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Noies and News. I July 



Mr. |ohn Murdoch's Report on his ornithological work at Point 

 Barrow is already in type, and its early publication may be expected. It 

 forms a part of the general Report of the Point Barrow Expedition, and 

 is illustrated with two colored plates of Ross's Gull (Rodostetkia rosea). 



We are informed that Mr. Thomas Mcll wraith, of Hamilton, Ontario, 

 is preparing a work on the birds of that Province, to be published early 

 in the fall. It will give not only a list of the species thus far recorded 

 from Ontario, with notes on their distribution anil habits, but also in- 

 clude descriptions of the species, thus forming a convenient hand-book 

 of the hi nls of Ontario. 



THE present year continues prolific in new serials devoted to natural 

 history, most of which include notes and papers relating to ornithology. 

 Manv of these serials arc to be classed as juvenile and amateur, having 

 very little scientific importance, yet, as they claim to have a wide circu- 

 lation, doubtless do much good in awakening and extending interest in 

 natural history subjects. The crudities and ignorance displayed by some 

 of them, however, scarcely make them very safe guides to the young 

 student, or give the publications a very creditable standing. In several 

 cases they are to be looked upon rather as the advertising adjuncts of 

 dealers in natural history material than as bona //'</<• natural history 

 journals. Among the purely ornithological claimants upon our attention 

 is 'Our Binds,' an 8-page monthly, published at llolyoke, Mass.. hv frank 

 II. Metcalf, and edited by Richard S. Brooks. The first number is dated 

 May, 188^. 'The Western Odlogist,' published by Frank M. Sherin, at Mil- 

 waukee, Wise, is another ornithological aspirant to fame, a 4-page 'spec- 

 imen number' of which bears date, May, 1SS5. It is to be issued monthly, 

 and enlarged to eight pages per number. It is to be hoped that in future a 

 little more care will he bestowed upon the spelling of scientific names, and 

 that a higher grade of ornithological knowledge will be displayed in these 

 publications than is evinced by one of the papers under notice, which 

 describes a Pelican as "a wading bird standing six feet high in his bare 

 feet." 'The Museum.' a 16-page monthly, of which the first number also 

 bears date May, 1S85, is an illustrated journal, published at Philadelphia, 

 "in the interests of Young Naturalists and Collectors of all Classes.' 

 Its list, of contributors includes well-known writers in various depart- 

 ments of natural history; it is edited with care, neatly printed, and 

 altogether presents an attractive appearance. Among the new serials 

 should also be mentioned the 'Bulletin of the Brookville Society of Nat- 

 ural History, ' published by the Society, the first number of which has 

 recently appeared, containing a paper in part ornithological by Mr. A. 

 W Butler. 



