J. Field Ornithol., 62(2):279-291

RECENT LITERATURE Edited by John A. Smallwood

NEW JOURNAL 1. Conservation International. This new journal is the productof the Inter- national Council for Bird Preservation (ICBP). The aim of Bird Conservation International is to "publish original papersand reviewsdealing with the conservationof in the wild and their habitats.It seeksto promoteworldwide researchand conservationaction to ensure the protectionof birdlife and fragile environments.Specifically targeted articles and rec- ommendationsby leading expertsencourage positive conservation steps toward resolving the current global problemsof many bird speciesand their habitats."The first volumewill includearticles on the problemthat rats poseto island conservation,the impact of hunting pressureon guillemotsin Greenland, a national conservationstrategy for the Yemen Arab Republic, wetland conservationpriorities in the Pacific,conservation of birds in the threat- ened forestsof Upper Guinea and the Comoros Islands, and status reports for several threatenedavian . Bird ConservationInternational is publishedquarterly for ICBP by CambridgeUni- versityPress. Contributing members of ICBP's World Bird Club are eligible for discounted subscriptionrates. Inquiries regardingindividual and institutionalsubscriptions should be directedto CambridgeUniversity Press, 40 West 20th Street,New York, NY 10011 (United Statesand Canadaonly) or CambridgeUniversity Press, The EdinburghBuilding, Shaftes- bury Road, CambridgeCB2 2RU, United Kingdom.--John A. Smallwood.

BANDING AND LONGEVITY (see also 4, 6, 25) 2. Life expectancyand age structure of the fetal pigeon Columba livia forma domestica.[Lebenserwartung und Altersstrukturder StrassentaubeColumba livia forma domestica.]D. Haag. 1990. Ornithol. Beob. 87:147-151. (German, English summary.)-- Fetal pigeonshave a much shorterlife expectancythan thoseof domesticpopulations. The mean life expectancyfor a fetal populationin Basel,Switzerland, was 2.4 years,compared to a meanof 5 years,and maximum of 15 years,for domesticpopulations. The shorterlife expectancyof city pigeonsis attributedto the extremeconditions of city life. There were no significant differencesbetween males and females, but the oldest birds were from the outskirtsof the city. [Weiherhofstrasse141, 4054 Basel, Switzerland.I--Robert C. Beason.

MIGRATION, ORIENTATION, AND HOMING (see 23, 24) POPULATION DYNAMICS (see also 2, 1S) 3. Osprey productivity on Long Island 1978-1987: a decadeof stabilization.M. S. Fishmanand M. Scheibel.1990. Kingbird 40:2-9.--This studyfocuses on the productivity of a breedingpopulation of Osprey (Pandionhaliaetus) on Long Island, New York. This populationdeclined severely between 1948 and 1972 due to useof DDT. In 1972, the EPA bannedthe use of DDT. Following this legislation,the Osprey beganto recoversteadily and the first populationgrowth was observedin 1977. Data collectedfrom 1978 to 1987 indicatethat productivityhas stabilizedand the populationis maintainingitself. [17 Mort Lane, Brookhaven, NY 11719, USA.]--Lori A. W. Duncan. 4. Population dynamicsof the Skylark Alauda arvensisin intensively cultivated farmland in central Switzerland. [Populationdynamikder FeldlercheAlauda arvensis in einer intensivgenutzten Agrarlandschaft des schweizerischen Mittellandes.] M. Jenny. 1990. Ornithol. Beob.87:153-163. (German, Englishsummary.)--A populationof Skylarkswas studiedduring 1983-1987 on a 93-ha studyarea in the Reussvalley. An averageof 62% of color-bandedmales and 29% of the color-markedfemales returned in subsequentyears.

279 280] RecentLiterature J.Field Ornithol. Spring 1991

Only 4.5% of the birds hatchedin the study area returned to it. Basedon mortality rates of the adults and estimatedemigration rates of young birds, the author feels that the populationis graduallydeclining. [Madetswilerstrasse 3, 8332 Russikon,Switzerland.]-- Robert C. Beason. 5. Fluctuationsand long-term trends in nestboxoccupancy by songbirdsin the Baselregion, and their usefulness.[Schwankungen und langfristigeTrends der Nistkasten- Besetzungsanteileyon Singv6gelnin der Region Baselund ihre Aussagekraft.]M. Blattner and C. T. Speiser.1990. Ornithol. Beob.87:223-242. (German, English summary.)--Over 20 yearsof nestboxdata were comparedbetween Nuthatches (Sitta europaea), Great Tits (Parusmajor), Pied Flycatchers(Ficedula hypoleuca), Redstarts (Phoenicurus phoenicurus), and Tree Sparrows(Passer montanus) for 11 studyareas within 20 km of Basel.There was no correlationof populationsize for any speciesacross all studyareas, although Great Tits and Nuthatchesshowed similar fluctuationsfor many sites,indicating that the population dynamicsof thesespecies can differ betweennearby populations.There was no correlation in populationsizes in almostall of the 98 combinationsof speciesand sites,indicating that mostspecies' population sizes fluctuated independently from one another.[Weinbergstrasse 62, CH-4102 Binningen,Switzerland. I--Robert C. Beason. 6. Survival rates and mortality factors of Florida Sandhill Cranes in Georgia. A. J. Bennett and L. A. Bennett. 1990. No. Am. Bird Bander 15:85-88.--The authors studiedthe nonmigratoryFlorida Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensispratensis) in the Oke- fenokeeSwamp, Georgia, where the populationof 400 birdsis notsubject to huntingpressure. Forty-fourcranes, captured by rocket-nettingand taggedwith leg band radio transmitters, were locatedon at leastthree daysper week betweenMarch 1986 and March 1988. Of the eightdeaths that occurredduring this period, five were attributable to predationby bobcats, one to predationby an alligator,one to an undeterminedpredator, and one to an unknown cause.Most deathsoccurred during spring, adult malesexhibiting the significantlylowest survivalrate (0.80) duringthat season.No deathsof radio-taggedcranes occurred during winter. Mean annualsurvival for all craneswas 0.89. The meantime betweentagging and deathwas 252 days.[Coop. Fish and Wildlife ResearchUnit, Schoolof ForestResources, Univ. of Georgia,Athens, GA 30602, USA.]--John A. Smallwood.

