Issued ~terly by the Western Bird.Banding Association at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology Berkeley, Oa.lifornia

Miscellaneous Infonnat ion Regarding Membership, Jlmergency Band Supply, Traps, and Publicationo will be found on the BaCk Cover The threat of immediate abolition, through the withdrawal of Foderal sup- port, again hangs over organized banding, and indeed over all the orni thologi- cal work of the Biological Survey. A statement just received from Washington contains the following paragraphs.

"The proposed reduction in the budget for the Biological Survey for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1934, completely eliminates the appropriations for 'Food Habits of Birds and .Animal8,I 'Production of Fur-bearing Animals, • and the project for the investigationo! migratory birds under the appl1Dpria- tion 'Protection of Migratory Birds,' There i8 also a further decrease of $6,842 for enforcement activities under the appropriation 'Protection of Migra- tory Birds;' a decrease of $207,265 in the appropriation tControl of Predatory Animals and Injurious Rodents; I and of $7,512 under the appropriation 'Migra- tory Bird Conservation Refu€es.' ~e amount approved by the budget is a de- crease of approximately 43% below the cash withdrawals for the current year.

"The proposed decreases would be a most disastrous blow which would al- most wreck the Bureau. It would mean the loss of trained men and womenwhose services are vi tally nocessar~r to the Governmant and who could not be replaced in a generation. For example, not a single ornithologist would be left in the Bureau.

"While all of the decreases in funds mentioned will greatly curtail valu- able and important services which the Bureau is able to render under all the appropriations affected, a special plea is made at this time for the restora- tion of the following items:

Food Habits of Birds and Animals Product ion of Fur-bearing Animals Investigational Workunder 'Protection of Migratory Birds'

It is an interesting and characteristic situation that at least two of the three branches to be completely eliminated should be the two which ~ best face criticism as to their needfulness, their efficiency, and the scientific character and soundness of their results, while the octopus which has in fact strangled all the s cien t Uic branches and drawn to itself the life-blood of the whole organization, in the face of overwhelming adverse criticism, re- ceives a comparatively insignificant cut. Werefer to the Contollers of Predatory Animals and Injurious Rodents.

Wecan with the clearest conscience bog our members to write to their Congressional delegations (in the House, Where restoration must originate) and to the Committee on Appropriations and the sub-committee on the Agricultural Appropriation Bill, asking that consideration be given to the investigational work under "Protection of Migratory Birds" (Mr. Lincoln) and to the pure re- search under "Food Habits of Birds and An1mals" (Mr. MoAtee), explaining that this is long established work, scientifically above criticism, involving spec- ial training, great organization, and above all, co~tinuity in order to achieve the results toward which so mu.chhas been expended,--in short, work the aboli- tion of which would be black tragedy and disgrace. But no less earnestly we beg them to explain that no support of the Biological Survey as a uni t or of its recent general policies is implied. No better idea was possib,le fpl"..thQcelebratio~ of the semi-contenial anni- versa17 of the American Ornithol,ogistsUn1on than the issuance of a volume'on ltFiftyXea.rs I,Progress .of American'Orn'1tholoQ. II ,Perhaps no s~bject but :Botany is so hard to draw into unified perspective, historically, as ornithology,-- no scientific field has borne its yield 80 sporadically, in so JIl8JJ1 remote spots and forgotten publications, has rambled so casually into the severe forum of. science, or feo1s so littlo at home there. A series of historical papers by a dozen experts, to lie, on the desks and &n£!wer,thequostions of .the generation which has not lived thra;J.gh tho fifty years ,-";'no more auspicious Festschrift was ever projected. '

The idea has becomea reality, but in SO limited ~ degree that, for all the grati tude the newcomermust feel to tne men whohave found time to do the work, his main reaction must be one of disappOintment. There are fourteen papers in all. Of these, one, Stone IS paper on the ornithological literature, constitutes a solid review of the progress of the science as a whole, and four others deal in a substantial ma1ll"lerwith the special fields of migration, territorialism, life history work, ,$.ldfossil birels.KCJl,.teels splGndidpaper on econc:micorni- thelogy will long serve as a guide to great stores of solid scientific informa- tion. ~e rest are concerned for the most part with collateral subjects which depend 'Uponthe science but are hardly essential parts of it, Buch as birl1- photography, bird-art, exhibition collections, and bird-protection. The volume bears no ind.ication of how it may be obtained, but ve understand that it will be distributed by the secretary of the .A..O.U.from Cherrydale, Virginia, at the price of one dollar. This will doubtless be announced in the next Auk.

From cover to cover the first decades of the fifty years are dominant, the last decade subordinate and often slighted. Emphasis and omission in Dr. Stone IS history of the literature prOVide a key to the point of view of the volume as a whole. It is possible, perhaps, to understand the omission of an immenseamount of work on the annual cycle .and behavior of birds from the physi- ological point of view as still smelling too much of tho laboratory', though no such excuse will Serve when the next decade has passed. Likewise, as a subject all but impossible to discuss in general terms, the advance in systematicknowl- edge of the development and relationships of birds and the logical arrangements of the higher groups m~ have been necessarily omitted, though there 'is no topic upon which we are nx>rein need of a unified historical statement. But that the dominant fields which group themselves under the unsatisfacto:ty title of lIecology1f,.With tho a.rr~ of familiar volumes and papers which cover them, shoulel receive too follOWing summarydismissal is littlo short of absurd. On page 43 Dr. Stone writes:

"A number bave written on the locology t of tho bird life of certain regions but most of the facts brought out are self-evident and the term is perhaps not so pertinent in ornithology as in botanyI'I (The exclamation pOint is ours.)

Professor William Rowanwas, on the face of it, the best possible choice for the paper on migration, and in point of fact the purely historical part of that paper would be hard to improve upon, though occasionally open to the criti- cism of being too much an enumeration of the literature. Unfortunately, how- ever, he interpreted his task as entailing the suppression of his own contribu- tions .As these cansti tute the pi9c!2 ~ resistance of the modern study of the mechanism of the migratory impulse, the paper as a whole suffers fran the usual failure to complete the picture, a failure for which a brief editorial note offers inadequate reparation. For students of birds who wish to use banding as a technique the work of Mrs. Margaret MOrseNice is better worth following than any strictly contem- porary work whiqh is yet in print •. Her paJ>er on the Theory of Territorial,lsm and l:ts development is preeminent inth.$ p're'$ent,volume for the sensitive and enthusiastic yet sane treatment o.f a SIlbje:ctwhichis all too apt to run a~ with its proponents and become a fetish rather than a disciplined scientific conception.

"Howard's great service was emphasis. ~e has captured the imagination of the bird students of the worldand the latter are in dazger of going territory- mad. Everyone now scoffs at the former notion of males battling over females and it is the fashion to consider that every single bird must have a territory. be 1t never so small or 'U:ndefended..11

"People are not different, for we like to sit in the same place in class- room, church, or public library, merely becaUse, other things being equal, it is easier to do the same thing over and over again 'than to make now decisions, no me.t ter how tr ivial . tt

In her discussion of the theory of the ~ecial development of song as a form of conspicuousness connected with territory, she ceasos to review, and speaks with authority.

"All these assertions are pure theo:oy, based on the facts that the typical terri tory song is short and simple and that many species have at the same time a qui te different t sub-'song t , • 'rambl ing and int erminable' (Nicholson), which everyone agrees is the earl ier form. The authors give no examples where the taking up of territory actually changes the sub-song in to the ,ttrue song': per- haps they believe that it all happened BO long ago that it Cannot be observed now. But in this they are wrong, for 'with the Song Sparrow I have witnessed the evolution of the 'sub-song' into the territory song over and over again. fI

Wewish that considerations of space did not prevent our quoting all that Mrs. Nice says of specific cases of 1hi B evolution. She ends the discussion by saying:

"0nce a Song Sparrow has definitely adopted the adult song he never ~ turns 1Q. the warbling sene: of his youth. I often wish it were otherwise and that the exigencies of territory had not ~oiled his spectacular, varied, and beau tiful song."

Mrs. Nice's final minimumrequirements for the use of the word territory in a desirable scientif~c senSe are as follows:

"Terri tory implies in the male bird isolation, advertisement. fixation, and intolerance. Where these four aspects are not present, the bird does not truly hold territory.II

Mr. LinclDln contributes a substantial review of the histoT'lJ and resul ts of be.nding, Imlchof which, however, is pra.ctically reprinted fran earlier official pub1i cations, most of which have received notice here. The following "vital statistics" of bmding are up to date: "In spite of neoessar,y efforts tolim1texpansion.because at the inadequacy of financial and clerical resources , the number of cooperators regularly licensed has for se-rera).."ears been between 1800 _4'2000. Were it possiblo to handle the resulting volume of work, it is believed'that ina year or two the Dumberof banding stations might be increased to 5000, so great is the interest that bird students ot America have shown in this form of ornithological rosearch.

The total number of birds banded with ::Biological Survey bands up to .rune 30, 1933, wasl,Jgl,609. During the f1scalyear ended on that dato,cooperators placed bandsoXl .258,0& birds, 80 tbcre seems no reason to doubt that ,an annual total of balta. m:illion birds is entiroly p08sible 'llhenfina.ncia,l and clerical resources perm1t. During that same period. return andreoovery reqords. to the number of 16.589 were received, bringing the total for suc4 data to g2,451.

Probably the cleverest and most forceful analysis of the conservaticmist intelligence that ever was printed ~t.ro~ tho pen of Mr. AldoLeopold under thisti tlo in the October 1933 number~.oft1le ,Tou;rnalof Forestry. In spite of·1he fact that it is concenaad nru.chwith the'surface of the land itself and itsvogetablo covering" and less. diroctly. wi thbirds and animals, we wish we mi&ht d.istributecop1esto every memberwe have, or lavishly copy into the Newsat least svory other paragraph.

The bare eConomicfacts of our nat1011e3.inadequacy as guardians of the land over which wehold 8W~ are too patent andhavopeen too often and too well reiterated to be quite novel, even in the ~e of Mr- Leopold. "::Butarc these (the mechanical ~1.evem~ts of the age) not in one sense mere parlor tricks. canpared with our uttertneptitulio J.n keeping the land. fit to live upon? Our eng1nooringhas attained the pearly gate'S of'a near-millenium but our applied biology still lives in: nomad's tents of the stone a.ge---.

"Consider the transcontinental air-lJlail which plies the sky-ways of the southwest---a symbol of its final conquest. What does it see? A score of moun- tain valleys which were green gEmS of fertility when first described by Coronado,

Espejo, Pattie J Abert J Sitgreaves J and Couzens. Whatare they now? Sandbars, wastes of cobbles and b'a.rroweed,a path for torrents. Rivers which Pattie says were clear J now sewers for the wasting fertility of an empire. A ''Public Domain" once a velvet carpet of rich buffalo-grass andgrama., nowan illimitable waste of rattlesnake-bush and tumbleweed, too ~overiShed to be accepted as a gift by tho states within which it lies."

But our delight in the paper lies not so. much in the initial exposi t10n of the economic thesis as in the feeling that the subject shows signs of runniDg away with the author, of carrying him to the brink of a viewpoint of too rarified an "economic" application to be translatable to corporations, le81slaturos, or state un1versities,-toward a vision in 1'hlcbthe land itself ,thr~ i ts hold on tho intolligencoof it.s human inhabitants, l1a~ rights as a memberof the com- munity, and 1-8 to be protected, from violation and degradation in respect to its essential place in the soc~ ~d spiritual campoun4. 11- __ the destruction of mother-earth, however Isub-marginal , touches somthing deeper J sane sub-eoonomic stratum of the humanintelligence wherein lies tAat sOIIBthing---perhaPs the eSSQ.Ceof ciVilization-"'--which 1t'11·son called 'the decent opinion of maJ'lkiDl.ln

Through the argument there runs the thread of the ecologists' conception of symbiosis as appliod to man and his onviromnent.

itAharmonious relation to land is more intri oate and of more'COnsoquence to civilization, than the historians of its progress seem to realize.Oivil- ization is not,as they otten asS'UDle,the enslavement of a. stable and con- stant earth. It is a state 0·£ mutual and interdependent cooperation between humananimals, other animals, plants, and soils, which may be disrupted at any momentby the failure of anyone of thom."

Consciousness of the reality of this seemingly tenuous Viewpoint, its familiarization into a rule of conduct, its linkage with real economicprob- lems, until the public may'learn and use its ownpower, is a part, at least, of what appears to be meant by nthe conservation athie, II in which the author finds himself able to trust ferther than in the operation of self-intorest as at present interpreted, palliative legislation, or public ownership. It has its immediate and perfectly ''Practical" premises, such as tho powerofdis- criminative buying; so inspired, to canpe1 decent forestry and prevent stream- pollution. :aut the idea extends far beyond such applications to envision a philosophy in which manIS place in nature and his necessary and eternal in- volvements with nature are transformed from the hostility andd18sonance of the moment, in which one factor with all its bea:nty and its value must give wayami be lost, leaving life vastly impoverished, to a relationship in which the essential need of humanity for nature in all its variet7 is recognizod and respected.

Such a situation was very nearly achieved in the old world during the last century ,before present-~ large-scale methods of destruction existed, and a period of great beauty and intellectual richness resulted. This in turn was largely swept aside by the onsl~t of tho'mechanical age. Nowa rever- sion to a similar point of view, thO'.1gb.expressed more in the language of science and less in that of poetry, ilnnaking itself felt, and Mr. Leopold bids fair to bocome its prophet.

Banding on the Jl'arallons

(A communication from Mr. Olarence F. Smith)

I am writing this short outline of my trip to the J'arallons, thinking you might like to have a written record of the cond1tions encountered.

Last su:mmer,after a considorablopfriod.of surmounting governmental red tape, permission v.as finally secured to spend:a 'few ~s on the islands. We were not allowed to land until after Augu,stlSth,. and although that seemed rather late for any banding work, we decided to make tlle attempt, and accord- ingly arrived with a veritable sheaf of permits, letters and authorizations. Wewere given every possible courtesy by the personnel of the islands, and we aro especially grateful to the Superintendent of the islands, whoprovided us with sleoping quarters and other convenioncos which we did not expect to find. Many of the men on the island had been there for a considerable period, and were able to give us information about .the birds. Such of these statements as we were able to check were quite reiiable, and I believe that they are all quite accurate as far as they concern matters other than speciation.

The lJeather was excellent • The captain of the ship whi~h took us to the island said that he had never seen a smoother ocea1\, and O1;!rreturn trip was almoet asprop1tiou.$. There was so~ fog d'Ul"inga part of O'Ul"stay, but not eno~ to hinder 0'Ul"opeJ"atione.

Young gW.Is w-eJ"efound alJ:P,Osteverywhere on the island aw~ from the houses. Nearly two hundred ·of these were bandEtd, and it is m::f belief tha~ we banded all the available gull population. They were all caught by handitime did not permit the use of traps,; Many adults were suffering from some sort of pro~essive paralysis, a disease which we were told had been transmitted through a small flock of poultry which was kept on the island in former years. Most of the young birds submitted patiently to their fate after being captured, but a few were refractory, and one or two considered it necessary to contrlbute the contents of their stomachs to the ritual. Most of:the ·b1rdswe banded were more or less severely skinned and bruised by pecking by 'the adults; On several oocasionswe saw a parent drive off what we took to be the offspring of other gulls when feeding its own, and although we saw no blow inflicted, the nature of some of the injuries we saw ~ve ample evidence of a murderous or at the least quite vindictive tempera- ment, and suggested cannibalistic tendencies. Manydead birds, both of this species and c£ others, covered the ~crond. "' ... ~ormorants were plentiful, and had we possessed suitable bands, we could have banded several hundred. This remains as one of the projects in future years. Most of the"young seemed to be FarallonCormorants. The Brandt and Baird species seemed to have ended their breeding season somewhat earlier.

Under the comprehensive term Hnight-birdsllare included all the nocturnal birds. Wefound. only two speoies- the Cassin .A.uklet and. the ABbyPetrel. Other forms have been reported by early students, but these we failed to find, probably both because of seasonal differences and the small proportion of the total popu- lation which we discovered. The night birds are abundant in the rock slides and all the crevices and crannies, and our trouble was not in locating them, but in securing them. The Auklets struggled alw~s, and were much'less pleasant to handle than the Petrels were. Manyyoung were foun(1, and many more were located but not secured. There should be no difficulty in securing these birds, other than the physical effort necessary to unpile rocks. This of course takes time, and for that reason we were unable to band more than we did.

