8S 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. XVIII 
bine the two functions above outlined, by 
the strict elimination of such censuses as 
emanate from the obviously untrained ob- 
server, or at least of the names of those 
species of doubtful occurrence in the local- 
ities concerned from such lists as are pub- 
lished? True, this would require a high 
grade of editing; but if the first function 
above indicated is to be served at all, such 
expert editorial service must be performed 
unflinchingly. 
Shall Bird-Lore's censuses be accepted in 
the future as contributions to ornithology? 
As already announced in these columns, 
the California Fish and Game Commission 
about two years ago established a Bureau 
of Education under the directorship of Mr. 
Harold C. Bryant who had been previously 
connected with the California Museum of 
Vertebrate Zoology. This departure from 
the purely police function of the Commis- 
sion was undertaken in the belief that an 
enlightened public sentiment might go far 
toward securing popular recognition of the 
need for game protection and thus eventu- 
ally do away with the necessity for main- 
taining a large force of wardens. There 
seems to be no doubt whatsoever today but 
that the plan is going to succeed, and Mr. 
Bryant is to be highly commended for his 
earnest efforts in developing the idea. 
One of the instruments for reaching the 
people of the state has been the periodical 
called California Fish and Game. Volume I 
of this journal has lately been completed. 
There were five numbers in this volume, 
the first issued in October, 1914, and there 
were 261 pages and 58 illustrations. The 
departments regularly appearing were: Gen- 
eral articles; editorials; hatchery and fish- 
ery notes; conservation in other states; life 
history notes; wild life in relation to agri- 
culture. 
The general articles of particular note 
pertained to the following subjects: Recent 
game legislation; crude oil, a trap for 
birds; bird life as a community asset; the 
Wood Duck in California; books and 
pamphlets relating to California birds; the 
California Valley Quail; and early nesting 
of ducks. 
As may be inferred from the above list of 
subjects there is much of real scientific 
value included in the columns of California 
Fish and Game ■ The editor has, and prop- 
erly so, taken pains to select only authentic 
contributions for publication. The danger 
with any periodical in a popular field is 
that it will' become the vehicle for more or 
less imaginative, or hearsay tales. Very 
little criticism can be offered on this score 
and it is to be hoped that even more rigid 
censorship will be exercised in future vol- 
umes. 
The following are some of the sentiments 
we find expressed editorially on different 
pages, and with which we most heartily 
concur. “The effectiveness of game pro- 
tection is governed by the interest of the 
people and the spirit of those who hunt 
and fish.” “Proper knowledge on the sub- 
ject of game preservation is not yet pos- 
sessed by the people as a whole in any 
western state.” “The recognition of scien- 
tific truths combined with a practical' 
knowledge of the working of correct laws 
are essential things in game administra- 
tion.” 
INFORMATION WANTED FOR THE 
“LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH 
AMERICAN BIRDS” 
Courtship: Of Mexican Grebe; any of 
the Loons (except Red-throated); any of 
the Aicidae; any of the Longipennes (ex- 
cept Kittiwake, Herring, Ring-billed, Heer- 
mann or Ross gulls; Gull-billed, Royal and 
Sooty terns; Noddy, and Black Skimmer); 
any of the Fulmars, Shearwaters and Pe- 
trels; any of the Steganopodes (except Gan- 
net, Anhinga, Cormorant, and Double- 
crested Cormorant); Florida and Mottled 
ducks; and Gadwall. 
Nesting Habits: Of Whiskered Auklet; 
Marbled Murrelet; Kumlien and Nelson 
gulls; Slender-billed Fulmar; Greater, New 
Zealand and Pink-footed shearwaters; and 
White-bellied Petrel- 
Feeding Habits: Of Mexican Grebe; Pa- 
cific Loon; Craveri Murrelet; Red-legged 
Kittiwake; Kumlien, Nelson, Slaty-backed 
and Vega gulls; Elegant, Aleutian and 
Bridled terns; Yellow-nosed Albatross; 
Pink-footed, Audubon, Townsend and New 
Zealand shearwaters; Black, Scaled, Least, 
Kaeding, Guadaloupe and Hawaiian petrels; 
Cinnamon Teal; and Florida and Mottled 
ducks. 
Vocal Powers: Of Rhinoceros Auklet; 
Whiskered Auklet; Kittlitz Murrelet; Mandt 
Guillemot; Red-legged Kittiwake; Kumlien, 
Nelson, Slaty-backed, and Vega gulls; Ele- 
gant and Bridled terns; Pacific and Slen- 
der-billed fulmars; Cory, Pink-footed and 
New Zealand shearwaters; Black-capped, 
Scaled, Guadaloupe and Socorro petrels; 
Red-faced Cormorant; Florida and Mottled 
ducks; and Cinnamon Teal. 
Winter Habits: Of Kittlitz Murrelet; 
Long-tailed Jaeger; Red-legged Kittiwake; 
Nelson, Slaty-backed, Vega and Franklin 
gulls; Elegant, Aleutian and Bridled terns; 
and Noddy. — A. C. Bent, Taunton , Massa- 
chusetts. 
PUBLICATIONS REVIEWED 
Natural History of Hawaii, Being an Ac- 
count of the Hawaiian People, the Geology 
and Geography of the Islands, and the Na- 
tive and Introduced Plants and Animals of 
the Group. By William Alanson Bryan, 
B. Sc., Professor of Zodlogy and Geology in 
