FOREST AND STREAM 
183 
was read, asking that older members below the 
number 2,000, that limit being subject to change 
from year to year, who might merit it, be given 
honorary membership in the association. After 
some discussion the letter was accepted and 
placed on file. 
Motion made by Mr. Wolters; seconded by Mr. 
Saunders; that Chapter I, Section V, of the by¬ 
laws be amended as follows: Same having been 
published in the official organ at least two weeks 
previous to this meeting: 
Chapter I, Section V, Camp Dues: Strike out 
all that follows after the word “member” in the 
seventeenth line and insert the following ‘‘who 
is a minor when accompanied by parents. Minors, 
not accompanied by their parents who are mem¬ 
bers, must be cared for by a member or an asso¬ 
ciate member, and they shall pay Two ($2.00) 
dollars each. A minor in the foregoing is un¬ 
derstood to mean a person under the age of 
eighteen.” Carried. 
It was moved by Mr. Wilkins and seconded 
by Mr. Wright: That the next annual meeting 
of the association be held at Sugar Island from 
August 6 to 20, 1915. Carried. 
On motion of Mr. Wright; seconded by Mr. 
Wolters: Forest and Stream was chosen as the 
official organ. 
On motion of Mr. Wilkins; seconded by Mr. 
Wright: The following ladies were elected to 
associate membership: 
Mrs. Wm. J. Hunter, 6003 Landsdown Ave., Phila., Pa. 
Mrs. Edmund VomSteeg, Jr., 113 Chestnut St., Roselle 
Park, N. J. 
Mrs. Guy L. Baker, 134 Highland Ave., Buffalo, N. Y. 
Miss^Ethel VanRiper, 227 E. Park Rve., Highland Park, 
Miss Edna VanRiper, 227 E. Park Ave., Highland Park, 
Resignation as historian of Mr. J. K. Hand was 
read and accepted. 
Afternoon session resumed at 3 :oo p. m. 
Mr. Wilkins read report of the racing board; 
moved by Mr. Wolters; seconded by Mr. Hogan: 
That report be accepted and filed. Carried. 
Mr. Quick read proposed amendment of Article 
VI, Section IV, of the constitution. 
On motion of Mr. Armstrong; seconded by Mr. 
Wolters: Same was changed to read as follows: 
“Article VI, Section IV, board of governors: 
The executive committee at its annual meeting 
in October, shall elect one member of each divi¬ 
sion in its proper turn, to serve on the board of 
governors of the association for a term of three 
years, or until his successor is elected. The com¬ 
modore shall be a member ex-officio, but in case 
of a tie, he shall not vote.” Carried. 
After a number of expressions from different 
members present, regarding a proper and fitting 
celebration to commemorate the 50th anniversary 
of modern canoeing, to be held at Sugar Island 
during the annual camp in August, a motion was 
made by Mr. Wilkins and seconded by Mr. Arm¬ 
strong: That the commodore take full charge of 
the matter and anything he does regarding this 
question will meet with the approval of the ex¬ 
ecutive committee. Carried. 
Mr. Quick turned over to the secretary the re¬ 
ports of the board of governors, treasurer and 
secretary, and on motion by Mr. James and 
seconded by Mr. Wilkins: All were accepted 
and filed. Carried. 
The commodore announced the following 
appointments: 
Mr. C. F. Wolters, chairman, camp site committee. 
Mr. L. T. Coppins, chairman, transportation committee. 
Mr. Guy L. Baker, chairman, entertainment committee. 
W. B. H. McCLELLAND, Secretary. 
SIGNS OF SPRING IN MASSACHUSETTS. 
Agawam Club, Haverhill, Mass., Feb. 24. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
Your correspondent while in the field on the 
20th inst., observed a pair of magnifient bald 
eagles perched upon a dead stub at the river 
bank opposite the local ball grounds. They were 
adult birds with snowy heads and tails; which 
makes their fearlessness the more remarkable as 
they were near the heart of the city and were 
watched with great interest by residents of the 
locality and passengers on the electric cars from 
the opposite shore. We have seen more of these 
birds hereabouts in the last three years than in 
all previous years put together and are led to be¬ 
lieve they are undoubtedly increasing. 
On Washington’s Birthday, while exploring a 
piece of grouse cover to ascertain how the birds 
had wintered, I encountered a portly specimen of 
ground hog roving complaisantly about the sun 
warmed ledges. As the day was unusually 
spring-like he had wandered afar over the snow 
patches in the mellow air before returning to his 
domicile again, and we do not remember ever 
having seen one abroad in these parts at such an 
early date before. Last year at this time he 
would have had to tunnel up through several 
feet of snow. On this same date our first song 
sparrow put in an appearance and made his 
presence known by some brave snatches of song 
in a sheltered brush heap near the creek, and a 
golden winged woodpecker cackled away in the 
old* apple tree as though it was already nesting 
time in May. This is quite the earliest date for 
any of the above that we have ever recorded. I 
must not forget to mention also that at about 
8 a. m., on January 17th, a pair of robins were 
chirping in a maple tree in front of my city 
residence. We hope none of these early birds 
will prove to be victims of misplaced confidence 
in our New England climate though we are 
bound to admit they are running quite a big risk. 
Late in the afternoon of the 22nd, after mov¬ 
ing several singles, I was startled by a series of 
explosions in a giant hemlock before me much 
as if it had suddenly become the target of a 
German bombardment and six fine grouse tore 
out and away one after the other from the dark 
recesses of its matted limbs. Such bunches of 
old birds at this season are getting to be the ex¬ 
ception nowadays in these parts rather than the 
rule, but taken all in all I am satisfied “Bonasa 
umbellus” has wintered well and a more than 
average sprinkling survived to stock the coverts 
against the coming of another hunters moon. 
Our ring neck pheasants as could be expected 
pulled through to a bird for the season of white 
woodlands and esquimaux winds has no terrors 
for them. Now and then you hear the perky 
crow of a gay old cock tuning up under the en¬ 
ergizing influence of a climbing sun and they 
are scattered all about individually in the odd 
nooks and corners while the hens have gotten 
together in little bunches of four, five and six as 
they always do on the approach of spring. It 
seems a peculiar trait, this segregation of the 
females just prior to the advent of the mating 
season, but they do it consistently and every year 
since they have come to us we have run across 
these hen colonies about the edges of the swamps 
and marshes at muskrat trapping time. 
CHARLES B. MORSS. 
7/larlin 
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FOREST and STREAM 
