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BULLETIN

OF THE

BRITISH. ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB.

EDITED BY

PERCY R. LOWE.

VOLUME XLIV. SESSION 1928-1924,

LONDON: WITHERBY & CO., 326 HIGH HOLBORN.

1924,

PRINTED BY TAYLOR AND FRANCIS, RED LICN COURT, FLEET STREET.

PREFACE,

Tue total number of attendances at the meetings of the Club during the past Session was 808 members and 68 guests, a total of 876—this comparing favourably with 351, 466, and 402 during the two preceding sessions.

In a review of the records of the 1923-1924 Session, a sensible diminution in the number of new forms described as compared with previous years is noticeable. This may possibly be correlated with a temporary diminution of activity in collecting, or it may indicate, as one hopes, an approach to something like finality in the enormous task which has engrossed the energy of a long list of devoted workers in systematic ornithology.

We regret to record the death of the following members of the Club:—-The Hon. N. Charles Rothschild, W. J. Fitz- herbert-Brockholes, and just as we are going to press comes the tragic news that Mr. Charles Chubb has succumbed to injuries sustained in a street accident. Mr. Chubb had been associated with the bird-room of the British Museum for more than forty years, and those who have worked there will fully appreciate the gap his loss will occasion.

In the death of the Hon. Charles Rothschild science loses a distinguished worker and patron.

It is interesting to note that the Annual General Dinner held in connection with the British Ornithologists’ Union shows no diminution in popularity, but one may point out that there are fresh fields still awaiting exploration and the gathering of fresh material to widen the scope of the exhibits and demonstrations.

It is satisfactory to record that during the past Session eighteen new members joined the Club.

(Signed) PERCY R. LOWE, Liditor. London, July 1924. a2

RULES

OF THE

Pelt ISH ORNITHOLOGISTS: CLUB. (As amended, October 10th, 1923.)

SS

J. This Club was founded for the purpose of facilitating the social intercourse of Members of the British Ornithologists’ Union. Any Member of that Union can become a Member of this Club on payment (to the Treasurer) of an entrance fee of One Pound and a subscription of One Guinea for the current Session. Resignation of the Union involves resignation of the Club. ?

II. Members who have not paid their subscriptions before the last Meeting of the Session, shall cease, ipso facto, to ke Members of the Club, but may be reinstated on payment of arrears.

Ill. Ordinary Members of the British Ornithologists’ Union may be introduced as Visitors at the Meetines of the Club, but every Member of the Club who introduces

@ Member of the B. O. U. as a Visitor (to the dinner or a the Meeting afterwards) shall pay One Shilling to the Treasurer on each occasion.

IV. No gentleman shall be allowed to attend the Meetings of the Club as a guest on more than three occasions during any single Session ; and no former Member who has been removed for non-payment of subscription or any other cause shall be allowed to attend as a guest. ladies are not admitted as guests.

VY. The Club shall meet, as a rule, on the Second Wednesday in every Month, from October to June inclusive, at such hour and place as may be arranged by the Committee. But should such Wednesday happen to be Ash Wednesday, the Meeting will take place on the Wednesday following. At these Meetings papers upon ornithological subjects shall be read, specimens exhibited, and discussion invited.

VI. An Abstract of the Proceedings of the B. O. C. shall be printed as scon as possible after each Meeting, under the title of the ‘Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club.’ and distributed gratis to every Member who has paid his subscription. Copies of this Bulletin shall be published and sold at Two Shillings éach to Members.

Descriptions of new species may be added to the last page of the ‘ Bulletin,’ although such were not communi- cated at the Meeting of the Club. This shall be done at the discretion of the Editor and so long as the publication of the ‘ Bulletin’ is not unduly delayed “thereby.

VI

Any person speaking at a Meeting of the Club shall be allowed subsequeutly to amplify his remarks in the ‘ Bulletin’; but no fresh matter shall be incorporated with such remarks. :

VII. The affairs of this Club shall be managed by a Committee, to consist of the Chairman, who shall be elected for five years, at the end of which period he shall not be eligible for re-election for the next term, the Editor of the ‘ Bulletin,’ who shall be elected for five years, at the end of which period he shall not be eligible for re-election for the next term, the Secretary and Treasurer, who shall be elected for a term of one year, but shall be eligible for re-election, with four other Members, the senior of whom shall retire each year; every third year the two senior Members shall retire and two others be elected in their place. Officers and Members of the Committee shall be elected by the Members of the Club at a General Meeting, and the names of such Officers and Members of Committee, nominated for the ensuing year, shall be circulated with the preliminary notice convening the General Meeting at least two weeks before the Meeting. Should any Member wish to propose another candidate, the nomination of such, signed by at least two Members, must reach the Secretary at least one clear week before the Annual General Meeting.

Amendments to the Standing Rules of the Club, as well as very important or urgent matters, shall be submitted to Members, to be voted upon at a General Meeting.

VIII. A General Meeting of the B. O.C. shall be held on the day of the October Meeting of each Session, and the Treasurer shall present thereat the Balance-sheet and Report ; and the election of Officers and Committee, in so far as their election is required, shall be held at such Meeting.

IX. Any Member desiring to make a complaint of the manner in which the affairs of the Club are conducted must communicate in writing with the Chairman, who will call a Committee Meeting to deal with the matter.

