159 



The present Father of the room is the White-capped Tanager that 

 Mr. Swan gave me in 1903, before that date lie had been ill this country 

 about ten vears. S. M. Townsknd. 



THE ILLUSTRATION FUND AND "OUR MAGAZINE." 



Sik,— I gather that £8 is required to pay off last year's deficit on the Bird Noies 

 Magazine, this I have much pleasure in sending: you. 



I shall be very glad to, either, guarantee with some others the sequence of monthly 

 coloured plates ill the Magazine for the current year, or, to join with others in promising a 

 definite sum. 



I quite agree with you that the quality of Bird Notes should not suffer from lack of 

 funds, for, if the quality goes down, so will the Magazine and the Club. A MuMBBR, 



Sir,— I herewith enclose 5/- to the Illustration Fund. The members of the Club 

 are greatly indebted to you, for the deep interest you have taken in the Magazine and hav- 

 ing placed it upon such a sound basis. I trust before longthe membership will have in- 

 creased sufficiently to cover the expenditure, and to some extent relieve the management 

 of anxietv. J. T. Porikous. 



Sik,— I am prompted to reply to your Editorial ill the July issue of Bird Notes, re 

 Our Magazine, and to condense my remarks as briefly as possible I will confine myself to 

 the issues as they appear. 



1. I should most decidedly favour the Progressive policy and continue our Magazine on 



its present scale. It would be a retrograde step to take, to condense or to lessen the 

 attractions in any way. 



2. Surely it would not be a very difficult matter to raise the wind to the extent of £25 



amongst our members. 



3. I should strongly oppose the suggestion that the Subscription be raised to 15/- as a 



most disastrous move in the wrong direction. It is not in common with any 



business enterprise ; rather wait our opportunity and reduce it, so as to embrace 



every lover of bird-life, for after all there are hundreds who dearly love our feathered 



pets, yet only possessing a few common specimens, cannot afford to pay a big fee to 



become associated with aviculture and some of its keenest and best admirers. 



The suggestion that all members send a subscription of 5 - is a good one, but after 



all it is only temporarily removing the difficulty. May I suggest a further and it may be 



also an additional one, which if adopted would relieve our worths- Kditor of much worry, 



and anxiety which should really be borne by every member, and also give us a permanent 



financial strength, i.e. each member shall guarantee to nominate at least one new member 



before the close of the current year. This would immediately place us on the height we 



have been aiming for, would double our income and make usfiuancially sound. Surely this 



is not a very difficult task, every member must know someone interested in his hobby ; why 



not use one's persuasive influence in securing them as members ? 



I also suggest that every member is canvassed per post for their promise. I, at 

 least, will start by promising that I will nominate a new member, and will also carry out 

 the previous suggestion, before the close of this financial year. " Unity is strength," then 

 let every one of us be determined to play our part and place our Club in a position to still 

 retain its Magazine, at least at its present standard and as much better as finances will 

 allow. O. Millsum. 



Sir,— It is only necessary for the present rate of increase in our membership to con- 

 tinue for a few months to place the K. B. C. on a sound financial basis, with a Magazine 

 second to none. 



I feel sure there are hundreds of bird lovers who are unaware ol the existence of our 

 Society, who would gladly join if asked to do so. 



I enclose P.O. for one guinea in furtherance of the " Progressive " policy and hope 

 your efforts to maintain the present excellence of our Magazine will not receive a check. 



K. SUGGITT. 



Sir,— I think the letter, by our Editor, in last month's Magazine requires the care- 

 ful consideration of all members of our Society, b'or myself I think it would be a great 

 mistake, a very short-sighted policy, to lower the standard of our Magazine, as I feel sure 



