"^°1-^^1 Notes and News. 2A.<, 



1903 J T^J 



years.") 'The Warbler' was formerly a department of the popular jour- 

 nal of floriculture 'The Mayflower*. It will be devoted "to the study and 

 protection of North American wild birds, and to promoting a better appre- 

 ciation of them." The present number well sustains the above-quoted 

 editorial promise. Among the popular articles on birds is the beginning 

 of a series of papers on 'Birds of Prey', illustrated with half-tones of 

 groups of specimens in Mr. Childs's very large collection of mounted 

 North American birds at Floral Park, to which, we learn from 'The 

 AVarbler,' he has just added a fine specimen of the Labrador Duck, pur- 

 chased of the Free Public Museum of Liverpool, England, for $1000. 



At the last meeting of the American Ornithologists' Union, held in 

 Washington, Nov. 17-20, 1902, the question of holding the next meeting 

 of the Union in California w.ts considered. For various reasons an 

 attempt to hold the regular annual congress so far from the geographical 

 center of the membership seemed impracticable, and the proposition 

 finally took the form of a proposed special session, for the presentation 

 of scientific papers, to be held in California during the spring or early 

 summer of 1903. The matter was finally referred to a committee, w'ith 

 power to make all the necessary arrangements for such a meeting, pro- 

 vided the proposition proved feasible. This committee consists of Dr. 

 C. Hart Merriam, Dr. T. S. Palmer, and Mr. John H. Sage. Late in Feb- 

 ruary the Committee issued a circular of information, stating that "the 

 railroads are not only willing to grant very favorable rates, but that most 

 satisfactory arrangements may be made with respect to stop-over privi- 

 leges." It also gave the following itinerary for the outward trip : 



"The plan is to leave Chicago May 3, to reach S.nn Francisco on or 

 about May 13, and to hold the special meeting May 15-16 in conjunction 

 with the California members of the A. O. U. and the members of the 

 Cooper Ornithological Club. The stop-overs now planned are at Albu- 

 querque and Santa Fe, New Mexico, the Fossil Forest on the Desert of the 

 Little Colorado, the Grand Cafion in Arizona, and San Bernardino, River- 

 side, Pasadena, and Los Angeles in southern California. This will 

 enable the party to visit points of greatest historic, ethnologic, and 

 scenic interest in Arizona and New Mexico, including the old Mexican 

 town of Santa Fe and at least one of the picturesque Indian pueblos 

 where the stone and adobe dwellings and picturesque costumes of the 

 people are in strange contrast with those of the East. The feature of the 

 trip will be the stop at the Grand Cafion of the Colorado in northern 

 Arizona, where time will be given for a descent into the most sublime and 

 wonderful chasm known in the whole world. 



"In southern California the route traverses the Mohave Desert with its 

 fringing belt of tree yuccas, and then descends through Cajon Pass to San 

 Bernardino, whence a side trip is planned to the celebrated orange groves 

 at Riverside. At Pasadena an opportunity will be given to ascend Mt. 

 Lowe in the Sierra Madre, and at Los Angeles to visit the coaht at Santa 

 Monica or Redondo." A trip to the Yosemite is also planned. 



