Mortsts “i Recent Literature. 101 
British Board of Agriculture Reports on the Food of the Rook, 
Starling, and Chaffinch.'— The present reports are based on the exami- 
nation of the stomachs of 277 rooks, 748 Starlings and 527 Chaffinches 
by Professors F. V. Theobald and Wm. McGowan (pp. 1-49) and 332 Rooks, 
662 Starlings and 490 Chaffinches by Professor H. 8. Leigh (pp. 49-56). 
These investigators agree fairly well that the Rook (Corvus frugilegus) 
is more injurious than beneficial, that the Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) if 
not too abundant, is a friend of the agriculturist, and that the Chaffinch 
(Fringilla celebs) is about neutral so far as choice of food is concerned, but 
that a true estimate of its economic value depends upon the extent (as yet 
unknown) to which it distributes seeds of injurious plants. Details of the 
analyses are given.— W. L. M. 
Food of a Collection of South Australian Birds.— On an expedition 
to the Musgrave Mountains in northwestern South Australia, Capt. S. A. 
White, preserved stomachs of 45 of the species of birds collected. The 
contents of these were analyzed by Mr. Arthur M. Lea of the South Austral- 
ian Museum and analyses have been published in the report on the expedi- 
tion.2 These are among the most definite of notes on the food of Australian 
birds, and the report will be of great value to whoever attempts the task 
of assembling and generalizing all such information.— W. L. M. 
Recent Publications on Bird Conservation.— Bulletins and reports 
on one phase or another of bird conservation are appearing so rapidly 
that it is possible only to mention them very briefly in this connection. 
The U. S. Department of Agriculture in Farmers’ Bulletin No. 774° pre- 
sents the usual summary of the game laws for 1916, while Senate Executive 
Document E. gives the text of the recent wild bird treaty with Canada. 
Massachusetts is well to the fore with valuable publications. A beauti- 
fully printed work‘ by Bradford A. Scudder is published by the Fish and 
Game Protective Association, presenting full information regarding meth- 
ods of attracting and increasing the numbers of wild birds; while a bulletin ° 
on the natural enemies of birds and a circular® on food plants to attract 
birds and protect fruit, both by Edward H. Forbush are issued by the 
State Board of Agriculture. 
An especially noteworthy and welcome bulletin is issued by the Uni- 
1 Suppl. 15, Journ. British Bd. Agr., May, 1916. pp. VI + 56. 
2 Trans. Roy. Soc. South Australia, 39, 1915, pp. 760-766. 
3 Game Laws for 1916. By T. S. Palmer, W. F. Bancroft, and Frank L. Earnshaw. 
Farmers Bulletin 774, U. S. Dept. Agriculture. October 9, 1916. pp. 1-64. 
4 Conservation of Our Wild Birds. By Bradford A. Scudder. Massachusetts Fish and 
Game Protective Assoc., 748 Tremont Bldg., Boston, Mass. [1916], pp. 1-71. 
5 The Natural Enemies of Birds. By Edward Howe Forbush. Economic Biology Bull. 
3, Massachusetts State Board of Agriculture. Boston, Mass., 1916. pp. 1-58. 
6 Food Plants to Attract Birds and Protect Fruit. By Edward Howe Forbush. Circu- 
lar No. 49, Ibid. 1916. pp. 1-21, 
