THE WILSON BULLETIN 
Published at Oberlin, Ohio, by the Wilson Ornithological Club. 
Official Organ of the Wilson Ornithological Club and the Nebraska Ornithological Union (in 
affiliation). 
Price in the United States, Canada and Mexico, $1 50 a year, 50c a number, post paid. Price 
in all countries in the International Union, $2.00 a year, 60c a number. Subscriptions should be 
sent to Geo. L. Fordyce, Youngstown, Ohio. 
EDITORIAL 
Dr. Cole’s history of the Bird Banding movement in this country is 
especially appropriate at this time of expansion of the work. It was 
through his efforts and continued interest and sacrifice that the work was 
kept sufficiently before ornithologists so that the value of it as a method 
in bird study was finally recognized. The revival of the work in a new 
form, that which we are pushing now, is, of course, due to the work of 
S. Prentiss Baldwin, with his systematic trapping and banding. May 
the good work go on. 
The Editor has always been interested in the parasitic habits of the 
Cowbird, and has kept a more or less accurate record of the number of 
eggs found in the nests of various species. Never has he found such a 
large percentage of parasitized nests as the present season. Two ex- 
amples will serve to illustrate the situation. A nest of the Red-eyed 
Vlreo was found with three eggs of the Cowbird and none of the vireo; 
the three were as much alike as could well be. A nest of Towhee con- 
tained two of the Towhee and six of the Cowbird. In point or resem- 
blance the six were in three pairs. Parasite eggs are always removed. 
We earnestly commend the making of “ Bird Counts ” which the 
U. S. Biological Survey is sponsoring and urging. It is only from data 
obtained from many such counts well scattered over the country, and 
made as accurately as possible, that we shall be able to follow changes 
that may be going on among the birds of the country. It is altogether 
likely that there have been and continue to be shifts of bird population 
of great significance to human interests due to shifts of human interests 
themselves. We may continue to speculate about these shifts, as we have 
in the past, but with the data in hand that these “ Counts ” are bringing 
to us, speculation will largely give place to known facts. Join the ranks 
and make at least one such “ Count ” this summer. 
