964 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXII. No. 835 



ing) suddenly disappeared, apparently cross- 

 ing the valley to that range. Lack of facili- 

 ties and nnespectedly hasty abandonment of 

 the camp unfortunately prevented preserva- 

 tion of skins of the birds. 



The Sonora pigeon (at least the bird ob- 

 served at Tinajas Altas) differs so widely as 

 to be readily distinguishable from the mourn- 

 ing dove in size, in form and relative length 

 of tail, in mode of flight, in greater glossiness 

 of plumage, in the rufous breast and sheeny 

 neck and the absence of the dark spot on the 

 side of the neck, in color of legs and feet and 

 in color of skin and flesh; and it differs from 

 the band-tail pigeon (well-known, e. g., in 

 Kern Eiver Valley, California, where it was 

 seen ingeniously snared by Indians) in more 

 graceful slendemess of body, in mode of flight, 

 in color, in trim and compact feet, red instead 

 of yellowish, and especially in the elongated 

 and mobile tail; and there seem to be no 

 other southwestern forms with which it could 

 be confounded. W J McGee 



Washington, D. C, 

 December 13, 1910 



SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS AND ARTICLES 



Owing to the recent death of Dr. Christian 

 A. Herter, editor in chief, inquiries have been 

 made regarding the future of the Journal of 

 Biological Chemistry. It is therefore proper 

 that those who have been interested in the 

 journal should be assured of its continuance 

 in its present form. A statement of certain 

 circumstances connected with, the foundation 

 of the journal will give this assurance. In 

 order that it should not become wholly de- 

 pendent upon one individual. Dr. Christian A. 

 Herter, one of its founders, invited four 

 others to join with him in the formation of a 

 corporation, which should have as its sole pur- 

 pose the creation, conduct and continuation of 

 the journal. The corporation will now assume 

 fiill charge of the journal and continue the 

 publication without interruption. It is the 

 purpose of the remaining members of the cor- 

 poration to adhere to the traditions estab- 

 lished by Dr. Herter. The loss of Dr. Herter 



from the management of the journal neces- 

 sitates some reorganization of the editorial 

 staff. This will be undertaken in the imme- 

 diate future by the corporation. The ofiice 

 of the journal will continue to be at 819 

 Madison Avenue, New York, N. T. Manu- 

 scripts may be sent to this address, or to 

 Prof. A. N". Richards, University of Pennsyl- 

 vania, Medical Department, Philadelphia, Pa. 

 The contents of Terrestrial Magnetism and 

 Atmospheric Electricity for December, 1910, 

 are as follows: Portrait of Robert Were 

 Pox; "Proceedings of the Berlin Meeting of 

 the Commission on the Magnetic Survey of a 

 Parallel of the International Association of 

 Academies," by Adolf Schmidt ; " Proceedings 

 of the Berlin Meeting of the Commission on 

 Terrestrial Magnetism and Atmospheric Elec- 

 tricity of the International Meteorological 

 Committee," by Adolf Schmidt; "The "Work 

 of the Magnetic Commission of the Interna- 

 tional Meteorological Committee, 1896-1910," 

 Editorial Review ; " Life and "Work of Robert 

 Were Eos, 1789-1877," by L. A. Bauer; "On 

 Precursors of Magnetic Storms," by R. L. 

 Paris ; " Record of Lightning Stroke at 

 Cheltenham Magnetic Observatory," by R. L. 

 Earis ; " The Physical Theory of the Earth's 

 Magnetic and Electric Phenomena, No. II.," 

 by L. A. Bauer; Letters to Editor and 

 Reviews. 



BOTANICAL NOTES 



A MUCH NEEDED BOOK 



Every botanist who has had to help stu- 

 dents who wish to know something as to the 

 names and classification of the commonly 

 grown shrubs in private and public grounds 

 has felt the need of a book of moderate size 

 and cost which deals with these plants. Even 

 Dr. Gray felt this need, and more than forty- 

 seven years ago he brought together a " Gar- 

 den Botany " supplement to the fourth edition 

 of his " Manual." A little later he compiled 

 the " Field, Eorest and Garden Botany," 

 which in spite of its imperfections was very 

 useful to the young botanists of that period, 

 as is the now out-of-date second edition of 

 the same book. When Professor Bailey 



