A.OA. Notes and News. [October 



Professor Baird's cabinet, now merged with the general collection, con- 

 sisted chiefly of specimens collected, prepared and labelled by himself and 

 his bi'other Wm. M. Baird, and its value is further enchanced by many of 

 Audubon's types, presented to Professor Baird by Mr. Audubon. All 

 American ornithologists will rejoice that Professor Baird has lived to see 

 so magnificent a collection grow from the comparatively small nucleus 

 which he formed, and with which must be connected in his memory many 

 pleasant associations ; and they all hope that he may live to witness the 

 steady development of what is now the best collection extant of North 

 American and West Indian birds into one without a rival in any feature. 

 As being, more than any other living person, entitled to the privilege, 

 specimens numbered 100,000 and 100,001 are entered as donations from 

 Professor Baird, to whom they were presented by Mr. Geo. N. Lawrence, 

 the oldest active American ornithologist. One of them, a Common 

 Crossbill, was shot by Mr. Lawrence in New York City in 1850, and the 

 other, a Flicker, on Long Island, in 1S62. 



At the meeting of the Ridgway Ornithological Club of Chicago, held 

 July 10, the following papers were read : 'Migration of Birds through 

 Brown Co., Wise, Spring of 1884,' by S. W. Willard, giving notes on 71 

 species; 'Oological Phenomena,' by B. T. Gault, noting variations in the 

 coloration of eggs of Swainson's Buzzard and other species : 'A day's 

 observations on the Birds of Start Co., Ind.', by G. F. Morcom and H. K. 

 Coale — notes on 77 species; 'Note on the Bi-onzed Grackle,' by H. L. 

 Fulton. Dr. Velie exhibited a black Red-tailed Hawk, shot at Jackson- 

 ville, 111., Dec, 1883. 



Mr. H. Nehrling of Pierce City, Mo., has begun the publication of a 

 series of articles on the birds of Texas, in 'Der Zoologische Garten,' en- 

 titled 'Texas und seine Ornis.' The articles will be reissued later in book 

 form, making a volume of about 350 pages. Mr. Nehrling is already well 

 known as a popular writer on American birds, in both the German and 

 English languages. 



In selecting English names for our North American birds two cases have 

 come before the A. O. U. Committee on Nomenclature and Classifica- 

 tions, on which they desire an expression of opinion from the readers 

 of 'The Auk.' These cases relate to the names Vireo and Greenlet, and 

 Junco and Snowbird. Responses indicating the writer's preference in re" 

 spect to these alternative names, may be sent to the editor of 'The Auk,' 

 and the name in each case having the greatest number of supporters will 

 be adopted for the species of birds to which these names are commonly 

 applied. Replies, to be available, must be i-eceived not later than Dec. 15, 

 1884, and the result of the ballot will be announced in the next (January) 

 issue of 'The Auk.' 



