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transmittersinThe Peregrine Whistling-DuckAlert Ftmd'sHarpy program, TheWest Indian Whistling- wasbeing tracked by biologists Duck has been targeted for viasatellites and computers. conservationefforts by the TheHarpy Eagle is vulnera- RARECenter for tropical con- blebecause of its low repro- servation. The rarest antid in ductionrate, which includes North America was once com- oneof the longest rearing peri- monthroughout the Bahamas odsof any raptor. After the andGreater Antilles. Today it productionof a chick,a is reducedto small,scattered, maynot attempt to renest for relictpopulations. Efforts at upto threeyears while raising establishingprotection itsyoung. Two-year-old throughoutitsdozen-nation ,such as the one killed, rangeare underway. The West arestill dependent upon adults IndianWhisding-Duck isthe for food. largestof thewodd's eight whistling-duckspecies.

DivingDucks' Delight Therapid and extensive spreadof Zebra Mussels in the GreatLakes region could affect thedistribution of diving ducks,according to a studyon HarpyEagle Shot elanNational Guard troops Lake Erie in Ontario. The A rareHarpy Eagle, equipped discoveredthe being invasionof theEuropean mol- witha transmitteraspart of a skinnedby individuals who lusk,presumably brought to projectto research habitat use nowface charges under a new NorthAmerica in shipballast of thepowerful raptor species, environmental law in that water,has caught the eye of was shot in the mountains of country.The eagle, one of five worriedbiologists concerned Venezuelarecendy. Venezu- bandedand equipped with aboutwater quality. Westindian •iffiing-Du•k ButAlan Wormington andJ.H. Leach report in Canadian -Naturalist thatlarger numbers of diving BuildingRefuges duckshave been noted during Threenational wildlife refuges fallmigration at PointPelee. in the United States will Observationoffeeding behav- expand,thanks to the ior and examination of the approvedpurchase of2333 gizzardsofeight ducks caught acresby the Migratory Bird in fishingnets indicate that ConservationCommission, thebirds are dining on the chairedby Secretary of the Zebra Mussels. Interior Bruce Babbitt. The Severaldiving ducks have additions indude 796 acresat shown new maximum one- BombayHook National daycounts since the mussel WildlifeRefuge in Delaware; wasfirst noticed in 1988, 36 acresat BackBay N.W.R. indudingGreater Scaup and in Virginia;and 1501 acres at Black and Surfscoters. But the Roanoke River N.W.R. in themost significant increase North Carolina. hasoccurred in LesserScaup, The commission also whichexpanded from 20 approvedmore than $5.3 mil- in 1987 to 13,500 in 1989. lionin grantsfor 14 wedand Thestudy indicates that conservationprojects in theducks may take advantage Canadaand , according of the new foodsource, and to theOrnithological Newslet- could be a factor in efforts to ter.Eight of the Canadian controlthe mollusk naturally. grantswill assist projects in Butthe paper also notes that easternprovinces, and four in thereis likely to be litde effect theprairie pothole region. HarpyF.agle ondiving duck populations. Twogrants are earmarked for 10:•' American Birds, Winter 1993 projectsin Mexico,in the Hunters will instead use steel agedunder an inappropriate statesof Yucatan and Sonora. .o shot.This is the first province- multiple-usephilosophy." Thegrants are provided wideban on lead shot, though under the North American some areasin B.C., Manitoba, Wetlands Conservation Act. and Ontario have taken the WORLDBRIEFS whichincludes funding for stepindependently. Mexicoand Canada in recog- Mexico nitionof importantbreeding A highlandhardwood forest in andwintering habitat for mi- GoodNews thestate of Guanajuatoisthe gratorybirds in thosecoun- Incompatibleuses at national subjectof preservationeffbrts tries.The grants will be match- wildliferefuges will cease bythe Fundaci6n Ecologica