54 



The Canadian Fieli>-Naturalist 



[Vol. XXXVI 



the use of subgenera (not used in specific nomina- 

 tion) for the finer divisions that it may seem 

 expedient to recognize. 



In From Field and Study: — 



A Murre Tragedy. By R. H. Palmer, p. 135. 



Calls attention to the danger to sea bird 

 life of the increasing amount of oil spread over 

 the sea surface by tankers and oil-burning ships. 

 The harm seems to be done by ships ballasting 

 their empty tanks with sea water. When this 

 is pumped out before coming into harbor, much 

 waste oil is evacuated with it. This spreads 

 over the sea, where it penetrates the plumage of 

 swimming birds, mats the feathers together, 

 allows the water to reach the skin and causes 

 their slow death. Measures of regulating this 

 practice are now being considered. Fortunately 

 the waste of valuable oil is an additional reason 

 for care in this direction and shipping companies 

 are not showing themselves antagonistic to the 

 humanitarian efforts of the authorities. 



No. 5, September — October. 



A Twelvemonth with the Shorebirds. By 

 Allan Brooks, pp. 151-156. 



This is a history of the author's experience 

 with shorebirds from early January, 1920, at 

 Comox, Vancouver Island; after April 15th near 

 Massett, Queen Charlotte Islands; a short time 

 in the fall in Alberta and the winter at Jupiter, 

 Florida. It contains a very great deal of interest 

 relating to the migrations and habits of the waders. 



Bird Notes from Southeastern Alaska. By 

 G. Willett, pp. 156-159. 



Annotations on thirty-six species, mostly 

 from the vicinity of Wrangell. It contains much 

 interesting material, conspicuous amongst which 

 is The Coast Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium gnoma 

 grinnelli, that seems not uncommon as far north 

 as Wrangell. 



The Northward Range of the Allan Humming- 

 bird. By Tracy L. Storer, pp. 160-162. 



As the difference between Allan's and the 

 common Rufus Hummingbird is only positively 

 expressed by the shape and color of one tail 

 feather, considerable mis-identification regarding 

 the former has found its way into print. Mr. 

 Storer has examined available material and decides 

 that Allan's Hummingbird has never been noted 

 in British Columbia or Oregon and he can sub- 

 stantiate but two from. Washington. The re- 

 viewer has known for some time that the British 

 Columbia specimen cited in the Catalogue of 

 Canadian Birds was actually the Rufus. The 

 bird should be dropped from the Canadian list. 

 Under Editorial Notes and News: — 

 The report of the Provincial Museum, Vic- 

 toria, British Columbia, for the year 1920, by F. 



Kermode, is noted. Prominence is given to the 

 statement therein that the introduced Chinese 

 Starling, Acridotheres (or Aethiospar) cristatellus, 

 has become well established in the city of Van- 

 couver, and that not less than 1,200 birds roost 

 on the ledges of the buildings. As though the 

 House Sparrow was not a sufficient lesson in the 

 introduction of species we have permitted another 

 undesirable to complicate still further the difficult 

 problems of our civilization. Without doubt 

 organized systematic effort would eradicate this 

 bird now. In a few years' time, as with the 

 Sparrows, millions may be eventually spent 

 without effect. 



No. 6, November — December. 

 The Mind of the Flock. By R. C. Miller, 

 pp. 183-186. 



Discussing how whole flocks of birds respond 

 to stimuli as though of a single mind. This can 

 be seen especially in the wheelings and circlings 

 of groups of flying waders and is an intensely 

 interesting subject. 



In From Field and Study: — 



Eclipse Plumage of the Cinnamon Teal. 

 By Frank Stephens, p. 194. 



Describes the hitherto unrecorded eclipse 

 plumage of this bird. The "Eclipse plumage" is 

 peculiar to ducks and is an interpolated plumage 

 between the nuptial or spring and the fall plumage 

 acquired by the male during the season of wing 

 moult. It usually resembles that of the female. 

 During it, birds hide very closely and are very 

 difficult to secure. Eclipse plumages of any of 

 the ducks are comparatively rare in collections. 



In an Editorial, p. 197. 



The Editor discusses the use and abuse of 

 the field-glass as an ornithological study adjunct. 

 Some of his criticisms of the instrument are well 

 founded. The writer knows that for many 

 years he marked and identified birds in the field 

 with, to him, satisfactory certainty, with nothing 

 but the naked eye. Nowadays he feels that it 

 it hardly worth while looking at a live bird with- 

 out ocular assistance. Undoubtedly we are apt 

 to lean too heavily upon such aids and neglect 

 our natural powers of observation. • 



Notice is given of the work during the past 

 summer of Mr. C. DeBlois Green on Porcher 

 Island near Prince Ruperc, B.C., It is said that 

 he has learned hitherto unknown facts regarding 

 the breeding of the Marbled Murrelet, a bird 

 common enough in breeding condition along our 

 entire west coast throughout the summer but 

 whose nest has not yet been positively identified. 



P. A. T. 



