o90 Notes and News. [july 



interest of the American Museum of Natural History and other scientific 

 institutions. The work of the expedition was completed about the end of 

 April, and we are greatly indebted to Director Townsend for the following 

 summary of its operations and results. 



"During the months of March and April, 1911, the U. S. Steamship 

 'Albatross' was engaged under my direction, in fishery and hydrographic 

 work in waters adjacent to Lower California. By a fortunate arrangement 

 with the Bureau of Fisheries, a zoological and botanical reconnaisance of 

 the coastal region of the Peninsula was made in connection with the usual 

 marine investigations of the vessel. 



"The ship carried a scientific staff of eight persons, representing the 

 American Museum of Natural History, the New York Zoological Society, 

 the New York Botanic Museum, and the U. S. National Museum. The 

 Naval staff of the Albatross, under Commander Burrage, took an active 

 interest in the shore work and assisted in making the expedition a success 

 in every way. 



"In addition to the deep-sea work, which yielded highly satisfactory 

 results, thirty-six anchorages were made along the east and west coasts 

 of Lower California, and the shore collections constitute an important 

 part of the material brought back by the ship. 



''The collection of birds alone numbered 655 specimens, representing 

 127 species and subspecies. Some of these were from Tiburon and other 

 islands in the Gulf of California hitherto unexplored, and coming from new 

 and isolated localities may prove to be undescribed forms. On Tiburon 

 Island 12 species of land birds were secured. Other outlying Islands 

 visited were Guadelupe, San Benito, Cedros, and San Roque in the Pacific, 

 and Ceralbo, Espiritu Santo. Santa Cruz, Santa Catalina, San Josef, 

 ■Carmen, Angel Guardia, and San Esteban in the Gulf. 



"The bird collection is large considering the fact that the duration of 

 the cruise was limited to two months, and only a portion of the time could 

 be devoted to shore work. The time at each anchoiage was limited to 

 one or two days. The list of birds will soon be augmented by collections 

 expected from one of the party, Mr. Pingree Osborn, who was left at San 

 Jose del Cabo, to make a trip into the Sierra Laguna Mountains after forms 

 restricted to the Cape Region. 



"Among the species of birds obtained, there is a good representation of 

 those peculiar to Lower California and the outlying islands. The electric 

 lights of the ship sometimes aided the bird collectors — eleven specimens 

 of Storm Petrel (Oceanodroma koedingi) attracted by the electric lights, 

 were captured on board during the night the ship anchored off Guadelupe 

 Island. Our naturalists did not by any means devote their entire time 

 to birds. The collection of mammals numbered 195 specimens, and of 

 lizards and snakes there were nearly 1000. 



The botanical gatherings alone occupied nearly half of the special freight, 

 car to which the ship's load was transferred at San Francisco. 



"A large collection of fishes and invertebrates was obtained along shore, 



