pied in the transmission of Letters; Local Post
Office Regulations; List of Post Offices in the United States, etc. We
regard the condensation of important and indeed almost necessary
information as of great value to our people.

LEGENDS OF THE BIRDS. By CHARLES GODFREY LELAND.
Illustrated by F. Moras. Philadelphia: Frederick Leypoldt,
publisher. New York: for sale by F. W. Christern, 763 Broadway.

An exquisite volume, containing illuminated pictures of the Birds of the
Legends. Very beautiful are the legends, tenderly and simply told in the
golden words of a poet. They are calculated to teach us humanity toward
the winged creatures of the air, so often the victims of our cruel
sports. We have The Swallow, The Eagle, The Robin, The Cock, The Swan,
The Falcon, The Wood Dove, The Humming Bird, The Scarlet Tannager, The
Peacock, and The Owl, each bird occupying his own illuminated page; each
with his own simple and touching legend. Mr. Leland's little poems will
speak to many a heart, and many a mother will read them aloud to the
wild boys begging for guns to devastate our forests, to inspire them
with mercy for these flying flowers, these musicians of the air. Paper,
print, type, arabesques, and designs, are excellent. We heartily
congratulate Mr. Leypoldt on the beauty of the publication.

HAND BOOK OF CALISTHENICS AND GYMNASTICS: A Complete Drill
Book for Schools, Families, and Gymnasiums. With Music to accompany
the Exercises. Illustrated from original designs. By J. MADISON
WATSON. New York and Philadelphia: Schermerhorn, Bancroft &
Co. Chicago: George Sherwood. 1864.

The American people are waking up to the importance of physical culture,
struggling to develop muscle, to strengthen weak nerves, and to build up
national bodily vigor. The purpose of the volume before us is to solve
this problem. The author "has aimed to make it a complete gymnastic
drill book, with words of command and classes of movements
systematically arranged, embracing all necessary exercises for the
lungs, the voice, the organs of speech, the joints, and the muscles."

Part 1st, under the head of _Vocal Gymnastics_, treats of Respiration,
Phonetics, and Elocution; concise and clear principles and rules are
given, accompanied by examples and exercises sufficiently numerous to
enable the student to bring them completely within his comprehension and
under his control. We regard this part of the work befo