At least one, and probably three, duck hawks had been present and had played havoc with the night ....birds. Shortly before our arrival, the radio operator caused the death of one of them because it was killing so many of the nooturnal birds. Wemade the identification of this specimen, which was still lying whero it had fallen,and were told that it was one of a group of three, that the othe::- two left when their canpanion was killed, and had not been seen since. Wewere also told that a pair had successfully bred the previous year, 1932, and had migrated. It is an interesting conjecture tihether this family re- turned, or whether the three harrks present this year were other individuals.

Other speoies we banded as opportunity ,resented, but without any special emphasis or search. This again was due to lack of time. One strange absence which we remarked upon was that of the BrO\7IlPelican. Wedid not see a single specimen during our entire stay there, altho~ we were told that there had been some ~n Su8ar Loaf shortly previous ,to our coming.

The quest ion of trap is an interest 1'r1gone. Wewere t 01d that during oer- tain weather conditions, the "night-birds" are found in numbers in every building which they can find an entrance to, each morning. Wewere not there at the right time and.m1ssed this excellent opper tunity. There are a few land birds which might be trapped, mainl;y linnets and English sparrows, whi'Chare fairl;y regular in presence. Other species, such as goldfinches ("Wild canaries"), and in the spring, warblers, might also be trapped. The use of net traps might be success- ful 1£ the net were of sufficient height, buttbe irregularity of the ground leaves many opportunities for escape under the net. Wefound ourselves at no 10SB for birds, though we had no bands large enough for the cormorants. There is abundant dpportunityfor phot~rapby, and all species, except gulls, ~ be closely approached if caution is used.

Other birds raper ted b;y the lmepers, but not seen by us, include quail, "cranes" (Great Blue Herons?), d'UCks, geese, andsharebirds. These are all in flight, and exoeptfor the "cranes" and quail seldom light. The light seems not to be a factor in bird deaths ;we found no evidence' such as has been reported at some eastern points, and the keeper said that he was unaware of more than a few deaths by striking against the lighthouse.

I am rather disappointed in my result s - I had hoped for a much larger num- ber of gulls and of some of the other colonial birds. I am ver;y much afraid that the maxUnumpossible results with ;yo~g gulls have been attained, and that future work will not 1:e much mere productive, unless carried on at an earlier season. With regard to other species, especially the cormorants, better results are quite possible, and I hope that in future trips we can, with our present knowledge of conditions, secure both quantitatively and qualitative~ better re- sults. I have a faint hope that some of the "night-birds" ma;ybe picked up on board ships, or by workers at the more southern colonies. I think future work, unless it can be carried on at an earlier time ,would be mOlt profitably spent in working with the cormorants.

(A. camnunication fran Mr. Charles H. Feltes)

During June and part of July, I had occas ion to do s orne work f or the U. S. Department cf Agriculture in the hills 12 mUes southwest of Tracy,' California. While doing the work I camped in Corral Hollow and Lone Tree Canyon, and inci- dentally visited Hospital canyon to make a survey of birds in that locality. Needless to say, I took the major! ty of I1\Y bird traps with me. My work covered a period of seven weeks and during that time I was able to band 303 birds, 239 of which were California Linnets (Carpodacus mexicanus frontalis). With the exception of 4 of these the entire amount were banded in a small Eucalyptus grove Iimiles up from the mouth of LoneTree Canyon. This clump of trees "'las fairly swarming wi th them despite the fact that there was no water within one-half mile of there and no fruit or berries within several miles - just a grove of trees in an old dry creek bed. Pans of water counter-sunk in the ground eo that the top edge of the pan was eTen with the ground were used as bait to draw them to the ground. A cluster of four Potter traps were set around the pan to form a square and were baited with various seeds and bread crumbs. It did the job, and nicely, as the numbers indicate. 235 of these birds were taken in three weeks, part time trapping. 'iil1 these birds during the'\7inter travel downand scatter out over the valley seeking tood? I am inc1iZlBdto think that they will and look for\7ard with interest for returns.

Of particular interest was the large number of Texas Nighthawk nests found in Lone Tree canyon, from the mouth up for a distance of two miles. 15 nests were located in vario'US stages of incubation and with yo'Ullg.of various ages. I was very sorry to have to leave there on the 16th of July, as there were some eight or nine nests yet to hatch. I did manage'to band ten fledgling birds just about ready to fly, - in fact some of them had taken flight befot-e we left. I also found nests of this species in Corral Hollow and Hospital Canyon, and I feel s'Ul'eif one had the time to cover the principal dry washes downthe "West Side" range they would find vast breeding grounds of this interesting bird. Indications were found of birds hatched previous to our arrival. During my observat.ions I noted birds flying 20Qfeet high or more. They were positively identified as the Texas form, and I took extreme care in making the identifica- tion. Ralph Hoffmannin his book, "Birds of the Pacific States, Il restricts the flight of this bird to 100 feet, saying that any b.ird seen flying higher is the Pacific Nighthawk. I am.forced to disagree with him, muchas I dislike doing so. An interesting habit of this same bird 1s its trickiness in moving and hiding the young, once its nest has been found. I have found birds movedmOI."ethan 60 feet from the point of 'incubation or from the point at which the young were last observed. On one occasion I banded a pair of young, placed them on the ground, and movedawB:3'to another part of the creek bed, and returned in about 5 minutes, but try as hard as I would,. I could not find them. They had. movedfrom the spot where I placed them on the ground. .A.l1of the young birds that I observed as soon as they were hatched took two weeks or more before they were able to fly. Weaccidentally killed an 1mmaturebird by running into it with the car one night just as it took flight from beside the road. '!'he next morning I cut open its gullet and stomach and took 16 crickets, 4 grasshoppers, and several small beetles or bugs, a good meal for a bird of this size.

Thirteen other sped es of birds were taken on thi strip, some of them new varieties, which now brings my total of different kinds banded up to 73.

'!'he other day I developed a new type r::L nesting and shelter house from a 3 quart can (restaurant size, for pie fruit). I can get any quantity of thes •• fr an the cannery gratis and am.going to place 150 of them in the next 3 weeks' on my pet bird sanctuary 27 miles east of here. I eXpect to canvass them at night and take a great quantity of birds for banding in this manner. I have had excellent success with the woodenhouses that lbave installed, about 60 in num- ber.

I shall have more data on work with the flashlight later this fall and win- ter, which will be definite and conclusive. I have done a good deal of this alrea

I have on hand 25 hardware cloth trip-steps which I wish to dispose of at 10¢ each. '!'hey are in excellent condition and are of no further use to me as I have replaced them with anew one-piece trigger which fastens rigidly to the trap and is a big improvement. You might make a notation in the News. Digest of Los Angeles Chapter Minutes October: The Slst regular meeting of the Los Angeles Chapter of the VI .B.B.A. was h()ld S1.ttldayafternoon, October S;- 1.933, at the home of Mr. and Mr,s.J0h!l McB. Robertson at :BuenaPark with Mr. and Mrs. James A. Calder assisting as host and hostess. President Allen, Secretary Miss Vignos and 16 other members and guests were present. The minutes of the June meeting and of the special meeting in July were read and approved as corrected.

The secretary read a letter received by Mr. E. L. Sumner from Mr. Lincoln of the Biological Survey relating to the cost and the supply of bands and the issuing of banding permit s •

Mr. Robertson reported that he had not been able to get for th~ banders prices an raisins in bulk as offered for cattle feed because none such are available at this season of the Y'ear.

Charles Michener told of his observations on the songs and behavior of Mockingbi1"dssince the June meeting and Mrs. Michener read her notes on one morning's observations of the invasion of a group of Mockingbirds into the territories of the' resident Mockingbirds.

Mrs.• Law reported the capture and banding of a san Diego Wrenwhich had entered her house through a J8,rtially open window screen. This was the first of the species to be banded at their station. She had recently seen the first Mountain Chickadees of the season. UTs. Ha,llreported fewer than usual birds at her station. She had seen four kinds of rails (California Clapper, Light-footed, Sora and Black) at the PI~a del Rey marshes. David Michener told of seeing a 'later Ouzel take several small fish from the fish hatchery at l!ineral Xing. While in the Yosemite he verified the state- ment that Mr. and Mrs, Michael had reported the finding of a Gambel Sparrow nest in the floor of the Valley.

Mrs. Edwards gave an interesting account of the behavior of the robins at their cabin near Lake Arrowhead where they were more plentiful this summerthan usual. Miss An:eshad banded six Gambel sparrows during the week. She called atten- tion to the increased singing of the Mockingbirds and the Goldfinches. Miss Vi~osreportedseeing a White-tailed Kite in the Playa dol Roy marshes on Septemb~r 26 and of sooing only one Condor at 5espo Canyon on October 7. Also, in one of the pools in Sespe Canyon she saw a Faral10n Cormorant feeding on fish. Mr. Allen reported on an analysis recently made of his trapping records of California Towhees. Out of 238 banded 152 had not been recaptured. ApparentlY' Band-tailed Pigeons had nested on or near his place this year. He had seen one young and at least one adult had remained all summeruntil a month ago but he had not been able to discover any nest. The.following dates were given for the first appearances of GambelSparrows: September 15 at the Clary station, Coachella Valley, and at Pasadena; september 25 at the Calder station, :BuenaPark: september 30 at Dr. Atkinson IS, Altadena; Octo- ber I at the Robertson station, l3uenaPark; and October S at Mrs. Law's, Altadena. Mr. and Mrs. Calder showed an excellent series of slides of the Marsh Hawk. Photographs of the nest and eggs, the young in various plumages and the adults on the wing were accompanied by an interesting description of the subjects Photo- gra.phed and of the conditions under which tho pictures wore taken.

N~er : !Che82nd regular meeting ot' the X-os Angeles Chapter of the l' .B.I.A. 'Waseld on Stlnday, November12, 1933 at the home of Mr. and Urs. Harold Michener. Minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved as corrected. A discussion follo\1edconcerning a sChemefor informing the public about the banding of birds and about the reports that should be made when a banded bird is found. It was suggested that not only the number be read and reported but that both the band and the bird be sent in whanever possible, as a check against any person reporting the bird incorrectly and also as a check against mistakes of the original bander. Mr. Edwards suggested having a mat made, containing a picture, perhaps of a banded bird, and instrootions. for the guidance of anyone f.1nding a banded bird, to be used for publication in various newspapers in this part of the state. Mr. Allen offered his nam9 to-be included in the publicity as one who would receive reports of banded birds found and forward them to the Biological Survey, and said that he would call for sueh birds in and near Pasadena. He ap- pointed Mr. Michener to draw up such an article for publication. Mrs. Michener asked if anyone had observed Green-backed Goldfinches imitat- ing other birds in their songs as DawsonI s "Birds of Californiall states that they do. No one present seemed to have made such an observation. Charles Michener gave the next chapter in the serial on the daily life of the Mockingbirds in the Michener grounds. Mr~Robertson, after listening to this re- port on the use of colored bands, felt that our ord1na.ry banding records might give a very incomplete picture of our station populations. Mr. Michener felt that this might be more nearly true for some species than for others. !:ir. Part in gave some observations made on his trip east last summer. He saw no gulls on the coast off Savannah, Georgia, and observed the roadrunner in the most easterly portion of its range, a little east of San Antonio, Texas. This lo- cation checked within 100 miles on both directions of his travel. In his weighing of birds he finds the Willow Goldfinch to be about two grams heavier than the Green-backed. Mr. Robertson announced that the revised List of Birds of Southern California, by Mr. Willett, being published as Cooper Club Avifauna No.21, will be out very soon. Mrs. Law recently had banded 7 female purple finches, one a Cassin. In two hours on Sunday morning she banded 29 birds of 11 species, most of them in the water trap. Miss King reported that Miss .Ames had a Chat in her trap. Mr. Allen reported Gambel Sparrows and Juncos present at his station. Mr. Michener, in referring to an article in the October, 1933 number of Bird- Banding entitled "Eastern Bluebirds in Juvenal Plumage Feed Young of Second Brood," stated that apparently we cannot be sure that a bird seen feeding a young bird is a parent of that Young bird. In this article Mrs. Wetherbee reports unquestion- able evidence that one pair, one extra male and two immature birds from the next previous brood of this pair all joined in feeding the second brood of the season of this pair. Mr. Uichener also referred to another article in the same magazine, "The Migratory movements of Certain Colonies of Herring Gulls," this migration be- ing along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Mr. and Mrs. Clary reported manyRobins and Mountain Bluebirds present though not yet in the traps. Last nesting season Mrs. Clary found dead babies in a nest of a Plumbeous Gnatcatcher • They had just died. She made a botanical analysis of the nest. It was beautiful and turned out to be three nests, one on top of another. The bottom nest was not finished: the middle one contained eggs, one just pipped; and the top nest, which was very flowery and beautiful, contained the two dead babies. She did not lmow the cause of this triple tragedy. She also told of very interesting experiences she had had in raising orphan Arkansas King- birds. Classes of W.B.B.A. and Cooper Membership W.B.1LA. Ornithological Club $ 1.00 ...... $ 3 ~50 Act iva . 1.00 · . • ...... • . . . . • • . . . . 3 .50' Sustaining : ., . 1·50 • •••••••••••• tI •••••••••• -. • • • • 10.00 Life (total, not yearly) ..•....•..• 50.00' · '...... ' 125.00 Members outside of the United states add twenty-five cents to the first three items of the last column (to pay additional 'postage on THECONDOR).If C.O.C. dues have been paid direct, remit differance to.W.B.B.A.

NewW.B.B.A. Government Sparrow Trap The advantages of the Government SparrO\1 Trap are many. It is al\1ays set, and when birds come in flocks nil1 trap them to the limit of its capacity. Our trap is strongly made of hardnar~ cloth, with a bottom of the same mater- ial to the inner chamber, so that birds ,ire perfectly safe from t.he attacks of hanks, cats and other predatory animals.

The' dimensions are 10" x 14" X 2gll; the 10\7height makes it difficult for birds to injure themselves by flYing up from the bottom of the trap and striking their heads against the top. In the United states, Vlest of the Mississippi River - $4.50 East of the River and in Canada - $5.00 postpaid.

W.B.B.A. Two-compartment Trap

This trap, measuring 7i" x gll X 10" is divided into two compartments, each pro- vided with a. drop door and automatic treadle. Adjustable feet are attached so that the t;rap will rest firmly on any approximately plane surface. The trap is very strong, being welded throughout, and is painted with a good green enamel. In the United states, west of the Mississippi River - $1.50 postpaid East of the River and in Canada - $1.75 postpaid With nire bottom, as trap and gathering cage, add - $.25

Books Hoffman's Birds of the Pacific states - $5.00 By far the most useful of the west coast manuals.

Audubon Bird Cards - each season $1.00 Four sets of fifty cards each representing spring, summer, autumn, and winter birds, from color drawings by Allan Brooks, with text on the back of each card. Eastern races are shown, but the sets arc 1IDsurpassad in value to the beginner in any part of the Uhitad states or Canada.

Emergency Band Sl1PPly In cases when time does not permit of application to Washingto~, the W.B.B.A. issues bands in Teasonable numbers in the Western Territory. Address all communications to - Western Bird Banding Association, Museumof Vertebrate Zoology, Berkeley, California. Issued Quarterly bt the Western Bird-Banding Association at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology Berkeley, California

Miscellaneous Information Regarding Membership, Emergency Band Supply, Traps J and Publications will be found on the Back Cover Probably most students of bird behavior have developed a raw nerve which responds to the everlasting repetition of the .word "territory" with a vaguely critical twinge. Warnings against the pedantic determination to fit the whole bird world with a single rea.d¥'-madegarment,--against going "territory-mad," as Mrs. Nice puts it, have not been lacking, but the first attempt to bring heavy artillery to bear upon the concept. as a whole appeared in England, in the periodical British Birds for December1933, under the commonauthorship of David and Lambert Lack, roughly a quarter of a centU1'Yafter Howard shadowedforth his convictions in his studies of British Warblers. The Lacks' paper, "Territory Reviewed" brought a long list of comment, in it,s train, in the same magazine, which contribute to the general philosophical overhauling.

Incidentally, a by-product of the controversy is the belated justice which is done to another forermmer, Mr. C. B. Moffat, who wrote a paper in the Irish Naturalist in 1903 which anticipated the basis of the modern territorial concept much as did the work of Altum in Germanymanyyears before, as revealed by Meise. In Moffat's case the word "territory" was specifically used.

