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3 
contributions to our scarty knowledge as to the habits of the black rail.i 
have often wished to tell you;that never,in two seasons’ close examination 
of my Benson County colony, did I ever catch the faintest trace of any rail 
i 
note,at any time of day or night,except the faniliar,-"kick-kick,—-kick- 
Kick—kick".This deepens the mystery already hinted at by your notes and 
comments in the Auk. 
Let me personally thfank you for your valuable contributions to our knowl- 
edge of the rarer Gulls of the Far-North.On the strength of your conclus- 
ions as to the synonomy involved I have ventured to eliminate one from 
my shart list of northern species and sub-species;of whose nesting conditia, 
we know next-door to nothing. 
Believe me,any items you may find time to elucidate and to send me,regard- 
ing the rare species a list of which is herewith sent you,wili be most 
gratefully received. 
May I not venture,also,to hope;that as a member of the Committee of Revis-— 
ion of the Union's Nomenclature yqu will give me any permissible informa- 
tion as to the probable date whereafter the work of the Committee will have 
become complete;and its results given to the waiting bird-public? I snall 
not,of course,attempt to put my eek work to press until the subject matter 
shall have been entirely revised in accordance with the ordinations and the 
co-ordinations of the new Check ListseMy wish,in the imterim,is to keep th 
lass of the manuscript in such shape that it may be readily adapted to 
changed conditions;and so be put to press as soon after the publication of 
the need for 
the new Check List as ,carefulL preparation may admit. 
With the earnest hove that the usefulness of ne pook to the great world of 
younger bird-students of the rising generation may justify to yourself and 
the forty-odd other students of bird life without whose hearty co-opera- 
tion the Work would not hav 2 f 
tone in’my benal? aa been worth publishing,the work so generously 
aD LF so 
Very sincerely yours ,- is LP eatery 

