18S6.1 Third Meeting of the American Ornithologists V7iiou. 119 



Mississippi Valley,' is now ready for the press, and will be issued 

 soon as Bulletin No. lo of the Division of Entomology. 



The investigation of the food habits of birds, in reference to 

 their relation to agriculture — a subject well recognized as of the 

 highest practical importance — has now been in progress for sev- 

 eral months, and the amount of material already gathered for this 

 purpose amounts to more than 1600 bottles of contents of birds' 

 stomachs, later to be microscopically examined by competent ex- 

 perts in such investigations. The method adopted for the collec- 

 tion of data relating to what birds eat contemplates, in addition 

 to the collection of birds' stomachs, the emplo3ment of coinpetent 

 observers in the field ; the enlistment in the work of intelligent 

 farmers throughout the country ; and the collation of data 

 already published. With this object in view a circular has been 

 issued soliciting information on various points therein specified, 

 and the assistance of those willing to aid in the collection of 

 birds'- stomachs. Copies of these circulars v/ere sent to about 

 1000 of the regular observers of the Migration Committee, and 

 also to the editors of agricultural papers and journals, and many 

 farmers, throughout the country. From the Committee's observ- 

 ers alone, it is proper to note, have come eiglitv-seven per cent of 

 the replies thus far received. The Department of Agriculture 

 has already in preparation, and will soon issue, a Bulletin devoted 

 to this branch of inquiry. The very cursor}^ examination al- 

 ready made of the material gathered shows that results of great 

 importance may confidently be anticipated from its final elabora- 

 tion. 



Mr. Allen, Chairman of the vSubcommittee on Geographi- 

 cal Distribution, said that this division of the Committee was 

 awaiting the data collected by the Subcommittee on Migration to 

 become available for use in conjunction with that already accu- 

 mulated, before attempting the preparation of a final report, which 

 it was expected would largely take the form of maps prepared to 

 show the range of each species, so designed as not only to indi- 

 cate its entire North American range, but its breeding range, its 

 area of winter residence, and the portions of coimtry over which 

 it occurred merely as a migrant. He called on Mr. Chadbourne, 

 a member of the Committee, to whom was assigned the district 

 comprising New England and that portion of Canada lying south 

 of the St. Lawrence River and Gulf, to exhibit and explain a 



