July, 1914 
EDITORIAL NOTES AND NEWS 
185 
Oregon Fish and Game Commission, and the 
United States Department of Agriculture. 
Mr. Vernon Bailey, of the United States Bio- 
logical Survey, is directing the field opera- 
tions. 
Mr. Tracy I. Storer, Secretary of the 
Northern Division, C. O. C., is giving a 
course on “The Birds of California” during 
the Summer Session of the University of 
California, June 22 to August 1, 1914. The 
course consists of lectures upon the more 
general phases of the subject, field work 
with the birds found on the campus, and 
laboratory study of specimens contained in 
the University collections. 
At the recent meeting of the Pacific Asso- 
ciation of Scientific Societies at the Univer- 
sity of Washington, Seattle, a small but en- 
thusiastic band of Cooper Club members met 
and considered matters of interest to ornith- 
ologists in the Pacific Northwest. The Club 
is indebted to Professor George F. Sykes, of 
the Oregon Agricultural College, for arous- 
ing interest and arranging for the meeting. 
Mr. George Willett is spending the summer 
on Forrester Island, southeastern Alaska, 
where he is acting as warden of the Federal 
Bird Reservation constituted by that island. 
Mr. A. C. Bent toured the western states 
during the spring and early summer gather- 
ing material for his “Life Histories of North 
American Birds.” While in California he 
made a special point of visiting various bird 
collections, both public and private, for the 
purpose of examining specimens of water- 
birds showing molt. 
Mr. Adriaan van Rossem collected in parts 
of Kern County, California, during the 
spring months, in the interests of the Mail- 
liards. Among the specimens sent in is 
something brand-new in the red-winged 
blackbird line, announcement of which will 
shortly be made by Mr. Joseph Mailliard. 
Parts of May and June were spent by Mr. 
Chas. L. Camp in exploring zoologically the 
eastern section of the Mohave Desert center- 
ing at Turtle Mountain. The resulting maps, 
notes and specimens have been contributed 
by Mr. Camp to the California Museum of 
Vertebrate Zoology. 
It is a satisfaction to be able to announce 
in these columns that California is to have 
a state-wide campaign against the impend- 
ing referendum, and threatened initiative, 
which have for their combined object the 
legalization of the marketing of all game 
and fish. Authoritative testimony, among 
the sources of which is no less an institu- 
tion than the United States Department of 
Agriculture, insists that free marketing can 
only lead to the prompt extermination of 
our wild game species. The proposed cam- 
paign will be under the immediate manage- 
ment of Mr. Walter P. Taylor, whose pre- 
vious experience in conservation work 
brings confidence that success will attend 
his efforts now. A considerable fund has 
been placed at Mr. Taylor’s disposal for the 
purpose of defraying the cost of the various 
measures planned to secure publicity. In- 
deed, such a campaign as this, resolves it- 
self into a matter of educating the public as 
to the facts in the case and correct inter- 
pretations therefrom. The campaign will 
occupy the three full months immediately 
preceding the November election, and Mr. 
Taylor’s headquarters will be at the Califor- 
nia Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Berke- 
ley. 
COMMUNICATIONS 
THE CONDOR: A MAGAZINE OP VERTE- 
BRATE NATUR.-VL HISTORY? 
Shall the scope of The Condor be extend- 
ed to cover mammals, reptiles and amphibi- 
ans, as well as birds? An informal vote 
from Cooper Club members is hereby re- 
quested by the undersigned. The proposition 
will not be presented for formal considera- 
tion before the two Divisions of the Club 
unless a straw vote indicates general con- 
sent among all Cooper Club members. The 
following ideas bearing on the proposition 
have occurred to the writer. 
There is now no one medium for the pub- 
lication of natural history notes concerning 
all these vertebrate classes. 
Interest in other vertebrate groups than 
birds would tend to be developed in our spe- 
cialized bird students, and a knowledge of 
birds would be brought to the attention of 
specialists in the other groups. The broad- 
ened horizon would be to the advantage of 
all. 
Interrelations, ecologic and economic, be- 
tween the several vertebrate classes are so 
close that to secure a general familarity 
with all assists to a better understanding of 
any one of them. Many of the problems in 
bird study will be more efficiently handled 
upon a basis of knowledge outside the group 
as well as within it. 
The Condor would become of interest to a 
much wider circle of readers. The circula- 
tion would be correspondingly extended. 
The increased subscription list would war- 
rant increased size of the magazine, so that 
eventually there would be added bulk. We 
would then have a more important and val- 
uable magazine, provided always that an 
ideal standard of scientific accuracy com- 
bined with general interest be striven for. 
The total amount of ornithological matter 
would not be diminished, except as subject 
to fluctuations resulting from the varying 
supply of suitable contributions. 
As a vehicle of conservation propaganda. 
The Condor of expanded scope would become 
more useful than at present, because game 
