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THE CONDOR I Vol. III 192 THE CONDOR. Bulletin of the COOPER ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB o?* C?r?X?*ORNX?. Published bi-monthly at Santa Clara, Cal., in the interests and as Official Organ of the Club. CHESTER BARLOW, Santa Clara, Cal., Editor and Business Manager. WALTER K. FISHER, Stanford University Cal. HOWARD ROBERTSON, Box 55, Sta. A.. Los Angeles. Associates. Subscription, (in advance) One Dollar a Year. Single Copies, - ...... 25 Cents. Six Copies or more of one issue, ]2? Cents Each. Foreign Sub?ription, - ..... Free to Honorary Members and to Active Members not in arrears for dues. Advertising rates will be sent on applicatiox]. Advertisements and subscriptions should be sent to the Business Managers. Exchanges should be sent to the Editor-in-Chief. Entered at the Santa Clara Post-office as second class matter. This issue of The Condor was mailed Nov. x6. EDITORIAL Retrospective With the present number and T}?E CONDOR closes its third Prospective volume, with which circum- stance is connected a variety of reflections, in- teresting at least to those who have had the welfare of the magazine at heart. We believe that we violate no breach of propriety when we take the ornithological fraternity into our con- fidenee, and discuss with them the future po- licy of the magazine. THE CONDOR was projected by the Cooper Ornithological Club and its members three years ago, and its contents have since been made up largely from the writings of these in- dividuals. Yet we feel that the magazine has not been in a narrow sense merely the bulletin of a Club, but rather the representative bird magazine which its editors have endeavored to make it. We have long since perceived that its scope of work and influence were not bounded by the limits of its home state, and many of the magazine's eastern supporters have commended its course in excluding other than strictly western material. It has been the intention to treat all current ornithological happenings, eastern as well as western, and to participate in any and all dis- cussions which might be of i?lterest to the fraternity. The large body of western ornitho- log. ists in and out of the Cooper Ornithological Club form a very considerable percentage of the working force of American ornithologists, and we believe our eastern friends value THE CONNOR as a reediron devoted to the presenta- tion.of western work. It may be a satisfaction to the friends of CONDOR to learn that, owing to the present large membership of the Cooper Ornithologi- cal Club, the magazine is self-supporting from the income so received, ea:cl?tsive of all outside receipts. Its permanence therefore is estab- lished two-fold, and it is hoped that the fourth volume may mark the production of a maga- zine better in many respects than has been the volume just completed. To those who have not known THE CONDOR intimately, we would ask a perusal of the 2oo pages of text constituting Volume III. To its old friends we would' merely mention a few contemplated improvements for the coming volume. It is 'proposed to use permanently xoo-lb. coated paper which will lend an im- proved typographical effect and also improve the illustrations, while an artistic new cover will help in makiug THE CONDOR attractive outwardly. With the closing of Volume III the artist lays aside his peculiarly innocent camera which has produced sundry "snapshots at prominent ornithologists" during the year. While most ornithologists are seriously earnest in their work and sometimes give the impression that jocosehess is foreign totheir make-up, we be- 1)eve that none can have objected seriously to the series of cartoons, good-natured in their intent, and that the feature as a whole has been favorably received. Further comment on the passing of Volume III seems unneces- sary, other than to extend thanks for the gen- erous patronage afforded, and to all friends who have assisted in the betterment of the magazine. The new constitution of the Club xvhich is now in effect, prescribes that the annual dues of $2, shall accompany each application for membership and it will be well for members to observe this requirement in soliciting new members. This clause was considered well by both divisions of the Club and subsequently adopted. It is intended as a guarantee of good faith on the part of the member-elect, and does away with efforts to collect dues subse- quent to election. Too often through the ab- sence of new members from home, mfinten- tichal neglect and other causes, the business of- rice is forced to assume the duties of a collec- tion ageucy in securing the first year's dues. This is radically wrong; each member should spare the officers of the Club any unwarranted demands upon their time, for' the rapid in- crease in volume of the business affairs of the Club leaves absolutely no time to devote to work which is and should be unnecessary. For these and other reasons it has been deemed properthat the first year's dues accompany each application for active membership. Members should act accordingly and may se- cure the proper form of application for mem- bership from th? business manager. We commend to Club members the remarks of Mr. John J. Williams on another page with reference to individual work. Were each member to analyze the purposes of the Club and feel the responsibility of individual ?,d.?ty as has Mr. Williams, the Club would .a$ otlce greatly increase its scope of usefulnes?i