The Lacks appear to labor under the impression that we all accept the strictest version of territory in its most complex development as a rigid and universal law. Such an artificial target, once set up, is easy to riddle with small shot. First and moat obvious they take up the special cases of the colonial birds, sea birds, birds of prey, Grebes, and others. Wehave not re- read Howard, nor sought out the last defensive phrase which might exculpate him from the charge of seeing no difference of degree between the territorial be- havior of a hedge-sparrow and a Guillemot. Nor, had we done so, would we presume to undertake his defense. He wrote in a world of warblers, Reed-bunt- ings, and Chaffinches,--the philosophical interest of the matter lay in instances of high development and organization, of logical and suggestive economic justifi- cations. But we do not believe that a~one capable of watching birds or thinking about them, least of all Howard, is blind to the fact of enormous variation in the nature and acuteness of the space-factor in the psychology of birds. If (which we gravely doubt) territory in its role as a means of nest-defense breaks down in the case of the Guillemots, so that eggs are scattered and often brooded by birds other than the parents, the derivable arguxoont, probably, supports the hypothesis of the value of the territorial provision in the development of the higher and more economic forms of avian civilization.

It must, of course, be admitted that the insurance of the food supply and the prevention of "overcrowding" as selective advantages which have played a part in the evolution of territorial behavior are pure hypotheses, and are likely to remain so. Wecannot imagine an experiment which could be framed to demonstrate either fact, or indeed the acuteness of ei thar requirement. Extreme crowding has proved an efficient manner of life for many and varied forms, and there is little evidence of the operation of the factor of food scarcity on the success of any birds, even the raptors, within the areas which they inhabit. But the hypotheses are undoubtedly the most cogent which have been offered. The theoretical necessity of such safeguards may be debatable, but that such conditions do result from the territorial instinct is unquestionable.

Wefind the Lack! t criticisms in this field too purely destructive. Also it is an open question today whether research which consists of mere collation, of picking out brief fragments from scattered records, can build a picture of behavior which is of much value. The order of the day is completeness in detail and sequence in time, the concept of tho pattern, of which the parts alone defy in terpretation. Wehave it on the unimp,8$.chableauthority of the :Business Manager that out ot the last thirteen band":,,ntmlbersreported to us from "returnsll, eleven were mis-readings. As samples, one band.was reported which had never been is- sued, another that was still in our possession; one was reported over the phone and proven quite erroneous when the band itself arrived by mail, another was re- ported fran LOBAngeles which proved to hse been attached to an English Starling on the .A.tlantic coast. One bander reported at least three mistalms.

Let us again urge that only painstaking accuracy can, in the face of such a candi tion, save banding from becoming a farce. Please send in the band itself, (and if possible the bird as well) when it is a case of a dead bird, and have the number checked, preferably by two witnesses, on other occasions. Such an average of inaccuracy is incredible.

(P.S. Of the last three band numbers which the Business Manager asked the Editor to check, the Editor mis-read two.)

The Los Gatos Sportsmen IS Club is anxious to learn more of a IIGrosbeakl! found drowned in a wat.er-pitcher by one of their members, Dr. A. E. Osborne. On the birdls right leg was a small, red, butt-ended cellul6idband with the num- ber "lOOtlin black numerals.

Mr. and Mrs. Ben L. Clary report a Bullock Oriole immature, banded at their station at Coachella, California on August 11, 1933, which was captured at Loreto, Lower California, on February 9, 1934.

Mrs. Edna E. Williams operates, in the Bakersfield region, California, two stations sixteen. miles apart and with a difference of elevation of one thousand feet. In the fall and early winter of 1933 she had three White-crowned Sparrows (probably Gambel Sparrows) repeat from one station to the other. Three birds were banded between November second and fifth at station A and returned to station B, two on December 26th and one on December19th. These records are most suggestive of a definite local flight line, and the development of the two sta- tions might produce further matter of deep interest. A fourth bird was banded at station A on October 7, 1932, repeated at B on November2, 1932, and returned at station A on November7, 1933, where it again repeated November14.

Helen Kenny Kilpatrick sends us the following most interesting account from Eugene, Oregon.

11 The only item which might be of interest 1s that I have one little mother bird who has returned to the same place four years in succession to .raise her broods.

The first year I noticed a pair of Violet-green SWallowsdesperately try- ing to get in through a small opening in an upstairs window, so I hastily stuck up a chalk box and they accepted it at once. WhenI felt sure the bird was sit- ting I brought the box into the bedroom late one night, and decided to take the back off to see what was happening. It took at least five minutes of hammering and prying before I succeeded, when, .B'tn"eenough, there eat the mother bird on her nest. She nestled quietq in ~ hand and did not seem to be a bit frightened when I banded her and put her back in her home. Then I put a piece of isinglass in the back of the box so we eould look in on her private life. I looked in at her every day and brought groups of the neighborhood youngsters and oldsters in to watch the proceedings, which were especially interesting after the baby birds arrived. The little ones were banded, and departed the next day.

The next year the parent birds again arrived before I had a house ready for them, so again I stuck up a box, and it was accepted.

This performance was repeated for three years, and each time I banded the little brood."

There are 223 banders west of the 110th meridian. Of these 125 are in California. The 223 and the 125 bOth include names of persons whohave not banded for some time, but who say they are still interested and expect to band later. There are probably not more than 175 active banders in our territory. Wesent report blanks to 204 persons, as follows:

California 119 Other States 51 Canada 34

The total for the year in the western province, of 37,174 birds banded in 1933, is again the largest to date, though again the increase is perhaps as much due to the Business Manager's long ani l:ard campaign to get complete ret'tn"ns as to the actual inorease in banding. Wefeel that now, perhaps for the first time, the total for the west is complete.

as ~ 0 0 0 +> 0 "" as as as tlO tlO 'R e0 +> ~ ~ ~ CM a tl a ~ ...• tlO ••• +> N ••• . ,.0CD .;J"" 0 red CD (.) ~ ~ ...• r-l ~ r;= . +> 0 0 (.) ••• ------~------0 !Xl ~ P ::!! !il ~ (.) ~ ~ IX, 2, April. 1934 14

as s:: 0 ...• 0 () } oj.:> ...• e as 'Ii 'Ii flD H 0 ~ s:: s:: Q) CH . J.t ta 0 i ...• ....• oj.:> .~ ••• ::s ...• ~ 0 .8 N .s::1 0 as r;;1 Q) 11 s:: ·rf to ....• § 1= oj.:> . oj.:> 0 lit 0 Q) 0 0 5 ~ ~ p ::s : 0 ~ lO!l 8 ------Whi te Pelican - 260 2 312 - - - 574 Double-erestad Cormorant 6 20 - - - 26 Farallon Cormorant 6 - - - 6 Brewster I s Egret 6 - - - 6 Great Blue Heron 24 18 207 - - - 249 Anthony's Green Heron 2 - - - 2 B1ack-erowned Night Heron 2 - - - 2 Americ~ Bittern 1 7 - - - 8 White-faced Glossy Ibis 16 - - - 16 Whistling Swan 1 2 - - - 3 Canada Goose 11 5 3 6 - - - 25 Cackling Goose 6 - - - 6 White-fronted Goose 4 - - - 4 Snow Goose 4 157 - - - 161 Mallard 146 791 796 17 16 - 11 - - - 1777 Black Duck 45 - - - 45 Gadwall 14 158 49 - - - 221 !aldpate 145 576 10 2 6 - - - 739 Pintail 2592 304 2736 22 662 3 - - - 6319 Green-winged Teal 15 175 804 - 345 - 1339 Blue-winged Teal 7 1 - - - 8 Cinnamon Teal 191 3 76 - - - 270

") Shoveller 5 2 1 1 81 - - - 90 Wood Duck 3 1 - - - 4 Redhead 35 20 - 185 1 - - - 241 IX, 2, April, 1934 15

cd s:l 0 •••• 0 () s:l +" ...• J.I al al ~ ~ M 0 s::: +" ~ s:l i s:l CD fl-l . J.I ~ 0 .ro/ f.l ;II .ro/ ~ 0 CD +" N 0 -g ~ CD ,0 -a s:l •••• 1ii r-l 0 1= +" at . +" 0 0 CD 0 (,) B IX! ~ ::> :::iiI ~ : 0 ~ I2l 8 - .....--.------Canvas-back 2 204 - - - 206 Scaup (group) 4 178 20 1 - - - 203 Ruddy Duck 1 8 2 - - - 11 Hooded Merganser 1 - - - 1

American Merganser 1 1

Barrow's Golden-eye 1 - - - 1 Turkey Vulture 2 - - - 2 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 - - - 1 Cooper's Hawk 1 - - - 1 Red-tailed Hawk 4 1 5 - 1 - 11 Swainson 's Hawk 16 - 5 - 21 Rough-legged Hawk 7 - - - 7 Golden Eagle 3 - - - 3 Marsh Hawk 42 - 3 - 45

Prairie Falcon 2 5 - - - 7 Duck Hawk 3 - - - 3 Sparrow Hawk 29 7 - 3 - 39 California ~1 (group) 513 11 12 - 43 - - - 579 Gambel's Quail 8 - - - 8 Sora 2 - - - 2 American Coot 681 129 3 15 5 - - - 833 Killdeer 14 10 48 1 - - - 73 Spotted Sandpiper 20 - - - 20 Willett 39 - - - 39 Least Sandpiper 1 - - - 1 IX, 2. April, 1934 16

'IS 0 -1"4 8 0 s:l 0 01"4 104 'IS 'IS ~ ClD H 0 ~ ~ l=I al l=I CH 8 . 104 ~ 0 -1"4 104 .1"4 i 01"4 ClD I:.) CD ~ N .t:1 0 a '7iI CD ,0 i l=I ....• rn ....• 0 Ii: ~ 'Cil 104 . 'IS 0 0 0 0 f%\ =;t ~ ~ ~ !I': 0 ~ ~ 8 ------Avocet 5 44 - - - 49 Black-necked Stilt 4 - - - 4 Wilson's Phalarope 1 - - - 1 Glaucous-winged Gull - 123 - - - 123 Western Gull 196 366 - - .,.. 562 california Gull 61 - - - 61 Ring-billed Gull 5 - - - 5 California and Ring-billed undistinguished nestlings - 800 - 1696 - - - 2496 California Ring-billed, Herring,undistinguished - 218 - - - 218

Franklin I s Gull - 1189 8 - - - 1197 Common Tern - 149 - - - 149 Black Tern 21 14 - - - 35 California Murre 3 3 Pigeon Guillemot 2 - - - 2 Cassin's Auklet 14 - - - 14 Horned Puffin 1 - - - 1 Mourning Dove 36 15 1 2 - - - 54 Chinese Spotted Dove 1 - - - 1 Inca Dove 6 - - - 6 Roadrunner 3 - - - 3 Barn Owl 100 - - - 100 Screech Owl 5 1 - - - 6 , 'i Horned Owl 6 1 6 - - - 13 Py £!IIIY Owl 1 - - - 1

IX, 2, Ap:-11, 1934 18

cd ~ 0 ...• 0 u ~ .•.. •••• ro cd Cd !lO M ~ ~ .•.. ~ ~ ~ ~ Q) ....•f+.l • ~ ~ 0 ....• J. ....• ::s .-t ~ 0 Q) .•.. .; 0 ro Q) ~ ~ ....• .-t g /l: .•.. at . .•.. 0 " tIS 0 Q) 0 0 l3 ~ ~ p ::s ~ j;: 0 ~ lZi &4 ------Cliff SWallow 1 75 38 - - - 114 Purple Mart in 4 - - .- 4 Cana.daJay (group) 1 3 - - - 4 steller Jay (group) 102 6 g 7 1 - - - 124 C~lifornia Jay (group) 81 - - - 81 Magpie (group) 2 5 24 5 - - - 36 Crow (group) 1 51 - - - 52 Clark's Nutcracker 32 - - - 32 Black-capped Chickadee (group) 2 11 4 - - - 17 MOtmtainChickadee (group) 35 6 7 - - - 48 Chestnut-backed Chickadee (group) 9 - - - 9 Plain Ti tmouse 77 1 - - - 78 Verdin 7 - - - 7 Bush-t it (group) 15 - - - 15 White-breasted Nuthatch (group) 16 2 - 10 - - - 28 Red-breasted Nuthatch 5 1 6 Py~ Nuthatch (group) - 22 - - - 22 Brown Creeper 9 - - - 9 Wren-tit (group) 115 - - - 115 Dipper 4 - - - 4 House Wren (group) 16 6 29 2 53 Winter Wren (group) 1 - - - 1

't Bewick's Wren (group) 27 2 - - - 29 Cactus wren (group) 4 1 - - - 5 Cannon Wren 3 1 - - - 4 IX, 2, April, 1934 19

al s:: 0 or-! 0 U s:l 0 or-! al cd cd "to rcl ~ M 0••• s:l .•.. s:: cd s:l CD CH . i 0 o~ 0g ::s or-! ~ (;) •••CD .•.. N 0••• a! CD 1il s:l or-! ~ r-l o &= .•.. 'riJ . 0 0 0 (;) ------~ ~ ~ ~ :il !iI ~ (.) ~~ E-t Marsh Wren (group) 1 - - - 1 CommonRock Wren 4 7 - - - 11 Mockingbird 245 - - - 245 Ca.tbird 1 - - .- 1 Curve-billed Thrasher 2 - - - 2 California Thrasher 101 - - - 101 Sage Thrasher 4 - - - 4 Robin (group) 152 44 23 35 5 6 5 - - 270 Varied Thrush (group) 2 2 1 - - - 5 Bermit Thrush (gr oup) lK) 2 1 1 44 Russet-backed Thrush (group) 72 2 1 - - - 75 Western Bluebird 38 - - - 38 Mountain Bluebird 4 13 35 - - - 52 Plumbeous Gnatcatchar 4 - - - 4 Ruby-erowned Kinglet 6 1 - - - 7 Bohemian Waxwing 81 2 - - - 83 Cedar Waxwing 5 - - - 5 Phainopepla 1 - - - 1 California Shrike (group) 34 7 - - - 41 Cassin Is Vireo 1 - - - 1 Warbling Vireo 7 - - - 7 Red-eyed Vireo 1 - - - 1 Orange-crowned Warbler (group) 19 2 - - - 21 Calaveras Warbler 4 - - - 4 Virginia's Warbler 1 - - - 1 IX, 2, April, 1934 20

as 0 •••• a 0 ~ as cd \D !l.O ~ 0e +:J ~ al 'H S . f.I § 8 •••• f.I ~ ~ •••• !l.O (.) Q) +:J N ,J:l 0 Ci1 Q) ,.Q i 1:1 •••• m ...• ~ != +:J ~ . +:J 0 0 0 I:.) d !Xl ;1 ::> ::ill ~ ~ (.) ~~ 8 ------Yellow Warbler (group) 18 12 - - .,.. 30 Myrtle Warbler 6 - .,.. - 6 Audubon's Warbler 275 - - - 275 Blaek-throated Gray Warbler 4 - - - 4 Townsend's Warbler 2 .,.. - - 2 MacGi1l iway's Warbler 7 3 10 Western Yellowthroat 2 2 Long-tailed Chat 13 1 1 15 Pileolated Warbler (group) 31 - - - 31 Engl ish Sparrow 4 1 - - - 5 Meadowlark (group) 8 31 27 - - - 66 Yellow-headed Blackbird 11 1 - 27 - - - 39 Red-winged Blackbird (group, including Tricolor) 19 15 3 37 - - - 74 Arizona Hooded Oriole 36 - - - 36 Baltimore Oriole 9 9 Bullock's Oriole 163 - .,.. - 163 Brewer's Blackbird 214 11 13 - - - 238 Bronzed Grackle 5 - - - 5 Cowbird (group) 14 - - - 14 Western Tanager 97 4 - - - 101 Hepatic Tanager 3 - .,.. - 3 Arizona Cardinal - 10 - - - 10 Black-headed Grosbeak .,.. 410 !' 379 5 26 - - - Lazul i :Bunting 19 - - - 19 Evening Grosbeak (group) 1 49 1 51

White-erowned Sparrow (group) 2584 259 205 3204 2163 31 3 2197 5 5 Fox Sparrow (group) 173 7 Linc01n Sparrow (gr oup) 83 3 28

Chestnut-collared Longspur

Eastern Snow~unting 19216 5687 5256 3974 1570 800 429 123 106 12 137174

~ home·is on the university of Califcxrnia Poultry Farm. Mr·. Sumner traps wild birds on the farm and puts bands on their legs.

