Day Dreams is the significant title of a neat little volume of poems from the pen of W. N. Lockington, Esq., late of San Francisco, but now a resident of Philadelphia. In it the author shows himself to be possessed of poetical talents of a very high order. Many of his pieces are beautiful pictures of word-painting, and almost faultless models of rhythmical art. As a whole, the work is unsurpassed by the writings of any of our minor poets, and in dignity of sentiment and force of expression will favorably compare with the best finished productions of many of the masters. The cheapness of the volume, $1.25 per copy, should bring it within reach of all. May its success be commensurate with the highest wishes of its author and publisher.

Bigelow's Handbook of Punctuation, a carefully prepared volume of 112 pages, has but recently appeared from the well-known publishing house of Lee & Shepard, of Boston. The reputation of the author should be a sufficient guarantee of the excellence of its merits, and doubtless is to the editorial profession and manufacturers of books generally; but to the unenlightened in such matters, a word or two of commendation may not prove amiss. Look where we will we can hardly find a work of its size so replete with useful and valuable information. The rules laid down are simple, concise and authoritative, and such as are sanctioned by the best modern writers of our language. Authors and proof readers will find it an indispensable companion, and one that they cannot very well do without.

Nothing has come to my table lately, with such a thorough out-of-door flavor, so fresh and so spicy, and withal so calculated to please and entrance the reader, as How We Went Bird's-Nesting, - a small quarto publication, neatly printed and appropriated illustrated, and given to the reading world by the Messrs. D. Lothrop & Co., of Boston. The author, who by the way is a lady, shows wonderful powers of observation, and eminent fitness for this kind of literature. In her happiest frame of mind her style is inimitable, and bespeaks a love for the beautiful and pure in nature. So charming a book should grace every parlor table, and be found by the side of the writings of Burroughs, Ingersoll, Coues and others none the less popular and noted.

Messrs. Lee & Shepard, of Boston, have conferred a great favor upon ornithologists in issuing a work of vast usefulness and merit, under the title of New England Bird Life, from the manuscript of Winfrid A. Stearns, Esq., a member of the Nuttall Ornithological Club. While the author may have done his part of the labor reasonably well, yet the work, it must generally be conceded, owes its supreme importance to the profound wisdom, mature judgment and careful revisory powers of Dr. Coues, the most accomplished and talented of American writers on birds. Everywhere throughout its pages is manifest the impress of his superior mind, and the power of his ready and gifted pen. Part I. before us, which treats of the Oscines, covers some 324 pages, and in the amount of valuable and reliable information which it gives, is unsurpassed by any former publications on the avi-fauna of our Eastern States. Besides the brief, yet weighty and accurate descriptions of bird-life detailed, considerable space is devoted to other matters of an ornithological character, which seldom find their way into the books.

These are arranged into four separate sections, and treat respectively on General Definitions, Preparation of Specimens for Study, The Subject of Faunal Areas and The Literature of New England Ornithology. Being neatly printed on fine paper, and having the monotony of its pages broken by a fair representation of beautiful cuts, altogether the book presents in its make-up and general appearance, one of the neatest and cheapest productions that has come before the public for some time, and reflects great credit upon all concerned. So important a work should be in the hands of all lovers of birds and admirers of good literature, and I confidently predict for it a wide circulation.