1SS4I Notes and Nexvs. 



403 



oniitholofvist is so situated as to attend to the subject, but some could 

 doubtless perform the work with little trouble, and the weight would add 

 much to the stock of knowledge. 



Weigh the fresh bird in the flesh wlien received, making due allowance 

 for the shot in the body; weigh the eggs when they are measured, noting 

 the fact of their freshness or embryonic condition, and weigh the nest 

 when it is ready for the show-case. 



The remarks on the subject oi xveight will apply equally to the students 

 of some other branches of natural history; to the mammalogist, the 

 herpetologist, the ichthyologist, and to the entomologist, in a part of 

 their work at least. 



Verj' respectfully, 



Somerset, Mass. Elisha Slade. 



[The weight of birds would certainly form an item of interest, and the 

 variation in this respect presented by a series of specimens of the same 

 species, taken at the same season, and also at different periods, would add 

 reallj' desirable information; but doubtless the variation, owing to the 

 condition of the specimen as regards fatness or leanness, would be so 

 great that weight would be found to have little diagnostic value. — Eds.] 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



Among the exhibits of the National Museum at the New Orleans Exhi- 

 bition will be a selected collection of mounted birds, with a series of 

 North American game birds, another of birds beneficial to agriculture, 

 and a third consisting of those known to be injurious, as the leading fea- 

 tures. In addition, there will be exhibited groups of the most charac- 

 teristic birds from each of the great zodgeographical divisions of the 

 earth, as Birds of Paradise, Pittas, and Lories, from New Guinea, 

 Apteryx from New Zealand, Toucans, Macaws, Tanagers and Cotingas 

 from South America, Pheasants from India, Plantain-eaters from Africa, 

 etc., etc. The collection is now being prepared under Mr. Ridgway's 

 direction and will be aranged for exhibition by Dr. Stejneger. 



The bird-collection of the National Museum has increased from 93,091 

 at the end of 1SS3 to 100,126 up to Oct. 7, 18S4, 7035 specimens having 

 thus been added since January i. It may be of interest to the readers of 

 'The Auk' to know that the enumeration of the bird record was begun 

 with 3696 specimens forming Professor Baird's private collection, his 

 catalogue, written in his own hand, forming Volume I of the Museum 

 Register of birds, which now comprises iS volumes, containing a full 

 record of the immense collection built upon Professor Baird's donation. 



