Vol. XXXIII 



1915 



Correspondence. . 137 



thologists of all classes to meet together on perfect equality to participate 

 in a three days scientific session and to enjoy the hospitality which is gen- 

 erously offered by institutions and local members. It maintains a high 

 class ornithological journal in which papers of merit by any Associate, 

 Member or Fellow may be published and which presents a resume of 

 the progress of ornithology not only in America but throughout the world. 

 And through its committees, publications and meetings it brings ornitholo- 

 gists in all parts of the country in touch with one another and opens the way 

 for the beginner or the isolated student to acquire, through correspondence 

 with specialists and recognized authorities, the knowledge and advice 

 that he would not otherwise be able to obtain. 



We cannot agree with Mr. Bailey that there is no inducement to join 

 the A. O. U. We think on the contrary that the A. O. U. has been respon- 

 sible for the wonderful development of ornithology in America and that 

 every member who has made use of the opportunities which it offers to him 

 has profited largely thereby. 



2nd. Election to any limited society or membership is bound to be 

 unsatisfactory to some. There are always those who think that they or 

 their friends have been unjustly rejected and that those who have been 

 chosen did not merit the honor. Mr. Bailey's list of those eligible for ad- 

 vancement would no doubt differ widely from ours and neither of our lists 

 would suit the views of a third member of the Union. This is inevitable 

 and it should be obvious to all that a vote in this connection as well as for 

 any elective office or position, is based on personal opinion, which varies 

 so widely that in many societies, and the A. O. U. is no exception, it is 

 sometimes impossible to get the necessary majority for any candidate so 

 that a vacancy in advanced membership cannot, for the moment, be filled. 

 If it were possible to establish a definite standard for the different classes 

 of membership no election would be necessary, but the establishment of a 

 definite standard is quite impossible. The points to be considered in any 

 candidate are his eminence in some branch of ornithological science and 

 his service to ornithology, but the relative merits of several candidates 

 can only be decided by a vote, and the majority vote of the Fellows called 

 for in the By-Laws, seems a reasonable requirement for election. We 

 cannot question, as does Mr. Bailey, the qualifications of the Fellows to 

 make a choice, surely they are as well fitted as either the Members or 

 Associates. 



We can hardly take Mr. Bailey seriously when he says that "Length 

 of time as a member"; "Field Work"; "Attendance at Meetings"; 

 "Published articles"; "The Amassing of a collection or library," had 

 nothing to do with the advancement of the 40 ornithologists (who have 

 been elected Fellows since the A. O. U. was founded or the 75 who have 

 been elected to Membership. Surely he does not mean what he says! 

 At the same time it may be noted that a man might be a regular attendant 

 at meetings, might gather together hundreds of specimens or books and 

 might publish many papers of a certain quality, and yet not reach the 



