EDITORIAL. 3 



The subject of Economic Ornithology in this country 

 has been scandalously neglected. So far, scraps of in- 

 formation, mostly incorrect and gathered at haphazard, 

 generally by strongly biassed partizans, have been made 

 to serve our needs. No attempt to remedy this state of 

 affairs can possibly meet with success which is not made 

 in all seriousness, and carried out on strictly scientific 

 lines. One cannot " dabble " with a problem of this kind. 

 We had hoped very much to be able to carry on a pre- 

 liminary investigation of the kind we are so anxious to 

 see carried out, but a careful calculation has convinced 

 us that the cost of such an enterprise would be prohibitive. 

 We must again express the hope that an investigation 

 will be undertaken by the Board of Agriculture, as has 

 long been done, both on the Continent and in America, and 

 with magnificent results. To carry conviction such an 

 investigation must be prosecuted by an impartial body, 

 and one which can command the services of fully quahfied 

 experts, whose work must be carried out under conditions 

 which leave no loophole for doubt. 



In the present number will be found the first section 

 of an article framed for the purpose of facilitating the 

 identification of Ducks' eggs — a by no means easy matter. 

 Read with the help of the coloured plates which the 

 generosity of the author enables us to provide, we feel 

 sure that this contribution will overcome the difficulty 

 that has hitherto existed in the determination of doubtful 

 cases. 



Among other articles already promised we may mention 

 the following : Mr. Boyd Alexander on the British 

 migrants which he met with in his last great journey 

 from the Niger to the Nile; Mr. E. Bid well on Cuckoo 

 fosterers ; Mr. J. L. Bonhote on British birds which have 

 bred in captivity; Mr. W. H. Kirkman on variations 

 in the nest-building of the Common and Arctic Terns ; 

 Commander H. Lynes on the habits of our summer 

 birds when on migration in the Mediterranean; Mr. 

 M. J. Nicoll on the moult of the Swallow; and 

 Prof. Lloyd Morgan on some aspects of the psychology 

 of nest-building, or some kindred theme to be determined 

 by him later. That this will prove a welcome and valuable 

 contribution there is no need to doubt, for Prof. Morgan 



