2 26 Receiit Literature. \k^^ 



stated ; ' Winter Birds,' bv Lynds Jones (Scioto and Pike Counties, Ohio, 

 and Bristol, Conn.) ; ' An Addition to the Birds of Middle Southern 

 Ohio,' {Lariis fhilndelphia) bj W. F. Henninger ; ' A New Year Horizon 

 for All,' by the Editor; 'A New Bird for Ohio, Red-legged Duck {Anas 

 obscura rubripes),^ by W. F. Henninger; and ten pages of editorial mat- 

 ter, 'general notes,' reviews, and correspondence. 



In the December number the editor briefly reviews the history of the 

 nine volumes of 'The Wilson Bulletin,' forming the 'New Series,' in 

 which he says : "From a small beginning our official organ has come to 

 fill a place in the study of our birds which we may well point to with 

 pride. While the development has been slow it has been sure." This is 

 indeed a modest claim, in view of the many valuable papers that in recent 

 years have resulted from the work of various members of the 'Wilson 

 Ornithological Chapter,' and which have found a medium of publication 

 in 'The Wilson Bulletin ' ; for all of which great credit is due to the efforts 

 and example of the editor. Professor Lynds Jones of Oberlin. — J. A. A. 



Jacobs's 'The Story of a Martin Colony.' ' — This is a very interesting 

 and suggestive account of the growth and prosperity of a Purple Martin 

 colonj' under the author's protecting care during a period of seven years 

 — 1896-1902 — at Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. In 1896 a twenty-room 

 bird house was erected by the author in his grounds, but to his dis- 

 appointment only one pair of birds at first availed themselves of these 

 ample accommodations, but later these were joined by four other pairs, of 

 which "the males were all birds of the previous year." But through dis- 

 turbances by English Sparrows and other mishaps only eleven young 

 birds reached maturity. The next year ten pairs took possession and 

 35 young birds "were successfully brought out." The third year addi- 

 tional house room was provided by the erection of a new 34-room dormi- 

 tory. This was occupied by fourteen nesting pairs, and thirteen of the 

 males being birds of the previous year led Mr. Jacobs to believe that all 

 were from the house first erected. The number of young reaching 

 maturity this season was between 90 and 100, several mishaps having 

 interfered with the prosperity of the colony. The wonderful increase in 

 three years prompted the erection of further quarters in 1899, and the 

 colony continued to increase. In 1901 there were 67 pairs of nesting 

 birds, and in 1902 the annual census of the colony, taken May 28, gave 

 the following results : "Rooms occupied, 72; containing eggs, 50 ; con- 

 taining both eggs and young, 2; nests undergoing construction, 20; 

 total number of eggs and young on this date, 245." 



1 Gleanings | No. II. | The Story of a | Martin Colony. | Illustrated. | — | 

 Observations on a Colony | of Purple Martins. | (Progne Subis.) | — | By J. 

 Warren Jacobs. | — | Waynesburg, Pa., | Independent Book and Job Office. 

 I 1903. — 8vo, pp. 24, and 3 half-tone plates. Price, 35 cents. 