de edby nearly $8.8 million in under a settlement reached Guanajuato.Fundaci6n work- funds and servicesfrom both between the United States ersand volunteers have begun Departmentof Interiorand censusingthebird population publicand private partners. PeregrineFalcon environmentalgroups, indud- in the 80,000 hectareforest tundrius,had nearly disap- ingthe National Audubon near Santa Rosa four times a MuseumMusings pearedby the 1970s, victims Society.Activities such as cat- year.The habitat is critical for Staffreductions and a signifi- of pesticidescontaining DDT. tiegrazing, power boating, and both resident birds and cantchange in missionat the Populationshave since off-road vehicle use will be neotropicalmigrants, includ- Canadian Museum of Nature rebounded,and the United haltedat the eight refuges cited ingTownsend's, Hermit, and in Ottawawill effectively end StatesFish and Wildlife in the suit, unlessthe United Black-throatedGray warblers. researchin ornithology and six Servicehas proposed delisting. StatesFish and Wildlife A surveyin October1993 otherdisciplines. Technical ThePeregrine migrates long Servicecan demonstrate that found70 species.The preserve supportfor four collections has distancesfrom its Arctic breed- theseuses are compatible with is one of the few intact forests beeneliminated, aswell as sup- inggrounds, and restrictions wildlifeprotection. in an area that has suffered dis- portfor bird specimen prepa- onpesticides in the United At a ninthrefuge, Cabeza turbance and deforestationfor ration. Collections will be re- Statesand Canada beyond its Prietain Arizona,the Interior over400 years, when Spanish gionalizedand classified by breedingrange are in part Departmentwill evaluate its colonialMsbegan mining silver "levelsof importance,"and responsibleforthe success of legaloptions for halting low- in theregion. somespeculate that collection the bird. Two other racesof flyingmilitary missions. reviewswill result in the dis- thefalcon (pealei and anatum) Interior will alsoevaluate all posalof"surplus" specimens. remainon the Endangered so-calledsecondary uses at its NewGuinea Taxon-oriented researchwill Specieslist. 491wildlife refuges. These CraterMountain in Papua, bereplaced by interdisciplinary indudefishing, boating, hunt- New Guinea, hasbeen "solution-orientedresearch," ing,farming, and other recre- declareda wildlife manage- accordingto the new mandate RaptorsinMalta ationalpursuits. ment area,a movethat will setforth by the director of the Migratingbirds of prey con- "With our wetlands and protecthundreds ofbird museumand the boardoftmstees. tinuedto betargeted by forestsbeing destroyed all speciesin a pristineand bio- A network of staff, environ- sportsmenonthe island of aroundus, America needs a logicallydiverse habitat. The mentalorganizations, museum Malta in the Mediterranean nationalwildlife refuge system 1000square mile reserve was professionals,andconcerned (SeeAmerican Birds Vol. 47, citizensare calling for a haltto No. 1). On November10, therestructuring. Comments 1993, a flock of 50 Short-toed can be sent to Canadian Prime Eagleswas spotted over Malta, MinisterJean Chretien in a record count. In lessthan 24 ,i Ottawa. Coordinators True hours,all 50 had beenshot. Friends of Nature would like Themassacre was covered by copiesof letters at: 1 Nicholas the Maltesemedia, but no St., Suite 620, Ottawa, ON legalaction was taken. Such KIN 7B7 Canada. shootingsare illegal in Malta.

