I 96 Sctentific Socteties. [April 
six have eight pairs. Of these six four have the extra pair of costal articu_ 
lations at the posterior end of the series while only two have the additional 
pair at the anterior extremity of the sternum. So it would seem that the 
chances of finding an extra pair of ribs connected with the sternum at 
the posterior end of the series are twice as great as of finding an extra 
pair so attached to the anterior portion of the sternum. 
A portion of the definition of the super-family MWicropodo¢dea was acci- 
dentally omitted from my paper in the January Auk. This is, that of the 
six pairs of ribs all, save the first, articulate with the margin of the ster- 
num proper and not with the costal process. This seems to be a rather 
important character, as among the highly specialized Passeres the ribs 
articulate exclusively with the costal process, while in more generalized 
forms, such as the water birds, the ribs articulate with the costal margin 
of the sternum.—F. A. Lucas, Washington, D. C. 
SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. 
Linnzan Society of New York. 
THE Society has issued no regular publications since August, 1884, 
when Vol. II of the ‘Transactions’ was published. Many papers read 
before the Society have been printed in ‘The Auk,’ ‘Forest and Stream, 
and elsewhere. The following is a résumé of the Proceedings for the 
official year 1888-89. 
April 13, 1888.—Mr. Frank M. Chapman, Vice-President, in the chair. 
Mr. L. S. Foster presented a paper giving a chronological sketch of the 
life of John James Audubon. 
Mr. William Dutcher reported the capture of a Wilson’s Plover (#g7al- 
ztis wilsonta) several years ago on Long Island. He read a letter from 
Mr. George Lane, an intelligent and observant gunner from the same 
locality, stating that about two weeks ago he had seen a bunch of these 
birds bound east. 
Mr. Chapman spoke of the immense size of the flocks of Shore-birds 
seen on the west coast of Florida, particularly one of Knots (7rimga 
canutus), which were very tame. 
A number of specimens of Shore-birds were exhibited by Mr. Jonathan 
Dwight, Jr. 
May, 11, 1888.—Mr. Newbold T. Lawrence, Treasurer, in the chair. 
An invitation was received from the Linnean Society of London to 
attend its centennary the present month. 
Mr. L S. Foster read ‘Notes upon the migrating birds of the spring 
of 1888 as observed near Van Cortlandt, N. Y., and at Woodside, Long 
Island.’ 
