Notes atid JVezvs 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



Dr. Joseph B. Holder, one of the Founders of the A. O. U., died sud- 

 denly of apoplexy, Feb. 28, 1888, at his residence in New York City, at the 

 age of sixty-four years. Dr. Holder was born in Lj'nn, Mass., and was a 

 graduate of the Harvard Medical School. In 1846 he published a 'Catalogue 

 of the Birds Noticed in the Vicinity of Lynn, Mass., during the years 1844- 

 '5-'6,' the paper forming 'No. i' of the 'Publications of the Lynn Natural 

 History Society." During subsequent years he published occasional 

 observations on birds. His last formal ornithological paper, on 'The 

 Flight of Bircis,' was read before the New York Academy of Sciences, Dec. 

 19, 1S87, and is now in press in the 'Transactions' of the Academy. Dr. 

 Holder was more especially interested in invertebrate zoology. Through 

 the influence of Professors Agassiz and Baird, he was appointed, in 1859, 

 a surgeon in the United States Army, and assigned to duty at the Dry 

 Tortugas, where he spent several years making, in addition to performing 

 his official duties, valuable collections and observations in natural history. 

 During the War of the Rebellion he was assigned to staff duty, and held 

 important positions. In 1870 he became connected with the American 

 Museum of Natural History in New York City, and from this date till 1885 

 was the chief assistant in charge of the collections, those of geology and 

 conchology excepted. His charge thus not only included the large collec- 

 tions of mammals and birds, which he arranged and cared for, but also the 

 fishes, reptiles, insects, and invertebrates generally. He remained in charge 

 of these collections, mammals and birds excepted, until his death. He was 

 a frequent contributor of popular articles on natural history to various 

 magazines and papers, and published a number of original papers on his 

 special subjects of study. His death will be a severe loss to the Museum 

 with which he was so long connected, and will be deeply felt by the wide 

 circle of friends to whom he had endeared himself by his genial qualities 

 of heart and mind. He leaves a widow and son, the latter, Mr. C. F. 

 Holder, a well-known popular writer of works on natural history. 



Professor Charles Linden, of Buffalo, N. Y., an Associate Member 

 of the A. O. U., died at Buffalo, Feb. 3, 1888, at the age of fifty-six years. 

 For many years Professor Linden was employed as Custodian of the Buf- 

 falo Society of Natural Historj', and as a teacher of natural history in the 

 High School of that city, where he organized the 'Field Club,' of which 

 he was the leader. Born in Breslau, Germany, where he was educated, he 

 came in earl}' life to this country, and for a time was ''a sailor on the 

 lakes." He was an ardent lover of nature, and his zeal as a teacher and 

 explorer inspired in his pupils a kindred enthusiasm. During his vaca- 

 tions he made numerous protracted collecting expeditions, visiting the 

 Everglades of Florida, the West Indies, Brazil, and Labrador, making 

 repeated trips to the Chaleur Bay Region, mainly in the interest of the 

 Buffalo Societv of Natural Historv, whose collections he greatly enriched. 



