282 Notes and News. [July 
labors, if not alone the results, but also the methods by which they were 
reached, were given to the the public. To the ornithologist of today, this 
is perhaps of minor importance. Still he may desire to know why certain 
proposed races or species were rejected, while the ornithologist of the 
future, unaware of the facts which have influenced each decision, may 
desire to judge for himself, and the non-appearance of any data which 
have governed this committee in its examinations, causing them to ignore 
certain proposed changes and alter or adopt others, will, to say the least, 
be to him somewhat confusing. Would it not be well, therefore, if in 
addition to its report, this committee also publish an abstract of its pro- 
ceedings, either as an appendix, as a special paper in this magazine, or 
in such other manner as it may deem best? 
Very respectfully, 
FRANK M. CHAPMAN. 
Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., New York City. 
NOTES AND NEWS. 
Dr. JEROME HENRY KiIDDER, one of the original members of the A. O. 
U., died in Washington, D. C., on April 8, in his forty-ninth year, 
after a short illness from pneumonia. Dr. Kidder was honored with a 
membership in the A. O. U. for his very creditable ornithological 
work in connection with the Transit of Venus Expedition to Kerguelen 
Island in 1874, to which he acted as surgeon and naturalist. His 
report, prepared in conjunction with Dr. Coues, was published in 1876, 
as Bulletin No. 3 of the U. S. National Museum, and entitled ‘Con- 
tributions to the Natural History of Kerguelen Island,’ and ‘A Study of 
Chionts minor with reference to its Structure and Systematic Position : 
Dr. Kidder was graduated at Harvard College in 1862, and from this date 
till 1883 was in the military and naval service of the United States, first 
as a military cadet in the hospitals near Baltimore during the War of the 
Rebellion, and later as assistant surgeon and surgeon in the U. S. Navy. 
In 1883 he resigned his commission for special service with the U. S. Fish 
Commission under Professor Baird. Later he was made Assistant Com- 
missioner under Professor Goode, but soon after resigned to accept an 
important position in the Smithsonian Institution. In later years his 
special line of professional work was in the direction of sanitation and 
hygiene, in which he made many important researches. About a 
year before his death he sent in his resignation as a member of the 
A. O. U., on the very conscientious ground that as he was no longer do- 
ing work in ornithology he felt it was not right for him to hold a position 
of honor to which others were.so much better entitled. Personally Dr. 
Kidder was a great favorite with his social and scientific associates, to 
whom his sudden death was a great shock. 
