88 West A^nerican Scientist. 



The Road-runner Again. — We are informed that Andrew 

 Farley, San Diego, has seen a road-runner corral a rattle-snake, 

 and has also observed the bird while dropping pieces of cacti on 

 the snake's head. Science Series gives an account in a recent 

 issue of the war carried on between these animals. 



The Agassiz Association. — Some time ago. Prof. H H. 

 Ballard, president of the Agassiz Association, requested our 

 assistance in organizing branches in Southern California, and, if 

 possible, to form a state assembly. We hoped to have brought 

 the subject before the teachers' institute of San Diego County, 

 but absence from the city at the time of its meeting prevented. 

 We re-produce in this number extracts from the history of this 

 association given in the initial number of the Swiss Cross, its new 

 official organ. For further details we would advise those inter- 

 ested (and we trust there are many), to send for the hand-book of 

 the association, the purchase of which is the only expense to be 

 incurred by new chapters joining the society. This little book 

 (price 54 cents) gives a great amount of information and valuable 

 hincs about collecting, making cabinets, etc., and is invaluable to 

 the young student of nature. We hope this may result in the 

 formation of many chapters of this useful institution, after which 

 an assembly may be proposed. 



Our Contributors. — We wish to introduce to our readers 

 some of those who have, and who have promised to contribute to 

 these pages. 



On botany, the well known Dr. C. C. Parry, of Davenport, 

 Iowa, was our first; then D. Cleveland, Esq., the earliest resident 

 botanist of San Diego; Prof. E. L. Greene, of the University of 

 California; Dr. Geo. Vasey, botanist of the U. S. Dept. of Agri- 

 culture at Washington. 



On entomology and ornithology, Frank E. Blaisdell and L.. 

 Belding. 



On zoology. Prof. Josiah Keep, author of the charming 

 'Common Seashells of Cahfornia'; Prof. Geo. R. Kleeberger, 

 Prof. Carl C Marshall, Miss F. E. Fish, Miss Rosa Smith (on 

 icthyology), and various others. 



Mrs. Z. R. Cronyn, A. M., one of Agassiz's students, was 

 among our earlier contributors; Geo. F. Kunz, the well known 

 authority on minerals and gems, has promised to keep us posted 

 in the news of his department; W. S. Lyon, of Los Angeles, 

 may be expected to contribute in the future; Ira J. Gray gives us 

 his views and experiences ; poetry by Mrs. C. K. Smith and Mrs. 

 Z. R. Cronyn has appeared, and the pen of 'E. E.' will continue 

 to furnish her latest poems. 



We invite all to contribute to our pages and ask for the univer- 

 sal support of the naturalists of West America in our endeavor to 

 produce a journal worthy of their activity in the cause of science. 



