41 8 Recent Literature. an 
departure on October 31. During this time the study of these birds was 
the observer’s chief object; his record of their movements sometimes 
began at 3 A.M. and continued until the birds had left the roost, and in 
the evening he was again at his post to note their return. We have, 
therefore, a detailed history of the lives of these birds during their 
presence on their breeding grounds, by an ornithologist whose enthusiasm 
permitted no relaxation in the care with which his observations were 
made, and whose experience fitted him to direct his efforts most 
effectively. His study shows that “during courtship and nesting, each 
occupying about two weeks under normal conditions, none of the 
Grackles flock together to pass the night, whatever they may have done 
previously; but as soon as incubation has well begun the old males seek 
the shelter of some convenient grove and pass the night there with 
others of their kind. As soon as the most forward young are able to fly» 
they are escorted to the common roost by the old male, or if the whole 
brood should develop at the same time, by both parents; and where there 
is any marked difference in the development of the young of the same 
brood, the later ones, accompanied by the old female, bring up the rear 
The young are fed for some days after they begin to roost with the old 
ones... . In general, the birds depart from the roost with the rising 
sun, and return to it at sunset. Singing and calling begin with the break 
of day, and continue until the birds depart for their feeding grounds. At 
night there is comparatively little singing, and all noise and shifting 
about cease as darkness falls. Early in the season the birds arrive and 
depart independently of each other, but with the advancing summer 
flocking increases, until finally all move as one individual.” The paper 
is to be commended for its clear presentation of an admirable piece of 
field work. — F. M. C. 
Cory’s Shore Birds of North America.!— This work is constructed on 
the same lines as the author’s ‘How to know the Ducks, Geese and 
Swans,’ and his ‘ Key to the Water Birds of Florida,’ published originally 
in his ‘Hunting and Fishing in Florida’(reviewed in this Journal, XIII, 
1896, pp. 246, 247). It is intended, the author says, ‘‘to meet the wants 
of a large number of persons, especially sportsmen, who are interested 
in birds and would like to know their names, but often find it no easy 
task to identify them by the ‘bird books.’ To all such I offer this Key, 
in which the species are arranged in groups according to size,” etc. The 
work consists of a few introductory pages, describing how to measure 
birds, a glossary of technical terms, and an ‘Index to the Key,’ followed 
* How to know | the Shore Birds | (Limicolz) | of North America | (south 
of Greenland and Alaska | all the species being grouped according to size and 
color | — | By Charles B. Cory |. . . [ =g lines, titles and list of the author’s 
principal publications] | —.| For sale by | Little, Brown & Co. | Boston | 1897 
— Small 4to, pp. 89, with numerous illustrations. 
