Book News and Reviews 



221 



resume of all that has been previously pub- 

 lished in regard to Labrador birds. The 

 result is a copiously annotated list of 213 

 "authenticated," 2 "extinct" and 44 "doubt- 

 ful and erroneous species. " 



Introductory sections on 'Topography,' 

 'Faunal Areas, ' 'Migration,' 'Ornithological 

 History — Ornithologists,' 'Bird and Egg 

 Destruction, ' supply much general informa- 

 tion. 



While the actual number of specimens col- 

 lected was small, they proved to be of special 

 value showing, among other things, that the 

 Prairie Horned Lark has no status as a Lab- 

 rador bird, Otocoris alpestris alpestris being 

 apparently the only form of the group occur- 

 ring in this region. 



An unusual feature of this paper is a census 

 of the approximate number of individuals of 

 species of birds seen at stated localities.- — 

 F. M. C. 



Along the Labrador Coast. By Charles 

 Wendell Townsend, M.D., with illus- 

 trations from Photographs and a Map, 

 Boston, Dana Estes & Co., 1907. i2mo. 

 xii -|- 289 pages. 40 half-tones, i map. 



This book admirably supplements the 

 paper on Labrador birds by its author and 

 Glover M. Allen, reviewed above. It is the 

 story of the summer cruise along the Labra- 

 dor coast, during which was gathered the 

 material on which the more technical paper 

 is based. Each work has its place, and each 

 appeals to its own audience, but in reading the 

 two together one is impressed by the com- 

 parative absence of repetition and conse- 

 quently realizes how much of the story of the 

 expedition would have been left untold if the 

 present work had remained unpublished. 



Here we have a continuous narrative, in 

 which with no effort at "fine writing," the 

 Labrador coast and its inhabitants, human 

 as well as avian, is brought very clearly before 

 us. We wish there were more books of this 

 kind, and if every traveling ornithologist 

 could tell his story as simply and as pleas- 

 antly as Dr. Townsend relates his, our 

 supply of readable and informing nature 

 literature would be acceptably increased. — 

 F. M. C. 



The Ornithological Magazines 



The Auk. — In the 128 pages of the July 

 number there is much to attract the general 

 reader as well as other matters that will more 

 particularly please the student of ornithology. 

 The first instalment of an exhaustive local 

 list of 'The Birds of Custer and Dawson 

 Counties, Montana,' by Mr. E. S. Cameron, 

 is finely illustrated by photographs of the 

 country and is accompanied by two maps. 

 The third instalment of Messrs. Beyer, 

 Allison and Kopman's 'List of the Birds of 

 Louisiana,' will be found on later pages. 

 The Rev. P. B. Peabody writes pleasantly 

 of his experiences with 'The Crossbills of 

 Northeastern Wyoming,' where he found 

 these nomadic birds nesting in mid-winter. 

 A mop-stick proved a successful, though un- 

 certain weapon for securing specimens of the 

 birds. Fledglings and a nest were obtained. 

 Mr. A. H. Clark gives us a glimpse of 'Char- 

 acteristic Kamchatkan Birds ; ' Mr. J. T. 

 Ferry has something to tell us about the win- 

 ter birds of southern Illinois, and Mr. J. C. 

 Wood writes about the autumn migration of 

 Warblers near Detroit. 



More technical articles are one by Mr. O. 

 Bangs on birds of Costa Rica, one on a hybrid 

 Humming-bird by Messrs. Bangs and J. E. 

 Thayer, and one on a new Agelaius from 

 Canada by Mr. H. C. Oberholser. Mr. 

 Bangs describes two new species and five new 

 races, but what comes nearer home to most 

 readers of Bird-Lore is the separation by 

 Mr. Oberholser of the Red-winged Blackbird 

 of the Canadian Northwest under the sub- 

 specific name of arctolegus. This is still 

 another of the millimeter races, differing from 

 its nearest ally, according to its describer's 

 own figures, about 5 per cent in dimensions 

 and nothing in plumage. Inasmuch as the 

 Red-wing is already split into so many races 

 that even experts do not agree as to what 

 name to call a given specimen, this latest 

 'split' in a much worked-over — if not over- 

 worked — species is not a welcome guest. 



An obituary notice of Professor Alfred 

 Newton marks the passing of an old-time 

 ornithologist of note. — J. D., Jr. 



