- 
REVIEWS AND BOOK NOTICES. 
FıæLD ORrxITHOLOGY.*— So much depends upon accurate and 
thorough field-work that ornithologists will heartily thank Dr. 
Coues for his excellent “ Manual of Instruction,” for it contains 
just the hints, if followed, to give the highest value to the work 
of the collector. Poorly prepared skins are unsightly enough, and 
indeed, a genuine eye-sore in cabinets, but if accompanied by de- 
tailed notes of date and locality, with a further record of sex and 
measurements, they have afar higher scientific value than if in 
themselves without blemish, but lacked these essential items of in- 
formation. In this small volume of one hundred and sixteen pages, 
Dr. Coues has treated the general subject of collecting in a very 
detailed and highly satisfactory manner, his varied experience in 
the field, and his knowledge of what constitutes good working 
material, fitting him eminently for the task he has here attempted. 
eginning with the selection and care of guns, ammunition and 
general equipments, he treats in the following chapters of how, 
where and when to seek for birds, and of how to handle and catty 
them when obtained; of note-taking, labelling and measuring, 
determining sex, etc.; of the preparation of bird-skins, with di- 
rections also for mounting ; for collecting and preserving nienia 
and eggs, making cabinets, and guarding collections against 
insect pests, etc. Assuming the reader’s total ignorance of the 
subject, he adopts an easy, familiar style, with here and there a 
raciness that relieves the tediousness of the details which neces- — 
sarily go to make up works of this class. ras 
‘In respect to one point, however, we beg leave to differ from : 
our accomplished author, and that is in respect to baking skins = 
to rid them of insect pests. The process is undoubtedly thor 
oughly efficacious as regards the destruction of the insects, but, : 
what is also of some importance, the baking nearly ruins © — 
skins, rendering them extremely fragile. Bird skins, howeve? - 
seem suffer much less by this process than mammal skira 
which baking once or twice is usually sufficient to utterly ruin 
. * Field Ornithology. Comprising a Manual of Instruction for procuring: } ‘Elliott 
and pi ing Birds, and a Check List of North American Birds. By Wr york: 
Coues, U.S. A. Salem: Naturalists’ Agency. Boston: Estes & Lauriat- BOW 
Dodd & Mead, 1874. 
(418) 
