94 Publications Received 



PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. 



Some New Facts About the Migration of Birds. By Wells W. 

 Cooke. Reprint from Yearbook of Department of Agriculture for 1903. 



In this interesting paper Professor Cooke discusses anew 'Causes of 

 migration,' 'How do birds find their way,' 'Casualties during migration,' 

 'Distance of migration,' 'Routes of migration,' 'Relation of migration 

 and temperature,' 'Variations in the speed of migration,' 'The un- 

 known.' A careful review of this paper would involve reproducing 

 much of it. Hence, the reader is referred to the Yearbook, access to 

 which should be easy to all. Every local library should possess a copy, 

 or the reprint may be secured through your congressman. L. J. 



Comparison of the Provisional Schemes of the Classification of 

 Birds. By R. W. Shufeldt. Reprinted from the American Naturalist, 

 Vol. 38, No. 448. 



In this valuable paper Dr. Shufeldt touches upon the various and 

 varied systems of classification of birds in vogue now in different parts 

 of the world, and rightly relegates our A. O. U. classification to the old 

 Curvierian epoch. He shows that the world over there is no unanimity 

 of opinion and practice in the limitation of the larger groups nor of the 

 characters which should be assigned to the groups above species. He 

 sees no immediate light for a uniform world classification, but concludes 

 that only more exact knowledge of bird structure and general morphol- 

 ogy will bring about any material improvement in the situation. Mean- 

 while we may hope that our A. O. U. committee may be working along 

 broad lines, looking toward this greatly needed world uniformity. L. J. 



The Economic Value of the Bob-white. By Sylvester D. Judd, Ph. 

 D. Reprint from Yearbook of Department of Agriculture for 1903. 



Dr. Judd proves that Bob-white is not at all destructive to any sort 

 of crops, but does great good in destroying enormous quantities of in- 

 jurious weed seeds and insects. It possesses distinct; jesthetical value 

 in addition to its value as a food. He concludes that it may be encour- 

 aged to increase to such numbers that there will always be a surplus in 

 the open seasons, thus permiting legitimate sport for those so inclined, 

 while not endangering other interests. We heartily commend the pa- 

 per to every person who may have the slightest interest in the bird. 



L. J. 



The Destruction of Birds by the Elements in 1903-04. Special Re- 

 port, by Edward Howe Forbush, Wareham, Mass. Ornithologist to the 

 State Board of Agriculture. From the fifty-first annual report of the 

 Massachusetts state board of ag iculture. 



This paper is chiefly concerned with the discussion of the effect of 

 the unusually severe winter and the following wet spring upon birds in 



