15mm 332mg am: iflehtemo
THE HAUNTS or [HE GOLDEvalNCED WARNER. By ], \VARKEN jAcoBs. Cleaning: No. III. \Vaynesburg. Pa. KVOt Ills. 32 pages.
An especial interest is attached to Mr. Jacobs‘ bird studies. They constitute the best answer to the local ornithologist‘s query, "What shall I do?" with which we are familiar. In by far the larger number of cases when the resident ornithologist has published a list of the birds of his region. his subsequent contributions to knowledge consist of an occasional record of the occur rence of some rare or unexpected bird. This is all useful and interesting as far as it goes, even it does not go very far, but, instead of being the end, it should he the beginning of one‘s studies of hirtHife,
There remain a thousand subjects for in- vestigation, so many, indeed, that we gen- erally miss all our opportunities by failing to concentrate on one of them. Mr. jacobs. however, is an exception. He has selected a field for research and devoted himself to it for several years. As a result he has best account of a Martin Colony which has as yet been published [see BIKD~LORE, V, p, 3t), and he new issues the most complete biography of the Golden-winged Warbler extantt
It does not follow that Mr. Jacohs has enjoyed unusual opportunities for research. His success is due rather to persistent efiort
given us the
definitely directed; and it is perfectly safe to say that the same amount of attention intelligently devoted to the study of even the commonest species will yield equally valuable retttrnst
Mr. jacobs treats at length of the haunts oi the Goldcnvwing. its migration, socia- bility, nest~building, eggs, song. food and young in so interesting and satisiactory a manner that we commend his work to all students who propose to join with us in the preparation of our projected work on War blers. In only one particular would we urge them not to follow 's Exampict Do not rob the bird of its eggs. and at the same
timey ourselves of an opportunity to study its home-life. With but few exceptions our collections contain suificiently large series of Warblers‘ eggs to permit of an adequate description at their color, shape and size.
The value and novelty of Mr. Jacobs’ paper consists not in his descriptions of the color and markings of the Golden-Wing‘s eggs, but in his account of its habits; and we cannot but feel that the latter would have been better if his series or eggs had been smallertiF. M. C.
SOME NEW FACTS Aaou’r THE Mlcrtru'l N 0F Bums. By W, Wl COOKE. Year- book of the Department of Agriculture for 1903, pages 371—386.
Professor Cooke has not only devoted many years to the study of bird migration in the field. but as an assistant in the Bio- logical Sutvey he has access to an un— equaled amount of migration data. as the readers of BIRD<LORE have good reason to know. literature oI bird migration have an especial value The present paper is or such con— centrated interest that we feel tempted to follow the example of 'The Condor' and reprint it ill full; but we content ourselves by urging our readers to secure a copy of the September—October ‘Condor' in which it appeared.
The causes, casualties, distances, routes. and speed of migration, how birds find their way. the relation of migration to tempera-
His contributions. therefore, to the
ture. and other significant phases of the subject are treated, and indicate the char; acter of the paper.
“The beginnings oi migration. ages ago," Prolessor Cooke writes. "were in- tilualely connected with periodic changes in food supply, but this motive is at present so intermingled with others unknown. or but imperfectly known, that migration move- ments seem now to bear little relation to the abundance or absence of food." He he- lieves in the existence of a “ sense of direc- tion." and states that " it is probable that
Izobl
