Geology and Natural History. 485 



Others were seen the same season, on the adjacent mainland, in 

 flocks of flickers. This is the last specimen known to have been 

 shot near New Haven. It was preserved. On pp. 71 and *73 it 

 is stated that the Carolina or mourning dove is not known to 

 nest on the ground, but A. H. V. has found several nests on the 

 ground, and I have personally found one thus placed, near West- 

 ville. 



The double-crested cormorant is more common than indicated, 

 for they are very frequently seen in autumn, every year, alighting 

 on the spar-buoys near the Thimble Islands. One was shot at 

 Short Beach, last fall, by Thos. E. Bradley. Leach's petrel is 

 also more common than the list implies, for small flocks are seen 

 off the Thimble Islands, nearly every year. A number of laugh- 

 ing gulls were seen at the same islands in 1912, by the writer 

 and others. A Bonaparte's gull, with a broken wing, was taken 

 alive at Outer Island, Oct. 23, 1913, by the writer. 



The small white heron (white form of the little blue heron) 

 seems to have become more common in recent years than indi- 

 cated, for several have been taken at Pine Orchard, Durham, etc. 

 The pine Avarbler is probably not so rare as indicated, for many 

 have been seen in recent years. A. II. V. informs me that he 

 and Dr. Bishop took a nest of Henslow's sparrow in Warren, 

 June 8, 1900, which is not recorded, though one of the earliest 

 records for this region. 



It is to be regretted that the authors have not discussed the 

 recent very alarming decrease in the numbers of many of our 

 birds, especially the ducks. To those of us who occupy summer 

 and autumn homes on the islands this is very notable. The old 

 squaw, which appeared in large flocks of hundreds or thousands, 

 in autumn, ten to fifteen years ago, has almost disappeared. 

 During the last two years very few flocks were seen and those 

 seldom contained more than half a dozen birds, often only two 

 or three. The same is true of the white-winged scoter or coot, 

 and other species, only in a somewhat less degree. The various 

 shore birds have also notably decreased, as well as many of the 

 small land birds. Possibly the extensive use of arsenical insecti- 

 cides for spraying fruit and forest trees is largely responsible for 

 the rapid decrease of some of the smaller birds, such as the cat- 

 bird, oriole, robin, etc. a. e. v. 



5. Letters and Recollections of Alexander Agassiz, with a 

 Sketch of his Life and Work, with portraits and other illustra- 

 tions ; by G. R. Agassiz. Pp. 454, 8vo. Boston, 1913 (Hough- 

 ton Mifflin Co.). — This work is of very unusual interest, for it 

 gives a frank and realistic account of the life and work of one of 

 the ablest and most remarkable men of our times, and one of the 

 most successful. Mr. Agassiz was eminent, not only on account 

 of his extensive and unequalled scientific expeditions, and his 

 numerous publications in zoology and geology, but also as a skill- 

 ful engineer and business man, who developed the great Calumet 

 and Hecla copper mines from unpromising beginnings to great 



