176 



Bird - Lore 



and one of the Band - tailed Pigeon by 

 Allan Brooks add to the attractiveness and 

 value of this volume. — F. M. C. 



The Protection of Our Native Birds. 

 By Thos. H. Montgomery, Jr., Pro- 

 fessor of Zoology, University of Texas. 

 Bulletin, University of Texas, No. 79, 

 1906. 8vo. 30 pages. 



Professor Montgomery discusses the sub- 

 ject of bird protection under three heads: 

 {a) "Reasons for Protection," (1^) "Data 

 on the Destruction of Birds," and {c) 

 "Means of Protection of Birds." 



He has long been interested in a study of 

 the food of birds, and the information 

 acquired by personal investigation, as well 

 as that obtained from the published works 

 of others, has convinced him of the value 

 of birds to our agricultural interests. 



The question is handled in a scientific, 

 logical manner, which increases the force 

 of the arguments employed, and we trust 

 that the publication of this paper in a state 

 particularlyin need of the services of insect- 

 destroyers will help to bring Its inhabitants 

 to a realization of their indebtedness to 

 birds.— F. M. C. 



The Birds of the Chicago Area. By 

 Frank Morley Woodruff. Bulletin VI 

 of the Natural History Survey, Chicago 

 Academy of Sciences, April 15, 1907. 

 221 pages, 12 full-page half-tones. 



In an introduction of twenty-four pages, 

 Mr. Woodruff states the sources of informa- 

 tion on which this list is based, outlines the 

 territory embraced with its more significant 

 climatic conditions, calls attention to locali- 

 ties of special interest, describes conditions 

 unfavorable to birds, speaks of those extra- 

 limited species which have occurred and 

 those which may be expected to occur, and 

 has a word to say about migration from a 

 local standpoint. 



For the excellent reason that a local list is 

 not the place in which to exploit the latest 

 scheme in classification, the A. O. U. 

 check-list is followed. 



Pages 25 to 195 are devoted to the treat- 

 ment of the birds which have been reported 

 from the area covered. This is stated to in- 

 lu 1; ' i'\ )' Cook and Du Page counties, 



the nine north townships of Will county 

 and the northern portion of Lake county, 

 Indiana." The species are not numbered, 

 nor does there appear to be a synoptic table 

 of their manner of occurrence from which 

 we could readily obtain an impression of 

 the character of the ornis of the area under 

 consideration. 



The annotations include a statement of 

 the local status and general distribution of 

 each species, the less common species being 

 treated with a detail which should make 

 this paper of great value to local students. 

 An extended bibliography should help ta 

 rescue from oblivion much matter in regard 

 to Chicago birds which has been published 

 in the daily press. It is interesting to- 

 observe that, although E. W. Nelson appears 

 here as the author of only two papers relat- 

 ing to the birds of the Chicago area, he is 

 more frequently quoted than any other 

 author.— F. M. C. 



Journal Maine Ornithological Society. 

 — -The leading article in the December, 

 1906, number is on 'Bicknell's Thrush on 

 Mt. Abraham,' by D. W. Sweet, describ- 

 ing the occurrence of the species in Maine 

 during the breeding season. W. H. Brown- 

 son contributes some notes on 'Portland' 

 Birds' observed in 1906 and J. M. Swain 

 furnishes 'Contributions to the Life History 

 of the Pine Warbler.' Migration tables 

 and numerous local notes make up the 

 number. 



In the March, 1907, number, O. W. 

 Knight contributes to the Life History of 

 the Yellow Warbler and A. H. Norton dis- 

 cusses the occurrence of the Jerfalcons, 

 Lapland Longspur, Sharp-shinned and 

 Pigeon Hawk in Maine in winter. There 

 is also the report of the Eleventh Annual 

 Meeting and numerous Christmas Bird 

 Censuses and Local Notes. — W. S. 



The publication of the first number of 

 'British Birds,' an illustrated monthly 

 magazine devoted to the birds on the 

 British list, is announced for June i. The 

 editor will be Mr. H. F. Witherby, assisted 

 by W. P. Pycraft. The annual subscription 

 of ID s. 6d. may be sent to Witherby & Co., 

 326 High Holborn, London. 



