May, 1912 PUBLICATIONS REVIEWED 111 our agricultural experiment stations. Doubt- less many of them, if measured by the amount of reading they receive, are hardly worth the paper they are written upon. But often among them appears 'a paper, and not uncommonly one more popular than scientific, which fills a certain need and therefore finds a wide use. Before the reviewer is a pamphlet entitled "The Economic Value of Bird Life," by Rich- ard H. Sullivan and published by the Kansas State Agricultural College. Although largely a compilation of facts taken from other auth- ors, yet we believe it meets a need and for this reason will find wide use. The interest shown by the average farmer as regards a knowledge of the food habits of the common birds is seldom realized. The exhibit which has probably attracted the most interest and attention ou the Agricultural Train here in California the last two years, has been one attempting to show the relation of native birds and mammals to agriculture. And in spite of the excellent work on Califor- nia birds published by the U.S. Biological Survey. there has been a constant demand for a knowledge of the food habits of the com- mon birds and especially for a handbook giv- ing the identification and food habits of the common birds. "The Economic Value of Bird Life" fol- lows the usual order of papers of its kind, first dealing with bird life as checks on in- jurious insects and animals, and spending a whole chapter on the importance of insect pests on account of their enormous repro- ductire power, their remarkable food require- ment, and the great economic losses caused by their depredations. The chapter on "Deci- mation of Bird' Life and Its Consequences" places before the reader the stock examples of the increase of insect pests concomitant with a wholesale destruction of their bird enemies. A few local notes regarding the food habits of certain common birds of the state emphasizes the limitations of the paper and brings to the mind of the reviewer the importance of intensive study of the food habits of birds under local conditions; for the well known variation of the kind of food ac- cording to the available supply demands this. The evidence furnished by the writer appears to be ahnost too overwhelmingly in favor of the birds. An impartial presentation of facts, furnishing the reader with the bad points as well as the good, often gains the confidence of a man who otherwise might be antagonized by the one-sided view. Although the paper in hand cannot be con- sidered a valuable contribution to scientific literature, yet it doubtless fills a popular need and so proves its worth. And even though it looks very diminutive and unimportant be- side the elaborate work issued by the State of Massachusetts, Forbush's "Useful Birds and Their Protection", yet other states can well profit by the spirit of "The Economic Value of Bird Life", and by issuing even such an unassuming publication, fill an important need. --H. C. BRYANT. MINUTES OF COOPER CLUB MEETINGS
SOUTHERN D1VISION
FEBRU^R.--The February meeting of the Southern Division of the Cooper Ornitho- logical Club was held on Thursday evening, February 29, 1912, in the office of H. J. Le- lande, 246 Wilcox Bldg., Los Angeles, with President Morcom in the chair and the fol- lowing members present: Appleton, Cham- bers, John Lewis Childs, Dawson, Daggett. Gray, Hanna, Hubbs, Howard, Howell, Huey, Antonin Jay, Lamb, Miller, Robertson, Rich, Tracy, Willett, and Law. The minutes of the Southern Division for January were read and approved and the lninutes of the Northern Division for Febrh-. ary were read. On motion by Mr. Robertson, seconded by Mr. Willett, and duly carried, the Secretary was instructed to cast the unanimous ballot of those present electing to active membership, Messrs. Chester Stock, Harry S. Hathaway, and Clarence H. Kennedy, nominated at pre- vious meeting. Applications were presented as follows: Wm. R. Flint, Throop Polytechnic Inst., Pasa- dena, Cal., proposed by A. B. Howell; Anna Head, 2730 Belrose Ave., Berkeley, Cal., pro- posed by J. Grinnell; Mrs. Harriet Williams Myers, 306 Ave. 66, Los Angeles, Cal., pro- posed by W. L. Dawson; Geo. E. Stone, Vet. Sci. Bldg., U. of C., Berkeley, Cal., proposed by W. P. Taylor; Margaret W. Wythe, 4231 Terrace St., Oakland, Cal., proposed by H. C. Bryant. On motion by Mr. Willett, seconded by Mr. Howard, and duly carried, the Secretary was instructed to cast the unanimous ballot of those present confirming nominations made by the officers of both Divisions, for Editor. J. Grinnell, for Business Managers, J. Eugene Law and W. Lee Chambers. On motion by Mr. Robertson, seconded by Dr. Rich, and duly carried, the S?)uthern Division approved the plan of the Business Managers to construct a small building at, a minimum cost of approximately $30.00 on the rear of the property of W. Lee Chambers, for storage of the large accumulation of back
