The Canadian Field-Naturalist 



[Vol. XXXVI 



bers, in two or three long flights. The occurrence 

 of stragglers from the line of this migration route 

 is a matter of considerable interest. It may be 

 noted that the following paragraph reports the 

 taking of similar specimens in Massachusets in 

 the falls of 1914 and 1920. 



A Late Record of the Red-backed Sandpiper. 

 By Nelson Gowanlock. P. 273. Reports the 

 taking of a specimen of that species near Gimli, 

 Lake Winnipeg, June 27, 1916. 



Mortality among Chimney Swifts. By Har- 

 rison F. Lewis. Pp. 275-276. Reports, on the 

 .authority of Mr. E. C. Allen, the taking of 1175 

 dead and 100 living Chimney Swifts from a 

 chimney flue of a church in Truro, N.S., in late 

 May (?), 1919. The weather had been very 

 inclement and it appeared that the birds had 

 taken refuge in the chimney, where they were 

 suffocated when the fires were lighted. 



An Attack on Live-stock by Magpies. By 

 A. W. Schorger. Pp. 276. This describes the 

 methods by which Magpies in a limited district 

 of Utah enlarged or even originated sores on the 

 backs of sheep and in some cases of cattle until 

 serious damage was done, at least one case ending 

 fatally. This is a most interesting case, parallel- 

 ing as it does the origination of a similar destruc- 

 tive habit by the Kea Parrots in New Zealand. 

 There have been other cases of this reported 

 against the Magpie in recent literature and 

 probably there will be more said about it in these 

 pages later. 



Hooded Warbler on Belle Isle, Detroit. By 

 Etta S. Wilson. P. 281. This substantiates a 

 previous record made by B. H. Swales for this 

 same locality, Auk, 1920, p. 463. It seems that 

 Miss Wilson saw what was supposedly the same 

 bird a few hours earlier in the day. May 6, 1920. 

 Belle Isle is within a quarter of a mile of the 

 International Boundary and hence the corrobora- 

 tion of the record is of nearly as much interest to 

 Ontario as to Michigan observers. 



Under Recent Literature: — ■ 



The Economic Value of the Starling in the 

 United States. By E. R. Kalmbach and I. N. 

 Gabrielson, U.S. Dept. of Agr., Bulletin No. 868, 

 pp. 1-66, four plates and several diagrams, is 

 reviewed. 



This is a history of the bird's introduction and 

 spread in the United States and a detailed account 

 of its economic possibilities. As the species seems 

 to be extending and headed towards Canada, via 

 southern Ontario, all interested in either the birds 

 or fruit-growing in the threatened districts should 

 obtain copies of this report and shape their 

 reception to the newcomer accordingly. It may 

 be obtained from the Department of Public 

 Documents, Washington, for a few cents. 



No. 3, July:— ' - 



Which Sex Selects the Nesting Locality. 

 By H. Mousley, Pp. 321-328. This paper is a 

 development and extension of Mr. Mousley 's 

 studies of nesting habits previously appearing in 

 the Auk under title of 'The Singing Tree and 

 Subsequent Nestings.' It is thoroughly in har- 

 mony with Howard's Territory in Bird Life al- 

 ready reviewed in these pages and substantiates 

 much of it. Mr. Mousley decides that amongst 

 the general run of small land birds it is the male 

 that establishes the general neighborhood of the 

 nesting site but the female picks the exact spot. 

 Arriving in spring ahead of the female he selects 

 his summer range and in it a "Singing Tree" from 

 which he can survey his domain, watch for intrud- 

 ers and advertise his presence to passing females, 

 one of which in the normal course of events he 

 accepts as mate. Henceforth until the female 

 locates her nest site the "Singing Tree" acts as a 

 trysting place that holds the pair together; later 

 the nest itself forms the mutual meeting place. 

 In some species, probably those in which both 

 sexes assist in construction, as in the Chickadee, 

 the nest is located by joint agreement between the 

 pair. In the case of the Ruffed Grouse, a poly- 

 gamous bird, the nest is entirely the care of the 

 female and the sexes go and come independently 

 of each other, but the females are able to find the 

 male whenever necessary by repairing to his- 

 drumming log whence his reverberating roll ad- 

 vertises his presence. 



Moulds and Bacteria on Egg Collections. 

 By Frederick H. Kennard. Pp. 345-356. 



Mr. Kennard for some time has besn investi- 

 gating a destructive mould on eggs in zoological 

 collections. This mould, a tawny bacillus, Mesen- 

 tericus fuscus, flourishes in dry atmosphere and is 

 alarmingly prevalent amongst American collec- 

 tions. His remedy is to wash eggs carefully with 

 Bon-Ami to remove the spots already formed 

 and then immerse, blow holes down, in a solution 

 of mercuric bichloride, 1 to 500; under home 

 conditions, for three to five minutes. The eggs 

 are then washed in running water five to ten 

 minutes according to size and texture. Details 

 of technic are given. 



Description of a new Loon. By Louis B. 

 Bishop, M.D. Pp. 264-270. In this the Loons 

 from our prairie provinces westward and the ad- 

 joining United States south to northern California 

 are separated from the type form under the name 

 Gavia immer ellasson Bishop. It is distinguished 

 by being slightly smaller. 



The Mockingbird in the Boston Region and 

 in New England and Canada. By Horace W. 

 Wright. Pp. 382-432. A posthumous paper, for 

 the author died in June, 1920. As is stated in a 



