40 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 65 



Further even more interesting results bearing on heredity and 

 environment are expected from the continuation of Dr. Bartsch's 

 studies with the Cerions. A full account of the work so far done 

 and the results obtained will shortly be published by the Carnegie 

 Institution of Washington. 



During Dr. Bartsch's trip in 1913, a record was kept of the birds 

 observed on the Florida Keys, and as this list proved of considerable 

 interest to ornithologists, the observations were continued in 1914. 

 Some 46 species were noted, including 19 not observed the previous 

 year. A detailed account appears in the Year Book of the Carnegie 

 Institution of Washington for 1914, pp. 192-194. 



BIRD STUDIES IN ILLINOIS 



Incidental to continued work on preparation of manuscript of 

 the unpublished volumes of " Birds of North and Middle America " 

 (Bulletin 50, U. S. National Museum), Mr. Robert Ridgway made 

 a careful study of bird-life in southern Illinois, in order to compare 

 present conditions with those existing half a century ago. The 

 results of this investigation will be published in the May- June, 1915 

 number of " Bird-Lore." It was found that with a few exceptions 

 the native birds have greatly decreased in numbers. At least three 

 species (the passenger pigeon, wild turkey, and ruffed grouse) have 

 totally disappeared from the region examined, while several others 

 are on the verge of extermination. A few species, such as the crow 

 blackbird (bronzed grackle) and blue jay, and perhaps the robin, are, 

 apparently, as numerous as they were fifty years ago. 



The principal causes which have brought about this greatly dimin- 

 ished bird-life are: (1) in the case of the game birds, relentless 

 shooting; (2) greatly reduced breeding and shelter areas, through 

 clearing of forests, cutting away of woody growths along roadsides 

 and fence-lines and drainage of swampy or marshy areas ; (3) intro- 

 duction of the European house sparrow, which has increased to 

 such an extent that it now outnumbers, even on the farms, all the 

 smaller native birds combined, greatly reducing their food supply, 

 and monopolizing the nesting sites of such species as the blue bird, 

 purple martin, wrens, swallows, and other birds that nest in cavities 

 or about buildings ; (4) invasion of the woods and fields by homeless 

 house cats, and destruction of eggs and young (often the parents 

 also) of ground-nesting species by " self -hunting " bird dogs (setters 

 and pointers) ; and, probably, (5) spraying of orchards. 



