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 9 S THE CONDOR I Vol. IV THE CONDOR. Bulletin of the COOPER ORNITItOLOGICAL CLUB O1' CAI, II*ORlfflA. Published bi-monthly at Santa Clam, Cal., in the interests and as Official Organ of the Club. CHESTER BARLOW, Santa Clara, Cal.. Editor and Business Manager. WALTER K. FISHER, Stanford University Cal. HOWARD ROBERTSON, Box 55, Sta. A.. Los Angeles. Associates. Subscription, (in advance) One Dollar a Year. Single Copies, - ...... 25 Cents. Six Copies or more of one issue, 2 Cents Each. Foreign Subscription, - ..... $[.25. Free to Honorary Members and to Active Members not in arrears for dues. Advertising rates will be sent on application. Advertisements and subscriptions shotfid lie sent to the Business Managers. Exchanges should be sent to the Editor-in-Chie. Entered at the Santa Clara Post-office as second class matter. This issue of The Condor was mailed July EDITORIAL. 'We believe that a study of this feature alone would interest our eastern friends, and no doubt Mr. Grinnell will consent to illustrate to visitors the inherent intuitivehess which sepa- rates the yellowthroat of the rules from its cousin in a nearby grass plat. But aside from the inducements which a western meeting should offer to our eastern as- sociates, California would most certainly appre- ciate the honor accorded by a meeting of the Union. We can, in advance, safely bespeak a cordial welcome and a generous reception should a western session be deemed possible. It occurs to us that Pals Alto---admirably situated to insure a strong attendance and for observa- tion purposes--would be a model place for a congress. It is easy to perceive that such a gathering would be far-reaching in its effects. Most of our western workers have but little conception of an A. O. U. congress. To them it would mean a greater appreciation of the Union and its work. Among the older workers ac- qmintances would be renewed, while with others friendships would be created which would endure for years. The Cooper Orr/ithological Club owes much to the cordial spirit which pervades its meet- ings and which exists between members. We presume that the same element has been infused into the Union. At any rate it will not be found lacking in California. We therefore earnestIv and cordially present the request: May no California be favored with the A. O.U. neeting in 19037 Why Not Hold Apropos the projected an A. O.U. State Meeting of the Coop- Congress er Ornithological Club iu in the West? 9o3, in anniversary of its ten years' existence, it oc- curs to us that this should prove a most oppor- tune and excellent time for an ornithological iubilee, so to speak, having for its aim the assembling of ornithologists from both the East and the West. The question suggests itself: '%Vhy may not an A. O. U. Congress be held in the West?" %'e know that such a movement would have the warm approval of all western ornithologists, while we believe that our eastern confreres would correspondingly enthuse over the prospect of a western outing. Within the past few years ornithology in the West and especially in California, has exper- ienced a decided and substantial boom, which means that our coast workers have taken a greater interest in the workings of the A. O. U. We know that the annual Congress of the Union bas frequently led many to wish that something less than 3,000 miles might inter- vene between the West and the scene of ornith- ological activity. At the same time the West, generally speaking, has had no valid claim to a meeting of the Union, and yet we believe such a session would be productive of much good. Comparatively few of our eastern workers are familiar, through actual experience, with the geographical conditions affecting bird life in California. Frankly we believe that a few outings to favored localities would result in a fuller appreciation of the elements which may differentiate a bird within a restricted range. Readers of THE CONDOR must have been im- pressed with Mr. Vernon Bailey's article in our last issue, reciting the devastation among the water-birds frequenting certain lakes in Cali- fornia, Oregon and Nevada. The fact that such vast and interesting rookeries exist should enthuse our western ornithologists, and every. effort should be put forth to prevent this feat- ure of an otherwise barren region begin de- strove& 1V/r. Win. Dutcher, Chairman of the A. O. U. Committee on Bird Protection, is about to gather data concerning the present status of these water-birds and to provide all possible protection. At the same time it becomes the duty of ornithologists residing in California, Nevada and Oregon to lend material assistance and to co-operate with Mr. Dutcher in his praise-worthy work. This incident also emphasizes the necessity of a bird bill, which California at least would have had in force but for the stupidity and apathy of its governor. But the next legisla- ture will present another opportunity for work, and we may confidently look forward to the day when the scores of such natural breeding grounds as Tule Lake will remain undisturbed throughout the year. The June issue of 4merican Ornithol- ogy contains a half-tone photograph labelled "Young Purple Grackles," purported to have been taken by Ross Nicholas. The original photograph of this interesting group was taken by Herman T. Bohlman, Oregon's well-known