One evening when I was in the room where the poultry feed is kept. a bird flew in the window; it did not seom at all afraid. WhenI put some grain on the window-sill he did not fIT 81183. but let me pick him up. He had a band on his. leg and I think he must have been in Mr. Sumner's hends many times, and that Was the reason he was not afraid. .I took him down to the house and showed him to !IV brothEr and then let him go. The bird was a Golden-erowned Sparrow.

Berkeley, California, March 1, 1934. The number of birds banded in the fall of 1933 at my stations was about the same as in 1932, but there were considerable differences with some of the traps as shown by the following list (compare with table on page 10 of Jan.1933 issue) :

G Ga N Nc Nd Ne Nf Ng Ngg P Harris's - banded 22 45 16 2 37 58 22 48 repeats 2a~ 82 192 ~~ 9 9 198 195 36 240 White-throated 2 9 13 3 3 2 7 4 6 6 11 11 2 7 3 17 4 0 17 Gambel's 35 19 1 3 6 0 5 3 3 5 59 30 13 7 10 2 7 5 1 90

The traps were as before except that N was moved a few feet into the bushes. Ngg is the W.B.B.A. 2-oel1 and was OPerated a few feet from N during nearly the whole period covered by these figures. Ga is a l-oell Potter trap 12Xl8 in., beside G. White-throated sparrows were less numerous than in 1932 and were especially lacking during the main portion of the migration. The pop- ularity of the G station, especially with the Gambel's, will be noted. This station had not done so well the last two or three years as formerly. New bushes have grown up on the south so that it is fully enclosed. The birds fed freely upon the Viburn'UlIlopulue berries as shown by their continually stained bills. However, the bushes also had a heavy crop of berries in 1932 and the weather was likewise very dry. xt seems difflcul t to account for the difference between the two years. The G trap was a dilapidated affair which had given poor results in some seasons. Trap Ne gave good results in 1932 though it had been poor soma years. In 1933 it was less than 10 feet from its 1932 location but the entrance commandeda view of open ground. The large n'UlIlberof Gambalre- peats at P are due chiefly to one bird which registered 85 visits there from sept. 23 to Oct. 15, being present at nearly every round (18 repeats at other traps}. The table indicates that the I-cell Potter trap was as effectbre as the 2-ce11. Possibly the two compartments are a distraction as often as an attrac- tion, varying no doubt with different species. My experience suggests that no other single factor is of greater importance than the temperament of the individual birds.

It JDaT be reported al s.o that Harris Is sparrows have continued to yield resul ts very similar to those }reviously published (Wilson Bulletin, Sept. 1929) and practically no new material has developed. I have now banded 3015 of them, more than twice as ma..nyas of aIJYother species. The past fall they furnished about 30 per cent of the total number banded and 75 per cent of all repeats. December: The eighty-third regular meeting of the Los .Angeles Chapter of the W.B.B.A. was held on Sundq, December10, 1933 at the home of Mr. Walter J. Allen in Altadena with President Allen, Secretary Miss Vignos and twenty members and ~sts present. The minutes of the Novembermeeting were read and approved.

A motion, made by Mr. Edwards and seconded b7 Mr. Robertson, that the Chapter should protest against the closing of the Los Angeles Museumfor several months and that the secretary be instructed to write of such action to the Board of SUpervisors was carried.

Mr. Michener read an article he had written for publication in the var- io-ns local newspapers giving information about the banding of birds and to whom such bands should be reported and sent when found. Mr. Allen took the article for insertion in the Pasadena and Altadena papers.

Mr. W. Lee Chambers told of numerous Cedar Waxwingsbeing attracted by cotoneaster berries. While in Arizona he watched Cooper Hawksattempt to catch Gambel Quail of which there were a great abundance. He did not see any of the hawks catch a quail.

Mrs. Lawhad banded three Fox Sparrows during last week, all of them different. She took two returns, an AU.dubonWarblerbanded in May1932 and a California Towheebanded in 1930. The worn band on the latter was replaced by a new one. Titmice, Mockingbirds and Thrushes were eating persimmons on her food tray, although the Thrushes prefer raisins. Eight Valley ~1l were on her food tray- at one t1me.

Mrs. Michener reported banding her first Spotted Chinese 'Dove and the return of a Dusq Warbler banded five years ago.

Mrs. Edwards stated that her bare-headed California Towheeis still with her and that both Red-naped and Red-breasted Sapsuckers are there. She asked about traps for catching Sapsuckers.

Mr. Partin reported visiting the Pl~del Rey.marshes in search of White-tailed Kites that had been reported there. No Kites were seen, but he saw six Short-eared Owls which had been flushed by hunters.

Mr. Robertson reported the arrival of Cedar Waxwingsten dqs ago and that he had seen only three Gulls during November, probably because there had been no rains.

Mr. Allen stated that he had recently trapped his first Robin although they are commonabout his station every winter. This one entered a trap on his feeding trq. ~ Chickadees are present but they do not enter the traps.

January: The eighty-fourth regular meeting of the Los Angeles Chapter of the W.B.B.A. was held on Sunday, January 14, 1934 at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Partin, Westwood. President Allen, Secretary Miss Vignos and sixteen other mem- bors and guests were presont. The minutes of the ;Decembermeeting were read and approved with corrections. The report of the Treasurer, showing a balance on hand January 1st of $18.50, was read and accepted.

Upon the reconmendation of the nominating coDll1ittee the incumbent offi- cers were elected for the ensuing year. They are President, Waltor I. Allen, Vice-president, James A. Calder, and Secrotary and Treasurer, Blauche Vignos.

Mr. Allen stated that the article giVing instructions for the reporting of banded birds had been published almost verbatim b1 the Pasadena Star-News and that the LamandaPark Herald had published most of it. Other papers were suggested in which the article should be published. It was stated that either Mr. George Willett or Mr. George G_ OantwBll, both at the Los Angeles Museum, would receive reports of banded birds and that any articles on the subject for publicat ion in the Los Angeles papers should so state.

Mr. Michener gave a sunmary of the trapping records of the Mockingbirds banded at their station during the more than nine years since banding was started there. By means of a tabulation he shoood the number banded each year, and, for the group banded each year, the number of individuals recaptured and the total number of recaptures during the year of banding and the succeeding calendar years. The largest number for any year, 177, was banded during 1933.

Mrs. Law, banding a few hours on each of 26 ~s at her home and on seven lunch periods of one half hour each at the Huntington Gardens, had banded 250 birds during 1933. Twenty-three species were represented.

Dr. Loye Miller told of seeing Black Brant at Point Mugu.on two occa- sions recentl~, nine the first time and almost thirty the second. They feed almost exclusively on ee1-grass,which is found in that locality. Royal Terns, usually Been in this region only in the spring, were present. Recently, on the Tejon Ranch in and adjacent to the west end of the Antelope Valley, he saw four does, all that now remain of tho vast herds of antelope that once grazed in that region. He said that he saw more Oalifornia Woodpeckerson the north side of the Valley than he had ever seen there before and that he was pleased to find so many Golden Eagles.

!Uss Bowentold of the California Thrashers domineering all the other birds, even the Oalifornia Ja:ys, around a feeding tra:y she had under observa- tion. This supremacy seemed to be established and recognized by the other birds, for she did not observe the Thrasher chasing .~ of them.

During last year Mr. Partin banded 459 birds of 13 species, two of which, the Bullock and Arizona Hooded Orioles, were new for his station.

Miss Vignos reported that the two White-tailed Kites, which had been seen at the Pla,ya Del Rey marshes, had been shot. They were found dead by Mr. Q;uattlebaumwhile making the Ohristmas census.

Mr• Allen stated that very few birds are coming into his traps. A.udubonWarblers are numerous about his stat ion and he has been seeing two Varied Thrushes for several weeks. March: The 86th regular meeting of th& tos .Angeles Chapter of the W.B.B.A.was held Sundq. March 11, 1934, at the hom of Mr. and Mrs. Harlan Edwards in Clare- mont. with about 25 members and friends present. In the illness of President Allen, Mr. Michener presided, and in the absonce of the Secretary. Mrs. Partin was asked to kee'p thel'ecords. The minutes of the February meeting were read and approved. Various membersreported replies to their letters to Congressmen concern- ing the proposed reduct ion in the budget of the Biological Survey.

As to banding operations, Mr. Edwards reported that they are having plenty of Gambe1SParrows and Brewer Blackbirds,. Robius have been coming into their yard since the grass has begun growing. Linnets and Mockingbirds, the latter starting to nest, are fairly numerous. One GaxnbelSparrow caught this month was first banded five years ago;' another is at least six years old. Thlsone had returned for two years, then not during the last three. One of our guests, Mr. Rodenbeck, told of banding operations in NewYork State fifteen or twenty years ago. He expressed surprise, at the difference be- tween eastern and western birds and asked the nane of a good western handbook.

Miss Eager told of seeing Robins roosting by the hundreds in tall eucalyptus trees, and singing there. They also sing in her yard in Pomona. as do the Bluebirds.

Mr. Robertson reported that nesting Barn Owlshave eggs but the Screech Owls have none as yet.,

Mr. Partin spoke of his w:tab to visitotber banding stations in order to weigh birds which he himself does not get in sufficient numbers for any signifi- cant studies. He has a pair of Western Bluebirds nesting in a bird house. The female does all of the building, the male seeming interested, but succeeding only in getting in her way. The male is active, however, in protecting the nesting s1te. Straw, strings t and feathers are being used. The nest-~uilding started March 3, and today is half completed. He has kept a record of the time of their entering the house to stay, at night, and finds that it has varied, from 6:10 to 6:17, being 6:15 most of the time. Mrs. Partin reported seeing Burrowing Owls in the Westwooddistrict for the past two weeks.

Dr. Fortner. whohas banded in the, east, particularly Vermont, tol d of feeding salted peanuts to Bluebirds and of the parents teaching the young to eat the nuts from a box. Mr. Pierce reported seeing a Chinese Spotted Dove in Claremont two weeks ago. He believes this is' the first recorded appearance of One of these birds this far east from Los Angeles where they first became established. Theyseom to be spreading rapidly. Apropos at the salted peanuts for Bl'UBbirds, Miss Ordwayreported that in NewEngland she put peanut butter on tree trunks. where it was eagerly eaten by Creepers, DownyWoodpeckers, Nuthatches. etc.

The meeting was then turned over to Mr. Wright Pierce, who read a paper on IlEXperiences with a Prairie Falcon," .and fol1(1i'1ingthis, showed a motion picture entitled "A Life History study of the Prairie Falcon.'" ,Mr. Pier.ce has spent a great deal of time observing. studying, and photographing this bird, which he fears w111 soon become extinct. The paper gave an extremely interesting account of a young male Prairie Falcon which was brou~t back to the writer's home for observa- tion. It became very tame and was an invaluable means of studying the species. It is now in the hands of a NewJersey man whohopes to be able to teach the bird to hunt. Classes of W .:B .13 .A. and. COQper Membership erni thol O~icg 01UP

Associate $ 1.00 $ 3·50 Active ;..•:. "," .' ' . 1-00 3·50 Sustaming •. ' " '.' .•; . 7 ·,50 1'0.00 Li!c (total, not yearly) ': . 59.·00 125·00

Members outside QftheUnited Stat~s ,add twenty-iivecei+ts, to the f~rst three items of the last column (to l>ayadditional postage on TEE COlmaR). If C.O.C. dues have been paid direct, remit difference to W.:B.:B.A.

'-.' !J!l:e adwmt88esof tllEJGovernment rSparttowTrap' are.JJIPlW.:, It is always set, andwbeh b'irdscomo in:flooks will trap them to the l~i ~ of11;f1 capaoity.

Our trap. is strongly made of. hardware .clath , with a b.o~tOll1.of tAe same material to the inner chamber, so that Mt'd<8are perfo~tl~r safe from the attacks of hawks, cats &ld othor predatory animals.

; .' .' ~ '~ The,d:imonsionsare 10" X 141l:k2G":thGlow height makos it diff1:cult for birds to in.1u.rothernsol ves by flying up 1romthabottOin of tho trap and striking t~oir hoads against tho top. . , 1:0.' tho :unitod Statos, W03t of tho Mississippi Rivor;.. .$4.50 East of the River and in Canada - $5.00 postpaid.

11 .:6 •.:a.A. Two-compartment Trap

Thh, trap ,..me~sur.ing;7iIfX· 8" x. lQ"iS'o,1iidedinto tYrocornp~rtments, ~ach ~)roV,idedif.itJi a Aro~)dooI' a.n,dautomat,16 treadle. 'Adjustable feet areattacheClso t:1at the, ,.~ra,.p..Will' res'~ .fir.JD1y'on ~. ~pp:r¢x~telY plane surface. The trap 1s very strqng,'l)eing welded 'throUghout, and.l,s pa1ri.ted With a good'green enamel. . . "., ...... '. ' . . . ,In theqri1te,d' ~tates, west of ·t~ }u's'siss~pf River -$1.50 postpaid ]!last of the River ,and. in q~da - $1. 75 post~id With vri1,"ebottorri, as 't,ral?and ~tllBr~ng cage, add - $.25

, Vi"j3.:O..A..War'blerTrap---Top Opening Like our two-compartment tra:!j, this is made 'of vertical wires, l,.s strong, being welded throughout, and is painted green.

In the unit'ed States, west .0ftheMiSSissippi River - $3.00 East of. the :.River ;;md in Canac\a-$3 .25 post~e paid

Hoffman's Birds of the Pacific States - $5.00 Plus Postage 'BY far themostuaef'tU 'of the 'West .OoastMa.rroals

Emergency Band Supply In cases 'when·time does not permit of application to WaShington, the W.B.3..A.. issues'ba.ndsin"rea.SIJnabl'e riumbers"'intlieWesternTerri tory. Address all communications to - Western Bird]anding Association, Museumof Vertebrate Zoology, Berkeley, California. Issued Quarterly by the Western Blrd:-Banding Association at the Mus~ of Vertebrate Zoology Berkeley, California

Miscellaneous Information Regarding Membershill. Emeri8ncy :BandSupply, Traps, and Publications will be found on the Back Cover The scientific results of bird-banding, and the interest of all ornithologists in this work, would be greatly enhanced vvere there more coopera- tion both between banders, and between banders and other people whowork with birds.

The repository and clearing house of information on the distribution of the birds of California lies in the gr.,'at files which have been kept up to date for so manyyears by Dr. Joseph Grinnell,' Director of the Museumof Vertebrate Zoology at :Berkeley. A trustworth; record 'wbichfinds its way there is certain to be employed to the limit of its value in the bompletion of the picture of the avifauna of California.

Records worth sending in are of breeding birds or birds of passage in an area where previous writers, whose observations build up the "ranges" given in the manuals, have not recognized them; of the absence or unusual abundance of birds in areas where they are, or were, reputed to belong; of unusually early or late dates of arrival or departure of migrants; or, especially in the less known parts of the state, of the general dates and manner of such movementsfor one season or year, or sequence of years. Nesting records of rare birds or of birds in little knownparts of the state are of great value.

In the case of all correspondents, but especially those not already well known to other ornithologists , it is v8ryreassuring to receive substantial de- tails concerning the identification and concerning the source and character of all information. Very often valuable material must be discarded owing to doubt- ful or unlmownsources.

For the rest of the territory of the Western :Bird :BandingAssociation, while the information already on hand is less voluminous and less completely codified, it is perhaps still mare needed, and can probably be better dealt with at the Museumof Vertebrate Zoology than elsewhere. Dr. Linsdale has worked for years on the birds of Nevada, Mr. H. S. Swarth and Mr. T. T. McCabe on the birds of different parts of :British Columbia.

The territory of the Western :Bird :BandingAssociation comprises the fol- lowing states and Provinces: Montana, Wyoming,Colorado, NewMexico, Idaho, utah, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, California, :British Columbia, Yukon, and Alaska.

Junongthose whowould be glad to have definite records bearing on the particular problems in which they are interested, are the following:

Dr. William E. Ritter, Museumof Vertebrate Zoology, has been studying the habits of California Woodpeckersfor someyears; he states that they prac- tice cooperative nesting; that at least two females will use the same nest in commonwith two or three males, and that there is no evidence that a single male and female ever p;l.ir off. Dr. Ritter has found that each group, consist- ing of from two to six or seven birds, nests and lives throughout the year in an area surrounding trees (or even telegraph poles) where acorns are stQred, and that this area is defended at all times from the invasion of other groups of California Woodpeclmrs, or from single birds of the specie s. Dr. Ritter would be glad to have records of other observers regarding the habits of these birds; he is especially interested to knowto what extent certain individuals attempt to invade theterrltory of other groupe, and how far these 1n~lv~d~siw~er,away from their own groups. These are~g the ~nteresting problemscpncerning the life history of California Woodpeckers, and they can best be solved by the help of bird-l>81i.dBrs'. It",is to be ,hoped ~.~some, of our re~d.,;r8 ,!111 ~ the life hist017, of these ',weodpeckBrs!their .,.cia,l •.study.",.tl thel ••l~i~rneve~ feed upon the 'C1"aund,the7 oan only be. c,,~t j,n· tibeir nests ,or by ,special tree traps.

