INTRODUCTION. 



amateurism were confined with in proper limits; the place of uncritical 

 groping in the dark was taken by methodical observation founded on 

 well-established facts and by real methodical treatment ; the cultivation 

 of this branch of science, the importance of which was perfectly well 

 recognised, was entrusted to well-equipped institutes; so its develop- 

 ment was secured, the soundness of the results obtained guaranteed. 



Ornithophaenology has to follow exactly the same course; it lies 

 in the nature of the thing that it can have no other. 



The objection will certainly be raised that we cannot attach to 

 Bird-Migration the same amount of importance that we impute to the 

 course of the weather, with which many highly important and vital 

 interests of mankind are connected. As regards the question of impor- 

 tance this is quite correct, but this is no reason why a scientific problem 

 which is, in the respect just mentioned, of minor importance, should 

 proceed on a wrong tack. For Science does not recognise „important" 

 and „unimportant" problems, but only problems requiring solution. 



And after all, Ornithophaenology also is not entirely wanting in 

 all practical or important relations with mankind. 



The periodical change of locality of the enormous masses of mig- 

 rating birds signifies at the same time the transference of work from 

 one zone to another,an energetic,mighty upheaval of the course of Nature 

 and of the conditions which man has, by culture, created for his benefit. 

 What does this restless, assiduous work of the birds in its many pha- 

 ses mean for field, wood, garden, cattlebreeding — quite apart from 

 the aesthetic, ethic, deep effects of the same ? And we have to reply, 

 that this action, working mostly like a regulator, cannot be replaced or 

 dispensed with: that the sums which this work signifies for man are 

 not large but simply enormous : that the Bird, compared with the course 

 of the weather (although of secondary importance) must never be under- 

 valued and that the exact understanding of these relations in organic 

 connection with Migration, although they require no special institution, 

 yet deserve serious exertion and due sacrifice. 



7 as 



