iSooft jBteto0 an& Hetitetos The North American Eagles and Their Economic Relations. By Harry C. Oberholser. Bulletin No. 27, Biological Survey, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, Washington, 1906. 8vo. 31 pages, 2 illustrations, 2 maps. Mr. Oberholser here presents biographical sketches of the Bald, Gray Sea, and Golden Eagles, and a summary of the ascertainable knowlege of their food habits. Of the first-named, he concludes that " all things considered, the Bald Eagle is rather more beneficial than otherwise since much of its food is of little or no direct economi- cal value, while the good it does more than compensates for its obnoxious deeds ; and, furthermore, it seems not likely ever to be- come abundant enough in any locality to be seriously destructive." The Gray Sea Eagle is considered "to do more harm than good," but "in North America the species occupies an area so small and so far to the northward that it is not likely ever to become an economic factor of importance." The Golden Eagle is stated to be good in some respects but bad in others, and, on the whole, is believed to be " more harmful than . beneficial." Mr. Oberholser has evidently weighed the available evidence, for and against, carefully, and pronounced an unbiased verdict. In our opinion, however, it is extremely undesirable either to commend, or condemn, any animal as a species. A bird's food habits may vary so greatly with locality that it is as deserving of protection in one place as it is unworthy of it in another. Mr. Oberholser, himself, shows that in western California the Golden Eagle is eminently beneficial as a destroyer of spermophiles. Why saddle, therefore, on the Golden Eagles of this region the sins of the sheep- killing Eagles of Wyoming? In cases of this kind, would it not be more just to sum- marize the results of economic investigation in such a manner that one may readily determine where a bird is useful, where harmful, rather than to present a generalized (2 conclusion in which the elements of good and evil are considered without reference to place?- F. M. C. Distribution and Migration of North American Ducks, Geese and Swans. By Wells W. Cooke. Bulletin No. 26, Bio- logical Survey, U. S. Dept. of Agricul- ture, Washington. 1906. 8vo. 90 pages. The rapid decrease of the birds of which this bulletin treats, due to excessive shooting and settling of their breeding-grounds, re- quires the application of more stringent measures of protection if the birds are to be preserved. Professor Cooke has therefore brought together the existing knowledge concerning the breeding and winter range, routes and times of migration, in order that these data might be available for legislative purposes. The work has, of course, much purely ornithological value, also, and to sportsmen should be especially interesting for the exact information it contains, as well as for comparison of its dates with those they have recorded through personal observation. — ■ F. M. C. Camp Kits and Camp Life. By Charles Stedman Hanks, New York. Charles Scribner's Sons, 1906. i2mo, xii+259 pages; numerous half-tones. Your genuine camper, who camps not primarily to hunt or fish, but for the love of life in the open, generally has his own way of doing things, and* as Mr. Hanks says, will never accept advice about his kit or admit that another man's kit is better than the one he has packed himself. We believe, however, that even a veteran of the woods would find valuable pointers in Mr. Hanks's book, while to the fortunate one who has still to learn the tricks of camp-life it should prove a guide, counselor and friend. The illustrations illustrate, and the small one of a Ruffed Grouse, on page 177, is worthy of a full-page in Bird-Lore! — F. M. C. 13)
