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Recent Literature Apr.'[ 251 1050 -• RECENT LITERATURE EDITED BY FRANK McKINNEY ANATOMY AuB•, L. 1958. Magenta colour in feathers: a parallelism. Ibis, 100: 571-581.-- Nyctyornis amicta (Meropidae) and Chlamydera maculata (Ptilonorhynchidae) possessmagenta colored feathers on the crown and nuchal crest, respectively. While most non-iridescentpurple shadesare due to modificationsof the blue- producingTyndall histologicalarrangements, which are nnderlainby an opaque substratum,this magentadepends on media underlyinga transparentsubstratum. In both species,the color is of an "advertising nature"; magenta color in the two speciesis analagous,but not homologousin all details. In Nyctyornis,the magenta featherssuggest relationship with Coliidaeand Alcedinidae.The authorpresents a detailedhistological and cytologicalanalysis including illustrations.-J. W. H. HUMPHREY,P.S. 1958. The trachea of the Hawaiian Goose. Condor, 60: 303- 307.--Thefirst recorded account of thisstructure in this speciesis givenand in- volvesanatomical observations of the trachea,its muscles,bronchi, and syrinx. Comparisonsof vationsstructures (number of bronchialsemi-rings, muscle origins) are madeamong several species of Branta and Anser.--D.W. J. SELANI)gR,R. K. 1958. Age determinationand molt in the Boat-tailed Grackle. Condor,60: 355-376.--Thisdetailed work concerns principally characteristics used in determinationof agein Cassidixmexicanus prosopidicola. For juvenals,first- year,and adult birds of bothsexes, data are given on pterylography,molts, cranial ossification,size, bill length,weight, and iris color. Somecorrelations are drawn amongtestis regression, molt, and weightloss.--D. W. J. S•ZTH,N. 1958. Legcolor of the BlackpollWarbler in fall. Proc.Linnaean Soc. N.Y., Nos.66-70: 90.--Of 10 Blackpollskilled by strikinga building3 haddark (insteadof light) tarsi,but light toes.--E.E. VERHEVE•,R. 1958.A proposde la muedes remiges primaires. Gerfaut, 48 (2):101-114.--Describes, withdiagrams, the various methods of primarymolt, and thegroups, so far asstudied, in whicheach method prevails. Most birds, includ- ingall passetines, molt regularly fi'om the innermost primary outward; in limpkins, sungrebesand some rails, the opposite order of moltprevails; in theAnseriformes, flamingos,loons, grebes, jacanas and a fewothers there is simultaneousmolt; in Falconidaeand perhaps all parrotsthe molt starts with one of the middlefeathers andproceeds in bothdirections. Rare methods involve beginning with the innermostand outermost and proceeding towards the middle,or preceeding alternately,or having the molt relationship between adjacent pairs of feathers. Moltsystem isa usefulfeature in taxonomy,but, as it mayhave adaptive functions, Verheyenpoints out that it cannotbe usedalone, e.g., Anhinga, despite close relationshipwith the cormorants, differs from all other Pelecaniformes in having simultaneousmolt of primaries.(In French.)--E.E. VEanEVEN,R. 1958. Note sur l'absence dela cinqui&merdmige secondaire (dia- staraxle)dans certains groupes d'oiseaux r&cents et fossiles. Gerfaut, 48 (2): 157-166.--Ordersarelisted (with exceptional families or genera)in whichthe fifth secondaryispresent (entaxy) or absent(diastataxy); though in somenatural groups allied generadiffer, and occasionallythe sameindividual will have one wing diastataxicand the other entaxic. (In French.)--E.E. 252 RecentLiterature LVol.[- Auk76 BEHAVIOR BANCKE,P., and H. MEESENBUgG.1958. A studyof the displayof the Ruff (Philo. macbuspugnax (L.)), II. DanskOrn. Foren.Tidsskr., 52: 118-141.--Chieflyrelates to the time spenton the displaygrounds by the dominantand other males,with someinformation on hierarchy,fighting, etc. (In English.)--E.E. BLAC•gOP,O, J. L. 1958. Territoriality and breedingbehavior of a population of Blue Grouse in Montana. Condor, 60: 145-158.--A detailed study based upon territoriality of three distinctmales. Included in the paper are notationson wing notes,drumming, courtship, and other aspectsof breedingbehavior which generally elucidate relationshipsbetween the racial groups of Dendragapus obscurus.-- D.W.J. DAws,J. 1958. Singing behaviorand gonad cycle of the Rufous-sidedTowhee. Condor,60: 308-336.--Thislengthy paper correlatesevents in the gonad cyclewith singingbehavior of birds in central California. The height of the male gonad cyclewas in April, May, and June, whereasfemales were at a peak principally in May. Singingbegan at leastby Februaryand endedin early August. As nesting wasunderway in late April, singingwas at a high level. Furthermore,the begin- ning of singing correlated with an initial increasein the number of Leydig cells in early February. A decreasein singing in late July correlatedwith onset of molt and gonadalregression.