Page:Condor9(2).djvu/31

Mar., 1907

JOSEPH GRINNELL, Editor,

'''H. T. CLIFTON, Business Manager, Box 404. Pasadena'''



We have been frequently criticized of late for three things; namely: (1) For not using the metric system exclusively thruout. (2) For using amended spelling to the small extent recommended by Roosevelt and others. (3) For not using a capital for the initial letter of all vernacular bird names, even where occurring in the body of a sentence.

1. We have always been in the habit of printing articles just as they are submitted to us as far as unit of measurement employed is concerned. Our esteemed fellow-member, Henry B. Kaeding, now of Sinaloa, has been particularly persistent in keeping us informed of our inconsistencies in regard to this matter. He urges us to adopt the metric system uniformly and exclusively. His arguments are sane, and we are agreed with him on all but one point: We would not want to work a hardship on our readers, if a majority of these were used to the English system and would find the metric system confusing.

2. We are in receipt of the following terse reply to a subscription notice sent out in January of this year, and this from one of our oldest subscribers: "When you spell like others, I will renew my subscription, but I will never help any publication which uses the form of spelling you do; the only way to reform cranks is to let them alone." The latter is our own sentiment too! We are personally strongly in favor of simplified spelling, consistently and authoritatively used. Our readers are surely familiar with the arguments pro and con.

3. It is claimed that a capital initial gives the bird name a prominence in the text justifiable because of its importance, and because it makes the name easier to find in making up indexes and in searching out references. On the other hand the text looks to us typographically smoother and easier to read. For instance, "The habitat of the Chestnut-backed Chickadee overlaps that of the mountain chickadee."

Wow, we propose to put these matters to a vote of Cooper Club members. 0) Shall we use the metric system e.rclusiz,ely in THE CoxDeR? () Shall we continue to use the authorized amended spelli,tg? (3) Shall we continue to use small initials for vernacular bird-names occurring in the body of sentences? Write on a postal card "Yes" or "No," follow- ing each numeral, however you wish to vote, and address it at once to Editor The 6ndor, 576 . 31rare.fro lz,e., Pasade.a, Cal/. We will govern ourselves in these regards in the futnre according to the majority vote of those Cooper Club members who are sufficiently interested to respoud before May st. TH COXDOR is a Club affair and shouht meet the wishes of the Club. Resnlts will be aunouneed iu our May issue. We were alarmed aud dismayed a mouth or so ago by the appearance in oeal papers of a dispatch from Washiugtou to the effect that the Bureau of Biological Survey was in danger of beiug denied its yearly appropriation. President F. kV. D'Eve]yu promptly tele- graphed to Senator Perkins the Cooper Club's views as to the great value of the Biological Survey; and he has recently received a cordial aud favorable acknowledgement from the Sena- tor. DoubPess scientific societies all over the country scut similar protests. For the loss of the Survey would be felt iu ahnost every branch of science, tho in nmle ],]ore than in ornithology. At auy rate we are now partially relieved by learning that the Survey's appro- priation for the coming 3'ear was finally voted, tho with a twenty per ceut rednctiou. We cannot see why such a uarrow policy should have received eveu a modicum of con- sideration even iu the uame of extrcmest econ- omy. Let auymm who suspects extravagance read the 9o6 'Report of 11. VV. lienshaw, Act- ing Chief of the Biological Survey, aud see just how the fifty-odd thousand dollars was ex- pended. And as to the practical value of the Bureau's work, it seems to us that no branch of the De- partment of Agriculture could be canceled with more loss to commercial interests than the Biological Survey. Battleships, aitequated in five years, ten million dollars; a scientific aud practical bureau, appropriation fifty thousand, and this threateued on the plea of eco,omy/ Is this lmtional progress in civilizatiou? The collector who visits Arizmm must now provide himself with a permit. The following in reply to a request for information on the subject explains itself: "Recognized collectors for reputable colleges who wish one or two specimeus of each kind of bird are charged a nomiual fee--l.oo. Col- lectors who are selling and shipping to every. 