628 Notes and News. ^ uk 



LOct. 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



American ornithology suffered an irreparable loss in the death of 

 William Brewster on July 11, last. While it was generally known that his 

 health had been failing for several years past, few outside the circle of his 

 most intimate friends knew that his condition was critical, and the news of 

 his death came with the shock of an unexpected blow. 



Great as were his attainments as an ornithologist it was not these alone 

 that gained him the wide recognition that he received. His fair and 

 impartial judgment of all questions that came before him created a pro- 

 found and widespread respect for his opinion; his keen and unconcealed 

 delight in everything out of doors, be it bird, mammal, or plant, was con- 

 tagious and inspiring; while his uniform courtesy and kindliness to young 

 student and master alike, endeared him to all with whom he came in 

 contact. 



To the American Ornithologists' Union the death of William Brewster 

 is a calamity. To him more than to anyone else was due the founding of 

 the Nuttall Ornithological Club, from which sprang the A. O. U., and both 

 organizations throughout their existence have profited from his counsel 

 and advice in all matters concerned with their activities. So closely 

 indeed was he associated with the life of the Union that we find it almost 

 impossible to conceive of a meeting of the Council without Mr. Brewster's 

 presence. His influence was always toward the best effort and the highest 

 ideals, both in scientific work and in personal conduct, and association 

 with him was always stimulating and improving. 



Probably he himself never realized the part he played in shaping the 

 . ornithological activities of others, and his influence upon the development 

 of American ornithology cannot easily be measured. 



The president of the A. O. U. has appointed Mr. Henry W. Henshaw, 

 Mr. Brewster's lifelong friend, to prepare the biographical sketch which 

 will be presented at the annual meeting of the Union in November, and 

 which will appear in the January issue of 'The Auk.' — W. S. 



■ 



Motoyoshi Namiye of Tokyo, Japan, a Corresponding Fellow of the 

 A. O. U., died May 24, 1918. He was born at Maruyama-Nishikata- 

 machi, Hongo, Yeddo (Tokyo), February 15, 1854. He was a member of 

 the faculty of Zoology in the Tokyo Educational Museum, and Assistant 

 of the Zoological Institute, Science College, Imperial University of Tokyo, 

 an honorary member of the Tokyo Zoological Society, and a councilor of 

 the Ornithological Society of Japan. He was actively interested in birds, 

 mammals, reptiles, and amphibia and published many interesting papers 

 on these groups of vertebrates. Following are the principal places in 



