46 THE CONDOR Vol. XV California Associated Societies for the Con- servation of Wild Life: An organization like the Associated Societies suffers a considerable handicap at best through the lack of coordination be- 'tween the organizations and individuals mak- ing it up, this lack of coordination being the result of the spatial dispersment of the mem- bership, and of the absence of a medium such as an official publication to keep each indi- vidual member fully informed. It is hoped that the publication of this report in the or- gans of the constituent societies Will, in a measure eliminate this disadvantage. As to the work of the Associated Societies: At the meeting of the Executive Committee, held December 19, a particular program of improvement along wild life conservation lines was decided upon. This program em- phasizes the "no-sale of American-killed w;ld game" law, and the putting of assistants and wardens of the State Fish and Game Com- mission on civil service basis, as of supreme immediate importance.' Hundreds of letters have already been sent out; many of these requesting donations of money to be used to carry on the work; ofhers to persons of influence' throughout California, as a means of getting them to work with us; and others to legislators, cal- ling their attention to the alarming decrease in our native fauna, and requesting their best attention to the field. A news letter on "No Sale of Game" has recently been printed and sent out to a hun- dred of the most influential newspapers in California. Other ?ews letters dealing with other phases of the work will be dispatched as finances permit. As was anticipated, powerful selfish inter- ests oppose us. The San Francisco hotel men, who would feel the effect of a no-sale law, have already stimulated the kept press to do their bidding. If we can get the facts to the people, there is no question of the re- sult. We can get the facts to the people if we are given the necessary finances. Shall we permit California's fields, marshes, and forests to become devoid of all animal life? Shall we stand for the destruction for profit of our wild life, one of California's most attractive features? The Associated Societies must answer these queries with a decisive "No !" and must be able to follow up the negativ? with a vig- orous and able demand for constructive legis- lation. You can help?(1) by becoming an islet of information along this line, (2) by awaken- ing enthusiasm in wild life conservation, (3) by keeping track of your representatives in the State Legislature, and last but not least (4) by seeing to it that your society makes a donation to ?he war chest of the Associat- ed Societies, and by making a donation per- sonally if you are able to do so. Here is the challenge. The enemies of wild life--the men who put the dollar above all else--are united and have powerful fi- nancial ability. Will you accept the chal- lenge, and enlist in the Army of Defense? The aim of the Executive Committee is to weld the California Associated Societies into a powerful and effective fighting machine. The assistance of each constituent society, and so far as possible, of each member, is earnestly desired. Respectfully submitted in behalf of the Executive Committee. W. P. TAYLOr.. Secretary-Treasurer. PUBLICATIONS REVIEWED FoodoF OuR MoRE IMPORTANT FLYCATCH- eRS, by F. E. L. B?AL (U.S. Dept. Agric., Bureau Biol. Su?v., Bull., no. 44, 67 pages, 5 pls; S.ept. 19, 1912). The flycatchers are to be numbered among the birds which are almost wholly insec- tivorous. Their economic value, measured by their destruction of injurious insects, is, there- fore, very great. The above cited recent bul- letin of the Bureau of Biological Survey, by F. E. L. Beal, records the food of seventeen species of flycatchers, and proves their valu? as allies of the farmer and horticulturist. In discussing the food of the Arkansas Kingbird, Mr. Beal says: "Honeybees (.4pi?' ?nellifera) were noted in 5 stomachs. In all, there were 31 bees, of which 29 were males, or drones, and 2 were workers. This bird has been accused in California of eating honeybees to an injurious extent. It was said that (he bird lingered near the hive and snap- ped up the honey-ladened bees as they return-. ed from the field. This statement is not borne out by the facts stated above." Even granting that much of the complaint received from bee-keepers is based on cir- cumstantial evidence it still seems reasonable to believe that this bird-takes larger num- bers of the workers than the evidence would indicate. Many bee-keepers complain bitterly that kingbirds destroy queens as well as drones. As many make a business of raising queens for the market their loss can easily be reckoned in dollars and cents. The fact that queens look and fly more like drones makes this complaint seem reasonable. Looking at the same question from another point of view: Stomach examination may not furnish accurate evidence as to the numbers of work- ers destroyed; for kingbirds, like orioles, may
