Index Generum et Specierum Animalium.-Report of a Committee, consisting of Sir W. H. FLOWER (Chairman), Dr. P. L. SCLATER, Dr. H. WOODWARD, and Mr. W. L. SCLATER (Secretary). THE proposed 'Index Generum et Specierum Animalium' is being compiled by Mr. C. Davies Sherborn, at the British Museum (Natural History). The work on this index, which includes all animals, whether recent or fossil, has proceeded steadily since June 1890. The manuscript now consists of 180,000 slips, representing 90,000 species and genera recorded in duplicate. One set is sorted under genera for the convenience of students and the other set is kept under books,' so that it is possible at any moment to obtain a complete list of every genus and species described in a particular volume. As the work proceeds much valuable information as to the dates of books is obtained, and this if sufficiently important is published: e.g., Sowerby, 'Genera of Shells,' see Annals and Mag.,' April 1894; Schreber, 'Säugthiere,' see Proc. Zool. Soc.,' Jan. 1892; Encyclop. Méthodique,' see Proc. Zool. Soc.,' June 1893. The small grant of 201. made by the British Association in 1892 is the only financial help yet received towards the work, and has been expended upon paper. The Committee therefore ask for a new grant of 501. toward a work which daily increases in importance and usefulness. The Legislative Protection of Wild Birds' Eggs.-Report of the Committee, consisting of Sir JOHN LUBBOCK, Bart., F.R.S. (Chairman), Professor ALFRED NEWTON, F.R.S., Rev. Canon TRISTRAM, F.R.S., Mr. JOHN CORDEAUX, Mr. W. H. HUDSON, Mr. HOWARD SAUNDERS, Mr. THOMAS H. THOMAS, Dr. C. T. VACHELL, and Mr. H. E. DRESSER (Secretary). (Drawn up by the Secretary). YOUR Committee beg leave to report that in the early portion of the present Parliamentary Session a fresh Bill to amend the Wild Birds Protection Act, 1880, was brought into the House of Commons by Sir Herbert Maxwell, Bart., M.P., and others, which Bill was on April 3 ordered by the House to be printed. Your Committee had already been in communication with Sir Herbert Maxwell on the subject, and it was arranged to hold a meeting to discuss the clauses of this Bill, and a meeting was accordingly held on April 6, at which Sir Herbert Maxwell attended. The present Bill differs from that brought in by Sir Herbert Maxwell last Session (1893), in prohibiting the taking of the eggs of any specified kind within the limits of the country, or part or parts thereof, or else the taking of the eggs of any species within a certain stated area; it being left in the hands of the County Council to adopt either alternative. After some discussion it was decided by your Committee to approve the draft Bill as prepared by Sir Herbert Maxwell. This Bill has since passed through both Houses with but slight opposition, and has now come into force. Migration of Birds.-Interim Report of a Committee, consisting of Professor A. NEWTON (Chairman), Mr. JOHN CORDEAUX (Secretary), Messrs. R. M. BARRINGTON, J. A. HARVIE-BROWN, W. EAGLE CLARKE, and the Rev. E. P. KNUBLEY, appointed for the purpose of making a Digest of the Observations on the Migration of Birds at Lighthouses and Light-vessels. THE Committee have to report that the systematic tabulation of the various items in the schedules has at length been completed by one of their number-Mr. W. Eagle Clarke-and that they are now prepared to approach the subject of the final report, which it is hoped will be ready for presentation at the meeting of the Association in 1895 or, at the latest, at the meeting in 1896. The Committee trust that the Association will reappoint them as before. The Climatological and Hydrographical Conditions of Tropical Africa.