50th ANNIVERSARY MESSAGES FURTHER to mark our 50 years of continuous publication, we invited comments from a number of distinguished ornithologists, chiefly Editors of other journals, both in this country and abroad. Below, we print a selection of the replies we received. Belgium From M. le President de l'lnstitut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique and from Le Gerfaut LE PATRIMOINE de l'lnstitut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique et la Revue beige d'Ornithologie Le Gerfaut, expriment leurs vives felicitations aux editeurs du peViodique British Birds a 1'occasion du cinquantieme anniversaire de la fondation de cette revue. Celle-ci a toujours et^ un guide sur et averti, non seulement pour les ornithologues de Grande-Bretagne, mais aussi pour ceux du monde entier. Elle a toujours veilte a l'agrement et suscit6 un intdret constant par la variety des sujets traites seientifiquement ainsi que par la quality de l'illustration qui passe, a juste titre, pour 6tre k l'avant-garde dans le domaine de la realisation technique. Le Patrimoine de l'lnstitut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique et Le Gerfaut forment les meilleurs voeux pour que la revue British Birds puisse continuer longtemps encore a paraftre avec le mfime succes bien merited E. LELOUP Canada From the Director of the Delta Waterfowl Research Station ENTHUSIASM for this great journal is expressed at Delta in many ways, at many times. Our work with waterfowl is a year-round analysis of studies afield. Since the end-product of all field-study is a synthesis of the author's observations braced against the thinking of his colleagues, we count heavily on the maintenance of wide associations via the technical journals. Our marshland is 400 miles from the nearest good bird-library, and we are isolated from visitors half the year; hence we have learned to count especially on the monthly arrival of British Birds as our most regular stimulus. Whatever the problem or the season, this distinguished journal, with its high editorial standards and its wide circle of contributors, seems always to present some discussion that is precisely to the point of our current interest, bringing from overseas a perspective that suddenly places us in better view of our subject. This monthly inspiration of British Birds is vital to the programme of the Delta Waterfowl Research Station. The fifty years of publication give a solid foundation for the important work lying ahead of us in the continuing study of American waterfowl. H. ALBERT HOCHBAUM 224 VOL. L] 50TH ANNIVERSARY MESSAGES 225 From Professor William Rowan, D.Sc, F.R.S.C., a former contributor IT IS a great pleasure to contribute a few words to this memorial issue of British Birds. Perhaps the reasons may interest you. It seems—although I never realized it till now—that I must have been one of the initial subscribers, for my earliest bound volume is dated 1907 and apparently the first issue appeared in June 1907. This was just before I deserted school (1908) to go "cow- punching" in Canada's wild' west. That I was a youngster with­ out financial resources you can take for granted: I certainly was, and magazine subscriptions were a veritable luxury. My very first indulgence was British Birds. When I came to settle permanently in Canada as founder and head of the Department of Zoology in the University of Alberta in 1920, scientific journals of wider fields had to receive priority and in 1929, 22 years after I had started, I regretfully ceased subscribing to B.B., for the birds of England by then seemed very remote. I am now the victim of some 40 scientific magazine subscriptions, although a small retirement pension has necessitated a very drastic axe! To commemorate this occasion, I am once again subscribing to B.B. for I can now indulge in the satisfaction of reading for nothing more important than pleasure. The founder of B.B., the late H. F. Witherby, and I early became personal friends. Witherby was a man after my own heart—-thoughtful, generous and helpful. I shall continue to think of him with untarnished esteem, and it is with peculiar pleasure that I now return to the fold as a subscriber to his original baby, British Birds. I have always been critical of journal editorship. B.B. appeared to me to be excellently and discriminately edited, and it is quite possible that my "soft spot" is due to this distinction. In any case, in my penurious retirement, I am returning to my first love. And much will I enjoy it! WILLIAM ROWAN Czechoslovakia From the Director of the Krajske. Museum, Trnave WE CAN only simply say that your magazine is the best in the whole of Europe and that it contains papers of such scientific worth that it is indispensable for every serious working ornithol­ ogist. We are very pleased that the exchange-relationship between British Birds and Sbornik Krajskeho Muzea v Trnave will in