THE OOLOGIST. 



11 



Ridgway'8 Manual of North 

 American Birds. 



We have received from a friend the follow- 

 ing Review of this invaluable work. 



"A short time since I received one of the 

 first copies of this work. At the first glance 

 I at once believed that of all publications 

 on orinthology this book was destined, to 

 lead. Since then 1 have had it within arms 

 reach of my desk, and though other works 

 were equally as handy, Bidgway's has receiv- 

 ed the preference in all cases requiring a 

 book of reference for identification of speci- 

 mens. 



Unlike most works heretofore published, 

 this manual gives the name and descrip- 

 tion of every known bird occuring in North 

 America north of the Isthmus of Panama. 

 The names of those occuring in the United 

 States printed in larger type, which makes 

 them readily distinguishable from the oth- 

 ers. Besides mentioning the appearance of 

 a species in North America it also gives the 

 other localities it may inhabit. In the prep- 

 aration of this work, originally projected by 

 Spencer F. Baird, the author has had un- 

 limited intercourse with the National Muse- 

 um at Washington as well as the largest pub- 

 lic and private collections in the laud, thus 

 enabling bim to give average descriptions 

 and measurments, which, for reliability can 

 not be surpassed. In describing eggs the 

 average measurements of six specimens are 

 taken of each species which, with the color 

 description of nest breeding place etc, , 

 makes it a comparatively easy matter to 

 identify many questionable specimens. 



As a work of reference it will prove in- 

 valuable to every student of Birds, whether 

 old or young. Its descriptions and measure- 

 ments are not only complete but are exact 

 and reliable, and I believe that when it be- 

 comes thoroughly known, that Bidgway's 

 ' 'Manual of North American Birds" will be 

 to the American Ornithologist what 

 Webster's Unabriged Dictionary is to the 

 English speaking people " 



From West Virginia. 



Editor Oologist: — Never having noticed 

 an article from a West Virginia collector in 

 your excellent little paper, I have about 

 concluded that the Oologists in this section 

 are few, or they don't wish to give any one 

 the pleasure of hearing from them on the 

 subject of "bird life." Now in this locality 

 (Greenbrier Co.,) there is an abundance of 

 bird life which I think will bear investigat- 

 ing. Having having been on a long tramp 

 yesterday through a track of woodland be- 



longing to my fatber, I kept my eyes open; 

 and what did I see? Why, an abundance of 

 of Snowbirds, Golden-crowned Kinglebs, 

 Nuthatches, Chickadees, Goldfinches, Car- 

 dinals, Crows, a Great Horned Owl 

 and a pair of Bed-tails. The Bed-tails nest 

 here, and I think the Bubos also build here 

 but I have never had the pleasure of find- 

 ing a nest. November 4th, 1887, I shot a 

 Great Nortbern Shrike near here, which is, 

 I think, the first one killed in this locality. 

 Now, Mr. Editor, don't you think the Ool- 

 ogists of W. Va., ought to wake up and 

 help the science of Oology along. 

 Thaddeus Surber, White Sul. Spr's, W. Va. 



The Red-sliafted Flicker. 



One of our beautiful birds of California 

 is the exact counterpart of the Yellow-shaf t- 

 ed Flicker of the eastern states, the Bed- 

 shafted Flicker. Like its eastern relative, 

 it is known by numerous names; Yellow- 

 hammer, Bed-bellied Woodpecker, Bed- 

 wing, Golden Woodpecker, etc. ; Yellow- 

 hammer is by far the most numerous, but 

 why it is called Yellow-hammer I am un- 

 able to state for it hasn't a spot of yellow 

 on it. The following is a description of 

 the bird as found in the California Geolog- 

 ical Report (Ornithology ) o/187(). 



Shafts and under surface of wings and 

 tail, orange red, a red patch on each side of 

 cheek, the throat and a stripe beneath the 

 eye bluish white, back glossed with purpl- 

 ish brown, crescent on breast, spots on the 

 belly, incomplete transversed bands on 

 back, black. 



Through the same report I learn that it 

 seldom excavates its own hole, but where 

 it does a rotten branch is almost always 

 selected. 



The Red-shafted Flicker eats ants and 

 berries as well as worms and larvae. I have 

 often seen boys and men kill these birds to 

 eat, and they say that they are very nice. 

 In roaming about I have found the Bed- 

 shafted Flicker in wooded districts, also 

 in plains where the willows that line some 

 ditch or slough were the only trees in sight. 

 The eggs, usually six to nine, are pure 

 glossy white. H. C. L. 



