Bericht über das permanente internationale ornithologische Comite 63 



At the last meeting of the American Ornithologists' 

 Union, the Committees on Migration and Faunal Areas 

 were merged, forming a Committee on the Migration and 

 Geographical Distribution of North American Birds. 



This Committee has been divided into three Sub-Com- 

 mittees, as follows : 



I. Sub- Committee on the Migration of Birds. 



II. Sub- Committee on the Geopraphical Distribution of Birds. 

 III. Sub-Committee on Economic Ornithology. 



I. The Sub-Committee on Migration has undertaken to 

 ascertain the whereabouts of all our birds during the winter 

 season , and the times of leaving their winter homes; to 

 determine, if possible, the number and extent of the chief 

 avenues of migration in North America, and the average 

 rate of speed at which the different species travel; to find 

 out the dates of appearance and disappearance of each suc- 

 cessive bird-wave for at least a thousand localities, both in 

 spring and fall for a period of years, together with the 

 causes which influence the same; and to draw there from 

 such generalizations and deductions as the material coUected 

 will permit. 



II. The Sub-Committee on Geographical Distribution has 

 undertaken to prepare for publication a number of coloured 

 maps, showing the Distribution of every species of bird in 

 North America. On these maps will be indicated, by diffe- 

 rent tints, the summer or breeding ränge of each species, 

 its winter ränge, and the area over which it passes during 

 its migration. After this has been done, it is proposed to 

 prepare and publish coloured charts showing the limitations 

 of the several Faunal Areas in North America. 



III. The Sub-Committee on Economic Ornithology pro- 

 poses to study the interrelation of birds and agriculture, 

 and to undertake a series of investigations of great practi- 

 ca! value to the agricultural interests of the country. These 

 inquiries naturally fall into two Channels: 



A) Food. 



B) Distribution. 



