° 1912 J Recent Literature. 417 



been driven to the surface by a heavy rain. From observations and experi- 

 ments upon domesticated and other confined birds it was learned that 

 chickens, ducks, and the Reeves and Silver Pheasants will eat the Eleodes, 

 and that turkeys and the Golden, and Lady Amherst Pheasants refuse them. 

 The author remarks however, that the latter birds were " quite annoyed 

 by our presence, and might have eaten the beetles had they not been fright- 

 ened." The account of the natural enemies includes also a list of 13 species 

 of birds which the Biological Survey has found to feed upon adult Eleodes. 



In his account of ' Two destructive Texas ants,' ^ Mr. W. D. Hunter 

 inserts a list of the known bird enemies of the agricultural ant {Pogonomyr- 

 mex harbatus molefaciens) . This list also is taken from Biological Survey 

 records (with the exception of one name), and includes 8 species of birds. 



The ' Preliminary rejjort on the alfalfa weevil,' ^ gives a list of the verte- 

 brate enemies of this new, but important pest, based on the work of Mr. 

 E. R. Kalmbach of the Biological Survey. This represents the results of 

 one season's field work on the relations of birds to this weevil. Thirty-one 

 species are mentioned. A noteworthy point brought out by this investiga- 

 tion is that English Sparrows are among the most effective enemies of the 

 pest, practically rearing their young on a weevil diet. Mr. Kalmbach 

 writes that this season these birds are fully equalling last year's perform- 

 ance. — W. L. M. 



The Food of Birds in Scotland. — Miss Laura Florence publishes in 

 the Transactions of the Highland gricultural Society ^ detailed results 

 of the examinations of the alimentary tracts of 616 birds representing 74 

 species. Since the contents of the intestines as well as of the stomachs 

 were studied, the author is able to present data on the imperfection of 

 digestion in some cases and to indicate possibihties in the distribution of 

 seeds and insect eggs. No general conclusions are drawn, and the results 

 for each species are only very briefly summarized. The detailed informa- 

 tion is worthy of record, however, and will no doubt be very welcome to 

 all Britons interested in economic ornithology. 



The identity of several of the birds with United States species and the 

 recurrence of many familiar seed and insect names, make an American feel 

 much at home while reading the paper. — W. L. M. 



Scott and Sharpe on the Birds of Patagonia. — The third install- 

 ment of the report on the birds of the Princeton University Expedition to 

 Patagonia * is presented with the same wealth of illustrations and breadth 



1 Circular 148, April 26. 1912. 



2 Bull. 112, May 14, 1912. 



3 Fifth Ser., Vol. XXIV, 1912, pp. 180-219. 



* Reports of The Princeton University Expeditions to Patagonia, 1896-1899, 

 J. B. Hatcher in charge. Edited by William B. Scott. Volume II — Ornithology, 

 Part III, Charadriidre-Anatidfe. By William Earl Dodge Scott associated with 

 R. Bowdler Sharpe. Princeton, N. J. — Stuttgart. Pp. 345-504, text flgs. 175- 

 252, pi. 1. 



