80 



THE OSPREY. 



be valid unless it can be defined by characters 

 which serve to distinguish it from every other. 



"In groups of wide geographic range it is 

 of course necessary to have all its components 

 in hand in order to determine its limits and the 

 number and boundaries of its subdivisions, for 

 what seem distinct families of genera within the 

 limits of a fauna may. when all the forms of an 

 entire continent or zoogeographic "region" or 

 the world at large, are examined, be found t<> be 

 connected by intermediate "extralimital" form.-. 

 Sometimes, however, this test proves exactly 

 the reverse to be true. Therefore, in the present 

 work the families and genera recognized have 

 not been based on the species belonging to 

 North and Middle America alone, but on all 

 others that were available, so far as time per- 

 mitted." 



A Collection of the Birds of Michigan 



in the University of Michigan lias been re- 

 arranged. "The birds that are natives of 

 Michigan are in three cases on the east side of 

 the bird room. These in the case farthest 

 north are birds to be found north of Ann Arbor, 

 those in the middle case birds in the neighbor- 

 hood, and those in the third case birds living to 

 the south of Ann Arbor. 



"The west side of the bird room is occupied 

 with cases containing specimens from many 

 different parts of the world. These are scienti- 

 fically arranged. Besides the specimens in the 

 cases, thirty-six bird groups have been ar- 

 ranged. These are mounted in their natural 

 surroundings, often with nest-., eggs and young. 

 Each group is a picture of bird life. In addi- 

 tion to the mounted specimens in the bird room 

 of the museum, the University possesses nearly 

 four thousand skins for use in scientific study 

 in the class room." 



A Columbarium at Wood's Holl- — It seems 

 that investigations at the "Marine Biological 

 Laboratory. Wood's Holl," are not to be con- 

 fined to the inhabitants of the sea. Tlieeminent 

 director. Prof. O. C. Whitman, has just pub- 

 lished, in Science for April 5, a report mi "Nat- 

 ural History Work" at the station and gives 

 some unexpected news especially interesting to 

 ornithologists which we reproduce. Inasmuch 

 as the remarks - that the "pigeon group" has 

 between four and five hundred wild species" — 

 has been interpreted by more than one to be 

 descriptive of the Wood's Holl columbarium, it 

 is not superfluous to explain that it is evidently 

 only a general statement respecting our present 

 knowledge of the order, and has nothing to do 

 with the columbarium; we may add that in 1893 

 Salvadori recognized "458 [species] besides 27 

 of a more doubtful character", and of these 42 

 species were not represented by skins even in 

 the surprisingly rich collection of the British 

 Museum. EDITORS. 



"Animal behavior has engaged the attention 

 of a number of investigators, led by Loeb, 

 Wheeler, Thorndike and others. The demand 

 for instruction followed the development of 

 various lines of research, and the courses in 

 general physiology and animal psychology were, 



sotospeak, spontaneous inevitables. The course 

 in nature study, introduced for the first time last 

 summer, furnished a typical illustration of the 

 convergence of interests now cooperating at the 

 Laboratory. Although the class only num- 

 bered fifteen members, over thirty investigators 

 contributed to the instruction given, and a large 

 share of the lectures, laboratory work and field 

 studies were of the nature of research. Indeed, 

 problems and demonstrations drawn from origi- 

 nal work actually in progress, and presented by 

 the investigators themselves, characterized the 

 course throughout. 



"In the further development of this course in 

 natural history, we are looking forward to 

 hoped-for facilities far beyond our present re- 

 alizations The creation of a Natural History 

 Farm at Wood's Holl may be somewhat remote 

 still, nevertheless the project is entertained, 

 and a small step has already been taken in an- 

 ticipation. The columbarium now under culti- 

 vation is, I venture to hope, the first instalment 

 of such a farm. This collection of pigeons, al- 

 ready the largest of the kind in existence, and 

 rapidly increasing by accessions from all parts 

 of the world, was undertaken with several ends 

 in view. The pigeon group, containing between 

 four and fixe hundred wild species, and not less 

 than one hundred and fifty domestic species or 

 varieties, offers one of the most favorable fields 

 for the comparative study of variation and for 

 experimentation in dealing with the problems 

 of heredity and evolution. While the principal 

 aim in making the collection was the investiga- 

 tion of problems, the farm project has been kept 

 steadily in view. The columbarium would form 

 one section of the farm, and exemplify its uses 

 and unique advantages for every side of natural 

 history". 



A Live Dominica Parrot has been secured 

 by the Zoological Society of London for the 

 menagerie, and has been entered as the "August 

 Amazon (Chrysolis augusta)." It is a fine bird 

 and the species is destined apparently to become 

 extinct in the not distant future. The society 

 had an example once before, in 1865. 



The Death of Audubon Wheelock 



RlDGWAY, sou of Robert Ridgwav. occurred in 

 Chicago, February 22. 1901, in his twenty-fourth 

 year, he having been born May 15, 1*77. in 

 Washington. I>. C. He had recently become es- 

 pecially interested in the study of ornithology, 

 and was well acquainted with the birds of the 

 eastern states and Florida, having collected 

 many specimens in the latter state during a 

 winter's visit. In November last he was ap- 

 pointed Assistant in the Department of Ornitho- 

 logy at the Field Columbian Museum, and en- 

 tered upon his dutieswith great enthusiasm. In 

 February he contracted a bad cold which devel- 

 oped into pneumonia, from which he died on 

 tlie 22nd. 



C. W. R 



