68 



Vol. XIX 



FROM FIELD AND STUDY 



The Number of Species and Subspecies of Birds in Texas. — In view of recent com- 

 parisons of the lists of birds known from the various states of the United States, a note 

 concerning the number of species in Texas may be of interest. Texas is by considerable 

 the largest state in the Union, and this great size together with its peculiarly interme- 

 diate geographic position naturally lead us to expect a large and varied avifauna. Nor 

 does this expectation fail, for the list of birds now known is decidedly larger than that 

 of any other state, amounting to 605 species and subspecies. Of these, 310 are perma- 

 nent residents, that is, they occur during both summer and winter at some place within 

 the boundaries of the state, though several of them do not, so far as known, breed with- 

 in its boundaries. There are 78 summer residents, which are species found during the 

 summer at some locality in the state, though not necessarily breeding, but which do not 

 pass the winter here. Winter residents, including all those that occur at this season in 

 only one locality, number 138; transients 42; casual visitors 23; and accidental visitors 

 14. — Harry C. Oberholser, Bureau of Biological Survey, Washington, D.. C, January 6, 

 1911. 



A New Record for California. — On December 4, 1910, I secured a male specimen 

 of the Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis savanna). The bird when shot 

 was clinging to some dry grass stalks growing in a swampy meadow enclosed by dikes. 

 This field, formerly open salt marsh, is near the north end of Woodley Island^ Hum- 

 boldt Bay, California. 



Mr. J. Grinnell examined this sparrow in 1911 or 1912, and again in the fall of this 

 year, 1916, pronouncing it to be Passerculus s. savanna. Mr. Grinnell wrote to me that, 

 as far as he was aware, the Savannah Sparrow constitutes a new subspecies for the 

 state. — C. I. Clay, Eureka, California, December 25, 1916. 



The Hooded Merganser in Stanislaus County, California. — Like many other spe- 

 cies of wild fowl this interesting bird (Lophodytes cucullatus) is becoming scarcer on 

 the Pacific Coast, and while still noted in some places it is seldom seen by most of us. 

 In fact it is something like thirty years since one has appeared within my horizon. 

 Hence it was a matter of surprise and pleasure to note a female of this species at the 

 Rancho Dos Rios, Stanislaus County, California, on October 26, 1916. There was but a 

 single individual, feeding near a small bunch of Coots in a slough of seepage water, 

 something like a mile from the Tuolumne River. — Joseph Mailliard, San Francisco, Jan- 

 uary 11, 1911. 



A Diagram for Illustrating the Sea- 

 sonal Shifting of the Bird Calendar. — 

 Those who are concerned with teach- 

 ing ornithology find frequent need for 

 devices of one sort or another which 

 will aid in conveying ideas. Diagrams 

 on charts or lantern slides may often 

 be used to advantage. The one here 

 given is very likely to have been 

 thought of by other teachers, and even 

 published somewhere, though I do not 

 recall having run across it myself. It 

 is intended simply to show the com- 

 position of the bird-life of a locality, 

 at any one period of the year, by sea- 

 sonal categories. There are four of 

 these: Permanent Residents, Summer 

 Visitants, Winter Visitants, and Tran- 

 sients. The portion of the annual cy- 

 cle in which each is present is shown; 

 and it becomes possible to demon- 

 strate the categories present in each 

 one of the months. Thus, in January 

 there are only the Permanent Residents plus the Winter Visitants; and in April all the 

 categories are present.^. Grinnell. University of California, Berkeley, February 13, 

 1911. 





Fig. 25. A Diagram for illustrating 



THE SEASONAL SHIFTING OF THE BIRD 

 CALEN DAR, 