Takethe LeadOut? British Columbia has banned Peregfine'sProgress lead shot for waterfowl hunt- TheArctic subspecies of the ing,beginning in 1995. Indigenousdansman inNew Guinea PeregrineFalcon (Falco peregri- Examinationofgizzards from nustundrius) will bedown- dead birds collected in the wherewildlife takes prece- madepossible by the donation listedunder the Endangered southernpart of the province dence,"said John Echeverria, of landsby members of twenty SpeciesAct. Peregrines in east- showedthat significant num- Audubon counsel. "Too indigenousdans, according to ernNorth America, including berswere poisoned by lead. manyrefuges have been man- NYZS/The Wildlife Volume 47, Number 5' 1039 ConservationSociety. Leon,and includes a majority betweenstudying it on the The local clansdid not of Mexico's birds from both fence in front of me a Fer- want to seetheir land tropicaland subtropical ruginousHawk that appear- destroyedthrough deforesta- IBiRi)ERed at the same moment over- regions.Birds are arranged by tionand development, ashas habitat,adaptions, and various head.As a lifer,the longspur happenedelsewhere. won out. themes(such as nesting). The OFNOTE Economic incentives were exhibitsare in Spanish. alsoused to gain the people's The museum has a research Favoritebirding spot? Cape May, cooperation;a research and area,and an interpretive center NewJersey, spring and fall. RichardHeman visitorcenter will encourage will educate children on the tourismand employ local resi- Mostinteresting birding spot? In nation'srich natural heritage. dents,and researchers working theUnited States, Big NationalPark; abroad, Eilat, withinthe preserve will pay fees.Agricultural assistance AUDUBONREPORT Israel,at thetip of theGulf willalso be provided. ofAqaba. LuringLusty Laysans The National Audubon Whatis your favorite North SaudiArabia Americanspecies? The North- Societyishoping to lure The National Commission for ern Saw-whet Owl. It's a LaysanAlbatrosses to an unin- Wildlife Conservation and habited island off the coastof challengeto find, but Developmentofthe Kingdom Oahu,Hawaii, following the rewardsthe birder by staying of Saudi Arabia has included model used to reestablish to be looked at. avifaunain itsSystem Plan for puffinsand terns on the Maine a sustainablerural economy. A Whydo you bird? I like the soli- Coast.The Laysans have been nationalnetwork of protected colonizingnear airport run- tudeof most birding habi- areasthroughout the kingdom wayson Oahu, where they are tats.I marvelat theregularity willbe set up. Five years of a hazardto airplane traffic. withwhich so many species field researchon the Houbara Theseabirds are also nesting comeand go seasonally in Bustard,combined with a cap- on beaches,where human dis- lille:57 placesI've gotten to know. tivebreeding program, have ruptionand predators such as Mostof all, I'm luredout by laidthe groundwork forits con- dogsand cats disrupt nesting Home:Bethesda, Mawland thepossibility, each time, of servation,according to IUCN attempts. theunexpected. Bulletin. Saudi elite have come Profession:Journalist, assistant Audubonscientist Stephen under criticism for their hunt- Kresshas joined with foreigneditor for the Middle Whathas been your biggest thrill? ingof bustards in other coun- Hawaiianconservation agen- Eastat the Washington Post. I saw a Ross'sGull in a sew- tries,such as Pakistan. ciesto entice young birds to agetank in Baltimore--a Howlong birding?. Sixyears. KaohikaipuIsland (Black sightingthat cost me $1 fora Rock),a statewildlife sanctu- bhdgetoll. Mexico Whatfield guides do you use? I a,ry.Kress and colleague The Museo de lasAves de carrya well-wornRobbins Wheredo you want to birdnext? RichardH. Podolsky,using Mexico(Museum of Mexican techniquesdeveloped in GoldenGuide and keep a Thelife lister in mesays Birds)has opened in Saltillo, Maine, will set out life-size NationalGeographic anda Duluth in the winter, or even Coahila. It housesthe collec- modelsof adultalbatross, Peterson• in the car. Some- Alaska,once I've gotten my tionof Aldegundo Garza de chicks,and ceramic eggs. times I use all three. kidsthrough college.

Whatbinoculars doyou use? Whatis the importance ofbirding Swift Audubon 8.5 x 44. to you?When I headout for a morningof birding, I may Lifelist? Yes. I have538 geta raisedeyebrow from my North AmericanBirds, and a non-birdingwife ,ry Lou.

