Journal Titles, Volumes, & Issues

The following exerpt from Bulletin No. 9, July 30, 1896, p. 8, by Lynds Jones, one of the founders of the Society, explains how The Wilson Society's official organ was established. The tables of contents for issues through Bulletin No. 5 were included in the article. The Curlew was so rare even then that it was not usually considered part of the journal's official. The table that follows provides a snapshot of historical changes to the journal.

"The Wilson Ornithological Chapter of the Agassiz Association was organized at Fall River, Mass., December 5, 1888. Its official organ was The Curlew, a twelve page monthly published by O. P. Hauger, Orleans, Indiana. The first Chapter matter appeared in Vol. I, No. 3, December 1888. Publication was suspended with No. 7. Space was then secured in The Ornithologists' and Oologists' Semi-Annual, a forty-eight page magazine published by W. H. Foote, Pittsfield, Mass. With Vol. III, the magazine passed into the hands of C. C. Maxfield, Danbury, Conn., who published one number, when the Chapter assumed control and issued The Wilson Quarterly. The Quarterly ran through two numbers, and then gave place to The Journal, which, after the issue of two numbers, gave place to our present Bulletin."

In 2005, James Sedgwick (Editor from 2004-2006) and the WOS Council voted to update The Wilson Bulletin by giving a new name and cover to reflect more appropriately its theme and content.

Year, Volume	Issues Published	Title of Journal	Title Page (TP), Index
1889, v. 1	1, 2	The Ornithologists' and Oologists' Semi-Annual	No TP or Index
1890, v. 2	1, 2	"	"
1891, v. 3	1	The Semi-Annual	"
1892, v. 4	1, 2	The Wilson Quarterly	"
1893, v. 5	1, 2	The Journal of the Wilson Ornithological Chapter of the Agassiz Association	"
1894, v. 6	1, 2, 3	Bulletin (Nos. 1-3) (reprinted all together in one issue)	"
1895, v. 7	1, 2	Bulletin (Nos. 4, 5)	"
1896, v. 8	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6	Bulletin (Nos. 6-11)	Separate TP, Index in No. 10
1897, v. 9	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6	Bulletin (Nos. 12-17)	Separate TP, Index in No. 17
1898, v. 10	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6	Bulletin (Nos. 18-19) The Wilson Bulletin (Nos. 20-23)	Separate TP, Index in No. 23
1899, v. 11	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6	Wilson Bulletin (Nos. 24-29)	Separate TP, Index in No. 29
1900, v.12	1, 2, 3, 4	Wilson Bulletin (Nos. 30-33)	Separate TP, No Index
1901-2005, v.13-117	1, 2, 3, 4	The Wilson Bulletin	TP, TC, Index in No. 4
2006-present, v.118-	1, 2, 3, 4	The Wilson Journal of Ornithology	TP, TC, Index in No. 4

The issues from 1894 - 1907 also had "New Series" volume numbers. Do not use these numbers!

1901, 1902, 1905-1915 all have separate Title Pages and Indices.

1903, 1904, 1920 have separate Title Pages; Index in No. 4.

1916-1919, 1921-1924 have Title Page and Index in No. 4.

1925-1973 (except for 1935) have either a separate Title Page, or in No. 1; Index in No. 4.

1935 has a separate Index.

1974 to present have Title Page and Index in No. 4.