io Bulletin No. 12. 



Mr. Benjamin T. Gault, Glen Ellyn, 111., writes: "IsawtwoMea- 

 dowlarks here on the 10th of January, and a large flock of Canada Geese 

 on the 15th. Unusual winter visitors here. 



EDITORIAL. 



The year just closed has been the most prosperous one in the history 

 of the Chapter, both financially and intellectually. Increased interest in 

 the study of the birds has resulted in a larger paid up membership than 

 for any previous year. There has been a marked tendency toward in- 

 quiry into the inner life of birds, an intelligent effort to search out the 

 cause of any action while seeking a closer acquaintance with each bird. 

 An accurate record of the migrations, the song, the food, the nesting, the 

 eggs and the many other characteristics which we are wont to notice, 

 will always be useful, but we need to look beyond these external things 

 into the life of the bird and determine, if we can, why these things are so. 

 We are just beginning to learn that the real problems of bird life are 

 more than skin deep. The old grind that a 'bird in the hand is worth 

 two in the bush' may still apply to other things, but it certainly does not 

 apply to the birds. We want to know the?n, not simply their skins. 

 May the coming year see still greater advance in this good work. 



An invitation has been received to attend the January meeting of the 

 Cooper Ornithological Club at the residence of our fellow member, Mr. 

 Chester Barlow, 529 South Fourth street, San Jose, Calif., which met on 

 January 9. Among the papers presented is one on the "Habits of the 

 Red-bellied Hawk" by another fellow member, Mr. Henry Ward Carri- 

 ger. This live club is doing good work. 



PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. 



The Oologist, Vol. IX. No. 1. Frank H. Lattin, Albion, N. Y. 



Bulletin of the U. S, National Museum No. ^g. A Bibliography of 

 the Published Writings of Philip Lutley Sclater, by G. Brown Goode. 



The Iotva Oi'inthologist . Vol. II. No. 4., Oct. 1896. David L. Sav- 

 age, Salem, la. 



The Fern Bulletin, Vol. V. No. 1., Jan. 1897. w - N - Clute, Bing- 

 hamton, N. Y. 





