of the District of Columbia, in the belief that a local work giving untechnical descriptions of all birds likely to be seen in this vicinity, with something of the haunts and habits of those that nest here, will be useful to many who desire, an acquaintance with our own birds, but do not know just how to go about making it.”
The book seems admirably adapted to achieve this end. The opening pages by Miss Merriam are a capital introduction to the study of birds in the District of Columbia. They are followed by ‘A Field Key to Our Common Land Birds,’ and attractively written biographical sketches of the breeding species. The migrants and winter residents are treated more briefly, and an annotated ‘List of All Birds Found in the District of Columbia,’ by Dr. C. W. Richmond, is given. There are also nominal lists of winter birds, birds that nest within the city limits, etc., and an ‘Observation Outline,’ abridged from Miss Merriam′s ‘Birds of Village and Field.’
The book is, in fact, a complete manual of ornithology for the District of Columbia, and will undoubtedly prove an efficient guide to the study of the birds of that region.
This is the original edition of ‘Bird-Life,’ with an Appendix designed to adapt the work for use in schools. The new matter consists of questions on the introductory chapters of ‘Bird-Life,’ as, for instance, ‘The Bird, its Place in Nature and Relation to Man,’ ‘Form and Habit,’ ‘Color,’ ‘Migration,’ etc.; and, under the head of ‘Seasonal Lessons,’ a review of the bird-life of a year based on observations made in the vicinity of New York City. This includes a statement of the chief characteristics of each month, followed by a list of the birds to be found during the month, and, for the spring and early summer months, a list of birds to be found nesting.
For the use of teachers and students residing in other parts of the eastern United States there are annotated lists of birds from Washington, D. C., by Dr. C. W. Richmond; Philadelphia, Pa., by Witmer Stone; Portland, Conn., by J. H. Sage; Cambridge, Mass., by William Brewster; St. Louis, Mo., by Otto Widmann; Oberlin, Ohio, by Lynds Jones, and Milwaukee, Wis., by H. Nehrling.
The Appletons have also issued this book in the form of a ‘Teachers′ Manual,’ which contains the same text as the ‘Teachers′ Edition,’ but lacks the seventy-five uncolored plates.
This ‘Teachers′ Manual’ is intended to accompany three ‘Teachers′ Portfolios of Plates,’ containing in all one hundred plates, of which ninety-one, including the seventy-five plates published in ‘Bird-Life,’ are colored, while nine are half-tone reproductions of birds' nests photographed in nature. The one hundred plates are about equally divided in portfolios under the titles of ‘Permanent Residents and Winter Visitants,’ ‘March and April Migrants,’ and ‘May Migrants and Types of Nests and Eggs.’
Audubon Bird Chart
A most practical step in Audubon educational work is the publication, by the Massachusetts Audubon Society, of a chart giving life-size, colored illustrations of twenty-six of our common birds. On the whole, both in drawing and coloring, these birds are excellent, and while a severe critic might take exception to some minor inaccuracies, the chart may be commended as the best thing of the kind which has come to our attention. It is accompanied by a pamphlet containing well written biographies, by Mr. Ralph Hoffmann, of the species figured. The chart is published by the Prang Educational Company, of Boston, from whom, with Mr. Hoffmann′s booklet, it may be purchased for one dollar.
