170 Recent Literature. 



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Maynard's Birds of Eastern North America * — It was the for- 

 tune of Audubon to visit Florida when it was a veritable terra incofjnila, as 

 far as its birds were concerned, and the information brought to light by him 

 respecting its avian life, both in the way of unknown species and of bio- 

 graphical notes, formed no inconsiderable part of his contributions to Ameri- 

 can ornithology. So carefully did this pioneer glean the ground of its more 

 prominent ornithological facts, that the many similar pilgrimages since his 

 time have, in the main, but amplified details respecting species made 

 known and treated of by him. 



But the peninsula has never received so much attention at the hands of 

 any one ornithologist, not excepting Audubon, as from IVIr. Maynard, while 

 he is the only author who has attempted to bring under one cover a com- 

 plete treatise on its birds. It is true that the present work aims at being a 

 great deal more than a treatise on the birds of Florida. Yet its founda- 

 tion was just that, and it is evident that from the Florida peninsula come 

 the more valuable and lesser known facts which the author has to offer, 

 although a glance over the pages is sufficient to show that he has had a 

 large experience in other fields. It is a matter for regret that the later 

 plan of the work had not been its original one. Had such been the case, 

 the author would have been spared the necessity — if indeed it be a neces- 

 sity — of repeating verbatim in the " Birds of Eastern North America " 

 many pages of descriptive matter and biography whii.-h appeared in the 

 " Birds of Florida." Nevertheless the amplification of the scope of the 

 book greatly enhances its interest to the public at large, and insures it a 

 wider circle of readers, especially as the author states that he intends to 

 give particular attention to the Game and Water birds, thus on the one 

 hand appealing to the ever-increasing fraternity of sportsmen, and on 

 the other treating of a branch of ornithology that has been sin-prisingly 

 neglected since the time of Audubon. 



The energy and skill with which the author has conducted field work 

 for the past fifteen years, of which four or five seasons have been spent in 

 Florida, have placed at his disposal an unusually large store of facts concern- 

 ing birds and their habits. Mr. Maynard possesses many of the qualities 

 that go to make up the good observer, and, as he never strains after fine 



* The Birds of Eastern Noi'th America, with original Descriptions of all the 

 Species which occur east of the Mississippi Eiver between tlie Arctic Circle and 

 tlie Gulf of Mexico, with full Notes upon their Habits. By C. J. Maynard. 

 Containing thirty Plates drawn on Stone by the Autlior. C. J. Maynard & Co., 

 Newtonville, Mass. [4to. Thirteen Parts issued.] 



