Bird Clubs in America 67 



reported their final draft, and in the May number President Mead was able 

 to report its unanimous adoption by the society. 



On December 28-29, 1896, the society held its first annual meeting 

 in the high school building at Gardiner. The following officers were 

 elected for 1897: President, A. H. Norton, Westbrook, Maine; vice- 

 president, Ora W. Knight, Bangor, Maine; secretary and treasurer, 

 William L. Powers, Gardiner, Maine; councilors, A. L. Lane, Water- 

 ville, Maine, and James Carroll Mead, North Bridgton, Maine. Five 

 new members were elected at this meeting. Previous to this meeting, none 

 of the members, outside of the Gardiner branch, had ever met. 



In the spring of 1897, the hopes and ambitions of the members of 

 the society were realized in the publication of ' The Birds of Maine,' 

 under the able editorship of Ora W. Knight, of Bangor, the list having 

 been prepared under the auspices of the society. Such was the demand for 

 this careful and concise work that the supply was soon exhausted. 

 One of the best and most enthusiastic meetings the society ever held 

 was its second annual meeting, held in the rooms of the Portland Society of 

 Natural History, in Portland, December 31, 1897, and January i, 1898. 

 All the officers were present and a goodly number of members. Twenty- 

 nine new members were elected and several valuable scientific papers 

 were read, among them, one of especial interest, ' How I Became an 

 Ornithologist,' by Hon. George A. Boardman, of Calais (the pioneer 

 naturalist of the St. Croix valley). These papers were placed in the 

 hands of Editor Mead for publication in the official organ, 'The Maine 

 Sportsman.' Messrs. Lane, Hitchings and Knight were appointed a 

 committee to consider a new and appropriate name for the society and 

 to report at the next meeting. The society, too, voted to make a 

 special study of a family of birds, by each member, and make reports at 

 each annual meeting. At the third annual meeting held in Waterville, 

 it was voted to change the name of the society to ' The Maine Ornitholog- 

 ical Society'. A proposition made by Mr. Knight to publish the proceedings 

 of the society separately was accepted, and Clarence H. Morrell, of Pitts- 

 field, was elected editor, with Mr. Knight as publisher. It was voted to call 

 the new publication. The Journal of the 'Maine Ornithological Society.' 

 To Mr. Powers belongs the honor of suggesting the name of the 

 society, and to James Carroll Mead for the name adopted for ' The Journal.' 



The first number of ' The Journal ' appeared as a quarterly in January, 

 1899, and the three following numbers, with an average of ten pages, were 

 well filled with material of much interest to students of Maine birds. 

 Owing to Mr. Morrell's ill health, he declined to serve as editor of 

 Vol. II, and at the fourth annual meeting held in Brunswick, Mr. J. 

 Merton Swain, of Portland, was elected to succeed Mr. Morrell as editor. 

 At the completion of Vol. II, Mr. Swain assumed the publication of ' The 



