170 
Recent Literature. 
lUrmt ^Literature. 
Maynard’s Birds of Eastern North America * — It was the for- 
tune of Audubon to visit Florida when it was a veritable terra incognita , as 
far as its birds were concerned, and the information brought to light by him 
respecting its avian life, both in the way of unknown species and of bio- 
graphical notes, formed no inconsiderable part of h'S contributions to Ameri- 
can ornithology. So carefully did this pioneer glean the ground of its more 
prominent ornithological facts, that the many similar pilgrimages since his 
time have, in the main, but amplified details respecting species made 
known and treated of by him. 
But the peninsula has never received so much attention at the hands of 
any one ornithologist, not excepting Audubon, as from Mr. Maynard, while 
he is the only author who has attempted to bring under one cover a com- 
plete treatise on its birds. It is true that the present work aims at being a 
great deal more than a treatise on the birds of Florida. Yet its founda- 
tion was just that, and it is evident that from the Florida peninsula come 
the more valuable and lesser known facts which the author has to offer, 
although a glance over the pages is sufficient to show that he has had a 
large experience in other fields. It is a matter for regret that the later 
plan of the work had not been its original one. Had such been the case, 
the author would have been spared the necessity — if indeed it be a neces- 
sity — of repeating verbatim in the “ Birds of Eastern North America ” 
many pages of descriptive matter and biography which appeared in the 
“ Birds of Florida.” Nevertheless the amplification of the scope of the 
book greatly enhances its interest to the public at large, and insures it a 
wider circle of readers, especially as the author states that he intends to 
give particular attention to the Game and Water birds, thus on the one 
hand appealing to the ever-increasing fraternity of sportsmen, and on 
the other treating of a branch of ornithology that has been surprisingly 
neglected since the time of Audubon. 
The energy and skill with which the author has conducted field work 
for the past fifteen years, of which four or five seasons have been spent in 
Florida, have placed at his disposal an unusually large store of facts concern- 
ing birds and their habits. Mr. Maynard possesses many of the qualities 
that go to make up the good observer, and, as he never strains after fine 
* The Birds of Eastern North America, with original Descriptions of all the 
Species which occur east of the Mississippi Biver between the Arctic Circle and 
the Gulf of Mexico, with full Notes upon their Habits. By C. J. Maynard. 
Containing thirty Plates drawn on Stone by the Author. C. J. Maynard & Co., 
Newton ville, Mass. [4to. Thirteen Parts issued.] 
