manship of the "Nesting" committee. I shall do what I can with the 

 food habits of the Warblers. 



Let -it be distinctly understood that this work is not confined to the 

 coming season, but covers all past time. The object of so organizing it 

 is not wholly to plan for future work, but as well to collect the scattered 

 facts already recorded, in the belief that in a greater mass of material 

 will be found the links which form a chain of facts proving many doubtful 

 things. All notes should be as literal and exact as possible. General 

 notes, or those lacking exactness, serve only to lend confusion to the whole 

 system. Nothing but unquestionable facts will give us perfect confidence 

 in the final reports. 



Beginning ?ioil\ let us ransack our note-books for what we may already 

 have, and thus prepare ourselves for a more intelligent course of study 

 during the coming season, as well as enabling the various committees to 

 determine more carefully the line of work which shall result in the most 

 valuable report. 



Lynds Jones. Oberlin, O. 



Having again consented to take up a special line of study in behalf of 

 the W. O. C , I have selected as a fit subject for special investigation the 

 common Flicker (Colaftcs auratus). 



While so well known throughout its range, there has been.no organized 

 effort made to thoroughly investigate the habits and character of this 

 rollicking, semi-civilized, semi-barbarous bird, although it has been 

 made the subject of many interesting papers by specialists and bird lovers 

 generally. Let us then by our united efforts and individual observations, 

 endeavor to bring forth that which may be new or little known, and to 

 correct or re-affirm that which has already been written. The reader 

 should bear in mind that little can be accomplished without his own pains- 

 taking efforts and the hearty aid of every ornithologist this may reach. 

 By original researches and investigations, coupled with faithful and ac- 

 curate records alone, can we expect to place the result before our scien- 

 tific friends with any degree of confidence. 



Any thing relating to food, flight, notes, nidification, migration, plum- 

 age, hybridism, moulting, mating, relative abundance, distribution, etc., 

 can be used. The observers are requested to give exact dates, measure- 

 ments and otherwise full data, as far as possible. Full credit will be 

 given to all contributing, and all notes, however incomplete, will be gladly 

 received and acknowledged. The undersigned invites correspondence 

 with all ornithologists and oologists in reference to this subject. 



V . L Bi-R\s, Berwvn, Penn. 



