our bird-loving guests were music to our ears, since we had never before entertained 

 a delegation so representative or so fitted to appraise. 



By great good fortune midnight of October 25th was the time ordained for setting 

 back the clocks, so at 1 a. m., "daylight saving time," we dutifully declared it mid- 

 night and adjourned. That the appreciation of the M. C. O. on the part of our dis- 

 tinguished guests was genuine was attested by a resolution which they passed declar- 

 ing for an annual repetition of the event. Among those present were Dr. Frank S. 

 Daggett, Prof. Samuel Rittenhouse, L. E. Wyman. Dr. Irwin D. Nokes, Albert E. 

 Colburn, W. A. Brouse. C. Oscar Reis, and A. W. Hanaford. all of Los Angeles; 

 M. French Gilman, of Banning; Wilson C- Hanna. of Colton; L. G. and Sidney Pey- 

 ton, of Fillmore; M. C. Badger, of Santa Paula, and Dr. Walter P. Taylor of Washing- 

 ton, D. C. 



Our good friend Rowland H. Archer, Esq., of Lyndhurst, Victoria, Australia, has 

 a patriotic big heart as well as a splendid collection. During the war Mr. Archer 

 opened his collection to the public in the interests of the Y. M. C. A., and during two 

 years realized for this worthy cause the handsome sum of £1200. It is hardly fair 

 under these circumstances to refer to such an aggregation of birds' eggs as a "private" 

 collection. 



No doubt some of our correspondents will shudder at seeing their names in print. 

 Modesty has been a necessity as well as a virtue in days past, when the protectionist 

 was out gunning for any sort of game that offered. But a closed season has been 

 established, at last, on scientific collectors. The Government has taken us into a 

 partnership of service, and there is no reason why we should not be perfectly frank- 

 about our affairs. The M. C. O. has nothing to apologize for and nothing to hide; but 

 if any of its correspondents should happen to be less fortunately placed, we will, upon 

 notice, try to observe due circumspection. 



The fact is, the cooperative idea in the collecting of birds' eggs is absolutely 

 beyond criticism. Its consistent development means the maximum of service and the 

 minimum of toll in the name of science. The M. C. O. has tilted with several self- 

 appointed critics, but they have invariably retired from the field when they found that 

 their own crowd was not following them. The best oologists are the best friends of 

 bird protection; and by the same token the undiscriminating protectionist vies with 

 the unscrupulous oologist in doing damage to the cause. 



Among the most welcome of M. C. O. visitors is the Hon. John Lewis Childs, of 

 Floral Park, N. Y. Mr. Childs has one of the most complete collections of North 

 American birds' eggs in existence. On the occasion of a recent visit — March 1st it was 

 — he told us of the acquisition of a set, 1/2. accompanied by female parent, of the 

 Wandering" Tattler, Heteract'tis incanus, the first known to science. The eggs were 

 found on Forrester Island, Alaska. 



The local Members of the Museum of Comparative Oology, now about fifty 

 strong, are also known as the "Santa Barbara Bird Club." The Club is putting on a 

 full program of field activities, somewhat analag-oys to the local "hikes" of the Sierra 

 Club, save that bird study is the sole motif. The work is attracting favorable atten- 

 tion from the tourists and is growing in importance, insomuch that a special depart- 

 ment will have to be assigned to it in future issues of the Journal. The officers are 

 Dr. H. C. Henderson (of CarpinteriaV President; Mrs. R. L. Winchell, Vice-President; 

 Miss T. G. Williamson, Secretary; Miss Theora S. Burnap, Reporter; William Leon 

 Dawson, Leader. 



The Bird Club meets at the Museum for study of particular bird groups, on the 

 third Thursday evening of each month. The attendance has been good, and the 

 interest, even in rather recondite matters of classification, quite keen. Bird study is a 

 perennial interest, and the community which does not maintain a successful bird club 

 lacks only the muster call and organization. 



Although confessedly an off-year for us afield, the Institution will not lack for 

 competent volunteer service. W. Denton Baisley, a returned soldier recovering from 

 shell shock, is already at work for us "on his own" in the San Jacinto Mountains. 

 John M. Davis will comb the Eureka country for rarities, as of yore. Austin Paul 

 Smith, "than whom no one puts up a better birdskin," is working in Central America 

 under personal guarantee from the Director, for the interest of the institution. We 

 are to have Mr. Smith's exclusive take in birds' eggs, accompanied by skins of parents, 

 while other collectors are to profit by his general activities. 



Lieut. Adriaan van Rossem, who is scheduled to go soon to the United States of 

 Colombia, deserves a paragraph by himself. Having been plucked from the academic 

 tree a little prematurely for "officer training." van Rossem volunteered as a private 

 upon the entrance of America into the war. The only reason he never got across was 

 that Uncle Sam was too busy promoting him to let him go; so be brought back a first 



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