038 Letters, Extracts, Notices, S$c. 



Sciences of California, when Dr. C. Hart Merriam, President 

 of the A. 0. U., took the Chair ; while Mr. Charles R. Keyes, 

 of the Cooper Club, acted as Secretary. During this and 

 the following meetings 13 papers were read, the titles of 

 which are given in Dr. Allen's report in ' The Auk/ Among 

 these is a remarkable essay by Mr. L. M. Loomis on the 

 recognition of geographical varieties in Nomenclature, which 

 is printed at full length in the same number of ' The Auk ' 

 and deserves special attention. Thirteen Eastern Ornith- 

 ologists were present at the Meeting, amongst whom we 

 observe the names of Dr. Allen, Mr. F. M. Chapman, and 

 other well-known naturalists. 



The Penguins of Gauss-land. — The Penguins of the newly 

 discovered Gauss-berg seem to belong to the same two 

 species as those of South Victoria Land, namely, Aptenodytes 

 forsteri and Pygosceles adelice. They are thus described 

 by Dr. Drygalski (see Geogr. Journ. 1903, vol. xxii. 

 p. 1 ( J8) : — "We met with two species of Penguin, the small 

 Adelia Penguin and the Emperor Penguin. The former 

 we noticed on our way through the pack, and for a short 

 time in autumn (February to March) at the Station before 

 the ice had quite come to rest, and again from November 

 onwards when it began to get loose again. The Emperor 

 Penguins were less common in the pack, but increased in 

 numbers southwards towards the fixed ice, and were our 

 constant companions at the Station throughout the year. 

 Both shewed the same unsuspiciousness of man, and only on 

 our return voyage through the pack were they at all shy of 

 us. They differed, however, decidedly in temperament. 

 While the small Penguins hurried towards us full of life and 

 movement, croaking, almost snarling like angry dogs, and 

 barring our way as if ready to attack us, though merely 

 acting in absolute innocence of clanger, and many got among 

 the dogs and lost their lives, the larger Penguins made off 

 slowly with philosophical composure. They stopped before 

 strange objects, making their presence known by trumpet- 

 like tones or loud croaking, and only attempted to escape, if 

 at all, when one stood close to them. Then they let them- 