NESTING AND REPRODUCTION (see also 3, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20) 7. Using phenologyto predict commencementof nestingof female SpruceGrouse (Dendragapuscanadensis). D. M. Keppie and J. Towers. 1990. Am. Midi. Nat. 124:164- 170.-The authors used plant phenologicalevents and dates of snow cover over 15 years in New Brunswick and Onta.rio, Canada, to predict the date at which female SpruceGrouse begin to lay and hatch eggs.Nesting was not initiated as early as suitable nest substrate becameavailable, but rather at an averageof 17.2 days following the date that 50% of the snowpackhad melted. Temporary resumptionof snowcover above 50% did not delay nest initiation. The dateson which the first flowersof blueberry (Vacciniumaugustifolium Air.) and trailing arbutus(Epigaea repens L.) appearedalso served as a goodpredictor of median egg-layingdates, as well as median hatch dates.Relative variancesof egg-layingand hatch datesamong years were similar to the varianceof the phenologicalevents forementioned. These data provide circumstantial evidencethat the timing of Spruce Grouse nesting is influencedby the timing of plant development.[Dept. of Biologyand Forest Resources, Univ. of New Brunswick, Bag Service#44555, Fredericton,NB E3B 6C2, Canada.]-- Danny J. Ingold. 8. Egg recognition by Elegant Terns (Sterna elegans).F. C. Schaffner.1990. Co- lonial Waterbirds 13:25-30.--Egg recognitioncapabilities generally have beenassumed for speciesof crestedterns which nestcolonially and haveindistinct nests and single-eggclutches. Schaffnerreports on egg recognitionexperiments with Elegant Terns involving acceptance or rejectionof a foreignegg. The 1980-1981 study,conducted in San Diego Bay, California, involvedadding foreign (donor) eggsto 60 nestsafter periodsof 1-18 days of incubation. Donor eggswere matchedfor shape,size, weight, color,and pattern to residenteggs. Of 30 Vol.62, No. 2 RecentLiterature [281 eggsdonated after 1-5 daysof incubation,over half were accepted.All 30 donatedafter six or more days of incubationwere rejected.No residenteggs were rejected.There was no significantdifference in hatchingsuccess for accepteddonor and resident eggs, but the fiedging successof donor chickswas significantlyless. Schaffnerconcludes that the experiments clearly demonstrateElegant Tern egg recognitionabilities, althoughthey are not complete until after the fifth day of incubation.He further suggeststhat a tern's ability to recognize its egg is related to the problem of locatingits nest in a densecolonial, synchrous nesting situationwith indistinctnest sites,rather than to brood parasitismor egg dumping.The acceptanceof someforeign eggs early in incubationsupports the hypothesisof eggrecognition by learning.[Dept. of Natural Resources,P.O. Box 5887, Puerta de Tierra, San Juan, PR 00906, USA.]--William E. Davis, Jr. 9. Reproductivebiology of a finch community in a "Mugetum" on the Rhaetian Alps (Sondrio,Italy). [Biologiariproduttiva di una comunita'di Fringillidi in un Mugeto delle Alpi Retiche (Sondrio).] F. Maestri, L. Voltolini, and F. L. Valvo. 1989. Riv. Ital. Ornitol. 59:159-171. (Italian, English summary,figure and table captions.)--Data on nest- ing phenologyand nestsites are presentedfor Chaffinch(Fringilla coelebs,three nests),Citril Finch (Serinuscitrinella, 17 nests), Linnet (Cardueliscannabina, one nest), Redpoll (C. flammea, 16 nests),and Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra,10 nests)in a subalpinezone dominatedby Swissmountain pine (Pinusmugo and P. uncinata).Nest-building began in late Februaryfor the crossbills,but not until April for the Citril Finch or Redpoll.Nestlings were found into late June for Citril Finchesand crossbills,and throughJuly for Redpolls. Redpoll nestsaveraged 1.3 m aboveground in 2.6-m pines,Citril Finch nestsaveraged 2.9 m high in 3.6-m pines,and crossbillnests averaged 3.0 m high in 3.7-m pines.Nests of the three dominantspecies tended to have more southernexposures. Data on nest dimensions, egg sizes,and reproductivesuccess also are presented.--JeromeA. Jackson. 10. Geographicvariation in clutch and brood size of the Eagle Owl Bubo bubo in the western Palearctlc. J. Donazar. 1990. J. Ornithol. 131:439-443.--This synthesis and reviewof availabledata includesstudies with data for 30+ nestsand covering4+ years, thus minimizing problemsdue to unusualnests and variable food supplies.No significant variation was found for clutch size. Significant positivecorrelations were found between brood size and both latitude (r = 0.704) and longitude(r = 0.618). Nearly significant correlationswere found betweenbrood size and distancebetween Eagle Owl nests(r = 0.73), and betweenbrood size and Iagomorphfrequency in the diet (r = 0.473).--Jerome A. Jackson. 11. Within clutch repeatability of eggdimensions in the Black-headedGull Larus ridibundus. J. Banbura and P. Zielinski. 1990. J. Ornithol. 131:305-310.--Egg length and breadth were measuredand egg volume calculatedfor clutcheswith two or more eggs. One-way analysesof variancewere carriedout for eachegg dimension and repeatabilityof eggdimensions was calculatedas intraclasscorrelation coefficients. Significant repeatabilities (egg similarity within clutches) were found for all traits and ranged from 0.51 to 0.61. These valuesgenerally are lessthan thosefound for severalother species(Parus major, Ficedulahypoleuca, Phoenicurus phoenicurus, Sturnus vulgaris) in which valueshave ranged from 0.70 to 0.81. However, the values for the Black-headedGull are considerablyhigher than thoseof the House Wren (Troglodytesaedon; comparative data availableonly for egg length and breadth). Egg length for the Common Tern (Sternahirundo) has shownhigher (0.72), whereasegg breadth has shownlower repeatability(0.54). Increasedvariability in the Black-headedGull is suggestedto be a result of smaller third eggs,or possiblysmaller last eggs.--JeromeA. Jackson. 12. Clutch size and egg size in four Anatidae speciesin ne Italy. N. Sainoand P. Brichetti. 1989. Riv. Ital. Ornitol. 59:259-264.--Data are providedfor 10-11 clutches eachof Mallard (Anasplatyrhynchos), Gadwall (A. strepera),Northern Shoveler(A. clypeata), and Pochard (Aythyaferina) from the Comacchioregion of northeastItaly. Mean clutch sizeswere 9.5, 9.73, 10.3, and 10.18, respectively.For Mallard, Shoveler,and Pochard,the mean clutch size was greater than or equal to clutchesreported from northern or central Europe; for Gadwall it was intermediate. Egg volume averaged about 6% less than in 282] RecentLiterature J.Field Ornithol. Spring 1991 northern and central Europe for Mallard, Gadwall, and Pochard; 2.7% greater for Shov- eler.--Jerome A. Jackson.

