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Notes and News

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An expedition of more than ordinary interest was sent by the California Academy of Sciences, during the summer, to the Galapagos lslands, to be gone nineteen months. The expedition was organized through the indefatigable efforts of the Director of the Museum, Mr. Leverett Mills Loomis, who spared neither time nor pains to bring the undertaking to a successful start. The personnel includes R. H. Beck, Chief, E.W. Gifford and J.S. Hunter, birds and mammals, A. W. Stewart, plants, J. R. Slevin and Ernest King, reptiles, F. X. Williams, beetles and other insects, and W. H. Ochsner, living and fossil shells. The Academy purchased a two-masted schooner-yacht from the Navy Department. This vessel is 85 feet iong, 23.5 feet broad and has a gross tonnage of 114. The equipment includes practically everything that such an expedition can possibly need. The itinerary of the trip is as follows: left San Francisco, June 28, via Ensenada (2 days); San Benitos (2 days), Natividad (one half day) Cerros (1 day), San Benedicte (2 days), Socorro (1 day), Cocos (1 week) or Clipperton (2 days); arrive at Galapagos about August 15; thirteen months, August 15, 1905 to September 15, 1906 to be spent at Galapagos, with a trip to Cocos if it has not been previously visited; leave Galapagos September 15, 1906, via Clarion and arrive at San Francisco, December 1, 1906. The members will make especial efforts to secure a very complete collection of reptiles and birds, while their long stay in the islands will enable them to gather much biological data of importance, as well as data concerning temperature and rainfall, and the effects of these on distribution. This expedition will undoubtedly prove the most important which has yet visited this, one might say, classic region.

The editor had the pleasure of being a member of Camp Agassiz during the past summer. This camp, now well known to all lovers of the mountains, is perhaps unique among the host of camps which are springing up in response to a popular need. It is without doubt situated in the most attractive portion of the Sierra Nevada, and in a region where more interesting peaks and lakes are easily accessible than elsewhere throughout the whole length of this remarkable chain. The single view from Mt. Tallac easily bears favorable comparison with the best that the Alps can offer. And all this is right at our door, as it were, but eighteen hours from San Francisco. We are glad to state that the camp enjoyed the most prosperous summer since its foundation, and will now be open for guests the entire year. During midwinter the camp is reached by travelling over the snow on skees from Tallac where the adventurous are landed by boat three times a week. This will afford an unexcelled opportunity to view the wildest portion of the Sierra during the great silence of winter--an opportunity which has heretofore been denied all but the most venturesome, for the simple reason that resorts are closed during the winter months. The editor hopes to make the acquaintance of the winter birds during the Christmas holidays.

We take pleasure in acknowledging the courtesy of The Pacific Monthly of Portland, Oregon, for the loan of three cuts, used in Mr. Finley's article on ''Among the Sea Birds off the Oregon Coast." The Pacific Monthly is rapidly forging to the front of all western magazines, and is coming to be the acknowledged exponent of western literature, as well as a magazine of unusual mechanical excellance. We congratulate the publishers on the success attending their vigorous efforts to produce a magazine of merit.

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