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I4o THE CONDOR I Vol. II are not beneficial, rather than otherwise. To determine that, long, careful observations are required. A species at one locality may be in- jurious and in another highly beneficial, and have different values at different seasons of the year. Knowing this, I thought best not to publish the investigations in regard to the food of birds that we had made, in the Land J?irds of lhe Pacific Dislricl. L. BELDING. Slocklon, Cal., Oct. 7, ,'9 0. Publications Reviewed PACIFIC COAST AVIFAUNA NO. I, Birds of the Kozebue Sound Region, Alaska. By Joseph Grinnell, pp. 8o, I map. Published by the Cooper Ornithological Club of California, Santa Clara, Cal., November 14, I9OO. This paper is a very solid and intportaut con- tribution to our knowledge of Alaskan birds. It is the result of observations covering more than a year in the region of which it treats, and is consequently of unusual interest and value. The report consists of an "Introduction," "Field-notes, "Bibliography" and "Check- list." The introduction contains a brief account of the expedition and a description of the gen- eral features of the Kotzebue%Sound region. Then follows, under Field-notes, a fully annotated list of II3 species and sub-species of birds actually collected or observed by the author. Of these 6I are water birds and 52 are land birds. One form, Lanins borealis inviclus is described as new. The "Bibliography" cites the principal authors and titles referring to Kotzebue Sound ornithology. With each title is given a list of birds recorded as new, up to date, by that author, from the Kotzebue Sound region. The "Checklist" is a very briefly aunt rated list of I5O species andsub-species, and covers all the birds which are known from the region under consideration. The region covered by the paper includes "the district coastwise between Cape Prince of Wales and Point Hope, and thence eastward to the headwaters of the streams flowing into Kotzebue Sound. This hydrographic basin ? ? ? consists of the valleys of the Noatak, Kowak, Selawik and Buckland Rivers, as well as several smaller streams, all of which empty into Kotzebue Sound." In the spring of I898 Grinnell joined a company of prospectors who intended to look for gold in the valley of the Kowak. They were thoroughly outfitted, own- ing their own schoouer-yacht, the "Penelope," and besides taking material for a stern-wheel river steamer to be used on the larger streams of the region. The gold, however, did not materialize and the author rather naively remarks, "but this fact was rather fortunate for the writer and his ornithological pursuits, for he was enabled to devote almost his entire time during the year spent in the Kotzebue Region to collecting specimens and notes oa its avifauna.' ' The expedition left San Fraucisco on May I9, and on the 27th of June arrived at Cape Prince of Wales. Cape Blossom was reached July 9, and the site of winter quarters on the Kowak, August I2. Side trips were made during the following year into the surrounding country. The expedition left Kotzebue Sound on the Ioth of July, I899. Grinnell secured about 700 bird skins and as many eggs. "The immediate coast district bordering Kotzebue Sound is chiefly level or rolling tundra. ? Throughout the tundra lands and hilly country are numerous ponds and lakes, some of considerable extent. ? ? * The land is mostly covered with a deep layer of moss and lichens. But in depressions, and bordering lakes and sloughs, are stretches of grass, in some places growing quite tall, and in others forming lawa-like meadows." ?Timber does not reach the coast, but inland, in the upper river valleys, are extensive areas of spruce, birch and cottonwood. "The Kowak valley averages about fifteen miles wide, the north side being formed by a range of mountains rising as high as four thousand feet, while on the south a lower range forms the divide between the Kowak and Selawik." It will be impossible to give utore than a glimpse into the "Field-notes." Inmost cases the annotations are full and include observa- tions on distribution and life history. Consid- erable attention is devoted to nesting habits and eggs, and Grinnell certainly merits praise for his paiustaking efforts in this line. If we are not mistaken much will be found under Field-notes which is of ntore than passing interest. We have particularly enjoyed reading the accounts of the Horned Puffin, Long-tailed Jaeger, Short-billed Gull, Red Phalarope, North- ern Phalarope, Wilson Snipe, HudsonJan Cur- lew, Northern Spruce Grouse, Willow and Rock Ptarmigan, American Hawk Owl, Alaskan Jay, Hoary Redpoll, Alaskan Longspur, Siberian Yellow Wagtail, Kennicott Willow Warbler, Varied Thrush and Red-spotted Blue-throat. In the case of the Red Phalarope (?'rymophilus fulicarius) the usual order of coloration in birds is reversed. "The females are brightest colored, apparently do most of the courting, and correspondingly it was always the male that was flushed from the nest." The curious song flight of the Wilson Snipe (GallinaAro delicata) is described. Here in the west this is oftener heard than seen. A good account is given of both the Willow and the Rock Ptarnii- gan. The former "proved to be a common species throughout the lowlands from Cape Blossom up the Kowak Valley." Grinnell secured very large series of both Lazopus lazo- pus and L. rupeslris and gives an account of