514 Notes and News. [j^y 



The Brewster Memorial Fund, the most recent, is the gift of the friends 

 of William Brewster to perpetuate the memory of one of the founders 

 and former presidents of the Union by establishing a fund to encourage 

 research in American ornithology. The sum of $5200 received in 1919, 

 has already increased to some extent and the proceeds will be awarded 

 biennially in the form of a medal and an honorarium to the author of the 

 most important contribution to the ornithology of the Western Hemisphere 

 during the two years immediately preceding. This fund administered 

 by a special committee and the first award will be made in 1921. 



The Research Fund was established some years ago by a gift from Miss 

 Juliette A. Owen of St. Joseph, Mo., one of the Life Associates of the 

 Union, to encourage original research in ornithology. It now amounts 

 to several hundred dollars but the interest will not be available until the 

 total amount reaches $5000. It is highly desirable that this fund should 

 be increased at an early date so that the proceeds may become available 

 for promoting ornithological work. Already applications have been 

 received for assistance in special investigations which would be greatly 

 stimulated if small grants could be made from this or some similar fund. 



The Publication Fund comprises receipts from life memberships, be- 

 quests and special contributions. In 'The Auk' for January, 1920, the 

 Editor has called attention to the immediate need of a fund of $25,000 

 and in response to this appeal subscriptions of several hundred dollars 

 in sums of $100 or less have already been received. These subscriptions 

 may be paid in Liberty bonds, or otherwise, in one payment or in several 

 annual or semi-annual instalments. Not only is an adequate fund nec- 

 essary to place the publication of 'The Auk' on a permanent basis and 

 to issue check-lists, indexes and special bibliographies, but means should 

 be provided also for publishing occasional memoirs, monographs and more 

 extensive papers than have hitherto been attempted. At this time when 

 the usual channels of publication are becoming restricted on account of 

 the high cost of printing it is especially desirable that the A. O. U. should 

 be in a position to meet the demands which are made upon it. As its 

 permanent funds increase the Union will be able to broaden the scope of 

 its work and to make more substantial contributions both to the develop- 

 ment and diffusion of knowledge of ornithology. — T. S. P. 



The annual general meeting of the British Ornithologists' Union was 

 held on March 10, 1920. Thirty-eight members were in attendance with 

 the President, Dr. W. Eagle Clarke, in the chair. Forty new members 

 were elected and Dr. P. R. Lowe was chosen to fill a vacancy in the Com- 

 mittee. The officers of the B. O. U. are not elected annually as in the 

 A. O. U., so that there was no change. A new rule was adopted whereby 

 a committee of nine be elected to report from time to time on the authen- 

 ticity of the reports of any rare or hitherto unknown bird visitors to Great 

 Britain, and another for the increase of the initiation fee and the price of 

 ' The Ibis. ' An amendment to the former proposition to authorize the com- 



