Notes — Here and There 
183 
and, in spite of its 9,000-mile journey, at last reports is getting along 
nicely. This is said to be the first living specimen brought to this coun- 
try in satisfactory condition. 
The asphalt lakes of Rancho la Brea and at McKittrick, California, 
are continuing to yield splendidly preserved skeletons of the early birds 
of that area. It is apparent that the birds were entrapped and became 
submerged while the lakes were newly formed by the escape of crude oil. 
As the volatile oils evaporated the mass gradually became asphalt and 
the bird remains were thus perfectly protected. Recent articles in The 
Condor by Dr. Loye Miller give much interesting detail, including the fact 
that many of the remains are of birds of prey and vultures. It is not 
difficult to conjecture how such birds become trapped in the oil while 
trying to make a meal off some luckless victim which had preceded them. 
Hon. R. M. Barnes was a visitor to Middle Tennessee during the last 
week in June, returning by way of Nashville. A day afield had beeii 
planned by himself and the writer, but an almost unparalleled sequence 
of unlcky incidents, involved by a cross-country auto trip, prevented him 
from arriving with more than just enough time to catch his home-bound 
train. 
The third Asiatic expedition of the American Museum of Natural 
History has just completed the first of five years of investigations in 
central Asia, with most interesting results. The known presence of 
fossil remains in the Rocky Mountains similar to those of western Europe 
had led to the logical theory that they must have come from some point 
of distribution midway between. This theory is apparently being borne 
out, since the expedition is finding the same fossil remains in the Gobi 
region of Mongolia. Remains of the largest known prehistoric land mam- 
mal are included among the finds. Asia has been spoken of as the cradle 
of the human race, and new interest is awakened in the thought that 
here may be discovered the forbears of all our early birds and mammals, 
including too, perhaps, some real “ missing links.” 
The Chicago Ornithological Society has met regularly during the 
past year and has accomplished some very credible results. Perusal of a 
list of papers presented show that its members have been afield dilligently 
and have given their fellow members the results of their observations. 
A new work on the birds of Massachusetts is in preparation, accord- 
ing to an announcement made by the author, Mr. E. H. Forbush, Director 
of the Division of Ornithology of that state. The illustrations for the 
two volumes propsed are to be in color and will be from the brush of 
Mr. L. A. Fuertes. The publication has been well provided for by the 
state and the cost to purchasers will be nominal. The ability of its 
p.uthor assures its excellence. 
The Alaskan legislature pays a bounty of fifty cents each on all 
eagles killed. It is claimed that they kill many kinds of mountain goat 
and sheep as well as other game. 
A national movement has been set afoot to commemorate on Febru- 
ary 3, 1923, the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Spencer Fuller- 
ton Baird, one of our pioneer ornithologists, whose death occurred in 
