Recently published Ornithological Works. 635 



An interesting study of the Rock-wren (Salpmctes obso- 

 letiis) is contributed by Mr. H. S. Swarth. The typical 

 form is a wide-spread type^ ranging from the Great Plains 

 region east o£ the Rockies to the Pacific, and from the floor 

 of the hottest desert to the summit of the coldest mountain- 

 top without appreciable variation ; when we come to the 

 islands oflF the coast of southern and lower California, 

 though the birds on most of the islands conform to the 

 mainland types, we find that one subspecies is distinguish- 

 able — Salpinctes o. pulveriiis from San Nicolas and San 

 Clemente Islands. Another new subspecies is liere de- 

 scribed, ;S^. guadelovpensis proximus, from the Island of San 

 Martin, off the coast of Lower California. 



Of papers of economic interest, Mr. II. C. Bryant con- 

 tributes an important one dealing with a survey of the 

 breeding-grounds of Ducks in California, Mr. A. 13. Howell 

 one on the destruction of small birds caused by the fumi- 

 gation process to which the trees in the citrus orchards of 

 California are subjected to clean off black scale, and Mr. C. 

 H. Kennedy one on the effects of irrigation on bird-life in 

 the Yukima Valley in Washington State. 



Journal of the S. Afr. Orn. Union. 



[The Journal of the South African Ornithologists' Union. Edited by 

 A. K. Ilaagner, F.Z.S. Vol. x. no. 1, Dec. 1914, pp. 1-46.] 



Doubtless on account of the war the annual volume 

 of the South African Ornitliologists' Union is somewhat 

 diminished, and consists of one thin number only. There 

 are included in it field-notes on birds of the Zimliti district 

 near Beira and of the Sabi district of the Transvaal by 

 Mr. P. A. Sheppard and Capt. C. Ingle respectively, while 

 tbe editor, Mr. Ilaagner, contributes some notes on tlie 

 Game- and Water-Birds of the Pretoria bush-veld made 

 during a recent hunting-tiip of only eight days' duration, 

 when he found evidence of the breeding of the White- 

 faced Duck (Dendrocygna vidanta), a species previously 

 unknown to nest in South Africa. He met with the Knob- 

 billed Duck (Sarkidiornis melanotus) breeding in the pools 



SER. X.— VOL. III. 2 U 



