302 Notes and News. \ju\y 



three volumes quarto, on the ' Genera of Birds,' a copy of which cannot 

 now be obtained under £30, was partly illustrated by Wolf. Those who 

 are familiar with the magnificent folio works of Gould on the 'Birds of 

 Asia' and the 'Birds of Great Britain' will recognize in many of the 

 life-like coloured plates the handiwork and talent of Joseph Wolf; while 

 the same remark will apply to Elliot's grand volumes, also in folio, on 

 the Pheasants, Birds of Paradise, the Birds of North America, [the 

 Pittidrc], and the Felida; or Cat Family." For half a century the ' Pro- 

 ceedings ' and ' Transactions ' of the London Zoological Society " teemed 

 with the life-like productions of his pencil," while in 'The Ibis,' from 

 its beginning in 1S59 till now, " we have another example of the artist's 

 wondrous skill in the delineation of birds." Numerous separate works 

 of travel and natural history have been illustrated by this great artist: 

 " nor should Ave omit to notice his ' Life and Habits of Wild Animals,' 

 which appeared in 1874, illustrated from his designs, engraved by 

 Whymper, with descriptive letter-press by D. G. Elliot." 



The scientific expedition to Alaska, planned and equipped by Mr. 

 Edward Harriman of New York, left Seattle May 31, in the steamer 

 ' George W. Elder,' which had been completely refitted to meet the 

 requirements of the expedition. The trip will include a visit to Annette 

 Island, a short trip up the Stickeen River, and stops at Juneau, and 

 other points on the way to Cook Inlet and Kadiak Island, which regions 

 will be the principal fields of exploration. The object of the expedition 

 is a careful study of the flora, fauna, geology and glaciers of Alaska. 

 The party comprises a large number of eminent specialists in botany, 

 zoology and geology, who have joined the expedition as guests of Mr. 

 Harriman. These include, among ornithologists, Dr. C. Hart Merriam, 

 Chief of the United States Biological Survey, who will have charge of 

 the biological work; Dr. A. K. Fisher, of the U. S. Biological Survey; 

 Robert Ridgway, of the U. S. National Museum; D. G.Elliot, of the 

 Field Columbian Museum; Charles A. Keeler, Custodian of the Mu- 

 seum of the California Academy of Sciences; Dr. George Bird Grinnell, 

 editor of 'Forest and Stream'; Mr. John Burroughs, and Mr. Louis 

 Agassiz Fuertes. The opportunities thus afforded by the generosity of 

 Mr. Harriman cannot fail to materially increase our knowledge of the 

 natural history of Alaska. 



Mr. George K. Cherrie has recently returned from his expedition 

 to Venezuela, where he spent twenty-one months collecting for the Tring 

 Museum. His field was the Valley of the Orinoco, from Ciudad Bolivar 

 to the mouth of the Ventuari River, above the falls and beyond San Fer- 

 nando de Atabapo. He devoted his time almost exclusively to birds, but 

 collected some insects and small mammals. Many nests and sets of eggs 

 were forwarded with the birds. He reports that collecting between Ciu- 

 dad Bolivar and the first falls of the Orinoco was rather disappointing 

 and monotonous; while individuals were abundant the species were sur- 