COMMITTEE 1923-1924.

W. iL. Scrater, M.A., Chairman. Elected 1918.

Dr. P. R. Lows, Hditor of the ‘ Bulletin’ Elected 1920. Dr. G. C. Low, Hon. Secretary and Treasurer. Elected 1923. Major A. G. L. Stapen. Elected 1921.

Colonel SteruHenson R. Crarke. Elected 1922.

D. A. BANNERMAN. Elected 1922.

H. M. Wauus. Elected 1928.

Officers of the British Ornithologists’ Club, Past and Present.

Chairmen. P. L. Sctater, F.R.S. 1892-19138. Lord RotuscuHitp, F.R.S. 1913-1918. W. L. Sciatver. 1918-1924. Editors.

R, BowDLER SHARPE. 1892-1904. W. R. OaInvie-GRANT. 1904-1914. D. A. BANNERMAN. 1914-1915. D. Setu-SMITH. 1915-1920. Dr. P. R. Lowe. 1920-

Honorary Secretaries and Treasurers.

HowarkbD SAUNDERS. 1892-1899. W. E. pE WInToN. 1899-1904. H. F. WirHersy. 1904-1914. Dr. P. R. Lowe. 1914-1915. C. G. TatBot-Ponsonsy. 1915-1918. D. A. BANNERMAN. 1918-1919. Dr. PHILip GosseE. 1919-1920. J. L. Bownore. 1920-1922.

C. W. MackwortH-PraEp. 1922-1928. Dr. G. C. Low. 1923-—

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LIST OF MEMBERS.

JUNE 1924. pee ee

Apams, Ernest E.; Lloyd’s, Royal Exchange, E.C. 3.

Aexanper, H. G.; 78 Gibbins Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham.

Apuin, Oxiver Vernon; Stonehill House, Bloxham, Banbury, Oxon.

ArpErN, Lawrence; 7 Sussex Place, Regent’s Park, N.W. 1.

Arnotp, E. C.; The College, Eastbourne.

ArunveEL, Major W. B.; High Ackwe.th, Pontefract, Yorks.

Batty, W. Snorz; Boyers House, Westbury, Wilts.

Baxer, E. C. Srvart, J.P., F.Z.S., F.L.S.; 6 Harold Road, Upper

. Norwood, 8.E. 19.

BANNERMAN, Davip A.,M.B.E., B.A., F.R.S.E. (Committee); British

Museum (Natural History), S.W.7, and 60 Addison Road, W.14.

Baynes, Guorer K.; 10 Elvaston Place, Queen’s Gate, S.W. 7.

Brst, Miss M. G. 8.; 123 Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, S.W. 10.

Beven, Dr. Jonn O.; c/o P.M.O., Nairobi, Kenya Colony.

Braavw, F. H., C.M.Z.8. ; Gooilust, s'Graveland, Hilversum, Noord- Holland.

Boorman, 8.; Heath Farm, Send, Woking, Surrey.

Bootu, H. B.; ‘ Ryhill,” Ben Rhydding, Yorks.

Borrer, C. D.; 6 Durham Place, Chelsea, 8.W. 3.

Boyp, A. W.; Frandley House, near Northwich.

BrapForp, A. D.; Garsten House, near Watford.

Braprorp, Sir J. Rosz, K.C.M.G., M.D., F.R,C.P. F.R.S.; 8 Man- chester Square, W.1.

Briees, T. H.; Sefton, Dawlish, South Devon.

Bristowe, B. A.; Ashford Farm, Stoke D’Abernon, Cobham, Surrey.

Brown, Grorer; Rasagalla, Balangoda, Ceylon, and The Close, Purton, Swindon, Wilts.

Bounyarp, P. F., F.Z.S.; 57 Kidderminster Road, Croydon.

Butter, Artuur L.; &t. Leonard’s Park, Horsham, Sussex.

Buxton, AntHony; Knighton, Buckhurst Hill, Essex.

Cuance, E. P.; 9 Hay Hill, Berkeley Square, W. 1.

Cuapman, F. M.; American Museum of Natural History, New York, U.S.A.

Cuarteris, Hon. G. L.; 26 Catherine Street, Buckingham Palace Road, 8.W. 1.

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Caasr, R. W.; Herne’s Nest, Bewdley, Worcestershire.

CurnsmMan, Major R. E., O.B.E.; E. India United Service Club, 16 St. James’s Square, 8. W. 1.

Cuuss, Cuarzes, F.Z.S; British Museum (Natural History), Crom- well Road, S.W. 7.

Crarkn, Brig.-General Gotanp van Hotr, C.M.G., D.S.0O. F.Z. 8.5 Brook House, Ardingly, Sussex.

CuarKe, Joun P. SrepHenson; Borde Hill, Cuckfield, Sussex.

Crarke, Col. SrepHenson Rosert, C.B., F.Z.S. (Committee); Borde Hill, Cuckfield, Sussex. _

Crarxe, Wittiam Eaere, LL.D., F.R.S.E., F.L.S.; 8 Grosvenor Street, Edinburgh.

Cocurane, Captain Huyry L., R.N. (Retd.); The Chase, Whaddon, Bletchley, Bucks.

Corrs, Ricoarp Epwarp; Rosebank, New Milton, 8.0., Hants.

