Vol. XXl Recent Literature. . ? I "2 



1903 J •■} o 



hour, it has been calculated, were seen bv Dr. (i. (). Libby, in 1897, 

 passing across the field of the telescope at the Washburn Observatory, 

 during the whole ceriod of observation. Telescopic observations seem 

 to show that "by far the greater number do not attain an altitude much 

 over one half mile from the earth's surface," and that former estimates 

 of the altitudes at which birds migrate have been "far too high." As 

 other observers liave shown, many species are found in close association 

 in migration, and also that the individuals may move singly, or in strag- 

 gling bands, or in compact flocks. 



As already intimated, the chief value of the present paper consists in 

 the record of a considerable mass of new telescopic observations on the 

 nocturnal flights of migrating birds. — J. A. A. 



North American Water-Fowl. —Another bird volume of the 'American 

 Sportsman's Library' series,^ recently issued, treats of the 'Water-Fowl 

 Family.' 2 It forms a volume of about 600 pages, under the joint author- 

 ship of L. C. Sanford, Dr. L. B. Bishop, and T. S. Van Dyke, with numer- 

 ous illustrations by Fuertes, Bull, Frost, and others, the greater part of the 

 bird illustrations being by Fuertes. The first fourteen chapters (pp. 1- 

 502), devoted to 'Duck-shooting,' 'Goose-shooting,' 'The Swans,' ' Rail- 

 shooting,' and ' Shore-bird Shooting,' are by Mr. Sandford, while the 

 three chapters (pp. 503-564) treating of 'The Water-Fowl of the Pacilk: 

 Coast,' are by Mr. Van Dyke. Then follows ' Diagnoses of Families ami 

 Genera' (pp. 565-579), by Dr. Bishop, and a very full and satisfactory 

 index. Mr. Sanford has had a wide experience in the pursuit of North 

 American ' Wild-Fowl,' and writes from an intimate personal acquaint- 

 ance with the birds whose habits he so well describes. Some sixty pages 

 are first given to the general subject of Duck-shooting, describing the dif- 

 ferent methods prevailing at various localities and under diverse condi- 

 tions, including some remarks on ' The Decrease of Wild-Fowl ' (pp. 63- 

 70); then the Ducks are taken up in systematic sequence, species by 

 species, followed by a similar treatment of the Geese, Rails, and Shore- 

 Birds. All of the species and subspecies enumerate as North American 

 in the A. O. U. Check-List, the waifs and strays from other countries, are 

 included. Under each species is first given, in small type, a very full 

 description of the birds, including sexual and seasonal variations of 

 the plumage, in most cases including the downy young, and the eggs 



' For a notice of the ' Upland Game Birds' see Auk, XIX, 1902, p. 306. 



' The Water-Fowl | Family | By | L. C. Sanford | L. B. Bishop | and T. S. 

 Van Dyke | New York | The Macmillan Company | London : Macmillan and 

 Co., Ltd. I 1903 I All rights reserved — Crown 8vo, pp. ix -f 598, i photo- 

 gravure and 19 half-tone plates from drawings by L. A. P"uertes, A. B. Frost 

 and C. L. Bull. American Sportsman's Library Series, edited by Caspar 

 Whitney. 



