maine. 

 Many birds, also, which breed in Labrador occur in Maine as 

 migrants. The authors claim to have settled the status of the 

 Horned Lark in Labrador, clearing up some erroneous ideas, which 



