378 Recent Literature. \J^^^ 



Three pages are devoted to the nine water birds included in this list 

 among -which are several species {e.g.. Sterna dougalli., Tringa minutilla, 

 ^-Egialitis semipahnata, and ^S. meloda ctrcutncincta') whose presence as 

 breeders was not to be expected, and the succeeding twentj-two pages 

 (pp. 20-42) are given to the biography of the Ipswich Sparrow, the 

 only breeding land bird. Its sjnonj'mj, variations in plumage, size, 

 distribution and migration, habits, song, nest and eggs, and food are here 

 treated in detail. Six nests and five sets of eggs, three of four and two 

 of five eggs, are described, showing that in its nidification the bird closely 

 resembles its near ally the Savanna Sparrow. 



The Ipswich Sparrow is a permanent resident on Sable Island, occurring 

 in reduced numbers during the winter, and the most important part of 

 Dr. Dwight's paper is his conclusion that Sable Island constitutes the bird's 

 entire breeding range, and that it is there " a good example of an island 

 species, probably related at one time to the Savanna Sparrow of the main- 

 land by ties that cannot now be traced." The Ipswich Sparrow may thus 

 claim the distinction of being the only bird of northeastern North 

 America which illustrates the effects of isolation in an insular home. 



Dr. Dwight's memoir is characterized by such thoroughness of research, 

 both in the field and study, as to be practically above criticism. We may, 

 however, add to the synonomy the following records which appear to 

 have been overlooked : Passerculus princeps Roosevelt, ' Notes on some 

 Birds of Oyster Bay, Long Island,' 8vo. leaflet, published by the author, 

 March, 1S79; Editor, Forest & Stream, XIV, 1880, p. 6 (notice of a paper 

 read before the Linnjean Society by C. H. Eagle, " reviewing our present 

 knowledge of the pallid sparrow {Passerculus princeps) and mentioning 

 the capture of two specimens at Rockaway, L. 1., January, 1880)." 



'Birdcraft' is included in the bibliography on the basis of "Unimpor- 

 tant mention in a popular work," when, in fact, it gives the breeding- 

 ground of the Ipswich Sparrow as " Sable Island, Nova Scotia " and 

 describes its song, nest, and eggs! — F. M. C. 



Loomis on California Water Birds.' — In pursuing his studies of the 

 migration of birds, Mr. Loomis passed the morning of each day in a small 

 boat at from one-third of a mile to ten miles off shore. He justly claims 

 that the phenomena of migration may be more readily observed over the 

 sea than on the land. Aside from other and more obvious reasons, he 

 remarks that " migration over the ocean continues during the daytime to 

 an extent not usually observed on land, resembling, perhaps, i-nore the 

 night migration of land birds." Thus while the birds which pass a given 

 station might not be noted on shore, they do not escape the observer who 

 can maintain a fairly thorough watch over an area enclosed by a circle six 



' California Water Birds. No. i. — Monterey and Vicinity from the middle 

 of June to the end of August. By Leverett M. Loomis. Proc. Cal. Acad. 

 Sci., Ser. 2, V, pp. 177-224, i map, Jane, 1895. 



