186 



THE OSPREY. 



which they must adapt themselves. It may be that 

 the reader who turns to Mr. Wm. E. D. Scott's 

 'Bird Studies' to identify a Wilson's Thrush, let us 

 say, that he has seen scratching around his garden 

 during the migrations, would not really find his bird 

 which is classified quite properly among the birds 

 found "in the woods" where it spends nearly all its 

 life. And then again, many Warblers, pre eminently 

 of the woods, may often be seen flitting around the blos- 

 soming orchards and shrubbery "about the house." 

 People come to associate certain birds with certain sur- 

 roundings until it becomes almost impossible to think 

 of them elsewhere; and so they may disapprove of 

 having the Purple Finch, which is commonly seen 

 feeding or singing in the very tops of evergreen trees, 

 photographed in a field of thistles. But the arbitrary 

 placing of a Bobolink among the birds one meets in 

 going "across the fields" is certainly vastly more 

 helpful to the novice than to classify it among the 

 htfrida-. A systematic table of all orders, families 

 and species is given at the back of the book. 



It seems almost ungracious to find any fault with 

 the generous array of photographs — many of which 

 are exceedingly beautiful and life-like, — the work of 

 an artist who is also a student of bird-life ; but the 

 picture of one live bird in the bush is worth a score 

 of dead ones in the hand, and yet the book abounds 

 in photographs of 'skins' that are revolting to every 

 true bird-lover, and are not sufficiently helpful from 

 the scientific point of view to warrant the brutalizing 

 effect of the notion that birds must be studied with a 

 gun. A glance at the table showing the decrease of 

 birds in the United States that Mr. Wm. T Horna- 

 day has prepared with so much care for the New 

 York Zoological Society, proves, if any proof wei'e re- 

 quired, how much the Americans need to be educated 

 out of their indifference to bird destruction for what- 

 ever cause. — Neltje Blanchan. 



Notes on Birds Observed at Jalapa and Las 

 ViGAS, Vera Cruz, Mexico. By Prank M. Chapman. 

 Plate III. Author's Edition, extracted from Bulletin 

 of the American Museum of Natural History, Vol. 

 X., Article II, pp. 15-43.. New York, February 24, 

 i8g8 



The observations of this scientific paper were 

 made by Mr. Chapman in Jalapa and Las Vigas be- 

 tween March 28 and April 27, 1897. The time was 

 short; but the indefatigable Mr. Chapman has, as 

 always, attained wonderful results in specimens and 

 notes for his work in the American Museum of 

 Natural History. At this time the breeding season 

 was just beginning, three or four species were 

 found to be laying, but the greater number were 

 mating, or nest-building, and the song season was 

 therefore at its height. 



Notes on 107 species were made at Jalapa where 

 the vegetation is semi tropical. But two hours travel 

 by rail from Jalapa brings one to Las Vigas in a 

 humid alpine zone where bird-life is almost entirely 

 different Only three of the 48 species here ob- 

 served were found to be the same as those at 

 Jalapa. "From the summit of the pine-clad hills 

 one can look down on the dense forests of the tem- 

 perate zone, distant only a few minutes as the bird 

 flies, but between the two temperature has erected 

 an invisible but potent barrier which few species 

 cross." 



The State of Vera Cruz, Mr. Chapman says, 

 doubtless otters more attractions to the naturalist 

 than does any other area of similar extent. "Its 

 surface includes lagoons, rivers and dashing streams; 

 sandy beaches, marshes, and plains; valleys, canons 

 and mountain crests whose loftiest peak reaches an 

 elevation of over 18000 feet, and is crowned with 



perpetual snow. The temperature of the region is 

 of course affected by its varying altitudes, and the 

 climate is further influenced by extremes of aridity 

 and humidity. To these natural conditions should 

 be added the accessibility of the region, and the fact 

 that it is bisected by two lines of railway, which 

 within a few hours take the traveler through three 

 life-zones. Thus, leaving the city of Vera Cruz on 

 the Mexican Railway, at 6 a. m , we pass through 

 the arid coastal zone, or tierra laliente seca, and in 

 two hours reach the lower border of the humid trop- 

 ical zone, or tierra talicnte hnineda, at an altitude of 

 some 900 feet. We are now fairly in the mountains, 

 and the ascent is more rapid, the lower border of the 

 temperate zone, or tierra tonplatla, at an altitude of 

 about 2700 feet, being reached at 9 a. m. We now 

 journey through the elevated valleys of the tierra 

 teiiiplada, and in two hours have reached the north- 

 ern limit of this zone, and the southern limit of the 

 humid alpine zone, or tierra fria htnneda, at an alti- 

 tude of some 5500 feet The palms and heliconias 

 of the humid tropical zone, the tree ferns and coffee 

 groves of the tierra teniplada, are now replaced by 

 forests of pines and oaks, which continue until, six 

 hours after leaving Vera Cruz, we approach the arid 

 alpine zone, or tierra fria seca, at an altitude of some 

 8000 feet. The journey from this point to Mexico 

 is on the great central plateau, a treeless region, over 

 which comparatively uniform conditions prevail. 



"It is evident, then, that within this circumscribed 

 area the student of the geographical distribution of 

 life will find a field for work, where a minimum of 

 effort will produce a maximum of result. A bio- 

 geographic map of this region, based not only upon 

 an exact knowledge of the distribution of its plants 

 and animals, but also upon detailed information of 

 its topography, soil, and climate, would be of sur- 

 passing interest, and it is as a contribution toward so 

 desirable an end that this paper is presented." 



Mr. Chapman states that the specimens of some of 

 the most notable collectors in the State of Vera Cruz 

 were not sufficiently exact in data, in regard to local- 

 ity among the closely conflicting zones, as would be 

 required by the student of geographical distribution. 

 It was not a wholly unpardonable mistake for the 

 native Mexican collector, who had furnished most of 

 the specimens of this locality to the leading author- 

 ities, to enter "Jalapa" in his data as the locality for 

 specimens secured in a day's trip extending into 

 more than one zone. — W. A. J. 



Second Annual Report of the New York Zoo- 

 logical Society. [Chartered in 1895. Objects of 

 the society : A Public Zoological Park, the Preser- 

 vation of our Native Animals, the Promotion of 

 Zoology.] New York: Office of the Society, 69 

 Wall St., March 15, 1898. 



The second annual report of the New York Zoolog- 

 ical Society heralds progression and maturing plans. 

 It has been an e\entful year for the society, end- 

 ing in its establishment as a permanent institution 

 for the promotion of zoological knowledge, and the 

 love of animate nature, in the City and State of New 

 York. In the article, 'Progress of the Year,' signed 

 by the chairman, Professor Henry F. Osborn of 

 Columbia University, and Madison Grant, secretary, 

 it is stated that all of the original objects have been 

 furthered, and the following noteworthy results at- 

 tained : A contract with the City of New York, unan- 

 imously adopted by the commissioners of the sink- 

 ing fund, March 24, 1897 ; completion of the general 

 plan of the Park, and its unanimous approval by 

 Park Commissioners, November 22, 1897 ; subscrip- 

 tion of the first $100,000 toward the gift of $250,000 

 from the society to the city, completed February 15, 