— Third Report of a Committee consisting of Mr. E. G. RAVENSTEIN (Chairman), Mr. BALDWIN LATHAM, Mr. G. J. SYMONS, and Dr. H. R. MILL (Secretary). (Drawn up by Mr. E. G. RAVENSTEIN.) YOUR Committee, up to the end of July last, had issued five sets of meteorological instruments at a cost, including forms, carriage, &c., exceeding 1001. The first of these sets was entrusted to Mr. J. W. Moir (British Central Africa), the second to Mr. Buchanan (British Central Africa), the third to Captain Gallwey (Warri, Benin), the fourth to the Rev. C. Bonzon (Lambarene on the Ogowe), and the fifth to the Rev. R. Glennie (Bolobo, Congo). A sixth set is kept in reserve for British East Africa. Two of these sets, namely, those in the hands of Mr. Buchanan and Mr. Glennie, include Fortin barometers, whilst that granted to Captain Gallwey includes a black bulb thermometer. Observations up to the latest possible date have been received from Mr. Glennie, Mr. Bonzon, and Dr. Roth as representing Captain Gallwey. Instructions have been issued to the officials of the Royal Niger Company to make their observations in future in accordance with the rules laid down by your Committee, and the like step is contemplated by the British East Africa Company. Summaries of meteorological returns are appended to this report. Your Committee are quite aware that these observations are not in every instance as complete and trustworthy as could be desired. In some cases the hours of observation are ill chosen (a very common occurrence), in others the instruments are defective or the corrections to be applied to the readings are unknown. If they are published notwithstanding, it is done because they refer to localities concerning which nothing or very little is known at the present time. Quite a number of meteorological records offered to the Committee for publication have had to be rejected as being on the face of them utterly untrustworthy. It seems a pity that so much time and labour should have been wasted upon recording observations which with a little forethought and caution might have furnished important information on the climate of Tropical Africa. The grant of 51. made to the Committee last year was not claimed. Bolobo, Congo. Lat. 2° 10' S., Long. 16° 13′ E., 1080 feet. Observer: Rev. Robert Glennie, Baptist Missionary Society. 1891 April May. June 28.873 28.793 28.834 28.833 69.0 28.911 28.826 28.880 28.872 68.0 28.854 28.733 28.779 28.789 83.6 76.1 85-6 77.4 77-8 102-5 76-7 91 74 84 720 77-2,72-6 5.24 77.7 76-7 103-6 77-4 90 15.3 80.0 960 763 87 72 86 72.3 77.0 73.3 6.78 70 88 72-4 78.0 73.0 5.20 7 2.93 January 28.822 28.740 28-785 28.782 67-2 91.6 75-6 85.5 76.8 86.8 73.4 78.7 13.4 779 92-2 77-4 83 67 88 73.3 77.3 71.3 4.74 8 1.65 28.783 67.0 91.1 734 827 741 858 70.9 76-1 14.9 65 85 BOLOBO (Notes). The station occupies the top of a slope on the left bank of the Since October 1893 Mr. Glennie is in possession of instruments The pressure has been reduced to 32° F. and corrected for Combining all observations, we have the following results: Warri (Benin). Lat. 5° 31' N., Long. 5° 51' E., 10 feet. The observations were made by Rev. C. Paul, a native mission- The observations were made by Captain H. L. Gallwey (November 1891 to May 1892), C. E. Harrison and H. E. Golley (June 1893), and Felix Roth, M.R.C.S. (July to December 1893). The observations since June 1893 have been corrected for instrumental errors. The earlier observations seem to be deserving of little confidence. Namirembe, N. of Mengo, Uganda. Lat. 0° 18' N., Long. 32° 34' E., 4,000 ft. Fort Salisbury. Lat. 17° 50' S., Long. 31° 4' E., 5,050 feet. February. 69-5 19 11-98 19 E.N.E. 53 79 59 69-0 20 12.73 14 E.N.E. April 26.14 82.2 52.1 76.3 57.7 67.0 18.6 9.03 23 1.45 June. 25.444 81 37 75 43 59.0 32 N.E. Observer: Rev. E. Millar, C.M.S., whose journal was communicated by Mr. G. F. The observations were made by Major F. W. Forbes, and communicated by Mr. F. C. Selous. They are published as received. The means for the year are deduced from all the observations made. |