IGO The Wilson Bulletin— No. 80. 



Chief of Biological Survey. From Yearbook of Department of Ag- 

 riculture for 1911. Pp. 154-164. 



The place is Laysan Island, but the other islands of the reserva- 

 tion are also mentioned. The paper is a short resume of the Nut- 

 ting expedition, with a comparison of the conditions then and pre- 

 viously. It is so interesting that the reader is gripped with the 

 desire to visit the island in person. l. j. 



The Shore Birds of Santa Barbara. By J. Hooper Bowles and 

 Alfred B. Howell. With three photos by Bowles and one by Daw- 

 son. Reprinted from The Condor, Vol. XIV, Jan. 1912. Pp. 4-11. 



There are bere listed twenty-nine species, w^hich is a remark- 

 ably large list for any locality of such restricted area. In the 

 whole of Ohio, to make comparisons, there have been but 3(i spe- 

 cies of Shore Birds recorded. This list also well illustrates the 

 cosmopolitan char*acter of many of the species of this order. While 

 the list is largely concerned with times of occurrence there are 

 some other interesting notes relating to the habits of the birds. 



L. J. 



The Relation of Birds to an Insect Outbreak in Northern Cali- 

 fornia During the Spring and Summer of 1911. By Harold C. Bry- 

 ant. Fellow in Applied Zoology on the Fish and Game Commission 

 Foundation in the University of California. With four photos by 

 the author. Reprinted from The Condor, Vol. XIII, Nov. 1911. 

 Pp. 195-208. 



The insect outbreak here referred to was a " remarkable plagiie 

 of catepillars, followed by a pest of butterflies, that has existed 

 the past spring and summer (1911) in the northern counties of 

 California, especially in Siskyou County." The insect was Eugo- 

 nia californica, and the birds found feeding upon it were Brew- 

 er's Blackbird. Western Meadowlark. Western Kingbird, Blue- 

 fronted Jay, and Say's Phoebe. Of these Brewer's Blackbird was 

 the most efficient check, both on account of the numbers of individ- 

 uals and because its food consisted of 95% of butterflies. Domes- 

 tic birds also helped greatly in reducing the pest. We have here 

 a concrete ease upon which to base conclusions as to the value of 

 birds to agricultural interests. l. j. 



The English Sparrow as a Pest. By Ned Dearborn. Expert Bi- 

 ologist, Biological Survey. Farmers' Bulletin 49.3, U. S. Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. Issi;ed April 20, 1912. 



The discussion covers 24 pages, a considerable of the space be- 

 ing occupied with cuts of traps and a discussion of their uses. 



