May, X901 I 
THK CONDOR 
83 
COMMUNICATIONS. 
THE BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA. 
To Cooper Club Members: 
It lias seemed to me that California is ratli^ 
backward in ornithological .work ' of a general 
nature. We have many local lists and a great 
quantity of biographical literature, but this is 
scattered about so widely, that it is difficult for 
a person to find out just what has already been 
done in any line. Colorado has inaugurated a 
system of compiling and indexing its bird liter- 
ature in a State List, which seems to me com- 
prehensive and useful. The original jiublica- 
tion compiled by W.W. Cooke has been followed 
at intervals by supplements, and through these 
one is enabled to keep uji with the progress of 
ornithology in Colorado. I believe that a 
similar system is greatly needed in California. 
A .St.vtk Lust. 
1 have therefore undertaken the com- 
pilation of a-' State List, including 
an index to all the available literature pertain- 
ing strictly to California Birds. This I realize 
is assuming a very difficult and tedious task, 
for California is ornithologically, without any 
doubt, the biggest state in the Union. But 
even if I cannot bring such a thing to publica- 
tion myself, I shall keep the bibliography and 
citations systematically arranged, so that any- 
one else can take up the work where I leave 
off. 
A good scheme presents itself for the de- 
termination of the known breeding ranges of 
the various species of birds in California. To 
this end, the Cooper Club has recently had 
printed a map of the State, drawn to show the 
streams, lakes, valleys and principal mountain 
ranges. 
DLSTRIBUTION M.V.PS. 
These maps are 12x15 inches, and printed on 
paper that will take a light water-color wash. 
It is our idea that each active member should 
procure a quantity of these blank maps, and, 
devoting one map to each species, indicate all 
points where he knows that species to breed, 
from personal experience. I think the more 
active collectors would find this very interest- 
ing and instructive; and moreover, after a time 
the maps could be turned in to myself, or 
whoever had charge of the State List vvork, 
and from them could be compiled a set of 
maps to show our entire knowledge of the dis- 
tribution of each species in summer within 
the State. I would suggest that at least 50 of 
these maps would be necessary, so as to in- 
clude the usual breeding species of a section. 
One map might be used for several sjiecies, 
by choosing a different color for each. In or- 
der to meet the expense of the plate and paper 
for these maps which do not properly come 
under the head of Club publications, it will be 
necessary to charge extra for them. They can 
be obtained at 2%, cents each ($2.50 per 100) 
from the Club Business Manager, C. Barlow, 
vSanta Clara. 
In spite of the amount of field work already 
accomplished in California, there are many 
sections, which have been scarcely touched. 
The California side of the lower Colorado 
River offers a most inviting field for a season’s 
collecting, for it has never been carefully 
worked. 
INVITINC. FIELD-WORK. 
Heermann has made almost the onh- records 
from there. I will venture to say that a single 
season’s energetic collecting in the vicinity of 
old Fort Yuma, would add at least twenty 
species to the list of California birds. Other 
little known portions of the State, are the Pitt 
River region of north-eastern California; the 
Humboldt Bay region, and the Santa Lucia 
mountain region of southern Monterey and San 
Luis Obispo counties. 
Our hypothetical list as constituted up to 
date numbers nearly a third as many species 
as the main list. Numerous birds have been 
accredited to California without sufficient 
evidence. .\s an example, we have two re- 
cords of theEskimo C\xr\z\\{NumeniHS borealis,) 
but each has been challenged, as probably 
being misidentified Numenius kudsonietts. 
Inforji.vtion Waxted. 
Our water birds are least known. Mr. 
Loomis of the California Academy of 
Sciences has done almost the onlv 
thorough work with them, but his base of ob- 
servatons has been chiefly at Monterey. We 
need information from numerous points along 
the Coast. Every Cooper Club member should 
go over his collection of water birds, and com- 
pile from it the dates and detailed accounts of 
the rarer captures. Be absolutely certain of 
your identifications, paying particular atten- 
tion in this respect to the gulls, terns and 
waders. Send doubtful ones to some authority 
so as to be sure. Finally send these notes to 
Barlow for publication in The Condor, so we 
can all have the benefit of your knowledge. 
Respectfully, 
Joseph Grinnell. 
Palo Alto, California. April 12, igoi . 
BITING BIRD-LICE - (MALLOPHAGA) OF 
PACIFIC COAST BIRDS. 
To the Editor : — 
In handling dead (and live) birds collectors 
will often notice small, flattened wingless, swift- 
running insects among the feathers, especially 
on those of the loral regions of the head. 
These insects are biting bird-lice ( Mallojihaga) 
and this reference to them is made in the hope 
