2g2 



Bird -Lore 



Greater Yellow-legs at Elizabeth, N. J., in 

 summer, already noted in the October Auk 

 preceding. There is mention of storm-driven 

 Longspurs in Colorado (Bergtold) and 

 Nebraska (Bessie P. Reed). J. E. H. Kelso 

 records peculiarly favorable observations on 

 diving birds using and not using the wings 

 under water. Items by C. W. Townsend and 

 H. H. Beck touch on the interesting sub- 

 ject of bird music. In the latter case it 

 should be noted that whereas the aerial 

 music of the Wilson's Snipe is again ascribed 

 to the birds' wings, the opinion that it is 

 caused by the modified outer tail-feathers is 

 rather well substantiated. — J. T. N. 



El Horneeo. — El Hornero, the organ of 

 the Ornithological Society of La Plata (ad- 

 dress Calle Peru, 208, Buenos Aires) has won 

 its way to the first rank among magazines 

 devoted to the study of birds. In the two 

 issues now under review, Nos. 3 and 4 of 

 Vol. II, Dr. Dabbene's scholarly review of 

 the 'Petrels and Albatrosses of the South 

 Atlantic' is a notable contribution to the 

 literature of systematic and faunal orni- 

 thology. In No. 3, August, 1921, we have 

 also 'Remarks on the Neotropical species of 

 the genus AntMis by C. E. Hellmayr, who de- 

 scribes three new forms. 'A List of the Birds 

 of the Falkland Islands' by Richard H. Wace, 

 who records the arrival of the English Spar- 



row in vessels in November, 1919; 'Notes on 

 Paraguay Birds' by Carlos Fiehrig, who 

 records the discovery of a young Cuckoo 

 {Taper a naevia) in the nest of Fkilydor rufus; 

 'Studies of Birds in Relation to Agriculture' 

 by F. Lahille; Tubinares observed in the 

 South Atlantic, by W. B. Alexander, and 

 several pages of notes, news, and reviews. 



In addition to the second part of Dr. 

 Dabbene's paper. No. 4 (April, 1922) contains 

 'Notes upon Antarctic Birds,' by A. G. 

 Bennett; 'List of Birds Collected in Las 

 Eosas,' by J. B. Daguerre; 'Capture of Thal- 

 assogeron eximius in the Province of Buenos 

 Aires', by Roberto Dabbene, with a key to the 

 group in which this species belongs; 'Birds 

 in South American Folk-Lore,' by R. 

 Lehmann-Nitsche, and 35 pages of notes, 

 news and reviews. Obviously no working 

 ornithologist should be without El Hornero. 

 — F. M. C. 



The Essex County [Mass.] Ornithological 

 Club issues a useful pocket check-list of 

 Essex County birds. The method of arrange- 

 ment places a maximum of information in a 

 minimum of space and might well be em- 

 ployed for similar lists from other localities. 

 Copies of this publication may be obtained 

 from Ralph Lawson, Secretary, 88 Washing- 

 ton Square, Salem, Mass. The price is not 

 stated. 



WILD .MALLARDS AT LAKE MERRITT, OAKLAND, CALIF. 

 Photographed by Tom Stevenson, September 15, 1921 



