Editorial. 27 



necessarily very largely deal with the dead bird. Our chief con- 

 cern is with the living bird. 



The systematist of today cannot do his work accurately with- 

 out a great amount of material at his disposal, which involves 

 large collections of skins and bodies. Such collections are com- 

 ing more and more to be brought into certain centers which are 

 readily available to the comparatively few who are best trained 

 to do that sort of work. This is as it should be. Let me reiter- 

 ate, then, that this is not our field. We have neither the mate- 

 rial nor the training to pursue this line of investigation. But the 

 ten years of work which we have done has raised up those who 

 are well fitted to conduct investigations in the line of life histo- 

 ries, and to search out general ecological problems. Here lies 

 our strength. Here we have proved ourselves. We must push 

 the work already so well begun if we hope to reap its certain 

 fruitage. 



The calendar winter is now past, and with it the season of stag- 

 nation in bird study for many of us. As the spring draws on 

 interest awakens, calling for special effort in bird study. It 

 seems too bad that this awakened interest and study should fail 

 to count for much year after year, simply because it stands for 

 individual study only. By combining our efforts upon the March 

 migrations we should be able to make the work tell something. 

 The migrations are generally so scattering, and the birds there- 

 fore so prominent when they do come, that comparatively little 

 difficulty is met in recording each species when it arrives. Can 

 we not give unusual heed to the migrations for this present March, 

 noting the first arrivals and their numbers, and the increase in 

 numbers of each of the several species as the days pass? Note, 

 also, when the females come, if that is possible, and any move- 

 ments northward of those species which have come down from 

 the north to spend the winter with us. Can we not make this a 

 month when the number of individuals of each species shall be 

 counted and recorded upon each trip into the fields and woods? 

 There is no better way to learn the birds than to make a count of 

 the individuals seen every time that is possible. If you will send 

 your notes to the editor, early in April, they will be worked into 

 a report for the June number. 



There are several lines of work which have been begun but 

 never completed, for one reason or another. Two of these, at 

 least, were too large subjects for the equipment which we had. 

 The members engaged in the direction of these studies have been 

 lost track of, so that work cannot be carried to completion. There 



