2 7] Oo Recent Literature. [ July 
Bird Migration in the Mississippi Valley, by W. W. Cooke.— 
Taking up this most interesting little volume, we desire in the very 
first place to express our admiration for the system and method of work. 
Whilst agreeing with many of the statements, theoretical or otherwise, 
we think it desirable to take up the whole of the preliminary chapters in 
detail, page by page, whether we agree or not. 
Page it. ‘‘Inherited Experience”: ‘‘The habit was transmitted from 
parent to offspring”: ‘‘governing impulse.”— May we suggest :—Yes; 
inherited instinct aided by education, or ‘‘educated instinct,” and guid- 
ance of young by old—as a more natural explanation than the other? 
“‘Love of nesting ground, the foundation of desire for migration.”—We 
cannot agree with the expression ‘‘foundation,” etc.,—but we perfectly 
agree with the concluding clauses of the same paragraph, as to ‘‘memory 
inherited”: and we also believe, that chozce of sttuation, and visual selec- 
tzon must not be left out of the question. We quite agree that ‘strong 
home-love” is an important factor, but it is aided by memory, the suita- 
bility of the site, and great powers of vision (therefore selection) by the 
passing migrants, young or old. 
The statement, in the editorial foot-note to same page (p. 11) that 
‘Birds desert their winter homes because the food supply fails” seems to 
me to demand a great deal of proof. But the following condition seems 
to me more deserving of attention—viz., zempPerature as a first cause; and 
that ‘‘climatal conditions become unsuited to their needs.” Of course, 
all dovetail into one another—temperature, insect-life, bird-life, condi- 
tions of existence, etc., motherly and parental instincts, incubation con- 
siderations; and a /arge question is at once opened up. To arrive at first 
causes means, first, simply accumulation of materials. 
At p. 12.—The question of the great migration from north and south 
of certain Waders and Warblers passing over great distances seems to us 
simply to depend upon ¢emperatures and consequences of temperatures. 
The Knot (Trénga canutus) finds a certain zormal temperature and condi- 
tions of life, at, or nearest to, both poles, north and south. 
Page 12. Undoubtedly we consider that ‘Birds discern approaching 
meteorological changes.” The ornithologists who dezy it, must,deny it, 
upon exceptzons to the rule, which have come under their own cognizance. 
Most sportsmen know how irritable, how uneasy, how watchful and 
abrupt are the movements of wild fowl on the eve of a change of weather, 
or even for a day or two before itis potent to human senses. Even how 
sportsmen (of experience), when they spring Snipe in wisps wide and 
wild, which mounting high in air direct theirafter flight directly away, think 
it high time to wzre for fresh supplies of cartridges, in anticipation of an 
‘Arctic winter,’ and a long crusade of snow and frost. But we doubt, ex- 
cept on rare occastons, if spring storms can be guaged in their effects as 
accurately as autumn storms can. 
The concluding argument of this portion— at p. 12—must, we think, be 
considered subject to the others—I mean the considerations of age of in- 
dividuals, etc. Lower animals, such as even the ‘‘hardier waterfowl (Ducks 
