401 Letters, E.v tracts, and Notes. 



the Editor of the ' Avicultural Magaziiie,' that Sir William 

 Inojram*'s expeinmeiit in attempting to preserve for posterity 

 one of the most beautifal of living creatures is worthy of our 

 hiffhest commendation. 



The Expedition of the B. 0. U. into Central Nero Guinea. — 

 Since we last wrote on this subject (above, p. 186) we are 

 glad to say that Mr. Walter Goodfellow, who, as we an- 

 nounced, had l)een compelled to give up the leadership of the 

 Ex[)edition in consequence of renewed attacks of severe fever, 

 has returned safely to England. Pie has nearly recovered his 

 health and was able to be present at the Meeting of the B.O. C. 

 on March 15th, where, we need hardly say, he met with a 

 very cordial reception. He has brought back with him the first 

 collection of bird-skins, altogether about 1000 in numl)er. 

 This collection, having been formed at a com])aratively low 

 level, could hardly be expected to contain many novelties. 

 ]5ut in it are several males and a single female of the magni- 

 ficent Xanttiomelus ardens^, and other specimens that when 

 examined will probably turn out to be new to science. 



Under its present commander the Expedition is making 

 good progress up the Iwaka River, which, it is positively stated, 

 draws its water from the snows of Mount Carstensz. A 

 strong and reliable reinforcement of carriers has been 

 made by the accession of forty Dyaks from Borneo^ under 

 the command of Mr. Bernard Kloss, Curator of the Kuala 

 Lampor Museum in the Federated JNIaiay States, who has 

 obtained four months' leave in order to join the Expedition. 



77ie Annual General Meeting of the B. O. U. — We are re- 

 quested to call attention to the approaching Annual 

 (ileneral Meeting of the Union, which has been fixed by the 

 Committee for Wednesday, May the 10th, and will be held 

 (by permission) in the Zoological Society^s OflTice, Regent's 

 Park, at 4.30 p.m. The usual dinner after the Meeting will 

 he held at 7 p.m., at Pagani's Restaurant, Great Portland 

 Street, in conjunction with that of the British Ornithologists' 

 Club. 



* See above, p. 353. 



