V°'- ^^ I Recott Literature. 447 



igo3 J -f-f^i 



Huntington's 'Our Feathered Game.'' — In a single volume ot about 

 400 pages Mr. Huntington treats of all of the species of North American 

 birds commonly hunted as game, among which are included the Bobolink 

 and Mourning Dove, but not the Robin nor the Meadovvlark. Of the 

 former he savs : " I have placed the Bobolink at the end of my list, a 

 place most convenient to strike it off, and I hope before long the hand- 

 some song-bird of the meadows will not be an object of pursuit." In 

 respect to tbe Mourning Dove he is less lenient, and although he mentions 

 the States which have prohibited its shooting, he decidedly favors its con- 

 tinued treatment as a game bird. 



This book is written by a sportsman, for sportsmen, and from the 

 sportsman's point of view, and should prove welcome to such as care for 

 a ' manual ' of North American game birds in a single volume. The first 

 chapter is introductory, treating of the changed conditions as regards the 

 present scarcity of game birds, methods of hunting, stringent game laws, 

 etc., in comparison with twenty-five years ago, when feathered game was 

 abundant and the hunter could shoot whenever and wherever he pleased, 

 with no limit to the bag. While the author manifests regret at the pass- 

 ing of these 'good old times,' he recognizes the necessity for stringent 

 game protection. Chapters follow on 'Guns and Dogs,' and 'Game 

 Clubs, Parks, and Preserves.' The rest of the book is divided into four 

 sections and an appendix, treating respectively of (i) Gallinaceous Birds; 

 (2) Wild-Fowl, or Swimmers; (3) Shore Birds or Waders; (4) Cranes, 

 Rails, and Reed Birds, Wild Pigeons and Doves ; (5) Appendix, giving 

 brief descriptions of the species. The purpose and character of the book 

 is well expressed in the author's closing paragraph of the introduction : 

 "My observation of the birds is from the sportsman's blind, or as he sees 

 them in a tramp across the field, with dog and gun ; a sufficient descrip- 

 tion, however, being given in the notes at the end of the volume to 

 enable the reader to identify the species. We do not go to the museums 

 to compare skins with the naturalists in the hope of creating a subspecies, 

 but to the lields to shoot over those still open, as well as on club-grounds 

 and private preserves, making some inquiry by the way as to the natural 

 history of our game, and the new methods of preservation and propaga- 

 tion." The eight full-page colored plates of shooting scenes are in the 

 style of this author's well-known illustrations published in his 'In 

 Brush, Sedge, and Stubble' (folio, 1S99,) since republished as 'The 

 True Game Birds,' while the 135 full-length 'bird portraits' are arranged 

 in 29 half-tone plates at the end of the volume. — J. A. A. 



^ Our Feathered Game | A Handbook of the | North American Game 

 Birds I By | Dwight W. Huntington | With eight full-page shooting scenes in 

 color I and one hundred and thirty-five bird portraits | Charles Scribner's 

 Sons I New York, 1903 — Crown 8vo, pp. xii -f 396, 8 col. pll., 29 half-tone 

 pll. Price, $2.00 ; postage, 15 cts. 



