I lO Recent Literature. [April 



The body of the report is primarily of the nature of an ordinary "local 

 list" for the State of Wisconsin, giying in systematic order 295 species; 

 nor must the claims of the paper in this regard be entirely oyershadowed 

 by the importance of its main object. Eyery bird is referred to one or 

 another of the seyeral "Groups" and subgroups aboye mentioned. The 

 "tabular summaries of economic relations," expressed in the peculiar 

 manner aboye noted, are giyen for such species in sets, according to fam- 

 ilies. The report is well-written, giving in many cases extended biograph- 

 ies, aside from those points which in each case of course engage the 

 author's special attention. Besides detailed results of his own observa- 

 tions, statements of many other authors respecting the food of our birds 

 is condensed and summarized. The numerous woodcuts are chiefly taken 

 from Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway. The flavor of the author's personality 

 is appreciable, as we were sure we should find it to be, after reading in the 

 preface what Prof. King has to say of his "sojourn for six months in the 

 sunshine of a warm heart;" and if we had the heart to pass any ungra- 

 cious criticism upon so laborious, meritorious and interesting a report, the 

 printer rather than the author would be our victim. — E. C 



Report on the Birds of Ohio.* — -This long-deferred work reaches 

 us at length in the form of a treatise on the ornithology of the State so 

 extensive and so systematic that the time its preparation has occupied seems 

 justified if not absolutely required. The inside history of the publication 

 repeats that of most scientific work which struggles for existence in the 

 meshes of oflicial red-tape. It was begun in 1873, the author being given a 

 year in which to complete it. In 1874, he was ready with an annotated and 

 descriptive catalogiie of his birds, which might have made perhaps pp. 100 

 of print. This was rewritten and extended in 1875; and again, in i877-'8, 

 with addition of the synonymatic and bibliographical matter, and the 

 appendix. As appears by the date of the letter of transmittal, printing 

 began in November, 1879, and continued to p. 352, January, 1880, when 

 it was stopped till December, 1880, when it was resumed, with more or less 

 prolonged interruptions until completed in the summer of 1881. Then 

 the sheets appear to have been stored for a year or more before actual pub- 

 lication, which was late in 1882. The bird-matter appears in two forms 



— as a part of the whole volume, and as a small edition of separate extras 



— the latter, however, fortunately without repagination or any alteration 

 whatever. 



Though about a year and a half behindhand, and consequently without 

 the finishing touches which the author's careful attention to the progress 

 of the science during that period would doubtless have led him to give had 

 circumstances permitted, Dr. Wheaton's report must at once take place at 

 the head of State Faunas, so far as ornithology is concerned. It repre- 



* Report on the Birds of Ohio. By J. M. Wheaton, M. D. Report of the Geologi- 

 cal Survey of Ohio, Vol. IV, pt. i, pp. 188-628. Columbus, O. Nevins & Myers, State 

 Printers. 8vo. 1882. 



