606 Recent Literature. [o"t. 



While Mr. French's work contains much interesting reading, it cannot be 

 considered in the same class as Mershon's well-known work or even Col. 

 Paxson's little pamphlet, as an accurate account of the Passenger Pigeon. 



There are two valuable historical illustrations, one of a stool-pigeon 

 basket and the other of a pair of pincers used for twisting the necks of the 

 birds caught in the nets. The other plates are portraits of old pigeon 

 hunters or others mentioned in the book. — W. S. 



Economic Ornithology and Bird Protection. — The U. S. Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture has issued the usual synopsis of the Game Laws for 

 1919, compiled this year by G. A. Lawyer and F. L. Earnshaw, 1 while 

 another pamphlet 2 by the former author explains the present status of the 

 Federal protection of migratory birds and the Canadian treaty. Another 

 important treatise on this same subject is U. S. Attorney, Francis M. 

 Wilson's brief in the court action against the Treaty in the St. Joseph 

 Division of the western district of Missouri, a masterly summary of the 

 arguments which convinced a confessedly antagonistic judge of the validity 

 of the law. 



' Bird Notes and News ' 3 and the annual report of the Royal Society for 

 the protection of Birds are full of details of bird protection in England after 

 the war. 



' The Audubon Bulletin,' 4 winter 191S-1919 issue, is as usual one of the 

 most attractive publications of its kind, well printed and well illustrated. 

 The need of forest and game protection in southern Illinois is discussed by 

 Robert Ridgway and shows both in text and illustrations his well known 

 love of trees as well as birds. Other articles deal with the scenic beauty 

 of the Mississippi, Theodore Roosevelt as a conservationist, the bird pro- 

 tective laws of Illinois, etc. 



' The Alabama Bird-Day Book ' 5 abounds in good bird poems and inter- 

 esting sketches suitable for school use compiled from various sources, while 

 several of the Mumford colored plates of birds serve as illustrations. Few, 

 if any, other States have publications so well suited to the purpose as this. 



The West Chester Bird Club of Pennsylvania, organized some years ago 

 for local bird study under the leadership of Dr. C. E. Ehinger, has issued 

 an attractive little pamphlet 6 giving an account of its activities, with some 

 very creditable original bird poems. 



1 Game Laws for 1919. By Geo. A. Lawyer and Frank L. Earnshaw. Farmers' Bulletin 

 1077, U. S. Department of Agriculture. August, 1919. pp. 1-80. 



2 Federal Protection of Migratory Birds. By George A. Lawyer. Separate from the 

 Yearbook of the Department of Agriculture. No. 7S5, pp. 1-16. 



3 Bird Notes and News. Issued quarterly by the Boyal Society for the Protection of 

 Birds, 23 Queen Anne's Gate, London, S. W. I., England. 



4 The Audubon Bulletin. Published by The Illinois Audubon Society, 1649 Otis Building, 

 Chicago. 



5 Alabama Bird Day Book, 1919. Issued by the Department of Game and Fish, John 

 H. Wallace, Commissioner, pp. 1-103. 



e West Chester Bird Club, Historical Sketch, Summary of Year's Work, 1918-1919, 

 July 1, 1919. pp. 1-20. 



