Page:Condor20(6).djvu/19

Nov., 1918 EDITORIAL NOTES AND NEWS , 213 THE CONDOR A l?[a?azin? of ?'estern Ornithology I. GRINNELL, Editor HAI?Y S. SWARTH, Associate Editor J. EUGENE LAW ?- Business Maria,'ors W. LEE CHAMBERS ' Hollyweed, California: Published Dec, 12, 1918 EDITORIAL NOTES AND NEWS The Editors of THE Cosnos are greatly in- debted to Mr. J. R. Pemberton for prepara- tion by him of the annual index appearing with the present issue. The admirably ac- curate "copy" furnished by Mr. Pemberton is an evidence of the high quality we may look forward to in the ten-year index which he is now compiling to cover volumes xi to xx of our magazine. Mr. J. Eugene Law has kindly consented to compile for the January issue of THE Cosnos a new and complete list of Cooper Club members in military service. He will welcome assistance in this line from anyone who can furnish the latest information con- cerning the location and rank of Club mem- bers. A specially prepared glossary of words and phrases which can be used in describing birds' voices is something which seems to be badly needed by students of field ornitholo- gy. Mr. Richard M. Hunt, of the staff of the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Berkeley, has undertaken to prepare such a "nomen- clature of sounds" and will appreciate any suggestions along this line. A question has arisen as to the value of the annual roster of Cooper Club members, such as appeared in the last July issue o THE Cosnos, pages 147 to 156, and has ap- peared almost every year since our magazine began its career. It is claimed by some that: say, ten good pages are thereby appropriated, which might better be used for the recording of ornithology. The Editors are quite will- ing to submit this question to the decision of those Cooper Club members who are suf- ficiently interested in the matter to reapond to a mail vote. Shall we discontinue print- ing the annual membership roster? Write "yes" or 'no" on a postal card addressed to the E?litor ol The Con?lor, Museum ol Verte- brate Zoology, Berkeley, California. Dr. Charles W. Richmond has recently been advanced to the rank of Associate Cura- tor of Birds in the United States National Museum. This is a well-deserved recogni- tion of Richmond's scholarly attainments in taxonomic ornithology, as also of his fitness and experience as regards curatorial tech- nique. We would urge authors in general to ex- ercise greater care in the selection of tities for their articles. It is not unusual to receive for publication in THE Cosnos papers, other- wise carefully prepared, lacking any title whatever, with, perhaps, a note "permitting" the Editors to place any heading they see fit above the contribution. In our bibliographic researches we often run across a title which gives no hint as to the nature of the article which it heads. Titles should be brief, but at the same time, should give as clear an indication of the subject matter of the arti- cle as is consistent with brevity. Consider- able thought can well be expended to attain the best results in this direction. Our readers will have read with interest Mr. Frank Stephens' "Autobiography" in the September issue of THE Cosoos. We are grateful to him for thus being the first to respond to our request. It is a pleasure to announce that three others of our senior ornithologists have now consented to furnish autobiographies; their contributions will ap- pear in early numbers of our magazine. During the past summer Dr. W. P. Taylor has carried on field work for the United States Biological Survey in parts of eastern Washington. Dr. Lee R. Dice, recently of the zoological staff of the University of Montana, has be- come identified with the work of the United States Biological Survey and has removed to. Washington, D.C. Mr. F. C. Lincoln, Curator of Birds at the Colorado Museum of Natural History, is now in the Pigeon Section, U.S. Signal Corps, sta- tioned at the headquarters of the western departmeant at San Francisco. COMMUNICATION TRINOMIAL, S AND CURRENT PRACTICE Editor of THE COSDOB: Mr. Swarth's criticism (Cosnos xx, 1918. pp. 141-142) of my report on the ornitholog- ical accessions to the Museum, in the Sum- mary Report of the Geological Survey of Canada, for 1915-16, is welcome, as it gives opportunity for presenting what is perhaps a novel viewpoint, and may be the means of opening up and airing an important subject. As a preliminary, I would state that this hi-