Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-18
STUDYING THE BIRDS
0rnithologists' Union Meets
at National Museum.
THEMES DISCUSSED
NOTES ON THE LIFE OF EDWARD
HARRIS.
Feathered Tribe in Eastern North Car
DISCUSSED
Feathered Tribe in Eastern North Car
olina-Three Thousand Miles
of Feeding Ground.

The twelfth annual congress of the Amer
lean Ornithologists' Union, the initial ses-
sion of which was held last evening at the
residence of DR.. c. Hart Merriam OF the
Department Of Agriculture, and the work
of which was continued today in the audi
torium Of the National Museum, mas
brought to Washington some of the best
known natural scientists of the country.
In the absence of DR.. Merriam, president
of the union, Charles B. Cory Of Boston.
first vice president, was in the chair at the
session this morning. George Spencer MGR
ris of Philadelphia read an interesting
paper on Notes on the Life of Edward
Harris, with Extracts from His Journals.
Edward Harris, who lived at Morristown
N j., was interested largely in agriculture
Although always a lover of nature, he did
not display a real aptitude for ornithology
until he was thirty-five years old. From
that time on he devoted himself financially
as we'll as otherwise to furthering the
science.
He was a personal friend of Audubon. and
the two made many scientific expeditions
together. He was intimate with all the
ornithologists of his time. He was an eX-
tensive traveller, as the notes of his Journals
show. 1t was Harris who introduced into
this country the Norman horse. He assist
ed many ornithologists and was always ac-
tive In promoting the work of the science.
His death occurred in 1868.
Mr.. Morris, who is nephew of Harris
read excerpts of one of the latter's journals
describing an expedition through the south
in company with Audubon in 1887.
Summer Bird Life.
T. Gilbert Pearson of Greensboro n. c.,
read paper on Summer Bird Life of
Eastern North Carolina" which gave con-
cisely, yet completely, the result of his
own Investigations The sounds and lakes
along the coast of North Carolina, together
with the coast, give he said, about 5000
miles of feeding ground for shoal birds.
comparatively few observations of the
habits and movements of summer birds
along the coast of that state have ever
been made. He spoke particularly of her
ons which abound there in number of
species.
THE Development of the Pterylosis' was
the subject of a carefully prepared paper
read by Hubert Lyon Clark 1t was of
technical nature and brought out something
of a discussion on the part of the members
of the union
John n Clark of Saybrook, Conn, was
on the program for paper on THE Domes-
tic Affairs of Bob White but he was not
present. Others whose names appeared on
the program but who were not in attend
ance at this mornings session were r. NJ.
Strong and Prof. Walter B. Barrows, the
latter of the Agricultural College of Michi-
gan.
Afternoon Program.
The members were late in getting into
their seats this afternoon and the program
was not resumed until considerably after 2
O clock The program for the afternoon
was: Notes on Picoides Americans and
Picoides Arcticus in Minnesota" Illustrated
with lantern slides, 7. S. Roberts; Com
parison of rhe Bird Life of Gardeners Is
rahh &C. Iclo nd frat tod n
lantern Slides Frank NJ Chapman; "A
Contribution to the Life History of the Her
ring Gull" Illustrated with lantern slides,
w. L. Baiy and William butcher.
Officers Elected.
At the session last night these officers
were reelected for the coming year: Presi-
dent, DR.. C. Hart Merriam, Washington,
D. c.; first vice president. Charles B. Cory,
Chicago; second vice president, Charles F.
Batchelder, Cambridge, Mass. secretary,
John H. Sage, Portland, Conn; treasurer,
William butcher, New York.
H. c. Oberholser of the department of
agriculture was elected fellow. Honorary
fellowships were conferred upon Ernst
Hartert of the Trng Museum, England, and
John A. Harve-Brown, also of England.
Corresponding fellows, two from Australia
and one each from Brazil and England,
were elected, were also a considerable
number of members and about sixty asso-
ciates. The next congress will be held in
Boston.
reception by card to the members of the
union and of the Audubon societies will be
held this evening at the home of former
Senator Henderson. Tomorrow evening
there will be a general meeting of the Au-
dubon societies at the Columbian Univer-
sity.
Papers on Educational Methods.
Former Surgeon General Sternberg will
preside, and papers on the general subject