Cotterr, A. K.; Oxford and Cambridge Club, Pall Mall, S.W.1..

Cottier, Cuartzs, F.Z.S.; Bridge House, Culmstock, Devon.

Conernve, Major, W. M., M.C.; Hafod, Trefnant, Denbighshire.

Cox, Denis; The Old Cottage, Brockham, Surrey.

Cox, Major-Gen. Sir Percy Z., G.C.I.E., G.C.M.G., K.C.S.1. ; c/o Grindlay & Co., 54 Parliament Street, S.W. 1.

Curtis, Frepericgr, F.R.C.S.; Alton House, Redhill, Surrey.

Davinson, J., F.Z.S.; 32 Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh.

Drang, Rosert H.; Highlands, Iver Heath, Bucks.

Dexacour, M. Jean; Chateau de Cleres (Seine-Inf.), France.

Dstmi-Rapourrrg, Lieut.-Col. A.; Shenley House, Headcorn, Kent.

Dztm#-Rapourrr, Lieut.-Col. H.; c/o Messrs. Cox & Co., F. Dept., 16 Charing Cross, $.W. 1.

Dewnourst, Captain F. W., Royal Marine L.I.; Elmwood, North End, Hampstead, N.W. 3. |

Dosiz, Wittiam Huwry, M.R.C.S. ; 2 Hunter Street, Chester.

Exits, H. Wittoveusy, F.Z.8., F.E.S., F.G.8.; 3 Lancaster Place, N.W. 3.

Evans, Artuur Humsiz, M.A., D.Sc., F.Z.8.; 9 Harvey Road, Cambridge.

Ezra, A., O.B.E., F.Z.S.; Foxwarren Park, Cobham, Surrey.

Fixtinson, Horacn W., F.Z.8.; 5 Rosamond Road, Bedford.

Fisner, Kennera ; School House, Oundle, Northamptonshire.

Fiemine, JAMES M.; ; Dildawn, Queen Edith’s Way, Cambridge.

Fiower, Major S$. Ss . ; Longfield, Tring, Herts.

Foster, Nrvin H., F.L.S. ; Hillsborough, Co. Down, Ireland.

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Fronawk, F. W., F.E.S.; 124 Beckenham Road, Beckenham, Kent.

Fromots-Rakowsx1, R. J.; 57/58 Langgasse, Danzig, Free State, Baltic. Y

GoopatL, J. M.; The Nest, Bembridge, Isle of Wight.

Grant, Capt. C. H. B., F.Z.8.; ¢/o Chief Secretary to the Govt., Dar-es-Salaam, Tanganyika Territory, E. Africa.

Grey or Fattopon, Viscount, K.G., P.C., F.Z.S.; Fallodon, Christon Bank, R.S.O., Northumberland.

GrirrirH, AkrHuR F.; 3 Evelyn Terrace, Brighton.

Gurney, G. H., F.Z.S.; Keswick Hall, Norwich, Norfolk.

GyiprnstotPe, Count Nits; Royal (Natural History) Museum, Stockholm, Sweden.

Hacuisuxa, The Hon, Masavsr; 10 Grosvenor Square, W.1.

Haicu, Groreze Henry Caron, F.Z.8.; Grimsby Hall, Great Grimsby, Lincolnshire.

Hatz, Rev. Jamus R., M.A.; Boxley Vicarage, Maidstone, Kent.

Harpy, Rear-Admiral E. C., R.N.; Ramsden Court House, Stone- in-Oxney, near Appledore, Kent.

Harrison, Dr. James M., D.S.C.; St. Annes, 1 Tub’s Hill, Seven- oaks, Kent.

Hart, 8. H.; Estate Office, Hammonds, Checkendon, Reading.

Hartert, Ernst, Ph.D., F.Z.8.; The Museum, Tring, Herts.

Hawker, R. M.; Bath Club, Dover Street, W. 1.

Hersert, Capt. KE. G.; The Sports Club, St. James’s Square, S.W, 1.

Horsrietp, Herserr Kyieur; Crescent Hill, Filey, Yorkshire.

Humrpareys, Gro. R.; Upton Lodge, Drumcondra, Dublin.

Inexis, C. McFaruane; Natural History Museum, Darjiling, India.

Ingram, Capt. Cortinewoop; The Grange, Benenden, Cranbrook, Kent.

Jackson, Sir Freperick J., K.C.M.G., C.B., F.Z.S8. ; 6 Gray’s Inn Square, Gray’s Inn, W.C.

Janson, Coarteus W.; 6 Hyde Park Square, W. 2.

Jorprrxne, Luypsay Mruzars, B.A.; Manor Farm, Chesham Bois, Bucks.

JourpaIn, Rev. F. C. R., M.A.; Appleton Rectory, near Abingdon, Berks.

Kennepy, Capt. J. N.; United Service Club, 116 Pall Mall,S.W.1.

Kinnear, Norman B., C.M.Z.8.; British Museum (Natural History), Cromwell Road, 8.W. 7. )

Kuoss, C. Bopun; Raffles Museum, Singapore, Straits Settlements.

La Tovcur, J. D.; St. David’s, Greystones, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.

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Larpiaw, Tomas Grpprs; Halmyre, West Linton, Peeblesshire,

Lampert, Govrrey C.; Woodcote, Esher, Surrey.

