1872.] 229 [Trippe. 
suggested by former observers; to which Mr. Putnam replied 
that he did not lay claim to any discovery regarding that 
point, as he well knew for a long time archeologists had 
been impressed in a general way with the great resemblance 
between the ancient races of America, but that he only 
wished to call attention to the fact that the two types of skulls 
were found in the several localities, which, taken in connec- 
tion with the carvings and pottery, would indicate that such 
a unity of this early race was probable, though he well knew 
how little dependence could be placed on the form of the 
skull alone, as both the long and short skulls were more or 
less common to all races. 
October 16, 1872. 
The President in the chair. Thirty persons present. 
The following paper was presented:— 
Notes ON THE Brrps OF SOUTHERN JowA. By T. Martin 
TRIPPE. 
While the local lists of the avi-fauna of various localities along the 
Atlantic seaboard are not wanting to aid the ornithologist in deter- 
mining the distribution and migration of birds in those regions, there 
are very few such lists from points west of the Alleghanies, and still 
fewer from trans-Mississippi localities. Indeed, the natural history 
of the region beyond the Mississippi has as yet been studied by ex- 
plorers and travellers, rather than by stationary observers. Hence, 
although our knowledge of the geographical distribution of the fauna 
and flora of these vast regions is daily increasing, yet it is still very 
fragmentary and imperfect. Correct catalogues of the animals and 
plants of limited areas from all points of the far west, with exact and 
careful biographical notes on the species, are therefore very much to 
be desired, and no apology is necessary for presenting bare lists of 
species, which, although uninteresting to the general reader, possess 
great value to the specialist, and are, indeed, the only means by 
