27S THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Iii the April number Mr. Frederic H. Keunard has a paper 

 on the " Okaloacooche Slough in Florida," embodying notes on 

 the Burrowing Owl, with figures of its burrow — he says that the 

 Owls "never seemed to sleep, day or night " (we have observed 

 that most Owls in the Zoo, except Barn-Owls, seem usually 

 awake) ; on the Roseate Spoonbill, rather absurdly called locally 

 " Pink Curlew," and other waders, and a curious observation on 

 the Swallow-tailed Kite, a specimen of which continued to fly 

 over his head after its wing had been broken at the pinion joint 

 by a shot.* Why he should have been shooting a bird like this, 

 perfectly well known, absolutely harmless, and, as he remarks, 

 of exceeding beauty, at the beginning of its breeding-season, he 

 does not say. Dr. Winsor U. Taylor writes on the simultaneous 

 action of birds, and suggests as an explanation that telepathic 

 power, more greatly developed in them than in man, is responsible 

 for their concerted actions. Among the shorter notes in this 

 number is found a well-known indictment against the Cape May 

 Warbler (Denclroica tigrina) as a destructive consumer of grape- 

 juice in Pennsylvania ; it is estimated that all unbagged grapes 

 were ruined by this "little striped yellow bird" in the autumn 

 of 1913, the loss amounting to many tons, worth several 

 hundred dollars. 



British Birds. Vol. viii. Nos. 8-12. Vol. ix. No. 1. 

 London : Witherby & Co. 1915. Monthly. Is. net. 

 The January number of ' British Birds ' does not begin a 

 new volume, the eighth volume ending in the May number, 

 while June inaugurates volume nine. There are some excellent 

 papers in these half-dozen numbers, including several by Miss 

 M. D. Haviland, who deals with the breeding-habits of the 

 Curlew-Sandpiper, Little Stint, and Grey Phalarope, as observed 

 by her recently in Siberia. The notes are accompanied by 

 photos, some of them very good. Mr. J. H. Owen has some 

 good notes in the January number on the food and habits of the 

 Sparrow-Hawk ; he enumerates as birds he has known killed, 



* There is, or was recently, at St. James's Park, a Black-headed Gull 

 which flew freely about, although minus half a wing through pinioniug, and 

 a splendid pair of Common Herons at Kew had learnt to fly though pinioned, 

 and ultimately disappeared. 



