104 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. XVI 
most needed. They give authoritative facts about the birds of the district 
treated, and are extremely useful. Such Avifaunas should be printed in large 
enough numbers so that they can be furnished to every interested school 
teacher and student of birds in the district covered. 
, In spite of the fact that the recording of field observations, such as migra- 
tion and nesting dates, has been carried on systematically by some of our mem- 
bers since the formation of the Club, yet it is astonishing to find how limited 
our knowledge of the life-histories of many of our native birds really is. This 
has been especially apparent to me as I have, during the past year, attempted 
to obtain information on the life-histories of our game birds. The first strik- 
ing discovery was the extremely small amount of detailed facts on record ; the 
second was the lack of specific information where it was most needed. To 
illustrate : An attempt was made to assemble statistics as regards the nesting 
dates of the California Valley Quail, to serve as a basis for correctly placing 
the open season. When on the track of records I would repeatedly run across 
such statements as “during the summer, while working in a hay-field I dis- 
covered five quail nests”. In such a statement three important details are 
lacking, — the exact species, the exact date, and the exact locality. 
We find, therefore, that we have not yet discovered very much of what 
birds do. Even though we see far enough ahead to know that our next step 
will be to find out ivhy they do certain things, yet it is well that we still empha- 
size the gathering of those facts which must act as a foundation for more ad- 
vanced problems. We have not outgrown this phase of our activity and we 
never will. We should, on the other hand, more largely emphasize it during 
the coming years and, above all, improve the accuracy and compass of notes 
taken and recorded. 
In spite of the fundamental need for the services of the man who attempts 
to put in systematic order our knowledge of the relationships of birds, the old 
type of systematist is passing away. Apparently the lure of modern biological 
problems, in which the immediate bearing is more clearly seen, deters many 
from remaining in this field. The man who improves our classification and 
nomenclature lays the foundation without which the so-called higher types of 
investigation cannot be carried on. Just one case in point : The present trend 
of investigation on the origin of species, — the problem which has longest inter- 
ested the biologist, — toward the isolation theory awaits a more dependable 
classification of animals at the hand of the acute systematist at this very 
moment. We may have come to the point where the description of a new 
species is seldom justified; but the extent of variation, intergradation, and 
geographical distribution of our different species furnishes problems to the 
systematist that are most important. Biologists are describing about 10,000 
new forms annually. Whatever may be said as to the advisability of such a 
proceeding, it gives us an idea as to what an immense field the biologist has 
in which to work. 
We are at the present time seeing just the beginning of a new science 
which deals with the relation of animals to their environment, and this science 
we call ecology. The ecologist must necessarily depend almost entirely upon 
the systematist for workable material. Here then is a plea for men who are 
willing to remain below ground, as it were, out of the light while they lay the 
foundation. Current recognition may not give due credit to the systematist, 
but time will prove the worth of his service. 
Of recent years a new type of naturalist has joined our ranks, namely, the 
