ON THE BIRD POPULATION OF THE SPRUCE FOREST COMMUNITY IN SLOVAKIA.*

The bird population of the Norway spruce communities was studied for seven years in Slovakia, by quadrat counts and transects. The work was done between 300 and 1700 metres a.s.l. mostly in pure stands.
A total of 63 species of birds in 46 genera and 21 families was found. Of these, 43% were resident, 57% migrant and vagrant. The zoogeographical origin of the species is considered and they are tabulated according to altitudinal distribution. They are divided into food groups—herbivores, mixed feeders, insectivores and carnivores—and into five strata or zones according to the food-niches.
The species populations are listed by numbers of individuals and weights in grams per 100 hectares of spruce forest—totals about 1300 birds weighing about 48,000 grams. The results are compared with data from other countries and communities. Both density and biomass are lower than in other forest communities in Slovakia, the highest being in the bottomland forests around the Danube.
Coal Tit, Chaffinch and Song Thrush (i.e. mixed feeders) are the species forming over 5% of the population and its biomass. The next most important group is the herbivores and the third insectivores.     

THE BIRD POPULATION OF THE DAMS ON THE FREE STATE GOLDFIELDS

Taylor, P. B. 1987. A field study of the Spotted Crake Porzana porzana at Ndola, Zambia. Ostrich 58: 107-117. From 1974 to 1980 field observations were made of Spotted Crakes Porzana porzana at Itawa Swamps and Kanini Sewage Works, Ndola, Zambia. Field identification characters, behaviour, food and feeding methods, activity times, interspecific interactions, aggression and voice are described. Habitat at Ndola is seasonal and temporary: shallowly flooded or moist grass and other vegetation with patches of open water and mud, near swamps and at sewage settling ponds. Wintering crakes were itinerant from December to April with a February-March peak and remained at one site for up to 25 days, occupying temporary territories 210-315 m2 in extent. Arrivals were associated with heavy rainfall and most departures with major habitat changes. Local movements took place. Behaviour is similar to diat in the Palaearctic. Comparisons are made with the habitat, movements, dispersion and behaviour of other rallid species at Ndola. The Spotted Crake is ecologically separated from other wetland rallid species in habitats in Zambia and Kenya by its preference for very temporary habitats and also by differences in food and feeding methods. All Zambian records of this species up to the end of 1984 are reviewed.     

DISCUSSION ON "THE PLACE OF THE SYSTEMATIST IN APPLIED BIOLOGICAL WORK"

Ordinary Meeting of the Association, Friday, November 20th, 1925, Prof. V. H. B lackman , F.R.S., President, in the Chair.     

云南禄丰古猿化石地点再次发现腊玛古猿头骨——1981年发掘报告

本文记述了1981年10月—12月在云南禄丰古猿化石地点发掘的地层情况以及古猿、其他灵长类化石的初步观察。此次发掘在第3层发现三个腊玛古猿头骨,其中两个为少年个体,在第5层发现具有较完整下颌支的西瓦古猿下颌骨。这些材料的发现有助于确定腊玛古猿的系统地位和西瓦古猿头骨形态的复原。     

再谈四川山鹧鸪的模式产地

四川山鹧鸪 Arborophila rufipectus 系由R.Boulton于1932年依据F.T.Smith'.在原两康省某地"Ta Cho.Fu"采获的单独一号雄性标本而定名.中国鸟类学家以往多认为该种的模式标本产地为今四川甘洛县的大桥乡.通过对大桥乡所在地理坐标的实测,并使用Google Earth对该地区进行查检,作者曾提出"Ta Cho Fu"当在今四川汉源县境内,并指出对该地点具体位置的订正和重新定位,使四川山鹧鸪的总分布区域北推了至少100 km范匍.尽管'"Fraylor(1967)曾对"Ta Cho Fu"这一地点给出过一个差异颇大的地理坐标,作者通过进一步研究和对相关史料的分析,认为F.T.Smith当年采得四川山鹧鸪的地点仍应当是在四川汉源县境内.     

THE SINGER AND THE SONG: ON THE RECEIVING END OF BIRD SONG

Variation in singing behaviour between males can involve fixed differences such as the song type composition of repertoires, as well as more flexible effects such as matched counter-singing (Krebs & Kroodsma, 1980; Section III. 4), differences in bout length (the number of songs in a period of song) and changes in strophe length. Short-term strophe length changes seem to be related to the willingness and ability of males to respond strongly to playback. Whether this is because strophe length indicates motivation or the degree of exhaustion of the neuromuscular song-production system, or both, is currently unclear.