NOTES. 63 
The mining volume of the reports on the survey of the 40th 
parallel, by Messrs. Clarence King and I. T. Gardner, is in press 
and will be the most thorough and valuable work on the mines of 
precious metals ever published in America. The report of the 
ornithologist, Mr. Robert Ridgeway, is already completed in manu- 
script, and will contain a valuable series of most minute and care- 
ful observations on the habits, distribution and variations of the 
birds of the Rocky Mountain Region. These reports when finished 
will be a record of by far the most thorough geodetic survey ever 
carried through on this continent. Mr. King is now busy on the 
geology, etc., at New Haven, having returned from a series of 
mountain measurements which have engaged his attention during 
the summer. 
The scientists who have accompanied the San Domingo Commis- 
sion, are Prof. Wm. P. Blake, principal mineralogist and geologist, 
and two assistants, one from Yale and one from Harvard; Dr. 
Parry, botanist, with an assistant from the Cambridge Scientific 
= School; Prof. Newcombe of Cornell University, general naturalist ; 
Prof. Ward, University of Rochester, assistant geologist ;- Hon. 
George Geddes, ex-President of New York State Agricultural 
Society, and State Engineer, in the agricultural interest. 
The California Academy of Science appeals to the public for aid 
in erecting a building for its museum and library. The liberal 
minded citizens of San Francisco may remember that while aiding 
in the advance of science in their own community, scientists else- 
where will largely benefit from a generous endowment of this so- 
ciety, which has already done so much in developing a knowledge 
of the natural and physical history of the Pacific slope of our con- 
tinent. 
The lovers of Botany in Camden, N. J., have instituted “a Bo- 
tanical Circle,” and publish in the local press interesting accounts 
of their meetings, which are ħeld monthly. Mr. F. Bourquin has 
detected two rare mosses, Diphyscium foliosum and Buxbaumia 
aphylla, at Camden. The latter has also been found at Camden by 
Miss C; A. Boice. © ` 
Capt. Hall is quietly organizing his Polar expedition, and has 
abundant sympathy from the President and others in his work. 
Gen. Sherman has been appointed one of the Regents of the 
Smithsonian Institution in place of Gen. Delafield, resigned. 
