vou oT “il Recent Literature. 493 
interesting accounts of the habits of the species are given, those dealing 
with the Gentoo Penguin, Upland Goose and Steamer Duck being the 
most extended. Halobena murphyi (p. 146) is described as new from a 
skin received from South Georgia Island, while Anthus phillipsi and 
Phrygilus malvinarum have already been described by the author and 
Clephaga hybrida malvinarum by Dr. Phillips from material collected on the 
Falklands. The plates are some excellent reproductions of ‘photographs 
of Penguins, Geese and Steamer Ducks. 
The introductory paragraph of this interesting paper is unfortunately 
brief. Neither the personnel of the expedition nor the dates which it cov- 
ered are given nor is there any mention of the size of the collection nor its 
disposition, though we infer that it is in the Museum of Comparative 
Zoblogy.— W. 8. 
Richmond on New Birds from Haiti.\— Dr. Abbott’s recent explora- 
tion of the northwestern peninsula of Haiti and the adjacent island of 
Tortuga has yielded a collection of twenty-three species of birds of which 
two prove to be new. These Dr. Richmond describes as Nyctibius griseus 
abbotti (p. 1), Port de Pimente, and Vireo crassirostris tortuge (p. 2), Tortuga 
Island. The occurrence of Nyctibius is particularly interesting as the 
genus was hitherto unknown from the island.— W. 8. 
Brooks on ‘ The Food of West Virginia Birds.’ 2 — The aim of this 
publication is to provide a simple, readable work of reference on the birds 
of West Virginia with especial reference to their food habits. The author’s 
long acquaintance with birds of the state, and his attention to economic 
ornithology have enabled him to succeed in his purpose. A few points 
not given sufficient consideration may be mentioned. In the section on 
“Birds in Relation to Trees and Forests’’ (pp. 12-13) the injurious effects 
of sapsucker work are passed over lightly and the impression even given 
that the value of lumber is enhanced. This is theoretically possible but 
practically of no importance, while damage is abundant and severe. 
The statement in another place (p. 41) that sapsucker work produces 
the birds-eye effect in maples is misleading, as the birds-eye resulting from 
this cause is distinct from that having commercial value, and is invariably 
accompanied by defects that render it useless. In his section on “Birds 
and Fruits” (pp. 14-16), Mr. Brooks cites an observation of his that birds 
did not seem fond of mulberries, and says it seems to disprove the theory 
that mulberries serve as a protection to cultivated cherries. The protective 
value of mulberries among small fruits is so well established as to be no 
longer a theory. In any case, a single observation to the contrary cannot 
1 Descriptions of Two New Birds from Haiti. By Charles W. Richmond. Smithson. 
Misc. Collns. Vol. 68, No. 7. July 12, 1917. pp. 1-3. 
2 Brooks, E. A. Bull. 15, West Va. Dept. of Agriculture, March, 1916, 74 pp., 20 half- 
tones, 3 col. pl. 
