594 Recent Literature. [^ t k 



volume. This, however, is a mere matter of detail and does not affect the 

 value of Mr. Bent's life histories which we regard as the most accurate 

 and well-balanced accounts that have yet appeared of the species treated — 

 concise and easy to consult and at the same time very readable and enter- 

 taining. 



Considering a few of the details, we find under migration, inclusive dates 

 showing the general time of occurrence in a number of States in various 

 parts of the country. As the author explains, the attempt has been made 

 to show only the general movements of the species, more detail in a work of 

 this sort being manifestly impossible. The breeding and winter ranges are 

 sketched out with much more detail and have the advantage of having 

 been read and revised by Mr. J. H. Fleming. In stating the measurements 

 of eggs a rather novel method has been employed. The average of a large 

 number of specimens is given first, followed by the dimensions of the four 

 eggs which exhibit the extremes of length and breadth. One editorial 

 practise which is adopted throughout the work, but with which we imagine 

 the author had nothing to do, is that of printing the English names of the 

 species entirely in lower case. This may be all right in general literature, 

 where the practise originated, but in a work on birds there is no more reason 

 for decapitalizing the bird names than those of countries or authors. Next 

 thing we know another practise of the literary magazines, that of writing 

 generic names with a small initial letter, will be forced upon us. 



The illustrations of Mr. Bent's work deserve special mention. There 

 are 43 half-tone plates from photographs, usually two views to a plate, 

 illustrating the nest, habitat, and often the young or adult birds. Most 

 of the photographs are published for the first time, but there is one view of a 

 colony of Murres which appeared previously in ' The Auk ' for 1917. In 

 the latter place it is said to have been taken on Outer Island, Canadian 

 Labrador, while now the locality is given as Cape Whittle, Quebec. Both 

 happen to be correct, and those who think that bird nomenclature is the 

 only kind that is subject to change and deplore the fact, may take heart. 

 There are also 12 excellent plates of eggs in colors, one or more eggs of each 

 species being shown, except the Great Auk, the egg of which forms the 

 frontispiece to the volume. These are photographs of the eggs them- 

 selves reproduced by the three color process and are wonderful examples 

 of this kind of illustration. Their appearance could, however, have 

 been much improved by arranging all the figures in the same position, 

 instead of vertical, horizontal, right side up and upside down, as has 

 been done. 



As the title of the work shows, this volume covers only the Grebes, 

 Loons, and Auks — thirty-six species and subspecies in all. Anyone 

 familiar with the meager accounts that we have heretofore had of many 

 of these species and the remoteness of their breeding areas will appreciate 

 the magnitude of Mr. Bent's task in preparing such adequate sketches as lie 

 has presented and will realize that he and his assistant, Mr. F. Seymour 

 Hersey, have had to go far afield to gather the necessary material, while the 



