Correspondence



29



Chen nivalis, nesting in the Hudson Bay region and migrating along

the Atlantic coast; the lesser, C. liyperboreus, breeding in Western

Arctic America and Alaska, migrating to the Pacific coast; and the

small Ross’s above mentioned. Are these good species or subspecies ?

Then, again, the greatest puzzle is the Blue Snow Goose ( Chen

ccerulescens), which, except for colour, is identical with C. nivalis, with

which it also associates, but its colour is chiefly bluish-grey. It seems

probable that this and the white form are colour phases of the same

species, a case of dimorphism.


D. S-S.



CORRESPONDENCE


A NOISY BIRD


Sirs, —In the Magazine for last July Mr. F. D. Welch asks whether

the fact that the examples of Garrulax picticollis seen by him were

remarkably silent birds was due to their being females. I am afraid

I cannot answer as to the sex of those which he saw, but I do know

from personal experience, and from what Mr. Fulljames told me about

a specimen which he possessed, that G. picticollis not only has a harsh

chattering song, but whenever it wants to call attention to itself it

utters an incessant irritating plaintive whistle. When this noise can

be heard by neighbours they will speedily complain of the nuisance

and you will have to get rid of the bird.


A. G. Butler.


SUGGESTIONS FOR THE MAGAZINE


Sirs, —I understand that you are short of “ copy ” for the Magazine,

and that we, the members of the Society, are so remiss in writing

articles, or else have so little of interest to write about, that a moment

has come when the question arises whether we can continue to publish

a number each month or not.


On a former and a similar occasion I proposed that the Magazine

should be published bi-monthly, thereby issuing six numbers a year

instead of twelve ; by these means having more articles and more

money to expend on each number. But many members, I remember,

objected to this suggestion.



