Page:Condor3(6).djvu/51

 I88 THE CONDOR I Vol. III ACTION OF THE A O.U. ON MEMBERSHIP. [Special dispatch to Tin.; ONDOR. [ "NEw YORK, N.Y., Nov. I2, I9ox. "Grinnell, Beal, Bishop, O. Bangs and T. S. Palmer elected Fellows. WALTER K. FISHER." The Anterican Ornithologists' Union held its business meeting in New York Monday even- ing, Nov. II and as shown by the above advice, has added five additional names to its list of Fel- lows. it should be remembered that the former active membership of the Union is now desig- nated as Fellows. it is expected that a new clas of 50 Active Members to be elected from the present associate membership will be created, but no action had evidently been taken up to the date of the above telegram. Ornithologists will appreciate the fact that so substantial an addition has been made to the Fellowship of the Union, while Californians' warnfly hail the recognition shown Mr. Josepit Grinnell by his election. GENERAL NEWS NOTES. Walter K. Fisher, Associate Editor of THE CONDOR is visiting his home in Washington, D. C.. where he will remain until Jan. . It is nor. unlikely that Mr. Fisher xaitl grasp many Eastern ideas in nagazine publishing, which will later reflect improvements in THE CONDOR. A new lamt tortoise is described in the October number of Aovilales Zool, wicae by lion. Walter Rothschild as Tesludo becki in honor of its collector, Mr. Rollo H. Beck. Its habitat is given as Cape Berkeley, the northern point of Albemarle [slamt, Galapagos Archipelago. The tortoise xa'as taken on the recent Beck-Adams expedition to the islands. Mr. Otto Holstein of Cline, Texas records a curiously located wren's nest. It was built in the hook of a semaphore signal placed there for the purpose of.hanging a senaphore light at night. The distance from the ground was 40 feet and the setnaphore arms were used on an average of fifteen times a day, jarring the pole each time. The nest held one egg when found but had to be removed to accommodate the lamp. Willis H. Jackson of Pescadero, Cal, records a nest of the Barn Swallow on Aug. 2 con- taining three eggs, the birds having previously reared two broods for the season. Also ou Sept. 23 he discovered a nest of the California Partridge containing ten eggs on which the female bird was setting. The eggs were partially driecl up and the parent bird must have patiently set on them from the time they were laid. W. W. Price will comtuct his nseal winter excursion of zoologists this year, the chosen route being through the cattyons of the Colorado River from Needles, Cal, to Ynma, Ariz., a distance of 350 miles. The party will leave Needles about Dec. 20 and some fifteen days will be consumed in making the trip, which will doubtless prove most interes,'.iug under Mr. Price's direction. The Nineteenth Congress of the Anerican Ornithologists' Union convened at the Anterican Museum of Natural History in New York on November t2 for a three days session. Although the programme has not reached the Coast up to the present writing, au array of able papers and discussions is assured, such as makes each annual meeting of the Union memorable to those who attend. The interesting business feature of the Congress will be the election of several new Fel- lows anti the inauguration of the ttew Active Membership, consisting of 5o ornithologists from the ranks of the present associate list. THE CONDOR hopes to receive advice of the result by wire, amt to announce it itt the present issue. As we go to press another Galapagos expedition is being outfitted under the supervision of Rollo H. Beck, who wilt be th ornith)lo4i': iu c't rg- . The s2h9ner .'Fiery .c/z has been chartered and the party will sall about Nov. xS. It is expected that all of the islands will be visited and a special study will be made of the tortoise question. The summit of Narborough Island will be carefrilly explored, it being a region that has not been worked in recent years. it is also the intention of Mr. Beck to collect as far as practicable specimens of all the breeding land birds with their nests. A gasoline launch will aid materially in visiting many of the islands which adverse currents and winds sometime make it difficult to reach.