1909 VI ] Recent Literature. 317 



RECENT LITERATURE. 



Jubilee Meeting of the British Ornithologists' Union. — The Fiftieth 

 Anniversary of the founding of the British Ornithologists' Union was cele- 

 brated on Wednesday, December 9, 1908, at the house of the Zoological 

 Society of London, 3 Hanover Square, with appropriate addresses and the 

 presentation of medals to the surviving Founders, followed by a dinner in 

 the evening at the Trocadero Restaurant, attended by 81 members and 24 

 guests. At the meeting letters and telegrams were read from the South 

 African Ornithologists' Union, the Ornithologische Gesellschaft in Bayern, 

 from a number of Foreign Members, and an address from the Deutsche 

 Ornithologische Gesellschaft. 



An address by the President, Dr. F. Du Cane Godman, summarized 

 briefly the work of the B. O. U. and its members, and the wonderful recent 

 progress of ornithology. It was noted that in 1864, when the first volume 

 of the 'Zoological Record' was published, only " 120 papers on ornithology 

 were enumerated for the previous year, while on turning to that for 1907 

 there were no less than 1760, or fifteen times as many as there were thirty- 

 three [forty-three] years earlier." He also stated that in 1872 there were 

 only about 30,000 stuffed birds and bird-skins in the British Museum, while 

 now there are 500,000, or sixteen times as many as in 1872. "These two 

 instances," he added, "will give some idea of the progress ornithology has 

 made since the foundation of the British Ornithologists' Union." He 

 also referred to the leading contemporary journals of ornithology, as the 

 'Journal fiir Ornithologie,' begun by the German Ornithological Society 

 six years before 'The Ibis'; and adding: "Perhaps the Society next in 

 importance is the American Ornithologists' Union, with its quarterly 

 Journal ' The Auk,' a most valuable work chiefly devoted to the birds of its 

 own Continent." 



The President's address was followed by the reading of a "short history 

 of the Union" by Dr. P. L. Sclater, and some details of the ' Biographical 

 Notices' were given by Mr. A. H. Evans. These include sketches, mostly 

 short, of the twenty Founders, the principal contributors to the first series 

 of 'The Ibis,' and of the present officials of the Union, with portraits of each. 

 Then followed the presentation of medals to the four surviving original 

 members of the Union, namely, Dr. F. Du Cane Godman, Dr. P. L. Sclater, 

 Mr. W. H. Hudleston, and Mr. Percy Godman. 



The ' Proceedings ' of this memorable celebration have now been issued as 

 a special 'Jubilee Supplement' to 'The Ibis, 1 forming a volume of 272 pages, 

 illustrated with 40 portraits. This fascinating record consists: (1) Pro- 

 ceedings (pp. 1-18) ; (2) A Short History of the British Ornithologists' 

 Union (pp. 19-69) ; (3) Biographical Notices of the Original Members, the 



1 Ninth Series, Vol. II, 1909. Published March, 1909, pp. iv + 268, and 40 pll. 

 (portraits). 



