Bird-Lore, Volume I—1899

by Various

The book opens with a "Scheme of the Classification Adopted," based on the system proposed by Gadow, in which the Archæopteryx stands at the bottom of the list, followed by the Ostriches, Rheas, and other struthious birds, while the Finches are placed at the top. An introduction of twenty-two pages treats of feathers, color, the molt, the skeleton, digestive organs, etc., classification, terminology, geographical variations, and migration, the handling of the last two subjects being far from satisfactory.

The remainder of the book is devoted to a consideration of the birds of the world. The matter is selected with excellent judgment and is admirably put together, the text having an originality and freshness not often found in compilations. The author, however, is handicapped by lack of space, and, except in monotypic families, is, as a rule, obliged to generalize to such an extent that the seeker for information concerning certain species will usually find only the characteristic habits of its family given. But if the author has not achieved entire success, he has, perhaps, more nearly approached it than any of his predecessors, and in his work we have for the first time an authoritative handbook of the birds of the world, which is sold at a low enough price to be within the reach of every student.

The illustrations, with the exception of a comparatively few, which were taken from duly credited sources, are by Mr. G. E. Lodge, who, at his best, is, in our opinion, one of the foremost of bird artists.—F. M. C.

The Feeding Habit of the Chipping Sparrow, and the Winter Food of the Chickadee. By Clarence M. Weed, New Hampshire College, Agricultural Experiment Station.

In the first of these interesting papers, Dr. Weed has introduced us directly into the domestic life of a family of Chippies. We have a view, for one day, of all their affairs, both personal and domestic; and to many it must be a wonderful revelation. It is fortunate for the birds that their period of infancy is so short, as otherwise their parents must utterly break down with the task of filling their ever-open mouths. Beginning at about 3:57 in the morning, these devoted parents worked almost without cessation till 7:50 in the evening, bringing food to their four young on an average of twelve times an hour; or once every five minutes.

What would human parents think of such work? The question arises: When do the old birds eat? In the case of a nest of this species watched by the writer on July 11, 1898, feeding of the young ceased at 7:25 in the evening, when both parents flew away. In twenty-five minutes, that is, at 7:50, the female parent (presumably) returned and settled on the nest for the night. At that time it was so dark that all other birds had disappeared. It seems probable that in this last twenty-five minutes the parent birds filled their own stomachs for the night.

The second of these papers is of a more prosaic character, but not the less interesting or useful. We have here a record in detail of the winter food of the Chickadee, showing how largely it consists of those minute insects, or their still more minute eggs, that injure the trees and baffle the efforts of man for their extermination.

In both papers we are shown the unpoetical but useful side of bird-life. These two confiding little birds have endeared themselves to their human neighbors by their gentle ways and familiar habits; but in these papers Dr. Weed has shown us that they should be no less dear to us when viewed entirely from an economic standpoint. We hope he will give us more of this kind of literature.—F. E. L. Beal.

Check List of British Columbia Birds. By John Fannin, Curator of the Provincial Museum, Victoria, B. C.

This list forms a part—pages 13-55—of the 'Preliminary Catalogue of the Collections of Natural History and Ethnology in the Provincial Museum.' It enumerates 339 species and sub-species, with notes on their distribution, and will prove exceedingly useful to students of the bird-life of this interesting region, for a knowledge of the fauna of which we are so greatly indebted to Mr. Fannin.—F. M. C.