1 (>} Votes and News. I Jan. 



nearly complete, they arc open to additional contributions from others, 

 as well as final revision. Preference will always be given to original con- 

 tributions quotations from published literature will be reduced to a mini- 

 mum and contributors will be given full credit for whatever material they 



furnish. 

 Mr. Bent already has in bis own field notes nearly enough material to 



write the life histories of over half of the species to ho included in the next 

 volume, hut. even after exhausting all the material contained in the pub- 

 lished literature on the subject, there are surprisingly few species on which 

 we have sutheient material to wiite men fairly complete life histories 

 A large number of printed lists of the information wanted have been dis- 

 tributed and they will be freely furnished to all who care to contribute. 

 An extensive study of the published material brings to light some interest- 

 ing facts; a vast amount of data has been published on migration and dis- 

 tribution, nesting habits have been written up more fully than any other 

 phase oi the subject and considerable has been written about the food of 

 birds, particularly from an economic standpoint ; but the exact period of in- 

 cubation and the development of the young has been carefully worked out 

 for Very lew species, the Sequence Of plumages in the water birds has been 

 sadly neglected and comparatively lit tie has been published on winter habits. 



For many of the water birds only the most meagre life histories could bo 

 culled from the published literature on the subject. To collate and com- 

 pile in an extensive work on this subject all that has been published relating 

 to the life histories of North American birds, is an undertaking well worth 

 while, but the value of any work of this kind is greatly enhanced by a 

 liberal addition of original material, which was a marked feature of Maj. 

 Bendire's work. 



Mr. bent has several years' work planned out in northern exploration 

 for the study of the breeding habits of the more inaccessible species, but, 

 m order to do this field work, he must rely largely on others for the in- 

 formation wanted about other more accessible speeies. There are few 

 ornithologists who cannot find the time to study effectively some phases 

 of the life history of one or more speeies. which are readily accessible. 



There is much information which is badly needed and which could 

 easily be obtained: much information, of value lies buried in the field notes 

 of nearly every observer; even fragmentary notes are often valuable as 

 contributions to life histories: and it is only by collecting as much of this 

 material as possible that we can hope to get anything even approaching 

 completeness. 



Finally. Mr. Bent thanked all those who have helped in the work, so far. 

 and assured them that they will receive full credit for what they have done. 

 He desires more collaborators to take the leadership in sections not covered 

 in the foregoing list and should bo glad to receive offers or suggestions. 

 Tins much needed work on the Life Histories of North American Birds is 

 now a living issue and it is being pushed vigorously, and we hope that this 

 plea for help will not prove useless and that American ornithologists will 

 show their interest in the work by cooperating to make it successful. 



