82 



THE OOLOQIST 



subjects. Perhaps the best time to 

 photograph young birds off the nest is 

 when they afe just fledged and a day 

 or two before they are able to fly. 



The family group is the most de- 

 sired of all bird pictures. A mother 

 feedin gher young always makes a 

 strong appeal. 



One word of caution to those who 

 V. ould enter this field of work. Do not 

 start in by frightening your subjects, 

 but rather go to them in a friendly 

 manner and seek to gain their con- 

 fidence. Remember that quietness and 

 gentleness is the keynote to success. 

 Do not be discouraged by preliminary 

 failures — they are bound to come. 

 There is one consolation, for even if 

 your negatives are not at first all you 

 might wish for, you will have had all 

 the delight of watching at close quar- 

 ters some of the most interesting 

 happenings in the home life of your 

 little feathered friends. 



Notes on the Limioolae of the Valley 

 of Mexico 



L. R. Reynolds 



The following notes are complied 

 from records ta'ken on several trips to 

 the valley of Mexico, from local col- 

 lectore and from the bird catchers 

 that devote their time to netting shore 

 birds during the fall migration. These 

 men bring their birds to the city for 

 sale and as they wait for customers 

 and make their nets, are quite willing 

 to talk about their catches. 



The Valley of Mexico in which the 

 City of Mexico is located has an aver- 

 ?ge elevation of 7500 feet and includes 

 two large lakes. Texcoco and Xochi- 

 milco, both the resort in the fall of 

 great fiights of water birds. 



Turnstone — I saw two specimens in 

 a bird catcher's cage Oct, 14, 1919 

 which he said were netted the day be- 

 fore. To him it was not uncommon 

 though rarely taken in the nets. 



American Golden Plover — An Eng- 

 lishman who hunted here extensively 

 some fifty years ago has told me that 

 these birds were formerly exceedingly 

 abundant and were killed and netted in 

 great numbers. I can find no very re- 

 cent records. 



Killdeer— Called locally "Tildio," 

 and everywhere abundant. 



Snipe — Called by local sportsmen 

 "Agachona." 



Marbled Godwit — ^Have seen several 

 specimens taken in the valley without 

 date. 



Western Sandpiper — Exceedingly 

 abundant in the fall and taken by the 

 netters in great as numbers as they 

 can sell. 



Least Sandpiper — Apparently not un- 

 common in September. 



Upland Plover — This bird locally 

 known as "Ganga;" in years past was 

 abundant all over the valley and a 

 favorite game bird. When here in 

 1918 it was still plentiful enough to 

 afford good shooting but today while 

 occasionally found is decidedly un- 

 common. It was formerly hunted 

 from carriages, the horses being 

 trained to gunfire. Bags of several 

 hundred to a carriage was not uncom- 

 mon as late as 1890. 



Pectoral Sandpiper — Saw several 

 small fiocks about Lake Texcoco Nov. 

 no, 1919. 



Greater Yellow Legs, 



Lesser Yellow Legs — Both species 

 are fairly common in Nov. and Dec. in 

 the same localities a's the Snipe. The 

 netters only seem to take the species 

 frequenting the open ground. 



Wilson Plover — This bird is common 

 in the fall and netted in numbers. 

 Strange to say it lives well in captiv- 

 ity. 



