THE OOLOGIST 



139 



were a nice set. I tramped a great 

 deal in and around many Sora Virginia 

 Rails nests, and also many Long-billed 

 Wrens nests with eggs. 



Geo. W. H. vos Burgh. 



remaining five days of the trip no 

 other petrels were sighted and the 

 specimen they did see was absolutely 

 alone. 



A New Louisiana Bird. 



The observance of a solitary species 

 of bird life has not only supplied the 

 Louisiana list with a new bird but with 

 the one order of the seventeen found 

 in the United States that has been 

 missing since the avian life of the 

 state has been studied by those who 

 preceded Audubon and those who fol- 

 lowed him. 



The species observed was a Wilson 

 petrel (Oceanites oceanicus), some- 

 times known as one of "Mother Gary's 

 Chickens," of the order Tubinares, or 

 tube-nosed swimmers, which includes, 

 besides the petrels, the fulmars and 

 shearwaters. The discovery was made 

 by Herbert K. Job, head of the Depart- 

 ment of Applied Ornithology of the Na- 

 tional Association of Audubon Socie- 

 ties, and Stanley Clisby Arthur, orni- 

 thologist of the Conservation Commis- 

 sion of Louisiana, while they were on 

 an expedition to the bird breeding is- 

 lands along the Louisiana coast west 

 of the Mississippi river, June 23, 1915. 



The petrel, when observed, was 

 about a mile off shore paddling the 

 rough waters of the Gulf of Mexico 

 and about seven miles west of Grand 

 Isle. The stranger to the Pelican 

 State circled the Commission's patrol 

 boat "Opelousas" several times but, al- 

 though efforts were made by throwing 

 lard on the waters to entice it close 

 enough to the boat to be photographed, 

 the bird finally flew out of sight, not 

 before, however, the ornithologists had 

 studied it through binoculars for ovsr 

 a quarter of an hour. 



Although both Mr. Job and Mr. Ar- 

 thur kept close watch for other spe- 

 cimens of the same species during the 



Ornithological Magazines. 



The magazines of the country more 

 or less devoted to the Study of Orni- 

 thology have shown a decided awaken- 

 ing and improvement of late. 



THE AWK for July comes as usual, 

 does the recognized Organ of the Tech- 

 nical Student ponderously full of up-to- 

 date information. 



THE CONDOR for July and August 

 as usual stands as the exponent of 

 Western Ornithology and is well worth 

 perusal at any time. The July and 

 August number being no exception. 



The BLUE BIRD has commenced a 

 publication of a series of illustrated 

 articles accompanied by colored plates 

 "of the eggs of North America Water 

 Birds" by Dr. R. W. Shufeldt which 

 alone should increase its circulation 

 among studies of Oology. The August 

 number contains the second install- 

 ment of these series and papers and is 

 a splendid contribution to that subject. 



THE ORIOLE is forging rapidly 

 ahead, it being the official organ of the 

 Summerset Hill's Bird Club and is is- 

 suing its birds as they come forth and 

 reproduction of the colored plates of 

 North American Birds by the Audubon 

 Society. The August number contains 

 a specially interesting contribution on 

 the Birds of Egypt. 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE with its 

 September issue inaugurated a depart- 

 ment on Ornithology in charge of 

 Harry B. Higbee. The first contribu- 

 tion being "A visit to the home of the 

 American Eagle by Dr. R. W. King 

 accompanied by six photographic half 

 tones of the nests, young, etc., of the 

 bird, a very creditable paper and this 

 department should increase the circu- 

 lation of this well-known magazine 

 among bird lovers if it is kept up to 

 the standard attained in the first issue 

 thereof. 



