30 Biilli'iiii No. jg. 



EDITORIAL. 



A neat little pamphlet of 24 pages, containing the Constitution, B}'- 

 laws and List of Members of the Cooper Ornithological Club of Cali- 

 fornia, is at hand. This flourishing organization is doing a great service 

 for the Ornithology of California. Its membership includes many 

 prominent names. 



It is the intention of the editor to increase the number of pages to 16 

 for each issue during 1898. Will not each member of the Chapter, and 

 each reader of the Bulletin lighten the work of the editor by sending 

 notes or short articles for publication ? There should never be a dearth 

 of copy from which to make up each Bulletin. Copies from your note- 

 book, as you make the entry in the field, are what is wanted. Rare finds 

 and phenomenal records are interesting and valuable, but do not forget 

 that we are organized for the express purpose of studying the life hi'sto- 

 r/es of the birds. Remember also that there are now probably no com- 

 plete life histories of even the commonest species written, or even known. 

 Notes on the habits of the birds are always interesting and instructive. 

 You who are in the heart of crowded cities may find the birds about you, 

 and may derive genuine pleasure from them during the interim of busi- 

 ness. Look for them and see if you don't find them. 



Now that spring has come again we should remember Bird Day. 

 There could hardly be a more effective way of bringing the claims of the 

 birds before the people than this, of making much of a Bird Day by the 

 school children. The better we become acquainted with the birds the 

 more we recognize how necessary they are in the economy of Nature. 

 Among the school children Bird Day might well be the beginning of per- 

 sonal acquaintance with the live birds, accomplished by short excursions 

 into the fields and woods. It might be objected that the teacher is not 

 well enough acquainted with the birds to teach the children. 1 doubt 

 very much if there is any place in this country where some t)ne may not 

 be found who possesses familiarity enough with the birds to teach the 

 children the commoner kinds, and who would delight in doing that ser- 

 vice for the birds. Acquaintance with the food habits of many of the 

 birds may be gained from the publications of our Agricultural Depart- 

 ment, which it will be glad to supply to any applicant. In places 

 favored with a museum, the children will be able to learn a great deal 

 about the appearance of the birds from the mounted specimens. To 



