iSgi-l Recent f.iferdtitrc. 3^5 



To slightly modify his words we might say that Jlesperorvi'si?, a Colym- 

 hoid bird of great size and prodigious swimming power, which, while 

 losing its wings and sternal keel and otherwise somewhat modifying its 

 shoulder-girdle as the faculty of flight degenerated, has retained in its 

 brain case, its palate (?), its mandibles, its vertebrje, its sternum, pelvis, 

 and hind limbs resemblances to existing Colymhi that clearly indicate 

 its affinities with these birds; and with these modifications we arc quite 

 in accord with Professor Thompson. — F. A. L. 



Townsend on the Birds of the Coast and Islands of Upper and Lower 

 California.* — The observations here recorded were made during a cruise 

 of tlie U. S. Fish Commission steamer ' Albatross' from San Francisco to 

 the Gulf of California, during the winter of 1888-S9. The collection of 

 birds gathered bv Mr. Townsend numbered 226 specimens, representing 

 92 species and subspecies, 11 of which are here described as new. The 

 islands at which collections were made are San Clemente, San Nicolas, 

 Santa Barbara, Santa Rosa, and Santa Cruz, off California, and Guade- 

 loupe, Cerros, Clarion, Socorro, San Benedicte. Carmen, George, and 

 Angel Guardia, off Lower California. The paper consists of thirteen 

 separate lists, representing as many distinct localities at which collections 

 were made, with a record of the specimens taken, but generally no further 

 remarks as to whether the species were common or otherwise. The fol- 

 lowing are described as new : (i) Speoiyto rostrafa, (2) Zefiatdura clari- 

 onensis, (3) Troglodyte!^ taniieri, (4) Piiffinus anricularis, all from 

 Clarion Island, off Lower California; (5) Oceanodroma socorroc7tsts, 

 from Socorro Island ; (6) Amfhispiza belli cinerea, from Ballaenas Bay, 

 Lower California ; (7) Octocoris alpestris. pallida, from near the mouth 

 of the Colorado River, Sonora ; (8) Melospiza fasciata gramitiea, from 

 Santa Barbara Island; (9) Hcliniiithophila celata sordida ; (10) Melos- 

 piza jasciata clemeut(r, and (11) Otocoi-is alpestris i/isularis, from San 

 Clemente Island. 



A single specimen of Halocyptez/a microsoma Coues was taken in Pan- 

 ama Bay, March, 18S8, forming the second known specimen of the spe- 

 cies. — J. A. A. 



Palmer on Birds observed during the Cruise of the ■ Grampus.' f— The 

 U. S. Fish Commission schooner ' Grampus,' on her summer cruise in 

 1887, visited the Magdalen Islands and Bird Rocks in the Gulf of St. 

 Lawrence, the Funk and Penguin Islands, the Mingan Islands, and 



* Birds from the Coasts of Western North America and adjacent Islands, collected 

 in 1888-89, with Descriptions of New Species. By Chas. H. Townsend. Proc. U. S. 

 Nat. Mus., Vol. XIII. 1890, pp. 131-142. 



t Notes on the Birds observed during the Cruise of the United States Fish Com- 

 mission Schooner Grampus in the Summer of 1887. liy William Palmer. Proc. U. S. 

 Nat. Mus., XI 11. 1890, pp. 249-265. 



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