Publications Reviewed. 161 



The paper is a practical one and of Ijotli interest and value. The 

 author sunamarlzes the paper : " English Sparrows are abundant 

 in most of the towns in the United States and in many suburban 

 districts. The.v are noisy, filthy, and destructive. They drive na- 

 tive birds from villages and homesteads. Though they are occa- 

 sionally valuable as destroyers of noxious insects, all things con- 

 sidered, they do far more harm -than good. Practicable methods 

 of dealing with them include destruction of nests, shooting, trap- 

 ping, and poisoning. Of these, trapping is unquestionably the best. 

 English Sparrows are good to eat, and their use as food is recom- 

 mended because of their nutritive value and as a means of re- 

 ducing their numbers." l. j. 



Some Common Game, Aquatic, and Rapacious Birds in Rela- 

 tion to Man. By W. L. McAfee and F. E. L. Beal, Assistants, 

 Biological Survey. Farmers' Bulletin 497. Department of Agri- 

 culture. Issued May 6, 1912. 



Besides the interest which this 30-page pamphlet elicits on ac- 

 count of its practical value to the interests of agriculture, there 

 is the unusual interest which attaches to the appearance of figures 

 from the pencil of a new bird artist. In this case none other than 

 the writer's acquaintance and friend, Robert J. Sim, We say 

 " new bird artist," but we remind the reader that Mr. Sim is not 

 an entire stranger to readers of The "Wilson Bulletin, for it con- 

 tains reproductions from his hand. Of the fourteen figures in 

 this pamphlet ten bear the signature of Mr. Sim. We heartily 

 welcome him to the arena. l. j. 



The Flight of Birds. By F. W. Headley. With sixteen plates 

 and many text-figures. Witherl)y & Co., 326 High Holborn. Lon- 

 don. 12mo. 103 pages. Price os.. net. 



Mr. Headley is clearly well posted in aeronautics, and it is 

 therefore fitting that he should find the flight of birds an inter- 

 esting subject. The book is interestingly written and the illustra- 

 tions are selected to bring out certain points in the discussion. 

 We have seen pictures that seemed to better illustrate the flight 

 of birds, or at least appealed to the eye more strongly. On the 

 whole the book is a valuable contribution to the discussion of 

 bird flight, l. j. 



Birds of North and Middle America. By R. Ridgway. (Part V.) 



The fifth volume of this monumental work treats of the Families 



Pteroptochidfe (1 species), Formic:) riidsne (6(1 specie^; and sub- 



