512 JOURNAL, OF THE WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES VOL. 11, NO. 21 



escens, from Brazil; Cercomacra tyrannina laeta, from Brazil; Formicarius 

 ruficeps orinocensis, from Venezuela; Sclerurus rufigularis fulvigularis, from 

 French Guiana; Microxenops milleri guianensis, from French Guiana; Fur- 

 narius leucopus exilis, from Colombia; Dendrocolaptes certhia medius, from 

 Brazil; and Veniliornis oleaginus exsul, from Colombia. 



H. C. Oberholser. 

 ORNITHOLOGY. — Diagnoses of some new genera of birds. Robert Ridg- 

 WAY. Smith. Misc. Coll. 72*: 1-4. 1920. 



In the course of investigations of North American birds, several new 

 genera have been brought to light and are here characterized. Four of 

 these belong to the Buteonidae, as follows: Oroaetus, type, Falco isidori 

 Des Murs; Phaeoaetus, type, Falco limnaetus Horsfield; Morphnarchus, type, 

 Leucopternis princeps Sclater; and Percnohierax, type, Falco leucorrhous 

 Quoy and Gaimard. Three others are included in the Rallidae: Hapalocrex, 

 type, Rallus flaviventris Boddaert; Limnocrex, type, Prozana cinereiceps 

 Lawrence; and Thryocrex, type, Corethrura rubra Sclater and Salvin. 



H. C. Oberholser. 

 ORNITHOLOGY. — Washington region [October and November, iqiq]. 

 H. C. Oberholser. Bird Lore 22: 47-48. 1920. 



The mild weather of October and November, 1919, apparently induced 

 a large number of birds to remain considerably beyond their former records 

 in the vicinity of Washington. Details are given for a number of species. 



H. C. O. 



ORNITHOLOGY. — Federal and State game preserves. H. W. Nelson. 

 Bull. Amer. Game Protect. Assoc. 9^: 6-8. 1920. 



Draining of the lakes and marshes is one of the most serious dangers that 

 now threaten our waterfowl. These bodies of water in their original state 

 have as great value as if converted into farm lands, since their annual out- 

 put of game, fish, and fur-bearing animals will yield as great monetary return 

 as the crops that might be raised on the same land. Furthermore, the pres- 

 ence of such areas throughout the country will have in addition to this mone- 

 tary return a high recreational value. In many States the preservation 

 of these lands in their original condition is now the most urgent need in wild 

 life protection, particularly in the conservation of wild fowl, since the elim- 

 ination of their breeding grounds means the disappearance of the birds. 

 More refuges should be established like those already under the jurisdiction 

 of the State and Federal governments. Likewise, public shooting grounds 

 and refuges should be increased in number in the national forests. 



H. C. Oberholser 



ORNITHOLOGY. — The crow in its relation to agriculture. E. R. Kalm- 

 bach. U. S. Dept. Agric, Farm. Bull. 1102: 1-20. 1920. 



The present report is a resum^ of the data and conclusions presented in 

 a prior and more extensive bulletin. From the evidence available it is ap- 

 parent that the crow, while unfavorably influencing man's interests by its 

 raids on the poultry yard, its depredations on wild birds, and its attacks 

 on crops, is at the same time of important economic assistance by reason 

 of its warfare on insects. It is, therefore, evident that while it would be 

 unwise to give the crow absolute protection, it would be equally unfortunate 

 to adopt a policy of extermination. H. C. Oberholser 



