



152 ORNITHOLOGIST [ Vol. 11-No. 10 
AEE tion. An erroneous impression seems to 
X prevail that the work is to be entirely re- 
ORNIT oe OGIST printed, and such alterations and changes 
OOLUOGIST. 
A MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF 
Jari i fo te aa oe lag Bs SOO aaa op 
ESPECIALLY DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF 
BIRDS, 
THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. 
DESIGNED AS A MEANS FOR THE INTERCHANGE OF NOTES 
AND OBSERVATIONS ON BIRD AND INSECT LIFE. 
F. H. CARPENTER, Managing Editor, 
REHOBOTH, MASS. 
J. PARKER NORRIS, Odlogical Editor, 
204 SoUTH SEVENTH STREET, PHILADELPHIA, Pa. 
FRANK B. WEBSTER, Publisher, 
409 WASHINGTON, ST., BOSTON, MASS. 



Editorial. 
We have always permitted our corre- 
spondents to freely express their views on 
any subject—when not too personal—and 
it is a known fact in journalism that 
we are not to be considered as responsible 
or endorsing their statements by publish- 
ing them in the proper place. In this is- 
sue a gentleman well known in ornitholog- 
ical circles gives from another standpoint 
his opinion of the “Amateur and A. O. U.” 
We gave our opinions in these columns 
some time ago, and shall let the matter 
drop, as no statement ‘was made that we 
did not corroborate by written testimony, 
which evidence we shall not hesitate to use 
in a very pronounced manner if too many 
charges of falsity are hinted at. We are 
willing to go “half-way” and commend Mr. 
Chamberlain’s article to the better judge- 
ment of our readers. 
——— 
The New Edition of Dr. Coues’ Key. 
The second edition of Dr. Coues’ “ Key” 
having been exhausted, his publishers, 
Messrs. Estes & Lauriat, some time ago 
announced the preparation of a third edi- 
made in it as would practically render it 
an entirely new book. This opinion has 
no doubt been fostered by a paragraph 
which appeared in 7he Auk for July, 1886, 
(Vol. III, p. 415,) where it was announced 
that the new edition would contain ‘ the 
new nomenclature of the A. O. U. Com- 
mittee, with all necessary corrections and 
additions to date.” As Dr. Coues is one 
of the editors of Zhe Auk this paragraph 
was considered as official. 
Having written Messrs. Estes & Lauriat, 
and called their attention to the aforesaid 
announcement in Zhe Auwk, they replied 
stating that it was news to them; that Dr. 
Coues only contemplated making “some ad- 
ditions and corrections to the ‘vey, that is, 
if we do not decide to bring the book out 
before he can do the work; but in any 
event they will be very immaterial, and 
probably nothing more than some few 
changes of words or extra descriptive 
paragraphs.” 
As the Jey is stereotyped the changes 
will in all probability be very slight. The 
A. O. U. nomenclature will therefore have 
to be given (if at all) in an appendix, for 
any other manner of printing it would re- 
quire the type to be entirely reset, at an 
enormous expense. Tor all practical pur- 
poses, therefore, the second edition will be 
as valuable as the third, and we old-fash- 
ioned people who have become accustomed 
to see the nomenclature of the Avey com- 
mence with the Thrushes, will not be as-° 
tonished to find the ungainly Grebes head- 
ing the list, 

Eggs of the White-tailed Kite. 
A set of five eggs of the White-tailed Kite, 
(Hlanus glaucus,) have recently been received by 
Mr. Harry G. Parker, of Chester, Pa., and they 
are now in his collection. The set is in no wise 
remarkable except that it establishes the fact that 
more than four eggs are sometimes laid. These 
eggs were taken by Mr. Clark P. Streator of 
