Jan., 1916 
EDITORIAL NOTES AND NEWS 
37 
conjointly carried on by Joseph Grinnell, 
Walter P. Taylor, and Tracy I. Storer, staff- 
members of the Museum of Vertebrate Zool- 
ogy, assisted by several graduate students 
from the natural science departments of 
the University of California and of Stan- 
ford University. These assistants included 
Charles L. Camp, Charles D. Holliger and 
Gordon F. Ferris. In addition, Mr. Joseph 
Dixon, who has recently joined the staff of 
the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, spent 
some weeks in the field during the late fall. 
The expenses of the work are being de- 
frayed in major part from private sources, 
most notably through special gift from Miss 
Annie M. Alexander. This benefactor is 
thus to be credited with actuating much of 
the natural history fieldwork now going on 
in California. 
The Editor was recently privileged to look 
over the private collections of Mr. Donald 
R. Dickey of Pasadena and was astonished 
at their extent and especially the great care 
displayed in their preparation and housing. 
These collections consisted not only of 
study-skins of birds and mammals, but also 
of large series of high-class photographs, 
betokening great patience and ingenuity in 
field-work. Truly excellent autochrome pic- 
tures of living birds marked the latest ad- 
vance in the art of photography. Numbers 
of reels of movies, taken of both birds and 
mammals, showed the highest degree of per- 
fection in this difficult field. Yet, withal, 
Mr. Dickey’s modesty has thus far retarded 
publication of most of his work. We have 
reason to believe, however, that before long 
through certain channels bird students will 
come to know of Mr. Dickey’s work to their 
distinct benefit and enjoyment. 
In a recent paper published in the Ottawa 
Naturalist (vol. XXIX, 1915, pp. 14-18, 21- 
28), Mr. P. A. Taverner sets forth some 
very sound principles of ornithological prac- 
tice. His title, “Suggestions for ornitholog- 
ical work in Canada”, would appear to in- 
dicate restriction in scope; but, in fact, the 
ideas are in large measure applicable in any 
country. Two or three paragraphs may be 
quoted here as samples of the sane things 
said. 
“There is also a sentiment against the 
scientist collecting ‘rare birds’ on the sup- 
position that if these were allowed to breed 
they would become common. There are 
practically no birds, but game, raptorial and 
plumage forms, that suffer systematic per- 
secution. The number of small or rare 
birds that are killed by human agencies, ex- 
cept for profit or food, is on the average 
negligible. Are there a dozen people in 
Canada, seeking or hunting for Cory’s Least 
Bittern? How many would know one if 
they saw it? The species has had hundreds 
of generations in which to become common; 
if they are rare now it is due to the action 
of still operating natural causes. The rari- 
ty of a creature not especially or generally 
hunted for profit is an indication that it is 
not adapted to conditions and is nearing ex- 
tinction through natural causes. Rarity ob- 
viously just precedes extinction.” 
“It must be borne in mind that our bird 
population is limited by natural conditions. 
In most cases this limit was reached long 
ago, and no more birds can inhabit North 
America than can find support during the 
season of least food supply. In a normal or 
stationary population, the death rate must 
equal the birth rate or else the population 
ceases to be stationary- The breeding sea- 
son increases the population enormously 
and one way or another this increase must 
be, and is, reduced to the smaller suport- 
ing power of the land through winter. 
“It is evident that this allows of a consid- 
erable margin of reduction and shows that 
even quite considerable numbers can be de- 
stroyed without interfering with the ulti- 
mate numbers of the population and that the 
comparatively few individuals taken by col- 
lectors cannot have an appreciable effect 
upon their number.” 
PUBLICATIONS REVIEWED 
Wild Bird Guests | how to entertain 
them | with chapters on the destruction of 
birds | their economic and aesthetic values | 
suggestions for dealing with their | enemies, 
and on the organiza- ' tion and management 
of | bird clubs | By Ernest Harold Baynes 
| with 50 photogravure illustrations | from 
photographs | New York | E. P. Dutton & 
Company j 1915 | . Pp. xviii-f326, unnum- 
bered plates as above. ($2.00.) 
The author and publishers are to be con- 
gratulated on the production of this remark- 
able book. The reader at once receives an 
impression of high quality, to which a num- 
ber of factors are contributory. Among 
these is the artistic make-up of the book. 
The typography could hardly be improved 
upon, and the photogravures, many of which 
are of living birds or mammals, are excel- 
lent. The personality of the author himself 
is without doubt a large element of attrac- 
tion. Especially worthy of remark are his 
modesty, and his cordial appreciation of the 
work of others in behalf of conservation. 
Indicative of his quality of appreciation 
of the contributions of other workers are 
the following quotations (pp. 310, 311): 
“The author . . . proffers his thanks . . . 
to none more gratefully than to those scien- 
tific men in Washington and elsewhere, 
upon whose patient, accurate, but often un- 
appreciated work, some of the strongest 
pleas for bird conservation are based.” 
“When an unbiased history of American 
wild bird conservation is written, there will 
be few names which stand out with greater 
prominence than that of Edward Howe For- 
bush, who never pauses in his work to tell 
the world that it is he who is doing it.” 
