90 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. XVIII 
tin no. 32, revised. Issued December 29, 
1915.] 
Evidence of awakened interest in the eco- 
nomic value of birds has just come to us 
from the most distant of Uncle Sam’s pos- 
sessions, the Philippine Islands. Within 
the fourteen pages of the bulletin named 
above, and appearing under the authorship 
of a former Californian and pioneer member 
of the Cooper Ornithological Club, is to be 
found proof that interest is turning more 
and more toward the economic aspect of 
ornithology. The introduction asserts that 
the greatest value of birds is to be found in 
their “efficient control of weeds, snakes, 
small mammals such as rats and mice, and 
insects that eat and destroy plants and 
trees.” The inclusion of snakes as pests 
to be destroyed would hardly find a place 
in a similar work in the United States, a 
point suggesting the marked difference in 
conditions existing in the temperate zone 
and in the tropics. The introduction fur- 
ther points out that the purpose of the bul- 
letin is to suggest how the value of birds 
may be recognized, and the more important 
benefits be derived, through popular appre- 
ciation of wild birds and an increased in- 
terest in them. A short resume of the 
work done by the United States Biological 
Survey is followed by a discussion of cer- 
tain groups of birds whose food habits 
make them of interest to the Philippine 
agriculturist Only general statements as 
to the probable nature of the food are given. 
The one bird considered of no use “about 
a farm house or cocoanut grove” is the 
crow. j 
The following recommendations as 
means to the end sought are advanced: The 
attracting of birds by means of food, 
water, and nesting boxes; the destruction 
of natural enemies such as cats; the pro- 
tection of insectivorous birds from gunners 
and trappers; and the formation of a soci- 
ety, similar to the Audubon Society, for the 
protection of birds. The keeping of poultry 
is also recommended as a means of con- 
trolling locusts. 
If the bulletin had been intended as a 
contribution to knowledge it would have 
been of little significance; for it is largely 
a collection of general facts regarding the 
relation of birds to agriculture gleaned from 
economic papers published elsewhere, and 
is lacking in definite data as to local con- 
ditions. The evident fact that the paper 
was designed purely to arouse interest in 
the subject of economic ornithology among 
the inhabitants of the Philippine Islands 
places it in a different and wholly favor- 
able light It should also be noted that this 
bulletin is preliminary to definite work on 
the food of Philippine birds along the lines 
of that carried on by the United States Bio- 
logical Survey. — Harold C. Bryant. 
MINUTES OP COOPER CLUB MEETINGS 
northern division 
December. — The regular monthly meeting 
of the Northern Division of the Cooper Or- 
nithological Club was held at the Museum 
of Vertebrate Zoology, Berkeley, Califor- 
nia, Thursday evening, December 16, 1915, 
at 8 p. m. President Joseph Mailliard was 
in the chair with the following members 
present: Mesdames Allen, Grinnell and 
Schlisinger, Misses Culver and Wythe, and 
Messrs. Bryant, Bolander, Carriger, Ever- 
mann, Hubbs, Storer and Taylor. Among 
the visitors were Mrs. Taylor and Messrs. 
Ferris and Martens. 
The minutes of the Northern Division No- 
vember meeting were read and approved 
and the minutes of the Southern Division 
and Inter-Mountain Chapter for November 
were read. The following were elected to 
membership: H. W. Daniels, Mrs. Sophie E. 
Gay, and Mrs. Adele Lewis Grant. The fol- 
lowing proposals for membership were read: 
Miss Edna A. Hannibal, R. F. D. no. 1, 
San Jose, proposed by J. O. Snyder; Harold 
E. Hansen, 870 43d Ave., San Francisco, 
proposed by Tracy I. Storer; and Curtis 
Wright, Jr., 6436 Benvenue Ave., Berkeley, 
proposed by H. C. Bryant. Also the names 
proposed at the Southern Division Novem- 
ber meeting were read. 
The Secretary read a letter from Mr. 
Henry W. Henshaw, Chief of the United 
States Bureau of Biological Survey, thank- 
ing the Club for its recent action in elect- 
ing him to honorary membership. 
Nominations for officers of the Division 
for the coming year resulted as follows: 
President, Tracy I. Storer; Vice-president, 
H. W. Carriger; Secretary, Mrs. A. S. Al- 
len. 
H. C. Bryant, as Game Expert of the Cal- 
ifornia Fish and Game Commission, stated 
that the Commission was considering the 
placing of the American and Snowy egrets 
on the list of prohibited birds mentioned in 
collectors’ licenses and stated that the Com- 
mission would appreciate any recommenda- 
tions which the Club might make along this 
line. After some discussion it was decided 
upon motion by Mr. Bryant to have the 
