The Wilson Ornithological Club 41 



Minutes of the First Meeting of the Wilson 

 Ornithological Club 



The first session of the first meeting ever held by the Wilson Ornitho- 

 logical Club was opened on Feb. 5, 1914, at 10 o'clock a. m. at the Acad- 

 emy of Sciences, Lincoln Park, Chicago, Illinois. In the absence of the 

 president and vice-president, the secretary, C. W. G. Eifrig, called the 

 meeting to order and introduced Mr. F. C. Baker, the curator and acting 

 director of the Academy, who welcomed the club on behalf of the man- 

 agement of the institution, extended the liberties of the academy to the 

 club and wished it success in its deliberations. The secretary, on behalf 

 of the club, thanked Mr. Baker for his kindly, well-chosen words. 



The first business for the meeting was the election of a temporary 

 chairman, which was done by selecting Dr. T. C. Stephens, of Morning- 

 side College, Sioux City, Iowa. The secretary then read a tentative order 

 of business for the meeting. Resolved that this be more or less closely 

 adhered to. 



Concerning the election of officers, it was resolved to have the mem- 

 bers of council present at the meeting submit at one of the next sessions 

 a list of nominations for the various offices, also that they first pass on 

 the proposed candidates for active and associate membership. 



Then the matter of the ' ' Bulletin, ' ' the official organ of the club, was 

 taken up. The editor, Mr. Lynds Jones, was called upon to address the 

 club on the status and needs of our publication. He gave a resume of 

 the published transactions of the club and of the club itself from the be- 

 ginning, showing the ups and downs in the life of both and the difficulties 

 the editor has had to contend with, these latter being mostly of a finan- 

 cial kind, often imposing great hardships and sacrifices on him. Further 

 deliberation of this matter was postponed to the afternoon meeting. 



Next the treasurer, the Rev. W. F. Henninger, of New Bremen, Ohio, 

 read a detailed report of the finances of the club for the last five years. 

 This again told a story of financial storm and stress, but ending with the 

 statement that for the first time in the history of the club there was a 

 balance amounting to $43.00, instead of the usual deficit. The report 

 was adopted. Then the secretary reported on the membership of the 

 club, which shows the experiences of similar clubs the world over, viz., 

 of losses in membership due to the lack of interest or the non-payment 

 of dues, which are, however, more than offset by gratifying accessions 

 to the membership. Especially have some members in Iowa been busy 

 of late in increasing the membership by new recruits. Resolved, that the 

 list of members, together with the reports of the officers, be annually 

 printed and sent to the members. 



Since the holding of meetings is a new departure in the life of tlie 

 club, making it essentially a somewhat different kind of organization. 



