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 44 THE CONDOR Vol. XIV In an article entitled "A Series of Eagle Tarsi from the Pleistocene of Rancho la Brea" (Univ. Calif. Publ. Geol. vI, October 9, 1911, pp. 305-316), Miller describes and figures three new'-raptorial';irds: lirorphnus woodwardi; Geranoaelus grinnelli'and G.fragilis. As in previous cases, the nearest related species are now restricted to South America. Comparison is drawn by the author not only with the nearest related forms, but with the Golden and Bald Eagles. It seems that of the fossil species the one bone most often preserved is the tarso- metatarsus. Miller points out that "this bone is.so characteristic a part of the avian skeleton and reflects so readily the characters of the species" that in dealing with adequate material no hesitation 'is experienced in making specific determinations front this member alone. The second paper bears the caption "Avi- fauna of the Pleistocene Cave Deposits of Cali- fornia" (Univ. Calif. Publ. Geol. vI, October 28, 1911, pp. 385-400). Thirty formsarelisted, a few of these are not yet identified beyond the genus, the majority are apparently identical with existing species, while three are newly natned in this paper. The latter are: a black vulture (Catharista shastensis), a condor (Gymnoyps areplus), and a great horned owl (Bubo sindairi). Associated together in this ancient avifat/na, as preserved in Potter Creek and Samwel caves, Shasta County, and Hawvet Cave in Eldorado County, were, besides the species just named, a long-legged eagle, the turkey vulture, the sharp-shinned, red-tailed, Swainsoft and rough-legged hawks, the pig- my, elf, and short-eared owls, ruffed and sooty grouses, valley and mountain quails, a species of turkey, the crow, Steller jay and Brewer blackbird. It is of particular note that the little elf owl hould have occurred in the Shasta region, when it is now restricted to a range far to the southward. Miller finds that in these cave deposits, the remains of grotind-dwelling birds predom- inate. This suggests "that their bodies were either brought in as the prey of predatory forms or else swept in by currents of surface drainage." Owls and vultures, of course, com- monly resort to caverns as places of abode, and the bodies of those dying could have been car- ried into the more remote recesses by preda- ceous mammals or currents of water.--J. GRiN- NeLL. WOODPECKERS II RELATION TO TREES AND WOOD PRODUCTS. By W. L. McATEE (=U.S. Dept. Agric., Div. Biol. Surv., Bull. no. 32, 99 pages, 12 pls., 44 figs. in text; Sept. 26, 1911). This publication of the Biological Survey, following closely after the one on the "Food of the Woodpeckers of the United States" fur- nishes considerable evidence as to the damage to trees, lumber, etc., by members of this group of birds. The paper is divided into two parts, "damage by woodpeckers in general," and "damage by sapsuckers", the latter being by far the most comprehensive. Under the first head, the kinds of injury to trees caused - by woodpeckers are treated--holes made in. digging out insects, excavation of nest and shelter cavities, attacks of tree enemies aided by woodpeckers, and damage to wooden posts and structures. This section of the paper closes with a few paragraphs on the prevention of damage by woodpeckers, attention being called to the value of experiment along this line and to the use of nesting boxes and of tin as a protective covering when practicable. The first sugges- tion is an important one. Not long ago the statmnent was made to the reviewer that the placing of a newspaper in a hole in a building drilled by a flicker was sufficient to drive the bird away. The statement has also been made that the hanging of a looking glass on a string from the gable of a building keeps flickers away. Whether these statements be true or not they show what two men have found out, to their own satisfaction, by experimentation. Experiments like these need to be tried out; for who can tell but that some simple-thing may prevent some or most of the damage done by woodpeckers. The greater part of the paper on "damage by sapsuckers," is given over to an enumeration of the trees and shrubs attacked by the differ- ent kinds of sapsuckers. The most interesting part deals with the effect of sapsucker work on the external appearance of trees, on the health of trees, and on lumber and finished wood products. lrom the evidence brought forward by a separate enumeration of the kinds of shrubs and trees attacked, and the type of damage done, it is evident that the sapsucker danrages much valuable timber so that it is rendered unfit for use. In conclusion this statement is made: "However, if only one per- cent of the number of trees attacked (ten per- cent of the whole number) is discarded, the annual loss for the whole United States is more than a million and a quarter dollars." A large number of illustrations furnish indisput- able evidence as to the effects of sapsuckers. The paper is particularly interesting on account of the fact that it is one of the first of the publications of the Biological Survey to bring forth so large an amount of evidence aainst a bird. Heretofore there has been a tendency to minimize the harm as compared with the good, even with such birds as the lin- net and blue jay. Mr. McAtee appears to have set forth evidence impartially. One point not emphasized seems worthy