. ’ -.. 1 . * . : ; ..“,. : ,*_ .*a-.. ..T -1. *‘ :: ; l : : ; .*. : : . 4 . .::; . ._ :.* * ._a, ’ b *:. ..- * ,:.‘ . *..a , : ’ , s. l THE CONDOR Vol. 45 sp l .*. ,a. ,I*. .‘I : ..* .:*. ._.. .’ .: *, ** .:.* - . ..,. -*.,, . yond reach. This also is conservation.-ALnEN aeb.‘Th’e &rd’ section. a full bibliography- _ of -ho California fossil birds, completesthe work. H. MILLER. To the specialistin the field of paleornithology Joseph Grinnell’s Philosophy of Nature (Uni- this paper is of exceptional value, supplying in versity of California Press, 1943) is a compila- one volume all essentialdata relative to the pub- tion of twenty-eight of the shorter papers of the lished work on the subject for the state of Cali- great California naturalist, with a four-page pref- fornia. As a matter of fact, information is not ace by Alden H. Miller. In this preface we are limited to this state, for in many instances,ref- told of Grinnell’s plan, that upon retirement he erence is made to similar occurrenceselsewhere. would write a book of generalscope which would Inclusion of all recorded avian fossil material present his outlook on geography and evolution, even if only generically or tentatively assigned the aspectsof natural history most related to his -with appropriate comments as to status-is own research.He had, in fact, outlined chapter welcomed. Such records, which may lead to im- headingsfor such a work, these headings,ten in portant future correlations, might otherwise be number, being listed by Miller. It was undoubt- easily overlooked. edly a great loss to sciencethat this plan was The paper is more than a check-list or bihli- ended by Grinnell’s untimely death. ography. It carries throughout its pagesinterest- ing and illuminating sidelights on avian habits, According to the Grinnell Club Newsletter of structure and the like, reflecting Dr. Miller’s February, 1943, Jean M. Linsdale was primarily long experience in ornithological research.- responsiblefor the idea underlying the present volume. After studying Grinnell’s lengthy bibli- HILDEGARDE HOWARD. ography, Linsdale submitted a tentative list of papers that might be used in the projected com- Inaugurating a new series of publications,the pilation. This list was carefully studied by Mrs. National Audubon Society has issued its Re- Joseph Grinnell, Alden H. Miller, E. Raymond search Report No. 1, “The Ivory-billed Wood- Hall and Seth B. Benson and suggestionswere *~Decker.” bv Tames T. Tanner (October, 1942; made which resulted in some titles being added. 111 pp., 25 figs., 20 pk., colored frontispiece). It was decided that the order of the papers The admirable plan of the Society for careful should be chronological,and that, instead of in- study of vanishing specieswith a view to ascer- cluding only those of definitely related subject taining underlying biologic causesfor their pre- matter, the selectionshould be illustrative of the cariousstates could have selectedno better sub- wide scope of Grinnell’s interest in and knowl- ject for the initial effort. Tanner evidently made edge of many different features connected with good use of his opportunity for field work sup the science of vertebrate zoology. ported by the Society and he has rendered an The elapsed time between publication of the informative and worthy report; the only criti- first and last papers is thirty-three years, from cism that need be levied is that it is somewhat 1903 to 1936. As would be expected by those repetitious in places. familiar with Grinnell’s work, a majority of It turns out that the Ivory-billed Woodpecker titles (fifteen) and even greater preponderance has an extremely narrow ecologicniche, in that of subject matter pertain to geography, evolu- it is dependent for food on insects living just tion and kindred subjects. beneath the bark and these may be obtained in sufficient quantity by this large bird chiefly in Control of the range of a speciesby atmos- trees that are still standing but that have been pheric humidity, and variation within the species dead from two to four years. Maintenance of due to the same influence is demonstrated in the necessarysuccession of suitable dead trees “The origin and distribution of the chestnut- conflicts sharply with timber interests and with backed chickadee” (1904). In “Composition of customary practices in forestry. With this eco- the Prince William Sound avifauna; discussion nomic conflict, the Society and others interested of its origin” (1910) typical birds of the Hud- in saving the Ivory-bill face an exceedinglydif- sonian and Alpine-Arctic life-zones are listed, ficult problem in conservation.The prospect for and the afhnities of the avifauna with the Yukon the Ivory-bill is not good, especiallyin Louisiana. region to the north and the