HO 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. XIV 
Mr. Grinnell spoke on the distribution of 
hummingbirds in California, illustrating his 
talk with specimens, and with maps showing 
the ranges of the breeding species. — H. S. 
S\\ ARTH, Secretary. 
February — -The February meeting of the 
Northern Division was held at the Museum 
of Vertebrate Zoology on Saturday even- 
ing, February 17. President Coggins was 
in the chair, and the following mem- 
bers present : Miss Atsatt and Miss 
Heald, and Messrs. Carriger, Gifford, 
Grinnell, Taylor, and Swarth. The min- 
utes of the January meeting were read, fol- 
lowed by the Southern Division January min- 
utes. The following new members were 
elected ; H. S. Hathaway, Chester Stock, and 
C. H. Kennedy. New names presented for 
membership are : Miss Anna Head, Berkeley, 
presented by Mr. Grinnell; Miss Margaret W. 
Wythe, Oakland, presented by H. C. Bryant ; 
and George E. Stone, South Pasadena, pre- 
sented by W. P. Taylor. 
Mr. Taylor, Chairman of the Committee on 
Conservation of Wild Life, gave a verbal re- 
port of the activities of the Committee. The 
election of editor and business managers of 
The Condor for 1912, nominations having 
already been made by the officers of both 
divisions, gave the following results ; Editor, 
J. Grinnell; Business Managers, J. Eugene 
Law and W. Lee Chambers. A letter was 
read from the secretary of the Pacific Coast 
Association of Scientific Societies, appointing 
W. P. Taylor, representing the Cooper Club, 
a member of a committee acting for the 
-Vssociation as an auxiliary in promoting con- 
\-entions of scientific and learned organiza- 
tions in San Francisco during the Exposition 
year 1915. 
Mr. Grinnell gave a brief talk on present 
conditions in the Imperial Valley, and the 
Itirds to be seen there, as observed on a recent 
visit, while on the Agricultural Demonstration 
Train. Adjourned. — H. S. Swarth, Secre- 
tary. 
COMMUNICATION 
APROPOS THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED PERMANENT 
COMMITTEES OF THE COOPER CLUB FOR THE 
CONSERVATION OF WILD LIFE. 
Conservation has by this time come to rep- 
resent in a fairly definite manner certain 
issues of great importance to the best good of 
the people, and it is coming to he realized that 
the principle should be extended to cover 
other things than forests and water power. 
Not the least of these is the wild-life of the 
community. The presence within a state or 
countr\' of native species of birds, mammals, 
and fishes, while it is, on the one hand, a 
distinct esthetic asset, has on the other a 
definite money value. In a commonwealth 
like California the possibilities of the ideal 
conservation of song and game birds and of 
game and non-game mammals and fishes are 
tremendous. Our wild animals include some 
of the most attractive of game species, as well 
as scores of other forms intrinsically of the 
highest scientific and popular interest. 
The history of California shows, as does 
the history of almost ever}' other state and 
nation, a woeful lack of foresight with regard 
to the conservation of natural resources in 
general, and of game in particular. A short 
life-time (fifty-five years) ago, the flesh of 
the prong-horned antelope was the cheapest 
meat in San Erancisco, sea otter skins were 
to be had comparatively cheaply, and elk were 
not uncommon throughout Northern Cali- 
fornia. 
The advance of civilization tends, of course, 
to crowd out various wild species. This makes 
the problem of their perpetuation more diffi- 
cult, and consequently more important to be 
considered. 
Among the agencies which have worked for 
the conservation of wild life is the State Eish 
and Game Commission. This organization has 
done good work in a particularly difficult 
field. But no state commission can go ahead 
of public sentiment, which often appears not 
to be particularly interested in the problems 
which here concern us. 
It would seem that the Cooper Ornitholog- 
ical Club has a distinct opportunity to serve 
the state along these lines. The committee 
appointed by the Northern Division should 
co-operate with the committee of the South- 
ern Division, to the end that the entire Club 
may work efficiently for ( 1 ) a more wide- 
spread interest in the conservation of the wild 
life, (2) enlightened game legislation with 
regard thereto, and (3) better enforcement of 
protective laws already existing. 
Eurthermore, the interest of the Club in 
the matter should be broad enough to include 
not only birds, but other forms, and should 
be so keen as to sympathize with and actively 
support similar work carried on elsewhere, as 
by the Federal Bureau of Biological Survey. 
The possibility of accomplishment of these 
permanent committees is large. When it is 
considered that the Cooper Club is one of the 
most promising bird organizations in North 
America, and that it includes men of influ- 
ence in many fields of commercial and schol- 
astic activity, it must be conceded that it may 
become a potent factor for progress along the 
lines indicated. — Walter P. Taylor. 
