iSS6.J Third Meeting of the American Ornithologists Union. I I? 



The reports of Committees comprised two only — that on the 

 Geographical Distribution and Migration of North American 

 Birds, and tliat on the Protection of Birds. The Chairman of the 

 first-named Committee, Dr. C. Hart Merriam, presented a very 

 full report, detailing at length the progress of the work and its 

 present status, only an abstract of which can be here presented. 

 Last fall a new and much improved form of circidar was prepared 

 and sent out, in provision for the spring migration of the present 

 year. A special circular was also sent to keepers of lighthouses 

 and lightships, and schedules for returns were distributed to all 

 of tiie Committee's observers, some 1200 in number. These 

 schedules, it is gratifying to observe, have been received with so 

 much favor abroad that they have been translated and repub- 

 lished in several European languages, and reprinted in full in 

 'Ornis,' the organ of the International Ornithologists' Union. 



Final reports have been received from Prof. W. W. Cooke, 

 Dr. J. M. Wheaton, Mr. L. S. Foster, and Mr. William Dutcher ; 

 and Mr. L. Belding has in preparation a very elaborate report on 

 the birds of California. 



It became apparent more than a year ago that the work of this 

 Committee was fast assuming such formidable proportions that the 

 Union would soon be unable to sustain the financial burden thus 

 entailed, and at the meeting of the Union last year the Council 

 was instructed to prepare a memorial to Congress asking for 

 Government aid. In considering this matter the Council decided 

 to advise the establishment of a Division of Economic Ornitholo- 

 gy under the Department of Agriculture, which should not only 

 carry on the investigations necessary to a thorough understanding 

 of the movements and distribution of our V)irds, but should also 

 enter upon a systematic inquiry into their food-habits and prac- 

 tical relations to Agriculture. The Chairman of the Committee 

 was accordingly requested to prepare and present a draft of a me- 

 morial, embod\ ing this plan, to the Council, which was in <\v\e. time 

 recei\ed and approved by the Council.* The Chairman, on 

 presenting this memorial to Congress, was accorded a hearing 

 before the House Committee on Agriculture, through the assist- 

 ance of Prof. C. V. Riley, Chief of the Division of Entomology 

 of the Department of Agriculture. Prof. Spencer F. Baird had 

 the kindness to appear before the Agricultural Committee and 



* This memorial will be found printed in full in 'Ornis,' I, 1885, pp. 60-67. 



