MUSEUM NEWS NOTES gI 
der of St. Stanislaus is one of the oldest and most distinguished 
of the Russian Empire. 
Mr. Frank M. CHAPMAN represented the Museum at the 
Fourth International Ornithological Congress which was in 
session at the Imperial Institute, South Kensington, London, and 
other places in England, June 12 to 21. In addition to making 
careful studies of Museum methods at the British Museum and 
elsewhere in the United Kingdom, Mr. Chapman will study 
several features of the bird life of the British Isles before he 
returns. 
Durinc May Professor W. M. Wheeler and Dr. B. E. Dahl- 
gren made an expedition to New Mexico, Arizona and California, 
for the purpose of studying the vegetation and invertebrate 
fauna of the desert. Through the kindness of Dr. F. V. Coville 
and Dr. W. A. Cannon they were able to work for a week at the 
Carnegie Desert Botanical Laboratory at Tucson, Arizona. 
Collections of specimens (including some ten thousand Formi- 
cide) were made at the following localities: Las Vegas and 
Albuquerque, New Mexico; Ash Fork, Prescott, Phoenix, Tempe, 
Tucson and Yucca, Arizona, and the Needles, California. A 
few days were also spent in and about the Grand Cafion of the 
Colorado. Professor Wheeler was able to complete his study of 
the North American desert Formicidz, a study begun some years 
ago in Trans-Pecos, Texas. The nesting habits of several inter- 
esting species were observed for the first time and valuable 
photographs of nest architecture, characteristic desert environ- 
ment, etc., secured. He also succeeded in gathering much in- 
formation concerning the geographical distribution of the species 
and their dependence on soil, vegetation, amount of moisture, 
etc. A very interesting zonal distribution of species was ob- 
served on the walls of the Grand Cafion. 
Dr. Dahlgren secured plants, soil, etc., needed for the acces- 
sories for several animal groups (antelope, peccary, prairie-dog 
and rattlesnake) now in process of preparation in the Museum. 
At the request of the principals and teachers of several public 
schools, the Museum offered a course last spring in nature study 
