262 Recent Literature. [ April 



Herrick's Nests and Nest-Building in Birds. ^ — Prof. Herrick's 

 papers ^ unfortunately fail to reach a large number of ornithologists because 

 of their being published in journals of animal behavior or experimental 

 zoology which ornithologists too seldom consult. That they should be 

 studied by every bird student cannot be too strongly emphasized. There 

 is a great field in the study of the behavior of birds and unfortunately 

 most observers are very poorly qualified to avail themselves of it, because 

 of the prevalent tendency to judge the actions of birds as we would those 

 of human beings and endow the authors with the same qualities that we 

 ourselves possess. Prof. Herrick however, approaches the subject from the 

 unprejudiced attitude of the scientific investigator and limits his deduc- 

 tions strictly to what is warranted by the facts so that his method as well 

 as the results of his studies deserve careful consideration. 



The present paper consists of a mass of valuable data arranged under the 

 headings: Literature of Birds' Nests, Function of the Nest and the Prob- 

 lem of Protection, Classification of Birds' Nests on the basis of Behavior, 

 Analysis of Increment Nests, Variation of Nests, Nidification, Intelligence 

 in Nest-Building and Origin of the Instincts of Incubation and Nidifica- 

 tion in Birds. 



In this connection we can only quote some of the writer's conclusions 

 while we recommend to all, the careful study of his papers in detail. 



"Instinct alone," says Prof. Herrick, "furnishes the building impulse 

 and in spite of many flunctuations due to experience, disturbance, or any 

 influence of environment, holds the builders wonderfully true to their 

 ancestral types" (p. 163). 



" The proof of instinct in the nest-building activities of birds lies in 

 the stereotyped behavior of the builders at work, as well as in the stereo- 

 typed character of the nests of different species when they are viewed in 



the proper light On the score of behavior alone the evidence is now 



conclusive that birds do not build their nests from imitation or experience : 

 they require no visible standards, plan, or copy but without hesitation 

 ... .go straight to work and finish their task "(p. 163). 



"Nest-building is one of a series of complex and correlated instincts 

 pertaining to the reproductive cycle of birds,. . . .[i. e. migration, mating, 

 nest-building, egg-laying, care of the young, etc.] these serial instincts do 

 not invariably proceed in due order and harmony .... The cycle may be 

 normally repeated more than once in the season, and when begun it may 

 be brought to a sudden close not alone through accident or fear, but by 

 the rise of other instincts or by any disturbance which affects the usual 



1 Nests and Nest-Building in Birds: in Tliree Parts. By Francis H. Herrick, 

 Journal of Animal Beiiavior. Part I. May-June, 1911, pp. 159-192; Part II. 

 July-August, 1911, pp. 244-277; Part III, September-October, 1911, pp. 336-373. 



2 Cf. also. Life and Behavior of the Cuckoo. Journal of Experimental Zoology. 

 Sept. 1910, pp 169-233, and Instinct and Intelligence in Birds. Popular Science 

 Monthly, June, July and August, 1910. 



