Hebenee tol) BON RBiU OLE T LN 25 
plausible, but bird students will wonder if the number of bird species, 
given as 25,000, does not really refer to the number of avian races or sub- 
svecies. 
“Patterns in the Balance of Nature” will certainly suggest many studies 
and projects that individuals or clubs could carry out. The use made in the 
book of the Illinois censuses shows the value these efforts may have. 
Ormsby Annan, Department cf Biology, 6525 N. Sheridan Rd., Chicago, Ill. 60626 
THE FIRST WATER COLORS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. By John 
White and Edward Topsell. Edited by Thomas P. Harrison. University 
of Texas Press, Austin, Texas. 59 pp. 10 color piates. 1964. $5.00. 
Anyone interested in the historical background of North American 
Ornithology will welcome the appearance of Thomas P. Harrison’s signifi- 
cant volume on John White’s water color paintings of North American 
birds. White is well known for his American Indian paintings, which have 
been reproduced many times. This volume reproduces in color for the first 
time his water-color drawings of North American birds. 
Previous to the 1950’s it had been thought that the only copies of John 
White’s paintings were held in a Sloan portfolio in the British Museum. 
Rut an unpublished manuscript by Edward Topsell entitled “The Fowlss 
oi Heauen” was uncovered by David P. Quinn, in the Huntington Library, 
and evidence is presented to show that nine of these sketches are copies 
of John White’s originals. These nine pairs of birds are presented in this 
volume for comparison — the White copies in the Sloane portfolio beside 
tnose found in the Topsell manuscript — plus the unpaired Sloane sketch 
ef a grackle. 
This volume opens with an enlightening history of Edward Topsell, 
who was both preacher and naturalist. Today Topsell is known as the 
author of “The Historie of Four-footed Beastes,”’ published in 1607, and of 
the “Historie of Serpents” (1608). His “Fowles of Heauen” (1613-1614) 
stands alone between Turner’s pioneer commentary on classical birds (1544) 
and the monumental “Ornithologia” of Francis Willughby (1676). 
Each drawing is accompanied by comments on the inscribed Indian 
names and the identity of the birds. The prose description by Edward Top- 
sell and his friend, Thomas Bonham, are possibly the most important 
features of these supplementary notes. Although the cost of this volume 
miay seem rather extravagant for such a small book, the color plates are 
highly decorative, and the binding and printing of this volume are of the 
highest quality. 
Harlan D. Walley, 717 North Em St., Sandwich, Illinois 
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