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Sept.., 1913 FIFTy COMMON BIRDS OF FARM AND ORCH- ARD. Prepared in the Bureau of Biological Survey. U.S. Dept. Agric., Farmers Bull., 513, pp. 1-31, 50 figs. in text. (Rec'd May 23, 1913.) The object of the recent bulletin by mem- bers of the United States Biological Survey entitled "Fifty common birds of farm and orchard" is stated 'in the introduction to be "to serve the very practical purpose of enabl- ing our farmers and their boys and girls to identify the birds that frequent the farm and orchard". Certainly this bulletin comes as near fulfilling this purpose as any yet pub- lished. The introduction is given over to a discus- sion of the relation of birds to insects and to methods of encouraging birds. Some addi- tional evidence to that already published, as to the capacity of birds' stomachs, is to be noted. The record of 72,000 seeds found in the stomach of a single duck taken in Louisi-. ann in February is particularly noteworthy. Under a discussion of bird enemies there is an arraignment of the house cat, the first conspicuous one we. have noticed in any pub- lication of the Biological Survey. The text treatment is brief and made up of an account of the size, range, habits and economic status of the fifty common species. Constant reference to Farmers Bulletins and Biological Survey Bulletins treating more fully of the birds under discussion are given. The most conspicuous feature of the ac- counts, as well as the most conspicuous thing about the whole bulletin, is the small colored illustration of each species. These excellent likenesses were executed from nature by the well-known bird artist, Louis Agassiz Fuertes. To the average citizen or person interested in birds this bulletin will appeal more than any other in the series; for in the identifica- tion of birds it is on illustrations rather than on technical descriptions that ordinary people depend. To see a bird in the field and then attempt to find its description in a book is difficult enough for the student and is seldom undertaken by the uninitiated. To see a bird in the field and find its description by com- paring it with a good colored illustration is within the range of anyone's accomplishment. Hence this bulletin furnishes a useable handbook for the common run of people in- terested in the subject. As this type of bul- letin is too expensive. for individuals, and usually too expensive for state departments to attempt, the United States Department of Agriculture is to be complimented all the more on the score of having produced a work which there is little possibility of duplicating.-- H. C. BRYANT. MI-NUTES OF COOPER CLUB MEETINGS SOUTHERN DIVISION JuI, Y.--The regular 'monthly meeting of the Southern Division was held at the Museum of 'History, Science and Art, Thursday evening, July 31, with President Law in the chair and the following members present: Messrs. Dag- gett, Fitzpatrick, Law, Layne, Rankin, Rich, Storer, Van Rossem, and Swarth. Mr. H. A. Edwards was a visitor. The minutes of the June meeting were read and approved, 'fol- lowed by the reading of the Northern Divi- sion minutes for May. The name of Mr. Fred H. Carruthers was proposed for membership by W. Lee Chambers. There being no further business the remainder of the evening was de~ voted to an inspection of the Museum, and to hearing the informal reports of such members as had been engaged in field work during the past few months. Adjourned.--H. S. SWARTH, Secretary. AuousT.--The monthly meeting of the Southern Division was held at the Museum of History, Science and Art, Thursday even- ing, August 28, with the following attend- ants: President Law in the chair, and Messrs. Cookman, Daggett, Howell, Hubbs, Kimball, Rich, Van Rossem, Zahn, and Swarth. Mr. H. A. Edwards was a visitor. The minutes of the July meeting were read and approved. One new member was elected, Mr. Fred H. Car- ruthe?s, proposed by W. Lee Chambers. Three new names were presented: Mr. Guy Love, Oberlin, Kansas, proposed by H. W. Car- riger; Mr. L. Brooks, New Bedford, Mass., by W. Lee Chambers; and Mr. Paul L. Radir, Los Angeles, by H. S. Swarth. The secretary read a paper entitled "An Account of the Mallard Duck as Occurring in California," by J. Grinnell and H. C. Bryant, this being a sample chapter oi a work now in progress by the authors dealing with the game birds of the state. Mr. Kimball exhibited some skins of hum- mingbirds from Colima, Mexico, together with a few other Mexican birds. Adjourned. --H. S. SwART?, Secretary. SE?'rEM?ER.--The regular monthly meeting of the Southern Division was held at the 'residence of Dr. L. H. Miller, Sunday af- ternoon, September 28, with the following attendance: President Law in the chair, and Messrs. Chambers, Daggett, Esterly, Grey, Layne, Miller, Rich, Van Rossem, Welch, Wood, and Swarth, and Mrs. Harriet Wil- liams Meyers. Those present other than members were Mrs. Miller, Mrs. Chambers, .Mrs. Esterly and Miss Van Deusen, and Messrs. J. W. Eggleston and H. A. Edwards. The minutes of the August meeting were read and approved. New members were elected