LITERAK 
NOTICES 
The Age of Innocence. By Edith Wharton. 
New York City: D. Appleton and Com- 
pany. 
We call attention to this book on account 
of its quaintness and delightful style. It is 
mainly a love story but incidentally portrays 
customs in the old times. 
Bird Stories. By Edith M. Patch. With 
Illustrations by Robert J. Sim. Boston, 
Massachusetts: The Atlantic Monthly 
Press. 
This little volume is the second in a series 
of nature study books by the entomologist 
of the University of Maine, whose “Hexa- 
pod Stories” have endeared her to many 
little boys and girls. It is intended for 
slightly older children than those for whom 
the “Hexapod Stories” are written, and con- 
tains a wealth of information in the same 
well-chosen language so well suited for 
children. 
Trees of Indiana. By Charles C. Deam. In- 
dianapolis, Indiana: Division of For- 
estry, Department of Conservation. 
It is pleasing to note the interest in trees 
manifested in Indiana. We hope that that 
interest will extend to other states. The first 
edition of this book, ten thousand copies, 
was exhausted in about three years, the sec- 
ond edition in 1919. That there is still a 
demand for the work is proved by the 
appearance of this issue, which has been 
carefully revised. The result is a beautifully 
illustrated, handsome and commendable 
volume. 
The Melody of Earth. An Anthology of 
Garden and Nature Poems from Present 
Day Poets. Selected and Arranged by 
Mrs. Waldo Richards. Boston, Massa- 
chusetts: Houghton Mifflin Company. 
This is a collection of comparatively re- 
cent poems on nature. It is divided into 
chapters with special reference to gardens. 
It also tells us of wings and song, pastures 
and hillsides, lovers and roses and under- 
neath the bough. The selections are well 
made and bring to the readers many beauti- 
ful productions not read’ly obtainable else- 
where. In the classified form the continuity 
of the subject affords special delight. 
Territory in Bird Life. By H. Eliot Howard. 
With Illustrations by G. E. Lodge and 
H. Gronvold. New York City: E P. 
Dutton and Company. 
An investigation of the importance of 
breeding territory in bird life. The battles, 
so marked a feature of bird life in the spring, 
are shown to be directly related to the pos- 
session of territory, and the origin of migra- 
tion is traced to the seasonal competition for 
territory. 
The author’s conclusions have an impor- 
tant bearing on various biological problems, 
and are supported with a wealth of per- 
sonal observations showing much skill and 
knowledge. 
Nantucket Wild Flowers. By Alice O. Al- 
bertson. New York and London: G. P. 
Putnam’s Sons. 
This book is for the many friends of 
flowers who live in Nantucket, for others 
who have felt the lure of this happy hunthig 
ground; for all who find pleasure in the dis- 
tinct and varied flora of that unique island. 
Secrets of Earth and Sea. By Sir Ray 
Lankester. New York City: The Mac- 
millan Company. 
This volume is a successor to “Science 
from an Easy Chair” (Series I and II) and 
“Diversions of a Naturalist” by the same 
author. It is a collection with some re- 
visions and additions of articles that have 
been published in periodicals. It therefore 
has the delightful variety of a scrapbook 
with a little more of continuity. The pub- 
lishers tell us that the chapters form a 
seres that will enable the reader to take a 
wide view beyond the ordinary history of 
the last three or four thousand years, going 
back to the emergence of man from the 
manlike apes, back to the time of the big 
animals, cave drawings and primitive cere- 
monies. The book answers such questions 
as, How did Swastika come to be. What is 
the biggest beast on earth, and Why is the 
water blue. The reading ; s rather scrapoy, 
yet it is entertaining. The casual reader 
would doubt the assertion that the book 
affords a consistent synopsis, since it ram- 
bles about much like ordinary conversation, 
one interesting item suggesting another 
somewhat remote. 
Treasure Mountain. By Edna Turpin. New 
York City: The Century Company. 
It is hard to imagine the girl who would 
not enjoy this exciting, rapidly moving tale 
of life among the mountain whites of Vir- 
ginia. The fifteen year old heroine is camp- 
ing with a party of friends on the shores 
of a mountain lake. She climbed up a dan- 
gerous cliff on the edge of a waterfall after 
an orange colored orchid and almost lost 
her life in doing so, but lived to regret her 
