110 Recent Literature. [jau. 



moved from California who are not acquainted with the changing condi- 

 tions; while so diversified is the wild life in different parts of this great state 

 that local ornithological reports such as this are perhaps equally welcome 

 to the resident bird students. 



Mr. Tyler does not attempt a summary of previously published papers 

 dealing with the birds of the Fresno region, but presents simply the results 

 of his personal experience of more than ten years, with quotations from 

 friends upon whose observations he can place reliance. One hundred and 

 sixty-one species are included, while fifty others previously reported as 

 occurring were omitted because the records could not be satisfactorily 

 proven. The paper is far from the all too frequent dry, annotated list. 

 Besides a statement on the relative abundance and the general character 

 of occurrence of each species, there are extended observations on their 

 habits, food and nests which make entertaining reading and form a valuable 

 contribution to the life histories of California birds. 



It is sad to read of the rapid decrease in the water birds that formerly 

 thronged the valley and unfortunately the immediate cause is one that 

 neither the Audubon Societies nor legislation can check. " The large 

 grain and stock ranches " says the author, " are being subdivided, reclama- 

 tion work is steadily reducing the swamp-covered areas, vineyards and 

 orchards are springing up everywhere with a consequent great increase in 

 population. Even the tule ponds that remain are often unsuitable for a 

 nesting place on account of the custom of using them as foraging grounds 

 for bands of hogs." A careful perusal of Mr. Tyler's interesting pages 

 however shows that there is still an abundance of bird-Ufe to interest the 

 ornithologist in the vicinity of Fresno and with the energetic campaign now 

 being waged on behaK of the wild Ufe of California let us hope that some of 

 the species now most seriously threatened may still be preserved. — W. S. 



Grinnell and Swarth on the Birds and Mammals of the San 

 Jacinto Area of Southern California.' — This important report is based 

 mainly upon field work conducted by the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology of 

 the University of California in the year 1908, which resulted in the acces- 

 sion of 1099 mammals, 1533 birds and 437 reptiles. The authors describe 

 in detail the various localities where collections were made, and discuss the 

 fife zones and faunas; annotated hsts of 169 birds and 63 mammals are 

 then presented while the paper ends with considerations of, (1) the " Boreal 

 Fauna of San Jacinto Peak compared with that of Other Mountains of 

 Southern California;" and (2) the "Sonoran Biota of the San Diegan 

 District Compared with that of the Adjacent Desert." 



» An Account of the Birds and Mammals of the San Jacinto Area of Southern 

 California, with Remarks upon the Behavior of Geographic Races on the Margins 

 of their Habitats. By J. GrinneU and H. S. Swarth. University of Cahfomia. 

 Publications in Zoology, Vol. 10, No. 10, pp. 197-406, pis. 6-10, 3 text figs. Oct. 

 31, 1913. 