. l Mr. and Mrs. Harold Michener, 418 North HudsCllAvenue, Pasadena, have been worldDg onl if e hi-tDI'Yl and. t.rr1 tori.N:1~'" in Mock;tngbirda. ,_d 4ave done an enorr:aoU88IIIO'\iInt of W«t"kin th1. t~,14. JoP I. ~,).d, So4l1Ma~C$liform.la, on the ot:tler hp4,t8" .1nYHtiptlBg.:,'h&,·g&UJ1el di.t;r:,1l.l~ti,~ ~f .MG~)Q.n,gb4.rdsin. Ca11fornia,"esptci6117 u "gari.e,c~"wi~n historle tlmes. ,ancll,~ ,nxiOU8 to 0l>ta~.;4ef1nlte br'eding,r'Oqr~i" tt is qv.1*~Uq17 t••t tbere~ -.re· bi.rd- b8Jld8~S1n ourterrit0J'l' whObu'e diaeowred fae,i.' abo'l,ltMocJd;~iri..~hat wq:uld be of immediate inte".tto tbeMiol1en'ers in thei~ stud¥ and; to Mr. 4rnOld in his.

Mr. -JPbn: G. Tyler. :Bo~173. "._. C~J.fornb ..; .~a. lip, to ~8l" ot records ig1v4a&ther8J1g8, of. ci'o•• 8I1d..BaveJ1adw:illg tbelr lxref)diz;lgseason ·and at other times •. Ke would. e,POc:laU,y ~",eclat., nesting l'eco:r4e: the tlJDe,Qf nest- ing; it' .1a.,~~ja1as •.t ,l'b•.tel8vatl~l1p. 1t'laat, ~"e.· ne,ts 8&'8built, or ~t in other l~at1onlB" a.desc~,.,ptlO1J.·qt"the'ne.t1.g IJit ••

• _ " , I, ' __" • :,... f>. . ,. - • .~ . M1~~¥a;7~. ,:il'j.~1q«).1 ¥~.~ Qt V.,~ebJ'ate.ZoQlog·,hu'b".,n Bt:ud¥!ng the Wren-rtit popul&t1~ of aniap)"ate4:epp'1l ~'an ettol'~ ,to~e~thedeta11s of the l1fe.~1.tqr7 of,~h1s 8~c1e.; the "t~~~er, ot ..llJUvld.\1al' PJ:'es~nt, and the turn-over of ll1dlvid~e ll1 ~c'18iYe yeu,. :'JI-nfOrDl&t1onconcerning the size of the area occupied by a palr,the number of individuals in a given area or tskelJ"at •. 1B1n~ "'''':I..nt~4,:,t •• lengthot time u: indiv1d:ua3:has been taken at. the '••• "laUM, ..weu14:0e of. y~. iu.thl.·populatlon stud1el" 'AnY observaUo~B on "en •.•H~8 't;he.t a beYond.th~.Ih'l"al'bformat1on ,.found 111bird books would 'be ot' val~ ~ :r~~UJ1S Gut ~~.:11te,~h~.tQr7~" Th.tollo.1~ topics might beliPig8sted: earq ~4 late dat,,:'or,J18'~' and "he Qf eet" :records of second brood.; enemie. of adul~. ~ l'O~I;'t'ood itemland,~er of handllng food; dust and water'b4~~gl l1r~ni,q.ab1ts; eye colorot}:!erthan white; do Wren-tits ,de.troy the ~st. Qfoth.r,blrd,?,

Dr. ,~.ean M. 14~8cUU..~'~.v~,~., ~ou).dappl"eclate receiving first •..hand , obsenatiqns of Yell~wnP'1~1.d,an4 :Blac}r.•bil!e4 ..MuP~'~'either regarding places of occurr~ce, or ·coao.~1ng aw ot~J',plM8-e;iot~heir life histQry or behavior. " . .; ,r,. . ~lss:Barbara. D. ::B~em.r4-,.l4.V.z.!'I 1sst.u~ing t~8 beAavlor of,ihite ... crowned -.no. Gold.e~,:"crown.4,~~tO'~, and,.1foul4 be gl,ad tQhave illfQrmaUon re- gard41g any phase.of behavior .''Of, tA.tts8blr4-s: ,ciat~s"o.f.,arrhalan~ depart~efroxn thelrnortherI+ lreed1uI ~.()~da.and S9Uther:awintering,pooynde; record, of "imma- ture" pl'UIDagelnbiris.kDown t.obe one year oldqf,ol,der (th8l'e area .few such); records of nests, and of females With a 'b:'qQd patab. .

The longevity of bird'Sis of g:reatlnt~reat to o~ithologist8, and their length of llfe ln the wild state can be ascertained only by bird-banding and by the cooperation of,ban(\era..lil. L. q,mmer, l652 Euc,:U.4;Avenue,·:Berke1eY, california, recently recorded the existence of a l?lren-tit knOlm to be at least ten years old, and stated that he had'been ~able to find a single recorded in- stance of another pasBsrineblrd in the wild stateliv1ng to that age. Since then he has learned that M. J. lfagee, in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., has recorded a ~leftnch whieh is at'least as old.. It tlposslble tbat bandersbave records of 'otherbir4'i1ihiehhave lived a810ng or lone-r'. ' '

I. L.8I.Iftmer,IT .• , )I.V.Z., i.'lituarUgtD"U,tel:a.ietor7 of quail, and woUldlib infCrilaitiOll ftGn those Who ha" hOorb '()ft tlw __ ratio of quail', ac- cording to the' haSD:riat therea.r;I&aeCmAlIlOUlt8,aAd ,the •••1~t •. of 'both sexes throughout the year: also the length of life of quail, the extent of indiv1d'UBl wandering and the range of coveys. :',' "," :\ 1\.,H.b.hle',Il·.T.t., 1sr.nI8«K[ in·'ei. .tia,rlOf:.raed LArks; tAer~t'hasbeen litt1e''bUdln«~M: tIle.e birdl. ·I\14h''''.astt1aal UbAMtaJiw'would: •••.• 17 come to, bandir€' e:WtOiie uJiie'" tit••• Mk-e',0)10'84 lntlev' tIP.· of' bbitl;t • In lite , hia-toiT 8ttldi•• ',0(-'ate 'il'd.', the, ••• ~ltfa.i i\eaa ftUU. app17 ••. aoted for'1t'ren- tits and other ll'lI"4a'pHvs.bGlyiRiltioMd;: an. :f\trtll. coatl'ibu.tlon'~that:,banding of':B:Or~dtadt'.\'tfHl4 pdselltlr ~, WO'ddbe to"'" in; tD utlrmiationend the extent OfpMt-D •• ditl! s••• on -.nder1ng"ot thellon.omici'ato17tace.. If large numbersof birds were bandednear the center of differentiation, it might be possi- ble by acti va collecting to determine the extent of the outward spread. !l!his wouldb•• ~eia111t1'lterest~near aree.-6t int.rt;radatln. 1n0000ed8&oftho cruising 1"84111sof tJ1tiv14u1s .mt. &l8~be'falUbl.. 'If birds bUM! On their bre&d1ngareaawel"e coll,otld on thlir:Uiittl'iag pOUcl.,""in addition to determin- ing the 't1nt.rm~ r-r;ioa., ·it"W'OW.·dbe aimed. Ot'Ohe,*"JIg'Vpon'_H •••10ns gained from a study of representative· 8li:1Jls,trdll the ccnmtf1':O't'tt:.' !ro illu.8trate,; let us suppose that winter taken BornedLarks from Death Valle;yseem, whencomparedwith speCimen.•' tn·.eta colleettt.n8, t~' t••em'61.utae ff>OIf"~rthern',eolora40more clo.el;y'than therre.ed1b1.aq o~r epMtmlnl,:euminOd.,liIi.ter OJl, if·' ertensive bandlnghad bee.' ulG ••tabnFl"*li"_ ft'elh-pl,...gtt4 baMidbird. ''WOuld'bear out or disprove;euch notloY" fonhed f'Nma,.tu.a, 'o-f'uabaJ\<dc ek1nB. " Mr. Bd1.'hu al.o 'b.eil,iJ1t.r••.'ea.,for'"••.•.•tal7MtS ln' the bird rooker- ies otnGreatlaltLab.,adtlaalbe'. """.s •• d'tith·'1'JIe PO'8l~tltt.t_s presented for bandD.gfthe yO\Ul&,.•:r 'bttda".PMaint thero. .otheuth"att..,t8 to Cat1'Yon OX- tensh .• badt"" opere-tical 1a&•• ,"be&ft'maai,'\0 aat."if8* 'birb have been'banded. Stormsandl0 •••. t.r DViltethe lala.ndtFdiffiCUlt,ito reaclh-!t is not ~ownwhether any of the birds "~h.twS.Dt'e!'there, use: tilese {ilaM.. "s Msti_'S! tel.' Some'doubt eXists as to theident it;yotthe race 6f'Do11,ble-e:rested,OOrmorantsthat nest there. If banding 'Woulddetermine their winteriilg ari&-,'thitt ioUl'd Sheds. light on sub- specific determination. If the Winter~ groun.ds~roved to be along the, Pacific Coast, evenw1tl1011tearrparatiw m.iltdridlent~ and' coloi' :.tu.cUes, one wouldbe in- cl1ned to 'call' theml.' t." a1ltOC!etoW..~i'Xfon,tht"obe:(:bana~t~;y wer,found to spend their wtnter. along the <:1' !,-'M18ittlslppiRi,Wtr,'or \the Qulf' of 'Mexico,one would be teupted to consider them as beloDging to the eastern race,P. a. auritus. Despitltl1eWidely>80atte-red White Pelicaa breecilllg'0016111e8in we.tern~North Amer1:ca,<·an4CMsda,th8iretaot miq,*,tion routil"iii'tHiloHor 'los. ,obscur. ~ About the onl, ban41n1;'of tD!,p(Jl''anOe 'pertaiJifiit to' t'hese blrcl8·liati 'bf)endom on Molly . Island in Yellow8tCll.'~. '~etu.rft8 ha~ alyet bitmmlUftic!.ent for one to draw manyconClusions.',l 8fhisO.i'bat1d1~ ()f thouBa!!dsOf'70t111gWhite Pelicans on Great Salt Lake would shed light on this :probl.e. ",

Amongothers WhowOuIdbe'glad'to receiVe helptrombanders ar~ the fol- lowing: Dr. Gfqle :B.Pi6kwel1.'State Teachersl001le$e. san Jose , Calif., whois stud;ying life histories and beba;v1orof BornedLarks; Dr • .AldenH. Miller,M. V.Z., whohas workedfor sane ;Ye8rson the distribu.tion of races 'and species of Juncos; James O.Stevenson,M.V.Z., whois interested in the distribution of crested Jays; ~ry Harris, 5234 HermosaAve., lacle Rook, CaU.f-, information ,of all kinds re- garding Condors, historical included.

Recordssentt1)the l'es:t.•rnilU'd'J!anQlJJg "'8001a;101) l;se~f wUl be routed to such students a'IJ'wUl be.ab:1, :to make"'~ bht, \1S. of~_

i~;' t "':__~J' ; , ,* * '!*: • ,* *,*:

• ~'.. • ( • • f We.hea·;otten,~,:t.b.6 ,~t't811tiOll,Of ~'m4llnbel' •. to "i1rd-btw.+dinc"., ,tp.e . commonorgan..of·tae nartheaat\n~. n.•·aad ~d •• 001at10n8." Nowmo,re.than ever it needs support and is worth SIlpporting. In a very short timo it has mad.o its placeamOll« tbo.tab:1U,"4"o_~ho~ pel'lQd1caJ,.,~.cL#.t8~08.would bo a vel:7 •• vere, blDJr to, the ~8Ilt.,Of neeN'qA' Jon, *ch ~ird-oan4el1,8.,81.".:it)ter- e8ted. I-t ia ai'pi t7 tat, __ ~wbo. 1ntero.t. aotltV'i)I1d the .1'e(J."atb.er queationabie )amu.aeaentoftrappiDc)):uu sAouJ.clbewi.thQlt J,'~. Su.bSQriptloJ;)s shc;>uldbeeent toUr.- Charles ;B*J107d, 95SO\ltA$t -,. Boston, and the sUbscription price is one dollar, and 'fifty.cents ,e;~.

A gr~tde8.1:0fgU11~b8X1d-1ng~s'c~ed'on itlthe ".st, and banders.' work With gbJ.ls, as'well as allot~'r.1ri~~' ~iaJ. 'interest in the problelm, {)t ' m1grat~On',should,read .~he,pape:rs"}r Ricbar'd:'~tfersbn Eaton which run ,thl"Otigb. the last tbreemmtbel's, otB'-rd:-l>snd'~/on "ntrh.:'M~gratoryMovements'ofeertain Colonies of Herring Gulls" 'in _stern'ifOi-th.Amer1ca. '

Herring Gullsha~been banded in the east in fairly' large numbersat many breedirigeolonies trom the 'Great' Ila1ce. to'ih~ lower at. Lawx-enoeana the liewEng- land coast. Uhfcrtu'lfattiy; int!rl.lls1f 'in i~~,ca;se.j, ft1l1 records of returns to date are not aV!d]:able'b8eau.,/~4Mo'pto,ntit' ffbanC~,' it' isiq)os~ib1oboth to carry, on the natlotW.\nrd.'fjanabg'sc1l8thi'8h!i tcf puolilhits reB'Ults-'J!1e banding offiee bat 40ne811 'it can'~"r, 'an.: Mr•••. ton" :(whosea.ttltii.d&'1s that'ttHthe writer StiCeeedsm 'sttaxlatuc others 'toetdo.Pt-the·anal3'Ucal methodeherein" pro- posed, and to extend their work to a.1l the knowncolonies of: Kerri-ng QuI18'in North America, he is quite content to lar ,h1msel:topen to the charge of superficialityll) believes that if he seldomhas enoUghmaterial to clinch a point, yet he often has enough to suggest ,bel'ond reasonable doubt certa:1n striking variations in behavior in regard "to m1gr~tibn ofa~t pop,uatl,aii~of; the samerace, and to build thereupon an ingenioUs his tort&! "and g8Q~hlCa.l hn?otheeis. ' . ", 'i" _ ' '" ,',' ,-'" 'J: 'i·, .. ··, , "Band.1!1f;:returils8h9Wbt the ~.t·:tft'1".coverles on 'the (Jolf ,ooast and' along the south Atlantic states}1ti wiiit,er. 'of',liipdt b~da" neetl1ng.'1n' th. ftrious northea.tern·~oloni8s is'CoDWcihd:'~ilt'~nt1nlrbf J'O'I%Dg-of~the-~ar•. J'1;eld.ob- serva ti on8-"lhthfi~th: aie'ouM~ly few!uui''l~One1i111t'",'bQ.tS:ccordUlg. to' Griscom, witit$r b~i-dJ'~tand,.ir~b. ot the mont-hof the Mi,.sSiSlippiar.: all" or practically all,' 'itDliatnre~.' tt., _tilppp~s'ethat 1r1Ute;re.auJ.ts whichende~tly ,to occur tarthere~8t,e.il~'n6r~ not-iela:;:origt21fiteau"tsid8 the breedb;Lgaree, under cons1~ra.tibl\O.AmOD'g~-e'far"'f',l,1ng·fOUJJgofI the eastern breeding grounc"Ll:! which reach soi1th~rn_ters then is ~"cl~d ~8tion, otcolierenc:e and localiza- tion on the wint8rtng~gro'U.ri4s.'!'heca,1l. ':ofthe tsles of Shoals breeding colony (NewHampshire)lS,e1Jri~ '1ntba\;: 'thex1f'are certalJ).].7 two d1stbct and Widely separated contersdi'distrt'buttonot t1i8 'fitat...yearbirdsin wintor, ono on tho Long Island and !tew' Jersey coasts, and;one on the Ql11fof 1.Ie%1co.Thil lIl8.YJ."epre- sent the division of the Isles of Shoals colony into the descendents of two.ancient pap'01aUOna,originally differing 1nmigratoryMbitainthe maimerabout to be suggested.': -

