Editorial 



191 



A Bi-Monthly Magazine 

 Devoted to the Study and Protection of Birds 



OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE AUDUBON SOCIETIES 



Edited by FRANK M. CHAPMAN 



Contributing Editor, MABELOSGOOD\VRIGHT 



Published by D. APPLETON & CO. 



Vol. XXI Published June 1. 1919 No. 3 



SUBSCRIPTION RATES 



Price in the United States, one dollar and tifty cents a year; 

 outside the United States, one dollar and seventy-five cents, 

 postage paid. 



COPYRIGHTED, I919, BY FRANK M. CHAPMAN 



Bird-Lore's Motto: 

 A Bird in the Bush Is Worth Two in the Hand 



The Editor of Bird-Lore, left the 

 United States as American Red Cross Com- 

 missioner to South America a few days after 

 theSeptember-October,i9i8, number of the 

 magazine was issued. Before his departure 

 he had mapped out the three succeeding 

 numbers, so that little remained save see- 

 ing them through the press. During his 

 absence, Bird-Lore's New York office was 

 practically out of communication with him 

 for considerable periods of time, and as he 

 was not expected back until May, and the 

 June number goes to press the latter part 

 of April, it seemed that this number would 

 have to be made up in his absence. About 

 the first week in April, however, we were 

 advised by wireless that he was arriving 

 on a north-bound steamer then of? the 

 coast, and the next day found him most 

 ()pi)ortunely in his office. Ten days or so 

 later he was obliged to leave for France, 

 but he hopes to be again in New York by 

 June I, to resume ornithological activities 

 which for a number of months have had 

 to take second place in their demands upon 

 his time and attention. 



Although while on the South American 

 trip he was able to contribute for each issue 

 of Bird-Lore an article on some ditTerent 

 and interesting aspect of bird-life from the 

 varied tropical countries visited, Dr. 

 Chapman's Red Cross duties necessitated 

 continuous travel, without so much as a 

 breathing-space to devote to the study of 

 birds. He came in contact with a great 



many persons of diverse nationalities, but 

 also with our countrymen scattered over 

 the breadth of South America, and was 

 able to bring to them a message concern- 

 ing America's part in the war for world 

 freedom. As an example of his work, he 

 tells us that on Sunday, January 12, he 

 occupied the pulpit of the Scotch Presby- 

 terian Church in Valparaiso and took for 

 his text 'America's Heritage fromEngland.' 

 A week later he spoke to 1,500 miners in 

 the heart of the Andes. Both experiences 

 were novel to him. 



A talented naturalist has published 

 an article in a current bird periodical on 

 the vernacular names of birds, and in the 

 same issue we learn that one of our most 

 active workers in ornithology is preparing, 

 as a hobby, a dictionary of such vernacular 

 names. These days, when the value of 

 democracy in institutions is to the fore, we 

 may reflect that the vernacular names of 

 birds are, and, by virtue of being a part 

 of the living, everchanging language, will 

 remain, perhaps the most democratic fea- 

 ture of the study of birds. If interest in 

 birds is superficial or slipshod, any thorough 

 and precise system of vernacular names will 

 either be disregarded or used in a super- 

 ficial and slipshod way. Just so far as those 

 interested in birds are in touch with one 

 another and the public will we get uni- 

 formity in names throughout the country; 

 Just so far as such persons are disorganized 

 will there be a multiplication of local names. 

 Probably the names used by scholars, by 

 sportsmen, or by the man in the street, will 

 never be exactly alike, because the same 

 terms will not equally serve the diverse 

 viewpoint of each. When the man in the 

 street is sufficiently interested 'to vote,' 

 his name for the bird will be accepted and 

 become fixed in the language — slightly 

 modified to fit the needs of others— because 

 he is the majority; and if any one of us 

 cares enough about it to select the best 

 name and to stick to its use, he will exert 

 an influence for its acceptance in direct 

 ratio to the wisdom of the selection, his 

 reputation as a bird-student and his 'stick- 

 to-itiveness.' — J. T. N. 



