Vol. XXII j Recent Literature. 323 



and assemblages of birds, are minutely described; several pages are also 

 given to "some actual records of the various bird-voices " heard during 

 the hours of night in the Fresh Marshes. (7) 'The Ponds and thei/ 

 Birds' (pp. 49-52) are similarly treated ; a list of the water-fowl killed by 

 gunners in Wenham Lake for the five years 1900-1904 forms part of the 

 chapter. (8) 'Lighthouse Records' (pp. 53-59). Apparently few birds 

 strike any of the nine lighthouses of Essex County. (9) 'Ornithological 

 History of Essex County ' (pp. 60-73). This is naturally one of the most 

 interesting chapters of the book. The records of such early writers as 

 Morrell (1623), Higginson (1630), Wood (1634) Morton (1637), and 

 Josselyn (1675) are cited (although not here for the first time exploited) 

 in evidence of the former much greater abundance of water-fowl and 

 sundry other species. As is well known, the Great Auk was formerly a 

 bird of the Massachusetts coast, though probably not within historic 

 times; but the case is quite different with the Labrador Duck, the Wild 

 Turkey, the Heath Hen, the Sandhill Crane, and the Wild Pigeon, all of 

 which in earlier days were among the common birds of the region, while 

 many others formerly common but now known merely as accidental 

 stragglers have become practically extirpated. The history of the extir- 

 pation of several of these species is summarized. The author adds his 

 own valuable observations on the changes in the bird life of Essex County 

 during the last twenty-eight years ; some species of water-fowl and shore 

 birds have declined in numbers, while others appear to hold their own ; 

 hawks are growing scarcer, and the English Sparrow has greatly reduced 

 the number of box-breeding birds. 



The ' Annotated List,' forming of course the chief part of the volume, 

 is admirably done. The points of chief interest are always explicitly 

 stated, and the biographical observations are, in the case of a few species, 

 extended to considerable length. Authorities are fully cited for the 

 occurrence of the rarer species, and a number of species formerly attrib- 

 uted to the county are excluded on the ground that the evidence of their 

 capture within the limits of the list is unsatisfactory. They are, how- 

 ever, together with species of probable occurrence, mentioned, in smaller 

 type, in their proper places, with appropriate comment. The list of 

 indigenous species and subspecies authenticated as birds of Essex County 

 numbers 319; there are in addition 6 extirpated and 2 extinct species, 

 making a total of 327, besides 2 introduced species. Sixteen are given as 

 of doubtful record, 2 as of erroneous record, and one as mythical, making 

 the total number of species considered, 254. The bibliography occupies 

 pp. 322-331, and includes about 150 entries. 



As already said, the work is marked by careful research, is well 

 executed and in every way creditable to the author and the publishers, 

 the Nuttall Club. The quotations from the seventeenth century histori- 

 ans of the region, which serve as mottoes for the chapters, are not only 

 appropriate but impart a pleasing literary quaintness to this portion of 

 the work. — J. A. A. 



