— 466 — 



bringing up the list of birds described to 744. Important 

 additions have since been made to this list by the 

 learned Dr. Elliott Coti.es, a surgeon in the United 

 States army, by E. Kidgway and others, so that Ameri- 

 can ornithology, from the time of Alexander Wilson 

 (1814) to 1887, shows the following progressive in- 

 crease :— 



1814— Wilson 283 1881— Kidgway 930 



1838— Bonaparte 471 1882— Coues 888 



1840— Brewer 491 1884— Coues 902 



1844— Audubon 506 1886— A. O.U. Com 960 



1858— Baird 778 1887— Coues 960 



1874— Coues 778 J 887— Eidgway 1,028 



" This list, " remarks Mr. Chamberlain, " requires 

 some explanation, for the apparent increase has not been 

 wholly due to the discovery of new species, as might 

 be inferred. A portion of the increase is due to the 

 extension of the territorial limits embraced under the 

 term ' North America ' when used for ornithological 

 purposes. " Lower California, Greenland and Guade- 

 loupe were included in some and excluded in other lists." 



Doubtless several here present would like to hear 

 more about the leading ornithologists on the continent. 



Were I merely to be guided by brilliant scholarship 

 I should point out as facile princeps the erudite Dr. 

 Elliott Coues, unrivalled as a Hellenist. 



I however think myself safe in adopting Mr. Cham- 

 berlain's estimate concerning these savants and would 

 set forth the six eminent writers whose names follow 

 as likely to hold the possible relative rank in the future : 



Allen 



Merriam 



Kidgway 



Coues 



Brewster 



Bendire. 



In a recent latter from Mr. Chamberlain, from Har- 

 vard University, to which he is attached, Mr. Cham- 