Learoyp, A. EE. 6 Lowndes Street, S.W. 1.

Lines, G. H.; Richmond Hill, Cheadle, Cheshire.

Lonestarr, Tom G., M.A., M.D., F.Z.8.; Picket Hill, Ringwood, Hants.

Low, Guorce C., M.A., M.D., C.M., F.R.C.P., F.Z.8. (Hon. Sec. & Treasurer); 86 Brook Street, Grosvenor Square, W. 1.

Lown, P. R., 0.B.E., B.A., M.B., B.C. ¥.Z.8. (Editor of. the ‘ Bulletin’); British Museum (Natural History), Cromwell Road, 8.W. 7.

Loyp, Lewis, R. W.; The Look-out, Branscombe, Beer, 8.O., Devon.

Lucas, Nataanizet 8., M.B.; 19 Westbourne Terrace,, Hyde Park, W. 2.

Lynes, Rear-Admiral Husert, R.N., C.B., C.M.G.; 23 Onslow Gardens, 8.W. 7.

McKenna, Mrs. Pamera J. P.; 36 Smith Square, Westminster, S.W.1.

Macxenziz, Joun M. D., B.A., C.M.Z.S. ; c/o Messrs. Thos. Cook & Son, Rangoon, Burma.

Mackwort-Praegp, C. W., F.Z.S.; 51 Onslow Gardens, 8.W. 7.

Macmuinian, Captain W. E. F.; 42 Onslow Square, 8.W. 7.

McNetze, J. H.; Guards’ Club, Brook Street, W. 1.

Macrats, Lieut.-Colonel H. A. F.; 48 Grosvenor Road, West- minster, S.W. 1.

Mannerine, Guy; Grove House, Dover.

Manson-Baur, P. H., D.S.O., M.A., M.D, F.R.C.P. F.Z8. ; 32 Weymouth Street, W. 1.

Massry, Hursert; Ivy Lea, Burnage, Didsbury, Manchester.

Marnews, G. M., F.L.S., F.Z.S. ; Foulis Court, Fair Oak, Hants.

May, W. Norman, M.D.; The White House, Sonning, Berks.

Mrape-Watpo, E. G. B., F.Z.8.; Stonewall Park, Kdenbridge, Kent.

Mernerrzyacen, Colonel R., D.S.0., F.Z.8.; 17 Kensington Park Gardens, W. 8.

MrrvertzuHAcen, Mrs. R.; 17 Kensington Park Gardens, W. 8.

Movrtton, Major John C., O.B.E., T.D., M.A., B.Se., F.LS., F.R.G.S., F.Z.S., F.E.S., Director Raffles Museum and Library, Singapore; The Hall, Bradford-on-Avon, Wilts.

Munn, P. W.; Puerto Alcudia, Majorca, Balearic Isles, Spain.

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Mont, Henry; 10 Ashburn Place, South Kensington, 8.W. 7

Mossetwuire, D. W.; 7 Jessica Road, Ai anekmeth Gonna S.W. 18. |

Nesuam, Rosert, F.Z.S.; Utrecht House, Poynder’s Road, Clapham Park, 8.W. 4.

Newman, I’. H., F.Z.S.; Verulam, Forty Lane, Wembley, Middle- sex.

Nicuots, J. B., F.Z.S.; Parliament Mansions, Victoria Street, S.W.1.

Nicott, Micuart J., F.Z.8.; Valhalla House, Zoological Gardens, Giza, Egypt.

OxipHam, Cuas., F.Z.S.; The Bollin, Shrublands Road, Berkhamsted, Herts.

Owexn, Owen R.; Bank House, Knighton, Radnorshire.

Parkin, Tats, M.A., F.L.S., F.Z.8.; Fairseat, High Wickham,

Hastings.

Pearson, Cuartes Epwarp, F.L.S.; Hillcrest, ee ateani: Notting- ham.

Pryrost, Francis G., M.D., F.Z.S.; Rathkeale, 51 Surrey Road, Bournemouth.

Persuousr, Major 8.; Loxbeare House, near Tiverton, Devon.

Pirman, Capt. C. R. S., D.S.0., M.C., 27th Punjabis; P.O. Hoeys Bridge, Kenya Colony.

Prayer, W. J. P.; Wernfadog, Clydach, R.S.0., Glamorgan-

shire.

Pornam, Hucu Leyzorne, M.A.; Houndstreet House, Pensford, Somerset.

Pricz, A. E., F.Z.8.; Culverwood House, Little Berkhamsted, Herts.

Rartcuirr, F. R.; 29 Connaught Square, W. 2

Reap, Ropert ue ; 8a South Parade, Bedford Park, W. 4.

Rickert, C. B., BZ, S.; 27 Kendrick Road, Reading, Berks.

Rineroszt, Bernarp J.; Wilford Rise, Bromeswell Heath, Wood- bridge, Suffolk.

Rivikre, B. B., F.R.C.S.; St. Giles’s Plain, Norwich.

Rosinson, H. C., C.M.Z.8.; Selangor State Museum, Kuala Lumpur, F.M.S.

Rorprr, C. H.; Brookfield, Upper Park, Loughton, Essex.

Roruscaiwwp, Lionpn Ve P56. sak, ba, EZ (Chairman, 1913-1918); Tring Park, Herts.

