May, 1909 
PUBLICATIONS REVIEWED 
107 
of Calif. Pub., ZooL, V, pp. 171-264: Feb. 18, 
1909. 
As the first published result of the work of 
the new University of California Museum of 
Vertebrate Zoology, under the patronage of 
Miss Annie M. Alexander, this paper is of 
special interest. The list of birds is by Joseph 
Grinnell, who has incorporated, with his own 
critical notes, the field observations of the col- 
lectors, Joseph Dixon, Chase Littlejohn and 
Frank Stephens. Edmund Heller treats of the 
mammals and Dixon and Stephens describe 
the localities visited. The usefulness of the 
report is further enhanced by a map and sev- 
eral half-tone illustrations from photographs 
by Miss Alexander. The localities covered in- 
clude Admiralty, Baranof, and Chichagof 
islands, Glacier Bay, and several other main- 
land points, all in the heart of the faunal dis- 
trict known as Sitkan. This interesting region 
has been explored zoologically but little, 
although it is in the most accessible part of 
Alaska and from its position and climatic 
peculiarities exceedingly attractive. 
Ninety-nine species and subspecies of birds 
are annotated, eighty-one represented in the 
collection of 532 specimens, and six character- 
ized as new, as follows: Lagopus alexandrae , 
Lagopus dixoni, Buteo borealis alascensis , 
Picoides americanus fumipectus , Loxia curvi- 
rostra sitkensis, and Planesticus migratorius 
caurinus. It is doubtful, in these latter days, 
if a similar expedition to any other part of 
extra-tropical America could have secured so 
many ornithological novelties so well charac- 
terized as these appear to be. 
The field observations relate principally to 
abundance, food and nesting, and descriptions 
of the eggs of a number of species are given. 
The Kittlitz murrelet was found in great abun- 
dance in Glacier Bay. The golden-crowned 
sparrow, curiously, was not observed as a 
breeder, although it certainly is such at White 
Pass and at Yakutat in the same general re- 
gion. The gadwall is recorded for the first 
time from Alaska, but unfortunately in com- 
mon with records of several other species this 
is only “according to Littlejohn’s notebook,” 
as specimens were not secured. The cormor- 
ant of the region is referred to Phalacrocorax 
pelagicus, the supposed subspecies robustus 
being discredited. The duck hawk, likewise, 
is referred to Falco p. anatum, the specimens 
secured failing to exhibit the characters of 
pealei. A small series of savanna sparrows is 
consigned to Passerculus s. savanna, which 
therefore is regarded as having an interrupted 
range. The questionable subspecies Dendroica 
c. hoover i and Hirundo e. palmeri are recog- 
nized and the names Melospiza l. gracilis and 
Sphyrapicus ruber are used for the northwest 
coast forms of the Lincoln finch and the red- 
breasted sapsucker respectively. The treat- 
ment of subspecific forms and nomenclatorial 
questions is rather noticeably at issue with 
decisions of the A. O. U. Committee on No- 
menclature and Classification. This could not 
possibly be open to objection if sufficient evi- 
dence were presented to make it at all likely that 
the Committee would regard the cases as sub- 
ject to reconsideration. The reviewer is in- 
clined to the belief that several of these points 
in this paper are well taken but ventures to 
suggest that if authors would calmly accept 
defeat in preliminary skirmishes ami bide 
their time until accumulation of evidence 
made it possible for them to return in a verita- 
ble onslaught, there might be at least uni- 
formity during the interim and we would 
be spared dribbling protests. — Wiefred H. 
Osgood. 
MINUTES OF COOPER CLUB MEETINGS 
NORTHERN DIVISION 
January.- — A called meeting of the Cooper 
Ornithological Club was held in the parlors of 
the Hotel Merritt, Oakland, on the evening of 
January 20, with nine members present and 
Mr. Ernest Mailliard as a visitor. 
The minutes of the previous meeting were 
read, and approved as read. 
Applications for membership were presented 
as follows: John Rowley, Palo Alto, Cal., by 
J. Grinnell; H. H. Kimball, Fresno, Cal., by 
W. Lee Chambers; Jesse T. Craven, Detroit, 
Mich., by W. Lee Chambers; Walter B. Bar- 
rows, East Lansing, Mich., by W. Lee Cham- 
bers; R. A. Bennett, San Francisco, Cal., by 
W. Lee Chambers; L. J. Ilersey, Denver, 
Colo., by W. Lee Chambers; J. Warren Jacobs, 
Waynesburg, Pa., by J. B. Law. 
Mr. Grinnell stated that he had received a 
letter from Dr. Palmer in which it was an- 
nounced that the Island of Laysan had been set 
aside by the Government as a Federal Reserve. 
A statement from Mr. LIunter showing the 
receipts and disbursements during his term of 
office was read and the Secretary was instructed 
to write Mr. Hunter thanking him for a very 
liberal donation made by him to the Club. 
The resignations of C. F. Palmer and H. O. 
Jenkins were read and on motion accepted. 
The resignation of Miss J. Newsom was read, 
but as the Treasurer reported that there were 
some back dues unpaid the resignation was 
laid over and the Secretary instructed to write. 
The report of the Executive Committee, and 
also a copy of the proposed new constitution, 
were read. The latter did not meet with the 
approval of the members present and was 
referred back to the Committee with instruc- 
tions to confer with a like committee from the 
Southern Division. 
