126 Notes and News. [j^ 



present Check-List seemed fairly satisfactory in 1886, it long since ceased 

 to represent modern views respecting avian taxonomy. The present, 

 therefore, seems a favorable opportunity to revise the classification of the 

 higher groups, and thus bring the Check-List once more into harmony with 

 present knowledge of the subject. The geographical ranges of the species 

 and subspecies will be most carefully revised, probably by a special sub- 

 committee, and thus brought down to date. There will doubtless be also 

 a few changes in generic names, some of which have been for some time 

 impending. 



The first annual meeting of the National Association of Audubon 

 Societies was held at the American Museum of Natural History in New 

 York City on October 31, 1905. Twenty-seven members were present 

 at the business meeting, held in the morning, representing Massachusetts, 

 Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ore- 

 gon, and the District of Columbia. The afternoon session, which was 

 open to the public, was attended by several hundred persons interested 

 in the work of bird protection. The Treasurer's report showed the Asso- 

 ciation to be in a prosperous condition, with a bright outlook for the future. 

 Six of the directors, whose terms had expired were reelected for the term 

 of five years, namely: George Bird Grinnell, New York; Arthur H. Norton, 

 Maine; H. P. Attwater, Texas; Walter J. Blakely, Missouri; Mrs. Mabel 

 Osgood Wright, Connecticut; and Mrs. Kingsmill Marrs, Florida. Wil- 

 liam L. Finley, Oregon, was elected to fill the unexpired term of Isaac N. 

 Field, deceased. The President's report was given in abstract and ordered 

 printed in 'Bird-Lore,' and also separately for general distribution. 



At the afternoon session the principal topic of discussion was cats, in 

 their relation to bird protection. The principal speakers were Dr. George 

 W. Field, President of the Massachusetts Fish and Game Commission; 

 Dr. T. S. Palmer, Biological Survey, Washington; Rev. William Lord, 

 Massachusetts, and Mr. Frank M. Chapman. It seemed to be agreed that 

 if cats could be kept at home, and their owners made responsible for them, 

 as in the case of dogs and other domestic animals, the lives of multitudes 

 of wild birds would be annually saved. At the close of the discussion the 

 following resolution was adopted: 



"Resolved, That in the interests of humanity and bird protection the 

 National Association of Audubon Societies endorses the movement to 

 make the owners of cats responsible for their acts and welfare." 



At the afternoon session Mr. William L. Finley gave an account of his 

 experiences among the large colonies of water-birds which breed in south- 

 eastern Oregon, illustrated with lantern-slides; and Mr. Frank M. Chap- 

 man gave an illustrated talk on English bird life, based on his experiences 

 of the past summer. 



The Annual Report of the President of the Association, Mr. William 

 Dutcher, has been published in the November-December, 1905, number 

 of 'Bird-Lore' (Vol. VII, pp. 295-350), and occupies fifty-six pages, in- 

 cluding a number of pertirlent half-tone illustrations. As in Mr. Dutcher's 



