372 Recent Literature. LJuiy 



Bird Enemies of Brine Shrimps and Alkali Flies. — Sweeping state- 

 ments based on negative evidence are dangerous, and no exception may be 

 noted for one which claims that " enemies play no part in keeping down 

 the numbers of Artemia (Brine Shrimps), or of Ephydra (Alkali Flies) 

 in the larval stage." 1 Dr. Alex. Wetmore, of the Biological Survey, who 

 has had considerable experience about Great Salt Lake to which locality 

 the quoted assertion relates, has pointed out 2 that Artemia and Ephydra 

 are by no means free from enemies. Shovellers, Lesser Scaups, Golden- 

 eyes, Green-winged Teal, Wilson's and Northern Phalaropes, Avocets and 

 Black-necked Stilts all feed extensively upon both of these animals. But 

 for the fact that stomach analyses have not been made of other birds col- 

 lected at the same place, it would undoubtedly be possible to add the 

 names of a number of species to this list. Dr. Wetmore states that " the 

 toll taken by birds from the brine shrimp and alkali fly larvse and pupse 

 during the course of a season constitutes a mass of individuals almost 

 beyond comprehension. . . . The immense number of these creatures 

 .... must be attributed to the large number of offspring produced rather 

 than to an absence of enemies." 



If misinformation and mis-statements based thereon, are as prevalent 

 throughout biological science, as they are in the field that has been most 

 cultivated by the reviewer, — the food -habits of birds — the way of the* 

 student toward truth is indeed beset with pitfalls and obstacles, almost 

 impassable. — W. L. M. 



Bird Enemies of the Varying Hare. — Mr. Norman Criddle in con- 

 nection with an account of the destructiveness of snowshoe or bush rabbits, 

 points out the value of their bird enemies. He states: " Three birds are 

 prominent in the destruction of rabbits. The Goshawk which is also very 

 destructive to grouse; both eagles are largely rabbit feeders, and lastly 

 there are the Great Horned Owls. These owls have unfortunately been 

 reduced much by man of late years, though there are no birds that take 

 a heavier toll of bush rabbits. Preserve these birds and we should in 

 time reduce rabbits very materially and by this means at least aid in 

 conserving our forests." 3 (p. 262.) 



To the birds named by Criddle as enemies of bush rabbits must be added 

 the Great Gray Owl and the Snowy Owl. Mr. E. A. Preble reported 4 that 

 the stomachs of the latter species collected by him almost invariably con- 

 tained the remains of varying hares. — W. L. M. 



Curious Hoarding Habits of Birds. — Dr. L. O. Howard reports 5 

 the recovery of moonstones, kernels of corn and wheat, and small acorns 



i Vorhies, Chas. T. "Notes on the Fauna of Great Salt Lake. Anaer. Nat. 51. p. 498. 

 August, 1917, 



2 Amer. Nat. 51, pp. 753-755. December, 1917. 



3 Varying hares of the prairie provinces. Agr. Gaz. Canada, Vol. 4. No. 41. April 1917. 



4 N. A. Fauna, 27, 1908, p. 375. 



6 Entomological News, 29, No. 1, January, 1918, pp. 15-16. 



