36 Bird- Lore
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A Bi-monthly Magazine Devoted to the Study and Protection of Birds
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Edited by FRANK M. CHAPMAN Published by THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
Vol. IV Published February 8. 1902 NO. 1
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FOR the first time in its history—and BlRD-LORE is now entering on its fourth 'ne is not issued on the The Editor offers his apologies for the delay which was caused
year~ this maga day set for publication.
by circumstances beyond his controli
ON the opening page of the initial volume of his great work on Anterinn birds, re- viewed in this number of BIRD-LURE, Mr. Ridgway makes what, from a broad, hio~ logic point of View, we believe to be an unfortunate between what he terms “.ryrltnmlr'r or Jrimlific and papa/(1r ornithology." He 53' ' "There are two essentially different kinds of ornithology:
- yrllmn/ir or trillilifir, and papa/or, The
former deals with the structure and cla . ti- cation of birds, their synonymies and tech- nical descriptions. The latter treats of their habits songs, nesting, and other facts pertaining to their lifevhistorics." This is equivalent to a statement that only syste- matic Ornithology is scientific ornithology, while most modern biologists would, we think, agree that the systematic study of a group of animals, its classification, is only the first step in its study, to be followed by an even more scientific investigation of the living creature, in which the relation of function to structure, the economy of habits,
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in short, the philosophy of physical and mental growth, are to be considered.
The ornithologist who does not regard as contributions to scientific ornithology certain of the researches of Darwin, Wallace, Ro~ manes or Lloyd Morgan, for example, is far from appreciating the possibilities of his chosen subject. A bird is a marvelously eloquent exponent of the workings of natural laws, and to claim that the study of the liv- ing specimen is not as scientific and impor- tant as the study of the dead one, is to deny that it is not as scientific and important to ascertain cause as to observe cfiect.
Ix publishing a series of papers on the organi, on and methods of work of local bird clubs in America the Editor has in mind, primarily, the encouragement of the formation elsewhere of similar societies,
which will arouse and develop an interest in the study of local bird-life. The first paper in the series appears in this issue of BlRD-LORE and, wholly aside from its his- torical value, it contains, we think, many suggestions worthy the attention of allied tions, chief among them being Mr. Allen‘s description of the informality of the Nuttall's Club meetings. We have observed that the most enjoyable part of the meetings nf natural history societies is before and after the meeting. With the Nuttnll Club it is all before and after, the evening being devoted to discussion nnmarred by the chilling in- terposition of forms and usages better he- fitting debating societies than bird clubst
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FROM many readers of Binnie“: we have received, duringr the past two months, very highly appreciated expressions of sat- isfaction with the characterof this magazine and, in reply, we can only repeat that there is "absolutely no limit to our ambition to add to BIRD-Lou's value and attractive- nessi" For the present, however, ambition is restrained by the practical question of space, and space by the even more practical question of circulation. The situation, we think, can be improved if our readers would send on a postal addressed to BIRD-LURE, Box 655, Harrisburg, Pa., names and ad- dresses of persons they believe would desire to see a sample copy of BlRD-LOKE.
