Nov., 1913 
PUBLICATIONS RPIVIEWED 
233 
summer, or permanent), conspicuous colors 
or markings, principal food, kind and location 
of nest. There then follows a larger space 
in which to enter any notes of special inter- 
est in regard to habits, song, nesting, economic 
value, etc., of the bird observed. The first 
page of the book contains a brief preface stat- 
ing its aim and giving a short bibliography on 
birds of particular value in school work, while 
the last page contains pertinent suggestions 
for bird study in schools. 
By adhering to these few most important 
topics, the author has been able to produce a 
book which is concise and simple, yet of suf- 
ficient size to hold at least two years’ records, 
so that interesting and useful comparisons 
may be made. 
The Bird Study Note Book is the outcome 
of several years’ experience on the part of 
the author, and we are glad to learn that it 
has been successfully used in one of the Kan- 
sas schools for the past four years. We be- 
lieve, with the author, that the school room 
is, perhaps, the most important place to dis- 
seminate knowledge of the value of bird life, 
and to arouse interest for the protection nee 
essary to preserve our native birds. 
Although this note hook is particularly 
adapted and prepared for the use of pupils of 
intermediate and grammar grades, it is well 
worthy of recommendation to any bird stu- 
dent who realizes the value of keeping actual 
records from daj' to day. — Margaret VV. 
Wythe. 
The Birds oe Virginia i by 1 Harold H. 
Bailey 1 [vignette] [ with fourteen full page 
colored plates, \ one map, and one hun- 
dred and eight [ half-tones taken from natme 
I treating one hundred and eighty-five species 
and subspecies : 1 all the birds that breed with- 
in the state. | 1913 [our copy received Sep- 
tember 1] 1 J. P. Bell Company, Inc. | Publish- 
ers I Lynchburg, Va. | 8vo, pages xxiii -|- 362; 
illustrations as above. 
Our fellow Cooper Club member, and 
former Californian, Harold H. Bailey, has 
“done us proud” in putting out one of the 
most attractive bird books of the year. The 
above transcript of the title gives a good idea 
of the nature of the work as regards illustra- 
tions. The text deals in a concise way with 
those birds which have been found nesting 
within the borders of Virginia. 
Naturally, as being an enthusiastic oologist 
of the old school, Bailey’s chief effort is to 
present his readers with important facts in 
regard to the nesting habits and eggs of the 
birds dealt with. Still, there is much useful 
information of a more general nature, especial- 
ly as regards economic status, all of which 
is selected with a view to securing popular in- 
terest in bird study in a state in which field 
naturalists are apparently few in number. 
Of course the reviewer is able to find points 
to criticize. Has there ever appeared a bird 
book entirely above sonieom’s criticism? The 
most serious fault to be found with the book in 
our minds concerns not its ornithology, but its 
grammar — wdiich, frankly, is m places atro- 
cious ! This fault could have been olndated 
liy recourse to editorial supervision, and it is 
to be hoped that this will be attended to in 
future editions. 
One other possible criticism is the inclu- 
sion of photographs of western subspecies or 
even species (as the burrowing owls on page 
138), with nothing to indicate to the unini- 
tiated that they are not from Virginian sub- 
jects. 
This western tang is more pleasingly evi- 
denced on page 86, where is presented the re- 
production of a photograph by W. Otto Emer- 
son showing a typical collector’s camp, with 
that now long lamented ornithologist, Walter 
E. Bryant, in characteristic attitude. Many of 
us “middle-aged” bird people share with Mr. 
Bailey the fondest of recollections of the days 
when we gained knowledge and. inspiration 
from W. E. Bryant. 
As to the facts set forth in the work under 
review, Harold H. Bailey is absolute authority 
in his field. And it is needless to say that 
no well conducted library of ornithology will 
long remain without a copy of his “Birds of 
Virginia”. — J. GrinnELL. 
Catalogue of a Collection of Books on 
Ornithology in the Library of John E. 
Thayer; compiled by Evelyn Thayer and 
Virginia Keyes (Boston, privately printed, 
1913; 8vo, 188 pages. Copy received Sep- 
tember 8). 
Approximately 1200 titles appear in this cata- 
log, this large number suggesting the prob- 
ability that Mr. Thayer’s is the most com- 
plete private ornithological lilirary in America 
today. Audiiboniana are excellently repre- 
sented ; and there are many other fine things, 
such as Wilson's Aves Hazvatiensis, the al 
most complete works of Gould, etc., etc. 
Bibliographicall}- the Thayer Catalogue is 
not above criticism. There is lack of uniform- 
ity in treatment, and not a few errors are in 
evidence. In a number of cases the titles of 
separates are entered as if they were indi ■ 
\-idual works, without indication of their true 
connection. However, the Catalogue is evi- 
dently not at all intended as a technical expo- 
sition of its subject. 
There is a growing present-day tendency 
towards the adoption of book-collecting as a 
mind recreation on the part of men of means 
wdio have also a scientific trend of thought. 
In some cases the attention of the collector is 
absorbed wholly by books as objects of ac- 
