94 ‘THE 
food habits of the same birds as are here 
studied were presented in a paper by the 
same author, published in 1913 under the 
title ‘‘The Food of Some British Wild Birds’”’. 
The method used in the earlier paper in es- 
timating the crop and stomach contents was 
that known as the numerical method. The 
present paper is the result of a re-investiga- 
tion, using the volumetric method. Under 
the heading of methods, a discussion of the 
numerical as compared with the volumetric 
method is given, with the conclusion that the 
ratio of each element to the average capa- 
city or cubic contents of the bird’s stomach 
gives the most accurate idea of the relative 
proportions of each kind of food. It is point- 
ed out that this method, so widely used in 
the United States, is here practiced for the 
first time in connection with British birds. 
An attempt is thus made to state in defi- 
nite figures the actual percentages of the 
different kinds of food consumed by each 
species during a whole year. The evidence 
is presented after an examination of 3670 
adult specimens obtained during each month 
of the year, and 595 nestlings. 
The treatment under each species consists 
of introductory statements, followed by post 
mortem records, food of nestlings, and a 
conclusion based on the evidence as to the 
economic status of the species. The change 
in method leads the writer to change his 
stand regarding the economic status of the 
Missel Thrush. The judgment after a num- 
erical analysis of the food led to the state- 
ment that the Missel Thrush “for four 
months in the year does more harm than is 
counterbalanced during the remainder of the 
year”. The judgment after a volumetric 
analysis leads to the statement: ‘In spite of 
its depredations in fruit orchards, this bird 
must at present be regarded on the whole 
as beneficial’. 
It is pointed out that the House Sparrow 
is one of the ‘best-known birds in history, 
probably being known to people of whom we 
have no written records. “When writing 
was invented the Sparrow was selected for 
the hieroglyphic symbolising enemy, and 
proofs of its destructive habits have been 
cited by certain authors showing that it has 
been the enemy of mankind for more than 
five thousand years’. Investigation of the 
food habits of this bird does not alter the 
attitude taken many years ago. The Rook 
is shown to be more harmful than beneficial, 
in the present abundance of this species. 
The injury to seed corn and other crops by 
the Skylark is far outweighed by the bene- 
fits it confers in destroying injurious insects. 
CONDOR Vol. XXI 
The Green Woodpecker is shown to destroy 
large numbers of injurious insects and to — 
seldom, if ever, attack sound trees. It is, 
therefore, ‘deserving of every protection”. 
The injuries inflicted by the Sparrow Hawk 
“are considerably in excess of the benefits 
it confers, and in consequence it should be 
afforded no protection”. The Kestrel is a bird 
“certainly deserving of very strict protec- 
tion”. The Wood Pigeon probably consumes 
57 pounds of food per year. Of this about 
35% pounds is grain, clover, roots and pulse, 
201%, pounds of weeds, grass, earth-worms, 
etc., and about one pound of slugs, snails and 
insects. The writer, therefore, advocates the 
destruction of this bird as a pest, The food 
habits of the Lapwing demonstrate the need 
for “prohibition of the taking or killing of 
this bird or its eggs throughout the year”. 
Of the nine species of wild birds the House 
Sparrow and the Wood Pigeon are shown to 
be distinctly injurious. Because of their 
abundance, two others, the Rook and the. 
Sparrow Hawk, are also injurious. One, 
the Missel Thrush, although as a rule bene- 
ficial, is sometimes locally too numerous. 
The Skylark, the Green Woodpecker, the 
Kestrel and the Lapwing are highly bene- 
ficial. Strong repressive measures against 
the first category, the withholding of pro- 
tection from those of the next two categories, 
and the strict protection of the four bene- 
ficial birds are advocated. The paper is 
illustrated by seventeen diagrams, showing 
the proportional amounts of the different 
kinds of food, and a bibliography, citing 
twenty-three papers, is appended. 
Dr. Collinge in casting aside the numer- 
ical method for the American method of 
computing the stomach contents of birds 
makes it appear probable that the latter will 
be universally used in the near future, with 
the result that the work of economic ornith- 
ologists throughout the world will be direct- 
ly comparable. Heretofore, because of the 
wide difference in method it has been prac- — 
tically impossible for Americans to profit by 
the work of Europeans.—HaroLp C, BRYANT, 
Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Berkeley, ; 
California, January 1, 1919. . 
MINUTES OF COOPER CLUB MEETINGS 7 
SOUTHERN DIVISION 
SEPTEMBER.—The meeting of 
ber 26, 1918, was called to y 
President Miller, with members Daggett, 
Holland, Howard, Howell, Law, Mrs. Law, 
Lelande, Little, Owen, Reis, and Willett 
