SUMMARY 129 



in many countries, would be materially assisted 

 by some better method of international registra- 

 tion and interchange of ideas. 



In conclusion I would urge the value of the study, 

 citing Herr Herman's reasons put before the Inter- 

 national Ornithological Congress in 1905. The 

 solution of the problem is in the interest of science, 

 and therefore of intellectual progress, teaching 

 us the great part which migratory birds play in 

 the scheme of nature. The millions of birds which 

 wander, season after season, from one zone to 

 another, represent an enormous aggregate of labour, 

 by flight and search for food, acting on " the organic 

 life of nature as does the regulator of a steam-engine, 

 at one time accelerating, at another retarding." 

 Full insight into the essence of the work done bj^ 

 birds will give us a correct notion of their usefulness 

 or injuriousness to man, and lead us to rational 

 action for their protection. 



Whilst fully agreeing with Herr Herman I would 

 go further. We live in an age when aerial locomo- 

 tion has become important, and will be more and 

 more important in the future. Every lesson we 

 can learn from the successes or failures of these 

 most perfect aerial navigators must be of use. 



But putting aside economic and utilitarian con- 

 siderations, there is to some of us a greater stimulus 

 to solve the problems of nature. With the birds, 

 i 



