14 Tt Hobe A- UD UBrOENe, Bow wr hee 
Juncos, Rusty Song Sparrows, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Red-wings, and 
Violet-Green Swallows. To this point we had seen no Western Flicker, 
but to my joy, one flew in front of the car as we drove cityward. In one 
of the parks of Portland we observed a Baldpate Duck unconcernedly 
feeding on the grass and as tame as any English Sparrow. 
As we proceeded to California, Klamath Lake was a delight to us. A 
jaunty Ruddy Duck displayed himself near the water’s edge. Beyond him 
floated stately Western Grebes, picturesque and beautiful. Enormous 
White Pelicans flew about, and there were Cormorants also. We spent 
a day driving about San Francisco, a city of splendor, dazzling white in 
the sunshine. At the Cliff House there are probably always grotesque 
Brown pelicans, Cormorants, and California Gulls. 
We were invited to dinner in the high section of Berkeley, at a beautiful 
home in a marvelous setting. As we approached the house, we noticed a 
Brown Towhee on the lawn. Then we sat on the porch and watched Brown 
and Spotted Towhees, Rufous Hummingbirds, California Purple Finches, 
and Bullock’s Orioles. 
Fate, in the shape of railroad strikes, decreed that we should not get 
to Salt Lake City, but we did visit Grand Canyon, where the only species 
we saw that was new to us was the Long-tailed Chickadee. Arizona was 
insufferably hot; the train was inadequately air conditioned, and we merely 
endured until we reached Denver. The Park of the Red Rocks—out from 
Denver—is amazing in its rugged beauty. The face of the cliff to one 
side of the great natural amphitheater furnishes homes for countless 
numbers of White-throated Swifts, which provided us with the last thrilling 
bird experience of our edo | 929 Brummel St., Evanston, Illinois 
fT ft ft 
Book Reviews 
Birps As INDIVIDUALS, by Len Howard; Collins, 14 St. James Place, S.W., 
London, England, 1952, 223 pp.; price 10/6. 
This book is the work of a keen, objective observer and ardent bird 
lover who has insight into her own psychology as well as that of the birds. 
To quote her: “I shall probably be accused of some anthropomorphism .. . 
it would be difficult to describe (birds’ actions) in other terms. After 
eleven years of observation of individual birds at close quarters, I cannot 
think that their minds are so remote from ours.” The author thinks the 
view that birds react in set patterns of behavior according to stimuli is 
inadequate to explain their nature. 
All her evidence was derived from watching birds closely while they 
were free-flying and pursuing their ordinary lives. They had free access 
to all parts of her house at all times. Some of the birds were as familiar 
as the domesticated parakeet; many were easily recognized and described 
by her as individuals. They lived normal lives in every particular, except 
that they had no fear of her. Some of them seemed to recognize the author 
as their friend and protector. Without the fear element to distort behavior, 
her opportunities to learn the psychology of birds must have been greatly 
