Evening star., 1898-11-14
STUDENTS OF BIRD LIFE
Meeting of the American 0rnithological
Union of Ihis City.

DISTINGUISHED students OF bird life from
al sections OF the country arr gathering
IL the city today to attend the convention
Of the American Ornil biological Union.
which begins tN:AOrrow and will last three
days The offIc r. Of the union ar: Pres
tIeHt. William Brewst-- Of Cambridge
Siass-- vice presidents. DR.. g Hart Mer-
nam and Nj Robert Ri1geway of this
CITY secretary. John IL Sage of Counecti-
cut: Treasurer. William butcher of NV
York
Preliminary to the convention the couE-
Gil Of ne union Net this morning at the
IesIience of Er, Merriam. ON 10th street
There We Present the following activ-
n-sinpeIS. :. addition 10 those already nam
e.: bT. j A. allen Of New York, Frank NJ
Chapman. IT. jonathan Dwight jr of New
Ork Charles B. Corey of Boston and Mr.
Deane 81 Chicago.
Papers viii b- read during the convention
by chester Barlow, Sylvester ID. Judd +
~ thap man, William Palmer. II. c. Ober-
hcISeT, r +. l.. B-aI, Dr. Jonathan
Dwigh;- jr-. thomas :. Roberts, Wilmer
Stone nd John II. Sage.
a number OF the won IN friends of tn :.
feathFs-d tribe. many Of whom use Their
pens in deferse of birds will be here
among them Mrs. Mabel OsgoOd Wright Of
Fairfield. Conn. Miss Olive Thorn Miller
and Miss Florence A Merriam a sister Of
DR.. Merriam.
First Session Tomorrow
TIE first session of the convention will he
he'd tomorrow mor1ing at 10 o'clock in
the National Museum building. continuing
Wednesday and Thursday. At the Cosmos
Cub Wednesday evening series of pop-
u-ar papers oH Birds will be read The
public VIII be admitted to all meetings of
tie union.
The union is working to end the slaughter
oI birds Tor millinery purposes, and has 4
Committee on bird protection which has
succeeded IN organizing this crusade
throughout the country, and has secured
laws In several sta-es for the protection
OF birds
TIE Audubon Society has been Organized
iH this city. with Surgeon General Stern
berg as president. II has persuaded one
gnIiiiner here 70 stop the use of birds on
hats. Tne society also hopes to establish
81 tn" public schools OF the city a normal
course In oruitf folOsy, and is trying to
arouse teachers 10 the Importance of bird
study.
Bird Migration.
The members of The union make a very
systematic study Of bird migration. and II
has been found that some birds ttv at one
move over ZOO miles and ALWAYS MIGRATE
at night AT night there are no hawks out
10 bother them, and also. they can raxi-
gate in general direction much better
when they can only the pronfnent
geographical features of the country over
which they are passing. such as the high
mountains and the long. low valleys.
Then the geographical distribution of tn.
different species and their regular nest
ing ranges is another most interesting
study carried on BY the union and per
mancntly recorded. Every year many new
species and sub-spccies of birds are dis
covered by ornithOlCgtsts. These field work
ers pass through many hardships every
year they Tamble over the great wlIds
OF practically all North America, but when
they come tack with specimens of new
Species and sub-specics Of course their
labCTs would be lost IL their discoveries
Were not brought to the attention of all
oTn!thO!ogIsls through the medium of some
orgariZatioH Ike the American Union.