940 Recently published Ornithological IVorks. [Ibis, 



Tlic Black-headed (jiuU and a[)parently most of the otlier 

 birds investigated fall in class iii., which are fish-feeders to 

 less than 20 per cent, of the total food-bnlk. Injurious 

 insects form 22 per cent, and marine worms 18 per cent, of 

 the food of the Hlaek-lieaded Gull, and tiie bird is nndonbtedly 

 more beneficial than harmful. 



The second article deals with the Nightjar, which is entirely 

 inse(!tivorous, and 88 per cent. oC whose food consists of 

 injurious insects, 12 per cent, of neutral insects, so that it is 

 a most valuable l)ird and should be rigidly protected, though 

 often persecuted for its supposed relationship to the Hawks. 



The third reprint is a note from a new Journal recently 

 started and edited by Mr. Collinge and deals with the Barii- 

 Owl. An investigation of the stomach contents of this 

 undoubtedly valuable bird shows that G8 per cent, of its diet 

 consists of mice and voles, 9 per cent, of birds (sparrows, 

 starlings, etc.), and 9 per cent, of shrews. 



Cory on the Dendrocolaptnie yenus Siptornis. 



[A review of ReichcnLach'.s genera Siptornis and Cranioleiicn, with 

 descriptions of new allied jzenera and a subfi;enus. By Charles W. Cory. 

 Proc. r,iol. Soc. Washington, vol. .".2, 1919, pp. U9-i()0.J 



Mr. Cory proposes to divide the genus Siptornis as recog- 

 nized by Selater (Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus. xv.) and Brabourne 

 & Chubb (Bds. S. Amer. i. [>. 332) into five genera and one 

 subgenus, and proposes Pseudosiptornis for S. ottonis Ber- 

 lepscli ; Siptornopsis for S. hypochrondrincus Salvin ; Siptor- 

 noides for 5^. Jlammulata Jard.; and Eusiptornoides subg. n. 

 for Synallaxis anthoides King, as new. 



Generic characters and a key to the species now recognized 

 with type-localities and measurements will y)erha[)s ease the 

 task of identification of the forms of this difficult group for 

 future workers. 



Dixon on the Wild Ducks of a City Park. 



[Wild Ducks as winter guests in a City Park. By Joseph Dixon. 

 Nat. (leogr. IMag. Washington, D.C., 1919, pp. 331-342, photos.] 



The city of Oakland near S;in Francisco is fortunate 

 enough to possess in its centre a fine park containing a 



