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 Jan., 1914 THE PEOPLE'S BREAD 27 erally reach by tipping, etc., page 44. Not conspicuously! The Fulvous Tree- duck is found "west to the Pacific 'Coast in southern California", page 6L The center of its abundance, however, is in central, not southern California. The white-faced Glossy Ibis "is occasionally found in southern California", page 63. Also to the number of some thousands in central California, northern California, and Oregon. Red Phalaropes are said to retain their winter plumage until after they leave us in the spring, page 73. They may be seen in the latitude of San Francisco in highest nuptial dress during the spring migrations. The Wander- ing Tattler is seen "building its nest along the marshy shores and banks of streams," page 84. Pure hypothesis! The Wilson Plover is said to be abundant on the coast of sorebern California, page 89. There is one record of its occur- rence, accounted accidental. The Black Oystercatcher is credited "with no at- 'tempt at nest building," page 92. Its elaborate accumulations of transported peb- bles, or rock flakes, are marvels of their kind, and I have known it to ,.on- struct an elaborate nest of grasses, after the fashion of the gulls. The Bob-White is "fairly abundant in parts of California," page 93- The rearing of Bob-Whites is an admitted failure throughout California owing to the prevalence of foxes. The Prairie Falcon s. ometimes nests in trees. "Their nests are made of sticks lined with weeds and grass," page It 3. This falcon never lays talon to twig in the Pacific Coast States, and the solitary instance of tree nesting cited by Goss is supposed to have been of a pair nesting in a cavity of a tree. Red-breasted Sap- sucker, 'a Pacific Coast bird from Lower California to Oregon", page 32. Its range also inchides all of Washington and much of British Columbia. The R:ect- heatled Woodpecker, page 34, "occurs fairly common in Arizona", whereas the A. O. U. Committee properly accounts it casual there. White-throated Swifts "congregate in thousands about the tops of inaccessible cliffs", page 4o. A few scores at a time are all that most of us Westerners have ever seen. Is it possible that the author has the "Republican" (now the Progressive) Swallow in mind? Western Flycatcher--we are passing by much of the alleged information about western oology, for most of it is mere piffle anyhow: but how is this for the sole characterization of the nesting of the Western Flycatcher? "The nest is placed on the lower branches near the ground"! In view of this bird's well-known pen- chant for niches in cliffs and cubby holes of any kind, the description is scarcely adequate. California Jay, page 56, "the most common of the Jays on the Pacific Coast of * * * and Washington", whereas, in Washington it is of very lim- ited occurrence along the north bank of the Columbia only. Large-billed Spar- rows, page 78, qTheir nesting habits and eggs are practically the same as those mentioned previously". This will be welcome news to most of our western oologists, who have been searching long and longingly for this to them unknown nest. Of course they may prove to be the same,--quien sabe? But the author of the "Guide" knows, for he says of the San Benito Sparrow just following, "Nest- ing habits are identical". Etc., etc., etc. Perhaps the Critic will be accused of taking his task over-seriously, but he does feel that it is a serious matter. This gaudy, sloppy bauble will be the ornitho- logical Bibl.e of thousands. The plain people will feed upon it; and the people's bread is of infinitely greater importance than the pastry of princes. I have small time to discuss with you whether a slightly more ashen shade of "mummy brown" on the thirteenth scapular of a sparrow entitles its bearer to recognition as a subter- sub-species of Melospiza melodia inlnita. If you say so we will let it go at that, and you may enter the ornithological Valhalla on that ticket, if you will; but when a bunch of book-making Yankees tells us that the Light-footed Rails are ten inch-