BEHAVIOR

(see also 8, 19, 21, 24, 30, 31, 33, 34) 13. Parental effort in the California Gull: testsof parent-offspringconflict theory. B. H. Pugesek.1990. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol.27:211-215.--Parental effort in a banded populationof California Gulls (Laruscalifornicus) was monitoredin pairs with a broodsize of two in Albany County, Wyoming. Feeding latency after returning from foraging was significantlylonger among younger parents (3-9 yearsold) comparedto older parents(11- 17 years old). In addition, the duration of parental care (DPC) was significantlylonger amongolder parents,and the survivalamong older gulls was significantlylower compared to youngergulls. Resultsindicated that survivalwas significantlyrelated to DPC, and that parental age had little effecton the relationshipbetween survivorship and DPC. These data supportthe major predictionsmade by Trivets regardingparent-offspring conflict theory, namely that: (1) the amount of time parents withhold food from offspring increaseswith increasingoffspring age, (2) older parentsshould be lesslikely to withhold foodat any point in the offspring'speriod of parental care, and (3) older birds, which have lesspotential for future reproductivesuccess, will care for their youngfor longer periodsof time. [Collegeof Health and Human Development,S-210 HendersonBldg., State Univ., University Park, PA 16802, USA.]--Danny J. Ingold. 14. Mate choice by female White-crowned Sparrows in a mixed-dialect popu- lation. G. Chilton, M. R. Lein, and L. F. Baptista. 1990. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol.27:223- 227.--From 1984 to 1988 the authors investigatedmate choiceby female White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichialeucophrys) in a mixed-dialect population (Z. l. oriantha vs. Z. l. gambelii) in southwesternCalgary, Alberta. Their objectiveswere to test whether: (1) an individual female would consistentlychoose a mate singingthe samesong type in successive breedingseasons, and (2) an individual female would show a tendencyto mate with a male with the samesong type as her father. The resultsindicate that femalesdid not choosemates during consecutiveyears on the basisof songdialect. In addition, the songsof the father and the mate of each female were no more likely to be the samethan expectedby chance. These data suggestthat within mixed populationsof White-crownedSparrows, mate choice is likely basedon characteristicsother than songtypes, and that songdifferences probably have no socialor geneticsignificance. [Div. of Ecology,Dept. of BiologicalSciences, Univ. of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada.]--Danny J. Ingold. 15. Provlsioningof nestlingsby dunnocks,Prunella modularis,in pairs and trios: compensationreactions by males and females. B. J. Hatchwell and N. B. Davies. 1990. Behar. Ecol. Sociobiol.27:199-209.--Four mating systems(monogamy, polygyny, poly- andry, and polygynandry)were examinedin a populationof dunnocksin order to investigate how an adult's provisioningof nestlingsvaries with the provisioningefforts of other adults. Provisioningrates were recordedat 105 nestsduring 1981-1984 and 1988-1989. Broods were attendedby lone females,by femaleswith the part-time help of one male, by females with the full-time help of one male (pairs) or by femaleswith the part-time or full-time help of two males (trios). No significantdifference was detectedin the provisioningrates betweenmales and femalesin pair-fed broods.In trio-fed broods,alpha males and females fed nestlingsat the samerate, and at a significantlyhigher rate than beta males. Females attained maximum help from males when the ratio of provisioningby alpha and beta males approached50:50. Females were most likely to achievethis by eluding alpha males for a periodof time during mating, and solicitingincreased copulations from beta males.Although the feedingrate of femalesin pairs and trios did not differ significantly,the total feeding rate in trio-fed broodswas significantlygreater than for pair-fed broods.When maleswere removedfrom pairs (either naturally or experimentally), or when paired males reduced their help to part-time, femalesfed nestlingsat a significantlyhigher rate, but were unable to fully compensatefor the loss of help. In contrast,females left in pairs following the removalof one male from a trio, did not compensateby feedingthe broodmore frequently. Beta males increasedtheir provisioningwhen alpha males were removedfrom a trio or Vol.62, No. 2 RecentLiterature [283 whenalpha males reduced their provisioningto part-time.Alpha malesmay haveincreased their feedingrates in the absenceof beta males,but if suchincreases occurred, they were insignificant.Nonetheless, the removalof one adult (of either sex) from either a pair or a trio resultedin a significantreduction in the mean weightsof chicks.The authorsdiscuss the relevanceof theseresults to maximized fitnessof individualscomposing pairs and trios of breedingdunnocks. [Dept. of Zoology,Univ. of Cambridge,Downing St., Cambridge CB2 3EJ, United Kingdom.]--Danny J. Ingold. 16. Pair relationshipsand female-femaleagresslon in the occasionallybigamous JapaneseWagtail Motacilla grandis. Y. Ohsakoand S. Yamagishi. 1989. Jap. J. Ornithol. 37:89-101.--The JapaneseWagtail is normally monogamous,but Ohsakoand Yamagishi here analyze behavioralobservations of the femalesof five bigamousrelationships among 225 breedingattempts studied during a four-year study.Four of the five bigamousrela- tionshipsoccurred during first nestingefforts of the season.Bigamous females were widowed femalesfrom neighboringterritories (three cases)or new birds (widowed elsewhere?). Simultaneousobservation of bigamousfemales demonstrated that they generallyspaced themselvesout within themale's territory. Primary and secondary females tended to maintain their original territories,or the primary female dominatedthe secondaryone. In one case bigamousfemales were compatibleuntil incubationbegan, at which point the male'shelp was neededfor incubationand care of young.The femalesseemed to becomeaggressive to acquirethe male's parentalinvestment, and the secondaryfemale receivedlittle help with feedingof her young,resulting in loweredreproductive success, and probablylimiting the extent of bigamy in the species.In four instancesmonogamous males attempted to copulate with neighboringpaired females,but were rejectedby them.--Jerome A. Jackson.

ECOLOGY (see also 6, 7, 10, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 30, 33, 34, 35) 17. Habitat selectionin a population of Marsh Warbler, Acrocephaluspalustris, in the central Po Plain, province of Brescla(Lombardy, n Italy). [Selezionedell'habitat in una popolazionedi cannaJoiaverdognola, Acrocephalus palustris, nella pianura Lombarda.] P. Brichetti, A. Gargioni, and $. Gellini. 1989. Riv. Ital. Ornitol. 59:205-217. (Italian, English summary.)--Breedingpopulation levels of the Marsh Warbler were related to streamsideand emergentvegetation characteristics along a 19-km waterway. Herbaceous coverwas the primary requisitefor higher populationlevels, and decreasingnumbers were foundalong a gradientof decreasingherbaceous cover and increasingshrubby cover. The presenceof treesdid not affect presenceor absenceof the birds.--Jerome A. Jackson. 18. Predation on Yellow-eyed Junco nestlingsby twin-spotted rattlesnakes.T. C. Gumbart and K. A. Sullivan. 1990. Southwest.Nat. 35:367-368.--During a long-term studyon the behavioral ecology of Yellow-eyedJuncos (Junco phaeonotus) in Cochise County, Arizona,three cases of nestlingpredation by twin-spottedrattlesnakes (Crotalus pricei) were observedbetween June 1986 and June 1988. The nestlingsranged from oneto nine days of age. Additionally, another nestling from one of the three nestshad been bitten but subsequentlyrecovered, suggesting some degree of resistanceto the venom.Snake predation also was the possiblecause of the disappearanceof numerousclutches. This is the first publishedaccount of twin-spottedrattlesnake predation of birds. [Dept. of Biology,Utah State Univ., Logan, UT 84322, USA. ]--Robin J. Densmore.

