Page:Condor20(1).djvu/48

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

Jan., 1918 EDITORIAL NOTES AND NEWS 47 THE CONDOR A Me?ezine of Western Ornithology. Published Bi-Monthly by the 'Cooper Ornitholo?icd Club J. GRINNELL, Editor HARRY S. SWARTH, Artochre Editor I. EUGENE LAW ? W. LEE CHAMBERS Budhess M?nsgers Hollyweed, California: Published Jan, 18, 1918 SUBSCRII?FION R AT?.$ Oho Dohr Mid Fif*? Cen*s per Ye? in the Uni?d S?, payable in advan?. T? C? the single ?py. One D? md Seventy-five Ce?8 ?r Ye? in all other ?untfi? in ?he International ?l Union. C?PER CLUB D?S Two ? ?r year for mem? ?iding in the United S?s. T? D?s md Tw?*?vo C?ts in all other ?t?es. Mfu?u?ecripts for puMlc&iion, and Books and P&pors for e?tow, should be sent to the Editor, J. Grinnell, MuSeum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of Cali- fornia, Berkeley, California. Claims for missing or imperfect numbers should be made of the Business Manager, as addressed below, within thirty days of date of issue. Ceo?er C!uh Dues, Subscrtl?iom to The Condor, and Enchenf,?es, should be sent to the Business Manager. Addr?s W. Lee Chambers, BUsiness Manager. ]?a?le Rock, ? Angeles County, California. EDITORIAL NOTES AND NEWS The apparently deleterious effect of the large local pelican population upon the fish supply of Pyramid Lake, Nevada, was the subject .of an editorial note in THE CO?OS for September, 1917 (vol. xix, p. 171). It was suggested that in the event of the more extensive employment of the fishes of this lake for human food, the pelicans might have to be materially reduced in number as an economic measure. In a recent paper by Professor John O. Snyder (Bull. U.S. Bu- reau Fisheries, vol. xxxv, pp. 33-86, pie. 3-5) dealing exhaustively with the fishes of the Lahontan basin, in Nevada and northeastern California, the belief is expressed that prac- tically the only harm done by the pelicans is in consuming fishes that, though of no direct importance to man, might be availa- ble as food for the really valuable trout. It is further suggested, however, that the ex- tensive capture of the trout by man has resulted in a suberabundance of minnows and suckers. As long as these latter are not sought after by man, the pelicans cannot' fairly be considered as interfering with his interests. The annual meeting of the American Or- nithologists' Union was held at Cambridge, Mass., November 12-16, 1917. The election of officers resulted in two notable changes: Mr. John H. Sage, who for so many years has borne the burden of the secretaryship of the Union, was elected president, while Dr. T. S. Palmer becomes secretary. Mr. H. W. Henshaw and Dr. Witmer Stone were re- elected as vice-presidents, and Dr. Jonathan Dwight, treasurer. The single vacancy in the list of Fellows was filled by the election of P. A. Taverner. R. H. Beck, W. S. Brooks, James P. Chapin, Francis Harper, and Winsor M. Tyler were elected members. The public meetings were held at the Mu- seum of Comparative Zoology. The papers presented comprised a varied program, treating of birds of several remote parts of the world, and of many diverse phases of ornithological study, Some contrasting ti- tles are afforded by the following: A Purple Martin Roost in the City of Washingtou, by H. C. Oberholser: "Sight Records"--a Prob- lem of Present-day Ornithology. bv Witruer Sto.ne: The Span of Life and Period of Activ- ity of Ornithologists, by T. S. Palmer; An Ornithological Jouruey from the Tableland to the Tropics in Peru, bv Frank M. Chap- man: Tail Feathers and tholr Upper Cov- erts. by Hub.rt L. Clark; and The Future of the Federal Bird Reservations, by George W. Field. On September 23, 1917, there occurred the death of H.nry Reed Taylor, after an ill- ness extending over eleven years. Cooper CIub re.tubers need no reminder of the ecoDe of Mr. Taytor's activiiies at the time of the founding of the Club aud for some years thereafter, of his boundless enthusiasm as a collector, and of the energy and ability he displayed ns founder and editor of The 1Vidologist. His magazin?, during the entire period of its existence (1893 to 1897) served as medium of publication for the minutes of Cooper Club meetings, as well as for the writings of many individual members of the Club. Mr. Tavlor's name is altogether so strongly bound up with the Club's inception, as well as with those first several years when its continuance as a society was due only to the constant efforts of .a few lndl- vid.uats, that the unhappy circumstances attending .his last years call for our deepest commiseration. Cooper Club members will learn with deep regret of the death of Mr. Lyman Beld-