_ ©. Johnson, vice-president, and C. A. Keeler, secretary and treasurer. Messrs. E. 
384 Proceedings of Societies. 
mind his words: “ There are, of course. in reality no such things as 
species and subspecies, genera and subgenera, etc., although we 
commonly speak of them as entities. They are simply conven- 
tional devices by which we seek to record the facts in the evolution 
of life, and to catalogue its various forms and phases. By these 
terms we attempt to indicate the varying degrees of relationship 
between organized beings.”’ CAL 
PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. February 2, 1891. President Harkness 
in the chair. : : 
Dr. C. M. Richter, of the committee to draft resolutions on the death of Dr. 
Ferrer, presented the following report : 
‘*It is with deep sorrow that we are called upon to chronicle the death of one of 
our most distinguished members, Dr. Henry Ferrer. He was one of the foremost 
standard-bearers of science on the Pacific Coast. He had not only attained a posi- 
tion of great eminence in his profession, a world-wide reputation in his specialty — 
he was not only the most skillful master in microscopy, inferior to none in its 
technique and application—but he was a warm promoter of science generally, one 
whose devotion to science will ever be gratefully remembered by the members of this 
Academy. 
Your committee therefore recommend the following resolution: o. 
Resolved, That the foregoing memorial of the late Dr. Henry Ferrer, member of et 
the California Academy of Sciences, be placed in full on the minutes as a token of 
the estimation in which he was held by this Academy, and a copy~ thereof be 
forwarded to his widow and family.” : 
A committee consisting of Messrs. Keeler, Bryant and Scupham, was appointed 
to memorialize the Legislature to take some steps to prevent the spread of the 
English sparrow. 
CALIFORNIA ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB—A re-organization meeting of the Club a 
was held in the ornithological room of the California Academy of Sciences on 
February 10, attended by Messrs. Bryant, Taylor, Johnson, Holmes, Keeler and 
Macdonald. Mr. H.R. Taylor was elected president for the ensuing year, Mr. F. 
Carleton, Thurber, Bancroft and T. E. Slevin, were proposed as active members. 
A committee of two was appointed to draw upa proposed amendment to the con- 
stitution, to be reported on at the next meeting. A motion was carried making 
Zoe the official medium of the proceedings of the Club. It was decided that 
systematic notes be made during the coming season on the songs and nesting habits 
of Californian birds. Notes on nesting habits, which are very important, may 
include the number of days required in building the nest and the part taken by the 
male in the work ; the position and composition of nest ; length of incubation with 
part taken by the male in the work, and many other items which will naturally 
_ suggest themselves. The members were urged to continue the work of collecting 
gizzards for the committee on food habits. Mr. Taylor noted the puncturing of 
the corolla of a bellflower by Anna’s hummer, where the tube was too long to 
enable the bird to insert its bill. Mr. Macdonald, agent for the sale of ornith-- 
ological publications, reported on his work. : 
