112 General Notes. f^ a u n k 



RECENT LITERATURE. 



Beebe's ' The Bird.' 1 — The scope of this excellent work is indicated 

 by the captions of the seventeen chapters into which it is divided, as fol- 

 lows: 'I. Ancestors' (pp. 1-18), devoted to an account of the early- 

 forms of birds, with a discussion of the origin of the bird type and its rela- 

 tion to other vertebrates. 'II. Feathers' (pp. 19-61), treating of their 

 structure, development and arrangement, and of moult and color. 'III. 

 The Framework of the Bird' (pp. 62-102), deals with the skeleton, in com- 

 parison with that of other vertebrates. 'IV. The Skull ' (pp. 103-115). 

 'V. Organs of Nutrition' (pp. 116-141). 'VI. The Food of Birds' 

 (pp. 142-164), in reference to its character, mode of procurement, and 

 the special adaptations involved therefor in different groups. 'VII. 

 The Breath of a Bird' (pp. 165-187), or an account of the respiratory 

 organs. 'VIII. Muscles and Nerves' (pp. 188-202). 'IX. The Senses' 

 (pp. 203-222). 'X. Beaks and Bills' (pp. 223-251), their structure and 

 their exceedingly diverse modifications and varied uses. 'XL Heads 

 and Necks' (pp. 252-284), their peculiarities in different groups and their 

 wonderful adaptations. 'XII. The Body of a Bird' (285-318), in which 

 is treated not merely the variations in its size and form, as correlated with 

 mode of life, but a varied category of other subjects, as the color and tex- 

 ture of the plumage in relation to habits; geographical and other varia- 

 tions in color and their probable causes; adaptive colors, etc. 'XIII. 

 Wings' (pp. 319-352), the various types in relation to modes of flight and 

 manner of life, etc. 'XIV. Feet and Legs' (pp. 353-397), showing 

 variation with function. 'XV. Tails' (398-426), a fruitful subject for 

 illustration with reference to form and use. 'XVI. The Eggs of Birds' 

 (pp. 427-461), and 'XVII. The Bird in the Egg' (pp. 462-482), the 

 latter devoted to the embryology of birds. An 'Appendix' (pp. 483, 

 484) gives the titles of " a few excellent books relating directly or indirectly 

 to ornithology," and is followed by a full and well-planned topical index. 



Other works of much the same scope have appeared in recent years, 

 but none with such a wealth of original illustrations, nor so well adapted 

 to the needs of the general reader and amateur bird student. The treat- 

 ment is popular, avoiding needless technicalities, well-balanced and emi- 

 nently original. It is evidently written from the basis of a wide range of 

 first-hand knowledge, and with an inspiration begotten of real interest 



i American Nature Series | Group II. The Functions of Nature | — | The Bird | 

 Its Form and Function | By | C. William Beebe | Curator of Ornithology of the New 

 York Zoological Park and Life Member of the | New York Zoological Society; Mem- 

 ber of the American Ornithologists' | Union and Fellow of the New York Academy 

 of Sciences | Author of "Two Bird-Lovers in Mexico " | With over three hundred and 

 seventy illustrations | chiefly photographed from life i by the Author | [Vignette] 

 New York | Henry Holt and Company | 1906 — Large Svo, pp. xi + 496. 



