JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 23 



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A Quarterly Magazine Devoted to the Study and Protection of Birds 



Vol. X Published March 1, 1908 No. 1 



SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $1.00 a year; 25 cents a copy 



The Editor announces with much pleasure that the finances of 

 this society are in better condition than ever before. At the last 

 annual meeting there was a deficit of more than $112.00. Several 

 members made special contributions of ten dollars each, and the re- 

 sult is that not onlyjias the deficit disappeared, but we have money 

 in the treasury after every debt of the society has been paid. If 

 members and subscribers will send in their cash promptly in the 

 future there will be no difficulty in keeping our bills paid as fast as 

 they accrue. 



We welcome a new member and a valuable contribution from 

 his pen in the present issue. Mr. Howard H. Cleaves, of Staten 

 Island, N. Y., writes in a very interesting way of a colony of Bank 

 Swallows not far from his home. ' 



The Christmas Bird Census is reported in this number, and it 

 shows that the members have not lost their interest in this branch of ' 

 the work. The unusual scarcity of birds during the past Christmas 

 week is the feature of the census reports. 



The Journal had a narrow escape from disaster during the 

 City Hall fire in Portland, in January. All the material for the pres- 

 ent number, the mailing lists, the cash book, and the entire file of 

 the 7th, 8th and 9th volumes were in the Editor's office, directly in 

 the path of the flames. At 4 o'clock in the morning, the Editor, 

 after saving the records of the School Department, succeeded in 

 rescuing all the property of the Journal, which was carried by 

 policemen to a place of safety. The Editor lost many valuable books 

 of his own, including quite a number of government bird publica- 

 tions, which cannot be replaced, because they are now out of print. 



During a recent visit to Washington, the Editor had the pleasure 

 of visiting the Zoological Garden, which, under the care of the 

 National Government, is likely to become the leading institution of 

 the kind in the country. There are many Maine birds in the great 

 iron cages, including Night Herons, Bald Eagles, Great Horned 

 Owls, Barred Owls, etc. Turkey Vultures and Cardinals were the 

 noticeable wild birds seen in the reservation. The Editor visited the 

 Biological Survey and made the acquaintance of the director. Dr. C. 

 Hart Merriam, and Prof. F. E. E. Beal, in charge of the department 

 of economic ornithology. It is a pleasure to be able to announce 

 that no trouble is anticipated this year in securing the necessary 

 appropriation from Congress to carry on this valuable work. 



