24 Sketch of North American Ornithology in 1879. (January, 
breeding-habits of birds is essayed by Mr. Ernest Ingersoll, and 
so far accomplished in a most meritorious manner. Three num- 
bers have appeared during the year past, in March, August and 
October respectively. This work is in large octavo, with several 
colored plates of eggs to each number, and more or less extended 
biographies of the species. Excepting in certain particulars, which 
we have noted in other places already, the mechanical execution 
does great credit to the publisher, Mr. Cassino; and the comple- 
tion of this extensive work in the manner in which Mr. Ingersoll 
has begun it cannot fail to enrich the literature of the subject. 
We are glad to see the steady progress made by Mr. C. J. 
Maynard in his meritorious and laborious undertaking, which, 
beginning as the “ Birds of Florida,” has been remodeled and 
enlarged in scope, to represent a history of the birds of Eastern 
North America. Mr. Maynard is a practical ornithologist of 
large field experience ; his biographies have the unusual merit of 
originality and make interesting reading, while the attention he 
pays to the anatomical structure of birds gives prominence to one 
aspect of the subject much neglected in this country. The work 
is in quarto, with colored plates; it is published in parts, about a 
dozen of which have appeared, and deserves to succeed. 
With due deference to Herbert, whom, as “ Frank Forester,” 
the disciples of St. Hubert seem to have canonized as only a 
lesser than their patron saint himself, we may refer to Dr. Lewis's 
work on American Field Sports as one of the most agreeable and 
reliable of books of this kind, and one a new edition of which — 
has appeared this year. 
The veteran taxidermist, collector and dealer of Philadelphia, 
Mr. John Krider, has also contributed to such literature in the — 
publication of his experiences of “ Forty Years.” 
“ Wilsoniana” bids fair to become scarcely less extensive and 
fertile a field than “ Waltoniana” has long been. The appear- 4 
ance not long since of A. B. Grosart’s two portly volumes on — 
Wilson’s life, character and writings, both prose and poetry, and 
rather miscellaneous than ornithological, freshened the theme. 
It may not be generally known that the “father of American | 
ornithology” was anything (and almost everything) but an — 
ornithologist, until the decade before his untimely death in his — 
SP cee Sten Es oe eee ey ee AE Oe aE a ee ee ee SE LE pee De E T Seg eR a Ets od oe arr E 
prime, when his genius at last found its “place in nature,” and — 
achieved immortality. Every scrap of paper relating to the a 
“melancholy poet-naturalist”” has been eagerly sought for by his _ 
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