Mr. ie;tob aeEinsf tb' ,_...,,'111 .1ad:.the 'idea ·"ta'tthe· phBnotl18DOnof 'distant migration by the young.·ilhen i1)o

,~ , :: ~ ~.c;L' .:. " ",":'") ", .st', Mr. aatoa 1rarne'toi:'tbe 'i!!IlIrrt1lt~:IGJp:tal1.~ 'vt tbe' origin of migratildb.' ea'.ow :,tbe o~¥lai;iloU' ·O''':•• W1nt.,'" •••• oe. the mtsraterryoU1J8 With·t~~ene;lon of't_ttacOD8tJi;~e.:' ··nbsllr". ,.. are in the act C1t strotoh1t1g ,'our·, legs aDd"'_6.er~' ~-.oe\ot, 80: familiar =t80 intangible a' theme, we are8nqped,;:be.ok.,. to att4tbtfon by.• "heW8 that tb&liOuthel'DWmtering young do not represent all the northern b~ p'opulat1OnB,'but that what 1s called the "Laurent1an" breeding group, centeriJJg on the lower St. Lawrence, pos- sesses no well-marked migratory habit at aDr' age, but merely wanders in winter with- in or near the breeding regions, and that, furthermore, this area oorresponds, haziq ucnP. tq ,be-we .{s~~ ,~e. .~ .~~. 12:;~~~~te "to.~ r~"9~ of tho re11f,l,~a,b.J.1e_d by: ~of~Jj ..~J.~,.C\: ~ ...•s__pc~te~,,: 1f~tb sub~~~~tion franp~~, C~lOC1~ '~~~*'~APl~"~}••• :~~~.~ __08p,dtbe 'jsc~in, ad- Vance~,,~,.1.tba,r ~4e qt th1~ P9P~~o~J.i,.;~~.'i '''~~finsn of the . Great Lakes and the "A.tlanticll ,o,!-:*",'~_~ ~9&.t),.~C;h8l1ow the 10Df; southorn flight of tho young• . ,.,';,,~V1~; ~.~~o~ #,,~Mf~, m~:Cr~ton:1W.Q~td£l¥8loppd as a a9rt of ann'Q&1.;r;e~.,.t~ t1l,~~~ .•••y~lt'L:pt ~qp,d1,~~~a.~,p .•r~aw1~ t;Pe ~tual over~1., ~t~l: ~bl., ~tNt. r.,"~M"~d8,·W1¢:.: ua.(~.. _ t Herr1Dg ()W.1.~t(r~,9&P$le;,~f,bz:~iDc ~. :;e.P.~, ~r~c~~: •• t:~8ox;ewUt similar, ~~te4 ~e, ,,11l'1•. 1ntttJ'..~;~~~tP4: l:f',:the.~~n~";9f.~ D.~eo~ population on ¥~ ..~~; t.l1.GnQrthe~tor1l-!par~,q:t .~ ..~~.a1:lIFo~t01.tbol'. Ul;LC3o%' an ico- cap·.or .~~ .~~ed. ..' '

" ,"'," ';- I '.....,\ . $ • •• ~'''1'Y'-j"''•• '*• , Amongthe bandable birds ~to~whose po~ulations. at least, summerfar enough south to tall within an srea.of some bandin.gand reasonably dense human sett1emant ~ith it. chance. ofaQqident~ r~turp.s. are the western Zonotrichias, and of their movemen~._ mq lwpe" in, the cour seof. a.J.:'atp.erlong period, to gain concrete knowledge. We,a:l.~ad;r ~ve theJ.:'ecord Of 'theG81J1belSparrow which moved in the spring fran the Oolorado desert to. central :British 'ColUmbia, as told in the Apri;t,1932,n1.1JJl'ber ottba News.N:O\l,qOIlJUanother, released by Mr. Robertson at :Bue~ Parkn8aJ':Loa.Apcelee, ~ February ,1933, .,and"probably found dead" at Arlington, Oregon, about 120 miles east Of Portland on October 20 of the same year. Coast-wintering Gambal Sparrows from southern California, to judge from Be~keley recQrd., must foalo.wtheco~st Jlorthfor a considerable dis- tance before swinging eaat.aor08s t~SierraNevada o~tbe Cascades into the in- terior north and south avenue to which they are restricted in :British Columbia.

As usual, for one reason or another, a certain number of belated reports came in after the summaryfor 1933 was issued in the April News. Usually these are insignificant in nUIiber, bu.t· this year there is a single item of great im- portance,thatot 1,400. TricOlored Redwing Blaekbirdsbanded for the :Biological Survey by Mr. Johnson A.. Netf in cent l'al ~:l:fornia. Mr.'Nef'falso banded fow Western Kingbirds and Dr. Horning, in Alberta,' adds 7 Marbled Godwits to his list.

Mr. H.' M. Worcester, U. S. Resft'Vat>ionProtector, writes us that while his report was' dated from Merrill. Oregeu,: he banded;h18260 Ihl tePel1cans over theCal1fornia line, at Clear LakB, ModocC.o12llty"Wehavetoapologise for mis- placing 16 Vesper ,8parTOW8, 'bandedb;y Dr. Horning in .Alberta, under California.

Total far 1933 Total for California in 1933 TotalforA1b&rtain 1933 Total for Ol"e&Win 1933'

Wehave an interesting letter from Mr. Victor :Bracher, of the Bracher GameFarm at Pilot Rock, Oregon, in regard to the shipment of Western Meadow- larks from Oregon 1rothe Hawalian Islands. Mr. :Br'achersays,in part: . ~ . .. ' . "The birds were'trorehased by Mr. Aubrey Robinson for liberation on the Island Cif Niihau, a small island off the coast or Kauai. Twenty-four Western Meadowlarks left this station January 14, 1934, sailed from San Francisco on the Matson freighter SS. l4anukai bo~d for Port Allen, KauaL The trip on board shipwa.lii fourteen days and theblrds were fed wheat, grit, dried ant eggs , -and. 'Mocking-bird Food. I Afte~ reaching Port A1le~ thebircis mOVM to N11hau via saJnPanf ish boat, where they ."ere liberated. ------. Meadowlarks, being one of our greatest insectivorous birds, were shipped to tli1l, island in hopes that they will propagate and help rid the pineapple and sugar cane fields of injurious insect pests. II

Wewish Mr. Bracher would teach us howt 0 trap M~adowlarks and to band a reasonable number of them. The birds in' question were banded.

J~e 1934: The 89th regular meeting at thaLosjngeles Chapter of the W.B.B.A. was held on Sunday, J~e 10, 1934 at the home of MiSSMary E. Allen in Sierra Madre. '!welvemembers and guests were called to order 'by President Allen and the minutes of the Maymeeting were readby' the secret817 and approved with cor- rections.

Mr. Michener presented a ccmpilation, of the date. on "hich theimmatures of several BJl!Ileiesflrstappeared in the traps on each often years since band- ing was started at his station. He also compared these dates withthee'arliest dates for eggst:Jr young given by Willett (A Revised List' of Birds of Southern California). The only record that is appreciably earlier than the corresponding record given by Willett 18 that of 811 ~tUl"e San Diego Towhee, just -out of tho nest, trapped on April 5, 1934 while Willett's earliest record is If Twofresh eggs - - - near El Monte, - - - April 11, 1897. II

Mr. Michener also read an article, in~,b.e '.Ap~1l1934 number of Bird- Banding, by Margaret M. Nice on IIOpportunj,ti.,s in Bird BancUng"which suggested many problems for study by the banding method. The extent of the suggestions gave an almost overwhelming realization of neglected opportunities to those who have banded a large number of' birds. In the discussion that followed the thought of co-operative WOrkW8.8dwelt upon and the co-operative study of the current literature on bird banding and on more general ornithological subjects Beemedto be the best wq for this group to combine forces. Several members expressed a willingness to prepare reports on articles written in foreign languages.

Mrs. Partin repor,tad a.Burrowin& Owl~seen,pe;rching on a hi~ wire, and many coveys of quail on the ~versity grounds at Westwood. Mr. Partin reported a second brood oflesternB+teb:lrd. 1n·p.1li1 ~st. box, presumably the same pair that raised the first brood,. Three, out of. five egge hatched. The eggs 10st about 12%in weight d'Ul'lng incubation. Mrs. Edwards asked if our local Mourning Doves migrate saying that she sees them at her station only in the ~nmner. She reported Phainopeplas, Bullock and Arizona Hooded Orioles and House Finches eating apricots from her trees. A :Black-headed Grosbeak;fourlti' stunned' by the postman four blocks fTomher station had been banded by her four years ago. A.},fo'ckingb:ironest has been builtin the vines on the side of the house every year for several rears and each time the" young have disappeared while still quite small. This year one of the young was found dead on the ground benee)h the neet. A Jay ora snake seemed tho most likely culprit.

David Michener reported seeing qlJ8,Ueggs hatching in a nest on the IICal. Tech." campus. The next da¥ hecpuld see only the mother and two of the young. At that time a Calif arnia Jay seemed much interested 1:nthe location until the female quail drove it away.

Charles Michener summarized their Mockingbird observations since February when he last reported on them.

Miss Janet Allen reported that Tanagers are not feeding in their loquot trees as in former years. She also told of two House Finch nests close together, each containing four eggs • Atterthe eggs of No. 1 nest had hatched the female was killed by a dog, the male returned to the nest, seemed disturbed, and di d not feed the young. The four young were transferred to No. 2 nest which still contained four eggs. The No. 2 female appeared surprised butimmed..lately began to feed the young. Both of the No.2 parents fed the young. The No.1 male stayed around but was not seen to feed the y'oung. Three days later the No. 2 eggs hatched. The eight young were too many for the nest and four"'·of them, thought to be the four frqn the NO.2 eggs.,' disappeared.

Mr. Allen reported a pair of Ash-throated Flycatchers nesting in a nest box and a brood of young Flickers raised in an elder tree. He had recently seen a Roadrunner on his lawn. CJ.asses of W.B.B.A. and Cooper Membership Ornitho-logical Club Associate $ 1.00 ...... $ 3 •50 Active...... 1.00...... 3.50 Sustaining •...... 7.50· ...... 10.00 Life (total, not yearly) •...... • 50.00 • ...... 125.00 Membersoutside. of the United States aM t"enty-five cents to the first three items of the last col'lmln (to pay additi.onal ppstage on TB CONDOR).If C.O.C. dues have been paid direct, remit difference t() '.B.13 ..1.

NewW.:8.:BeA. Govermpent Sparrow Trap The advantages of the Government Sparrow Trap are many. It is 'always set, and when birds come in flocks will trap them to the limit of its capacity • .OUr trap is strongly made of hardWare cloth, with a bottom of tho same material to the inner chamber, so that birds are perfectly safe from the attacks of hawks, cats and other predatory animals.

The dimensions are 10" x 1411X 2gll: the low height makes it d1fficul t for birds to injure themselves by flying up from the bottom of the trap and striking their heads against the top. In the United states, west of the Mississippi River - $4.50 East of the River and in Canada - $5.00 postpaid.

leB.B eA. Two-cO!DPartment·Trap

This trap, measuring 'Ti" x 'gft X 10" is divided into two compartments, each pro- vided wi th a drpp door and automatic treadle. Adjustable teet are attached so that the trap will rest firmly on an1' a;pprox1ma.telyplane surface. The trap is very strong, being welded throughout, and is painted with a good' green enamel.

In the United States, west of tla.e Mississippi River -'$1.50 postpaid East of the River and in canada - $1.75 postpaid With wire bottom, as trap and gathering cage, add - $ .25

Like our two-compartment trap, this is made of vertical wires, is strong, beine; welded thre>ughout , and is painted green. In the United States, west of the Mississippi River - $3.00 East of the River and in Canada - $3.25 postage paid Hoffmann1s Birds of the Pacific States - $5.00 postago paid :By far the most usoful of tho Woat Coast Manuals

liblergency :BandSupplY In cases when time does not permit of application to Washington, the W.B.B.A. issues bands in reasonable numbers in the Western Territory.

Address all communications to - Western Bird Banding Association, Museumof Vertebrate Zoology, Berkeley, California. , , ,New13from 'the ~-Banders

,Issued~rterly by the Western':Bird-:Ba.nd1ngAssociation at the ' Museum of Vertebrate Zoology Berkeley I California

Miscellaneous Information Regarding Membership I Emergency Band Supply I Traps, and Publications will be found on the Back Covor It has been our policy for some time to include in the Newsas an edi tor- ial somenotice of important contemporary work in the field of bird behavior, where the problems yield most readily to the techn'iqueof banding, such as may be of help to banders who lack the time, opportunity, or taste, to keep abreast of general ornithological literature. This time we can thi:nk of nothing more interesting than Arthur A. Allen IS paper in the Auk of .April, 1934, on Sex Rhytbmin the Ruffed Grouse. For people who love to watch birds it would be hard to find an exercise more apt to sharpen eyes and develop the type of intuitive imagination on which the comprehension of animal behavior must depend than the effort to distinguish differ- ences of behavior or relationShip, outside the breeding cycle, between the sexes· To such an achievement the paper under review is a challenge.

The whole argument wraps··itself about two readings of the mind of the bird, based primarily on the behavior of captive ruffed grouse; the rather novel concept that birds in general do not distinguish between the sexes, and the more familiar one of an avian society dominated, balanced, and selected by a curiously magnified system of bullying, which not only gains for the bully the privileges and biological importance which might be expected but may reduce the victim to something which in its extramcst form approaches suicide, and at loast rosults in temporary or permanent sexual elimination.

The loading facts determinod experimentally or by intens! ve observation of captive grouse and sometimes checked in a spectacular manner by observations of wild bird behavior in other species, are these. "Intimidation display" leading sometimes to attack and more rarely to attempts at coition, may begin in early chickhood. It is based on a refined perception of relative strength, and called forth by the pres- ence of a perceptibly weakor animal, or by an animal off its guard or vulnorable. "In its completeness it is apparently confined to male birds"· but something like the displ~ may occasionally be assumed by aggressive females, even toward a weaker male, or one already subjugated. While, at least during the first year, thore are periods whon it is less common,it is not restricted to tho breeding soason. "It seems to have little to do with actual mating," but "seems to be a reaction to a dominating complex energized by the sight of a weaker indi viduaJ. of any species." Our credulity not for the facts, but for the interpretation, is strained to the limit whenwe are given to understand that the last remark includes not only creatures weaker than the grouse itself, but the relatively weaker sex or individual of a species incomparably stronger, at its weakest, than any grouse,---in fact that in one bird humanwomen and children regularly called forth the demonstration, while men did not I The most striking aspect of this behavior lies in its success, as measured in effect upon the subjugated bird, which ma;rsink into a state of presmnab1y nervous debility, inde- pendent of meChanical injury, and lie in a corner until it dies, or, if removed to a separate cage, takes weeks to recover sufficiently to resist attaCk. In less ex- treme cases llAbird that has developed an inferiorism from having been dominated by another may never come into the mating cycle."

The hypothesis of the non-recognition of sex is supported to some extent by the same material, such as the effort to mate, male with male, or, even more rarely, female with female, in the course of intimidation or attack. Also, however, during the "mating display" which is a totally different performance ,---gentle and beseeching instead of brutal and imperative, the caged males approach other males as well as females. Furthermore, at the proper stages, a male will equally readily respond to a stuffed skin of either sex. Of the latter fact Allen took advantago in ordor to fix the procise stage of the cycle of his breoding birds, and so, by intolligont mating, to produco as high a percentage of fortility in tho eggs as oc- curs in naturo, and far highcr than had beon producod in captivity,--a success which will go far, amongthe practiCal-minded, to carry conviction of the proposed underlying principle. Of more interest to us, however, is tl~ mechanism of GUccessful and selec- t1 ve reproduction which the author cODOeives to be based on GUchbehavior. "Domin- ation and fear are the important principles in the development of secondary sexual characters [1J , and even in controlling the mating cycle." ::Bysuch means two great ends are achieved. First, the proper synchronization of the brief reproductive periods, for Allen believes the male's period of readiness to be as brief as the female's, or nearly so. Second, natural selection of the most vigorous males, and the elimination of the weak. Discussion of the manner in ?hich suchcausea are translated into such effects is ill-developed, scattered, and obscure, but mar per- haps be summarized somewhatas follows.

