92 Recent Literature. [j" n . 



selves. It is in fact an extension of the idea of the marine zoological labo- 

 ratory, made familiar by the Wood's Hole and other stations. 



The practicability of the plan may be realized when we read of the com- 

 modious and thoroughly equipped laboratory and dwelling which Mr. 

 Beebe and his companions established, and in which they carried on their 

 researches, on the very edge of the jungle and yet with no more incon- 

 veniences than would be met with in similar establishments in the United 

 States — working hard " day after day, month after month, unpoisoned, 

 unbitten and in good health." 



The work is divided into four parts: I. General and Ecological, by 

 William Beebe; II. Ornithological, by G. Inness Hartley; III. Entomo- 

 logical, by Paul G. Howes; and IV. Supplementary Chapters — on the 

 Hinterland of Guiana, by Rev. Walter G. White and on Indian charms by 

 James Rodney. Mr. Beebe's narrative chapters are extremely interesting 

 and give one an intimate picture of life in the jungle, while they teem with 

 important ornithological information. At one point the buds are arranged 

 according to their vertical habitat in the forest, at another brilliancy of 

 plumage is considered in its relation to intensity of light. Protective colora- 

 tion naturally comes in for considerable attention and in this connection 

 Mr. Beebe adopts the apparently original criterion of regarding a bird as 

 not protectively colored — "at least in its own intensive estimation" — if 

 it takes immediate flight on the approach of a supposed enemy; while 

 the bird is so protected which attempts concealment by squatting or 

 "freezing". Emphasis is placed upon the need of an intimate knowledge 

 of the natural environment and habits of a species before any judgment 

 is possible as to the protective value of its coloration. 



The habits of the Hoatzin are described with great detail with photo- 

 graphs of the nest and eggs and the downy nestlings climbing about " on 

 all fours " as it were. 



Our knowledge of the nest, eggs and young of the Toucans has been as 

 Mr. Beebe well puts it, " almost a blank"; and yet he was able in two 

 months time to obtain data on the nidification, of five species and to study 

 carefully the development of the young. They have curious thickened 

 heel pads armed with conical tubercles by means of which they are able 

 to drag the body along, the toes remaining functionless for quite a long time. 

 Similar heel pads have been noted in other birds which nest in holes, and 

 which probably have a similar method of locomotion during their nestling 

 stage. The nesting habits of the Tinamous of the genus Crypturus, as 

 described, are most interesting. The male, it seems, makes the nest and 

 attends to all the duties of incubation, the female's entire interest in the 

 matter being to deposit the egg, after which she departs possibly to perform 

 the same favor for some other male who has a nest ready. The male having 

 hatched the single egg prepares another nest and awaits " another tempo- 

 rary mate of advanced feministic views." The process seems to be con- 

 tinuous. 



Mr. Hartley's contributions to the volume consist of laboratory studies 



