2ob Cleaves, American Bird Banding Association. I April 



Almost every record that lias come in is characterized by some 

 distinguishing feature and would furnish reading matter as inter- 

 esting as the several returns cited above. Lack of space, however, 

 prevents the publication of these embellishments, although the 

 reader may gather much from the banding and return records 

 in their condensed form at the end of this paper. The percentage 

 of returns, contrary to the predictions of some, has indeed been 

 encouraging; and the point that should he emphasized in connec- 

 tion with those is that they have not in a single instance been due 

 10 the handicapping of the birds by the hands. This is proved, 

 firstly, by the fact that the bands have been carried by the birds 

 for such long periods; secondly, by reason of the very conditions 

 at t ending the taking of each bird; and thirdly, by the fact that the 

 presence of the hand on the bird's leg was not in a single case de- 

 tected until the bird was taken in the hand and examined, and there- 

 fore could not possibly have prompted any one to kill the bird for 

 the purpose of reco\ ering 1 he band and satisfying his own curiosit \ . 

 This sort o^ thing, by the way, is and should be Strongly denounced 

 and discouraged. It is rather the interest in watching for banded 

 birds and even photographing them that should be encouraged. 



It would not be wist- to spring at conclusions with regard to the 

 significance and meaning of the return records that have thus far 

 been secured. The fact that Mr. Baynes' Chimney Swift returned 

 to its old stand after an absence of nearly a year in the tropics is 

 significant in itself; but before stating that, barring accident. 

 Chimney Swifts invariably return year after year to the same chim- 

 ney it would be advisable, not to say necessary, to obtain a dozen 

 or even a hundred similar records as corroborative evidence. 



Beyond a doubt the greatest progress in the work of banding 

 birds in America has been made during the year just past, but the 

 pace established in that time must be not only maintained but 

 greatly increased. Our interest and enthusiasm must not decline 

 for a moment; the work and aims of the American Bird Handing 

 Association must receive the most zealous support that American 

 ornithologists are capable of imparting. 



