Vol- XVl ,17- . J ,r 



1 898 1 J Notes a tin News. 207 



University of Chicago, and was on a visit to his native land for recupera- 

 tion and study. Dr. Baur is well known for his researches on various 

 groups of recent and fossil reptiles, and in his special lines was an author- 

 ity of high standing. His ornithological work was mainly incidental to 

 other lines of research. His name, however, will ever be associated with 

 the fauna of the Galapagos Archipelago, not only through his exploration 

 of its reptilian life but of its bird life as well. His extensive ornithological 

 collections made there in 1892, in conjunction with the late Mr. Charles 

 F. Adams, formed the principal basis of Mr. Ridgway's recent ' Birds of 

 the Galapagos Archipelago ' to which Dr. Baur has contributed some fur- 

 ther information and criticism (see Auk, XV, 1898, p. 207). He has 

 also written various papers on the origin of the Galapagos Archipelago 

 and its fauna. 



Mr. and Mrs. Herbert H. Smith, well known as expert natural 

 history collectors through their labors in Brazil, the West Indies, and 

 Mexico, are now in northern Colombia, with several assistants, working 

 under the joint auspices of the Carnegie Museum of Pittsburgh, Pa., and 

 the American Museum of Natural History of New York City. Mr. Smith 

 and his party will give special attention to insects, birds, and mammals, 

 and w^ill probably remain for a long time in the field, visiting other por- 

 tions of northern South America after completing their work in Colombia. 



Messrs. Outram and E. A. Bangs have also an experienced collec- 

 tor, Mr. W. W. Brown, Jr., in the Santa Marta region of Colombia, from 

 whom they have recently received considerable consignments of birds 

 and mammals, preliminary notices of wiiich have already begun to 

 appear. 



Mr. George K. Cherrie, well known to readers of 'The Auk,' for 

 his successful work in Costa Rica and San Domingo, has been for some 

 months engaged collecting birds and other specimens for the Hon. 

 Walter Rothschild for the-Tring Museum, in the Orinoco districts of 

 Venezuela, where also the brothers Samuel N. and Edward Klages, of 

 Crafton, Pa., have recently established themselves for natural historv 

 exploration, partly under the auspices of the American Museum of Natu- 

 ral History. While they will give their attention primarily to insects, a 

 portion of their time will be devoted to birds and mammals. 



The Hon. Walter Rothschild has recently announced the success- 

 ful return of the Frank Blake Webster expedition from the Galapagos 

 Islands, sent out at Mr. Rothschild's suggestion. He states (Bull. Br. 

 Orn. Club, No. LIV, p. li) that "the collection is the largest and finest 

 yet made in that group. The collectors stayed one day at Clarion Island 

 and procured 85 birds, among which was a fine series of the new Sula 

 [Sula %vebsteri'\ described hereafter. Of the 105 species enumerated by 



