140 THE CONDOR Vol. XX THE CONDOR A l?[a?azine of %Vestern Ornithology J. GRINNELL, Editor t?ARRY S. SWARTH, Associate Editor J. EUGENE LAW ) Binlares Muna?ers W. LEE CHAMBERS Hollywood, California: Published July 22, 1918 EDITORIAL NOTES AND NEWS Of more than ordinary interest to the or- nithologist of studious turn of mind is the recent book by W. H. Mullens and H. Kirke Swann entitled "A Bibliography of British Ornithology from the Earliest Times to the
end of 1912" (The Macmillan Company).
This is much more than the usual bibliog- raphy in that a large share of the space is devoted to biographical accounts of the principal writers; and since a great many of these writers on British ornit?hology wrote also on general ornithology or the birds of other parts of the world, interest- ing facts concisely expressed and authori- tative as to detail, are provided in regard to many whose names we frequently see in our American literature. Among such names are: Albin, Butler, Clarke (W. E.), Dresser, Edwards (G.), Evans (A. H.), Ey- ton (T. C.), Godman, Guruey (J. H., Jr.), Hatting, Jourdain, Keulemans, Leach, Mac- Gillivray, Millais, Newton, Pennant, Salvin (O.), Saunders, Sclater (P. L.), Seebohm, Selby, and Gilbert White. It is a satisfac- tion to learn something of the varied histo- ries of these different men. There has been some criticism of the Ed- itor of T?E CON?)0R for his failure to publish reviews of all papers and books sent him. It proves impossible for him or his associ- ates to review eve. rything sent in, and any- way our magazine could not afford so much space as would be needed. We must there- fore state that we cannot guarantee to give notice to anything sent us. Only a portion of the current' tries can be mentioned; and on the other hand we may give notice to some things not sent us directly at all, pro- vided we happen to have access to copies through other channels. Mr. Alexander Wetmore, of the United States Biological Survey, has been assigned for the summer to a study of the breeding waterfowl in the lake region of northern New Mexico. Mr. Joseph Mailliard chose the Feather River region of the northern Sierra Nevada for bird study during May and. June. Very little has ever been reported concerning the birds of this district and we look forward with interest to the results of his enquiry. Mr. A. B. Howell, accompanied by Mr. Luther Little as assistant, is carrying on field work this summer for the United States Biological Survey in Yuma County, Arizona. The Cooper Club membership roster pub- lished in the present issue was compiled by Mr. J. Eugene Law, who requests that any corrections or changes be reported to him. There are now 600 names in the list. Messrs. Joseph Dixon, Richard M. Hunt, and Halsted G. White have been 'doing field work this season for the California Museum of Vertebrate Zoology in the San Joaquin Valley. While their attention has been largely centered on economic problems hav- ing to do with rodent control, it has proven possible to devote time now and then to birds, with some results of more than pass- ing interest. PUBLICATIONS REVIEWED T?tE CROW AND ?TS RELATX0N TO MAN, by E. R. K?-L?BACI{, Assistant Biologist (?United States Department of Agriculture, Bulletin no. 621, Contribution from the Bureau of Biological Survey); February 16, 1918; pp. 1-93, 2 plates, 3 text figures. In its preparation and general make-up, this bulletin reaches the high standard set by the other recent economic publications of the Bureau of Biological Survey. Mr. Ka]m- bach has done an excellent piece of work, and has arranged and digested the great amount of data available on the subject in an interesting and convenient manner. The Common Crow (Corvus brachyrhyn- chos and its subspecies) is the subject of the paper; and in gathering the information presented, 3000 letters of i?)quiry were sent to observers all over. the country and in Canada, and 2118 stomachs, 778 of which were of nestlings, were examined. As one would infer, most of these were obtained where crows are most abundant, namely, in the states north of Virginia and east of the Mississippi River. No comprehensive paper on the subject has appeared heretofore since 1895. To the farmers, of the east espe- cially, this report will be of great value, for it treats in much detail, and under many separate headfngs, of the food of crows during each month of the year. Kansas is the only state west of the Mississippi from which more than a very few stomachs were available for study, and from the three Pacific states, a total of only 18 was re? ceived. This is a pity, in view of the gen- eral comprehensivehess of the paper. But then, there are comparatively few localities in the west where the crow is really an eco- nomic factor. Destruction of the eggs and young of other birds by crows is the point which proves to be of greatest interest to ornithologists. Al- though several instances of such? destruction are cited, we cannot .help but feel that Mr.
