8 Richmond, In Memoriam: Edgar A. Mearns. [j an 



at his diligence and untiring zeal in the preparation of specimens, 

 and many of them brought him trophies of various kinds as con- 

 tributions to his collections. These cordial relations with his 

 official associates continued throughout his career; indeed, his 

 earnest and trustful nature and genuinely frank and straight- 

 forward character permitted no other course. 



Early in 1888, he was transferred to Fort Snelling, Minn., where 

 he remained until 1891, returning to this post again in 1903. In 

 the winter of 1889-90, at which time he received his captaincy, 

 a few months spent at the American Museum enabled him to 

 describe several new mammals and birds from his Arizona collec- 

 tions, as well as to complete other manuscripts. During his stay 

 at Fort Snelling, he borrowed a large series of Sparrow Hawks from 

 various friends and museums, and investigated the geographical 

 variation in this species, the results of which were embodied in a 

 paper entitled 'A Study of the Sparrow Hawks (Subgenus Tin- 

 nunculus) of America, with especial reference to the continental 

 species (Falco sparverius Linn.).' 1 



When the Mexican-United States International Boundary Com- 

 mission was organized, in 1891, Dr. Mearns was directed to act 

 as medical officer, with orders to report for duty on Feb. 1, 

 1892. By " previous correspondence with Lieut. Col. J. W. Barlow, 

 senior commissioner," he had obtained authority to establish "a 

 biological section of the survey, provided this could be accom- 

 plished without additional cost" to the Commission. By coopera- 

 tion with the United States National Museum he was enabled to 

 carry out his designs, and he personally was able to conduct obser- 

 vations along the entire line, from El Paso to the Pacific, including 

 San Clemente Island, which he visited to carry his investigations 

 to their logical terminus. The work was continued up to Sep- 

 tember, 1894, except for an interval of a few months in the pre- 

 ceding year, when his time was divided between Forts Hancock 

 and Clark, in Texas. During his work on the boundary line he had 

 the services of one assistant for a considerable part of the time, as 

 well as the voluntary aid of his associates on the survey. As a 

 result of their combined industry, about 30,000 specimens were 



> Auk, IX, July, 1892, 252-270. 



