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/9 THE CONDOR I V,A. Ill end of the grass stem, but put the part in the egg that is soft and white near the joint. Respectfully, R. P. SHARPLES, H/eslchexlcr, I?. PUBLICATIONS REVIEWED. NORTH AMERICA? FAUNA No. 2t consists of two papers prepared by Wilfred H. Osgood entitled "Natural His?.ory of the Queen Char- lotte tslands, British Columbia," and "Natural History of the Cook Inlet Region, Alaska." These are based in the main on explorations made during {he stunmet of ?9oo by the author, with Edmund Heller as assistant, under the direction of the Biological Survey. Thir- teen pages of the first paper are occupied hv a list of the birds known to inhabit the Queen Charlotte Islands. These 9 6 species are various- lv annotated, but chiefly in a technical vein. Two insular foruts are described as new, l)ryobates picotdens, related to the Harris Woodpecker, and Cvanocil/a s/clleri carlot/?, resembling the Steller Jay. A dark northwest- coast form of the Saw-whet Owl is also distin- guished as zVyctala acadica scotwa. The author has resuscitated an ancient synonym of Gmelin's Picus tuber for the northwest coast race of the Red-breasted Sapsucker, calling it .q)bhyrapicus ruber.#aviz,entris (VieilloO. The reasons for so doing .are not clearly explained but the implication is, apparently, that Gmelin's tuber should be restricted to the form occuping the arid Boreal Zone of the in- terior and southern California. Without dis- cussing the matter at length, it has seemed to us that this is a most unwarranted procedure. Although the habitat of Picus rnber is (erron- eously?) stated to be "Cayenne," it wa, prob- ably based on Captain Cook's description, the same as Picus.#az, h,rnt?is. Either tuber should be rejected altogether, or it should apply, as heretofore understood, to the north west-coast fornt. In tile second paper, ten pages are devoted to a list of the birds of the Cook Inlet Region. Of the seventy-seven species enumerated. the known ranges of several are no*ably extended. The Dusky Horned Owl, Rnfous Hummer and Rocky Mountain Creeper probably find their westernmost stations in this region. The unexpected discovery of the White-tailed Ptar- migan so far northwest is also an evidence of energetic field-work. in a couutrv where the collector does not alx?'ays meet witb "one con- tinual round of pleasure!"-J. BULLE'I'IN No, l.q OF, THE ['. S. I)EPARTMENT OP AGRICUI,TURE. DIVI.qlON OF BIOLOGICAL SURYE, prepared by I)r. Sylvester I). Judd, treats of "The Relation of Sparrows to Agri- cuHure." Aside fi'0nt its bearing along econ- omic lines, tilts paper obviously adds much to cur knowledge. of the general habits and ecol- ogy of sparrows. The account of observations made iu the field is very entertaining, and evinces an unusually acute perception on the part of the observer. The experiments carried on with caged birds are also quite snggestive, It was found that so-called "protectively colored" insects, even though presented to a song sparrow, partly covered by earth of the santo hues, were discovered and eaten by the bird with-rentarkable promptness; and that ?some "warningly colored" insects, provided with odors and taste very disgnsting to a person were as greedily devoured; but others, after the first taste, were subseqnently avoided. The birds showed an extremely acute power of dis- crimination, for they carefully avoided stinging insects; though stingless species of similar ap- pearance, and which are usually cited as ex- amples of "protective ntintiery," were at once devoured. This is rather discouraging testi- mony for the theorists. Yet there are many enemies of insects besides birds, and these may be oftener baffled by the color artifices than are the keen-sighted sparrows. The conclusions reached iu regard to the economic value of sparrows, is very favorable. lu fact they are said to be the most beneficial of any groups of birds so far'studied, This state- meut does not however in'Aude the English sparrow, which is declared to be tinqualifiedly obnoxions wherever it oeeurs.--J. G. DIGEST OF (;AM[ LAWS I"'.?R t901. By T. S. Pahner and H. W. Olds.--lt is stated that "the object of this.repor? is to present in con- venient form the provisions of the laws now iu force, including the amendments enacted during the present 5-ear" Some 2o0 changes in the game laws of the various states has necessitated a complete revision of former bul- letins, so-that the present Bulletin brings the game laws of each state and territory into colt- veuient form. Every detail has been gone into with great system aud tables covering almost every phase of the open and close seasons of each species of game have been prepared, with the result that the public has at its command a compeudiuin of the gattie laws such as could re- suit frOill scarcely ally other source than a government bureau with its rllorottgh anti sys- tentatto work. The bulletin is quite as much of a necessity to ornithologis.ts interested in bird protection as to sportsmen.--C. B. BIR?)S Ol .? MADISON COUNTY, N. . By George C. Embody (Bulletin of'the Dept. of Geology and Natural History, Colgate Uni- versity}. Hamilton, N.Y., This is one of the nearest local lists it has heeh our pleasure to receive, being, as iN title indicates, a list of the birds of Madison County Central New York. 192 species and a hypo- thetical list of I6 species are recorded, with