230 



Bird - Lore 



lecting, and the status of eastern and western 

 species in the state becomes capable of clearer 

 definition through their researches. In the 

 same issue a paper by J. A. Spurrell, con- 

 cluding an account of the 'Land Birds of Sac 

 County, Iowa,' suffers by contrast. While 

 undoubtedly of value, it bears the obvious 

 stamp of incompleteness, and the data sub- 

 mitted could be greatly improved by five 

 years' more observation. 



A most interesting article in the December 

 issue is on the 'Summer Birds near Lake 

 Caddo, Texas, by Alvin R. Cahn, a region 

 practically unknown ornithologically and still 

 comparatively wild and inaccessible. Mr. 

 Cahn made the most of his opportunity, and 

 records such interesting birds as Attwater's 

 Prairie Chicken, the Wild Turkey, and the 

 Wood Duck, the latter in great abundance. 

 W. L. McAtee contributes a paper summar- 

 izing the results of ten spring bird lists made 

 near Washington, D. C. The most important 

 part is the preliminary discussion of methods 

 of procedure, and the rules to be observed in 

 making such a list. These rules are most 

 timely in a day when more and more students 

 are tearing madly over wider and wider 

 stretches of territory in an effort to "run up 

 a big list." There is no doubt that this is 

 good fun, but the results are of small scien- 

 tific value. A walking trip, however, over the 

 same carefully selected route, made every 

 year on exactly the same iime schedule will 

 yield data of real comparative value, espe- 

 cially if a careful count of individuals is taken. 

 It is highly desirable, as McAtee points out, 

 for two or more observers to see and hear 

 every species listed and to remain together 

 the whole time. The importance of such a 

 check cannot be overestimated. We also 

 heartily agree with the writer in the desir- 

 ability of seeing every species. The somewhat 

 lengthy discussion, however, of the risks 

 taken in making sound records is too dog- 

 matically written. Some of the author's 

 examples of birds with confusing notes will 

 seem absurd to many students whose ornitho- 

 logical attainments are way below those of 

 Mr. McAtee, and we cannot help but suspect 

 either the keenness of his ear or, what is much 

 more likely, a lack of sufficient annual field 

 experience with the birds of the region tP 



maintain his memory at par. There is no 

 doubt that auditory memory is the first to 

 go. No one can hope to distinguish similar 

 Warbler songs, for instance, who does not 

 hear them every available day every spring, 

 and even when once well learned, lack of 

 practice for two successive seasons is quite 

 sufficient to destroy the ability previously 

 acquired. On the other hand, it is equally 

 impossible to make a good Warbler list 

 unless the ear is in proper training to pick up 

 all songs worth looking up. In the opinion of 

 the reviewer, another rule might be added to 

 make spring bird lists worth while, and that 

 is that the proposed route should be covered 

 as frequently as possible throughout the 

 spring. Only in this way can the elusive 

 though fairly common resident or summer 

 resident species be obtained, by definitely 

 locating nests or the restricted habitat of a 

 given pair. 



An inspection of the ten lists given in- 

 dorses the suspicions already voiced. In the 

 first place the variety of routes destroys 

 much of potential comparative value. The 

 percentage of 'bad misses' in most of the 

 lists is also far too high. Thus the Nuthatch 

 is on only three lists, and should certainly 

 have appeared on all the last three, if there 

 had been sufficient preliminary field work. 

 The entire absence of the Tennessee Warbler 

 from any of the lists is astonishing. In igi8 

 the reviewer was out daily in the Washington 

 region. The Tennessee Warbler arrived on 

 May 7 and was common on May ii and 

 May 12, when it was singing freely. No 

 Warbler, except possibly the Cerulean and 

 the Orange-crowned, is more easily over- 

 looked, unless its song is known. In conclu- 

 sion we might add that the citation of birds 

 whose notes are similar, or cases (exceptional 

 let us hope) where 'naturalists' could not 

 distinguish between the sound made by cow, 

 bird, or bullfrog (!), do not prove the general 

 unreliability of sound records, any more than 

 a list recently published of species which are 

 indistinguishable when seen in life proves the 

 unreliability of sight records. 



The Field Notes in all three issues bear a 

 pleasing stamp of reliability. In closing 

 we congratulate the Club on a magazine of 

 increased attractiveness and value, — L, G, 



