216 The Wilson Bulletix — Xo. Go. 



BOOK REVIEWS. 

 The Birds of Maine. By Ora Willis Knight, M.S., Bangor, Maine. 



1908. 



The undertaking of which this hook is the product was no light 

 cue. Maine is a state of no mean area, and its topography presents 

 many difficulties to the biological explorer; its coast line is fjord- 

 like, and ranges of mountains and mountain masses and peaks pre- 

 sent a varied biota. 



Mr. Knight has done well to make this book largely a record of his 

 own work, supplemented by rigidly culled and carefully selected ma- 

 terial from other sources. He is to be heartily congratulated upon 

 the excellence of his work in both directions. 



There is a map of the state which represents the faunal areas, 

 mountains and water courses, as a frontispiece. Following the in- 

 troduction and acknowledgements there is a comprehensive "Sum- 

 mary of Characters of the Orders aud Families (compiled with re- 

 gard to those found in Maine)," with two photographs of the. Cana- 

 dian Ruffed Grouse for the purpose of mapping out the "Topogra- 

 phy" of a bird. While these photographs are not as clear as drawn 

 figures would be they serve the purpose fairly well, and possess the 

 advantage of representing an actual specimen. 



The text of the book and the bibliography occupy 052 pages ex- 

 clusive of 28 full page half-tone plates. The double column index is 

 a model of its kind. 



The treatment of the species follows the latest A. O. U. published 

 arrangement and nomenclature, and numbering. There is added a 

 list of local names, mostly applicable to the state of Maine. Follow- 

 ing this list of local names there is a brief but careful description 

 of the species in all known plumages, with measurements in inches. 

 The general geographical distribution precedes a comprehensive 

 Maine county record with the authority given for each county. In 

 larger type there is a discussion of the species in its relations in gen- 

 eral, something given about its habits, its nest and eggs described, 

 and a discussion of its food and economic status when it is of regular 

 occurrence in the state. 



The contribution which this book makes to our knowledge of the 

 birds lies in the record which it gives of the field work which Mr. 

 Knight has done. There is new light shed upon the time and man- 

 ner of nesting, the period of incubation, the length of the stay of 

 the young birds in the nest, food habits, migration, song, and other 

 topics. Not all of the topics are treated from a new standpoint un- 

 der each species, indeed, sometimes the author has had nothing new 

 to offer, but often some one or more of the topics find more or less 

 extended treatment under a species. 



We may congratulate ourselves upon the appearance of this book 



