Bird Clubs in America ' 

 III. The Maine Ornithological Society 



By J. MERTON SWAIN, Secretary-Treasurer. 



THE association known as ' The United Ornithologists of Maine ' was 

 founded by Stephen J. Adams, of Cornish, Maine, January i, 1893. 

 It was conducted for two years as a correspondence society without 

 officers. During this period an attempt was made at organization, and a 

 constitution was drafted ; but, owing to the unsatisfactory results of the 

 correspondence method and to certain contentions that arose, the idea was 

 abandoned. 



Increased interest, however, in the subject of ornithology in the autumn 

 of 1894 warranted a second trial. Another constitution was drafted January 

 I, 1895, and a permanent organization was effected by the election of the 

 following officers: 



President, Stephen J. Adams, Cornish, Maine; vice-president, Charles 

 B. Wilson, Waterville, Maine; secretary, William L. Powers, Gardiner, 

 Maine; treasurer, Ralph Rockwood, Waterville, Maine. 



The charter members were indeed few, as will be seen by the following 

 list: Stephen J. Adams, William L. Powers, A. P. Larrabee, Ralph Rock- 

 wood, Charles B. Wilson, Maurice Royal, all of Maine. 



It was the plan of the founders to publish a list of all birds that breed in 

 the state, map their faunal areas, and add a list of migrants. At the close 

 of 1895 the ranks contained thirty-five members, yet no active work had 

 been done. 



Early in 1896 new officers were elected and the work of the society 

 began to take a definite shape. The following were chosen officers for 

 1896: 



President, James Carroll Mead, North Bridgton, Maine; vice-presi- 

 dent, Everett E. Johnson, Lewiston, Maine; secretary and treasurer, 

 Ora W. Knight, Bangor, Maine. 



President Mead at once entered upon a campaign of reform by appoint- 

 ing Mr. Adams, Mr. Lane and Mr. Powers a committee to revise the con- 

 stitution. Negotiations were entered into with the leading papers of 

 the state for space in which to publish the transactions, and the Maine 

 Sportsman,' a monthly journal, published in Bangor, was decided upon 

 as the most suitable organ. In the March number of that year there was a 

 page devoted to our interests, edited by Ora W. Knight, of Bangor, 

 and each succeeding issue contained a like amount of information, valuable 

 to the student of ornithology. 



In the April number of 1895, the committee on new constitution 



^ For Nos. I and 2 in this series, see Bird-Lore, IV, 1902, p. 12. 'The Nuttall Club'' 

 and Ibid., p. 57, The Delaware Valley Club. 



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