couplehundred western I'll remindher that she urged , \ palearcticbirds that I sawin meto get a hobby,and she'll Europeand the Middle East. respond,"Yes, but not with a vengeance."I wish I'd started Whatwas your most recent life asa teenager,asso many of bird?A Chestnut-colhred mybirding friends did-- Longspur.I was in Nebraska, thenI'd havea broaderper- whereI grew up. It was spectiveon the toll that de- August,when only fools look velopmenthas taken on birds forlongspurs. I was torn and the environment. LaysanAlbab'oss 1040- American Birds, Winter 1993 From mid-December to ern states.Audubon staff and mid-May,recorded sounds of chaptervolunteers will help OVER courtingadults and chicks will pinpointand carry out projects VIEW beplayed at the island. The on Reclamation lands. The combinationof decoys and Bureau--whichprovides Interior.The painting is by sounds could lure the birds to drinkingwater to millionsand Neal R. Andersonof Lincoln, theisland. Biologists expect it operatesdams, canals, and Nebraska. This is the second will beseveral years before waterprojects•irrigates 9.1 stampfor Anderson, who sub- LaysanAlbatross relocate, if millionacres in thewest. "By mittedthe winning art of theydo. Albatrosses donot workingtogether to identify LesserSeaup in 1989.The breeduntil they are about areasthat need restoration or proceedsfrom the stamp, eight-years-old,andthey typi- willbenefit from improved which is sold to hunters and cally"prospect"for several management,Audubon has a HeatherWdliams stampcollectors, goto conser- yearsbefore breeding. Kress chance to reverse habitat interestsinclude how the two vation of wetlands. It will be hopesthat young birds will degradation,thereby making sidesofa bird's brain interact onsale July 1. beginfamiliariziug themselves the planet more hospitable for in theproduction of birdsong, withKaohikaipu this year. migratorybirds," says Stan and what role do male and Transitions Senner,director of National female House Finches each BiologistJack Ward Thomas Audubon'sMigratory Bird playin enforcing local dialect has been named chief of the VoluntaryBias? ConservationProgram. stabilityin colonizedareas of United StatesForest Service. A bill to create the National the eastern United States. Thomas,with the ForestSer- BiologicalSurvey (NBS) has vicefor 27 years,headed a sci- beenpassed by the United AllSpecies Day A MauriceBrooks Lectureship entific team that delivered a StatesHouse of Represent- School children around the has been establishedat West planto PresidentClinton on atives,but proposals from United Statesdressed as Calif- VirginiaUniversity. Brooks, protectingforests and the En- somelawmakers jeopardize its ornia Condors and other professorof Forestry and dangered(Northern) Spotted future.The survey will assess endangeredspecies for WildlifeManagement atthe Owl in the Pacific Northwest. thenation's biological re- Halloween,in celebrationof school,died January 10, 1993. sources,including birds, by NationalAudubon Society's Thefirst lecture was presented MaryC. McKitrickhas been catalogingand mapping every All SpeciesDay October 30. inApril by M. PhilipKahl, namedthe Program Director plantand species. An Designedto involvechildren vertebratezoologist, photogra- forSystematic Biology at the importantsource of dataon in effortsto save endangered pher,and writer. National Science Foundation birdpopulations isgleaned ,insects, and plants, in Washington. throughvoluntary efforts, such theprogram included advice A pairof Red-breastedMer- asBreeding Bird Surveys and rangingfrom how to make ganserswill be featured on the Mark Robbins left the Christmas Bird Counts. But if costumesto organizingcom- 1994duck stamp issued by the Academyof NaturalSciences anamendment adopted by the munities.Mayors in Wash- UnitedStates Department of in Philadelphiato become the Housebill becomeslaw, it ingtonD.C., St.Louis, and wouldbar the NBS from using LosAngeles issued proclama- the servicesof volunteers in tions, and eventsvaried from conductingthe survey. dassroomprojects and parades Followingthe complaint that to a festival in Sacramento. manyvolunteers are nonscien- More than 500 educatorsand tistswith a specialagenda, Rep. communityorganizers request- JackFields of Texassaid:" in edinformation packets on All essencewe are creating an envi- SpeciesDay. ronmentalgestapo that will go onProhibitingpeople's privateuse of property."volunteer- DIRECTIONS generateddata would be a dis- asterfor bird monitoring Honors efforts,since most programs Heather Williams, an assistant Red-breastedMerganser relyon volunteers in thefield. professorofbiology at WilliamsCollege, was given a American Birds extends an invitation to all of its readers to contribute $240,000MacArthur "genius itemsto ourOverview department. Tell usabout something of partic- RestoringBird Habitat grant"in June.Williams was ularinterest to birders:new products, relevant legislation, exhibits, The United StatesBureau of recognizedforher contribu- grants,awards, honors, career transitions, or interestingquotes about Reclamationhas signed an tionsto thestudy of commu- birdsand ecology taken from articles and speeches. Use this issue as a agreementwith the National nicationsthrough her research modelfor itemswe'd be likelyto publish.Send items to: Overview, AudubonSociety to restore onsong learning in birds. AmedcanBirch, 700 Broadway,New York, NY 10003 andprotect habitat in 17west- Some of her current research Volume 47, Number 5' 1041 suchas a majorshrub or rock, BEHAVIORWATCH theadult gull on the nest wouldtend to face that object. "Agroup of bird-watchers gathered recently GreatBlue Omniyore onthe East Coast for a competitiontosee TheGreat Blue Heron is big enoughthat, like the prover- KermadecCopycats whocould identify the most species during a bialten-thousand-pound A whitepatch in theouter part specificperiod of time. Is this the kind of gorilla,it maybe able to eat ofthe wing is a characteristic tranquilnatural activity that brings a harried "anythingit wants to." ofthe skuas and jaegers, piratic WatchingGreat Blues in seabirdsthat often force other personpeace of mind?" Oregon,K. J.Mcrrificld saw birdsto give up their food. A Charlie Creekmore, ChicoNews & Review. a coupleof cases in point similarwhite wing patch is also (NorthwesternNaturalist Vol. shownby a fewof the large "Wevolunteers also do 'good science.' If we 73, No. 1). On oneoccasion, petrels.For example, sea-going a youngDouble-crested birders in the Pacific have didn't,why would former Interior Secretary Cormorantthat had just cap- often noticed that the ManuelLujan ... presentthe Fellowship Award turcda largefish promptly lost KcrmadecPetrel in flightcan itscatch to a surpriseattack by look a lot like a skua. forVolunteerism tothe Breeding Bird Survey?" a heron.And in anothercase, a Now there is evidencethat ThomasM. Valega,in a letterto TheWashington GreatBlue spent several min- the birds notice the same PostonCongressional efforts to banvolunteers from utesstalking and pursuing Red thing.During long-term workingon theNational Biological Survey. Phalaropcsthat had been observations,Larry Spear and drivendose to shoreby a DavidG. Ainleyfound that winter . skuasand jaegers avoided OrnithologyCollection Man- researchon bird populations in attackingKermadec Petrels, agerat the Museum of Natural bothMaryland and North eventhough they readily History,University of Kansas. Dakota. He received the Facingthe Wall attackedother petrds of simi- Meritorious ServiceAward Black-leggedKittiwakes nest- lar size.Furthermore, the The Associationfor fromthe Department of ingon diffs have a verystrong Kermadecssometimes attacked Conservation has been formed Interior in 1976. tendencyto facetoward the other birds no smallerthan toprovide a forum on the sta- rockwall behind the ledge. themselves,using behavior tus,threats, and conservation BenB. CoffeyJr. died August Somenew insight into this similarto that of the skuas, ofthe world's parrot popula- 22, 1993,in Memphis,Tenn- behavior comes from observa- andforced them to give up tions.The group will under- essee.He was89. Coffeywas tions on Swallow-tailed Gulls their food. It seemsthat the takescientific research, policy one of the South'smost active in theGalapagos, which also Kermadecs'vague similarity to recommendations,and educa- amateurornithologists, observ- often nest on diffs. Edward H. thereal predator isenough to tion.lnidal emphasis will be ingand recording birds for Burtt,Jr., who had previously deter the skuasand intimidate placedon New Wodd . nearly70 years. He participat- studiedthe kitfiwakes,found the otherbirds (Auk Vol. 110, ThePresident isEnrique ed in 234 Christmas Bird that Swallow-tailedGulls also No. 2). Bucherof . Dr. Counts over several conti- generallyfaced the wall behind Bucherhopes that "by initiat- nents,and was compiler of the thenest (Ibis Vol. 135,No. 4). ingand facilitating effective MemphisCount for 60 years. In the Swallow-taileds,this ChoosyEgrets parrotconservation actions, Recordingsof rare bird songs behaviorcarried over to those TheCattle Egret got its name the assodation will make a collectedby Coffey and his nestingon fiat ground: If there becauseit follows catde in substantialcontribution to wifeLula form the Coffey weresome large object nearby, pastures,capturing insects conservethe parrots of the NeotropicalCollection atthe NewWorld, of which 30 per- Museum of Natural centof the spedcs are at pre- Historyat the University of sent