A Sketch of the Wilson Club 
217 
fine print are given to the subject of bird banding in the June 
1922 number of the Wilson Bulletin. 
Wholesale bird and egg collecting has not been encouraged 
by the Wilson Club, and the Club has not interfered with those 
who have found it necessary to kill some birds for really scien- 
tific use. The Audubon Societies have always had a good sup- 
port from the Club and have found it willing to cooperate with 
it in all good methods of reducing unnecessary bird destruction. 
As long ago as 1898, Dr. R. M. Strong in his President’s address 
before the Club said : wish to encourage to the fullest extent 
the active cooperation of the members in the various movements 
toward the protection of birds, which are now on foot. We can 
do much by our example and influence . . . .The whole chap- 
ter should constitute itself a committee on bird j^rotection”. 
Later in 1903, an editorial states : ^ AV e do not pose as a society 
of bird x^rotectors, but we exj^ect to exert all our influence toward 
a sane x^olicy of x^rotection everywhere and at all times.” 
We are not an organization of ^^bird lovers”, and do not x^nb- 
lish a magazine of x^opfflar ornithology, although most of the 
members are interested in the kind of ornithology that is most 
X^ox^ular, that is outdoor bird study. The Wilson Ornithological 
Club is one of real students of birds and stands for scientific 
ornithology x^ure and sinix)le. Again quoting from our editor : 
“W]iile we stand for field study, because we believe that here we 
can do the most good to the cause, we still hold ourselves x^lastic 
enough to enter any field of study and investigation which may 
X)romise large results in the increase of knowledge.” 
In endeavoring to accoinx^lish its ends, the Wilson Club has 
had a hard struggle. Several times through lack of funds its 
future has been exceedingly uncertain, and twice it was decided 
to susx^end x^ublication of the Bulletin, but it was x^coved worthy 
to live, each time, by forthcoming of aid largely unsolicited from 
those who seemed to feel the Bulletin essential to ornithology. 
The rugged road of progress has been followed x^artly through 
choice, for it has been the x^olicy of the WTlson Ornithological 
Club to give niembers maximum returns in x^i^blication for the 
dues they pay, and practically all the money of the treasury 
goes to the Bulletin. A reserve fund has not been ventured. The 
editor has not only given a good part of his energies to the Wil- 
son Bulletin for more than twenty-five years, but he has x^er- 
sonally aided in financing it at critical times. Allow me to 
assure this gathering that any irregularities in the history of 
