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Recent Literature. 



TAuk 



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tains ' ' is compact and business-like, having quite the air and appearance 

 of a scientific school manual, with its analytical keys, strictly systematic 

 arrangement, and 'glossary.' The thorny road of technicalities is 

 smoothed, not by omitting the technicalities, but by using them, with 

 proper definitions and explanations, aided by cuts and diagrams when 

 necessarv. Its purpose appears to be primarily that of a school manual, 

 and for such use seems well adapted. The subject is reduced to simple 

 terms, and is methodically presented. Even the scientific names are 

 marked for accent. Part I (pp. 9-3S) treats of the external parts of birds 

 and the terms needed for their description. The treatment is for the most 

 part brief, but is abundantly illustrated by appropriate outline figures. 

 Under the head of 'Nests and Eggs' some very good advice is given to 

 would-be collectors, both as to the taking of eggs and the manner of the 

 taking. Part II (pp. 39-348) treats systematically of the species, giving 

 first a key to the families, with instructions for its use, and later, in their 

 proper places, keys to the genera and species. About fifty to a hundred 

 words, in large type, give the leading traits of the species, both as to 

 color, markings and habits, the measurements and area of distribution 

 being added in a paragraph of smaller type, to which also the various 

 subspecies are altogether relegated. Each species is usually illustrated 

 with a full-length wash-drawing — generally effective and helpful but 

 rarely artistic and often quite otherwise, some of them' being the worst 

 we have seen in a modern bird book. It is on the whole very carefully 

 compiled, and therefore trustworthy^ though the paraphrasing some- 

 times fails to fully conceal the author's sources of information. 



Part III (pp. 349-372) treats of 'The Study of Birds in the Field,' giving 

 brief directions as to how, when and where to find birds, with keys for 

 their identification ' in the bush,' the keys in Part II being for the iden- 

 tification of birds 'in the hand.' Part IV (pp. 373-389) teaches the 

 ' Preparation of bird specimens for display or studj'.' This includes 

 instructions for skinning and mounting, with illustrations, and the 

 preparation of eggs and nests. A glossary and index conclude this very 

 serviceable little volume, which will doubtless assist much in the intro- 

 duction of bird study in schools. — J. A. A. 



Cory's Ducks, Geese and Swans." — Mr. Cory's 'How to know the 



^ Birds I of the United States | east of the Rocky Mountains | A Manual for 

 the identiiication of species | in hand or in bush | By Austin C. Apgar | 

 Author of "Trees of the Northern United States," etc.] — New York, 

 Cincinnati, Chicago | American Book Company | — No date; copyright, 1898. 

 Sm. Svo, pp. 415, numerous text illustrations. 



^ How to know | the | Ducks, Geese and Swans | of | North America | all 

 the Species being grouped according to Size and Color | — | By Charles B. 

 Cory I . . . . [ = 4 lines of titles] ....[= 5 lines of titles of the Author's previ- 

 ous books] I — I For sale by | Little, Brown & Co. | Boston | 1897 — Sm. 

 quarto, pp. 95, with 5 plates and numerous text figures. 



