Jan.
The Kent Ornithological Club was reorganized at Grand Rapids. Mich., on Dec. 12, 1895, under the name of the Michigan Ornithological Club. The following officers were elected for 1896: V. B. Durfes, President; R. R. Newton, Vice-President; W. E. Mulliken, Secretary; Prof. C. A. Whittemore, Treasurer; Leon J. Cole, Librarian.
The Club will take up a systematic study of the birds of the State and it is hoped all Michigan ornithologists will address the Secretary, 191 First Avenue, Grand Rapids, Mich., for particulars at once.
At the Thirteenth Congress of the A. O. U. Mr. William Dutcher, in behalf of the 'Committee on Protection of North American Birds,' stated that the same precautions had been taken during the breeding season of [895 as in 1894, regarding the protection of Terns on Great Gull Island, New York. A special game protector had been employed, several of the Natural History Societies of New York City contributing toward the payment of his salary. Absolutely no shooting had been done and parties who visited the island during the summer were presented from collecting eggs. As Great Gull Island is the property of the United States Government: it will always be a breeding ground for Terns, if properly protected. The number of birds now in the colony on this island was estimated at 3500—a large increase from the previous year. Mr. Dutcher thought that the numerous cottages now built and being erected on all portions of the New York coast would present the Terns from again nesting there.
Mr. William Brewster said that the Terns on Muskeget Island, Mass., had increased from year to year, the result of protection. No birds bad been shot on or near the island the past year and very few eggs had been collected. A notable increase was seen also in the colons of Laughing Gulls at the same place. Great credit is due Mr. Geo. H. Mackay for bis continuous efforts in saving the Gulls and Terns on this island from destruction.
Mr. Witmer Stone knew of only one colony of Terns on the New Jersey coast. As the birds nested back in tbe meadows and away from the coast, it was difficult to protect them, but he did not think they decreased in numbers. In recent years the 'eggers' (so-called) had destroyed immense numbers of the eggs of the Clapper Rail which nested in favorable localities along the coast of New Jersey. This Rail had increased the past season, as game wardens had watched the meadows and arrested several marauders.
Mr. Leverett M. Loomis remarked upon the wholesale destruction of birds and their eggs on the California coast during 1895.
A new 'Committee on Protection of North American Birds' was appointed, as follows: William Dutcher (Chairman), Ruthven Deane, Witmer Stone, Leverett M. Loomis, and Geo. H. Mackay.
