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Recent Literature. J | a " n k 



Elliot's Limicolae. 1 — A title of twenty-three lines may spare the 

 reviewer some pains in describing a book, but there is much besides to be 

 said of this noble work, in the preparation of which the artist and the 

 publisher have ably aided the distinguished author. Mr. Elliot's splendid 

 monographs of various other families have long since taken classic rank 

 in technical ornithology, but we believe this is his first appearance in 

 book form as a popularizer — an office of not less dignity than that of the 

 systematist or monographer, one of practical importance and human 

 interest, and one not so easy to fill creditably as those who have never 

 tried to do SO may imagine. The increase of knowledge is one thing, and 

 its diffusion is another; but the latter is the real measure of the useful- 

 ness of the former. He who would make knowledge " understanded of 

 the people" has no easy task to perform ; and if he attain a measure of 

 success in this effort, he has stood the severest test to which his ability as 

 an author can be subjected. It would therefore seem certain that in the 

 present instance Mr. Elliot has won fresh laurels. 



• Shore Birds ' is a new departure for him, in which he addresses himself 

 less to his experienced peers in the science than to sportsmen and others 

 in the rank and file of those who love to study birds in their haunts — 

 those for whom birds are among the brightest flashes of animated nature. 

 For all such, the Plover-Snipe group has such special attractions that the 

 author who chooses this theme is sure of his clientele. 



Mr. Elliot's method of treatment is an easy and natural one. After the 

 introductory matter, which includes a glossary of technical terms, illus- 

 trated with an outline plate, and a send-off for Limicolae in general, he 

 takes each one of about seventy species or subspecies in its turn, giving 

 as main text a concise life-history, under a popular name, and then in 

 small type paragraphs presenting the most accredited scientific name — 



1 North American Shore Birds | a history of the | Snipes, Sandpipers, 

 Plovers and their allies | inhabiting the beaches and marshes of the | Atlantic 

 and Pacific coasts, the prairies, | and the shores of the inland lakes and | rivers 

 of the North American continent ; | their popular and scientific names, 

 together with a full | description of their mode of life, nesting, migration and | 

 dispersions, with descriptions of the summer and | winter plumages of adults 

 and young, | so that each species may be readily identified. | A Reference 

 Book for the Naturalist, Sportsman and Lover of Birds | by | Daniel Giraud 

 Elliot, F. R. S. E., Etc. | Ex-president American Ornithologists' Union | Cu- 

 rator of Zoology in the Field Columbian Museum, Chicago ; Author of 

 " Birds of | North America," Illustrated Monographs of Ant Thrushes, 

 Grouse, | Pheasants, Birds of Paradise, Hornbills, Cats, Etc. | With seventy- 

 four plates | New York | Francis P. Harper | 1895 I One v °l-> PP- i- xy i> I 7~ 

 268, pll. 1-74 (counting 2 cuts in text) + 1 pi., = 75 illust., 100 autograph 

 copies with rubricated title, sm. .jto. regular ed. crown 8vo; published 

 Sept. 26. 



