New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-21
BIRDS AND BEASTS.
THE ROMANCE AND REALITY OF THEIR
LIVES.

co,npanimcnt Of Decorations by George Wharton
Edwards. octave. I'D. xiv. 2is' A. > Barnes
Fol R-FooTED AMERICANS AND THEIR I'll ERE KIN.
~ Mabc osgood Wright Edited s sy 6I ThHm w.
son. Octave pp. Ky. az. The Macmillan Com
pary -.
wild ANIMALS HAVE KNOWN. and 200
" drawings Bv Ernest Seton Thompson Oc-
;avo Pr go Charles Scr.oner's Sons.
Within the last few years there has been an
extraordinary amount OF writing about -FOUR
footed creatures and the feathered travellers %
the air The bulk OF this literature has Deen
Characterized as much by imagination as by
science and we have been grateful ior Dol"
qualities Useful Information. the Information
Of the sor, which really increases our ability 10
know the traits Of beasts and birds for our
solves is good 10 have and books with prac-
f,ca'" text reinforced by colored illustrations
have been dcservcdly popular. Yet a voiu'he
Ike Nj De Kay's in which the reference Va
birds 70 The fancy and religion and supers'
tons II mankind is the first consideration mas
a deem ard lasting attraction We are siau -
know me form and markings OF woooPe0Ne'
This enables US 70 recognize him even before "e
bogins his curious music But IT is almost more
interest ne to trace the connection between '"oN4
martial sounds and certain fantastic ideas !"
the history Of thought. Bird Coos IS s'o'e-
house Of such obscure lore
T,hus Mr. De Kay watches the woodpecker
njaying his tune upon the branch OF oeau
,rco and saws: Then. for the first time. per
caived why he had been selected TO represent
the god OK thunderclouds. In some way
that cou,d not make out he was using the
branch AS a drum and rolling out peal tha'
mus. have boen heard n mile" Turning to the
history Of that haunting sound in the Dawn "a
civilization our author adds. The ro.llnG n"'u-
rally suggested thunder. the more so because
the ancients thought he drummed before 'he
rain. as indeed. may be the case because '"e
coming rain may lure insects out anu ao""
dance Of food may make the bird AVciler i'll HIS
efforts 70 please himself and his mate. whence
70 regard hin, as a capital bird Of prophecy ana
Mace him at a remote epoch as the visible
sisn Of A sod Of thunder was but step WIN
this as a starting point we may follow III W..
De Kay's pages the labyrinthne wandeGhss ~
an ancient thought learning how Natures dr"'n'
with its prophetic note. has been among some
,ocos sunorsoded by a manufactured equ.va-
lent The Laps Of tie Far North presuma"'!
have never heard a woodpecker, and yet theY'
lilo tho Firms before them used drum or
tambourino 10 foretel good and evil, ascripihg
magical properiles to their uncouth instrument
TIL Lapps says Air. De Kay. "foretold coming
events by drawing figures on the stretched hlde
Of The drum and then watching the course
taken ny ring laid loosely on the hide, as IN"
vibration OF the drumming carried II to"aIu
one figure or the other" Many readers nave
learned from many writer's TO pick out 'he
woodpocNer from among the birds, but we VIII
owe il 70 Mr. Dc Kay that whenever we near
the lusv drummor we will think Of The stolld-
faced Mortimer and their mysterious ncah'a-
tions.
Most If US believe and fortify our behef oY
reference to the dictionary, that when 'he
Yankee ,xciair-s Il swan" he is SIMPLY as
e,.;sio., the expression Il swear The die
tiona,i. $ are only partly right Swan Is JUS
th. bird" says NJ. De Kay. and he goes back
for his authority TO the year 1904. when King
Edward the First of England. on solemn &C.
casion. had two swans decorated with gold nets
hrourht before him. and upon them swore an
oath to the God of Heaven. From time lrnine-
mortal we are told the swan has been bird OF
prophecy and Mr.. De Kay explains that 1t Is
not merely the BIRDS magnihcence. but the
superstitious reverence with which it has been
resardcd. that accounts for the frequency OF its
aDrcarance in coat7-of-arms. And do most OF
us know the origin Of the phrase "swan-sonS
The bird we know is almost mute. and this TACT
has observes Mr.. De Kay, caused people 10 as
sign the song Of the dying swan TO the most
fabulous or faD.eS. But, ne continues, HIOueiH
bird-lovers have heard the swans Of Russia sing
ing their own dirge in the North. when. hav-
ing fingered too long before migration. reduced
IN strength by lack Of food and frozen fast to
the ice where they have rested over night. they
clang their lives out even as the ancients said"
There is Lake Liban mentioned in this book
which was visited by such focks OF musical
swans that ii was called the lake Of complain
Ing.
Mr.. De Kay mingles. in short, observation Of
facts with erudtion and lively sympathy for
the dreams Of mankind which have centred
around the birds OF the air. He writes Of the
owl and the eagle OF the peacock and the dove
and Of many others. and about each bird he has
a mass OF strange things to tell The book IS
we'll arranged. and is provided with index
that makes II q good work Of reference, as well
as a readable production Mr. George Wharton
Edwards has designed the cover and tite-page
and has provided appropriate and artistic
vgnettes headpieces and tailpeces for each
chapter With It's handsome paper and bold
type this is a complete and charming pubca-
ton.
Mrs Mabel Osgood Wright wisely recognizes
the fact that II young minds are 10 become ac-
customed to the phenomena Of nature they
must be lured 10 the acquisition OF knowledge
by methods not too didactc. Accordingly she
writes her Pour Footed Americans around
group Of amiable seniors and attentive chill
dren, these joyous students Of animal lie art
lessly pursuing their Investigations as the in
spiration OF the moment takes them casually 20
one point another on the Orchard Farm and
Its neighborhood. The rambles Of DR.. Hunter.
the naturalist. and his companions cover a good
many miles. exhaust time between the
fall and the spring. during which many animals
OF the woods and fields without difficulty
observed The author conveys her information
through conversations between the characters