ORNITHOLOGIST 
[ Vol. 11-No. 6 

CORRESPONDENCE. 

96 
Destruction of our Native Birds. 

EDITOR OF ORNITHOLOGIST and OdLoGIsT—Sir: There are 
certainly two sides to this question, only one of which has 
as yet received my attention. That the movement set forth 
by the A. O. U. is a good one there can be no doubt, but at 
the same time the enormity of the offense is not so great as 
some would have us believe, at least not as regards the tax- 
idermists. Young odlogist, who so far have received all 
the blame for the so-called scarcity of certain native birds, 
I propose to give a few instances pointing towards other 
and much greater causes than the above for the scarcity. 
lst, the advance of civilization, which drives the birds from 
their accustomed haunts, and not to mention the telegraph 
wires, lighthouses, etc. 
2d. The so-called sportsman who shoots at everything 
that flies; let me give one or two instances. In the sum- 
mer of 1884 I was spending my month’s vacation in Pike 
county, Pa. There came to the hotel two such persons, with 
the most approved pattern of breech loaders. The very 
next day they commenced to bang away at every living 
thing. I counted forty-nine insectivorous birds that these 
two brutes killed on their first day’s hunt. They kept this 
thing up the entire two weeks of their stay. I tried my best 
to stop them but was unable todo so Another with a boat 
anchored out in mid-stream, shooting at the Swallows that 
were flying overhead, their dead bodies floating off with the 
current. Such scenes as these are being enacted in all parts 
of our country, and almost every day. But let me ask a 
question, did you ever see a taxidermist or young odlogist 
do any thing like this. I think not. 
In a recent article mention is given of the farmer’s cat, I 
think it should have been cats, as it is seldom that we come 
across a farmer’s house or barn without at least two cats, 
sometimes five or six. Let me give one instance of cat 
work. Inthe summer of 18741 was staying on a farm in 
Berks Co., Pa., which boasted seven cats. One old fellow of 
the Thomas persuasion would daily catch young birds, 
sometimes old ones, this cat fully averaged two birds a day 
during the nesting season. 
I hope no one will misjudge me from these remarks. No 
one more so than myself desire to see our song and insect- 
eating birds protected, and I will, as I always have, do what 
I can to protect their useless slaughter, and I hope to see 
the day when a woman will feel ashamed to wear a bird on 
her hat. It is to say the least a barbarous fashion. In 
Philadelphia at least, not half the hats with birds upon 
them are to be seen to what there was just three years ago. 
—Philip Laurent, Member of the Phila. A. of N.S. 
RECENT PUBLICATIONS. 
Egg Check List and Key to the Nests and Eggs of North 
American Birds. By Oliver Davie. Second Edition, re- 
vised and enlarged; with seven full-page engravings by 
Theodore Jasper, A. M., M. D., Columbus, O.; Hann & 
Adair, Printers, 1886. Pp. iv, 184, 8 vo. 
A little over a year ago Mr. Davie issued the first edition 
of his Egg Check List, and that volume met with such a 
signal success that he was speedily called upon to prepare a 
second edition. He determined to make radical changes in 
the latter, and now that the result is before us it is most 
satisfactory. Almost all the species of birds whose eggs 
have been discovered are to be found in this edition, and 
there is a fullness of description, and of interesting details, 
which was entirely wanting in the first issue. 
First Mr. Davie gives the color of the eggs, then their 


5B 

number and size, anda description of the nest, or of the 
place where they are found. The habitat of the bird, to- 
gether with many other valuable details, follows. Wherever 
possible Mr. Davie has described the eggs either from speci- 
mens in his own extensive cabinet, or from those in the 
collections of his friends and correspondents. Very few of 
the descriptions are taken from the works of previous 
writers, and the whole book is fresh and original, and can- 
not fail to prove of the greatest value and use. It is more- 
over written in a plain and unassuming style which is truly 
refreshing after the quantity of so-called ‘‘scientific” stuff 
with which we have been lately deluded. True science has 
to use latin names because they are recognized all over the 
world, and tend to prevent the confusion which would cer- 
tainly arise were vernacular names alone depended on, but 
this unnecessary reiteration serves no good purpose, and 
drives off many would-be students. 
Mr. Davie describes many rare species of eggs for the first 
time, and he has brought together a mass of information 
concerning them which is in the highest degree entertain- 
ing and valuable. 
The number of eggs laid by each species is a point about 
which there have been more mistakes made by odlogists 
than anything else, and while Mr. Davie has done much to 
correct the errors of previous writers in this respect, he has 
occasionally fallen into some himself by fearing to disregard 
old time authorites in this particular. 
Dr. Jasper’s illustrations could well be spared, but they 
will no doubt serve to make the book attractive to our 
younger readers. The faults of the book are few, while its 
merits are many, and have only been slightly touched upon 
above. We heartily recommend it to our readers as one of 
the cheapest and best books on odlogy ever published. 
Jobe Ne 
BirDs oF Kansas.—Col. N.S. Goss of Topeka, Kansas, 
has compiled a list of the birds of that State, giving the 
general habits of the birds, time of arrival, nesting and oc- 
currences of rare species. 
Mr. Goss gives notes on 335 species known to occur with- 
in the State, and in this work shows considerable advance- 
ment over his previous list. Such books as the above are 
valuable and if every State should follow the example of 
Kansas, and secure the services of competent ornithologists 
to represent the bird-life, the result of the united endeavor 
would surpass any published work on our North American 
birds. The ornithoiogists of Kansas should be congratu- 
lated upon having such a varied bird-life and so competent 
a leader as Mr. Goss. 
List oF Birps oF VENTURA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, by 
Barton W. Everman. This is a reprint of the original 
papers which appeared in The Auk, Vol. III, No. 1-2. 200 
species are recorded, and show the result of careful investi- 
gation by a discerning observer of birds. 
The Coues New Key to N. A. Birds is now out of print 
and a new edition is expected within a few months. 
a eee 
Novice To ConTRIBUTORS.—In reply to several enquiries 
we would say that articles giving records of migration, 
while valuable, could be used to better advantage if forward- 
ed to the proper parties who have charge of the department 
of “ Economic Ornithology,” at Washington, rather than if 
published in these columns, as notes of migration are of 
much more value when studied on an extended scale and 
conjointly with many observers. 
We desire to acknowledge articles from the following 
contributors, for which they will please accept our thanks : 
Prof. B. W. Everman, W. C. Avery, M. D., C. 8. Brimley, 
Frank L. Burns, Herbert Skell, A. G. Paine, Jr., Jos. M, 
Wade, H. Taylor, W. L. Maris, J, A. Singley, J. M. W., 
Wm. L. Kells, J. W. Preston, Walter Hoxie, C. W. Crandall. 
