452 Patmer, Personalia in Ornithology. lees 
died in 1827 at the age of 90 (an age attained by few ornithologists). 
In order to compare his work with that of modern ornithologists 
it is necessary to know something of his methods and the material 
at his disposal and it is also important to have access to a sketch of 
his life in English for the benefit of those who cannot read his 
biography published in Danish. 
It will soon be time to prepare a new edition of the Check-List. 
In addition to a reéxamination of some of the type localities 
which evidently require revision, the next edition should show 
the date when the type was collected of each species which was 
based on a definite specimen so as to indicate whether or not 
the bird was in breeding plumage. Whenever possible a state- 
ment should be added to indicate whether or not the specimen 
is now extant. Much of this information can be secured only 
through collateral sources of information, by examination of special 
papers on type specimens and museum collections, by study of the 
routes of collectors and by examination of original field diaries. 
Research along these lines promises some interesting and important 
results and the desirability of the early preparation of the biog- 
raphies and routes of collectors and of special papers on collections 
is self evident. 
To the officers of the Union the committee on biography can 
render much service: To the secretary in perfecting the record of 
full names and addresses of the members, to the treasurer in 
recommending new names for membership and in following up some 
of the members who have dropped out, and to the editor in supply- 
ing data for obituary notices and in preparing notices of deceased 
members. 
In this connection an invitation is extended to any person who 
may be interested in the work to codperate with the committee in 
its projects in biography or bibliography; and especially to any 
person who may know of the existence of ornithological manu- 
scripts or diaries, to communicate with the committee in order to 
assist In preserving and making known material which may be of 
great historical value in working out some of the problems of sys- 
tematic ornithology. 
