.Editorial 



3^3 



2^irtr=1Lore 



A Bi-Monthly Magazine 

 Devoted to the Study and Protection of Birds 



OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE AUDUBON SOCIETIES 



Edited by FRANK M. CHAPMAN 



ContributingEditor, MABEL OSGOOD W^RIGHT 



Published by D. APPLETON & CO. 



Vol. XX Published October 1, 1918 No. 5 



SUBSCRIPTION RATES 



Price in the United States, one dollar and tifty cents a year 

 outside the United States, one dollar and seventy-five cents , 

 postage paid. 



COPYRIGHTED, 1918, BY FRANK M. CHAPMAN 



Bird-Lore's Motto: 

 A Bird in t be Busb Is Worth Two in the Hand 



To many of the Editor's friends it has 

 never been quite clear why an ornithologist 

 should have been called to serve in the 

 Red Cross, though reflection will show 

 that the editorial problems presented by 

 technical publications are not unlike, 

 whether the subject matter relate to birds 

 or to surgical dressings. However, in a 

 new position in the Red Cross to which the 

 Editor has recently been appointed, the 

 relation between his profession and present 

 duties is somewhat clearer. 



Knowledge of the country gained during 

 ornithological explorations in South Amer- 

 ica, in combination with experience ac- 

 quired during the past year in the Red 

 Cross, has, in the opinion of the War 

 Council, fitted him for the post of Red 

 Cross Commissioner to South America, 

 and in that capacity he leaves this country 

 October 3, for an absence of several 

 months, to visit the Chapters of the 

 American Red Cross which have been 

 formed in the South American republics 

 and to further the interests of the Red 

 Cross generally. During this period his 

 editorial labors for Bird-Lore will be 

 performed by Mr. John T. Nichols, of the 

 American Museum of Natural History. 



While it is not expected that a Com- 

 missioner of the Red Cross will have much 

 time at his disposal for the study of bird- 

 life, one's inherent interests and the habits 

 of a lifetime cannot be overcome, even by 

 the absorbing character of Red Cross 

 work, and it is proposed, therefore, to 



send to Bird-Lore some account of the 

 bird-life of the countries visited as it 

 appears to the ornithologist en route. Our 

 itinerary leads from Havana to Panama 

 and thence to Lima, Valparaiso, Santiago, 

 Buenos Aires, Montevideo, and Rio de 

 Janeiro, with detours into the interior, and 

 should therefore afford wide opportunity 

 for casual observations of the most char- 

 acteristic birds of land and sea. 



These sketches will be illustrated by Mr. 

 Loviis A. Fuertes. We regret to say that Mr. 

 Fuertes will not be a member of our party, 

 but his own wide experience in tropical 

 America has given him a large fund of in- 

 formation concerning the appearance in life 

 of many species of South American birds. 



The soldier members of the ornithologi- 

 cal department of the American Museum 

 will recall with regret that the American 

 Ornithologists' Union will hold its annual 

 Congress at the Museum in November of 

 this year of their absence. But visiting 

 members may be assured that Messrs. 

 Allen, Waldron Miller, Dwight, and 

 Nichols will accord them a hearty wel- 

 come to the department of birds. Mean- 

 while let us hope that all members of the 

 A. O. U. absent on war duty may answer 

 the roll-call at the meeting of 1919. 



The Biological Survey has issued explicit 

 regulations regarding the enforcement of 

 the laws protecting migratory birds. Due 

 provision is made for the issuance, to 

 properly accredited persons, of permits to 

 collect specimens for scientific purposes. 

 It should, however, be clearly understood 

 that these permits do not do away with 

 the necessity of a state permit, but are 

 required in addition to the permits issued, 

 as heretofore, under state laws. The regu- 

 lations are printed on a succeeding page. 



Under the head, 'Our Native Birds,' 

 the Pittsburgh Chronicle Telegraph pub- 

 lishes, each Saturday, articles on birds of 

 general and local interest, replies to ques- 

 tions, helpful suggestions, etc. The estab- 

 lishment by bird-clubs of similar depart- 

 ments in their local press would do much to 

 arouse and extend an interest in bird-study. 



