Bericht über das permanente internationale ornithologische Comite. 61 



their several Governments, requesting said Governments 

 to further to the utmost the organizing of Migration Sta- 

 tions, and to appropriate a sufficient sum for the support 

 of these Stations, and for the publication of annual reports 

 of the observations made.« 



This movement was anticipated by the American Orni- 

 thologists' Union which, at its First Congress, held in New- 

 York City September 26 — 28, i883, appointed a special 

 Committee on the Migration of Birds. 



This Committee prepared a circular setting forth the 

 objects in view and methods by which tney were to be 

 attained, and supplying instructions to observers concerning 

 the character and extent of the information desired. Six thou- 

 sand of these circulars were distributed. 



The Committee, having no funds at its disposal ex- 

 cepting the voluntary contributions of its members, was 

 Linable to do the necessary printing. At this juncture Pro- 

 fessor Spencer J. Baird, Secretary of the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution, very kindly undertook the publication of the 

 schedules for the use of the Light-House Division, and 

 furnished them to the committee free of charge. Through 

 the Cooperation of the Department of Marine of Canada, 

 and of the Light-House Boards of the United States and 

 of New-Foundland, these schedules were supplied to the 

 keepers of light-houses, light-ships, and beacons throughout 

 the whole of North-America. 



Mr. L. S. Foster, Superintendent of the Light-House 

 Division of Spanish America, has undertaken to trace the 

 winter movements of those of our birds which in the au- 

 tumnal migration pass beyond our Southern confines. With 

 this object in view he has, at his own expense, printed and 

 distributed blank schedules, circulars, and books of Instruc- 

 tion, to upwards of two hundred aud tifty light stations in 

 the West-Indies, Central-, and South America. 



It is gratifying to know that, as a result of the enor- 

 mous amount of labour involved, the Committee has already 

 received returns from more than one thousand observers. 

 The stations from which returns have come, in addition 



