Bulletin 



OP THE 



nDicbigan ©rnitbolOQical Club 



A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE ORNITHOLOGY 

 OF THE GREAT LAKE REGION. 



ALEXANDER W. BLAIN, Jr. 



EDITOR. 



131 Elmwood Avenue, - Detroit, Mich. 



ASSOCIATES : 



Walter B. Barrows, - Agricultural College, Mich. 

 J. Claire Wood, - - - Detroit, Mich. 



Detroit, Mich., September, 1904. 



Subscription: In North America, fifty cents a year, strictly in advance. Single copies, fifteen 

 cents. Foreign Subscription : Seventy-five cents a year to all countries in the Universal Postal Union. 

 Free to Members of the Club not in arrears for dues. 



Exchanges and Mss. should be sent to the Editor. Dues, subscriptions and communications of a 

 business nature should be sent to Chas. E. Wisner, 1115 Brooklyn Ave., Detroit, Mich. 



editorial 



The announcement in a former number of this journal of the discovery 

 of the nesting ground of Kirtland's Warbler created something of a sensa- 

 tion in ornithological circles. As m.ight have been foreseen more than one 

 collector planned to raid Oscoda County this summer and secure specimens 

 of the coveted bird and its eggs. Reports of such intentions were current 

 before the winter's snows had left the Au Sable region and many a bird- 

 lover's blood grew hot at the thought of the certain persecution and possible 

 extermination of the only known colony of this rare species. 



Knowledge of the impending danger reached the State Game Warden 

 too late to forestall all attempts but with his customary promptness and 

 energy he took m the situation and made a strong effort to protect the 

 birds. About the 20th of June every permit to take birds for scientific pur- 

 poses was revoked so far as this warbler was concerned, a special deputy was 

 added to the force in the Au Sable region, and a reward was offered for 

 the apprehension of anyone molesting Kirtland's Warbler in any way. Tlie 

 effect was immediate and salutary, and every true ornithologist as well as 

 every right minded citizen will thank Mr. Chapman for his prompt and 

 vigorous action while regretting that it could not have taken effect at an 

 earlier date. 



We are free to admit that the Bulletin made a serious mistake in pub- 

 lishing the exact locality in which the birds had been found, but at the 

 moment the interest in the discovery and the desire to give readers the 

 fullest information on so important an event caused a temporary suspension 

 of caution which can be readilv understood. The incident has caused some 



