168 Recent Literature. [j" n 



of paragraphs. While the treatment is thus rather uneven a great variety 

 of matter is presented in connection with the species that are considered 

 in detail, covering general history, fossil birds and habits of specimens in the 

 Washington "Zoo." — W. S. 



The Food of Australian Birds. 1 — Dr. J. B. Cleland presents a sum- 

 mary of investigations relating to the food of Australian Birds done by 

 himself and Messrs. J. H. Maiden, W. W. Froggatt, E. W. Ferguson and 

 C. T. Musson. The data is presented under the following headings: Broad 

 Summary of Results, Detail Summaries and Verdicts on Individual Species, 

 Food of Birds from the Botaincal Aspect, List of Birds Feeding on Particular 

 Foods, and Tabulated Results of Examination of the Contents of Stomachs 

 and Crops Examined. In the summaries one finds nothing conveying an 

 idea of the volume of food items, in the absence of which it is difficult to 

 conclude just what are the important foods. Now that Professor W. E. 

 Collinge of St. Andrew's University has adopted and championed the 

 volumetric system of food analysis, it is to be hoped his colleagues in the 

 British Dominions also will realize its advantages. In the discussion in 

 the booklet reviewed the majority of the species are commended. The 

 principal exceptions are: the Crow, Starling, and House Sparrows which 

 for best results should be kept under strict control, the Silver-eyes, which 

 must often be suppressed for the welfare of cultivated fruit, certain Parrots 

 which destroy grain and the bee-eaters. Pigeons, Doves, Quails, most 

 Waterbirds and the Honey-eaters are mentioned as having no marked 

 economic significance. 



Points of interest may be noted in connection with the lists of birds feed- 

 ing on particular foods. The longest list, 73 species, is of birds feeding on 

 ants, a group of insects that a certain school of biologists defines as " speci- 

 ally protected," the models for " mimicking " insects in all orders. Small 

 comforts here for either the " mimics " or the biologists. Caterpillars and 

 other stages of Lepidoptera are cited with 68 bird enemies, flies with 59 

 and grasshoppers and their allies with 35. Thrips are recorded from the 

 stomachs of four species, probably a better list of enemies of these minute 

 insects than could be made with present knowledge for birds of the United 

 States. However, all of the other fists of birds feeding on weed seeds and 

 groups of destructive insects could easily be exceeded from American 

 records. — W. L. M. 



The Ornithological Journals. 



Bird-Lore. 2 XXI, No. 5. September-October, 1919. 



William Brewster. By Frank M. Chapman. A beautifully written and 

 appreciative sketch of his life and works. 



The Spotted Sandpiper. By C. W. Leister. — An account of its home life 

 with admirable photographs. 



i Science Bui. No. 15, Dept. Agr. New South Wales, July, 1918, 112 pp. 

 2 D. Appleton & Company, Harrisburg, Pa. 



