68 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. XI 
the general government is carried on by the United States Geological Survey, its publications 
consisting of quite a number of distinct series, numbered separately, such as Annual Reports, 
Bulletins, Monographs, Professional Papers, Atlas Folios, etc. Since the organization of this 
survey, the work of the general government in recent botany and zoology has been carried on by 
the various bureaus of the Department of Agriculture, the National Museum and Smithsonian 
Institution, tho incidental references to recent species become somewhat prominent in such Geo- 
logical Survey papers as Dr. Arnold’s “The Tertiary and Quaternary Pectens of California.” 
A complete set of the publications of these various surveys constitutes a good sized library, 
and unless reference to them really points one to the volume intended it would perhaps better 
be omitted altogether and thus avoid confusing future naturalists and bibliographers and sending 
them on “wild goose chases” similar to those from which some have recently returned. Anyone 
who expects to find Cones’ "Birds of the Northwest,” or Lesquereux' monographs, or Cones and 
Allen’s ‘ ‘North American Rodentia, ” or Whitfield ’s report on Black Hills paleontology, in the 
publications of the United States Geological Survey, is doomed to disappointment. Let's all be 
careful with citations or omit them. 
Bulletin No. 222 of the United States Geological Survey is a very useful table of contents 
and generalized index of the King, Playden, Powell and Wheeler publications. 
I have said nothing of the Pacific Railway Survey and earlier explorations, because there 
seems to be no confusion concerning them. — Junius Henderson, Boulder , Colorado. 
Winter Observations in Oregon. — The recent winter has been, for Oregon, one of great 
severity. The Willamette valley birds were given a sample of real winter; it came in the shape 
of a snow storm. An excellent opportunity was presented to the city man for bird study, for 
birds came to the towns in great numbers in search of food. Our usual winter friends of the 
wood were much in evidence and we were surprised to see, also, many of the birds which do not 
usually arrive until the spring. I had the pleasure of seeing birds whose habitats are far re- 
moved from each other eating crumbs together in perfect harmony. The Flicker came from the 
depths of his woody retreat to partake of a meal in company with a Meadowlark from the fields. 
Chattering J uncos in sudden flurries swept continually by, and the dusky little Song Spar- 
rows, aroused to greater activity than ever, seemed everywhere. Towhees and Robins were 
seen every now and then and a Jay or two flew over. From the nearby wood came Chickadees, 
Kinglets and great numbers of Alaska Robins. 
The last named bird — known also as Varied Thrush, Flicker and Mountain Robin — is a most 
voracious fellow. Of course I opened lunch counters for the birds with the coming of the storm, 
and the Alaska Robins came near breaking me up in business! They prefer apples but there are 
few bird stuffs which they reject. The P'licker is a queer looker: that is, one cannot tell where 
he is looking because of a patch of black which surrounds the eyes making those organs invisible 
to us. The bird resembles the Robin in having a red breast. The male has, like the Wood- 
pecker, a black crescent upon the breast, the neck is brownish yellow and the wings mottled, 
yellow and black. 
It seemed surprising to see our usual summer birdlife here in the depth of winter. Larks 
drifted in by two’s and three’s and Horned Larks in bands. But the merry Lark was merry no 
longer nor did he soar as poets would fain have him to do: he was but a very cold and hungry 
bird. The Horned Larks trotted, quail-like, about the streets giving their short, unmusical call. 
The cold made these naturally shy birds almost fearless. Many persons did not recognize this 
bird as our summer friend. It scarcely looked familiar, we must admit, for the feathers were 
ruffed up and wings partly extended because of the cold. In summer the bird presents^ a most 
spick and span appearance. 
Some of the Larks sat apart with heads wellnigh hidden in their bodies, looking most de- 
jected. Not a few birds perished. Great numbers of quail have died. Alighting in the soft 
snow the birds could find no footing whence to spring out and so floundered about until frozen. 
Before the snow went off, however, sleet fell, and this, crusting the snow, undoubtedly saved 
many bird lives. — Bare Stannard, Brownsville , Oregon. 
Sterna caspia in Los Angeles County. — December 27, 1908, while rowing in Alamitos Bay, 
California, I counted eight individuals of Sterna caspia (Caspian Tern) resting on the exposed 
mud flats in company with Royal Terns, Western Gulls and numerous sandpipers. Altho Sterna 
caspia could hardly be compared with Sterna maxima by anyone at all familiar with either bird, 
to avoid possible mistakes I crossed the bay and flushed the entire flock, but did not attempt to 
secure specimens owing to the proximity of residences — C. B. Linton, Long Beach, California. 
A Correction. — I note that Mr. Robert Rockwell has, in his “Annotated List of the Birds of 
Mesa County, Colorado” (Condor, July, 1908, pp. 152-180), used, without permission, a record 
