6 BULLETIN 4 and 5 



No Bulletin was issued for the year 1909. The 1909 ma- 

 terial is combined with this Bulletin. Therefore, this Bulletin 

 is numbered 4 and 5. 



The winter meeting of 1909 was held at Middlebury, Jan. 

 22 and 23; the summer meeting was held in Burlington and on 

 Lake Champlain includmg Ausable Chasm, July 6 and 7. The 

 winter meeting of 1910 was held in Burlington, Jan. 21 and 22, 

 the summer meeting at Woodstock, July 4, 5, and 6. 



THE AMERICAN BIRD BANDING ASSOCIATION. 



On December 8, 1909, there was organized in New York 

 City the American Bird Banding Association, the object of 

 which is ''the banding of birds and the recording of accurate 

 data on their movements." The formation of this society was 

 the outgrowth of a movement which was started in 1908 by the 

 New Haven, Connecticut Bird Club, having in mind the study 

 of the movements and migrations of wild birds by means of metal 

 bands. These bands bear an address and a serial number, the 

 inscription reading "notify the auk, new York." When 

 a bird is banded a record is made of the number of the 

 band, and the species of the bird on which it is used, as well as 

 the date and place of banding. Should this bird ever fall into 

 anyone's hands, it is hoped that as a result of the inscription on 

 the band a notification will be sent to the auk, together with 

 a record of the number. In this way accurate data may be 

 obtained of the movements of individual birds, a thing which is 

 not possible by the ordinary methods of studying migration. The 

 bands are distributed to interested persons throughout the 

 country, who use them as opportunity offers, this being principal- 

 ly of course, upon young birds which have not yet left the nest. 



Most encouraging results have already been obtamed. The 

 work has been extended u itil now it is national in character. 

 It is hoped now that enough interested persons will become 

 members so that their dues of one dollar a year will supply the 

 needed funds. An appeal is therefore made to all persons who 

 are interested in birds, and especially in that great mystery of 

 bird life — migration — to aid in the solution of its problems by 

 joining this Association. Members will receive free a copy of 

 the annua' report of the Executive Committee, and such other 

 literature as may be issued. 



