NOTES AND QUERIES. 347 



to suggest to their respective governments as follows : — a. The arrange- 

 ment, so far as may be possible, of ornithological observation stations. 

 h. The granting of money to carry on the business of the stations and for 

 the publication of the annual record of their observations of birds ; also to 

 appoint local committees in their various States to be under the general 

 direction of the president of the international committee. 



"4. To request the committees to work after a common plan, as 

 follows : — a. The ornithological observations will be spread over tlie entire 

 inhabited globe, but in their first lines {in erster linie) ■will be attempted in 

 Europe, b. The observations will be made, so far as possible, on one plan, 

 for which the Austro-Hungarian and German will serve as a basis, c. Upon 

 this basis (see the German and Austro-Hungarian reports) the communi- 

 cations coming in from the different States are to be worked up and 

 systematically arranged, if possible, with the same system of nomenclature, 

 and always with the same scientific names, d. A check-list of the native 

 birds of each country is to be kept after the plan .of that made for Austro- 

 Hungary by E. von Homcyer and von Tschusi, the particular local names 

 being added, e. Every effort should be made to enlist the interest in the 

 observations of academies, natural-history societies, museums, &c. ; also 

 consulates, Catholic and Protestant missions, meteorological stations, 

 journals of natural science, teachers, foresters, inspectors of lighthouses, 

 &c. /. If skilful observers are at hand drawings should be made of all 

 species of birds. Where this cannot be done it is to be left to the 

 discretion of the committees to name some species well known to all lovers 

 of Nature for special examination, g. It would be desirable at the same 

 time to note anything unusual in the animal and vegetable kingdoms; also 

 the meteorological phenomena, 



"5. In the international committee each country is to be represented 

 by one or more delegates, according to its size and importance. The com- 

 mittee has the right to appoint representatives to serve for those countries 

 not represented in this Congress." 



FISHES. 



Blackfish on the Devonshire Coast.— On the 20th June last four 

 specimens of that scarce fish on the British coast, Pompihis centrolophus, 

 were caught in a net off Penlee Point, at the entrance of Cawsand Bay, not 

 far from Plymouth. The head in this species is small, and its body of 

 graceful form, much resembling that of a salmon-peal ; back and fins very 

 dark, its general colour purplish black or dull neutral tint, shading lighter 

 towards the belly, a silvery sheen showing, as it were, through the more 

 sombre tint ; the iris white, contrasting finely with the dark head and face. 

 When dry the scales of these fish appeared to be marked with a small light 

 oblong spot, forming rows of stripes both above and belOw the lateral line. 