--D. W. J. Gxa'g,s,J.M. 1958. FemaleGadwall returns to nestsite after lossof young. Condor, 60: 337-338. C,ooowiN, D. 1958. The existenceand causationof colour-preferencesin the pair- ings of feral and domesticpigeons. Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, 78: 136-139.--Obser- vationsof 732 pairs of domesticand feral ½olumbalivia indicatedsome mating preferencefor their own color type or thoseof their parents. This may be the result of the proximity of similarly colored relatives or imprinting on their parents--E. E. Gva'rMx•, N., and H. I. KxLiSI•. 1958. Experimentsin discrimination. Scientific American,198: 77-82.--Pigeons trained to peckat a disk when exposedto light of a particular wavelengthwere later exposedto light of other wavelengths.It was found that the rate at which the pigeonspecked was directly proportional to the closenessof the experimentalwavelength to the training wavelength. This relationshipexists even when light of a number of colorsother than the training coloris used. Pigeonspositively trained to one wavelengthand negativelytrained to anotherhave their responsesfollowing training shifted beyond the wavelength to whichthey were positively trained in the directionaway from the wavelength to which they were negativelytrained.-J. C. H. PALODAN,K. 1955. Somebehaviour patterns of Rissatridactyla. Vidensk.Medd. Dansk.Naturh, Foren., 117: 1-21.--A detailed study of variousaspects of Kittiwake breedingbehavior, compared with the Herring and LesserBlack-backed Gulls. (In English.)--E. E. t'eRD•CK,A.C. 1958. Gedragsstudievan de GroteJager. In Jaarverslagvan bet Vogeltrekstationover 1957. Limosa,31: 97-102.--Studiesin the pairingand copulatorybehavior of the Great Skua (Catharactaskua), illustrated by 11 drawings.(In Dutch;brief Englishsummary.)--E. E. Pou•E•, H. 1958. The callsof the Chaffinch(Fringilla coelebs L.) in Denmark. Dansk Orn. Foren. Tidsskr., 52: 89-105.--The various vocalizationsare described and illustrated by sonograms,and their functions indicated. There are local Apr.'[•959-• RecentLiterature 253 dialectsnot only in the song but in the huit alarm call. Chaffinchesraised in isolationdo not give the full songnntil they have heard other malesand practised by counter-singing.A tape-recordingplayed outside a male'sterritory will evoke counter-singing;if played inside its territory the male will approach and will attack a stuffed Chaffinch. Sexual stimuli may inhibit song: a captive male stopssinging when seeinga female. (In English.)--E.E. SXOWE•L,R. F. 1958. Notes on the behaviour in captivity of the African Fish Eagle ½uncuma vocifer. Ibis, 100: 457-459. THOReE,W. H. 1958. The learning of song patterns by birds, with especial referenceto the songof the ChaffinchFringilla coelebs. Ibis, 100: 535-570.--An important paper reporting many facts which cannot be summarisedhere. The songof the Chaffinchis partly inherited,partly learned. It variesracially, and individualsmay renderup to six varietiesof the song. Captivity did not inhibit the drive to sing,but the onsetof songcould be controlledby crowding,illumina- tion,and injectedtestosterone propionate. If nestlingsare isolated,they eventually givea verysimple song--the inherited component of the specificsong. If isolated nestlingsare grouped together,they mutually stimulate each other to complex but specificallyatypical song. Wild young thus learn somesinging from their male parents,but developdetails of singingin competitionwith other territory holders.Song-dialects are createdand perpetuatedby mutualstimulation, copy- ing,and competitionin a limitedgroup of finches.Subsong is of low intensity but morecomplex than full song;it is characteristicof birdswith low but increas- ing productionof sex hormones.Chaffinches do not normallyimitate other species,but captivesmay learn notesor phrasesif theseresemble parts of the Chaffinchsong. A Chaffinchtends to replyto his neighbour'ssong with a similar one;the birdscopy each other and showespecially dose resemblance in the last phraseof the song. Whenan individualhas more than one song,each outburst consistsof a sequenceof one followedby a sequenceof another. Learningof songtakes place in the first13 months,with a peakin the last few weeksof this time,during which variety is achievedby competition.-J.w. H. T•NB•CgN,N. 1957.Defense by color. Scientific American, 197: 48-54.--A popular accountof therole of patternsof colorin thesurvival of preyanimals. Laboratory testswere made of the effectivenessof insect color patterns in reducingthe likelihoodthat a birdwould discover an insect.Protectively colored insects were overlookeda significant number of times.Laboratory experiments showed that spotsresembling the eye spots of insectwings were effective in frighteningbirds. Behaviorpatterns of insectsare suchas to increasethe survivalvalue of their color patterns.--J.
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