JVNE 7, 1895. ] 



SCIENCE. 



635 



serves much more space, than so incomplete 

 a notice would indicate ; but it is only 

 practicable here to give the briefest pos- 

 sible indication of its contents, and to ad- 

 vise everyone interested in the subjects 

 treated to examine the work and judge it 

 for himself. Mr. Kent and his publishers 

 — who have put up the book in excellent 

 shape in all respects — are to be heartily con- 

 gratulated on the outcome of their long 

 struggle with the most difficult task that 

 authoi-ship knows — the condensation of a 

 a great mass of useful special information 

 into manageable aud compact form. The 

 product of their eftbrts is a mechanical 

 engineer's pocket-book covering the field 

 with remarkable completeness, correct as to 

 theory, rich in data, supphing all the 

 tables, ' constants of nature.' aud results of 

 scientific research in its department, re- 

 quired by the practitioner, and in marvel- 

 louslj- compact form. 



In size, type, paper and presswork, bind- 

 ing and finish, the book is fully up to the 

 established standard for such publications. 

 It seems remarkably free from printers" 

 aud other errors — although it must un- 

 doubtedly fail of absolute perfection iu this 

 respect in a first edition —and is a credit to 

 all concerned in its production. It is u 

 great work well done. 



R. H. Thurstox. 



Birdcraft, a Field Booh of Tiro Hundred Song, 

 Game and Wafer Birdg. By Mabel Osgood 

 Weight. Pp. 317. 15 double plates, 

 mostlj' colored. New York aud London, 

 Macmillan & Co. S°. May, IS'J.j. Price, 

 S3.00. 



On opening Mrs. Wright's Birdcraft, fresh 

 from the press, one is likely to exclaim 

 ' what horrible pictures!" and wonder how a 

 reputable publisher or author could permit 

 such atrocious daubs to deface a well 

 printed book . But in spite of these staring 

 eyesores, wliich certainly jirejudice one 



against the work, tlie text contains nuu-li of 

 interest and, taken as a whole, is well writ- 

 ten. The spirit of the book is in touch 

 with the popular aud growing fashion of 

 studying birds in the field, and its chief 

 purpose seems to be to interest the novice 

 and aid iu identifying birds ' in the bush.' 

 It contains introductory chaptei-s on ' the 

 spring song," ' the building of the nest,' 

 ' water birds,' ' birds of autumn and winter,' 

 and ' how to name the birds.' The book 

 proper begins with a ' synopsis of l)ird fam- 

 ilies,' followed by popidar descriptions and 

 short biographies of 200 species — mostly 

 well-known eastern birds — and ends with 

 keys for the ready identification of males iu 

 spring plumage. The utility of such keys 

 can be tested only by actual use. These 

 are simple and look as if they would be 

 helpful to the beginner, though it almost 

 takes one's breath away to find the robin 

 classed with the cardinal and tanager under 

 ' birds conspicuously red.' 



Most of the biographies are based on the 

 author"s field experience iu southern Con- 

 necticut, and as a rule are interesting and 

 accurate. Now and then misleading state- 

 ments creep in, particularly with refereuce 

 to the geographic ranges. For instance, 

 the white-eyed vii'eo. chat, orchard oriole, 

 and other Carolinian birds are said to in- 

 habit the ' eastern I'uited States,' while, as 

 a matter of fact, they are absent from the 

 northern tier of States and New England, 

 except in the southern parts. Other sur- 

 prising statements may be traced to popular 

 jirejudice. Thus the author says of the Blue 

 Jay: " Here is a bird against whom the hand 

 of every lover of song-birds should be turned 

 ■■■■■ --i^ * for the Jay is a cannibal, not a whit 

 less destructive than the crow. * * * Day 

 by day they sally out of their nesting places 

 to market for themselves and for their young, 

 aud nothing will do for them but fresh eggs 

 and tender s(iuabs from the nests of tlie 

 song-birds ; to be followed later by Ijerries, 