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMIC ORNITHOLOGY 19. Field testsof predator-deterrent nest box devicesfor acceptanceby cavity- nesting birds. K. L. Berner. 1990. Sialia 12:123-128.--The author monitoreda bluebird trail with 52 nestboxes (four groupsof 13, eachequipped with a differentpredator-deterrent device)during the 1989breeding season in SchoharieCounty, New York. EasternBluebirds (Sialiasialis), Tree Swallows(Tachycineta bicolor), and House Wrens (Troglodytesaedon) readily nestedin boxeswhich possessedboth a 12.7-cm extended-lengthroof and 1.9-cm thick woodenguard over the entrancehole. Although samplesizes were small, it appears that all threespecies nested in boxeswith the 1.9-cmwooden guard only, and with the 3.5- 284] RecentLiterature J. Field Ornithol. Spring 1991 cm woodenguard only, at a rate no lessthan expectedby chance(no statisticaltest results were reported).Bluebirds and Tree Swallowsavoided nest boxes equipped with a commercial plasticpredator guard that extended7.6 cm from the cavity entrance;House Wrens, on the contrary,appeared undeterred by sucha device.Based on the nest box acceptancerates by thesespecies, boxes equipped with an extended-lengthroof and a 1.9 to 5.5-cm thick wooden guard over the entrancecavity should adequatelyserve to attract thesespecies and deter predators (cf. Sialia 1990 12:85-87). [State Univ. of New York, Cobleskill, NY 12045, USA.]--Danny J. Ingold.

CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (see also 3, 5, 19) 20. Values of phosphate-minedwetlands for birds: a balancedapproach. W. R. Marion. 1989. Pp. 1195-1202 in R. R. Sharitz and J. w. Gibbons,cds. Freshwater wetlands and wildlife. DOE SymposiumSeries No. 61. United StatesDept. of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tcnncsscc.--This paper summarizesthe values for birds of wetland habitats createdby phosphate-miningin Florida. Both positiveand negativevalues arc addressed.These created wetlandsgenerally arc consideredbeneficial for wildlife. The author sccsthis as an over- simplificationand presentsinformation to further explain the situation.Four dilemmasarc addressed:(1) wetland vs. upland habitat availability;(2) reproductivesuccess of wetland vs. terrestrial birds; (5) high concentrationof birds, which has a positivevalue from a recreationalviewpoint but a negativevalue in termsof increaseddisease; and (4) long-term maintenanceof the createdwetlands. [Dept. of Wildlife and Range Sciences,118 Newins- Ziegler Hall, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville,FL 52611, USA.]--Lori A. W. Duncan. 21. Avlan use of fluctuating wetlands.J. Kushlan.1989. Pp. 595-604 in R. R. Sharitz and J. W. Gibbons,cds. Freshwater wetlands and wildlife. DOE SymposiumSeries No. 61. United StatesDept. of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tcnncsscc.--Watcr level fluctuation playsa significantrole in maintainingmany wetland habitatsfor birds. This paper suggests that birds using theseareas have behavioral,ecological, and/or morphologicaladaptations that allow accommodationto the fluctuatingwater levels.Thus, in order to conservenatural wctiand systemsand the bird populationsthey support,water level fluctuationsalso must bc preserved.[Dept. of Biology,Univ. of Mississippi,University, MS 38677, USA.]--Lori A. W. Duncan. 22. Hawaii's endangeredwaterblrds: a resourcemanagement challenge. C. R. Griffin, R. J. Shallcnbcrgcr,and S. I. Fcfcr. 1989. Pp. 1165-1175 in R. R. Sharitz and J. w. Gibbons,cds. Freshwater wetlands and wildlife. DOE SymposiumSeries No. 61. United States Dept. of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tcnncsscc.--This paper examines the status and distributionof the endemicwaterbirds of the main Hawaiian Islandsand someof the possible reasonsfor their decline. Among the major reasonsfor their decline arc wetland losses, hunting and prcdation,and hybridizationand competitionwith non-endemicspecies. There is some confusionin the wording of the introduction concerningwhether the four waterbird specieson the main Hawaiian Islands arc endemic speciesor not. The beginningof the paragraph describes"five endemicwaterbird speciesrecorded by carly naturalists." Later in the paragraph it is statedthat "only the Hawaiian duck is classified as an endemicspecies." I believewhat the authors arc trying to say is that the Hawaiian duck is the only endemicspecies and the othersarc endemicsubspecies of waterbirds.[Dept. of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Univ. of Massachusetts,Amherst, MA 01005, USA.]--Lori A. W. Duncan.

PARASITES AND DISEASES

(see 20) PHYSIOLOGY 23. No evidencefor polarizationsensitivity in the pigeon.M. A. J. M. Cocmans, J. j. Vox Hzn, and J. F. W. Hubocr. 1990. Naturwisscnschaftcn77:158-142.--Thc objectiveof theseexperiments was to investigatethe sensitivity and mechanisms of polarized light detectionin the Homing Pigeon(Columba livia) usingpsycholophysical and electro- Vol.62, No. 2 RecentLiterature [285 physiologicaltechniques. The resultsof this studycontradict previous reports that pigeons can detectdifferences in the plane of polarizedlight. In key-peckconditioning experiments, four pigeonswere unable to distinguishbetween overheadpolarized light patterns with different E-vector orientations.They were able to detect a 10-Hz flickering light and rectanglesoriented orthogonally. Electroretinogram (ERG) recordingsfrom 19 pigeonsalso failed to demonstratea sensitivityto light flashesthat differed in the orientation of their E-vectors.Based on their results,the authorsconclude that previouslyreported sensitivities by pigeonsto polarizedlight are misinterpretationsof sensitivitiesto intensity differences. The ERG recordingsshowed changes with time, but there were no differencesbetween responsesto polarizedand unpolarizedlight. The resultsof theseexperiments clearly indicate the care that is neededin conductingexperiments involving sensory modalities to which humansare blind. It is important that theseresults be replicatedby an independentgroup to resolvethe inconsistenciesbetween this and previousstudies. [Lab. ComparativePhysi- ology,Utrecht Univ., Transitorium III, NL-3584 CH Utrecht, Holland.]--Robert C. Bea- son. 24. Effects of local anesthesiaof the nasal mucosaon other sensoryinputs of pigeons (Columba livia). [Auswirkungender Lokalan//sthesieder Riechschleimhautauf Sinnesleistungenbei Brieftauben (Columbalivia).] W. Schlund. 1990. J. Ornithol. 131:325- 332. (German, English summary.)--A local anesthesia(such as Gingicain) frequently is used to test the ability of pigeonsto perceiveodors in homing and cardiac conditioning experiments.The resultsof this studyreveal that suchmanipulation also may affectaspects of the bird's behaviornot associatedwith olfaction.There seemsto be a generalsystemic effectof the anesthesiaon the nervoussystem that must be taken into considerationfor such experiments,especially those that are sensitiveto differencesin motivation on the part of the .[Univ. T/jbigen,Abt. f/JrVerhaltensphysiologie, Beim Kupferhammer8, D-7400 T•bingen, Germany.]--Robert C. Beason.

