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econcttiic Study. 



lu compiling (he work on Iowa Birds, a study of the economic phase of 

 Ornithology and especially of Iowa Ornithology, is essential. "With this 

 end in view therefore every active member is solicited to preseive the 

 stomach, with contents, of every bird collected by him, regardless of sea- 

 son or species. The stomachs should be preserved in ordinary or wood al- 

 cohol, 90 per cent solution, or iu a 3 per cent solution of formic aldehyde. 

 The alcohol is to be preferred. 



Each stomach should have attached to it a label written in India ink or 

 Irad pencil. This label should correspond to numbered data recording the 

 locality, date, name of bird, sex, character of place collected, and time of 

 day, together with any remarks that may prove of use. Identification 

 whenever doubtful should be made certain by saving the skin and num- 

 bering it to correspond to the stomach. The skin can then be sent in with 

 the stomachs and after identification will be returned to the owner. 



The Association will co-operate with the Biological Survey, U. S. Dept. 

 of Agr. in this work. It is hoped that cvenj member of the I. O. will 

 take an active part in this work, and do as much as possible, adding 

 thereby both to the reputation of our Association and to the value of its 

 subsequent publications. 



Those who are prepared to enter into active work from now on, and 

 those wishing further information are requested to correspond immediate- 

 ly with the Chief of Economic Dept., Wilmon Newell, Agricultural Col- 

 lege, Ames, Iowa. 



]\ ea!l to Duty, 



At the Third Congress of the Iowa Ornithological Association held at 

 Manchester, Iowa, Sept. 4, ] 897, cur Astrociation decided to appoint de- 

 partment heads to take up special work and aid the Annotation Commit- 

 tee — these heads to take up four branches, as follows : Economic Study, 

 Nidificatiou, Seasonable Changes, and Migration, of the last of which I 

 had the honor of being chosen Chief. 



J. Eugene Law, Secretary of our Association writes, that regarding mi- 

 gration, the plan is to make a special study of the routes chosen by the 

 birds through Iowa— ako a stuely of Bird Waves. 



nlu the winter of 1881-2 Prof. W. W. Cooke, attempted to secure the as- 

 sistance of the ornithologists of Iowa in stuelyiug the migration of birds — 

 changing his residence from Iowa to Minn., necessitated a mcelificatiou of 



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