NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 317 



"This disturbed state of things is a consequence of the French 

 and English possessions in that part of Africa not being delimitated. 

 In the interests of general pacification, not less than those of geo- 

 graphy, let us hope that the delimitation will shortly be proceeded 

 with. The frontier indicated in the text of the Anglo-French Con- 

 vention of 1899 passes through unknown territories ; moreover, the 

 exact determination of the boundary will afford precious materials 

 for a knowledge of a very interesting portion of Africa." — African 

 World, August 6th, 1910. 



NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 



Birds of New York. Parti. "Introductory Chapters: Water 

 Birds and Game Birds." By Elon Howard Eaton. New 

 York State Education Department, Albany. 



In 1844 the above department published a " comprehensive 

 and finely illustrated treatise " on the Birds of the State, pre- 

 pared by James E. De Kay, and now, after an interval of more 

 than sixty years, the present massive first instalment of a much 

 more exhaustive work is the subject of this notice. During the 

 interval between the two publications no fewer than one hundred 

 species of birds have been added to the State list, and the hope 

 is expressed that a principal function of the book will be to 

 further promote the protection of the birds themselves. 



The introductory chapters are characteristic of the thorough 

 and complete manner in which details are worked out by our 

 American colleagues. The " Life zones of New York State," so 

 far as the avifauna is concerned, are exhaustively treated and 

 liberally illustrated. As regards the ever-increasing literature 

 on birds, the following remarks are very applicable : — " The 

 author has been asked many times to name the best book for 

 the bird-student. This task is too difficult, for the requirements 

 of bird-students are as varied as the number of books. The 

 book is not of so much importance as the attitude of the student. 

 The author learned more from an old thumb-worn, imperfect 

 copy of 'Ornithology,' evidently compiled from the works of 

 early writers, principally Wilson, than he has from any exhaustive 