MORPHOLOGY AND ANATOMY (see also 21, 28, 29) 25. Sex and age variation in the Dipper Cincluscinclus. [Variabilite morphome- trique du cincleplongeur Cinclus cinclus en fonctiondu sexeet de l'age.] G. Marzolin. 1990. Alauda 58:85-94. (French,English summary and table and figure captions.)--This 8-year study of the biometricsof the Dipper revealedthat 99% of the birds in the northeastern France study area couldbe sexedby wing length alone.Wing length of malescontinued to increaseeach year through at least the fourth year. That of femalesdecreased slightly after the fourth year. Other parametersfor which data are providedinclude culmen length, two different tarsal measurements,and weight. Means for femaleswere consistentlysmaller than thosefor males in all parameters.Good sample sizes(120+ birds) allow for ready comparisonsamong most sex and age classes.Weight data are brokendown by month (no July or Augustdata) and sex, but not by age. Mean weight for both males(64.4 g) and females(53.4 g) was least in June; heaviestmeans for males (68.3 g) were in December, and for females(59.7 g) were in April. This is a nice study with an enviabledata set!- Jerome A. Jackson.

ZOOGEOGRAPHY AND DISTRIBUTION (see also 22, 28, 37) 26. First Hook-billed Kite specimenfrom Nuevo Leon, Mexico. F. M. De La Garza and A. J. Contreras-Balderas.1990. Southwest.Nat. 35:370.--The first Hook-billed Kite (Chondrohieraxuncinatus) specimen from the stateof Nuevo Leon, Mexico, was collected on 16 January 1989. Additionally, the authorsobserved a nestingpair of Hook-billed Kites near Nuevo Leon in 1975 and anotherin 1977. [Lab. de Herpetologiay Ornitologia,Univ. Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Apartado Postal 425, San Nicolas de los Garza, Nuevo Leon 66450, Mexico.]--Robin J. Densmore. 27. A range extensionfor the Botteri's Sparrow (Aimophila botteril) in southern Texas. D. K. Conway and K. L. P. Benson.1990. Southwest.Nat. 35:348-349.--In 1988 286] RecentLiterature j. Field Ornithol. Spring 1991 a breedingpair of Botteri'sSparrows were found in the La Copita ResearchArea in Jim Wells County, Texas. One fledgling was observed.Except for one other record in San Patricio County, Botteri's Sparrowshad not previouslybeen known to breed north of the southerntip of Texas.[Dept. of Wildlife and FisheriesScience, Texas A&M Univ., College Station,TX 77843, USA.]--Robin J. Densmore.

SYSTEMATICS AND PALEONTOLOGY 28. A reappraisal of speciesllmits in the Pied Imperial Pigeon Ducula bicolor (Scopoli, 1786) superspecies.M.D. Bruce. 1989. Riv. Ital. Ornitol. 59:218-222.--The Pied Imperial Pigeon complex ranges from the islands of the Bay of Bengal and the Philippinesto the New Guinea regionand northeastern Australia. Bruce suggests recognition of four allospecies:Ducula bicolor, with an extensiverange throughout the region;D. luctuosa, endemicto Sulawesiand adjacentislands and the Sula Islands;D. subflavescens,endemic to the Bismarckarchipelago and Admiralty Islands,but absentfrom the islandsbetween New Britain and New Guinea; and D. constans,sp. nov., endemicto the Kimberly Division, northwesternWestern Australia. Only minimal data are presented:descriptions of and measurementsof wing and tail, with very small samples(3-13) and no descriptive statisticsother than range of variation. As the author acknowledges,much remains to be learnedof this complex.--JeromeA. Jackson. 29. Preliminary systematicnotes on some Old World Passetines.S. L. Olson. 1989. Riv. Ital. Ornitol. 59:183-195.--Relationships of severalproblematic genera are assessedrelative to osteologicalcharacters of the nostriland syrinx.Rationale for publication of these"preliminary" findingsis the "imminent appearanceof the passefinevolumes of The Birdsof Africa" (Urban et al., AcademicPress, London). Among Olson'srecommen- dationsare the following: (1) Leafbirds of the genusChloropsis are membersof the Pyc- nonotidae based on nostril ossification.(2) Based on absenceof nostril ossification,Nicator chlorisis not a member of the Pycnonotidaeand shouldbe returned to the Malaconotidae. (3) Lack of nostril ossification(one alcoholicspecimen examined) suggests Neolestes does not belongin the Pycnonotidaeand its affinitiesare uncertain,but couldbe near Prionops. (4)Phyllastrephusspp. representa mixed assemblage,but no goodevidence (lack of narial ossification)exists for includingany of them in the Pycnonotidae(Olson suggests that they may representan unrecognizedexample of adaptiveradiation much like the Vangidae).(5) The distinctivegenera Paramythia, Oreocharis, and Malia lack narial ossificationand have humeralcharacteristics that suggestthey are not Pycnonotids.(6) Tylasof Madagascarlacks narial ossificationand is thus not a Pycnonotid,but its true affinitiesare questionable.(7) Other birds sometimesincluded in the Pycnonotidaebut which lack narial ossificationand are thusexcluded from the bulbulsare Hypergerusatriceps, Apalopteronfamiliare, and Liopti- lornisrufocinctus. (8) The monarchflycatchers are part of the corvineassemblage and properly placedin the family Myiagridae. (9) Trochocercuscyanomelas and T. nitensbelong in the genusTerpsiphone which Olsonconsiders to be the only monarchflycatcher genus in Africa; Erythrocercusand Elminiaare of uncertainaffinities, but basedon osteologyare not monarchs nor membersof Platysteirinae.(10) The Australian mudnest-buildersCorcorax and Struth- idea are closelyrelated, but osteologycorroborates that at least cyanoleucadiffers in havingtypical monarchine narial ossification.(11) The iotasof the Asiangenus Aegithina shouldbe consideredmonarch flycatchers. The remaininggenus of the family Irenidae may haveaffinities with Oriolus.(12) The amphirhinalcondition of Eurocephalusargues against its placementwith Prionopsand Olsonconsiders it a typical .(13) Basedon syringeal structurethe followingspecies should be includedin the Muscicapidae:Cercotrichas podobe, Irania gutturalis,Thamnolaea coronata, Pseudocossyphus imerinus sharpei, Cichlerminia lher- minieri, Fraseriaocreata, F. cinerascens,Humblotia ftavirostris, Nesocichla eremira. (14) Based on the presenceof the "turdinethumb" characterof the syrinx,Myioparus plumbeus belongs in the Muscicapidae.(15) The BoulderChat (Pinarornisplumosus) seems to havea turdine affinity.--Jerome A. Jackson. Vol.62, No. 2 RecentLiterature [287

