Vol. xx I in Notes and News. 333 



The Fourth International Ornithological Congress was held 

 in London, June 12-17, 1905, under the presidency of Dr. R. Bowdler 

 Sharpe of the British Museum (Natural History). The Congress opened 

 with an informal reception at the Imperial Institute on the evening of 

 Monday, June 12, followed by daily sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday, Fri- 

 day, and Saturday. Thursday was given over to an excursion to Tring, 

 where the members of the Congress were guests of the Hon. Walter 

 Rothschild. On Friday afternoon the members were tendered a recep- 

 tion by the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor of London at the Mansion House, 

 and in the evening were given a dinner by the British Ornithologists 1 

 Union. On the evening of Wednesday a conversazione was held at the 

 Natural History Museum. After the adjournment of the Congress excur- 

 sions were made on Monday, June 19, to the Duke of Bedford's Park at 

 Woburn ; on Tuesday to Cambridge, where Professor Newton welcomed 

 the members of the Congress, and luncheon was served at Magdalene 

 College; on Wednesday an expedition was made to Flamborough Head 

 in Yorkshire, the breeding place of many sea birds. 



The Congress was marked by a large attendance of members, and the 

 presentation of many noteworthy papers, and altogether was an occasion 

 long to be remembered by those participating in its proceedings, and 

 especially by the visiting member for the bountiful hospitality extended 

 to them. In addition to the general meetings, the Congress was organ- 

 ized into sections, as follows: (1) Systematic Ornithology, Geographical 

 Distribution, Anatomy and Palaeontology ; (2) Migration ; (3) Biology, 

 Nidification, Oology ; (4) Economic Ornithology and Bird Protection; (5) 

 Aviculture. It is impracticable at the date of this writing to give any 

 account of the papers presented, which we hope to do in a later issue 

 of this journal. Among the members of the A. O. U. present were the 

 Misses Florence and Maria R. Audubon, Frank M. Chapman, Dr. J. 

 Dwight, Jr., James H. Fleming, and Dr. L. Stejneger. Papers were 

 presented by Chapman, Dwight, and Fleming. 



Mr. Robert Ridgway has recently returned from a six months' col- 

 lecting trip to Costa Rica, made in the interests of the U. S. National 

 Museum. The objects of his visit were to secure material for use in the 

 preparation of his 'Birds of North and Middle America' ; to familiarize 

 himself with the topographic and climatic conditions of that ornitholog- 

 ical paradise, and with the birds in life; and to study the birds in the 

 rich collection of the Museo Nacional, at San Jose. 



With San Jose* as his headquarters, and as the guest of the well-known 

 Costa Rican ornithologist, Mr. Zeledon, he was enabled to reach several 

 of the more interesting localities, such as Turrucares, Santo Domingo, 

 and Pigres on the Pacific side of the country, Monte Redondo on the 

 south side of the Candelaria range, Turrialba, Bonilda, and Coliblanco 

 on the Atlantic slope, and the volcanos of Poas, Irazu, and Turrialba of 

 the Central Cordillera. On these several expeditions he was accompanied 



