34 The Wilson Bulletin — No. 50 



heads offered, to take life occasionally. Were the museums many 

 times as numerous as they are at present, there would still be 

 many individuals unable to reach them through lack of time, dis- 

 tance or other causes. Would it be right to exclude such persons 

 from collecting? In what manner have a certain coterie attained 

 superior knowledge of the value of kinds over that of another class 

 also studying at first hand? All honor to the museum expert! He 

 is usually a hard and conscientious worker, who, not for value re- 

 ceived, but perhaps for a consideration, collects, preserves and 

 studies birds for the benefit of the public. Likewise the humble 

 amateur — without the consideration. No. one has, or should have, 

 a monopoly of the knowledge of the valiue of a single species. With 

 all respect for the writer, such sentiments are pure rot, unworthy 

 Of him and unjust to those at which they are aimed. F. L. B. 



In American Ornithology for January, Mr. Reed has given us 

 much excellent matter relating to the Warblers of the genus 

 Geothlypis together with a plate showing the members in color, one- 

 halt' natural size. F. L. B. 



Prof. H. A. Surface, Economic Zoologist of Pennsylvania, has 

 made a strong point of bird protection since he entered the of- 

 fice, in order that the people could understand why the birds should 

 be preserved from an economic standpoint. The result has been 

 most gratifying. Never before has there been such a strong senti- 

 ment for the protection of birds in the State. F. L. B. 



Mr. Frank Bruen has an interesting article on the winter birds 

 of Bristol, Conn., in a recent issue of a local paper. F. L. B. 



Mr. W. H. Brownson. of the Portland Adveriser, is now the editor 

 of the Journal of the Maine Ornithological Society, and publishes 

 in the former for January 14, "A List of the Birds Observed in 

 Cumberland County (Maine) in 1904," including 146 species; also 

 on January 21, "A visitor from the North Pole," an account of the 

 capture of a Dovekie, blown in by a storm. F. L. B. 



The editor is sorry that space did not permit the printing of the 

 New Year Censo-Horizons this time, because other matter of more 

 importance was received. He is glad to be able to report, how- 

 ever, that there was more material sent in than could be 

 printed in this number. If this were always true the editor would 

 not only be saved a considerable amount of worry, but a better 

 Bulletin would always be insured. Original field work which has 

 for its object the increase of our knowledge of the birds is al- 

 ways in great demand, and earnestly solicited. We have scarcely 

 more than made a beginning in the study of bird habits. 



