not hitherto visited by ornithologists. On later excursions they expect 

 to visit the high grassy tableland in the central part of the country, and 

 other little known regions. 



The primary object of Mr. Ridgway's expedition is the collection of 

 material for his 'Birds of North and Middle America,' the next volume 

 of which will contain, among other families, the Fonnicariidse, Dendro- 

 colaptidse, Fumariidse, and Trochilidse, of which a very large percentage of 

 the Central American species occur in Costa Rica. — C. W. R. 



On February 28, C. William Beebe, Curator of Birds in the New York 

 Zoological Society, and Mrs. Beebe, sailed on the steamship 'Korona' 

 for Georgetown, British Guiana, for a trip to the headwaters of the Esse- 

 quibo River, to study tropical bird life and obtain material for publication. 



Mr. Frank M. Chapman, Curator of Birds in the American Musemii 

 of Natural Histoiy, is visiting extreme southern Florida in quest of mate- 

 rial for additional bird groups for the ■Museum, in which he has recently 

 been promoted from Associate Curator to Curator. 



A manual of 'The Birds of Maine,' by Ora W. Knight, is announced 

 for early publication. This work, which is devoted exclusively to Maine 

 birds, will give "their relative abundance in each county," with descrip- 

 tions of the different plumages of each species, and full accounts of their 

 home life. Subscriptions, prior to April 15, 1908, will be $3.00, and may 

 be addressed to the author, 84 Forest Avenue, Bangor, Maine. Price, 

 after this date, 13.50. 



An "essay competition on comparative legislation for the protection of 

 birds" has been inaugurated by the Royal Society for the Protection of 

 Birds (London), which has issued a circular stating the regulations for the 

 International competition for 1908. The Society's gold medal and 20 

 guineas are offered for the best e.ssay or treatise on this subject. The essays, 

 which may be written in either English, French, or German, should be sent 

 to the Hon. Secretary, Frank E. Lemon, 3 Hanover Square, London, W., 

 not later than December 31, 1908. Full particulars respecting the require- 

 ments of the competition may be obtained from the Hon. Secretary. 



WiTHERBY & Co., 326 High Holborn, London, announce 'The Vertebrate 

 Fauna of North Wales,' by H. E. Forrest. This is one of the zoologically 

 most interesting, but hitherto neglected, parts of the British Islands. 

 The work will form a large octavo volume of over 500 pages, with a colored 

 map, portraits, plates depicting haunts, etc. It will be issued to sub- 

 scribers at 12s. 6d. until the list reaches 500, when the price will be in- 

 creased. 



The same firni will also publish shortly an account, by M. J. NicoU, of 



