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May, 1909 EDITORIAL NOTES AND NEWS 105 J. R. Pemberton and H. W. Carriger are spending the last two weeks of May looking into the ornis of the mountains back of Kings City. "Bird News" is the title of a new bird journal edited by Dr. F. W. D'Evelyu from offices at 717 Market Street, San Francisco. Volume I, nos. 1 and 2, January-February and March- April, 1909, are at hand, and show many points of interest. As this is the first magazine to occupy its field (aviculture) in America, there seems no reason why it should not thrive apace. We wish it and its genial editor every success. Those of our readers interested in birds as pets should invest 75 cents in a year's subscription to "Bird News." The Museran of Vertebrate Zoology of the University of California is represented in the field by the following parties: Harry S. Swarth and Allen E. Hasselborg left Juneau, Alaska, on April 8, in a power boat with convenient equipment, to work the series of islands along the southeastern Alaskan coast between Fred- erick Sound and Dixon Entrance. Six months will be consumed in this trip, which is known as the 1909 Alexander Expedition. Frank Stephens and assistant left San Diego March 1, and are working in the Colorado Desert. Later they will travel by team slowly north into the southern San Joaquin country, where they will work until thelast of October. Miss Annie M. Alexander, with Miss Louise Kellogg, Walter P. Taylor and Charles It. Richardson, has begun a three month's investigation of the fauna of the Virgin Valley region of northern Nevada. This area is probably one of the least known parts of the West from a zoological standpoint, and collections of mammals, birds, and reptiles from there together with the accompanying field-notes are expected to furnish results of exceptional interest. President William L. Finley, of the Oregon Audubon Society, is active in securing the enforcement of bird laws in his State. His latest coup is the seizure of a great quantity of aigrettes illegally in the possession of some nine millinery dealers of Portland. Arrests were also made, the outcome of which was at last accounts sure to be in favor of the bird- protectors. The particular point in view in the present instance is the stoppage of the destruction of the native I?grets of eastern Oregon, a most worthy cause. The following courses will be offered in the Summer Session of the University of Califor- nia, at Berkeley, June 21 to July 31, 1909: 1. The Birds, Mammals, and Reptiles of California. A course designed to acquaint the' student with our common terrestrial vertebrates, and thus of value to teachers of zoology and nature- study. How to identify birds, mammals, and reptiles; their habits and life-histories; bene- ficial and injurious species; the songs of birds; migration; geographical distribution and vari- ation as exhibited in the fauna of California; preservation of specimens, and the care and use of a school nmseum. Lectures, laboratory work, and field trips. 2 units. 2. Systematic Ornithology. An examination and application of the methods of classification, as illustrated by the research collection of 23,000 birds; the signifi- cance of geographic variation and isolation in the processes of evolution; feather-structure, molt and abrasion; methods of field work; prep- aration of study skins; recording of field ob- servations; cataloging of a collection. Lec- tures, laboratory and field work. 1 unit, or more, according to the time the student can de- vote to the subject. The lectures are to be given by J. Grinnell in the Research Room of the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology. As a result of the April meeting of the A. O. U. Committee ou Nomenclature, which cleaned up a large number of pending cases, the mann- script for the new Check-List is now practi- cally finisht. We have it from an authorita- tive source that there will be no further delay, and that the printing will begin very shortly Steps are being taken towards the found- ing of a new scientific organization with headquarters in San Francisco and to be known as the California Zoological Society. Its chief purpose will be the establishment at a generally accessible locality in the San l'ran- cisco Bay region of a zoological park in which a representation of the animals of Western North America in particular may be maintained as nearly as possible under natural conditions. The following are some of the names identi- fied with the movement: J. C. Merriam, D. S. Jordan, W. E. Ritter, W. K. Fisher, J. Grin- nell, F. W. D'Evelyn, C. A. Vogelsang. Judging from galley-proofs we have been privileged to examine, R. C. McGregor's Man- ual of Philippine Birds will be an extremely creditable work. It is to be issued in two parts, the first part being now nearly ready to dis- tribute. The subject matter includes keys, synonymies, distributions and full descriptions of all known species of Philippine birds. Dr. W. K. Fisher will again this year con- duct his popular summer camp for boys near Lake Tahoe. The members go on pack-trips, fishing, deer hunting and lnountain climbilag,