104 THE CONDOR VoL. XI THE CONDOI An Illustrated IViagazine of Vti'e?tern Ornitl?olog?r Publiakt. Bi-Monthly by the Cooper OrnithoIa?i- oal Club of California. JOSEPH GRINNELL, Editor, - Berkeley, C?.I. J. EVGENE LAW, Budneas M?.nager, Hollywood, CaJ W. LEE CHAMBEILS, Aasista. nt Buaineu. Manager. Sante? Monicu. C?I. WILLIAM L. FINLEY } ROBERT B. ROCKWELL Assocli. re Editors Heftyweed, Califernia: Publisht lay. 20, 1666 SUBSCIKIPTION RATES One Dollar and Fifty Cents per Year in the United States, Mexico, and U. S. Colonies, payable in advance. Thirty Centa the single copy. One Dollar and Seventy-five Centa per Year in all other countries in the Internati,onal Postal Union. Clalma for missing/ or imperfect numbers should be made within thirty days of date of issue. Subacrij)tiona and Exchangea should be sent to the Business Manager. M?nuacrlpts for publication, and Books and P&pers for review should be sent to the Editor. &dveriiaing Ratea on application. EDITORIAL NOTES AND NEWS The lay bird-student might be lead to believe from the trend of current comment that observations on the habits of birds, unaccom- panied by photographs, are now-a-days scarcely considered worthy of publication. This is cer- tainly far from true. We even suspect that articles of an inferior value from both a scien- tific and literary standpoint sometimes appear in print chiefly because striking photographs
are furnisht with them. We would not for a
moment discourage anyone from the pursuit of bird photography. But we wish to emphasize here that the day is not likely to come when carefully written descriptive essays based upon conscientious and accurate observation will cease to be of much more scientific value than the usual run of illustrations. The manipula- tion of the camera may even absorb the atten- tion of the operator, and result in his overlook- ing traits of behavior of the subject, which would be detected by the intent and undis- tracted observer. Descriptive articles without illustrations (as well as with) are solicited for publication in THE CONDOR. Correspondents in 2ird-Lore relative to the cat-question seem to be a. gr. eed on the point that cats in general are m?mical to bird-life, tho there are instances iu which felines have proved quite harmless. We are no more sure of anything than that house-cats (that is "pets"), as well as those "gone wild", cause an immense mortality among birds, especially in the nesting season. The nature of "tabby" away from home, seems wholly altered. She is shy, alert and blood-thirsty. We will con- fess to having shot many a cat on our home place in Pasadena, caught in the act of destroy- mg nestlings or immediately after killing a bird, which report subsequently affirmed to have been the cherisht pet of a neighboring household. We are ungracious enough to admit of our joy in having ended the careers of these cats. "Cherisht pets"of a murderous nature should be kept at home. The Audubon Societies could probably pursue a no more effective line of work than the propagation of sentiment against domestic cats, followed up by measures to secure their extermi ~ nation along with Cooper and Sharp-shinned Hawks. A party of Cooper Club members left San Pedro on March 26 on Jack London's boat, "The Snark," to cruise among the islands south along the Mexican Coast. Virgil W. Owen, Chester Lamb and Pingtee I. Osburn compose the party, and their purpose is to col- lect reptiles (alive and in alcohol), insects, birds, mammals, and whatever else of interest to the naturalist they may find. The return of the expedition is expected during the latter part of May. It is said that most of the material they get will go to an Eastern museum. The last of December, 1908, the young bird of the year belonging to the pair of Condors which have their home in the mountains near Pasadena, w&s shot by a former constable, Sam- uel L. Wallis. An attempt was made to sell the bird, resulting in this information getting out of its intended channel. Thru the efforts of Cooper Club members and the commendable activity of Gmne Warden Morgan of Los Angeles, evidence was secured, Wallis was brought to trial, and a conviction was obtained. But the Justice, in passing sentence, neglected to give an alternative of a jail term if the fine ($50) were not paid; and so, because of the technicality, Wallis smiled and paid not. Now, however, he has been made deputy county assessor; and the Game Warden has discovered another technicality which balances the first: Wallis's pay is garnisheed and out of his first month's salary comes the $50! The notoriety of this case has become so wide, that it is believed that anyone else possest of the notion that protected birds may be illegally killed with impunity will hesitate long. The biPd killed by Wallis was confiscated and forwarded to the State Museum. No permits are issued by the State Game Commission for the taking of Condors by anyone for any pur- pose whatsoever. The pair of adult birds, to which last year's young one belonged, were, as far as can be ascertained, uninjured, and it is to be hoped that this year's youngster will reach maturity safely. The aerie has been kept a secret by certain Cooper Club members for several years, and every effort made to secure its protection. It was here that Finley and Bohlman made their photographic studies.
