Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club

by Nuttall Ornithological Club

Having fulfilled our duty of critic by finding all possible fault with the “Coues Check List” we turn to the much pleasanter task of mentioning some of its many good qualities. Of its several departments the introductory chapters may be characterised as terse, practical, and to the point; the Check List proper as carefully and in the main wisely framed; the “dictionary” as an exhaustive treatise of high scholarly excellence and of unquestionable utility. Concerning the whole work we can say nothing stronger than that it is in every way worthy of its brilliant and distinguished author, who has evidently made it one of his most mature and carefully studied efforts. Its favorable reception can be a matter of no uncertainty, for it fills a field of usefulness peculiarly its own, and one which need in no way conflict with that so ably covered by Mr. Ridgway’s recent “Nomenclature.”[^[121]]—W. B.

Gentry’s Nests and Eggs of Birds of the United States.[^[122]]—It is now several months since the appearance of the twenty-fifth part, the final number of this work, which was published by subscription. The text is written by Mr. Gentry himself, while the plates were executed by Mr. Edwin Sheppard, “subject to the suggestions and dictations of the author.” The title is misleading, for instead of treating of all the species found in the United States, it deals with but fifty—less than one-fifth the number known to occur within this area.

The typography and press work are good, but the plates fall far short of deserving the same praise. In the early numbers the nests and eggs were generally figured alone, but the author soon acceded to the popular demand and furnished colored representations of the birds on all plates commencing with the seventh part; with the final number appeared four extra plates, on which were shown the birds that were omitted in the first six parts.

In a general way it may be said of most of the plates that the perspective is very bad—if not absent altogether; that a large number of the nests look as if temporarily balanced, like so many saucers, upon the branches on which they rest, and from which they seem ready to tumble on the slightest jar; and that nearly all have the appearance of cheap chromo-lithographs, while none attain to the degree of excellence essential to first-class workmanship. In order to give the subscribers as much paint as possible for the money, the artist has endeavored to supply backgrounds to many of the plates. Some of these seem intended to represent distant mountains, but the greater number consist of dense, and sometimes shapeless masses of solid green. At other times we are treated to glimpses of the sky and ocean that rival, in depth and intensity of color, the rich ultramarine-blue of the head of the Nonpareil.

Turning now to the letter-press let us examine its claim to rank among the contributions to ornithological literature. A few brief quotations will suffice to show both the scope of the work and the author’s estimate of its value. In the preface he says: “Especial pains have been taken with the text. The aim of the author has been to present a short, plain, and detailed account of the habits of each species described....

“Throughout the work, considerable prominence has been given to those interesting and curious phases of bird life which are present during the breeding period, and which have been the principal study of the author for many years. Extraneous matter has been sedulously omitted, and nothing permitted to appear about which there could be serious doubts of accuracy.

“With these few preliminary remarks, we send this beautiful book out into the world, trusting that it may meet with a cordial reception everywhere.”

That the work does not contain anything approaching a complete “detailed account of the habits” of a single species is evident from the most cursory examination of the biographies. On the other hand, we are given an amount of detail and exact data, concerning some of the most inaccessible points connected with the breeding habits of birds, that excite, first, admiration (for the author’s extraordinary acuteness of observation); next, astonishment (at the possibility of attaining a knowledge of certain peculiarities mentioned); and finally, incredulity (regarding the reliability of the author’s statements).

To be more explicit: Not only does Mr. Gentry tell us the exact number of days consumed in building the nest, in depositing the eggs, in incubation, the period the young remain in the nest, and the length of time they are afterwards fed by the parents; but he goes further and states how much time is devoted to courting, gives the period of mating and the duration of the honeymoon, and tells us how many days are spent in the selection of a suitable and satisfactory site for the nest, not omitting, in some cases, to mention which sex governs in making the choice. A few citations, in the author’s own words, will suffice, to demonstrate his unparalleled perspicacity in these matters.

Speaking of the Wood Pewee he says: “The assumption of matrimonial relations, however, is not a matter that is entered into without more or less consideration.... The ceremony of mating being over—which business is ordinarily of short continuance, seldom lasting for a greater period than two days—the newly-wedded pair now set out to discover a suitable place for the building of a home. This is a matter of considerable moment, often requiring the performance of long and extended tours of observation and exploration. These reconnoissances generally last for a week,.... The site being mutually agreed upon, the happy pair proceed with all possible dispatch and diligence to construct a domicile: the male to collect and bring in the necessary materials; the female to fix them in their proper places.... Having finished their home, only a day or so intervenes when oviposition becomes the controlling instinct. The female now proceeds to deposit her complement of four eggs, which she does on consecutive days, at the rate of a single egg daily. This is followed, on the day succeeding the last deposit, by the trying duty of incubation. Upon the female devolves this arduous and irksome labor.”