?8o THE CONDOR I VOL. VII birds about the gardens came to drink and bathe in the bowls and basins placed under hydrants for their use, many species concerning themselves but little about the presence of people a few feet away. With persons reading or even conversing, say twenty-five or thirty feet from a favorite hydrant, many of the birds would drink or take a succession of refreshing dips with absolute indifference to the fact that any one was near, yet ever alert for their natural enemies. Though I never have had any experience in the art of bird photography, tlie opportunities in this case were too tempting to let pass. Selecting a hydrant where ttle sun shone unobstructed for some hours 'in the day, a screen was rigged up, at a distance of seven feet, by means of a clothes horse and some old inatting, while a borrowed kodak that had to be set up on a box and focused by means of a sheet of note paper instead of ground glass, a whole lot of patience and more failures com- pleted the outfit. No, it did not either. The back or open side of the screen was against the thorniest rose bush I ever saw--or felt[ Birds came too early and came too late and few of them chose the hours when the light was right, while somebody was pretty sure to walk by the spot almost every time a bird or so did come, and frighten it away just as it was commencing to look pleasant. The accompanying group is the better part of my efforts. These photo- graphs were taken at a distance of about three feet.--JosEPH M.?,ILLIARD. l?Iinutes of Club 3tleetings N ORTttERN DIVISION SEPTEMBER.--Ttle Club met September 2 at the residence of Miss M. Ella Hall, Oakland, Cal. Seventeen members and one visitor were present. Owing to the absence of an executive officer, the meeting was called to order bv the secretary, and Mr. W. Otto EmersoB was ap- pointed?cllairman pro te?. A series of reso- lutions from the Southeru DiviMou was read and discussed at length. Ou motion, the resolutions were ordered laid on the table. The death of one of our Honorary Members, Mr. Walter E. Bryant, was announced, and the Chairman appointed Mr. H. R. Taylor, Mr. W. K. Fisher, and Mr. H. C. Ward a committee to draft resolutions expressing the regrets of the Club. The resolutions were ordered published in THE CONDOR. (Published in last issue.) The program was now taken up. Mr. W. K. Fisher presented "In Memoriam: Walter E. Bryant," and Mr. Thompson read a paper ou "California Jay and Thrasher." Refreshments were then served by the ladies of the Club, and meeting adjourned to meet in San Francisco, November 4, I9O5. CHARLES S. THO?II'SON, Secretary. SOUTtlERN DIVISION JUNE.--The regular monthly meeting was held June 22 in Room I, City Hall, Los Ange- les, with twelve members and one visitor pres- ent and President Law presiding. The applica- tion of Mr. C. K. Knickerbocker, 3o3 Western Union Building,Chicago,Ill. ,was p?esented. Mr. G. Willerr, Ixo N. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, Cal., was elected to active membership. Resolutions recently passed by the Northern Division, re- garding the issuing of permits for the collection of nests and eggs, a copy of said resolutiollS having been forwarded to this division, were then read. After thoro discussion by those present, it was unanimously voted to refuse to accept these resolutions as expressing the opin- ion of the Southern Division upon this matter but to give this opinion form in the following resolutions, which were unanimously adopted. WHEREAS, the Legislature of the State of California has al the urgent solicitation of the bird lox'ers and bird students of the State, and particularly at the solicitation of the Cooper Ornithological Club, passed a measure which will if properly enforced, accomplish to a large degree a long needed protect ou to bird life; and ?ItEREAS, for the purpose of furthertug the said pro- tection to bird life, the said Legislature has vested in the Board of Fish and Game Commissioners of the State of California and in them solely and at their discre- tlon the power of issuing pertorts to persons desiring to collect birds, nests, and eggs; and WHEREAS, the said Board of Fish and Game ConDllis- stoners is making a strong effort to prevent the ruthless slaughter of birds and destruction of their eggs, and in the matter of permits for collecting, the said Board is is- suing 11o permits except to persons who have satisfied the Board that they are collecting for bona fide scie?;tific purposes, and that they will not abuse the privilege granted them, now therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Southern Division of the Cooper Ormthological Club views with hearty approx, al the efforts of the Board of Fish and Game Commissioners of the State of California to confine the killing of birds and the taking of their eggs to true scientific limits by refus- ing to grant permits to those collecting for merely com- mercial purposes or as more hobbyists; and be it further RESOLVED, That tlle members of the Southern Division of the Cooper Ornithological Club have been very fa,rly treated by the said Board of Fish and Game Commissioo- ors and the examination they have beeu subjected to m ?)rder to secure permits, has beeu only such as is teasoil- able in order to carry out the purposes cf the said pro- teetire measure: and be it further RESOLVED, That the Secretary of this the Southern Division of the Cooper Ornithological ?21ub? be instructed to forward a copy of these resolutions to the said Board of Fish aud Game Commissioners; to spread a copy of the same on the minutes of the Southern Divismn; t? publish a copy of the said resolutions in the next issue of the Club's official organ: and roserid a copy to the North- ern Division of the Cooper Ornithological Club; and be it finally RESOLyED, That certain resolutions adopted by the Northern Division of tht. Cooper Oroithological Club "viewtag with alarm" the good work otthe said Fisb and Game Commi.?siooers add published as the views of "The Cooper Ornithological Club" shoold have been la- belled the views of "The Northern Division of the Coop- er Ornithological Club." The next meeting of this division being the October Outing Meeting, the President was authorized to name two members to act with himself as committee of arrangements for that meeting. The program was opened with a most inter- estingtalk upon "Hawaiian Birds" by Prof. Loye Holmes Miller, of the State Normal School, Los Angeles. At the conclusion of Prof. Miller's remarks opportunity was given for examining specimens and asking questions. In the absence of Mr. John 3/I. Willard his paper for the evening, entitled "Some Thouj?hts Regarding Young Birds," was read by the Sec- retary. This described several interesting ex- periences with the young of the Wilson phal- arope, and of the snowy plover. H. T. CLIF'I'ON, Secretary.
