1 *V*vW 



*w- 



The Book of Birds, by Henry W. Henshaw, Illustrated in Natural Colors with 

 250 paintings, by Louis Agassiz Fuertes, published by National Geographic 

 Society, Washington, D. C, $3.00. 

 No more important book has been published recently for bird lovers or for 

 teachers of Nature-Study than this volume which is made up from articles and 

 illustrations published in the National Geographic Magazine during the last 

 six years. We used extensively the small book which preceded this volume 

 and which contained descriptions and pictures of the common birds of town 

 and country. The beautiful colored pictures were used with our classes as 

 models in coloring bird outlines. The present volume includes also the 

 warblers and the game birds of the United States which makes it most com- 

 plete as well as important. Mr. Henshaw -writes delightfully of the birds and 

 Mr. Fuertes' paintings are superb. Without question Mr. Fuertes is the lead- 

 ing bird artist of the world. The volume also contains articles on the World 

 Record for Feathered Friends by Gilbert Grovenor, How Birds Can Take 

 Their Own Portraits by George Shiras, 3d, Encouraging Birds Around the 

 Home, by Frederick H. Kennard, and Our Greatest Travelers — Bird Migra- 

 tions by Wells W. Cooke. Every bird student should have this volume in his 

 library, and it should be in every school library in America. 



A Field and Laboratory Guide in Physical Nature-Study, by Elliot R. Downing, 

 Associate Professor of Natural Science in the School of Education of the 

 University of Chicago, The University of Chicago Press, $1.00. 

 This is the volume for which we have been eagerly w T aiting and now that it 

 is in print we find it well worth waiting for. While turning its pages we were 

 possessed with a longing to become a grade teacher and begin this fascinating 

 line of Nature-Study. The following from the introduction gives the scope of 

 of the book : "Before the pupil has completed the junior high school he should 

 be assured of a range of experience with commonplace science that will habit- 

 uate him to see and to attempt the solution of problems in a scientific way, 

 that will give him command of the most important principles of science and 

 that will make him appreciative of the wonders to be found in his commonplace 

 environment. This book attempts to prepare the teacher to intelligently use 

 the physical materials of interest to the pupil to achieve such ends." 



The book includes the following : The study of forty common minerals and 

 twenty-seven common rocks with directions for studying them The stars 

 and our solar system with simple directions for finding the most important 

 constellations and for making a star-finder. Some toys that work by air, such 

 as making of windmills, kites, aeroplanes, sail-boat, motor-boat and water- 

 wheel. The making of a top, sling, and bow, hot air baloon. Some common 



178 



