, ,w. B. #3. 
3/17/19. 
in the country to use up the stock now on hand, instead of killing off new 
stock . It may be argued that a great deal of this material would not 
be of the most desirable character. That may be true; but, on the other 
hand, except for highly specialized purposes it would seem that it would 
answer all reasonable requirements. 
There are certain branches of the study, - scientific inves¬ 
tigation, - where of course a number of specimens may have to be taken 
(such as, for example, the study of plumage variations); but for ordinary 
purposes of a museum this is not true. Moreover, personally I am very 
much opposed to the taking of birds by ornithologists or any one else, 
simply because they happen to be rare birds in a certain locality. For 
example, - if a red-headed woodpecker comes into the State of Massachu¬ 
setts I do not see that any useful purpose is to be served by shooting 
that bird. If a collector wants a specimen for his collection, I am 
satisfied that if such a bird exchange were in existence there would be 
dozens of perfectly good specimens of red-headed woodpeckers (today lying 
buried as "duplicates)" which he might obtain. This would let the rare 
visitor live, and possibly he would be the forerunner of more of his 
kind. 
Perhaps I have developed the point too much in detail for a 
starter; but I should like to hear from you on this subject, and to have 
such suggestions as you think will put this whole project into practical 
operation. 
We on our board desire to do everything in our power to ad¬ 
vance the cause of science; but we also believe that it should be sharply 
distinguished from the educational programs of bird studies with somewhat 
the same idea that advanced research would be distinguished from an or¬ 
dinary college course, 
For general educational work we have stock on 