SarswortH, Arno~p Dusr, F.Z.8.; 39 Sussex Place, Regent’s Park, N.W. 1

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ScrateR, Witrram Luriey, M.A., F.Z.8. (Chairman); 10 Sloane Court, S.W. 1.

Sconz, The Rt. Hon. Muneo Davin—Lord; Scone Palace, Perth.

Srra-Surrn, Davin, F.Z.S.; Curator’s House, Zoological Gardens, Regent’s Park, N.W. 8.

Seton, Sir Marcorm C. C., K.C.B.; 26 Upper Park Road, Haver- stock Hill, N.W. 3.

Suipton, Wm., B.A., M.D.; 2 The Square, Buxton.

Stapen, Major A. G. L., M.C. (Committee) ; Kingswood House, The Lee, Bucks.

Smattey, Freperic W., F.Z.8.; The Hawthorns, 193 Clapham Road, 8.W, 9.

SwoucKaERT VAN Scuausure, Baron Rene Cuarzus; c/o Mrs. R. Ruys, 36 Frederik Hendriklaan, The Hague, Holland.

Sparrow, Col. R., C.M.G., D.S.O., F.Z.S., F.R.G.8. ; Rookwoods, Sible Hedingham, Essex.

Srares, J. W. C.; Portchester, Hants.

Srewart, 8. F., C.L.E.; 71 Aberdare Gardens, N.W. 6.

Sronznam, Captain H. F., O.B.E., F.E.S.; 4th Battalion King’s African Rifles, Bombo, Uganda.

Sryan, F. W., F.Z.8.; Stone Street, near Sevenoaks.

Swann, H. Krrxs, F.Z.8.; Thorncombe, Lyonsdown Road, New Barnet, Herts.

Swynyerton, C. F. Massy; Poste Restante, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanganyika Territory, Kast Africa.

TatBot-Ponsonsy, C. G.; 5 Crown Office Row, Temple, E.C. 4.

Tuomas, Mrs. R.. Hate; 13 Arlington Street, S.W. 1.

Ticenurst, Craup B., M.A., M.D.; Grove House, Lowestoft, Suffolk.

Ticenvrst, N. F., O.B.E., M.A., M.B., F.R.C.S., F.Z.S8.; 24 Peven- sey Road, St. Leonards-on-Sea.

Tucker, B. W.; Magdalen College, Oxford.

Turner, Miss E. L., F.Z.8.; Langton Close, Girton, Cambridge.

Trrwuitt-Draxe, Huew G., F.Z.S.; Cobtree Manor, Sandling, Maidstone.

Varzny, G. de H.; 36 St. George’s Square, S.W. 1.

Vary, E.; 27 Wimbledon Park Road, S. W. 18.

Van Someren, Dr. V. G. L.; c/o Med. Depart. P.O. Box 140, Nairobi, B. East Africa.

Vevers, G. M., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P.; Zoological Gardens, Regent’s Park, N.W. 8.

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Warrn, Herpert Wit11am; c/o Grindlay & Co., 54 Parliament Street, S.W. 1.

Warxer, Dr, A. Hops; The Common, Cranleigh.

Waris, H. M. (Committee); Ashton Lodge, Christchurch Road, Reading.

Ware, R.; Lowfield, Frant, Sussex.

Wuisriter, Huen, F.Z.8.; Battle, Sussex.

Warrtaxsr, Josrpy I. 8., F.Z.S.; Malfitano, Palermo, Sicily.

Warr, S. J., F.Z.S8.; 17 Philpot Lane, E.C.3

Wuyrmrrr, Samuren Leien; Oriental Club, Hanover Square, Wa:

Wiurinson, Jonnson ; Vermont, Huddersfield, Yorkshire.

Wiuramson, W. J. F.,C.M.G., F.Z.8. ; Kingsdon, Bangkok, Siam.

Wutson, Coartus Joserpa, O.B.E., F.Z.S; 14 Suffolk Street, Pall | Mall, 8. W. 1.

Wine, J. Stapun; 21 Cheyne Gardens, Chelsea Embankment, S.W. ae

Wirnersy, Harry F., M.B.E., F.Z.S.; 326 High Holborn, W.C. 1.

Wirtuerineton, G.; Sumner Plat, Hayward’s Heath.

Woop, Dr. Casny A., M.D.; c/o The Library of Ornithology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.

Workman, Witt1am Hveuss, F.Z.8.; Lismore, Windsor, Belfast.

Worms, Cuarizs pE; Milton Park, Egham, Surrey.

Wynne, R. O.; Foulis Court, Fair Oak, Hants.

New Members for the Session... 18 Total number of Members .... 182

NOTICE.

[Members are specially requested to keep the Hon. Secretary informed of any changes in their addresses, and Members

residing abroad should give early notification of coming home on leave. ]

Dist OF Aer rors

AND OTHER PERSONS REFERRED TO.

Accounts to be audited in future by Chartered Accountants. .

ANNUAL GENE RAT LMR BTING a) 5'e fous Bhs oc te des ae

Baker, E. C. Stuart.

Exhibition and descriptions of new races of Flycatchers and Shrikes (with remarks on the Indian species of the genus Cyornis):—Siphia strophiata fuscogularis, Culicicapa ceylonensis orientalis, C. c. meridionalis, Lalage nigra brun- BESCONES a aeMaisreleingis a aie wae Peps (eke se aso Sie e..% Rianne ein saeutge

Remarks on the species Cisticola exilis, with description of a new subspecies (C. e. eguicaudata) from Siam ........

