﻿i-4-O 



Bird - Lore 



first volume, and, like it, this will doubtless 

 be found by beginners to be a convenient 

 little book for use in the field. 



The illustrations are small half-tones, in- 

 stead of outline figures as in the earlier 

 volume.— W. DeW. M. 



Tenth Annual Report of the New York 

 Zoological Society, 1905. 



From this report we learn that the bird 

 collection of the Zoological Society now 

 numbers 1,555 specimens, representing 355 

 species, an increase of 150 per cent in num- 

 ber of individuals and of over 100 per cent 

 in species since January 1, 1905. 



The report contains an interesting article 

 by C. William Beebe, Curator of Birds, on 

 'The Swans,' illustrated by reproductions 

 of photographs. The seven living species of 

 Swans are arranged in two genera, one in- 

 cluding only the famous Black Swan of 

 Australia, the other (divided by some 

 authorities into three genera) comprising the 

 Black-necked Swan of southern South 

 America and the five pure white species 

 inhabiting the northern regions of both 

 hemispheres. 



We are told that the Black Swan is near- 

 ing extinction in its native Australian home, 

 this deplorable state of affairs being due 

 largely to the helpless condition of the birds 

 during the period of molt. On the other 

 hand, the introduction of this species in New 

 Zealand has been oniy too successful, as the 

 following quotation will show: 



"Mr. E. F. Stead, who has personally 

 witnessed present conditions in New Zea- 

 land, reports that Swans may now be seen 

 there in great flocks, sometimes of five and 

 six thousand individuals. They are driving 

 away all ducks and geese, not by actual 

 aggressiveness, but more surely by preempt- 

 ing all feeding grounds and nesting places. 

 "To mention a specific location, on Lake 

 Ellsmere there are hundreds of Swans nest- 

 ing throughout the year. The birds are 

 comparatively tame, notwithstanding the 

 fact that all protection has been removed 

 from them, and numbers are constantly shot 

 wantonly, even while sitting upon their 

 eggs "— W. De W. M. 



The Ornithological Magazines 



The Condor. — The May number of 'The 

 Condor' contains five general articles of 

 varied interest. The leading article on 'The 

 Chickadee at Home,' by W. L. Finley, 

 treats of the breeding habits of the Oregon 

 Chickadee and is illustrated by four half- 

 tones. Under the title, 'The English Spar- 

 row in the Southwest,' Howard presents 

 some notes on the dates of appearance of 

 this pest at Bakersfield (1901 ) and Teha- 

 chapi, Calif. (1903), and at Tucson and 

 Tombstone, Ariz. (1904). The species is 

 gradually extending its range in the South- 

 west, but it has not yet appeared south of 

 Tehachapi, and apparently it has not been 

 recorded from Idaho or Nevada. In these 

 sections, as well as in Arizona and New 

 Mexico, a little well-directed effort will 

 prevent it from gaining a foothold for some 

 years. 



The little-known nesting habits of 'The 

 Calaveras Warbler in Western Washington' 

 are described by C. W. and J. H. Bowles, 

 who call attention to the rarity of the nest, 

 as shown by the fact that only five sets of 

 eggs were obtained during nine years of 

 field work. 'The Nuttall Sparrow around 

 San Francisco' is the subject of a short 

 article by Louis Bolander, who mentions 

 some of the habits of this characteristic 

 species of the Bay region. The second of 

 McGregor's interesting 'Papers on Philip- 

 pine Birds' is devoted to 'The Routine of a 

 Collector's Work,' and describes some of 

 the difficulties and peculiar conditions to be 

 met in bird-collecting in the Philippines. 



In the editorial columns is a statement of 

 some of the losses to ornithology caused by 

 the great fire which swept over San 

 Francisco immediately after the earthquake 

 of April 18, 1906. These losses include the 

 destruction of the museum and library of the 

 California Academy of Sciences, which con- 

 tained about 25,000 bird skins, including the 

 finest series of Pacific coast water-birds in the 

 world, and the best ornithological library on 

 the west coast; and the loss of two copies 

 of the folio edition of Audubon's Birds of 

 America in the Mechanics Library and in 

 the Mark Hopkins Art Institute.— T. S. P. 



