236 THE CONDOR Vol. XVllI marion on the food habits of California birds is given. The economic work of Professor Beal .came at a time when any esthetic or econo- mic value that a bird might have was en- tirely overshadowed by depredations made more obvious by the conditions existing in a new country. His bulletins brought for- ward such conclusive evidence, however, as to convince most people that while birds sometimes inflict injury upon field crops and orchard trees and their products, they are often of great service in destroying ene- mies .of the same crops, and that the aid so rendered in a subtle way may far more than offset the harm that is so apparent. Mr. Beal's training was that of a scien- tist, for he was educated at the Massachus- etts Institute of Technology. He was ap- pointed Professor of Engineering at Iowa State College, later on becoming acting pro- fessor of zoology and comparative anatomy in the same institution. His interest in nat- ural history. finally led him in 1891, to join the staff of the United States Biological Survey. Throughout his connection with the Survey his interest was centered in eco- nomic ornithology. Twenty-five years of his life were therefore devoted to this branch of science, and most of the workers in the same field now with the Biological Survey received their training at his hands. His many economic papers have clearly demonstrated the dollars and cents value of birds, and have greatly helped in building up the .present-day sentiment favoring bird protection. The farmer, glad to receive help in distinguishing friend from foe, has been taught to seek conclusive proof of harm done before destroying any 6f the birds on his farm. To Professor Beal must be given also much of the credit for bringing the science of economic ornithology in America to its present high standard. In California he will be remembered as the pioneer and founder of economic ornithology, and as one who developed interest in, and protection for, insectivorou? birds. Mr. J., S. Hunter, who worked with Mr. Beal in the Pajaro Valley when investiga- tions were being conducted in California, pays this tribute to him: "He was a man who did not seem to grow old, took an in- terest in everything, was thoroughly ener- getic and intensely interested in his work." With such characteristics it is little wonder that the name of Foster E. L. Beal is re- vered wherever known and that his publica- tions are used as models by all younger workers.A-H. C. BRYANT. COMMUNICATIONS Editor of THE C(?N?)OR: Will you kindly ' allow me to make an ap- peal through your columns to the ornitholo- gists of the Pacific coast for photographs for use in the Life Histories of North Amer- ican Birds? I am planning to have this work illustrat- ed with a series of the finest photographs I can obtain, showing the home life of every species possible. I therefore want photographs illustrating breeding colonies, nesting sites, nests and eggs, and young birds. I am short of ma- terial on Tufted Puffin, Rhinoceros and Cas- sin auklets, Xantus Murrelet and Pigeon Guillemot. If any of your readers have good photo- graphs illustrating the home life of any of the above, I should be glad to have them send me such as they are willing to con- tribute from which I can make selections. Each contributor will receive full credit for what photographs as are used. Very truly yours, A. C. BENT. Taunton, Mass., October 10, 1916. PUBLICATIONS REVIEWED RECENT ORNITHOLOGY FROM ALASKA AND EASTERN SIRERIA.--As a result of expeditions sent out from the United States into the far northwest, there have recently appeared sev- eral papers which add materially to our knowledge of the ornithology of the regions concerned. Three of these papers are to be commen.ted upon here. The first, by Thayer and Bangs ', deals with the collections of birds obtained by Johan Koren along the Arctic coast of East Siberia, west to the Kolyma River. Koren was sent out at the expense of Mr. John E. Thayer, and during two years, 1911-12, evidently gave a good ac- count of himself. Thayer and Bangs describe several new birds from the Kolyma country, as follows: Lagopus lagopus koreni, a Willow Ptarmi- gan differing from our North American races in size and shape of bill; Circus cya- neus cernuus, a Marsh Hawk smaller and paler than the European Harrier; Budytes flavus plexus, a race of the Yellow Wagtail; Otocorys alpestris euroa, a race of Horned Lark. The Gray-cheeked Thrush (Hylo- cichla aliciae aliciae) was found to be nest- ing as far west in eastern Siberia as the (1) 2Volts on lkt Bi?ds and Mammals of lkt Arclic Coasl of?ast Siberia. Birds, by Jo?N E. THaYER and RAM RANOS. Mammals, by GLOVER ?VI. ALLEN'. Proc. New England Zool. Club. v, April 9, 1914, pp. 1-56, 1 map.