Sitkan district to the Apart from the applied aspect of the study, south are discussed.Two discussionspublished sight should not be lost of another serviceit per- in 1914, “The Colorado River as a highway of forms. A record of the natural history of this dispersaland center of differentiation of species,” specieshas been made which may never again be and “The Colorado River as a hindrance to the possible.More could have been found out about dispersal of species,” present many facts sub- the biology of a less rare specieswith the same stantiating the claims set forth in the titles. An expenditure of time and money, but there is a example cited in the latter paper is the case of real satisfaction here in having grasped a re- two speciesof ground squirrels (Ammospermo- search opportunity that may some day be be- philus), the ranges of which in one section are Mar., 1943 PUBLICATIONS REVIEWED 81 divided by only 850 feet, the width of the river. as regardstheir origin, variation, range, and hab- Along similar lines is “Barriers to distribution as its, and reasons are advanced to account for regards birds and mammals” (1914). Here bar- many peculiar features of their distribution. riers are divided into two classes,tangible and “Presenceand absenceof animals” (1928) is a intangible. Under the former are land, to aqua- very comprehensiveand important contribution tic species,and bodies of water, to terrestrial to knowledge of the factors governing distribu- species. Intangible barriers are listed as zonal tion and control of animals. The continual at- (by temperature), fauna1 (by atmospheric hu- tempt of a species,due usually to overpopulation, midity), and associational (by food supply, to expand the boundariesof its habitat or “eco- breeding places, and temporary refuges). logic niche,” and the resulting destruction of In “Field tests of theories concerning distri- pioneering individuals, usually the young of the butional control” (1917) it is contended that year, is emphasized,as is the removing or ren- careful study at aU points of the periphery of an dering permeable of natural barriers through animal’s range is necessaryto demonstrate the the various activities of man. Introduction of factors responsible for range limitation, for, foreign birds and mammals, either fortuitously while temperature may often exert the greatest or otherwise,is regardedas usually dangerousto influence, other factors always appear at some our native fauna. Nine separate areas in Lower point. “The English sparrow has arrived in Death California, two of them insular, each possessing Valley: an experiment in nature” (1919) records speciesor subspeciesof birds peculiar to itself, the occupation,about 1914,by Passer domesticus are definedand mapped in “Differentiation areas” of a portion of Death Valley 178 feet below sea- (1928). Also, affinities of many Lower California level, and points out the opportunity for future birds and factors causingdifferentiation are dis- naturaliststo determine the length of time neces- cussed, together with such related subjects as sary to produce any perceptible physiological barriers to emigration and potency of differen- changesin these birds, which are isolated under tiating centers. a climate of extreme high temperature combined “Significanceof fauna1analysis for general bi- / with low relative humidity. “The role of the ac- ology” (1928) stressesthe value to the student cidental” (1922) is consideredby Grinnell to be of evolution of the barely discerniblesubspecies, that of the “pioneer,” crowded out of the normal because of its being in the critical, formative range of its speciesby overpopulation. In the stage, whereas the full speciesis no longer of great majority of casessuch individuals are fore- similar significance.After discussionof various doomed to early destruction,but in rare instances . factors that have been advanced as causes of two birds comprisinga pair may come together differentiation, the author concludes with the under such favorable conditionsthat a new out- opinion that the problem of speciationlies much post of the speciesis established.As a side light closer to the provinces of the geographer and on the occurrenceof “accidentals” in California, climatologist than to that of the geneticist. it is estimated that, on the basis of the rate of In the field of ecology, “The burrowing ro- recordedoccurrences in the state for the previous dents of California as agents in soil formation” 35 years, theoretically all the species of birds (1923) is, by far, the best exposition of its par- known to North America should be on the Cali- ticular subject that has come to the attention of fornia list by the year 2331. the reviewer. Illustrated by photographs show- In “The trend of avian- populations