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HANDBOOK OF BIRDS OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES, By FLORENCE MER- RIAM BAILEYr Illustrated by Louis AGASSIZ FueRTEs and others. Houghton. Miffiin 8: Co., Boston, Mass. 1902t rzmo. 88++87 pages+intlex; 36 lull. page plates, 2 diagrams. 601 figures in the text. Price. $3.50 net and 19 cents postage.
Lacking space in which to give an ade- quate idea of the surprising amount of in- formation contained in this volume, or ot' its sterling value as a text-book, we feel tempted to begin and end our review by urging every one interested in the birds of our western states to procure a copy of this ‘ Handbook ’ with the least possible delay. Experience with bird students, as well as with birds, has given the author all needed training for her task, while the unexcellcd collections to which she has had access have tarnished the best available equipment for the technical side of her work
Some conception of the contents and methotl of treatment of the book may be gained lrorn the appended summary. The introduction of 88 pages contains instruc- tions tor collecting and preparing birds, their nests antl eggs, and recortlingohserva- tions; sections on ‘Liie Zones,’ ‘Migrar tion.‘ “Economic Ornithology,‘ ‘Bird Pro- tection; ' local lists from Portland, Oregon, San Francisco Bay, Santa Clara Valley and Santa Cruz Mountains, antl Pasadena, Cali- iornia, Fort Sherman, Idaho, Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Final, rims. and GilaCoun- tries, Arizona. There are also extended lists of books and papers on birds and a detailed explanation of how to use the ‘Keys’ which follow.
The systematic portion of the book, treat— ing the birds of the United States west of the one-hundredth meridian, comprises, (r) a key to the orders: (2) key to the families; (3) keys to the genera; (4) generic characters; (5) keys to the species; 16) descriptions of plumages; (7) distrith- tion; (8) description of nest and eggs; (9)
food; (to) biographies, part of which have been supplied by Vernon Baileyr
For all of this, both as regards matter and manner, we have only the highest com- mendation to ofier; in short, in our opinion, the work is the most complete text—book of regional ornithology which has ever been published.—F. Mr C.
Bums or THE Rockies, By Lemons S. Kn‘snlt, With eight full-page plates (tour in color) by Louls AGASSIZ FUKK- Tes; many illustrations in the text by BRUCE Honsraur, and eight views of localities lrom photographs, With a complete checklist of Colorado birds.
Chicago. A. C. McCltlrg at Co. 1902. Square tzmo. ix+3§§ pages; illus. as above. Price, 33, net.
In this handsome, beautifully illustrated volume, Mr. Keyser tells the story of two seasons (“Spring of t899, and again in lgol ") among the birds of Colorado. Readers of his previous works are familiar with his love of the bird in nature and his glowing portrayal of his experiences afield; and in this last volume his undiminished ardor in the pursuit of some, to him, new bird and his keen delight in making its acquaintance, serve not only to give pleas- ure to his audience but well illustrate the undying enthusiasm of the genuine bird- lover.
Selecting a region whose birds were for the most part strangers to him and where altitude atltletl much of interest in studying distribution, Mr. Keyscr abandoned him- self ro‘the iascinations of bird study on plains and foothills, mountain parks and peaks; and his recountal of his experiences cannot fail to arouse the spirit of desire in the minds of those who follow his pages.
The book possesses a scientific as well as literary value, many at Mt. Keyser's ob- being of permanent worth; though, from the scientific point of view, the value of his text would have been in- creased if he had not been quite so sparing of dates.
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