° 1912 ] Bishop, Birds in the Markets of Southern Europe. 179 



their tarsi were possibly a little brighter orange. A study of the 

 plumage showed, however, no suggestion of either an eclipse or a 

 nuptial dress. In the third spring the appearance was essentially 

 the same. The surviving male had a dark crown and nape, a buffy 

 throat, fairly well, but not thickly spotted, a greenish yellow bill 

 and orange feet, — - not by any means the coral red feet of rubrip^s. 

 The female had a dark olive-green bill, dirty yellow tarsi and an 

 unspotted buffy throat. Their size was that of the smaller race. 



Wood Ducks kept in the same enclosures changed from juvenal 

 to adult plumage, and from eclipse to nuptial plumage, so there 

 seems no reason why Black Ducks should not have changed if it 

 was normal for them to do so. The fact that a pair bred showed 

 they were living under very normal conditions. 



That there are distinct racial differences between ruhripes and 

 tristis as originally maintained by Mr. Brewster seems to be thor- 

 oughly borne out by these observations carried on during three 

 successive springs under very natural conditions. Yet it might be 

 maintained that the period of these observations was too short, 

 or that the confinement interfered with natural conditions. Be 

 that as it may, these observations are offered for what they are 

 worth as a contribution to the study of the subject. 



BIRDS IN THE MARKETS OF SOUTHERN EUROPE. 



BY LOUIS B. BISHOP, M. D. 



The year from August, 1910, to July last was spent by Mrs. 

 Bishop and myself in travel in western Europe and northern Africa. 

 Ornithology was not our aim, and no actual field-work was done 

 anywhere. But I kept my eyes and ears open for birds during 

 all parts of our trip as opportunity permitted, and it has seemed 

 to me that what I noticed might be of some interest to the members 

 of the Union in view of the remarkable sentiment for bird protec- 

 tion that has arisen in our country in the last few years. 