Description of a new subspecies (Franklinia rufescens aus- tent) trom the Naga Tis, corr,. eters ceteris ame soars oye

Exhibition, on behalf of Mr. H. Whistler, of two clutches of eggs of the Sand-Plover (Charadrius mongolus atrifrons) trout Chandra.ibake Galil Sirs as. sic. s se espe ieee

Descriptions of new races of Warblers :—Acanthopneuste nitidus saturatus, Abrornis supereiliaris salwinensis, Abrornis schisticeps flavimentalis, and Horettes brunnifrons umbraticus .

Description of a newrace of Suya crinigera from Assam for which was proposed the name of Suya crinigera assamica .

BANNERMAN, D. A.

Description of four new forms from Northern Cameroon :— Nesocharis shelley: bansoensis, Andropadus tephrolemus bamende, Batis bella batest, aud Riparia rufigula bansoensis. .

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BaNNERMAN, D. A. (cont.).

Remarks on the genera Turdinus and Alcippe, with de- scription of a new genus—Pseudoaleippe .........000% ah

Description of a new subspecies of Seed-eater (Polcospiza gularis montanorum) from Northern Cameroon ..........

Description of a new species of White-eye (Zosterops vaughant) from Pemba Island (north of Zanzibar) ........

Remarks on the Irish race of the Sparrow-Hawk ........

Description of a new Barbet from the French Congo— Buccanodon duchaillut gabriell@ oo. .cccccecceeen eee aieheiegs

Description of a new Barbet from the North Belgian Congo —Tricholema hirsutum chapini ...... bude atestshe wile’ oi si eiererals ——, and WiTHERBY, H. F.

Remarks on the recently described Irish Sparrow-Hawk. .

Borrer, C. D.

Exhibition of a nearly pure white Swallow ............

Exhibition of unusually small eggs of the Carrion-Crow.. Brown, J. D.

Exhibition of Lantern-slides.......... Ct RAST ee ac BunyaARD, P, F.

Exhibition of clutches of eggs from his collection, each containing an ege of the Cuckoo :—Lullula arborea, Phyllo- scopus sibilatrix, and Troglodytes-troglodytes ..........0008

Exhibition and remarks on clutches of eggs of the Carolina PCR ORC CAPONE) igs. capes necce de eee a esay see

Exhibition of remarkable eggs from his collection :—Coc- cothraustes coccothraustes, Phylloscopus sibilatrix, and Capri- NRE OCIS gala oi .0 0 be lele cen « ab «aia lbia'e, ais vie nein 8 wapta ag «

Exhibition of droppings of Erithacus rubecula melophilus MEA MOL TINE oe sid claws wele etc endicsanaeccuuevecies Exhibition of abnormally coloured eggs from his collection.

Exhibition and remarks on a OCuckoo’s egg found in the nest of the Cirl Bunting ........ 2 ie 8 ee BERG eee

CHARTERIS, Hon. G. L.

Exhibition of two sets of eggs of the Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia m. melanocephala) from Hyéres ....... 0. ses e ences ComMiTTKE, Members of, for 1928-24. ;........0000055 i aNd VOL. XLIV. b

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4] 79

100

101

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99 99

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XVIII

GuLEGG, W. E. Exhibition of photographs............

Grant, C. H. B.

Note on Francolinus streptophorus from Tanganyika WSrnitOry: 22 aarti. oe pine a 2's hn OE EI Golly Ree Sone a GRIFFITH, A. F,

Remarks on the breeding of the Velvet Scoter in Ross-

Note on a Buzzard stooping at an Eagle GYLDENSTOLPE, Count NIts.

Description of a new form of Fruit-Pigeon (Zreron calva vyldert) from Great Namaqualand

eoceoeot*®teoeeerete ee eG Ge eee

HacuisuKa, Hon. MAsavet. Description of a new subspecies of Lark (Ademon alaudipes omdurmanensis) from the Sudan ..........eeeeees atte em Har, Rev. J. R.

Exhibited, on behalf of Mr. G. C. Lambert, a clutch of eges of the Wood-Lark (Lullula arborea)

Harrison, Dr. J. M. Exhibition and remarks on a variety of the Jay ........

eoereeeovoeeoe® ®eeev ee @

HarteEkrt, Dr. E.

Description of a new subspecies from Tanganyika— Turdus MUAN) CNBUS WIG UTS .\, tas tn slateete vei ole Wel clalis lal Wipe sieeve ot

Exhibition of some varieties of Paradise Flycatchers .... Account of an Expedition in Marocco...,........ rae ——. See RoTHSCHILD, Lord. JouRDAIN, Rev. F. C. R.

Note on the published records of the Cuckoo oe in the nests of the Wiood= Warbler i cadits aloe 30s «i store mualaietays 3 le

Exhibition, on behalf of Lt.-Col. W. A. Payn, of abnormal specimens and ege's of the Lesser Ringed-Plover Charadrius dubius) from Biskra

eoeceeveevceereevereeer eee e eevee eee ere oeve

Exhibition, on behalf of Commander R. EH. Vaughan, of two clutches of eggs of the Purple Gallinule (Prophyrio ceruleus) from Andalusia

eeeseteeevreevret te eeoeevoeeveeeeevesesveoe

99

21 21

3

86

87

98

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37

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XIX

JourDAIN, Rev. F. C. R. (cont.).

