Bird Clubs in America 13 



Club's] meetings were at first informal, but as years passed the Club 

 became a well-organized publishing society, wielding, through its quarterly 

 1 Bulletin,' a more than national influence. While its active membership 

 numbered somewhat less than a score, its corresponding membership 

 included all American ornithologists of note. Through their hearty 

 cooperation the Club was able to concentrate the ornithological interests 

 of the whole country, its journal proving not only a strong bond of 

 union, but an indispensable medium of communication. 



" In 1883 the time seemed ripe for a more direct and intimate union 

 of American ornithologists, and early in the year the matter began to 

 receive serious thought on the part of several members of the Club, 

 resulting in the call issued in July of that year for a congress of orni- 

 thologists to meet in New York the following autumn. - The project 

 met with favor, a large proportion of those invited responding to the 

 call, which resulted in ' The American Ornithologists' Union, founded in 

 New York, September 26, 1883.' In effect the Nuttall Ornithological 

 Club was thus transformed into a national, or rather an international 

 organization, to which it magnanimously transferred its quarterly journal, 

 and with it much of its prestige and influence." 



Before the launching of the 'Bulletin' many of the younger orni- 

 thologists in other parts of the country had been elected as correspond- 

 ing members of the Club, but professional ornithologists had been 

 excluded out of modesty. Now, however, with a dignified journal on 

 its. hands to vouch for its scientific standing and to bring new respon- 

 sibilities, the Club took courage to invite the leading ornithologists 

 to join as either resident or corresponding members, and, somewhat to 

 the surprise of these young men, their elders seemed very glad to 

 identify themselves with them. Dr. J. A. Allen, who was at that time 

 in charge of the birds at the Museum of Comparative Zoology, at 

 Cambridge, became a resident member in April, 1876, and soon after 

 the issue of the first number of the ' Bulletin ' was made its editor-in- 

 chief. 



The success of the Nuttall Club as a scientific body now seemed 

 assured, and, though it has been less prominently before the ornithological 

 world since the A. O. U. took the ' Bulletin ' off its hands, it still 

 publishes, in its occasional ' Memoirs,' papers of importance which are 

 too long for the pages of 'The Auk.' 



Of late years, however — and perhaps at all times — the chief usefulness 

 of the Club has been for its members. Its meetings — at first held weekly, 

 now coming semi-monthly — have always had a delightfully informal char- 

 acter, and sociability and good fellowship have helped along the interchange 

 of ornithological news and ideas. The early meetings were occupied 

 largely with the reading of published papers, and for some time the 



