Iq5 From Magazines, S-c. [,^j 



Emu 

 Oct. 



" If there is anything in our work that we have possibly over- 

 done, it is the plain faunal list. No worker in ornithology will 

 for an instant underestimate the value of the faunal list. Never- 

 theless, he must admit that the value of such a list increases in 

 proportion to the annotations. The mere locality list of species 

 is of prime importance only when it comes from new localities, 

 and not all of us are able to seek out such. The annotated list, 

 on the other hand, seldom affords a duphcation, and always offers 

 a comparison of hfe-history notes. It also has historical value, 

 for it usually affords basis sooner or later for a study in the 

 change in the status of birds. Avifaunas of the type of Willett's 

 "Birds of the Pacific Slope of Southern California" and Tyler's 

 " Birds of the Fresno District " must be held up as models of the 

 kind of work most needed. They give authoritative facts about 

 the birds of the district treated, and are extremely useful. Such 

 Avifaunas should be printed in large enough numbers so that 

 they can be furnished to every interested school teacher and 

 student of birds in the district covered. 



" In spite of the fundamental need for the services of the man 

 who attempts to put in systematic order our knowledge of the 

 relationships of birds, the old type of systematist is passing away. 

 Apparently the lure of modern biological problems, in which the 

 immediate bearing is more clearly seen, deters many from re- 

 maining in this field. The man who improves our classification 

 and nomenclature lays the foundation without which the so-called 

 higher types of investigation cannot be carried on. Just one 

 case in point : The present trend of investigation on the origin 

 of species — the problem which has longest interested the biologist 

 — towards the isolation theory awaits a more dependable 

 classification of animals at the hand of the acute systematist at 

 this very moment. We may have come to the point where the 

 description of a new species is seldom justified ; but the extent 

 of variation, intergradation, and geographical distribution of our 

 different species furnishes problems to the systematist that are 

 most important. Biologists are describing about 10,000 new 

 forms annually. Whatever may be said as to the advisability of 

 such a proceeding, it gives us an idea as to what an immense field 

 the biologist has in which to work. 



" We are at the present time seeing just the beginning of a new 

 science which deals with the relation of animals to their environ- 

 ment, and this science we call ecology. The ecologist must 

 necessarily depend almost entirely upon the systematist for 

 workable material. Here, then, is a plea for men who are willing 

 to remain below ground, as it were, out of the light while they lay 

 the foundation. Current recognition may not give due credit to 

 the systematist, but time will prove the worth of his service. 



" Of recent years a new type of naturalist has joined our 

 ranks — namely, the camera hunter, or, more properly, the hunter 

 with a camera. It is needless to point out that nothing has been 

 more useful in promoting interest in and diffusing knowledge 



