144 Notes and News. [£* 



Mr. Louis Agassiz Fuertes, at the request of the Council of the A. O. XL, 

 and with the advice of a committee appointed by the President, kindly 

 prepared a new cover design for 'The Auk' which appeared for the first 

 time on the number for January, 1913. As to the accuracy of drawings 

 of extinct species the poet has written: 



"This we have for comfort sweet 

 Should doctors disagree, 

 Nobody lives who knew the beast, 

 And there are no more to see. 

 So if they do not like its looks, 

 What can they do about it? 

 Our guess is just as good as their's 

 So if they scoff, we'll scout it!" 



Notwithstanding the logic of this statement, the Council at the last meet- 

 ing appointed a new committee to confer with Mr. Fuertes in regard to 

 preparing another design, which should follow more closely the general 

 style of the original vignette. Mr. Fuertes has generously complied with 

 the request and the result appears on the cover of the present number. 

 Which drawing is the better portrait of the Great Auk as it appeared in life, 

 we are, like the poet, unable to say; but the present one is both artistic, 

 and accurate in detail, while it conforms more nearly to the conventional 

 idea of the famous bird. 



A new edition of the Naturalists' Directory has just been published by 

 S. E. Cassino, Salem, Mass. This directory is invaluable to naturalists 

 since it is the means of bringing together students and collectors in all parts 

 of the world through correspondence. The directory contains an alpha- 

 betical list of English speaking professional and amateur naturalists in all 

 parts of the world, also a list of scientific societies and periodicals. The 

 price of the Directory is $2.50 in Cloth Binding and $2.00 in Paper Binding; 

 sent postpaid. As only a limited edition has been printed it is advisable 

 for any one wishing a copy to order at once. 



There will be an exhibit of pictures of our common birds at the Ameri- 

 can Museum of Natural History, New York City, January 15th to 29th 

 inclusive followed by a sale exhibition at the Katz Gallery, 103 West 74th 

 St. These pictures show the Robin, Blue Jay, Oriole, Wood Thrush and 

 other birds we see about our homes and that we all know and have come 

 to love. The birds are pictured life size, singly and in family groups, some- 

 times nesting or courting, often surrounded by apple bloom, golden rod, or 

 wood lilies, flowers they might be found among, or the bright leaves of 

 April or October, or the snow of winter. Seventy-five or more water 

 colors large and small will be shown, all exhibited for the first time. The 

 purpose of the pictures is to present the beauty of just our commonest 

 home and dooryard birds. 



