388 Letters, Extracts, and Notes. 



success financially, so that the interest due on the money- 

 borrowed for its purchase is paid without much difficulty. 

 The financial administration of the Naardermeer is kept 

 separate from that of the rest of the Society's finances. 



We are sorry to find that no details are oiven of the 

 breeding and general welfare of the Spoonbills and other 

 birds in that interesting I'esort. 



An attempt has been made to buy a part of the island of 

 Texel which was most frequented as a breeding-place by 

 interesting birds. This attempt has failed, owing to the 

 necessary money not forthcoming. It is, however, gratifying 

 to hear that the present owner has promised to protect the 

 birds as much as he can. 



The Keport closes with information for intended visitors to 

 the Naardermeer. From it Ave understand that, as a rule, 

 admission will be given only to Members of the Society, and 

 that only once a year. For this they must apply to the 

 President. 



Mr. DovgJas Carruthers's Expedition to Turkestan. — 

 Mr. Carruthers, who left England last autumn to join 

 Mr. W. K. liickmers in Samarkand, Russian Turkestan, 

 writes to us (on Jan. 24th) that the winter had stopped his 

 work to a great extent, but that he had got together about 

 300 specmiens of birds, including some good sets of Pheasants, 

 Mountain- Finches, and Chats. He had been mostly in tlic 

 desert to the west of Bokhara and to the north-west of 

 Samarcand. As soon as the spring started he would be on 

 the move again, and expected to go east into the Pamir-like 

 country of Eastern Bokhara. In the winter near Samarcand 

 small birds were scarce, but all the rivers and lakes swarmed 

 with wild geese and ducks. Mr. Carruthers was in good 

 health, and had had no return of his fever. 



Birds of the Far North. — Little mention is made of birds 

 in Commander Peary's (otherwise) interesting account of his 

 last Arctic expedition ('Nearest the Pole'), but during his 

 journey along the " glacial fringe of Grant-Land " (about 