Subjugation and driving out of rival males not only operates to further sexua~ selection, but also contributes to the existence of what we have learned to call "territory". Intolerance and abuse of females during the early stages goes far to complete tho pre-emption of territory, and prevents the femalos from taking u.p their abode with a male for whomthoy ara too early,--that is, insuros that he admit to companionship a mate-seeking female only when he is physiologically ready to receive her. ~e gentleness of the final mating display serves its purpose by protecting the somewhat smaller and waskor female which is finally accepted.

~e paper is very important; so much so, we believe, that the thoughts on the recognition of sex will always color our understanding of sexual behavior in birds. The point of view is fresh and unencumbered by the catch-words and formulae of the dB¥. Yet there are ~ things that require close scrutiD1', and important among these is the meaning, as applied to animals, of the word recognition.

Before we venture into such deep waters, however, we must offer certain general criticisms. In the first place the fact that a mating male IS condition reac~es such a state of tension that, in confusion and frustration, he tries to mate with anything that offers the crudest suggestion of what he wants does not mean that his desires are oi the l' formloss or indiscriminate. Nor does the piling up of instances of abnormal behavior under abnormal conditions furnish criteria for normal behavior. Sexual confusion and inversion of just the sort described is extremely coxmnonthroughout the higher vertebrates, including those which undoubtedly show awareness of sex the year round, and is never so commonas among animals in captiv- i ty. Allen is evidently a remarkable avicul turist, and has deep faith in data drawn from his cage birds. Nothing, howover, can affect the fact that conditions with six or ten or eighteen grouse in a pen cannot be the conditions of nature; that the sub- jection of a single weaker bird not to one rival, from which he can run, but to a protracted series of muJ.tiple bullyings from which he cannot, must be expected to produce abnormal states of exhaustion and "inferiorism", if not of physical injury; tha t surrounding a bird by a group of others of both sexes or restricting it to a stuffed skin at a time when it would normally be alone or with a single properly adjusted mate; by failing to presont the bohavior and characters upon which recog- ni tion depends, and by crowding in others which would not enter the natural picture, cannot but so confUse the delicately adjusted drama of sex as to place the method beyond much use in avian psychoanalysis.

For what, men reduced to the last analysis, do we mean by recognition of sex? It is necessary to avoid anthropomorphism with extreme care. Allen says "that this species, and perhaps all species of birds, are not cognizant of sex as such", and again "Birds are not sex conscious, that is, they do not discriminate between sex as such." Without being drawn too far into the shadows of animal psychology, we can ~ee, insofar as "consciousness" and "discrimination" involve an abstracted concept. Perhaps in no wise whatsoever, at periods when sex plays no part in the daily life and no distinctively sexual behavior isemibited, though I suspect that ·the literature of aviculture, minute observations of behavior of cage birds of known sex, or even data drawn from the annals of collecting might show that Con- sciousness of sex extends further than we think. The writer, for instance once saw twelve black turnstone brought downfran a single dense flock in September. Every one 'was a male. Different tim~ of migration was not involved, for many fe- males were moving through the same region, and some of tho birds wero old and some yaung of the year. It is hard to believe that consciousness of sex, inde- pendent of any aspect of breeding behavior, was not involved in the fonnation and coherence of this apparently homogeneousflock.

:But neither doubt:tul external characters nor the power of abstraction ,are required in order that sex may be "recognized" or reacted to to the necessary 'degree. '!he ·first part of Allen's paper is a list of characters, 'Whichare "recog- nized.1I The intimidation display, drumming, the mating display in its various phases, the' quickly-sensed greater or lesser size and strength, oestrus posturing, leaf-picking and throWing, and perhaps a hundred other factors yet to be singled out by our own not too recognizing eyes, are the dynamic sexual characters, the ones which enter the picture and are part of the effective consciousness of each sex. To the ruffed grouse these things are sex, and the bird is sex conscious insofar as they influence its behavior, regardless of the degroe to which abnor- malities may rosult from deprivation, ill-timing, or confusion.

SUChmay seem a sadly impoverished idea of consciousness of sex. But is it? I have inveighed against an anthropomorphic viewpoint, but as far as mere recognition goes is such a condition so far beyond the scope of our ownimagina- tions? Let us waste a momentupon an idle 8.L'1.dfanciful illustration. Let us sup- pose that the human race, while continUing to wear clothes, continues to discard such insignia as sexual garments or hairdressing, as well as such difference of behavior and occupation as create acquired differences of appearance. Upon what, in such a case, will recognition of sex, for it will assuredly remain rocognizable, depend? Probably for the most part upon a subtle factor which, for lack of a better name, might be called weakness, which would be sensed as qUickly as it is among the grouse, alld ignored or treated with gentleness or abuse exactly, grouse- like, aCCording to tho phase of the male.

That other factors recently and generally accepted as deep-seated func- tions of the behavior pattern maybe secondaI"'J'products of the bullying instinct deserves very serious consideration. Such a one is the apparent passion for terri-

tory I preceding and perhaps exceeding that for the female, and tho significance of territory as a device for protection and isolation. :But the new viewpoint does not, insofar as the i~~nation of the reviewer is capable of carr,ying it, (for Allen leaves it woef'ully undeveloped) seem to e:x;plain the facts. ~e very definite territorial boundaries, for example appear to be kept in the mind, of the bird as an abstracted conception, as much so as the site of the nest itself, out of sight but clear in memory, and observed in various ways independently of their violation by neighboring birds. Can these be merely points at which the despotic urge so suddenly breaks down?.Also what of the fact that the increasing number of close students and observers of breeding behavior agree that in "territorial II combat power is granted to the defender to win, always or nearly always, to the extent at least of defending his frontiors, whether it be by strength, by curious formali- ties of mimic warfare, or by the use of the voice, over an invading neighbor or wandering renegade. Yet it is quite impossible that the defending bird should al- ways be the strongest. Therefore in the vast majori.ty of such natural el1counters domination is detormined by factors quite other than physical vigor. I t may oven bo that territory has its chief value in protecting the individual and his house- hold from violation by tho sturdier rtlffian at the gatos. Allen1s story Q:e' the two scm&sp~rows ts. "normously effective. Yet, judginC from the experience of IIrs ~.rice withaoD& sparrows and of other investi- gators with other songbirds, the 81tuationdfd not depend so simply upon p~s1cal strength. Of two w1do"ec\m.alos. OJ).8 was takon in a cage and placed cloee to tho nest of t,h.e other- ~ 'tliei&tt-erattaeked the outside of the cap the captive bird seemed rea~ tO~ie%p1reWith terror. when the tip of its wing was seized thrwgh .the wires, it actually died. Yet these two bad occupied adJacent terri- tories and theappareritly weaker bird had driven off the apparently stronger one, which under the artificial circumstaZ),ces, "dominated" it to so tragic a degree. Was it ~sical vigor, or complex rea.ctlon to the proper invigorating stimuli, that was lacking 1

Mr. E. W. Ehman, who has for several years been privileged to band the water fowl on Lake Merritt, cakland, bas been kind enough to let us .have the follow- ing summaryof his operations from 1926 to 1934, inclusive. .

NUmbersBanded and Subsequently Killed Grouped by Regions Where Killed

San Leandro & Bay Regions Pittsburg & SUisun l~ Sacramento Valley . • . 26 Colusa & Yolo Counties 22 San Joaquin Valley 35 Tu.le Lake, California 12 Scattered California 28 Oregon..... 19 Montana. • . 11 Washington 11 Oklahoma •• 2 Illinois 2 Idaho •• 1 Nevada 2 Arkansas 1 North D:lkota 2 Louisiana . 1 Nebraska. • • . 2 Colorado 1 utah .•.. 1 Mexico 2 'Alaska. • • . • • • 44 Manitoba •• .Alberta 4~ Saskatchewan • • 12 Northwest Territory ••. 3 YUkonTerritory .• 2 British Columbia • • . 4 556 IX, 4, November, 1934 39

Numbers Banded and Numbers Killed G~oUped :By Sea.s6ns -;~?6-1to 193J-4

.Banded I N'umbersgU1ed ~ Number 1926';'7 127-8 '28-9 '29';'30'30-1 "li1"2 t32-3 133-4 Total Jan.23,1926 243 19 6 9 1 0 1 1 1 37 Nov. 8,1926 11 8 4 4 4' 0 1 2 34 Nov .19,1926 ~ 9 5 7 1 0 2 0 31 Feb. 1,1927 437 2J 10 12 4 1 0 2 53 Dec.15,1927 267 3 16 11 7 6 1 2 46 Jan.17,1928 634 1 48 31 13 6 6 6 111 Jan.17,1929 589 49 11 6 0 2 68 Jan.20,1930 125 2 6 2 2 0 12 Jan.16,1931 625 6 24 15 16 61 Jan.20,1931 305 2 16 11 8 37 Jan.27 ,1932 404 12 12 24 Feb. 2,1932 229 5 2 7 Feb. 9,1932 22 0 1 1 Dec. 5,1932 166 5 7 12 Dec. 8,1932 312 7 15 22 Jan.23,1934 313 0 Jan.26,1934 221 0

TOTALS 5265 39 49 92 111 54 62 68 15 552

- R,ECAPI'l'tTLATIONOF CAPTURES - MALE FEMAL1Il TOTAL Sprig . 2,594 1,~ 3,687 Widgeon 518 862 Mallard . . . 33 27 60 Coot 637 Spoonbill 5 6 11 European Widgeon • 1 1 Brant 2 Geese . . . . . 5 TOTAL. 5,265

~is total does not include rebanded ducks or released mallards. On January 21,1934, Mr. E.L •. Sunu1.er,Busine~s Manager of our Association, took 15. golden-cr0WJ'.ledsparrows, ,trapped.,~t ;one,.o;fhis stations in Stra"lberryCan- yon, ..:Berke.ley, acr.OSS. san,..·.1T.•...~.61..•I\.Cco,·J.a.'.'.y. ,to '~". J. os.eP..h¥ai ~lard '.s station at Wood- acre in Marin county ,wh~eb,erelea.s.ed.then1 .and.'brought back ,25 birds of the same species, trapped by' .Mr • Mail:i.ar,d,·,to,...rele

Mr. Maillard writes fUrther of' his banding at Wooaacre, ~herehe has done so rrm.chgood work on the golden-crowns l especially by revealing tho nature of the so-called lt1mma ture plumage." He say-a, in part :---

"So far this season, beginning operations September 2} and having the traps out Fridays, 9 :15 .A.·M.until Sundi3.ys.3:00 P.M· I have banded 337 gOld.en- croW!,).sandhave had out of the 470 individuals banded in the fall of 1933, 40 re- turns, which makes about' 8-1/2 per cent" and 2J. returns of earlierbandings, one dating back to 1928. Another return of this latter banding was aPasserella i. annectens, banded 10/19/28, that has returned once each year except 1933 and yet repeated only once in all th:~;~time. II

~e notice in the last Newsof aotive ornithological work in California at ,the present time ando.f'''oz;kers who'wouldwelcorOOspecial i¢'orrnation, brought a gratifyingly largo numbo'rof lettorsto sev9ralroscarch students.' Ono of the most interesting waS sent by C. V. Bracher to Professor Ritter, from which we quote, in part.

"An interesting il;lcident came to my attention last June while banding a number of juvenile Lewis woodpeckers, .A.syridesmuslewis. ~eyoung, about tWo- thirds grown, were b~dedJUI.l~ 2+, anq while in the treo I examined another hole which was about two feet from the e~trance ofilie Lewis woodpec1l::erd.omicile I and much to my surprise Sawa female sparrowl:lawk, Fal co sparverius, busy ather work of incubating five eggs. ------. I returned to the tree at different intervals and. found that bot,h families were farmgnicely,wi thno fear one of the other .11

Digest of Minutes of Los ~eles Chapter Meetings

February 1934: ~e 85th regular meetmgof the Los Angeles Chapter of the W.B.B-.A..was held on February 11, 1934, at the home of Mrs. J. Eugene Law, .Altadena· President Allen, secretary Miss Vignos a,nd 25 members and friends were present. )fr. Allen reported that he bad held in abeyance the publication in the Los ~e. papel'S ,of articles giYmc-,iD8truct:ionsfor ~ep6rting bandedbir_ when fO'lJ.nduntil 1t is determined whether the Loe' .Angeles'M\].S8'UJn wouldbe closed fer several months, since it wa~planned to request that recoVered ,band8dbirds should be roported to that museum. In this connection hereportod that inroeponse to articles p~bl1shodin tho local papers a womanhad given him a bird1s log and a band, N'o.l+4684, which she thO'U&htshe'l1ad had 'in her po.8es~10n for about ten years. , Mr. .Allen spake of the proposed reduction in 'the budget of the Biological Survey wl:J.~chwouldleave the bird banding opera.tions and the studies of the food habits of birds and animals, and someother activities, Without'funds. A nwnberof the membershad alread1 written to the appropriation oommitteeand to their repre- sentatives in Congress reoommendingthat the amountsfor these investtgatiClns be not reduced in the bu.dgetfor the next fisoal year. O~hermemberswere urged also towr1te. '

Mrs. Edwardsgave a s1lIIllIl8rYof their banding operations during the past three years. Eight out of 78 Breworblackbirds and.30 out of 330 Gambelsparrows returned.

Mrs. Michener told of the trapping of a sharp-shinned hawkin a top- opening trap wit,h a. dead bird tied in the bottan a.s 'bait. It was released in nysi~ :Park, Los Angeles.

Mrs. Hall, formerly of Berkeley, told of hearing the NUttall sparrow singing at night in that oity.

Miss potter saw at Westlake Park, Los Angeles, a ring-billed gull with an aluminumband on its leg. It had a orippled wing and had been in the park for some time, aooording to the oaretaker.

Miss .Amesreported banding144 birdS of 20 species last year. Dovesare nesting for the third year at her home. ~ mountainplover are seen in the irri- gated fields along VanNuTsBoulevard.

Gambelsparrows were reported as fewer than ever before by Mrs. Michener, as plentif'ul by Mrs. Edwards, as abundant by Mrs.Oalder and as less abundant than usual although more plentiful than £or two monthsby Mrs. Law.

DaVidMichener told of large:f'10cks of Brewerblackbirds roosting in Italian oypress trees at the Oalifornia Institute of Technology. Mr. Oalder told of a return report on a barn owl ba.ndedby him as a. nest- ling in 1927 and shot in 1933 a.bout a mile from wherebanded. Mr. Chamberstold of the newAvafauna, about to be issued, on the Birds of Nunivak Island, .Alaska, by Harry S. SWarth.

Charles MiChenerreported on their mooki~birds and Mr. Michener summar- ized their banding activities for 1933. A total of 3081 birds of 37 species were banded with 2146 house finohes leading in numbersand one California woodpeokeras a newbanded species for the station.

Mr. Tate reported a bald eagle having been seen reoently in the Padua Hills near Olaremont. Miss Vignos told of seeing 42 .Americanmergansers on the lake at Westlake Park. TheY'remained all day and have been there for over two weeks.

Mr. Allen r,eported one hummingbird nes.t found. Varied thrushes and band- tailed pigeons are still arO'U:Jldand other birds are plentiful· but he is at a loss to know why'so few enter his traps which are the same traps baited with the same kind of bait as formerl:r •

..April 1934: The 87th regular meeting of the Los Angeles Chapter of the W.B.B.A. met on Sunday, .April 8,1934, at Rincanado, the ranch home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Ellis near Oovina, with 26 members and gl.Jests.present. 'I!b.emeeting was call- ed to order bY'President .Allen under the spreading branches of a large live oak. 'I!b.eminutes of the March meeting were read bY' the secretary- and approvod.

Mz<. Michener read' a letter fran Mr. John R. Arnold of Ooalinga, Oalifornia stating that he has been studying the changing distribution of the mockingbird in Oaliforniaand asking for available information on the follow! I'€ questions:

"Have Y'oua:ny records of actual nests in ca:nyons, washes or wasteland· areas where cultivated areas with appropriate nesting sites are near?

"DoY'ounote a:ny local migrations in winter or spring, that is, spreadi~ out in winter and returning in spring?

"Does the increase of ornamental shru.bbery such as PY'racantha or coton- easter effect the mockingbird population?"

Mr. Michener will send to Mr. .Arnold the information offered by the group.

Mr· Michener gave the high lights of the .Annual Meeting of the Oooper Olub in San Diego on March 30 and 31. In speaking of Dr. Parsons' paper on hummingbirds he asked Dr. Parsons to tell the group about it.

Mrs. Law described the Oooper Olub trip from San Diego to the north island of the Ooronado group. Young pelioans in all stages of development were seen.

