46 TeHtE VAUD. .UIBiOIN et Ue ere, 
work of this type yet produced. 
The treatment is organized in 
the order of classification, with the 
first volume covering all orders 
through Falconiforms plus Chacha- 
lacas, Curassows, Guans, Quail and 
Grouse. Volume two continues 
with the remaining Galliforms 
through Hummingbirds, Trogons 
and Mousebirds. The first chapter 
of volume one discusses birds gen- 
erally and recaps primitive forms 
All the chapters dealing with 
specific orders or groups of families 
are written by various ornitholo- 
gists who are specialists in the 
area. These accounts are presented 
in a fairly uniform manner cover- 
ing distinguishing characteristics, 
range, habits, food, voice and nest- 
ing cycle plus color plates. Not all 
species are covered, but the authors 
use some species to illustrate the 
general life-history details for the 
group. Headings in the margin 
make the location of information 
much easier. 
The color illustrations are the 
work of many artists and are well 
reproduced. They aid in providing 
good background on the birds cov- 
ered in the text and sometimes 
serve to provide an illustration of 
a bird not available elsewhere. At 
the back of each volume is a sys- 
tematic classification of the spe- 
cies covered, with page reference 
to the text. (The choice of common 
names does not always agree with 
the currently accepted usage, but 
this point is always very debat- 
able.) The books also include an 
animal dictionary providing Eng- 
lish, German, French and Russian 
name for the birds included. This 
is presented four times, being al- 
phabetized for each language. (It 
is unfortunate that the common- 
est language in the new world, 
Spanish, was omitted.) A list of 
supplementary readings and a com- 
plete index round out each volume. 
These are fine general reference 
works. The quality of printing and 
binding is very good. Public li- 
braries should have the entire set. 
College and public-school libraries 
would do well to consider purchase 
of the set. Serious students of or- 
nithology ‘who want to have good 
reference sources in their own 
libraries should also consider pur- 
chase of the three volumes devoted 
to birds. Publication of the third 
volume on birds is awaited with 
interest, as it will cover more spe- 
cies than the first two combined. 
—Peter Petersen 
WEEDS 
by Alexander C. Martin 
Illustrations: Jean Zallinger 
Golden Press, 1972 
160 pp, $1.95 
The suburban dweller who has a 
garden should profit from owner- 
ship of this book, for almost all of 
us suffer from unwanted weeds. It 
will also be helpful to the hiker, 
and the curious. Full color pictures 
are given of each common weed, 
together with latin names. The text 
and range map help complete the 
plan of the book. 
Weeds costs the farmer about 5 
billion dollars a year due to ex- 
pensive control measures and a 
decrease in crop yields. Weeds are 
adaptable, prolific and often attrac- 
tive. Some gourmets have taken to 
eating some weeds such as dande- 
lions and pigweed. 
Martin points out that weeds can 
be generally grouped into three 
major habitat classifications: fields 
and roadsides, lawns and gardens, 
and marsh and aquatic areas. 
More than two-thirds of the pest 
plants of the USA are found in 
fields and roadsides. 
—Mrs. I. L. Mostek 
