G. NATURAL HISTORY AND ZOOLOGY. 341 



to the west of Unalashka, embracing the result of observa- 

 tions made durins: 1873 on board the United States Coast 

 Survey vessel the Yukon. As might have been expected, 

 the great majority of the species are water birds, particular- 

 ly alcadce, upon the natural history of which Mr. Dall throws 

 much light, having been the first to collect eggs of several 

 of the species, and to observe their habits during the breed- 

 ing season. 



The land birds on these islands are very few in number, 

 consisting of two kinds of hawks, one owl, one swallow, one 

 wren, five finches, the raven, and the ptarmigan. The total 

 number of species enumerated is forty-five. 



Lawrence's birds of northwestern mexico. 



A paper by Mr. George N. Lawrence upon the birds of 

 Western and Northwestern Mexico is based upon collections 

 made by Messrs. Grayson, Xantus, and Bischoff. Although 

 confined principally to the northwestern corner of Mexico, 

 just south of the line of the United States, the number of 

 species observed amounts to 316. Quite a number of these 

 species proved to be new, and were subsequently described 

 by Mr. Lawrence himself, Professor Baird, and others. The 

 value of the list is much enhanced by selections from notes 

 furnished by Colonel Grayson. 



COLLECTION OF BIRDS-OF-PARADISE. 



Dr. A. B. Meyer, of Vienna, who has been engaged for sev- 

 eral years past in the exploration of New Guinea, and in col- 

 lecting its rarities of animal life, has lately returned home, 

 bringing, among other interesting objects, a large number 

 of the magnificent birds-of-paradise peculiar to that island, 

 these including quite a number of new species. He offers 

 them for sale at prices varying from $150 to $50 each, either 

 singly or in sets. These birds are the most gorgeously beau- 

 tiful of the whole feathered tribe, as may be readily seen by 

 an examination of the considerable collection already in the 

 Central Park Museum in New York. 



GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF ASIATIC BIRDS. 



An article upon the geographical distribution of Asiatic 

 birds, by Mr. H. J. Elwes, appears in the Proceedings of the 