EVOLUTION AND GENETICS (see 13, 14, 15) FOOD AND FEEDING

(see also 10, 13, 15, 35) 30. Prey selectionby Big Brown Bats (Eptesicusfuscus) and Common Night- hawks (Chordeilesminor). R. M. Brigham. 1990. Am. Midl. Nat. 124:73-80.--In order to comparethe dietsof Big Brown Batsand CommonNighthawks, both species wcrc captured in mist nets at dusk from May to August 1986 and 1987 near Okanagan Falls, British Columbia. Insect parts wcrc identified in fccal samples,regurgitated pellets, and stomach contentsof individualsthat died accidentally.The availability of insectprey at dusk was sampledusing a whirligig or rotary trap. Sinceboth speciessought prey at the samelocation with temporallyoverlapping foraging periods, the author predictedthat both specieswould have similar diets, despitedifferences in their methodsof prey detectionand wing mor- phology.Although nighthawkssometimes selected hymcnoptcrans (carpenter ants) and colcoptcransin proportionssignificantly (P (0.05) greater than expectedon the basisof availability, both speciesfed significantlymore often on large trichoptcrans,cphcmcroptcr- ans, homoptcrans,and chironomids.These data refute the suggestionthat Big Brown Bats and CommonNighthawks fccd opportunistically. However, the datado not elucidatewhether thesespecies actively "select"prey or cat what they do becauseof constraintsimposed by detectability.[Dept. of Biology,York Univ., North York, ON M3J 1P3, Canada.I--Danny J. Ingold. 31. A comparisonof feeding areas used by individual Common Murres (Uria aaige), Razorbills (Aica torda) and an Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) during the breeding season.S. Wanless,M.P. Harris, and J. A. Morris. 1990. ColonialWaterbirds 13:16-24.--Radio-tracking methodswcrc used to find the feeding areas of three closely related alcid species.The studywas conductedon the Isle of Man near the Firth of Forth, Scotland,in 1986-1987. The samplesizes wcrc small with eight murrcs,three Razorbills, and one puffin receivingradio transmitters.The authorsdescribe how changesin the radio signalscould provide information on whethera bird was on its breedingsite, flying, sitting on the seaor underwater,or flying out of rangeof the receiver(7-10 km), and how direction and flight distanceswcrc determined. This wouldbc usefulinformation for anyoneplanning a radio-trackingstudy of seabirds.The birdsapparently flew directlyto and from the feeding areaswhich ranged from 100 m to more than 10 km. Individual birds usedwidely separated feeding areas, often on consecutivetrips. Razorbills travelled farther from the colony and foragedin shallowerinshore water, while murrcs useda wide range of habitats, and the puffin fed closerto the colony. The authors suggestthat Razorbills may bc more selective in their choiceof foraging habitat than the other species.The complexpattern of feeding areas usedby individual birds during the nestingseason may bc related to the long period of immaturity in thesespecies. The authorsacknowledge that their samplesizes wcrc low and their findingspreliminary. [Inst. of Terrestrial Ecology,Hill of Brathens, Banchory, KincardincshircAB3 4BY, Scotland,United Kingdom.I--William E. Davis, Jr. 32. Geographicand seasonalvariation in the foodhabits of the EagleOwl (Bubo bubo)in Navarra. [Variacioncsgcograficas y cstacionalcs cn la alimcntaciondcl buhoreal (Bubobubo) cn Navarra.]J. A. Donazar. 1989.Ardcola 36:25-39. (Spanish,English sum- mary, figure and table captions.)--Pcllctswcrc collectedfrom 18 owl pairs in northern Spain between1980 and 1985. The mostcommon prey wcrc Oryctolaguscuniculus, Rattus spp.,Mus spp.,and Apodemyussylvaticus. The rabbitswcrc taken muchmore frequently in summer,and smallermammals wcrc most frequently taken in autumnand winter. Among the 2558 prey items identifiedwcrc approximately20 speciesof mammals,28 speciesof birds, colubridsnakes (18 individuals,not identified),at leasttwo amphibianspecies, at leasttwo fishspecies, and a few invertebrates(mostly Colcoptcra and Orthoptcra).Prcdators (Carnivora,Falconiformcs, Strigiformcs) sccm unusually prevalent (3.1% of the preyitems). Amongavian prey, thrushes(Turdus spp.) wcrc mostprevalent (126 prey items),and along with doves(Columba spp.) wcrc found as prey of 15 of the 18 pairs.--Jcromc A. Jackson. 288] RecentLiterature J.Field Ornithol. Spring 1991

