EDITORIAL. 



Pine Siskin. — There seems to have been a decided movement of Pine 

 Siskins southward during the early weeks of the fall. They were found 

 to be not uncommon as far south as central Missouri during late Septem- 

 ber and early October. Mr. B. T. Gault records a company of some 

 200 of this species near Glen Ellyn, 111., September 26. The flrst were 

 noticed at Oberlin on the same date, and individuals were seen nearlv 

 every day until November 16, when the last were recorded. It would 

 be interesting to learn just how extensive this movement has been. Will 

 all members who have noted the Siskins this fall kindly drop the editor 

 a card, stating dat^of occurrence, numbers, etc. 



It is with keen regret that we note the suspension of The Obseri'er, 

 and the misfortune of the Editor, Mr. E. F. Bigelow. Not only will the 

 Agassiz Association be deprived of its official organ and its means of 

 inter-communication, but the reading public will also feel an unsupplied 

 want when this excellent periodical no longer appears. We hope and 

 trust that the suspension will be but temporary. 



A comparison of the second edition of the Check List of the A O.U. 

 with the .first impresses one with the fact that there is a wide field for 

 investigation in determining the exact geographical distribution of a 

 long list of species of birds. An organization like our own, with its 

 widely scattered membership and co-operative methods, is in a position 

 to do much toward solving many of these perplexing questions. Mr. 

 Truman R. Taylor, 200 N. Union St., Rochester, N. Y., has consented 

 to take charge of a committee on Geographical Distrihiitio}2 of Species. 

 Mr. Taylor has been for some time with Prof. Henry A. W^ard, and is 

 well qualified to do this work. He should have the enthusiastic support 

 of every member. 



PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. 



JJfe //islories of A'or/h Arnericitn Birds, by Major Charles E. Ben- 

 dire. This, the second volume of Maj. Bendire's excellent Life Histories, 

 which are issued by the U. S. National Museum as Special Bulletins, "in- 

 tended to illustrate the collections belonging to, or placed in charge of the 

 Smithsonian Institute," shows the same painstaking care and discrimina- 

 tion in the selection of notes from many different sources, and the same 



