636 Recent Literature. [June, 
also cannibalistic habits. A toad has been observed to breakfast 
upon nine wasps, and dine upon eight more. It does not swallow 
bees and wasps immediately, but first presses them to death be- 
tween its jaws, and thus avoids their sting. Insects and snails 
form, however, the principal food of the amphibians of the State, 
as well as of the lizards and smaller turtles. The danger from 
venomous snakes is much exaggerated, as out of the few bitten 
three out of four get well. This department is less valuable than 
the others on account of the author’s manifest unacquaintance with 
the nature of the higher systematic analysis. The only valuable 
statements in this field are copied from other authors without cred- 
it. This is especially true of the Urodela, although the author 
states that “the classification and description” is taken “ from the 
essay forms chapter x1 of the report of Profe 
lain, State Geologist of Wisconsin, and has been prepared "7 = of 
F. H. King, assistant on the Survey. It comprises 2 p 
the report and is thus rather a voluminous contie os a sich 
ject which is attracting much attention in this country, Now that 
is one of much practical as well as biological interest. e a 
our birds are described and the systematist’s work 15 about C0 
pleted, their life-histories, habits and relations to their en “gi 
are subjects still fresh and novel, and much remains to sets 
towards harmonizing the discordant views held as to the va 
vironments — 
recor , 
> i : e facts i 
birds as insect-destroyers. The materials for the contents — 
by Mr. King were obtained from an examination | 
of the stomachs of over 1800 birds, 1608 of which co 
ibuted 
From the 
results which have been incorporated in this ag eee swe 
1608 stomachs examined the dzsjecta membra of 76631 
obtained, Part of his work was done in Jefferson COU 
and part at Ithaca, N. Y. 
Mr. King estimates, from of course imperfect data, ad 
nty, Wiss 
i ee 
