Page:Bird-lore Vol 01.djvu/427

 Editorials 199 ilirti'ilore A Bi-monthly Magazine Devoted to the Study and Protection of Birds OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE AUDUBON SOCIETIES Edited by FRANK M. CHAPMAN Published by THE MACMILLAN COMPANY Vol. II DECEMBER, 1900 No. 6 SUBSCRIPTION RATES. Price in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, twenty cents a number, one dollar a year, post- age paid. Subscriptions may be sent to the Publishers, at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, or 66 Fifth avenue, New York City. Price in all countries in the International Postal Union, twenty-five cents a number, one dollar and a quarter a year, postage paid. Foreign agents, Macmillan and Company. Ltd., London. COPYRIGHTED, igoo, BY FRANK M. CHAPMAN. Bird-Lore's Motto : A Bird in the Bush is JVorth Two in the Hand. 1900 1900 has been a red-letter year in the annals of American Ornithology, and while we do not propose to review in detail the advances which have been made in various departments of the science of birds, we may count our blessings, as it were, by summing up the more important features of the year's work in the fields of scientific, economic, popular, educational, legislative and protective ornithology. In the field of science, Dr. Dwight's studies on the molt of North American birds constitute perhaps the most impor- tant single contribution to ornithological knowledge, and in combined faunal and systematic work we may mention Dr. Allen's and Mr. Bangs' papers on the birds of the Santa Marta region in Columbia, Mr. Stone's report on the Mcllhenny col- lections from Alaska, a report on the Peary Greenland collections secured by the American Museum of Natural History, Mr. Loomis' studies of California water birds. Professor Beyer's ' Birds of Louisi- ana,' the first part of Professor McCoun's catalogue of Canadian birds, Dr. 'Bishop's 'Birds of the Yukon River Region,' and Captain Reynaud's suggestive study of the 'Orientation of Birds.' In economic ornithology. Dr. Palmer's ' Review of Economic Ornithology in the United States ' and Professor Beal's ' Food of the Bobolink, Blackbirds, and Crackles' are notable papers. On the border line of scientific and popular ornithology are the camera studies of birds which not only present, in graphic form, much that was previously known, but add to our existing stock of information. The ready sale of the books on bird- photography, the increasing demand for popular literature relating to birds, the call for lectures on birds culminating in the inclusion of eight lectures in so repre- sentative a course as that of the Lowell Institute, all attest the growing interest in popular ornithology. The rapid development of nature-study and the important place accorded birds in nature-study courses are well-known facts which have been emphasized during the past year by the inclusion of bird-study in the Chautauqua course and in the com- paratively technical course of instruction given at the Woods HoU Marine Biological Laboratory. Nor should we fail to men- tion here the important educational work of certain of the Audubon Societies. It is, however, in legislative and pro- tective measures that the most important developments of the year are to be found. Through the efforts of the Audubon Societies the bird laws of several states were greatly improved, and to the sen- timent in favor of bird protection, for which the Audubon Societies are so largely responsible, in connection with the united influence of other bird and game protective associations, may in part be attributed the passage by Congress of the Lacey bill, doubtless the most impor- tant act for bird protection ever enacted, and for which every bird-lover cannot be too grateful to Congressman Lacey, who, in introducing and fighting for this bill, did so not alone as a representative of his constituents, but as a representative of the birds.