Exhibition of a photograph of the Red-necked Phalarope, DESI ot Se RP gute oe cus BTS cabs Marte Fda ole

Exhibition and remarks on the forms of the Brent Goose Werantia Gernicla). os. iste. Ar eee CE cibtaef Geeta mit ine ‘

Kinnear, N. B.

Description of a new form of Cuckoo-Shrike from Queens- land—G'raucalus papuensis wilkinst ..ccsccaceseeceeceves ‘

Note on Myzomela obscura, with description of a new form— MOOV UCTIBIS. 96 5.0 05 oso 6 2.« Mears deakeiene’s sale re sauaey tans :

Description of a new Wood-Shrike (Tephrodornis pelvicus verneyt) from Siam ........ Foe py eLearn or inae mie Ay oben sara

Description and remarks on a new Babbling-Thrush (Garrulax pectoralis subfusa) from Tenasserim ........... ‘

Kuoss, C. B. See Rosrnson, H. C. Kwnicut, Capt. C. W. R.

pion of Lantern-lides 02. |. a ey Nee OP

Kuropa, NAGAMICHI. Deseription of a new form of Pygmy Woodpecker from Tonkin— Yungipicies pyymeus tonkinensts ...... ERs é La Toucue, J. D.

Descriptions of new forms :—Stachyridopsis ruficeps bangst from S.E. Yunnan and Parus ater kuatunensis from N.W. (BGT 5 , SS SS ARR od ep rie Se f

LamBErt,G.C. See Hare, Rev. J. R.

LonestaFF, Dr. T. G.

Exhibition of specimens, including eggs of the Sanderling obtained by the Merton College Expedition in Spitsbergen, 2 2... RRR SRRRES Oc CRRA Reece rarer

Low, Dr. G. C.

Election of, as Hon. Secretary and Treasurer ..........

Note on the nomenclature of the South American Black Oyster-catcher, Hematopus townsendi Audub. .........+..

Note on the classification of the species and subspecies of the genus HeMmapopus oy pescrosorves Se AEE CER E CT |

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7 XxX

Low, Dr. G. C. (cont.).

Demonstration, illustrated with microscopical specimens and coloured diagrams, of some of the eommon_ blood- protozoa of birds.).).. 00. Sen wifeit l/'valip ‘a adel ste ata Rate at oa

Lowe, Dr. P. R.

Notes on the American Purple Gallinule (Jonornis mar- tinica).from Tristan d’Acunha.and Porphyriola allent from

Ascension Island... oooe ve eeceooeoee@eoereteoeveevovre*eeeereeeee se e.

Maruews,’G. M.

Descriptions of new subspecies and new names for some Australian birds:—Lathamus gmelint, nom. noy., Micropus pacrficus tormentt, subsp. n., Fregata minor peninsul@, subsp. n., and Whitlocka wellst striata, subsp. nN. .......ee ee cees ores

Additions to his ‘ Birds of Australia’ and ‘Check List,’ together with new names—Neonanodes chrysoguster wallicus and Pterodroma dubius ......... Phe is ateiivie, serena tc aint

MEINERTZHAGEN, Col. R.

Descriptions of two new subspecies of Larks—Ammomanes deserti coxt and Galerida cristata vmame

aoeoret stove Go 6 2 FG 6 2 © ©

Exhibition and remarks on some Song-Thrushes from the dislandiol Nba yoo. et. ais tae pen Ve ateh ate aie, ss See car are

Remarks on the Yellow-naped Woodpecker (Picus chloro- lophus), with descriptions of new races:—JP. e. simle, P. e. burme, P. c. welist, and P. c. annamensis

Remarks on the differences between the European Snipe (Capella g. gallimago) and the. American Snipe (G. ¢. delicutu).

Descriptions of two new races of :African Kingfishers :—

Corythornis cristata gohanne and Halcyon senegalensis rani- OTHE. aX cifigs vs yerd eee cn oie steld MM hae es

Munr, H.

Vote of thanks accorded to, for the trouble he-has taken in auditing the accounts in the past ....2..06 00s seceeaeenes

Musse_wuitk, D. W., and Warz, R.

Exhibition and remarks on a series of five Wren-Cuekoo eges talken In SUSSEK ....sevsoencsveses

Page

15

69

37

53

58

44

30

OtpHaAM, C.

Remarks on the size of eggs of the Sparrow-Hawk from Trolande sa... Bed. sislate enpaneta asin eys icine caneh oneve Fda ale ite

Payn, Lt.-Col. W.A. See Jourpaty, Rev. F.C. R.

Rosinson, H. C., and Kross, C. B.

Description of a new subspecies of Sunbird from Penin- sular Siam—thopyga nipalensis australis......sseecerees

RotTuscuHi.D, Lord.

Exhibition of a British-killed example of the Cream- Mae (OUPSED.. . oe sicvecsen a sis 08g teed « Sroiphbobskeea Sa ehelee

——, and Harrert, E.

