410 The Wilson Bulletin— No. 92 



We are pleased to note that The Guide to Nature has introduced 

 a department of Ornithology, which is edited by Harry G. Higbee. 

 In the September number tliere are several good reproductions from 

 photographs. The introduction of this feature should serve to in- 

 crease the popularity of this magazine of the Agassiz As.sociation. 



The editor will have something to say about certain interesting 

 features of his summer experiences in the December Wilson Bulle- 

 tin. It will be recalled that a number of articles appeared from 

 his pen about his trip down this same coast in June, 1907. The in- 

 tervening eight years has witnessed marked changes, which it is 

 proposed to note at this time. 



Many readers of the Wilson Bulletin must have spent some of 

 the summer where they have been able to gather interesting facts 

 about bird life. The editor will be glad to receive accounts of these 

 studies and the conclusions reached for the pages of the Bulletin. 

 The real value of such studies is appreciated only when you write 

 them up for publication. 



GENERAL NOTES 



BIRDS AND THE WORLD WAR. 



A private soldier now on leave in England says birds warn the 

 allies of German gas attacks. Long before the smell of the fumes 

 can be detected by the man in the trenches, there is to be heard 

 a clamouring of alarmed and awakened birds. These soon fly away 

 beyond the reach of the deadly fumes, but the soldiers have had 

 warning, and meantime adjust their respirators, and make other 

 preparations to met the gas. This item of war news is an adden- 

 dum to the remarks in Dr. Shufeldfs very interesting paper on Or- 

 nithology and the War in Europe. 



J. H. GURNEV. 



Keswick Hall. Norfolk. 



Taverner on Cormorants vs. Salmon. — On account of numerous 

 complaints that cormorants were damnging tlie salmon fisheries of 

 the Gaspe coast of Quebec. Mv. P. A. Taverner and two assistants 

 investigated conditions there for two months during the summer 

 of 1914. 



General observations did not support the contention that cor- 



