Rccoit Literature. 247 



In a general way it may be said of most of the plates that the perspec- 

 tive is very bad — if not absent altogether; that a large number of the 

 nests look as if temporarily balanced, like so many saucers, upon the 

 branches on which they rest, and from which they seem ready to tumble 

 on the slightest jar; and that nearly all have the appearance of cheap 

 chromo-lithographs, while none attain to the degree of excellence essen- 

 tial to first-class workmanship. In order to give the subscribers as much 

 paint as possible for the money, the artist has endeavored to supply back- 

 grounds to many of the plates. Some of these seem intended to represent 

 distant mountains, but the greater number consist of dense, and some- 

 times shapeless masses of solid green. At other times we are treated to 

 glimpses of the sky and ocean that rival, in depth and intensity of color, 

 the rich ultramarine-blue of the head of the Nonpareil. 



Turning now to the letter-press let us examine its claim to rank among 

 the contributions to ornithological literature. A few brief quotations will 

 suffice to show both the .scope of the work and the author's estimate of 

 its value. In the preface he says : "Especial pains have been taken with 

 the text. The aim of the author has been to present a short, plain, and 

 detailed account of the habits of each species described. . . . 



"Throughout the work, considerable prominence has been given to 

 those interesting and curious phases of bird life which are present during 

 the breeding period, and which have been the principal study of the author 

 for many years. Extraneous matter has been sedulously omitted, and 

 nothing permitted to appear about which there could be serious doubts of 

 accuracy. 



"With these few preliminary remarks, we send this beautiful book out 

 into the world, trusting that it may meet Mith a cordial reception ever\- 

 where." 



That the work does not contain anything approaching a complete 

 "detailed account of the habits" of a single species is evident from the 

 most cursory exaiuination of the biographies. On the other hand, we 

 are given an amount of detail and exact data, concerning some of the 

 most inaccessible points connected with the breeding habits of birds, that 

 excite, first, admiration (for the author's extraordinary acuteness of obser- 

 vation) ; next, astonishment (at the possibility of attaining a knowledge 

 of certain peculiarities mentioned) ; and finally, incredulity (regarding the 

 reliability of the author's statements). 



To be more explicit : Not only does Mr. Gentry tell us the exact number 

 of days consumed in building the nest, in depositing the eggs, in incuba- 

 tion, the period the young remain in the nest, and the length of time they 

 are afterwards fed by the parents; but he goes further and states how much 

 time is devoted to courting, gives the period of mating and the duration 

 of the honeymoon, and tells us how many days are spent in the selection 

 of a suitable and satisfactory site for the nest, not omitting, in some 

 cases, to mention which sex governs in making the choice. A few cita- 

 tions, in the author's own words, will suffice. to demonstrate his unparalleled 

 perspicacity in these matters. 



