176 Staten Island Association of Arts and Sciences 



brightly colored Orchelimum in our vicinity. Other specimens 

 of the same genus, including 0. erythrocephalum, were also 

 exhibited. 



Mr. James Chapin showed a skin of Brunnich's murre, Uria 

 lomvia, which was killed off Great Kills, Staten Island, in the 

 Lower New York Bay, about December 27, 1908, by Mr. Charles 

 Schapp, and commented on the irregularities of the southward 

 migration of this bird. The last important migration was in the 

 winter of 1899-1900, when it was reported to have gone as far 

 south as Virginia. In the fall of 1899 several of these birds were 

 killed in the Lower Bay by Mr. Melville Decker. This year there 

 is apparently a similar abundance of Brunnich's murres in New 

 York Bay, for one was seen off the Battery, by Mr. Chapin, on 

 December 25, 1908, and on the same day 'about ten birds answer- 

 ing to this description were observed by Mr. Rogers in the Lower 

 Bay and near Sandy Hook. Mr. Chapin also announced that he 

 had found five skulls of Blarina parva in about fourteen owl 

 pellets, found at Green Ridge, Staten Island, on May 13, 1908. 



Mr. Pollard announced that he hoped soon to have Dr. L. O. 

 Howard as a guest of the Association. He remarked on a recent 

 lecture in Brooklyn by Prof. Edward B. Poulton on mimicry. 



This was followed by a discussion on mimicry and protective 

 coloration. 



February 13, 1909 



The meeting was held in the museum. 



Messrs. George Franck and George P. Engelhardt were present 

 as guests. 



Mr. C. L. Pollard stated that he had attended the Darwin Cen- 

 tenary exercises at the American Museum of Natural History, 

 on February 12, and suggested that each member attend the 

 exhibition, which would continue until March 12. 



Mr. George Franck read a paper on " The Influence of Climate 

 in Producing Aberrations in Lepidoptera " (published in full in 

 this issue, p. 151). 



A general discussion ensued on the subject of variation and 

 sex determination. 