SONGS AND VOCALIZATIONS (see also 14) $$. Attributesof whistllngposts used by Northern Bobwhites(Colinus virgini- anus). D. B. Johnson,F. S. Guthery, and A. H. Kane. 1990. Southwest.Nat. 35:229- 231.--The selectionof whistling postsby male Northern Bobwhiteswas studiedat two sitesin southernTexas from March to June of 1985 and 1986. The first studysite was locatedon the San ¾incenteranch in Hidalgo County and was characterizedby mixed brushhabitat. The secondsite was locatedon the McFaddin ranchin Victoria Countyand was characterizedby mixed grasslandswith scatteredclumps of brush. Thirty-one whistlingposts were observedon the San ¾incentearea in 1985, and none in 1986. Eighteen postswere observedon the McFaddin area in 1985 and 13 in 1986. Whistlingposts were defined as the plant speciesor objecton whichthe bird perched.Perch siteswere defined as the exact location where the bird perched.Variables measured included heightof whistlingpost, diameter of whistlingpost, brush canopy coverage within 30 m of perchsite, vertical screening at perchsite, circumference of perchsite, and heightof perch site.The authorsinterpreted the differencesin variablesbetween study sites as indicative of attributesfor whichwhistling bobwhites have flexibility in postselection. Thus, height anddiameter of whistlingposts (which were larger in theMcFaddin area),and circumference of perchsites (which were largerin the SanVincente area), seemedless significant in post selection.Conversely, the authors interpreted similarities between areas as indicative of attributeswhich were significant to bobwhitesin postselection. Thus, malebobwhites seemed to seekout postswhere canopycoverage of brush within 30 m averagedabout 20% and wherevisual screening from 12 to 20 dm abovegroundaveraged 20-40%. Additionally,male bobwhitesseemed to prefer perchsites with overheadcover as well as perchesat a height of 1.5-2.5 m aboveground.[Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Comm., PembrokePines, FL 33084, USA. I--Robin J. Densmore. 34. Songmatching and the perceptionof songtypes in Great Tits, Parusmajor. D. M. Weary, J. B. Falls, and P. K. McGregor. 1990. Behar. Ecol. 1:43-47.--Like many specieswith repertoires,Great Tits respondto playbacksof their songsby singingthe same type of song.They also match songsof other individuals.Researchers have assumedthat phraselength is a key feature when classifyingbird songs.It is not clear, however,what cuesare usedby the birds to classifysongs. To determinewhether Great Tits use phraselength to classifysongs, the authors presentedwild, territorialmales with a seriesof their recordedsongs. Two songtypes, which differedin frequency,duration, and phraselength, were playedback in editedand unedited forms.In the editedversions, phrase length simulated that of the other song.The subjects nearlyalways matched the unedited songs with identicalsongs. Although the birdsfrequently respondedto the editedsongs with the alternatesong type (of equal phraselength), they respondedwith the sametype of song(with alteredphrase length) in more than half of the trials. If phraselength had beenthe primarycue in the birds'classification of songtypes, the subjectsshould have responded mainly with the songof equal phraselength. Because such matchingoccurred to a limited extent, it is likely that the birds recognizeddifferences in phraselength. The authorsconcluded, however, that frequency,rather than phraselength, was the mostimportant feature in the birds' perceptionof song.They cautionthat classi- ficationsof stimuli must be biologicallymeaningful to permit accurateinferences about behavior.[Dept. of Psychology,Queen's Univ., Kingston,ON K7L 3N6, Canada.I--Ken- neth D. Meyer.

