270 Notes and News. [J ul y 



The 'Proceedings' of the U. S. National Museum. 



To the Editors of the Auk: — 



Sirs : — In the last number of 'The Auk' you charge the 'Proceedings' of 

 the U. S. National Museum with being antedated. Allow me to correct 

 the presumption that the date at the bottom of the first page of each sig- 

 nature is "the date of its issuance from the Government Printing Office." 

 The date in question is simply the date of stereotyping the plates, as it 

 very often happens that these are not printed off immediately after cast- 

 ing. In order to avoid confusion in the future, it has been decided, how- 

 ever, to omit the date of stereotyping, and each sheet distributed separately 

 will be stamped with the exact date of publication. In the volume of 

 'Proceedings' for 1SS6, there will be found a list of the dates of issuance 

 of each signature, and it is intended to have a similar list accompany each 

 volume in the future. 



Yours, very truly, 



Leonhard Stejneger. 



Smithsonian Institution , 

 June 9. 1S87. 



We are glad to learn that the signatures of the 'Proceedings' will in 

 future be stamped with the "date of publication," when sent out sepa- 

 rately. The list of dates of issuance of the signatures of the volume for 

 1SS6 has come to hand, and will be of permanent value. The "date of 

 stereotyping" certainly had the appearance of being the date of publica- 

 tion, and with nothing to indicate the contrary, would naturally be so 

 taken, and, to our knowledge, has been so understood. — Edd.] 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



The American Museum of Natural History, of New York City, has 

 recently received several important additions to the Department of Orni- 

 thology. One of the most important of these is the acquisition of Mr. D. 

 G. Elliot's almost unrivalled collection of Hummingbirds, numbering over 

 400 species, represented by about 2000 specimens, and including some 

 fifty or more types. Its importance is further enhanced from its having 

 formed the basis of Mr. Elliot's recent monograph of the family. It doubt- 

 less ranks as second in the world in point of completeness, or next to that 

 of the British Museum. This collection is a gift from Mr. Elliot, whose 

 unfaltering interest in the Museum has been manifested on many occa- 

 sions, by valuable donations and important services. 



Another invaluable accession is the addition, by purchase, of Mr. 

 George N. Lawrence's collection of American birds, numbering about 3000 



