New-York tribune., 1903-08-02

LtiOStIdtt y tharles Copeland. 16mO, pp Ig3
The manual Of economic oruithoIogy prepared
by Messrs, Weed and Dearborn is something
more than a scientific treatise-it is a delightful
collection Of studies OF bird life from which men
may derive regard for these 'IyttIe /
FOwles OF ye Air" For The relations between
the two are closer than the big biped often
realizes. Long observation has convinced the
authors that American birds are a most potent |
factor in making crop production possible and
that without them should be overrun with |
pests-vertebrate and invertebrate-to an extent
Of which we now have no conception" They
also perform IN the destruction Of weed seed a !
service which, we are reminded is little appre-
ciated by the general public. One Western au- |
thority states that the tree sparrows alone will |
eat SO tons Of weed seed in Iowa in one season !
The details Of the feats Of the birds in satisfying
their aDpetites are amazing, and are commended
70 the Gradgrinds who consider they are '.of no |
use The Vexed question OF the utility of the
English sparrow is decided adversely to the bird
IN this volume. As destroyer of noxious insects
he is pronounced worse than useless, and he is !
the enemy Of fruit, shade and ornamental trees.
whose buds and blossoms he nips off He is q
deEourer Of ripe fruit, vegetables and grain;
and he does in truth drive away the worthy
native birds. This whole volume is attractive
but We have read with particular interest the
chapter on encouraging the presence Of birds
Miss Olive Thorne Miller is well known as a
painstaking observer Of wild birds and as one
no knows how to describe most beguilingIy
what she sees Her new book, written primarily
f0r children, but interesting as well to their
elders, is full Of anecdotes Of the feathered ac-
quaintances kept for season in her bird
room and dismissed TO happy freedom when |
the study was over She shows how many !
Of the characteristics belonging to humanity the
winged creatures have-love sympathy. humor |
jealousy among them The most amusing Of all /
these stories is Of the blue jay whose quaint |
doings Mrs. Miller has partly chronicled else |
where one OF this active birds occupations !
was TO clear up the in which he lived The |
scraps Of food he could not eat were neatly /
hidden, sometimes even in his friends slipper or
a fold Of her dress; the favorite place he sought /
IL vain was her loosely bound hair. Whatever /
he could find on the 1oor-pins burnt matches |
buttons and the like he put away with exceed |
ing neatness, quite unconscious Of the fact that |
they had been dropped for his benefit. Pins he !
Invariably pushed between the pages of a book !
He had a fervent love for his protectress, and /
always greeted her with musical chatter and .
quivering wings. If he were out of the cage" |
she says, "he would come on the back Of my |
chair and touch my cheek or lips very gently !
with his beak offer bit Of his food if he |
had any; and to ne alone when no one else was
he sang q low, exquisite song Engaging /
as were the ways of the blue jay, he has many /
a rival in this charming book
Thomas NuttalTs labor Of love, his work deal !
ing with the birds Of this country and Canada, |
has been carefully brought up to date by MI NJ. |
Chamberlain The notes Of the editor and the /
colored Illustrations are competent and interest
ing. The enthusiasm which Nuttall felt for his |
subject still communicates itself TO the reader
Of his old fashioned prose; there is entertain !
ment as well as instruction there. The former |
two volumes Of the work are now included in |
one OF convenient size and smaller price.
The Song Of the Cardinal" is the biography |
Of a bird one Of the most beautiful Of all the |
American birds-a thing like flower a rushing |
brilliant fame. It Is graceful and poetic ceIe-
bration Of this dainty being-and it is sent- ,
mental as Well as pretty. false note is struck
now and again, as in the exclamation: Those
dreadful little feathered women apropos of
the female redbirds. There is danger for the /
modern writer on nature in the paths Of ro-
nance.
Mr.. c. H. Lane WIN has given a large part /!
of his life 10 the raising and exhibiting Of pet |
animals has filed the bulky volume called
Rabbits Cats and CAVES" with the results Of