New-York tribune., 1905-06-03
BIRDS.
Studies of the Living Creature.

Studies of the LUang Creature.
HiEe Years WORK with Field Glass. and Camera ,ts
BY John Maclair Boraston. lllustraxSeed 1Se WIor Tb
photographs from nature. SVo, PIP. %o- '0
,1r6 J19nei fIFE AND BIRD LORE BY R, Bosworth
Smith. With Illustrations Syo' pp' s'f' L.
WILD W1SGs Adventures of Camera Hunter Hunter
Among the Larger wild Birds Of North AmeTSa o
isme rpfeo pp sn VIII Houghton, Mifiin s. Co
Mr.. Boraston's enthusiasm as an observer Oh
wild birds is the greater for the fact that 1t Id"
not long possessed him. He tells US that II was
mt until ne became fascinated by pooK Oh
birds eggs which he had purchased lor h'
small son that he realized the pleasures OF suoii
observation. That he has made the best OF ms
time, has learned how, with Uncommon
sen,iity and pertinacity to trace out the feaIl-
cred creatures and their nests, his Foiun0
proves His photographs Of the living oirds are
Extraordinarily clear and characteristic. Ii 10
evident that as he has pursued his HOBBY ne mas
crown more and moro into affection for the oo-
5ects of his quest He has worked III d 'oti
paratively crcumscribed region on the D'iu
of the English counties OF Lancashire
Cbashire but he has found there dellghtiul
cor,nanv of wiIdlings Among the most charm
ing Of his friends photographed anu u
scribed here are the saucy pluetitS- iA0 49,
po,,na these unable to resist the attractions OF a
dish of nice white suet, and ne mas photoe -
70 admiration one tiny aldermanlc plro "iio'
ha,ing "dined not wisely but too well, was
foo overcome TO do anything but hang py oie
claw IN his bough and blink at his round llIlie
.+uroro1, with fat suet lined. Where do olueIi''
slean? asks the author, bearing IN hllLu 'N
often noticed dishevelment Of the htIe ielio''
a dishevelment apparently caused Dy 'oo -
tracted quarters. "One, ne aous'
I,ent overnight in a sudden frost, slowed ltSelt
closely in a corner of the cage until II oelNoIe
itself of a small gallipot in another coihel' ~
it entered it and nestled down as IL II iiAo ~"
nee+ sIeeping tmbedded in liberal lining Oh
ants eggs, which had remained over lroNi 'up
nar" A striking photograph from hte Oh tiio
s1,1arl. is accompanied by an excellent descrip-
&c.; o4 its flight Even If it had no song' the
or+bor notes. its movements on the wing aio
co characteristic that they alone would serve 10
identify it.
First the broad sprarng curves by which nare he
,apa fhe base of his tower Of ascent becoming @ r
eao energy he mounts direct line Pau
Ing now again to S srse sbf out ten aRa as E5h
ascended by stages he deseen1Ss 1 as he drops
ing @ his sage Wnss to asa Stage Ike spider suddenly
lengthenng thread until at IaSL, m VII bodv aban-
SS5eddy Soned to oai the fui pull Of aon he falls & like g
stone & +ec9TerRg W eRggandns his wings and fitting for
ward close to the ground for some distances O7-'1'
he alights.
.,Rr5s have been to me the solace. the recre-
alton, the passion of lifetime, the more serious
and continuous work of which has lain in quite
other directions" So writes Mr.. W. Bosworth
Smith a scholar OF high attachments. The en-
during happiness which the love Of BIRDS mas
given to him he seeks in his new book to com
municate to others; and he hopes, moreover that
these chapers of his experience will do some
thing toward the preservation Of all birds, es-
| neca11v oF those which in England are threat
ened with actual extinction. His studies deai
entirely with the living bird and are fun OF the
| interest that only an observer ABSORBED IN MS
| subject can give. We were not prepared ny Iiie
pav 70 read that he thinks the eagle owl to be
the most magnificent not only of the owls but
| of all birds Madame he tells US, is third
| larger than her husband and far surpasses him
| In everv manly quality. "She takes the lead
| throughout: she is everywhere and everything;
| he nowhere and nothing a number of these
noble birds were entertained for many years III
the ancient keep of Arundel Castle, the Duke Of
Norfolk making special provision for their safety
| and comfort.
The finest Of the whole assembage. was known
Saughters Of the famous Lord Chancellor, entering
day the keep in OF Td TdS
fn its most of state and blinking its eyes with all
the sleepy majesty of the law; had exclalIneo
forward stuck to it. and years afterward the
butler whose business 1t was TO see after tiie
eapIe owls and who not a little proud or MS
rushed up IN Sta1@ 0l pto the Duke Of
NorfoIks study What is the mater att rGn saia drd 6ng
Eldon has laid an egg
Mr. Rosworth Smith declares that 1t was
doubtless the eagle owl which was the Imperial
bird whose rare appearance in Rome was be-
ueyed to portend calamity to the state. Some OF
tba most beguling pages of this volume are given
to the raven, who is to the author one of the
most Interesting of birds-a parsonage. in short
He adulires him particularly as monogamist
o dipnifed gentleman who pairs for life, who
fondlv talks to his mate and often Turing her
from the nest takes her post while she rests.
Mr. Jobs book is which deserves the
beartiest praise His record of wander1ngs along
+ha Southern coasts is animated and picturesque
bts nbotographs often taken under discouragng
circumstances are delightful. Rare and beauti-
FIJI birds to be found only in those regions he
describes with JOY in the spectacle that rouses
Tho raedar,s envy There is less ad
venture in these pages, for he penetrated into
nlaces where danger often lurked. Discomfort
| i, the shane of "skeets' was almost always to
the fore The chapter on the destruction of the
| a,re+ oueht to be read by all women who have
been Indifferent to the wicked extinction of one
| of the lsveliest of Gods creatures