92 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Oct. 



Britsh naturalists, however, seem to have paid more 

 attention to the study. W. P. Pycraft devotes a chapter to the 

 subject in "The Story of Bird Life," and most of the prominent 

 natural histories deal briefly with the machinery of flight. Mr. 

 Headley seems to have given the subject careful study, and 

 a large part of an earlier volume by him entitled "Structure 

 and Life of Birds" was devoted to birds' flight. In the present 

 volume the author has his subject well in hand and gives each 

 phase a careful consideration. His theories in regard to the 

 explanation of many phenomena in flight and of flightprinciples 

 are logical and much observation has been supplied in their 

 support. 



A list of chapter headings will indicate the scope of the 

 material dealt with. They are as follows: Chap. I, Gliding 

 II, Stability; HI, Motive Power; IV, Starting; V, Steering 

 VI, Stopping and Alighting; VII, The Machinery of Flight 

 VIII, Varieties of Wing and of Flight; IX, Pace and Last 

 X, Wing and Flight, and XI, Some Accessories. Under each 

 of these headings are many sub-headings and each phenomenon 

 is discussed at some length and a plausible theory advanced in 

 explanation. 



There are sixteen plates, fourteen of which are from photo- 

 graphs, and twenty-seven other illustrations. 



Thjs book, because of the principles of flight set forth within 

 its pages, should prove interesting to aviators as well as to 

 ornithologists and we trust that it will receive the welcome at 

 the hands of the public which it deserves. 



E. W. Calvert. 



CAMROSE, ALBERTA, BIRD NOTES. 



On the 13th of September, 1911, a Red-breasted Nuthatch 

 spent over an hour in and around our yard in Camrose. This bird 

 seems to be very rare in the prairie country, as this is only the 

 second one I have seen in twenty years. 



The Blue Jay seems to be more plentiful now than formerly. 

 Previous to the last year or two, the only ones I noticed were on 

 the river bottoms in the thick spruce. Twice in September last 

 year I saw two different pairs in the willows on the level prairie 

 many miles from any evergreens. 



October 14th, 1911, saw a pair of Magpies about ten miles 

 north of Lacombe. This is the furthest north I have observed 

 this bird. They are not common by any means. I remember 

 seeing one a number of years ago-j^^tf- winter, east of Red Deer. 



F. L. Farley. 



O 



3f 



