^°9o^^] Recent Literature. '^\C 



larger number of readers who would otherwise forego the possession of 

 the ' New Nuttall,' which contains so much of the charming original. 

 -J. A. A. 



Scott's 'The Story of a Bird Lover.' — Mr. Scott's autobiography,' 

 published under the above title, forms a book of unusual interest. It has 

 a fascination hard to analyze, as probably few ornithologists who open 

 its pages will lay the book aside till the narrative of Mr. Scott's varied 

 experiences as a field naturalist and collector has been perused to the 

 end. That the title chosen is not unwarranted is evident throughout, 

 and his enthusiasm will awaken a responsive throb in the hearts of many 

 readers of kindred spirit. The ' Story ' consists of fourteen chapters, 

 each dealing with either a distinct j)eriod in the author's history or with 

 some special excursion or field experience. It is written, we are informed, 

 mainly from the recollection of the events chronicled long after they 

 transpired, and thus evinces the author's retentive memory; but there are 

 evidences here and there of slight lapses, or of lack of care in proof- 

 reading, as in the orthography of the names of some of the persons 

 mentioned in the early part of the narrative. The style is for the most 

 part terse, simple, and animated, and has about it a characteristic person- 

 ality unmistakable to those who have ever known Mr. Scott intimately. 



The story begins with an account of the author's 'childhood,' ' youth,' 

 and ' student days,' and follows with a general recital, in chronological 

 order, of his field experiences, beginning with a trip to West Virginia in 

 1872, to western Missouri in 1874, to Florida in 1876, to Colorado in 

 187S, and to Florida again in 187S-79 ; the interval fi-om 1882-1SS6 was 

 spent mainly in Arizona, and 1S86-90 on the Gulf Coast of Florida ; 

 Jamaica was visited in the fall of 1890, and two trips were made later to 

 England. The scientific results of these numerous ornithological expedi- 

 tions having already been published in a long series of special papers, 

 onl^' a list of them, in the form of a bibliographical supplement, being 

 here given ; but with the narrative is incorporated a large amount of per- 

 sonal reminiscence, relating to the people met with and the general 

 condition of the country at the various localities visited at dates now 

 so remote that these incidental references add much to the interest of 

 the ' Story.' 



The last chapter is entitled 'The Naturalist's Vision,' and deals with 

 his studies of live birds confined in aviaries. From small beginnings he 

 has now "a laboratorj^ for the study of live birds," in which "between 

 four and five hundred individuals are noAv insta^lled and under constant 

 observation." He outlines in this chapter some of the more obvious 



1 The I Story of a Bird Lover | By | William Earl Dodge Scott | [Design] 

 New York | The Outlook Company | 1903 — 8vo, pp. xi -+-372, and frontis- 

 piece. 



