44 



Bird - Lore 



The usual yearly report on the spring 

 migration, local bird-notes, an abstract 

 of the proceedings of the club at its sixteen 

 meetings, club notes, a bibliography, and 

 list of members conclude this well-edited 

 publication. — F. M. C. 



Abstract [No. 32] of the Proceedings 



OF THE LlNN^AN SOCIETY OF NeW 



York. For the year ending March 9, 

 1920, pp. 1-39. 



During the year covered by this Ab- 

 stract, the Linnaean Society has held 

 nineteen meetings with an average atten- 

 dance of eleven members, or about 14 

 per cent of its resident membership. 

 With the exception of several addresses, 

 the matter presented before these meetings 

 relates to local bird-life, and the data here 

 printed doubtless will in time be incor- 

 porated in a list of the birds of the New 

 York region which it is announced (p. 5) 

 will be prepared bj^ a committee of the 

 Society. 



Pages 18-30 are devoted to 'A Revision 

 of the Seaside Sparrows,' by Ludlow 

 Griscom and J. T. Nichols, whose intensive 

 studies of this group, indoors and out, 

 have resulted in the description of two new 

 races {Passer her bulus maritimus howelli, 

 Alabama, and P. m. juncicola, northwest 

 Florida) and more definite knowledge of 

 the range and relations of those which 

 were previously known. 



It is announced that this annual 'Ab- 

 stract' will be succeeded by a 'Proceedings' 

 issued as occasion requires. Pages 1-8 of 

 the Proceedings, indeed, appeared July 

 15, 1920. We note that it bears the serial 

 volume number of the Abstract and is 

 consequently Volume XXXIII. It is 

 devoted to descriptions of reptiles and 

 amphibians, from the West Indies, in the 

 American Museum. May we venture to 

 suggest that this material should have 

 appeared in an American Museum publica- 

 tion, while the funds of the Linnasan 

 Society might be employed more advan- 

 tageously in the publication of matter 

 relating to the fauna in which most of its 

 members are interested. — F. M. C. 



Familiar Studies of Wild Birds Their 

 Haunts and Habits. By F. N. 

 Whitman, with many photographs 

 by the author. Boston, Richard G. 

 Badger. 8vo. pp. 1-85; numerous 

 half-tones. 



Over seventy beautifully reproduced 

 photographs bear witness to Mr. Whit- 

 man's skill as a photographer, while the 

 accompanying text bespeaks his keen 

 sympathy with birds. In addition to 

 pictures illustrating the home-life of birds, 

 there are several of rather unusual 

 character, notably one of a Bronzed 

 Grackle in flight, and spirited portraits of 

 the Brown Thrasher, Catbird, and Magpie. 

 — F. M. C. 



