324 Notes and News. ae 
ing themselves “ not to kill or buy any more North American birds from 
hunters or such people who make it a business to destroy North American 
birds,” nor to sell North American birds or their plumage after their 
present stock has been disposed of, or in any case after January 1, 1902, 
in case the Audubon Societies and the American Ornithologists’ Union 
will agree not to interfere with their use of the “plumage or skins of 
barnyard fowl, edible birds or game birds killed in their season,” and of 
“the birds and plumage of foreign countries not of the species of North 
American birds. Furthermore, it shall be our solemn duty not to assist 
any dealer or person to dispose of any of their North American birds, if 
same have been killed after this date [April 21, 1900]..... In return for 
this pledge, we expect the Audubon Society and the Ornithological Union 
to pledge themselves to do all in their power to prevent laws being 
enacted in Congress, or in any of the States which shall interfere with 
the manufacture or selling of plumage or skins from barnyard fowl, 
edible birds and game birds killed in their season, and all birds which are 
not North American birds.” This pledge is signed by a large number of 
the leading dealers in such supplies in New York and other cities. 
This appeal is certainly entitled to respectful consideration, since, on 
the one hand, it guarantees on the part of a powerful association of deal- 
ers, that the killing of North American birds for millinery use shall at 
once cease, and that all traffic in them for such use shall also cease after 
acertain date, within which specified period the present stock is to be 
disposed of. There is of course no valid objection to the use of the 
plumage of barnyard fowls and of game birds killed in season for food; 
but doubtless many will see grave objection to the continued use of 
foreign birds. On the other hand, the ineffectual attempt already made 
to pass the Hoar bill, which is intended especially to prevent the impor- 
tation of foreign birds for millinery purposes, and the belief on the 
part of those in position to know best about its [future prospects that 
it cannot be enacted, renders the friends of this measure practically 
powerless, whatever action the Audubon Societies and the Ornitholo- 
gists’ Union might see fit to take in the matter. Of course no imme- 
diate concerted action can be taken by these organizations but it isa 
subject that may well be considered at a meeting of representatives of 
the Audubon Societies recently suggested in ‘Bird Lore’ (June 1g00, p. 
94) to be held in connection with the meeting of the A. O. U. in Cam- 
bridge next November. 
ERRATA.— Through an unfortunate oversight in printing Plate V, 
illustrating Dr. Dwight’s paper in the April number of ‘The Auk,’ the 
titles of the two figures were transposed. The title of the present Fig. 
1 of Plate V should read Fig 2. Neossoptile from Colcnus virginianus 
(X 20); and the title of Fig. 2, same plate, should read Fig. 1. Neos- 
soptile from Lagopus lagopus (X 20). 
For Plate I on pages 153, 156, 157 and 161 read Plate IV. 
Page 173, line 19, for Picotdes americanus read Picoides arcticus. 
