754 EXPEEIMENT STATION EECOKD. 



The evidence of plague infection among ground squirrels, G. W. McCoy 

 {Pub. Health and Mar. Hosp. Serv. U. S., Pub. Health Rpts., 25 {1910), No. 2, 

 pp. 27-33). — The author considers the subject first in relation to ground squir- 

 rels, and, second, somewhat less fully in relation to human cases. 



Campaign against bubonic plague in ground squirrels (Citellus beecheyi) 

 in California, W. C. Ruckee (Jour. Trop. Med. and Hijg. {London^, IS {1910), 

 No. 6, pp. S7~90. fig. 1). — A brief review of the campaign now being carried on. 



Instinct and intelligence of birds, F. H. Herrick {Pop. Sci. Mo., 76 {1910), 

 No. 6, pp. 532-.556; 77 {1910), Nos. 1, pp. 82-97; 2, pp. 122-1.',!, figs. .'?-}).— Many 

 new observations on the bionomics of birds are included in this account. 



Nests and eggs of birds found breeding in Australia and Tasmania, A. J. 

 North {Aust. Mus., Sydney, Spec. Cat., No. 1, vol. 2, pts. 1-3, pp. VII+SSO, pis. 

 11, figs. 75). — "The present and second volume contains descriptions of the 

 nests and eggs of 175 species of Australian and Tasmanian birds, and is partly 

 based on the collections in the Australian Museum, and the remainder chiefly 

 on private collections. The birds enumerated form the concluding portion of 

 the order Passeres, and belong to the families Laniidje, Certhiidne. Sittidie, Meli- 

 phagidffi, Nectariniidfe, Zosteropidse, DicaeidiB. Pardalotida}, Hirundinidne, Arta- 

 midse, Sturnidje, Ploceidse, Motacillidie, Alaudidie, Pittidse, and Menuridse. It 

 also includes the greater portion of the order Picarise, comprising the families 

 Caprimulgidae, Podargidse, Coraciidae, Meropidse, and Alcedinidsfi. . . . One 

 hundred and seventy-five species of Australian and Tasmanian birds are de- 

 scribed." 



Notes on the birds of Argentina, E. IIartert and S. Venturi {Novitates 

 Zool., 16 {1909). No. 2, pp. 159-267, pis. 2).— These notes on 509 forms are 

 based on a manuscript by S. Venturi on the nidification. eggs, and habits of 

 Argentine birds and collections by several other authors. 



Food of the bobwhite, M.yrgaret M. Nice (.Jour. Econ. Ent., 3 {1910), No. 3, 

 pp. 295-313). — A list is given and data presented as to the various weeds the 

 seeds of which are eaten, and the insects destroyed, by the bobwhite. 



•'A single bird was found to eat as many as 12,000, 18,000, and 30,000 seeds 

 of one kind of weed in a day. They eat 15 gm. or half an ounce, of weetl seed 

 daily throughout the winter. The known list of insects eaten (135) includes 

 many of the most injurious species. A single bird ate at one meal 568 mosqui- 

 toes; another during a day ate 1,350 flies; a third ate 5.000 plant lice; while 

 still another record is 1,532 insects. 1.000 of which were grasshoppers. Bob- 

 whites eat from 12 to 24 gm. of insects daily in the summer. In a study of the 

 growth and fee<liug of one bobwhite, it was found that in his third week he 

 ate half of his weight of insects, in his fourth week one-third. In the sixth the 

 addition of grain brought it up to one-half again. When adult they eat from 

 one-twelfth to one-sixth of their weight. An estimate of the average amount 

 eaten by a bobwhite in a year is 2.732 gm., or about 5 lbs., of insects, and 

 4,681 gm., or about 9 3/4 lbs., of weed seeds, which are equivalent to 65,802 

 insects and 5,123,076 weed seeds." 



Some observations on the food habits of the blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata), 

 L. L. Dyche {Trans. Kans. Acad. Sci., 21 {1907), pt. 1, pp. 130-137).— The 

 author reports the results of an examination made of a large number of stom- 

 achs of blue jays collected in the vicinity of Lawrence, Kans. The species is 

 shown to destroy the eggs and young of other birds and even chickens. 



An apparatus for the determination of optimums of temperature and 

 moisture, T. J. Headlee iAnn. Ent. Soc. Amcr.. 3 iWlO). No. 2, pp. I.'i5-153, 

 figs. 3). — Thia apparatus, designed particularly for the study of insects, is de- 

 scribed and figured. 



