New Britain herald., 1925-04-08
AT YOUR LIBRARY

really here. We have already had many signs of Spring, the robins, the bluebirds, the gay bits of yellow and purple along the flower beds, the children with their marbles and roller skates. the fresh smell of the warm moist earth and the thou sands of other things that return to us with every Spring. For each of us Spring has a different meaning. To some 1t means merely a new hat or n change of coat, to some a gar den and all Its attendant joys and trials, to some the return of the birds and flowers. and for the eager library patron, the Spring lists of fascinating new books of all kinds.
 For the Bird Lover
 But not all the good books are the new books and many interesting and worthwhile books, gets tucked away on shelf neglected for the later arrivals. For the bird lover among these books "Birds Of East ern North America" by Frank w. Chapman and Bird Biographies" by Alice E. Ball should be of great aid, particularly to the novice, in identifying and studying our feather ed visitors this spring. "The Bird Calendar" by II. E.. Parkhurst will give fair Idea of the birds we may expect to see in all the months of the year and 1t also gives some idea of where to look for these illusive creatures.
 If you have heard bird call which puzzles you or wish to know some birds song, "The Field Book Of Wild Birds and Their Music" by Matthew r. Schuyler might heIp you. Perhaps you are already fa- millar with the names and songs of many birds and wish to know more about them. Friends in Feathers, by Gene stratton Porter, "The Human Side Of Birds" by Royal Dixon. Adventures among Birds" by w. H. Hudson, the English writer well known among nature lovers, and. Camps and Cruises of an Ornithologist," by Frank Chap man, should prove both entertaininp and instructive. This last has 2S0 photographs from nature and in- cludes chapters on the American egret, Pelican Island, and the | Flamingo.
 Camera Studies
 If you prefer to take more than passive interest in birds a. great deal can be done with a. camera That others have met with success In this line is well illustrated by 'Camera Studies of Wild Birds fin Their Homes" b yChester A. Reed, with 200 illustrations. Bird Studies | With a Camera" by Frank w. l Chapman, with introductory chan ters on outfit and methods, and by some Of the books already men toned which are profusely illus trated with many photographs.
 Methods Of Attracting Birds" by Gllbert H. Trafton,", "The Inn portance of Bird Life," by G, Jn- ness Hartley. and "The Propagation or Wlld Birds" by Herbert k. Job. give another practical side of the question. We should not omit T.. R. W. Loyd's "The Protection of Birds" which presents new en- ilshtened view of this subject prov ing some generally accepted ideas to be false and harmful.
 The lighter side of bird life is da- Ilghtfully portrayed by Ernest Tn- gersoll in Birds in Legend, Fable ana Folklore," and by Margaret Couison Walker, Bird Legend and LAfe'' which tells of the raven and crow in literature, the origin of mag ples' the legend of the owl and tba lone fisher. And last but not least there are in the library, for refer ence use. two books put out by the New York state museum on land and Waser birds. They contain 1OG coiored plates and much information or value to the New Englander all tnough they are entitled Birds of New York"
 In Wood and Field
 A close competitor of the intaros, In spring birds is the interest in spring flowers, both wild and cul- tivated. Excellent garden books nave already been recommended for the aid of the wouId-be enrdenor and for the wanderer in inc enIds and woods there are flower, tree and insect guides. Among the best books for the unlearned botanis+ ara.
 How to Know the Wild FIower. D by Mrs. William Starr Dana. a ynrv good practical aid in identiacotion
 tloWers and Ferns in Their Haunts," by Mabel Osgood Wrirb. ana Field, Forest and wavs,da fIowers.' by Maud Gonig, witb many pen and ink illustrations
 IT all trees are merely trees ,o you and you would like to over. come this appalling ignorance vou VIII find of value. "Tbe r;o,J Book of American Trees and shrubs" by F. Schuyler MatfboH.s %hicn m contains concise description o. ti'e character and color of the species common throughout inc I hlted States. with maps showing their general distribution.
 Few readers probably find any, thing readable in the insect ona butterfly books as a whole. but not one think could fail to find some interest in J. Henri Fabre's hooks on spiders bees, wasps, and ofber insects In which he tells of tbe really amazing and marvellous lives or these little creatures. A Iittle later in the season, the student ar collector should find useful. "Afotbs and Butterflies" by Mary c. Dicker- son. and Moths of the LimberIost :,