54 THE NIDOLOGIST 
Central America to the Galapagos, to the West Coast 
of Mexico, and in the Gulf of California, in charge of 
Alexander Agassiz, carried on by the United States 
Fish Commission Steamer 4Jlbatvoss, during 1891, 
Lieutenant Commander Z. L. Tanner, U. S. N., 
Commanding.” Ornithologically speaking, not a lit- 
tle interest attaches to Cocos Island, and previous to 
the time of the Albatross calling there on the 28th of 
February, 1891, nothing was known of its birds be- 
yond the fact that the peculiar Cuckoo described as 
Coccyzus ferrugineus, by Gould, was a representative 
of probably its non-abundant Ornis. A specimen of 
this form in 1840 was obtained by one of the collectors 
on board of H. M.S. Sud/phur, during her voyage in 
those seas. Mr. Townsend tells us that “Cocos 
Island is about 275 miles distant from Costa Rica, in 
latitude five degrees, thirty-two minutes, fifty-seven 
seconds N., longitude eighty-seven degrees, two min- 
utes, ten, seconds W. It occupies a position nearly 
midway between the mainland and the islands of the 
Galapagos group, and with the exception of Malpelo 
Island, an inaccessible barren rock off the Gulf of 
Panama, is the only connecting point of land. Like 
the Galapagos Islands, it is of volcanic origin, and 
has received its peculiar animal and vegetable forms 
from the mainland. The American origin of the 
forms of life upon the Galapagos Islands was demon- 
strated by Darwin, who made researches there more 
than halfa century ago. It appears from a study of 
the birds alone that Cocos Island is similarly a satel- 
lite of America, with the added interest of being a 
stepping-stone to the group of islands beyond it, some 
of whose Ornithological features it bears.” We all 
remember the interest Darwin took in the av7fauna of 
the Galapagos Islands, and how well he pointed out 
the extraordinary variations existing among its bird 
forms It has been found difficult to separate them 
specifically, and in this matter the birds collected by 
the Albatross have only served to show that the inti- 
macy is even closer than wasat first supposed. No- 
where in the world is the gradual intergradation of 
bird forms more striking than it is upon the Galapagos 
Islands; and, as we all know, a great deal of decided 
interest has been written upon this important subject. 
A thorough search for birds on Cocos Island unfor- 
tunately could not be made by the 4/éatross, especially 
in the more elevated central part of the island, but 
the three additional genera (and species) of land birds 
collected convinced Mr. Townsend of the ornitho- 
logical relationship between it and the Galapagos. 
‘The island is about four miles long by three wide, 
its central part having an elevation of about 1,700 
feet. It iseverywhere covered with the densest forest. 
Cocoanut trees are found upon the higher slopes, and 
tree ferns abound in the ravines. No tropical forest 
could be more dense and tangled. The rainfall is, 
doubtless, great, as each ravine contains a dashing 
stream. It is a garden spot in comparison with the 
arid Galapagos Islands.” Two specimens of Dendroica 
aureola were obtained, as well as the new genus Co- 
cornis, represented by the new species C. agassizi. 
This bird is fully described and figured in colors ona 
plate. This has likewise been done in the case of 
Nesotriccus rvidgwayi, still another new genus and 
species. Two specimens of Coceyzus ferrugineus were 
taken; and among the water birds, four specimens 
of Anous stolidus. A specimen of Szla was also 
found to be abundant, but was not identified. At 
Malpelo Island four specimens of Creagrus furcatus 
were taken, and Mr. Townsend briefly presents the 
history of this very rare Gull. 
Upon this voyage quite a number of Petrels were 
obtained at sea; these are tersely described in this re- 
port, and are referred to Oceanodroma cryptoleucuera, 
O. melania, Halocyplena microsoma, Procellaria tethys, 
and Puffinus tenebrosus. R. W. S. 
Bulletin of the British Ornithologists Club. 
Through the courtesy of Mr. Howard Saunders, F.Z.S., 
I have received Bulletin No. XXIX of this very 
active organization, as well as a copy of the Chair- 
man’s Address on Opening the Fourth Session of the 
Club in 1895. The issue of the Azdletin now under 
consideration appeared October 31, 1895, or eight 
days after the Club’s twenty-eighth meeting, which 
took place at Restaurant Frascati, 32 Oxford Street, 
London. Dr. P. L. Sclater, F.R.S., was chairman on 
the occasion, and a number of distinguished members 
and visitors were present, including Sir William 
Flower, Sir Henry Howorth, Dr. R. Bowdler Sharpe 
(Editor of the Club), Mr. Henry Seebohm, Mr. How- 
ward Saunders (Treasurer of the Club), Messrs. W. B. 
Tegetmeier, W.R. Ogilvie Grant, Captain Shelley, and 
others. The financial condition of the society isin a 
very satisfactory state, and Dr. Sclater gave his an- 
nual address, which is separately printed, and will be 
noticed further on. Some very interesting Ornitho- 
logical papers were discussed at this meeting, and Mr. 
W. R. Ogilvie Grant exhibited specimens of some new 
species of birds sent by Mr. John Whitehead from the 
Philippines, and also described a new Proparus from 
Manipur and the Naga Hills, which he proposed to 
call P. azstent. Captain Shelley described three new 
species of African Barbets, and Mr Henry Seebohm 
anew species of Eagle-Owl from Sidemi, in the Ussuri 
Country, East Siberia. This species he proposed to 
call Budo doerriest. Inter2sting remarks were made 
by Dr. Sharpe on the type specimen of Azadyornis 
woodwardt from Natal, which he was convinced was 
only an example of Sy/via simplex in greenish plum- 
age. An important paper was read by Mr. H. J. Pear- 
son on the Ornithological results of his 1895 expedition 
to Kolgney and Novaya Zemlya, and this account 
will be continued at the next meet of the Club, which 
will be on the 20th of November, 1895, at the same 
place. On that occasion, too, Mr. Howard Saunders, 
one of the Delegates to the International Congress 
held in Paris for the Protection of Birds useful to 
Agriculture, will give some account of the proceed- 
ings; and his colleague, Sir Herbert Maxwell, Bart., 
M. P., will be present as a visitor. Dr. Sclater, in his 
address as Chairman, first invited attention to the 
losses Ornithology has sustained by death of British 
workers. Chief among these stood Henry Thorton 
Wharton, who was the active and efficient Secretary 
of the Committee for the preparation of the B. O. U. 
List of British Birds, published in 1883, and he was 
General Editor of that work. Attention was also 
called to the deaths of Lieutenant Henry E. Barnes, 
F.Z.S.; and to Ernst Baumann. ‘‘ Baumann was a 
young and energetic collector, who had worked hard 
at the birds of the German Colony of Togoland, on 
the West Coast of Africa, and had added upward of 
one hundred species to its avifawuna.” Continuing, 
Dr. Sclater said that he thought the year 1896 would 
see the completion of the British Museum catalogue 
of birds; he also pointed out the great works that 
were soon to appear, referring to Count Salvadori’s 
volume on the Anseres, Tizamz, and other lower avian 
orders; to the joint volume of Mr. Saunders (on the 
Laride) and Mr. Salvin (on the Yudinares); to Dr. 
Sharps’s work on the Waders, which is nearly com- 
pleted; and to the catalogue on the Divers, Pelicans, 
Cormorants, and Herons, by the same distinguished 
Ornithologist. Mention was also made of Captain 
Shelley’s magnificent and complete Catalogue of Afri- 
can Birds now passing through the press, and ‘‘I may 
