158 THE WILSON BU LLETIN— September, 1921 



Dr. Lynds Jones has returned from his usual summer " over- 

 land " trip to the Pacific coast. The party of biological students, 

 whose studies and observations he directed en route, closed their 

 notebooks at Tacoma and. scattering, left our editor to pursue his 

 way homeward according to his own whim. 



Perhaps none of our birds have benefited as greatly, through fed- 

 eral legislation, as has the robin. It is now an abundant summer 

 bird in latitudes where it was formerly known only as a migrant 

 and in the south, in late winter, is present at times in incredible 

 numbers. The Biological Survey is finding itself in the difficult 

 position of having to give relief to northern orchardists and at the 

 same time to uphold the import of the law. Six northern states 

 have been allowed to issue permits for the shooting of Robins be- 

 tween May 15th and July 15th, where they are found to be injur- 

 ing cheiTies and other crops. Such permits will no doubt be often 

 abused but, all things considered, any other course than the one 

 pursued would cause an undesirable reaction in the real cause of 

 bird protection. 



Particular attention is called to the paper by Mr. Frank L. 

 Bui-ns, now running in The Bulletin, as being one of the most val- 

 uable contributions to ornithology which has appeared in late 

 years. Mr. Burns' paper in the March, 1915, Bulletin, on the in- 

 cubation period of our native birds, was a fitting prelude to the 

 pi'esent articles. 



Reports are coming in fi'om our memlx^rs that " the woods are 

 full of 'em." Not some rara avis, if you please, but the illicit rum 

 still, which vies with Bubo and the Pileated Woodpecker in seek- 

 ing out the dark and unfrequented corners of our woodland fast- 

 nesses. The writer has himself artlessly sidestepped more than 

 one of them during the season just passed. 



Dr. Alexander T. Wetmore has recently returned from a year's 

 stay in Argentine, Paraguay and Uruguay, where he was sent by 

 the Biological Survey to investigate the status of those of our mi- 

 gratory birds which spend the winter there. It is to be hoped that 

 the information gained will help to clarify some of the questions 

 which have heretofore been the subject of conjecture; for instance, 

 we should be glad to learn if our wintering chimney swifts were to 

 be found and if so in what numbers. Dr. Wetmore's chief mission 

 was to gain accuiate information on which to base a migratory bird 

 treaty with South Ameiican countries. 



Members should keep in mind the fact that our annual meeting 

 will be held in Chicago during the week following Christmas, and 

 plan to be on hand. Further particulars will be given in our De- 

 cember issue. 



