Americarv Ornithology. 



A Ma-gOLzine Devoted Wholly to Birds. 



Published monthly by Chas. K. Reed, 75 Thomas St., Worcester, Mass, 

 EDITED BY CHESTER. A. REED. B. S. 



SUBSCRIPTION PRICE in United States, Canada and Mexico, One 

 Dollar yearly in advance. Single copies, ten cents. Vols. I and II. 

 $1.00, each. We can supply back numbers at ten cents per copy. 

 FOREIGN Subscription, $1.25. 



-COPYRIGHT, 1903 BY CHAS. K. REED- 



VOL. Ill JULY, 1903. NO. 7 



An armistice seems to have been declared in the wordy conflict that 

 has been going on for the last few months in magazines and the daily 

 press concerning the Burroughs-Seton-Long controversy. While many 

 may regret that this issue was ever brought before the public, it can- 

 not but have a good influence on future bird literature. There certainly 

 is enough truth that is of interest concerning bird life, without resort- 

 ing to fairy tales and flights of imagination. Stories and even entire 

 books based wholly on the imagination in place of observation are 

 more than the public can submit to, and the controversy above referred 

 to will probably have its effect in assuring the public of more accurate, 

 even though it be less interesting reading. Fairy tales when sold as 

 such, have their proper place, but when intended for a history of birds 

 or animals, are no more to be tolerated than would be inaccurate 

 geographies or other school books. 



July is probably the best month in the year for obtaining good 

 photos of young birds. Provided that you can catch them, young birds 

 after they have left the nest make much better pictures than those 

 which have not yet flown. They show the family characteristics to a 

 greater extent and are not so apt to look scared or as though they 

 were about to fall oft" the limb. 



We have already received a large number of photos for our compe- 

 tition and assurances of many more. Prints may be on any paper ex- 

 cept blue print and no one is debarred from competing. 



