BIRD BANDING CLEAVES. 473 



limited circle but the duty of many, and it is only by extensive 

 banding that results of value can be obtained. Realizing these facts, 

 it has been thought best to welcome the cooperation of all competent 

 bird lovers, regardless of the matter of contributions or annual dues. 

 Anyone deemed properly qualified by the committee may apply for 

 bands and will receive them. On the other hand it is hoped that 

 there are enough people who sufficiently appreciate the value of the 

 work to sustain the necessary financial burden. 



A year ago many persons declined to support the work of bird 

 banding on the grounds that not sufficient results had been obtained 

 to establish its practicability. The following return records of 

 banded birds, received within the past 12 months, should rob this 

 objection of its foundation : 



On June 7, 1911, an adult chimney swift fluttered down a chimney 

 into the study of Mr. Ernest Harold Baynes in Meriden, N. H., and 

 was promptly banded and released. The band was of the old style 

 and bore the number 6326. At 8 o'clock p. m. on June 15, 1912, two 

 chimney swifts flew from the chimney into the same room of Mr. 

 Bajrnes' house where the bird had been caught a year and eight days 

 before. And lo ! when these birds were taken in hand and examined 

 one of them proved to be 6326. Remarkable as it may seem, this 

 diminutive creature, less than 6 inches in length, had traveled hun- 

 dreds of miles to Central America or elsewhere in the Tropics 

 where he spent the winter and then made the long return journey at 

 the approach of summer and found again the chimney of his choice 

 in a village of far-off New Hampshire. And throughout his journey- 

 ings the little aluminum ring had traveled with him and had pro- 

 duced not the least effect on the bird's leg. 



Two French Canadians were gunning along a small river near the 

 hamlet of ^¥hitebread in southwestern Ontario, Canada, on August 

 5, 1912. Blackbirds, their intended booty, were not numerous and 

 the men were about to return to camp when one suddenly touched 

 the other on the arm and said " You can not hit him!" In answer 

 to this challenge the second gimner wheeled quickly about and took 

 a difficult chance shot at a fast disappearing common tern. There 

 were many terns flying up and down the stream, hovering in the 

 air and plunging for minnows, and it seems strange that the one shot 

 should have borne a band on his leg. The finding of that band 

 resulted in the following letter: 



Dear Friends : As I have nerer seen you's before, but I am writing a few 

 lines to tell you about a ring or piece of tin I found on a sea gull or sea bird. 

 There is thousands of them here, but I will not tiy it again. In examining 

 the bird I found on the left leg " Notify the Auk or Arlv 4590 New York." So 

 I am doing so to let you know how fur this bird traveled. Well, I will close. 

 Please write back and let me know if you got this scribbling. 

 From 



I.EO Salois, Box l.'f. Whitebread, Ont. 

 August Tj. 1912. 



