Field Xotes. 117 



In former numbers of the Bulletin the editor has urged the im- 

 portance of studies of juvenile plumages of even the commonest of 

 our birds. Not only is there a great deal of the past history of the 

 species wrapped up in the color patterns of the young birds, even 

 . looking back to their ancestry, but there is abundant material here 

 for throwing light upon evolutionary processes. It is doubtless true 

 that most of us are not now interested in making deductions from our 

 bird studies, being content with the pleasure it affords as a pastime, 

 but it cannot long remain merely a pleasurable means of spending 

 idle moments without awakening desires to know the meaning of it 

 all. In preparation for that time be acquainting yourself with as 

 many phases of bird life as possible. Become a trained ornithologist. 

 Be accurate in all your work. 



It would be impossilde to predict anything concerning the coming 

 winter, but after such a phenomenal spring it would not be at all sur- 

 prising if we should find some unusual things among the birds. The 

 writer has probably not been in a position to note the fall migrations in 

 their bearing upon the spring movement northward, but it has seemed 

 that birds have been less common than during previous southward 

 movements. The lateness of their arrival upon their l)reediug 

 grounds may have resulted in fewer young being brought to maturity 

 than under normal conditions. As a single example, the Alder Fly- 

 catcher has been a common breeding bird along the borders of the 

 Sandusky Bay marshes, particularly in the shrubbery bordering the 

 swamp margin of the sand spit. The past summer I looked in vain 

 for any at all, and found very few at any place along the lake shore 

 where many usually breed. This scarcity may have resulted from 

 other causes than the late spring. At any rate the winter birds will 

 certainly be worth careful study. A large number of winter lists ac- 

 companied by notes would make interesting reading for the March 

 Bulletin. 



ELECTION OF OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR 1008. 



Notices for nominations should have Ijeen sent out in September, 

 but the President's absence made that impracticable. Nominations 

 for all officers except A'ice-President should be made at once and sent 

 to Lynds Jones, Oberlin, Ohio. If this is tatended to at once ballots 

 can be distributed in time for the election at the regular time, Dec. 5. 



In this connection the present incumbent wishes to say that it will 

 not be possible for him to attend to the duties of the President's of- 

 fice during the coming year, and that he is therefore not a candidate 

 for renomination. 



