Yo1 ' 1920 XVI1 ] Recent Literature. 159 



ing the lake to rest in the sun and Mr. Dixon's photographs show them close 

 to the houses and driveways apparently entirely devoid of fear. 



The most abundant species is the Pintail, followed by the Canvas-back, 

 Baldpate and Shoveller. Other species of ducks occur, however, as well 

 as Grebes, Coots, Gulls and Killdeers. The pleasure derived by the 

 thousands of persons who visit the lake to watch the ducks, and the protec- 

 tion of the birds as a factor in the preservation of the species are well worth 

 the comparatively small expense and trouble. Why do not other favorably 

 located communities try the same experiment? — W. S. 



Recent Circulars by Forbush. 1 — The Massachusetts Department 

 of Agriculture has recently published two excellent educational pamphlets 

 by the State ornithologist, Mr. Edward Howe Forbush. One of these 

 deals with outdoor bird study and is full of practical hints as to where and 

 how to study wild birds. The other describes the building of bird houses 

 and nest boxes. It seems that the demand for such publications is never 

 satisfied, every year sees the additions of thousands of persons to the army 

 of bird students and it is fortunate that there are State governments able 

 and willing to supply the literature that they desire. It would seem, how- 

 ever, that some of the best of these pamphlets might be stereotyped so 

 that an unlimited number of copies could be printed without the expense of 

 resetting the type. — W. S. 



The Birds of the Albatross Expedition of 1899-1900. 2 — The long 

 delayed report on the birds obtained on the cruise of the " Albatross " to 

 the southern Pacific in 1899 and 1900 has at last appeared, the systematic 

 study of the collection being by Alexander Wetmore while the introduction 

 and field notes are contributed by Charles H. Townsend one of the natural- 

 ists who accompanied the expedition and made the collection. Specimens 

 were obtained from thirty-three islands some of which were visited by nat- 

 uralists for the first time. Representatives of ninety-three species or sub- 

 species were collected and of these the following fourteen are described as 

 new: — Ixobrychus sinensis moorei (p. 173) Middle Caroline Islands; Globi- 

 cera oceanica townsendi (p. 191), Ponape, Eastern Carolines, Sauropatis 

 sacra rabulata (p. 197), Eua, Tonga Islands; S. c. celada (p. 198) Vavau, 

 Tonga Group; Myiagra townsendi (p. 205), Kambara, Fijis; Conopodera 

 atypha (p. 206), Fakarava; C. a. rava (p. 208), Whitsunday Isl.; C. a. 



1 Outdoor Bird Study. Hints for Beginners. By Edward Howe Forbush. Department 

 Circular No. 12, Mass. Dept. Agr. pp. 1-51, numerous cuts. May, 1919. 



Bird Houses and Nesting Boxes. By Edward Howe Forbush. Circular No. 10, 

 Mass. Dept. Agr. pp. 1-28, 7 plates and numerous cuts. April, 1919. 



2 Beports on the Scientific Besults of the Expedition to the Tropical Pacific in charge of 

 Alexander Agassiz, on the U. S. Fish Commission Steamer "Albatross," from August, 1899, 

 to March, 1900, Commander Jefferson F. Moser, U. S. N., commanding. XXI. The 

 Birds. By Charles Haskins Townsend and Alexander Wetmore. Bull. Museum Comp. 

 Zool., Vol. LXIII, No. 4. August, 1919. pp. 151-225. 