threatened." Florida.Coffey, a retiredfire preventionengineer, was a fel- Obituaries low of the American Ornitho- Robert Earl Stewart of logicalUnion. Jamestown,North Dakota, diedJuly 15, 1993,in Florida. RichardEdes Harrison, a past He was 80. Stewart worked for presidentof theLinnaean the United StatesFish and Sodcry,died January 5 in New WildlifeService for 40 yearsas YorkCity. He was92. a researchbiologist. He wasa Harrison,a well-known map- pioneerin avianecology, maker,was a ftxturcin New authoringseveral books on YorkCity parks, pursuing birds.Stewart did significant unusualbird sightings. Swallow-tailedGull 1042' AmericanBirds, Winter 1993 ingthe adult terns and keeping theyoung Peregrine make 19 themoff their nests. During unsuccessfulattempts to cap- OVER onecold night, on an inten- ture Dunlins before it resorted VIEW sivelystudied plot within the tofeeding on carrion instead. colony,the mink took four TheRevenge ofthe Frogs, tern chicks--but another LatinAmerican Style twelve chicks died in their RedstartHead Start Neotropicalmigrants face a nests,apparently from expo- The American Redstart builds varietyof challenges ontheir sure,since their parents had a simplecup-shaped nest for winteringgrounds. beenkept away too long by raisingits young. So do various In southernVeracruz, theprowling mink. other birds--and the redstart Mexico,a studyof the seemsto realizethis. Stephen neotropicalgreen frog found M. Yezerinacwatched a pair two casesin which this WhenEagles Share ofYellow Warblers through amphibianhad swallowed The national of the theprocess ofbuilding a nest Hooded Warblers. UnitedStates, the Bald Eagle, andraising a brood of three AccordingtoRichard Vogt, CatfieF•ret oftenbelies its regal appear- young.Less than two weeks JesusRamirez, and Jose Luis flushedby the grazing animals. anceby feeding on dead fish afterthe young Yellow Villareal,the warblersmost Before it had to follow and the like. But when it Warblershad fledged, howev- likelyhad been captured by throughoutthe world, howev- hunts,it canbe a formidable er,he was surprised to find a theselarge frogs when they er,it hada widevariety of predator.During a studyin female American Redstart came down to the water's othergrazing animals in its Florida,Martin J. Folksaw incubatingits own eggs in this edgeto bathe (Wilson Bull. nativerange in Africa. Joanna BaldEagles in pursuitof birds samenest (Wilson Bull. Vol. Vol. 105, No. 3). Burgerand Michael Gochfeld severaltimes (with theabun- madea carefulstudy in Kenya dantCattle Egret as the to seewhich herds attracted favoredprey). On fiveocca- theegrets. They found that sions,the two membersof a theCattle Egrets were highly pairof were seen work- selective:the birds often for- ingtogether in thehunt: either agedwith zebras, wildebeests, taking turns in pursuit,or andwaterbucks, but almost withone "herding" the intend- neverwith giraffes, gazelles, edprey toward the other or impalas,while virtually eagle.This cooperative strate- everyherd of Cape Buffalo had gyseemed to workvery itsattendant egrets (Ornis well (Fla. FieldNaturalist ScandinavicaVol. 24, No. 3). Vol. 20, No. 4). Walkingspeed of the animals seemedto be an important key:The egrets tended to asso- Carrion-FeedingPeregrines ciate with animals that were Althoughthe Peregrine Falcon movingat a rateof 5 to 15 isoften regarded asone of the stepsper minute. world'smost impressive preda- tors,its hunting skill is not developedovernight. Young A Minkin the Ointment birdsmay have to improvise Ternsnesting in coloniesare beforethey become masters of automaticallyvulnerable to pursuit. pressureand . On the outer coastof Sometimesthe presence of Washington,inJanuary of two justone predator can have a separateyears, Joseph B. majoreffect on a colony. Buchanansaw young StudyingCommon Terns Peregrinesfeeding on dead nestingin Ontario,Gary P. birdswashed up on the beach: AmericanRedstart Burnessand Ralph D. Morris a Common Murre in one case, documentedthe impact of a a White-wingedScoter in the 105,No. 3). Apparentlythe Asthe researchers pointed singlewild mink (CondorVol. other(Northwestern Naturalist redstartshave been found out, however,there have been 95, No. 3). The mink was Vol. 72, No. 1). Suchbehavior helpingthemselves toready- manydocumented cases of seencapturing several tern maybe an extreme response to madenests in thepast also, birdseating frogs or toads, and chicksduring nighttime forays hungeron the part of inexperi- withthe nests of Red-eyed veryfew known instances in throughthe colony, but it encedhunters; in oneof these Vireoshaving been adopted whichthe amphibians turned hada largereffect by disturb- cases,Buchanan had watched at least four dmes. the tablesand ate birds. Volume 47, Number 5' 1043