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Bird -Lore 



California Water Birds. — No. IV. 

 Vicinity of Monterey in Autumn. 

 By Leverett M. Loomis. Proc. 

 Calif. Acad. Sciences. Third Series. 

 Vol. II, No. 3, pp. 277-322. 



In this paper Mr. Loomis continues 

 his valuable studies of the movements 

 of Water Birds off the coast of Cali- 

 fornia, the period covered being from 

 September 18 to November 14. A de- 

 tailed account of the observations made 

 is presented under dates and is followed 

 by certain "conclusions" on various 

 phenomena of bird migration under the 

 headings ' Migration Northward After 

 Breeding Season, ' ' Guidance by Physical 

 Phenomena,' 'Guidance by Old Birds,' 

 'Cause of Migration.' 



Mr. Loomis' well-deserved reputation 

 as a careful and discerning field orni- 

 thologist makes his observations an im- 

 portant contribution to our knowledge of 

 existing conditions of bird migration, but 

 in theorizing on the origin and manner 

 of migration, he falls into the common 

 error of attempting to explain the origin 

 of a habit whose root is fixed in a past 

 geological age, and whose growth has been 

 governed by a thousand influences we 

 know not of, by its present day manifes- 

 tations — the last buds on the branch. 



A study of the origin of bird migration 

 must begin with the origin of flight 

 itself : a faculty which provided the bird 

 with a means of extending its range 

 into regions made habitable by increased 

 solar heat during a portion of each year. 

 From this as a starting point and with 

 the aid of data as yet to be furnished 

 by the paleontologist, climatologist, 

 geologist, and psychologist, the ornitholo- 

 gist may perhaps reason from cause to 

 effect. In the meantime we cannot have 

 too many studies of just the kind Mr. 

 Loomis is making. — F. M. C. 



Bird Studies With a Camera. With In- 

 troductory Chapters on the Outfit 

 .and Methods of the Bird Photog- 

 rapher. By Frank M. Chapman. Illus- 

 trated with over 100 photographs from 

 nature by the Author. D. Appleton & Co. , 

 New York City. 1900. i2mo Pages 

 xvi -|- 218. Numerous half-tones. $1.75. 



The Author of " Bird Studies With a 



Camera" is, without doubt, the best 

 equipped writer in the country to handle 

 the subject of bird photography, he 

 holding the same place in America that 

 the Kearton Brothers occupy in Great 

 Britain. With a pleasing modesty in his 

 preface, he claims for his book nothing 

 more than " a contribution to an end, " yet 

 no amateur or professional photographer 

 who reads its pages will fail to obtain 

 many valuable hints which will prevent 

 hours of wasted time, and loss of material 

 and effort. 



The introductory chapter treats of the 

 scientific value and charm of bird photog- 

 raphy, followed by an exhaustive review 

 of "The Outiit and Methods of the Bird 

 Photographer." An intelligent study of 

 this chapter will not fail to direct any one 

 who attempts nature study with a camera 

 into a much smoother path than he could 

 find for himself. 



The remaining chapters are devoted to 

 the field experiences of the author while 

 securing the large series of bird photo- 

 graphs with which the volume is illus- 

 trated. 



These experiences are told in such a 

 pleasing and explicit way that the reader 

 involuntarily wonders why he has never 

 seen these charms in nature, and mentally 

 thanks the author for showing him how to 

 get nearer to nature's heart. 



The volume merits a place in every 

 home, because it advocates a love for and 

 intimate knowledge of wild bird-life, and 

 also because it will prove a boon to the 

 thousands of amateur photographers of 

 this country, by introducing them into the 

 hitherto unknown paradise of animate 

 nature. — W. D. 



Book News 



The April number of 'The Mayflower,' 

 published by John Lewis Childs at 

 Floral Park, L. I., appears with a 

 department devoted to bird study, in 

 which the editor takes a strong and 

 commendable stand on the question of 

 the destruction of birds for millinery 

 purposes. 



