A Sketch of the Wilson Club 
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A SKETCH OF THE WILSON ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB* 
By Thomas L. Hankinson 
For the advancement of a science like ornithology, it is desir- 
able that all phases of the subject be studied at all times. Tax- 
onomy is necessary to give clearness of reference in dealing with 
species, and this is necessary for all bird students, whether they 
be morphologists, embryologists, ecologists, economic ornithol- 
ogists or simply field observers. Morphology is fundamental to 
the other subjects. Taxonomy leads naturally to ecology; and 
each is fundamental to the other, and both are necessary for the 
understanding of economic ornithology. All of the phases of 
bird study are closely related to each other, and lines of de- 
marcation are not easily found. 
Ornithology has had a very symmetrical growth, which has 
not been the case with all the other natural sciences. Ichthy- 
ology, at least in America, has been quite one-sided in its devel- 
opment. Its technical literature is just beginning to include 
details of the ways of living fishes, and fish ecology is in its in- 
fancy. The literature of American birds on the other hand, is 
filled with facts concerning the lives of birds from studies of 
their food, nesting, migrations, songs, and activities generally. 
All the progress has been rapid, and I think I can safely say that 
no one large class of animals, certainly of vertebrates, is as well 
understood as the class of birds. 
This remarkable and well-proportioned advancement is due 
to the large number of bird students and their diversity of 
interests and to the fact that they have been willing to make 
concerted efforts in their studies by forming such organizations 
as the American Ornithologists Union, The Cooper Ornithologi- 
cal Club, and the Wilson Ornithological Club. While it has been 
the aim of all these organizations to advance ornithology with 
interest shown in all phases of the subject, there has been some 
tendency to specialize. The Wilson Club has especially encour- 
aged outdoor ornithology; and it seems to me that this leaning 
has been a very fortunate one, since the members of the Club 
have been largely from the central part of the United States, 
the region where there has been such a remarkable development 
of agriculture, resulting in the drainage of many swamps, the 
breaking of virgin prairies, and elimination of vast areas of 
*Address of the President at the Fortieth Stated Meeting of the 
American Ornithologists Union held at the Field Museum of Natural 
History, Chicago, Illinois, October 24-26, 1922. 