future be regularly established, and we shall send you all our further publications. F. MATOUSEK Denmark From the Editor of Dansk Ornithologisk Forenings Tidsskrift ON BEHALF OF the Danish ornithologists and as Editor of Dansk Ornithologisk Forenings Tidsskrift I beg you to accept my most 226 BRITISH BIRDS [VOL. L sincere congratulations on the 50th anniversary of British Birds. When your magazine was started there was a strong demand among English people for a more intimate knowledge of nature, particularly of bird-life, in their home country. This was no doubt aroused by the steadily increasing industriialization and urbanization which, so to speak, shut nature out from the inhabitants of the big cities. The late H. F. Witherby had the foresight to understand this, and by founding and directing British Birds he gave the growing ornithological interests a standard- bearer. From the beginning British Birds was of a high quality. Not only local news were issued in it, but also important scientific contributions, like the publication on recoveries of ringed birds and the many studies of life-habits of single species. It appears to me that British Birds has reached a peak in recent years, with the many papers of high value dealing with ethology and ecology. All ornithologists will express the wish that British Birds will continue to maintain this high standard of which British ornithologists can be proud. FINN SALOMONSEN France From the Editorial Committee of L'Oiseau et la Revue frangaise d' Ornithologie Tous NOS COMPLIMENTS et nos voeux de prospe>ite a Texcellente revue scientifique British Birds, qui, en celebrant le cinquantenaire de sa fondation, temoigne de l'ardente activite qu'elle a su entretenir depuis un demi-siecle parmi les ornithologistes de Grande-Bretagne. Elle a su, entre autres, en faisant une part equitable a chacune des tendances que manifestent actuellement les Etudes ornithologiques, rendre celles-ci accessibles a tous, tout en leur maintenant un caractere scientifique exempt de vulgarisa­ tion triviale. En preconisant aussi d'ing^nieuses et inoffensives mdthodes de capture sans prejudice pour la vie des sujets, elle a favoris^ le gout et la protection des oiseaux sans restreindre le libre champ laisse a la curiosite legitime des observateurs. La coordination des resultats dans notre connaissance de la faune locale de Grande-Bretagne lui doit beaucoup: on peut souhaiter de meme une coordination aussi etroite dans les recherches entreprises avec les pays continentaux voisins, en particulier lors des enqueues relatives a certaines especes migratrices ou erratiques. Bien presentee, illustree de photographies souvent excellentes et toujours instructives, nous lui souhaitons sincerement de continuer ainsi son heureuse carriere. J. BERLIOZ From the Editors of Alauda LA DIRECTION d'Alauda est heureuse d'adresser ses compliments aux Editeurs de British Birds a 1'occasion du cinquantenaire de VOL. L] 50TH ANNIVERSARY MESSAGES 227 sa fondation par l'ornithologiste de grande valeur que fut H. F. Witherby. Durant ce demi-siecle la Science est redevable a British Birds d'avoir contribu^ par ses publications a eclaircir certains aspects de la biologie et de l'ecologie, et a avancer l'etude de la migration des oiseaux: la publication des r&ultats du baguage pratique dans les lies britanniques est une documentation essentielle pour l'etude de la migration. L'esprit critique qui a preside a ces publications fait grand honneur a la Direction de British Birds, car naturellement les donnees ou observations insuffisament controlees risquent d'etre plus nuisibles qu'utiles. La publication, recemment instauree, de photographies d'especes interessantes, offre egalement un grand interet documentaire. La Direction d'Alauda ne peut que souhaiter a British Birds longue prosperity dans la voie actuelle. NOEL MAYAUD Germany From the Director of Vogelwarte Helgoland and Editor of Die Vogelwarte ON THE COMPLETION of its continuous publication for 50 years, I should like to express my warmest congratulations to British Birds, and to its capable Editors. This journal, which originally set the discussion and examination of only British species as its object, has developed during the 33 years of my closer acquaintance with it into a valuable scientific organ whose significance reaches far beyond the limits of Great Britain. Ornithologists of all countries will find very interesting and important information in this many-sided magazine, with its monthly publication, that can­ not be appreciated highly enough. The opportunity should be taken to thank all those who render the publication of British Birds possible. With best wishes for the future flourishing of this interesting and outstanding journal. RUDOLF DROST Great Britain From the Editor of The Ibis I HAVE always felt that the editing of British Birds must be more exacting than that of The Ibis in several respects.