One of the serious problems which will have to be faced 

 in the future is how to get an adequate supply of motor fuel. 

 At the rate of present consumption of gasoline it will not be 

 a great many years until the supply will be far below the de- 

 mand. The most probable substitute is alcohol. It is esti- 

 mated that if the saw mill waste of the country were utilized, 

 it would produce many millions of gallons of alcohol. To 

 this might be added a large amount of organic waste which 

 might be converted into alcohol. One thing seems quite cer- 

 tain, that we must ultimately look to plant life for our fuel 

 as well as for our food. If alcohol could be made and sold for 

 about 10 cents a gallon the question of motor fuel would be 

 solved. 



ALTITUDE OF BIRD FLIGHT 



An officer of the French Flying Corps, who may be identi- 

 fied with a valued fellow- worker of the R. S. P. B., has taken 

 exceptional opportunities to record observations on the flight of 

 birds and the height at which they fly, especially when migrat- 

 ing. Some of his notes are published in the 'Tall Mall Ga- 

 zette" (Vol. n, 1916). Swallows, he says, seem to prefer an 

 altitude of 2,000 feet, whereas the wild duck usually fly at 5,000 

 feet. They are remarkable, also, for the marvelous uniformity 

 with which they follow their leader. The turns and twists are 

 taken with such simultaneity that a flock appears to turn and 

 wheel automatically, so extraordinarily together do they move. 

 When climbing they fly at about sixty-five miles an hour, and 

 are good for 70 once they have got their height and have 

 spread out to let themselves go. 



Last March he met some plovers at 6,500 feet, which is 

 the highest altitude that he has seen a company of birds. 



From Bird Notes and News. 



21 



