508 Recent Literature. LOct' 



Mr. Baynes' book is more than this however. It passes in review the 

 whole subject of bird destruction — by man, by natural enemies and by 

 disease, — presenting the subject in an entertaining way, not as a list of dry 

 statistics, and quoting his facts from a wide range of reliable authorities. 

 He admirably differentiates the "true" and "so-called" sportsman. The 

 former "is fond of the woods and fields and streams and lakes and who 

 when game and fish are plentiful likes to get a little for himself or a friend, 

 but who, when game shows signs of decreasing, does his best in every way 

 to protect it and insure its increase." The latter "shoots all the birds the 

 law permits him to, even when he knows the law is unfair to the birds. If 

 there is no law to stop him he kills all the birds he can, and resorts to the 

 use of automatic and pump guns, because it is not 'sport' but birds that 

 he is trying to get." 



Economic, aesthetic and moral reasons for protecting the birds are next 

 reviewed, and finally in the last six chapters the author launches forth in 

 his own particular field, that of attracting the birds, upon which topic he is 

 easily our leading authority. The chapter headings give a good idea of the 

 method of treatment; 'Entertainment in Winter,' 'Hospitality the Year 

 Round,' 'Bird Lovers as Landlords,' 'Bird Baths,' 'Problems Confronting 

 Beginners,' and 'Bird Clubs.' Under these headings we learn of the best 

 foods for wild birds in winter time and methods of distributing them during 

 time of heavy snow. Feeding boxes and winter shelters are also exhaus- 

 tively considered. Then come lists of trees, shrubs and vines attractive 

 to birds, and plans for nesting boxes, drinking basins and baths of all kinds. 

 Mr. Baynes advocates shooting of English Sparrows and Red Squirrels 

 but adds: "it is not for children. It is hard work — unpleasant work — 

 and should be done by real men who know the bird from all others." He 

 says further, "I know one man, who with a twenty-two calibre rifle, has 

 for years kept his home farm of a hundred acres, clear of red squirrels, 

 house cats and European Sparrows." The task of ridding a given place of 

 bird enemies becomes increasingly easj'. In one case "200 squirrels were 

 shot the first year, perhaps 50 the second and now the shooting of half a 

 dozen a year is all that is necessary." The cat problem Mr- Baynes 

 recognizes as a most serious one. He says "no sensible person would 

 advocate the extermination of cats, but I do believe that a serious effort 

 should be made to get rid of unnecessary ones". . . .and people should 

 "take care of such cats as they consider worth keeping .... It is un- 

 neighborly to kill one's neighbor's cat, but just as unneighborly to permit 

 a cat to kill one's neighbor's birds." 



Mr. Baynes' wonderful success with bird clubs at Meridan, N. H., and 

 elsewhere in New England is well known and here he offers helpful sugges- 

 tions for others who would follow his method. 



Mr. Baynes gives the scientific ornithologist full credit for his large 

 share in the work of bird preservation, an acknowledgment too often 

 ignored in these days of "conservationists." He argues that the sicentific- 

 collector should be allowed to go about his work unhampered by petty 



