The Ottawa Naturalist. 23 



in different parts of the city, feeding on the berries of the 

 rowan-trees (Pynts Americana). Their note is much like that 

 of their summer cousins the cherry-birds, but louder and more 

 incessant. Even during the worst days of the "cold wave," at the 

 opening of February, their merry voices told how well earned was their 

 old name of Bohemian Chatterer. The epithet Bohemian is probably 

 applied with the meaning of gipsy in reference to their erratic 

 migrations, for they have no special connection with Southern 

 Germany. In winter they^may appear at uncertain times in almost any 

 country of the north temperate zone ; and their summer home is in the 

 extreme north, being bounded only by the last stretches of timber 

 country. The few records of nests are from Lapland and Alaska. 



Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis). This bird, always a 

 sparse winter resident in the open country, has' been growing noticeably 

 commoner in Ottawa of late years. On a sunshiny winter morning his 

 song from the top of poplar or maple is really pleasing, as well as a 

 surprise from a bird of such hawklike build and habits. Perhaps he 

 sings the praises of the introducer of the European sparrow, for, in the 

 flocks of these birds, he seems to find a never-failing source of food. 



A. G Kingston. 

 GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA. 



The winter meeting of the Geological Society of America was held 

 at Baltimore, Md., Dec. 27th, 28th and 29th, and was largely attended 

 by the Fellows. There were forty-eight papers on the list and most of 

 these were read by the authors themselves. Prof. T. C. Chamberlin, 

 of the University of Chicago presided. Dr. Adams, of McGill, and Dr. 

 Ami, of the Geological Survey, were the only two Canadians present. 



At the opening meeting, Prof. W. B. Clark, of Johns Hopkins 

 University, read a biographical notice of the late Dr. G. H. Williams, 

 of whose life and work a brief sketch has already appeared in The 

 Naturalist.* Dr. Ami read an appropriate memorial of the late 

 Amos Bowman, F.G.S.A. at one time a member of this club. Among 

 the papers read at this meeting the following were prepared by 



* Ottawa Naturalist, vol. VIII, No. 7, p. 113, 1894. 