BOOKS AND MONOGRAPHS $5. Foodhoarding in .S. B. VanderWall. 1990.The Universityof Chicago Press,Chicago, Illinois. 445 pp.--I beginthis review by recommendingVander Wall's book for any biologistinterested in the foragingbehavior of animals.The bookis an ambitious project.Many monographshave been written on foodhoarding in specifictaxa, or specific aspectsof foodhoarding, but this is the first booklengthtreatment of the subjectof food Vol.62, No. 2 RecentLiterature [289 hoardingas whole. It is a substantialcontribution, summarizing an impressivevolume of literature in an accessible,even enjoyableformat. By my estimate,there are over 1400 citationsin the bibliography.The work is not without its shortcomings;there are aspects of content and arrangementthat detract from the usefulnessof the book. Some of these aspectsare discussedbelow. On the whole,however, Food Hoarding in Animalsis well worth the money,and more importantly,worth the time to read it. A review monographof this sort typically is facedwith a trade-off.On the one hand, it is mostuseful as a referencebook if its informationis redundantlycross-referenced, with a minimum of interpretationor discussion.The factsthen are quickly and easily located. The resultis very useful,but not at all inspirational.On the otherhand, a writer can strive for an insightful review, noting patterns,suggesting possible explanations, and evaluating and interpretingthe papersdiscussed. Though very thought-provoking,such reviews are of limited useas references,as the sought-afterbits of informationare hard to find amidstall the insightsand interpretation.Vander Wall circumventsthis trade-off with a few simple techniques.First, he employsan unusually thoroughindex (15 pages),which includes taxonomk, phenomenological,and conceptualterms (e.g., dispersalof plants, food envy hypothesis).Second, he includestwo appendicesat the end of the book;Appendix I, Food- Hoarding Mammals and Birds Mentioned in the Text, and Appendix II, Plants, Plant Parts,Fungi, and LichensMentioned in the Text that are Storedby Animals.The appendices do not give page numbers,so the reader must flip back into the index (which is annoying as the index doesnot includeplant parts,such as "bulbs"or "foliage"),but they are useful. Third, eachcitation in the bibliographyis followedby the pagesin the text where the work is cited. Together, these devicesmake the book very serviceableas a reference,and free Vander Wall to note interestingpatterns and presenthis thought-provokinginsights in the text. FoodHoarding in Animalsbegins with severalchapters on specificissues of food-hoarding behaviorconsidered from the view of many different animal species(e.g., The Evolutionof Food-Hoarding).Then, there are threetaxon-specific chapters: Food-Hoarding Mammals, Food-Hoarding Birds, and Food-Hoarding Arthropods.The final chapter considershow foodhoarding may affectcommunity structure. Below, I give a shortsketch of the chapters, with particular attentiongiven to the chapter on birds. After an openingchapter defining food hoarding and differentiatingbetween scatter and larder hoards,Vander Wall devotesa chapter to the questionof how animals use stored food. Differencesbetween short-term and long-term storageare discussed.Reproductive benefitsof food hoarding are discussed,including its use in courtshipand mating rituals, its effectson the timing of breedingand on litter/clutch size, and its effectson nest atten- tiveness.Chapter 3 considersthe evolution of food hoarding, and reviews a number of hypothesesabout the selectivepressures and mechanismsby which food hoardingevolved. Here, Vander Wall also considersthe various specializationsanimals have evolvedfor food transport,cache dispersion patterns, and the possiblecoevolution of plant propagulesand food hoarders.Chapter 4 investigatesthe various processesby which food cachesare lost, and someof the behaviorsanimals have evolvedto minimize losses.Factors influencing food- hoardingbehavior are reviewedin Chapter 5, with internal state affects(genetics, devel- opment,hunger, and gender)considered separately from environmentalfactors (proximal factors,or cuesto hoardingare discussedhere, ranging from photoperiod to socialfacilitation). Cacherecovery behaviors are detailedin Chapter 6, with birds, mammals,and hymenoptera treatedseparately. Although touched on in an earlier section,Vander Wall devotesan entire Chapter (7) to the subjectof food hoardersas dispersersof plants. The first seven chaptersare meant to deal with their subjectsin a general manner, relevant to all animal hoarders.The insightsand hypothesespresented, however, seem mostly to be inspired by vertebrateexamples, usually avian. This "bird's eye" view may reflectthe author'sexpertise, but alsomay reflect the biaseddistribution of animal taxa in the literature. Birds are diurnal and large enoughto be observedeasily, whereas mammals usuallyare nocturnaland/or secretive,or are large enoughto threatenthe observewith the possibilityof beingkilled and cached.Many arthropodsare small and cryptic.Hence, birds may dominatethe literature on food hoardingmerely by being easyto work with. The natural history of food hoarding in mammals, birds, and arthropodsis presented in chapters8, 9, and 10, respectively.Each chapter is organizedabout the of the 290] RecentLiterature J.Field Ornithol. Spring 1991 group.Chapter 9 is comprisedof sectionson raptors,woodpeckers, and perchingbirds. The perchingbirds discussed at somelength include corvids, Australian butcherbirds, bowerbirds, parids,nuthatches, thrushes and flycatchers,, and mynas.The chapteron birds is representativeof both the strengthsand weaknessesof the book,and is reviewedbelow. One of the mostthought-provoking aspects of this chapter(and of the bookas a whole) is the fascinatingpatterns Vander Wall pointsout. For example,food hoardingis very commonamong true falcons,and amongowls, but virtually absentfrom other raptor groups. What aspectsof falcon ecologymight promotefood hoarding,or discourageit amongother raptors?Might historyplay a rolehere, if oneancestral falcon adopted the habitand passed it on to descendentspecies? Every pattern noted suggestsmany possibilitiesfor scientific inquiry. One of the weaknessesof this chapter (and of the book) is the absenceof statistical analyses.Without them,the readermust struggle to differentiatestrong from weak patterns likely to be due to chance.The propositionthat food hoardingis over-representedin the Falconinaecertainly would survivestatistical scrutiny (17 of the 37 speciesof falconshoard food,versus two of the 53 accipters,five of 93 buteos,and noneamong the other subfamilies; table 9.3, p. 286). Other patternsprobably would not passmuster. For example,Vander Wall notesthat mostowls accumulateprey in larder hoards,in contrastto falcons,which storeprey in scatteredhoards (p. 288). However, table 9.4 lists eight speciesof owls that hoard in larders (or "stockpiles"),versus six that scatter-hoard.If only one specieswere classifieddifferently, there might be no pattern for owls. In addition, while table 9.4 lists the type of hoard (scatteror larder) for each speciesof owl, the analogoustable 9.3 for falconiformesdoes not includea columnon type of hoard.This makesit more difficultfor the readerto assessthe strengthof the contrastbetween falcons and owls.Too often, patterns are describedwithout referenceto the samplesizes they camefrom. Justificationsfor observedpatterns sometimes are inconsistent.For example, on page 283, Vander Wall positsthat vulturesdo not storefood, because they would gain little from storingcarrion, and Ospreysmay nothoard because fish decomposes so rapidly. Nevertheless, on page305, he notesthat Carrion Crows storecarrion, and American, Northwestern,and Fish Crows store fish. Still, it is a very informativeand scholarlywork. For eachspecies discussed, we learn what is stored, how and when it is stored and retrieved, and how the stored food is used (to survivethe winter, to feed young,etc.). His summariesof papersreveal that he has actually read and assessedthem carefully. On page 292, he tracesreports of Northern Flickers storingacorns back to the original report, and concludesthe author of the original report probably misattributedthe work of Acorn Woodpeckersto flickers. This sort of careful evaluation,and the enormousquantity of informationsummarized, make the book extremelyworthwhile. The paperbackproduction is of moderatequality, and it is priced($29.95) within the range of most graduate studentbudgets. Although thin, the paper is alkaline and should last. Similarly, the binding is glued rather than sewn, but it is bound in signaturesrather than the flimsy "perfect" bindingthat seemsto fall apart so quickly. The printing and layout are easyon the eyesand accessible.The most interestingaspect of the layout is the wide (5 cm) outer margin. I do not know if it was intendedfor this purpose,but it makes a convenientspace for scribblingin ideas,questions, hypotheses, and outlinesof possible experimentsinspired by the material in the book.The marginsin my bookalready are well scribbled,which is perhapsthe most sincerecompliment and recommendationa reviewer could make.--Peter D. Smallwood. 36. The habitat guide to birding. T. P. McElroy. 1987. (Reprint of 1974 edition.) Nick Lyons Books,New York, New York. 275 pp.--In generalit is a relativelyeasily read book for the amateur birder. The anecdotalaccounts presented are interestingand the presentationimpresses upon the reader that to be a good birder one should learn to be observant.Habitat descriptions,although not very detailed,with only a few indicatorplant specieslisted, are for areaseast of the North AmericanRocky Mountains. Bird speciesare listed by commonname throughoutthe text; unfortunately,no scientificnames are used. Some terms (e.g., "buteo") are used, but not defined in the text until several pageslater. Information regarding a number of speciescould use updating (e.g., current ranges, en- Vol.62, No. 2 RecentLiterature [291 dangeredstatus). Some anatomical information is questionable,such as the referenceto the vertebrae of several species.The author gives some good safety advice in the sectionon marshes (birders should be aware of tides and undercut embankments,and should not go alone). The bibliography,the list of bird songrecordings, and the list of principal ornitho- logicalorganizations and their journals is very antiquated.The updatedinformation in this printing appearsto be a table on page vi concerningthe changein commonnames of some of the birds in the text as listed in the Check-list of North AmericanBirds (6th edition, AmericanOrnithologists' Union, Washington,DC, 1983). Boththe "nameas used in book" and the "correctedname" are publishedin this table at the beginningof the book,a minor irritation encounteredwhile reading the text.--R. W. Colburn. 37. An annotated list of the birds of Bolivia. J. V. Remsen,Jr. and M. A. Traylor, Jr. 1989. Buteo Books,Vermillion, South Dakota. 79 pp. $15, softcover.--With at least 1274 species,Bolivia has one of the richestavifaunas in the world. This is in spite of being completelylandlocked, thus lacking marine, littoral, and pelagicbirds! Why? The answer lies in Bolivia'stremendous topographic and habitat diversitywithin tropical latitudes. This slendervolume introduces the reader to both the habitat and avian diversityand providesa guide to where speciesoccur. The only illustrationother than the beautiful Red- fronted Macaw (by J.P. O'Neill) is a map identifyingdepartments and habitatswithin Bolivia. The main bodyof the bookis a list of specieswhich indicatesthe departmentand life zonesfrom which they are known. Fifty-one footnotesexplain taxonomicdecisions that had to be madein compilingthe list. An annotatedlist of hypotheticalspecies, a 163-entry literature cited, and indicesto English names,genera, and families completethe book.It is unfortunate that the indicesdo not include speciesmentioned outside of the main list. This book is a fine foundation for future workers and one that visitors to Bolivia will want to have--in companywith a South American field guide.--Jerome A. Jackson.