144 THE WILSON BULLETIN — September, 1921 



tematic notes or because of their procrastination about putting 

 them into printer's ink. The writer does not decry the formation 

 of collections of birds, nests and eggs, but rather advocates them 

 as a means of acquiring knowledge and substantiating ornitholog- 

 ical information. (The cats in one suburban block will destroy more 

 song birds in a season than most ornithologists would care to 

 collect in a lifetime.) If, however, one finds that in making such 

 a collection he is merely prompted by a desire for accumulation, 

 or if it is robbing him of time needed for the keeping of system- 

 atic notes and for their preparation for publication, then he had 

 best desist in his collecting. 



Finally, I would call attention to the work of tiie U. S. Biolog- 

 ical Survey at Washington and the desirability of our cooperating 

 with this Bureau. Migration notes are solicited isy the organiza- 

 tion and blanks are cheerfully furnished for the purpt>se. Volun- 

 teers are needed in every section for making bird counts and to 

 assist with bird banding. Local lists are also desired and are 

 needed for those whose duty it is to prepare distributional papers. 

 Preliminary local lists, not yet sufficiently complete to offer for 

 publication, should be put in the hands of the Biological Survey 

 and revised from time to time. There are many other ways in 

 which active field workers can render valuable service to The Sur- 

 vey and in turn secure from it much desirable assistance. 



I trust that in this rather rambling communication I have 

 clearly given my ideas of the answer to the question mentioned in 

 the first paragraph and that our new members at least will find 

 in it some suggestion for properly directing their activities in the 

 absorbing study of ornithology. 



Albert F. Gaxiek. 

 Secretary W. 0. C. 



Nashville, Tenn., May 25, 1921. 



