Vol i X 9?o XVI1 ] Recent Literature. 167 



and it has only been advanced in the case of the Flickers, Meadowlarks 

 and a few other rather anomalous cases. — W. S. 



Annual Report of the Chief of the Biological Survey. 1 — Mr. E. W. 



Nelson's report as chief of the U. S. Biological Survey for the year ending 

 June 1919, contains much of interest. The amount of appropriations avail- 

 able for the work of the Bureau was greater than ever before, including 

 $592,000 from the Federal Government and over $800,000 appropriated 

 by State Governments and other bodies for work in cooperation with the 

 Survey. It is estimated that the destruction of noxious animals resulted 

 in a saving of live stock valued at five millions and of forage and crops 

 valued at fourteen millions. 



The bulk of the report deals with the destruction of noxious mammals. 

 The ornithological work consisted largely of investigating charges against 

 various species of birds. Among these was the destruction of fish by Mer- 

 gansers and Pelicans, the case of the former being held open while the latter 

 was proven harmless to species used as human food. The Night Herons 

 in Louisiana were charged with being injurious to the frog industry but 

 this was disproved as was the charge against the White-winged Dove of 

 destroying grain in Arizona. In the case of the Bobolink, while charges 

 of damage to crops in the lower Delaware Valley were found to be ground- 

 less, there was found to be great damage to the rice crop in the southern 

 states and an open season for shooting these birds was granted from Penn- 

 sylvania and New Jersey southward. 



Much additional information of this nature is contained in the report 

 which seems to show that several species regarded as beneficial when the 

 effort toward bird protection was initiated must now be regarded as 

 injurious at certain times and places and necessary steps taken for their 

 control. 



It is welcome news to learn that in addition to various publications of the 

 Survey noticed in these columns during the past year, we may look at an 

 early date for the appearance of reports on the birds of New Mexico and 

 Alabama. 



The supervision of the National Bird Reservations during 1918-1919 

 has been in charge of Dr. G. W. Field while Mr. G. A. Lawyer has con- 

 ducted the administration of the migratory bird treaty. — W. S. 



Shufeldt on the Birds of Brazil. 2 — In the August number of the 

 ' Bulletin of the Pan American Union,' Dr. Shufeldt has compiled a popular 

 account of the birds of Brazil illustrated by a number of photographs, 

 mainly from specimens in the U. S. National Museum. The paper is 

 arranged systematically beginning with the Rhea and reaching the Parrots 

 on the ninth page, all the rest of the avifauna being disposed of in a couple 



1 Report of Chief of Bureau of Biological Survey, pp. 1-24. 



2 Birds of Brazil. By R. W. Shufeldt, M. D. Bull. Pan-American Union, August. 1919, 

 pp. 159-176. 



