330 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. L. No. 1292 



tributions or other assistence. The geographic 

 distribution of the various species has been 

 largely compiled by Dr. Louis B. Bishop and 

 Mr. F. Seymour Hersey, while the biographies 

 of two species — Fratercula arctica arctica 

 and Plautus impennis, have been written by 

 Dr. Charles W. Townsend. An effort has 

 been made to have the account of each species 

 as complete as x>ossible, and judicious quota- 

 tions from literature have been used whenever 

 original information was not available; yet, as 

 is with naive modesty said in the author's in- 

 troduction, " No one is so well aware of the 

 many shortcomings and omissions in this work 

 as the author. Allowance must be made for 

 the magnitude of the undertaking. If the 

 reader fails to find mentioned in these pages 

 some things which he knows about the birds, 

 he can blame himself for not having sent them 

 to the author." 



The method of treatment is decidedly mod- 

 ern, and facilitates reference to any portion of 

 the information presented. Each one of the 

 36 species and subspecies is treated separately, 

 but undue repetition is avoided under sub- 

 species. These individual biographies range in 

 length from less than two to nearly thirteen 

 pages, and, notwithstanding their scientific 

 accuracy, are for the most part pleasantly 

 written. The account of the loon (Oavia 

 immer) is particularly interesting. We are 

 sorry to see, however, that the author still re- 

 tains the possessive case for common names of 

 birds dedicated to individuals. 



The data under each species is arranged in 

 two general categories, " Habits " and " Dis- 

 tribution." Under the former the subhead- 

 ings are arranged, it will be noticed, as far as 

 possible according to the sequence of the sea- 

 sons. " Spring," " Courtship," " ^Nesting," 

 "Eggs," "Young," "Plumages," "Food," 

 "Behavior," " Eall," and "Winter." Under 

 " Distribution " appear " Breeding Eange," 

 " Winter Eange," " Spring Migration," " Fall 

 Migration," " Casual Records," and " Egg 

 Dates." Of course, owing to the lack of in- 

 formation, all these headings are not to be 

 found under every species. An introductory 

 paragraph under " Habits " gives general in- 



formation that could not be satisfactorily dis- 

 tributed under the subheadings. 



Under " Spring" general information is 

 given regarding spring migration and haibits 

 during this period and until the breeding sea- 

 son, except that relating to courtship, which is 

 reserved for a special paragraph. " N^esting " 

 includes the dates of breeding, the location and 

 description of the nest and its environment, 

 and the habits of the species during this 

 period. The paragraph on eggs concerns their 

 number, character, color, dimensions, incuba- 

 tion, and similar facts. The section devoted 

 to the young gives principally their habits until 

 they are able to take care of themselves, to- 

 gether with the manner in which their parents 

 provide for them. Under the heading " Plum- 

 ages " there is a great deal of original and 

 valuable information, including more or less 

 complete descriptions of the various stages of 

 plumage and succession of molts from that of 

 the nestling to that of the adult, which in the 

 birds covered by the present contribution has 

 been little understood. Under " Food " there 

 is given a resume of the present knowledge of 

 the kinds of food and their relative impor- 

 tance, together with notes on feeding habits. 

 Under " Behavior " there is a general account 

 of the various activities of the birds, particu- 

 larly their flight, swimming and diving haibits, 

 vocal powers, general actions, and their ene- 

 mies. The paragraph headed " Fall " con- 

 cerns chiefly the autumn migration and the 

 habits of birds during this period; and that 

 relating to " Winter " contains similar data. 



The information regarding geographic dis- 

 tribution has evidently been worked out with 

 considerable care, and is one of the most valu- 

 able parts of this bulletin. For this purpose 

 indebtedness is acknowledged to the files of 

 data in the Biological Survey of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture. The breed- 

 ing range is given in considerable detail and, 

 as we like to see it, with the limits in each 

 direction outlined. The same is true of the 

 winter range. In " Sipring Migration " and 

 " Fall Migration " no general statement of 

 routes is given, but simply various data of ar- 

 rival and departure at different points through- 



