RETURNS FROM BANDED BIRDS, 1920 TO 1923 3 



REGIONAL BANDING ASSOCIATIONS 



Because of the great difficulty of coordinating the activities of large 

 numbers of cooperators in various parts of the United States and 

 Canada, the expediency of grouping them into regional associations, 

 each with its proper officers, was favorably considered. The plan 

 at first contemplated was the allotment of territory along natural 

 geographic lines as far as possible, although, unfortunately, it has 

 been necessary to make the boundaries conform to political lines, 

 because of the State permits that must be obtained. The system has 

 been satisfactory, however, and under the guidance of experienced 

 ornithologists the development of the local associations has been rapid. 



Northeastern Bird Banding Association. — First of these local asso- 

 ciations was the present Northeastern Bird Banding Association, 

 originally organized as the New England Bird Banding Association, 

 on January 17, 1922, the result of the interest and tireless energy of 

 Laurence B. Fletcher, of Boston, Mass., who has since served in the 

 capacity of secretary. E. H. Forbush, State ornithologist of Massa- 

 chusetts, was elected the first president. The territory covered 

 includes the New England States, the Maritime Provinces of Canada, 

 and Quebec. 



Inland Bird Banding Association. — The second regional organiza- 

 tion to be launched was the Inland Bird Banding Association, formed 

 on October 24, 1922, at the Chicago, 111., meeting of the American Orni- 

 thologists' Union. S. Prentiss Baldwin, whose work in systematic 

 trapping opened a new field of bird banding, has served continuously 

 as president, and William I. Lyon, of Waukegan, 111., a pioneer in 

 the work, has served as secretary. This association is coordinating 

 the work in the territory tributary to the Mississippi River, extend- 

 ing from the Allegheny Mountains to the Rocky Mountain States 

 and British Columbia. 



Banding Chapter, Cooper Ornithological Club. — The Cooper Orni- 

 thological Club next took an active interest in the subject. Because 

 of the fact that the existing organization was devoted primarily to 

 the study of western birds, it was not considered advisable to promote 

 a separate association. A " Banding Chapter of the Cooper Club" 

 was accordingly formed, with J. Eugene Law, of Altadena, Calif. , as 

 chairman. The territory covered by the chapter includes the entire 

 Pacific coast area, including Alaska, together with the Rocky Moun- 

 tain States. 



Eastern Bird Banding Association. — With three organizations func- 

 tioning, there remained unallotted only the territory on the Atlantic 

 coast south of and including New York, and the Province of Ontario. 

 It was accordingly considered important to form an association of 

 the cooperators m this region. At a special meeting of the Linnsean 

 Society of New York, held at the American Museum of Natural 

 History on April 24, 1923, the subject was fully discussed and Mr. 

 Baldwin was authorized and requested to take care of the preliminary 

 arrangements. As a result, the Eastern Bird Banding Association has 

 been organized, with Dr. Arthur A. Allen, of Cornell University, 

 Ithaca, N. Y., as president, Mrs. J. E. Webster, of East Orange, 

 N. J., as secretary, and Rudyerd Boulton, of the University of 

 Pittsburgh, as executive secretary. 



