Sept., 1909 
CORRESPONDENCE 
177 
represented, the author suggests that a change 
in physiographic conditions may be called into 
account. Thus a forested area, more like the 
jungles of India, may have preceded the 
present-day treeless condition. As the latter 
condition became prevalent, conspicuous birds 
dependent upon cover would naturally fall 
prey to such animals as the coyotes. 
It is, of course, not known that Pavo califor- 
nicus was ornately endowed, as in the existing 
peacocks. But the inference is that it was. 
Unless the feather development could be adapt- 
ed or modified, it would become an impediment 
to cursorial power. In this connection Mr. 
Miller asserts his belief that the great length 
of the rectrices in the Roadrunner are “unques- 
tionably of use in guiding the swift movements 
of the bird in its efforts to escape enemies, or 
in pursuit of its active prey.” Our own ob- 
servations would scarcely lead to this conclu- 
sion, altho we would hesitate to ascribe any 
other function to the Roadrunner’s elongated 
tail.— J. G. 
CORRESPONDS N C E 
Editor The Condor: 
The July-August number of The Condor 
was received a day or two ago and I noted 
among the editorials one in which you state 
the need of a new manual of colors, and the 
bad state of your copy of Ridgway's Nomen- 
clature. 
I have just received today a book called: 
Code des Couleurs , a l’usage des Naturalistes, 
Artistes, Commercants et Industriels. 720 
dchantillons de couleurs classes d’apres la 
mdthode Chevreul simplifi£e, par Paul Klinck- 
sieck et Th. Valette; Paris, 1908. It can be had 
from G. E. Stechert & Co., 129-133 West 20th 
St., New York, for $2.58 postpaid. 
I think it is a better color booft than Ridg- 
way’s, barring the fact that it is written in 
French and has a different color nomenclature. 
The book has 25 plates of blockt colors, like 
Ridgway's, 720 blocks. 
“Ce Code doitsa naissance aux Champignons. 
Malgr€ ce point de depart, son application 
n’est nullement limitee a ce sujet; il doit an 
contraire trouver son emploi dans toute circon- 
stance on 1 ’on a besoin de preciser une designa- 
tion de couleur. " 
There are 32 pages of text in which is taken 
up: (Pt.I) 1. Origine du Code des Couleurs. 2. 
Mode d’emploi du C. C. 3. Solidite des 
Couleurs et du papier du C. C.; and (Pt. II) 1. 
des couleurs au point de vue physique. 2. 
Sources de lumiere. — Lumieres colorees. 3. 
couleurs mat£rielles ou pigments colores. 4. 
Classification des couleurs. 5. Code des 
Couleurs a l’usage des naturalistes. 6. Con- 
fection du Code des Couleurs. 7. Examen 
des couleurs complementaires. Contrastes. 
The colors are on heavy paper, and I think 
the book is more durable than Ridgway's. 
There are 62 colors under vert bleu. The 
system of numbering is just as convenient and 
sensible as Ridgway’s names. There is nothing, 
I think, significant or advantageous in writing 
Van Dyke Brown instead of Orange 118. 
The authors express the hope that some sys- 
tem of color nomenclature may become inter- 
national, and I don’t see why a system like 
this is not pretty good. 
F. Grinnell, Jr. 
Pasadena, Calif., July 27, 1909. 
Directory of Members of the Cooper 
Ornithological Club 
Revised to August 1, 1909. 
(Residence in California unless otherwise stated. Year 
following address indicates date of election.) 
HONORARY MEMBERS 
Belding, Lyman, Stockton. 1896. 
Merriam, Dr. C. Plart, 1919 16th St., Washing- 
ton, D. C. 1909. 
Ridgway, Robert, 3413 13th St., N. E., Brook- 
land, D. C. 1905. 
ACTIVE MEMBERS 
Adams, Ernest, Box 21, Clipper Gap, Placer 
Co. 1896. 
Alexander, Annie M., 1006 16th St., Oakland. 
1908. 
Anderson, Malcolm P., Menlo Park. 1901. 
Appleton, J. S., Simi, Ventura Co. 1901. 
Arnold, Dr. Ralph, 726 II. W. Heilman Bldg., 
Los Angeles. 1893. 
Bade, Wm. Frederic, 2616 College Ave., Berke- 
ley. 1903. 
Bailey, Henry F., 94 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. 
1902. 
Bailey, II. II., 321 54th St., Newport News, 
Va. 1903. 
Bailey, Vernon, Dept, of Agriculture, Washing- 
ton, II. C. 1904. 
Bales, Dr. B. R., 151 West Main St., Circleville, 
Ohio. 1906. 
Barnes, R. Magoon, Lacon, 111. 1908. 
Barrows, Prof. Walter B., Box 183, East 
Lansing, Mich. 1909. 
Bay, J. Cliff, Ingot, Shasta Co. 1903. 
Beal, Prof. F. E. L., Dept. Agriculture, Wash- 
ington, D. C. 1904. 
Beck, Rollo PL, Berryessa. 1894. 
Bennett, R. PL, Room 503, 149 California St., 
San Francisco. 1909. 
Bent, A. C., Taunton, Mass. 1909. 
Birdseye, Clarence, Biological Survey, Wash- 
inton, D. C. 1909. 
Bishop, Dr. Louis IL, 356 Orange St. , New 
Haven, Conn. 1904. 
Black, Lester, Bloomington, Ind. 1908. 
