NOTES AND QUERIES. 227 
The sail down the Assiniboine is very grand; woods on both 
sides resound with the songs of myriads of birds of different 
kinds. I only fired two shots down the river and secured two 
beautiful Kingfishers (Ceryle aleyon). They are a little larger 
than our Green Woodpecker, and about the same shape. I saw 
some Sandpipers very like our common Sandpiper [doubtless the 
Spotted Sandpiper, 7’. macularws]. Birds are beginning to flock, 
and in a few weeks the migration south will commence. 
(To be continued.) 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 
The Zoology of Central Asia.— The latest news from Col. Prjevalsky 
is contained in a letter dated Lob Nor, February 10th, from which the 
following is an extract :—‘‘ A year and a half have quickly passed since our 
departure from St. Petersburg, in which time we have accomplished two- 
thirds of our expedition. We have traversed 5200 versts of Central Asia, 
and successfully explored hitherto unknown regions. From a geographical 
point of view the results have been excellent, and, although less satisfactory, 
the additions to Natural History are not inconsiderable. The poorest col- 
lection is that of birds—1000 specimens, of which only one is new; this is 
a kind of Finch, Leucosticte Robowosky, with red plumage. We have been 
more fortunate in quadrupeds, having obtained 33 specimens of Ursus 
lagomyiarius (?), of various sizes; and among the novelties are four animals 
of the cat tribe; two lynxes; a new deer, Capreolus magnus; a wild sheep; 
an antelope, Antelope Cuvieri; and several probably new types of Lepus 
and Lagomys. The number of fish and aquatic animals is also considerable. 
We have passed the autumn and winter in the western regions of Zaidan 
and Northern Thibet, where we made many geographical discoveries. We 
arrived at Lob Nor yesterday (Feb. 9th), and shall pass the month of 
February here, observing the migration of birds. In March we shall start 
for the town of JXirta, where our collections, loaded on ten camels, remain ; 
while we are to pass the summer in the mountains of Northern ‘Thibet, 
with the intention of re-entering Turkestan in the autumn. We have 
heard no news from pee for twelve months, and have not seen a human 
being for three months.” 
The Marine Biological Station. — On the evening of May 13th Prof. 
Ray Lankester gave a lecture before the Society of Arts, John Street, 
Adelphi, on ‘‘ The Value of a Marine Laboratory as a Means of Improving 
Sea Fisheries.” Mr. E. L. Beckwith, Prime Warden of the Fishmongers’ 
Company, presided.—The chairman stated that the daily supply of fish to 