Mr. Ross reported seeing in Lower Oalifornia about 350 Brant headed north- ward. He saw a new ha:Vlxfor him, the zone-tailed, and also m~ red-taiJsi hawks and other soaring birds. 'I!b.eHarris hawk was not seen but they were able to secure a specimen from some.of the natives. Earlier in the day Mr• Ross described in detail the trip to Lower California showing a large number of fine photographs.

The migrants were represented bY'Mr. A. D.(Duke) Trempewho said, by way of illustrating the wide range of thrills that may be had from bi:rd banding,that he became interested in banding when a friend, Mike Magee (M.J.Magee), who had just banded a ruby-throated hummingbird, asked him to accompanyhim on a trip to band ea&les.

Mrs. Edwards reported difficulty in procuring sufficient jam and jelly for her orioles now that the :Brewerblackbirds have developed a taste for those sweets. Her Robins are stayingnm.ch later than usual and their full song has been heard for the first time. In this connection Mr. Allen reported hearing this song of the robin, before their departure this spring, for the first time in his exper- ience. Mal 1934: !the SSthregular meeting of the Los Angeles ahapter of the W.B.:e.A..was held on Sunc1a¥,May 13,1934, at ]'ox Ridges, the beauti:f'ul foothUl carJYonestate of Miss :Beatrice Fox in Altadena. Twenty-one membersand guest. were present. b meeting was called to order by President.Allen and the minutes of the April meeting were read by the secretary and approved.

C0l1!Plyingwith the request of those present at the previous meeting I Mr. Michener read their paper on "Mockingbirds, Thoir Territories and Indi vidual- 1ties" which he had read before the .AnnualMeeting of the Cooper Club at San Diego.

Mr. Partin told of a family of western bluebirds which were reared in a bird house he put 'Upin their :verd. The weights of the eggs and of the yaung in various stages of development were shown.

Mrs. Michener reported birds coming to the traps at present at .the rate of about 20 new ones daily. The usual one or two white-crowned sparrows, which come only in late spring, are represented this year by a single bird banded on May10. More nests have been found at the Michener station this year than in any previous year.

Dr. parsons told of an injured immature male .A.nnahummingbird which was brought to him for treatment.

Miss Potter told of song sparrows taking their young, just out of the nest, into date palms out of the reach of cats.

Mr. Allen reported the presence of band-tailed pigeons at his station. Part of an egg shell and the remains of a yaung bird found during the last two nesting seasons wore identified by Mr. Willett as being those Qf the band-tailed pigeon thus quite definitely establishing the fact of their nesting there for the last two years.

David Michener reported seeing swallows, presumably cliff swallows, building nests on ~oop Hall at "Qal.Tech ." In this connection Mr. Qu,attleba'Um told of seeing these swallows nesting in holes in a bank in Modjeska's c~on.

Mrs. Lawreported the capture that morning of a male linnet banded in August 1931 and of a California thrasher which had been banded by Mr. Allen- Her song sparrow records indicate that these birds do not remain at her station during the summermonths. Usually they are there from October to March but she has records for May1 and July 1. Not many of these birds are fcmnd at her station.

October 1934: The 90th regular meeting of the Los Angeles Chapter of the W.JS.B.A.was held on October 14, 1934, at the home of Mrs. J. Eugene Law, Altadena. President Allen, secretary Miss Vignos and 17 members and guests were present. The minutes of the June meeting were read and approvod with correcMons.

Mr. Michener read a letter he had written to Mr. Lincoln giving further information in regard to the rapid extension of territor,y occupied by the Chinese spotted dove and supporting the previous recommendation of the Chapter that these birds should be banded, whenever captured, as a means of studying their territor- ial spread. Mr. Lincoln, in his reply, which was read, concurred in the thought that this is an opportunity to stud¥ the spreading of an exotic bird which has be- come established and expressed his approval of their being banded. He suggested that the banders in the Southern C8liforniaarea be so advised through the Los Angeles Chapter. !!:henames of Mrs. Scot t Brownof Pasadena and Mrs. N. Edward.Ayerof Pomonahaving recently appeared on the list of W.E.B.A.members, the secretary was instructed to write to them telling them of our Chapter and asking them to join us in our meetings.

Mrs. Michener, early this summer, trapped her first ash-throated fly- catcher in a water-drip trap. Linnets were captured 'with accumulations on their bills having a strong sage odor. The nearest sage area is about three miles from their station. In spite of the systematic killing of the California j~s as they are trapped at the station their number seems to remain about tho sarno. It was questioned whether the j~ population of a small area like this might not remain practically the same, even though many jays are killed, as it would have been if no jays had been killed. In the one case the jays would continue to come in tend- ing to maintain a certain density of population. In the other they would remain there at that density, guarding the territory against furtl1sr influx. This spem:v- lation reached no conclusion. The mockingbirds are still under observation and many of the findings of the previous year have been confirmed. They are now es- tablished in their winter territories and both males and females are singing. bra seems to be an epidemic of large swell ings on the toes and tarsi of the 1innets . A few such swellings have been seen each year but this season they seem to be much more prevalent. Others reported seeing them also. Mrs. Michener exhibited a badly swollen linnet·s foot, preserved in alcohol, and Dr. Parsons took it to bave a pathologist friend make an examination. of it • Mrs. Edwards reported seven English sparrows captured in one balf hour of trapping. ManyCalifor11ia jays are at her station, at present busily eating walnuts and not going into the traps. Brewer blackbirds are· troublesome because they come in large flocks and eat all the food put out for other birds. Grosbeaks were cap- tured tbat were banded five a.'1dsix years ago as adults and some of their bands were squeezed and had to be replaced. At their mountain cabin at Lake Arrowheadmany robins, both adult and young, were banded in August. No Quail were banded as tl1s cats annoyed them so much. Chickadees were so tame they ate from Mrs. EdwardsI hand. From their breakfast table 53 species of birds were soen during the sumner.

Mr. Ross told of some of his observations while on vacation at Huntington Lake. He photographed a Wright flycatcher on its nest and recorded the "going to bedu time of a family of Cabanis woodpeckers. They retired with clock-like regular- ity, except on stormy days when they went irregularly earlier than their usual hour. Mr. Ross observed a great blue heron in the top of a 185 foot tree, whence it flew to the lake, many pileated woodpeckers, golden-crowned kinglets in family groups in red fir areas. He also heard spotted owls. He gave an interesting account of his observations of temperature and humidity and of the associated bird life in various localities. .

Mrs. Law reported returns in a titmouse family. !!:hefemale was banded in April 1930 and returned in M9.y1932 with five babies, which were then banded. On one occasion in each of the following two years the same one 0 f the young returned at the same time as the mother. Mrs. Lawpresented a translation of an article, "The Curious Habits of the California Woodpecker," by Professor Dr. A. Oka, publish- ed in the Japanese ornithological magazine Tori- The Avis, March 1922. The article mentioned that the California woodpecker has curious habits which have been studied and described in The Condor by Professor WIn. E. Ritter and then gave a word for word translation of Prof. Ritter's article as published in The Condor, January 1921.

Mr. Platford, secretary of the Izaak Walton League, reported on the seri- ousness of the duck situation, the lack of co-operation of the hunters and the re- duction in the numbers of ducks brought about by the destruction of their breeding places. He stated that the hunters, even those shooting at gun clubs, do not co- operate b7 reporting the bands found on the ducks that are shot.

Miss Vignos read a letter from the Olar,ys telling of the number of ducks at Salton Sea. Where in previous years three or four thousand were seen the high- est count this year was 1500 and on one occasion only 500 were noted. Many' shore birds were Been and large numBers of phalaropes were there during the month of August. Weekly trips to the Sea had been made since June 8.

Dr. Parsons told that while visiting a friond in Altadena one evening. tho family cat appeared with a 10ung quail which was rescued. In a short time the cat brought in another one which also was rescued. '1!b.eowner of the cat stated that the cat would take her to the place it got the quail so it was followed over devious ways across streets and into vacant lots and was seen to spring at the mother quail which was apparently brooding her young. '1!b.etwo rescued young were left there With the hope that the mother would return to her scattered brood. :Being a guest, DF. Parsons could not deal with the cat as he would have liked to do. He also told of a female black-chinned lxummingbirdwhich was observed to be on continuous nest duty, with eggs or young, for 75 cUqs. Whenfirst observed there was one young bird in her ne13t. An orphaned costa, a few ~s younger than her ownbaby, was placed in her nest. After her ownbaby had left the nest she was feeding it in the tree, feeding the young costa in the nest, and incubating another pair of eggs in another nest. He had observed young hummingbirds being fed when both the mother and the young were on the wing. Mr. Ross, also had seen young 'hummersfed in this ~. Mr. Robertson stated that he is interested in the ecology of the song sparrow. In his present location, which was formerly an orange orchard, and at his former home a short distance awa:yhe has seen them rarely and only during the month of August. Discussion brought out the fact that they need plenty of moist land. lavid Michener reported seeing :Brewerblackbirds feeding on the seaweed cast up by heavy BealSon the beach at Oorona del Mar. '1!b.eyseemed to lack experi- ence in shore feeding. Instead of runniXJgback as tho water came in, as shore birds would do, they would wait until a wave was almost upon them and then fly with appar- ent fright. Those that were thus frightened were slow to return. He saw many phal- aropes on the water when in a boat about a mile off shore. Mr. Partin reported least tern nesting on the beach at :Balboa Island this past season, one nest with eggs being found. At Monterey and MonoLake he Saw large numbers of phalaropes. Mr. Allen told of banding umlsually large numbers of Oalifornia towhees. From Jime 1 to August 12 he banded 95. Manyof them were juveniles. Very few other birdS have entered his traps in recent months. He found no gnatcatchers I nests this season and thinks they have given up nesting in that area because of the persistence of the cowbirds in depositing their eggs in the gnatca.t.chers I nests. Mr. Michener spoke of our Chapter being a unique orgsni2laUon, insofar as he knows, in that we are the only group of bird banders in the world who meet once a month to share experienceEJ in bird banding and to promote bird study primarily by banding. He felt that each one of us would derive greater satisfaction and pleaS".:tre ~s we do our parts for the banding work and for our organization, even though they may be small, if we would keep in mind the thought that we are amongst the pioneers in this method of bird study and that we want to carryon true to the inspiration given us by the one who started us in this work, Mr. Law. Mr. Ross spoke of the appreciation due us for our work, particularly in the field of bird behaVior, and stated that the reports in our meetings, in The News and elsewhere are a source of inspiration and knowledge to other bird students. loyember, 1934: 1he 9lst regular meeting of the Los .AngelesChapter of the 'fI.B.B..A..was held on Sun~ afternoon, November11, 1934 at the homeof Mr. & lirs. John MoB.Robertson in :BuenaPark with Mr. and Mrs. Robertson and Mr. and Mrs. Calder acting as hosts and hostesses. 1he twelve mEmbersand guests present .re called to order by Vice-president Calder. Theminutes of the previous meeting were read and approved as corrected. Mr. Robertson reported the reoeipt of a letter from Mrs. Grinnell stating that Miss Jrances Carter is 88ain spending the winter at the Inn at Twenty-ninePalms and that she invites all those interested in birds whojourney that wayto call upon her.

)Irs. Edwardsread &. clipping from the Pasadena Star-Newssqing tbat a man haviDga oat trap was ordered to dispose of it by the offioer whowaa oalled by com- plainizg neighbors. b offiCers told the manthat it is illegal to have the t1'ap ~n his possession. Healso told the cat-owning neighbors that they were breaking the law by allowing their eats to go off their premises. '!his, being a newspaperreport, was not taken as an authoritative pronounoement'Uponthe laws governing cat~and cat traps. lirs. Jldwardsreported more Winter birds than usual for this time of year, - J'uncos, kinglets, red-naped and red-breasted sapsuckers, purple finches and JnaZJ1' goldfinches are alreac%Vat their station. In the absence of Dr. Parsons, Mrs. Uichener read the report whichhe had received from Dr. Sturdivant, pathologist at st. LukeHospital, on the swelling on the linnet.1s foot discussed at the last meeting. !this report stated that this tumor is akin to the ordinary wart which, according to the present knowledgeis believed to be not a true tumorbut the result of sane unrecognized irritant or infection. Mrs. Michenertold of a sparrow hawktrapped on OCtober5, kept in a cage until october 10 whenit was released in Elysian Park, Los Angeles. OnOctober 22 it was a&ain trapped and probabl;vhad been around the station for three days since a sparrow hawkhad been seen during those three days. It was kept in a cage untU October 27 whenit was released in Riverside. !!his is thought to be the hawk:that was frequently causing a disturbance amongst the birds from late Augu.stuntil early September.

Mr. Robertson stated that he had seen sparrow hawkschase other birds, es- pecially shrikes, and had wonderedif thq did not chase the shrikss because of ri valry for the samefood S'Upply. 1Ietold of banding a fox. sparrow within the week and of seeing kinglets. In a recent trip to Boulder Dm1 and Death Valley he saw very few birds. Audubonwarblers were quite generally distributed and at Jurnace Creek Banchhe counted 15 species. Hehas been watchinga partially albino mockingbird. Last spring, whenhe first saw it, white areas on the sides of the head madeits head seemlike that of the slender-billed mlthatch - and there was more white than usual in the wings and tail. With the molt the white areas increased in sbe. Charles Michenergave abstracts of translations of all the articles appear- ing in La Gerfaut, 1933, fascicule IV, a :Belgianornith.ological magazine. Mr. Calder stated that he had Beena Ob.ineseSpotted Dove'at his place near BuenaParleand that they have been reported from Artesia, about 5 mUes away. Mr. Robertson called attention to Miscellaneous Publication No. 210 U.S. & " A.. "Status of Waterfowlin 193411 by W.]3. :Bell and E.,A..Preble. of the Bureau of Biological Survey. I Classes of W.13.13•.1. and¢ooper Membersp.ip Ornithological Club

Associate . 0 •••••••• 0 • 0 0 0 • 0 0 0 ••••• 0 0 0 $ 1.00, ..... 0 • 0 •• 0 0 ••••• o •••• 0 • 0 • 0 •• 0 $ 3.50

Active ••....• 0" 0 0 • 0 0 o •• 0 •• 0 • 0 • 0" • •• 1.00. 0 '.0 00 •• 000 ••• 0 0 • 0 0 0 0 0 • 0 ••• o. 3.50

SuB ta1n122g • 0 • 0 ••• 0 0 • 0.' • 0 0 0 0 • 0 • 0 • 0 • 0 0 7.50. 0 ••• 0.' •••••• 0 • • • • • • • 0 • • • • • • • 10.00

Life· (to tal, not yearly) •. 0 •• 0 ••• 0 • • 50.00 0 • 0 0 •••••••• 0 ••••• 0 • •• 125.00 Members outside of the United States add twenty-five cents to the first three items of the last column (to pay additional postage on THECONDOR).If c.o.o. dues have been paid direct, remit difference to '.B.B.A.

NewW.:8J3.A. Government Sparrow Trap The advantages of the Government Sparrow Trap are many. It is always set, and when birds come in flocks will trap them to the limit of its capacity. Our trap is strongly made of haz'dware cloth, with a bottom of. the same material to the inner chamber, so that birds are perfectly safe· :from the attaeks of hawks, cats and other predatory. animals.

The dimensions are 10" x 14,,· x 28"; the low, height makes it difficult for birds to injure themselves by flying up from the bottom of the trap andstrilQ.ng their heads against the top. In the United States, west of the Mississippi River - $4.50 East of the River and· in Canada - $5.00 postpaid.

l' .13.:8.A. Two-c91lIpartmentTrap

This trap, measuring 7i" x' gll x 10" is divided into two compartments, each pro- vided with a drop door and automatic treadle. Adjustable feet are attached so that the trap will rest firmly on any approximately plane surface. The trap is vel7' strong, being welded throughout, and is painted wi tb a. good green enamel.

In. the United States, west o~ theMississ~ppi Biver:- $1-50 postpaid East of the River and in Canada - $1·.75 postpaid With wire bottom, as trap and gathering cage, add - $ .25

.. Like our two,,:,"compartmenttrap, this is made of vertical wires, is strong, being welded throughout, and is painted gre.n .• In the United states, west of the Mississippi River - $3.00 East of the River and in Canada - $3-25 postage paid HOffmann1s Birds of the Pacific states - $5.00 postage paid By far the most usoful of tho Wost Coast Manuals

Dnergency :BandSupply In cases when time does not permit of application to Washington, the W.B.B.A. issues bands in reasonable numbers in the Western Territory. .

~ddress all communications to - Western Bird Banding Association, Museumof Vertebrate Zoology, Berkeley, California.