336 Scientific News. [ May, 
archeological subjects, his powers of exposition are well known. 
His death is a serious blow to American science. All will deplore 
his loss; his memory will be cherished by his fellow-students and 
associates who knew him best and appreciated his moral worth 
and his intellectual and scientific attainments. 
— Dr. Charles Pickering died in Boston March 18..He was born 
in Susquehanna Co., Pennsylvania, Nov. 10, 1805. He was a grad- 
uate of Harvard, in the class of 1823, and of the Medical Col- 
lege in 1826. He was a member of the American Academy of 
Arts and Sciences, and of the American Philosophical Society; 
was the Naturalist of the U. S. Exploring Expedition under 
Commodore Wilkes in 1838-1842; practiced medicine in Phila- 
delphia for several years, and afterwards removed to Boston. 
Besides his report of the Exploring Expedition he was the 
author of several valuable scientific publications. 
The exploring expedition returned, leaving certain countries 
that required to be visited to complete the survey of the globe. 
Accordingly, after remaining a little over a year at Washington, 
Dr. Pickering set out alone in 1843 for Malta, Egypt, down the 
Red sea to Zanzibar, and thence to Bombay, returning after an 
absence of twenty-two months. He then prepared and published 
his work on The Races of Man and their Geographical Dis- 
tribution. 
= Robert Swinhoe, well known as a writer on East Indian 
ornithology, etc., died in London, October 28, 1877, at the age 
of 41 years. 
Francois Vincent Raspail, the French botanist, well known for 
his studies on the grasses, and his Nouveau Système de Physiologie 
Végétale et de Botanique, died near Paris, January 6th, aged 87 
years. 
John J. Monteiro, the author of Angola and the River Congo, 
which we noticed in the last number of this journal, lately died 
at Delagoa bay. 
— I inadvertently, in your January number, gave credence to 
the statement of Pouchet, the Curator of the Museum at Rouen, 
in regard to certain changes alleged to have taken place in the 
nests of the house martin (Chelidon urbica); I had repeatedly 
seen the statement and was unaware that its correctness had ever 
_ been challenged. I learn from my friend, Prof. Newton, that 
there is nothing in the alleged progress in nest-building om the 
part of the martin whatever. The nest that is so well built 1 
that of the sea mow (Hirundo rustica), while that of the martin 
continues unimproved. This matter was set right some years 
ago in the Zodlogical Record, but seems to have escaped notice, 
as the wonderful story of M. Pouchet still goes on its rounds — 
unchallenged.— T. M. Brewer. 
