1887.] Fourth Meeting of the American Ornithologists' Union. C^7 



oologist of note.* There is at present no vacancy in the class 

 of Foreign Members (limited to 25), and there are only four 

 vacancies in the class of Active Members (limited to 50). The 

 Corresponding Members (limited to 100) number 69, and the 

 Associate Members (unlimited as to number), 112. 



The Treasurer's report made known the fact of a considerable 

 deficit, partly on account of 'The Auk,' and partly on account of 

 the publication of the 'Code and Check-List.' While the assets 

 of the Union, consisting of its unsold publications, much more 

 than offset this deficiency, it was deemed desirable to take meas- 

 ures to at once relieve the treasury of debt. It was therefore 

 voted to open a paper for voluntary subscriptions to meet the 

 present indebtedness, the subscribers being allowed to receive, at 

 their option, back volumes of 'The Auk,' or copies of the 'Code 

 and Check-List,' to the amount of their subscriptions.! In refer- 

 ence to the future, it was stated that there seemed to be little 

 danger of any deficit on account of 'The Auk,' or from any other 

 source, and that the financial prospects of the Union gave no 

 cause for uneasiness. 



The repoi't from the Council included the following nomina- 

 tions for membership, namely, to the class of Active Members, 

 Messrs. William Dutcher and Jonathan Dwight, Jr., of New 

 York City, and W. E. D. Scott, of Tarpon Springs, Florida 

 (formerly of Arizona) ; to the class of Corresponding Members, 

 Messrs. T. Biittikofer, Leyden, Holland ; M. Mameye, Tokio, 

 Japan ; Robert MacFarlane, Winnipeg, Manitoba ; W. E. Brooks, 

 Milton, Ontario. To the class of Associate Members there were 

 44 nominations. All the nominees were later duly elected. 



The Council also recommended that the Union take measures 

 to become an incorporated society, and that a committee be 

 appointed to draw up a new Constitution, accompanied by 

 appropriate By-Laws, for adoption under the Act of Incorpora- 

 tion. Later in the session the Union voted to become incorpor- 

 ated, and instructed the Council to take the necessary steps to 

 secure its incorporation, and also to draft a new Constitution and 

 By-Laws, for adoption at the next annual meeting. J 



* See Auk, III, p. 144, 



t The prompt responses to this appeal, it may be stated, have satisfactorily met the 

 emergency. 



I The Council appointed as a committee on incorporation the President and 

 Professor Baird, and as a committee to draft the new Constitution and By-Laws the 

 President, Professor Baird, Dr. Coues, Mr. Henshaw, and Dr. Stejneger. 