Exhibition of some birds from St. Matthias Island and descriptions of some new forms:—Micropsitta meeki proxima, Pachycephala pectoralis sexuvaria, Lalage conjuncta, Rhipi- dura rifiventris mussat, Phylloscopus trivirgatus matthie, Turdus dauma ewchhorm, and Turdus melanarius heinrotht ..

MPMI ON ECCPAELON OF 65 Seis cse cig seine oyojeve tre ose. o 0 shelohesceererelauchess

SciatTErR, W. L.

Note on the genus Artama, with proposed new name maar NTMI AD, THVT Ty TRV ho) a's op od fas <yeaoho sade beh Giesdbe ee duapanailaye«

Exhibition of a specimen of the rare Swallow (Phedina

brazz@) from the Belgian Congo ...... rabies BUC aa Salas avenees ws Description of a new Red-billed Shrike (Sigmodus scopi- See or eD PNOUY DiI 3), ip eo oa. e encie od 0 ssa es sew ose unies ie SECRETARY and TREASURER, Election of ..........0.0.000:

SEeTH-Smiru, D.

Demi teron Of Lamtern-Blides, |... . es «s+ icec esccecevlee

Exhibition of varieties of the Australian Budgerigar (Ciiciopsilaeua Mmalatusy .. cca cece a ee ewe a cnateees

Exhibition of female examples of the Common and Swinhoe’s Pheasants assuming male plumage ............

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96

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93.

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XXIT

Swann, H. Krrxe. Exhibition of a female example and a series of egies of the Sparrow-Hawk from Ireland, and proposal of the new name of Accipiter nisus hibernicus for the Irish race ..........--

Ticrnvrst, Dr. C. B. Descriptions of new forms from Iraq and India :—Sitta neumayer kurdistanica, Podiceps ruficollis traquensis, Horeites brunnifrons whistlert, and Phylloscopus pucher kangr@é ......

Remarks on two hen Pheasants assuming male plumage. .

Description of a new Babbling-Thrush (Grammatoptila |

Sinata Shmensis) Tromolckimn, 2.0, lay » ction! cvchae vas

, and WHISTLER, H. . . ae Hoetiucith of two new races from the N.W. Hima- layas:—Fulvetta vinipecta kangre and Ixulus flavicollis

albicollis Coe ec eeeroHoente See FeoeoFFHOHPHOHBFLHOHH HO HPO OCHO eo ©

TurNER, Miss E. L. Exhibition of Lantern-slides OR pes EL ad

Van Somzren, Dr. V. G. L. Description of a new form from the coast of Kenya— Phyllastrephus placidus sokokensis vi... ce ec a ew ee

Description of a new form of Cosmopsarus regius—C. r.

TRAQIUFUCUS. .. setviols 2G ale clei siieie ake ecoveisine e'e:n ile elses .

VAUGHAN, Commander R. E. See Jourpain, Rev. F.C. R.

Wa ttiis, H. M. Election of, as a member of Committee ........ececeece

Ware, R. See MussELWwuHirTr, D. W. WuisTLer, H, See Baxur, E. C. Stuart.

WITHERBY, H. F. Remarks on the “ Velvet-Scoter” breeding in Scotland ..

——, See Bannerman, D. A.

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79, 96

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45

2 y Ni |

asivioss BULLETIN ‘ f ?,

: 4 o} t

\ Z, “& Ye OF THE

BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB.

No. CCLXXXI.

Tar two-hundred-and-seventy-seventh Meeting of the Club was held at Pagani’s Restaurant, 42-45, Great Portland Street, W., on Wednesday, October 10th, 1923.

Chairman: W. L. ScuatEr.

Members present :—E. BE. Apams; E. Q. Sruarr Baker ; D. A. Bannerman; Miss M. G. §. Best; CO. D. Borrmr ; P. F. Bunyarp ; C. Cuuss; Capt. H. L. Cocurann, R.N. : A. K. Conterr; Major-General Sir Percy Cox 5 (A. Ht. Evans; A. Ezra; K. Fisner; A. F.Grirvita; Rev. J. R. Hate; Dr. E. Harter; Capt. E. G. Herpert ; Rey. F. C. R. Jourpain; N. B. Kinnear; G. C. Lampert; Dr. G. C. Low (Hon. Sec.); Dr. P. R. Lowe (Editor) ; N.S. Lucas; Rear-Admiral H. Lynzs ; C. W. Macewortn- PrazD; Dr. P. H. Manson-Baur ; G. M. Maruevws ; E. G. B. Meapre-Watpo; H. Muxt; Miss V. Munv; D. W. Messetwarrs ; T. H. Newman; C. OLpHam 3. ee Rarourr ; C. B. Rickerr;: C. H. Roprer; Lord Rorgy- SCHILD ; D. Seru-Smrra ; Sir Matcotm Sxron ; Major A,

[November 5th, 1928.1 a VOL. XLIv,

Vol. xliv.] 2

G. L. Stapen; Colonel R. Sparrow; H. K. Swann; Dr. C. B. Ticrnurst; G. M. Vevers ; H. M. Wattis. —

Guests: —General A. Botoam, C.I.E.; C. A. GLADSTONE ; M. Hacuisuka; Dr. HE. Hopkinson; J. H. McNerre; G. Mannertinc; K. R. Swan; B. W. Tucker; A. VAL- LANCE.

THe AnnuaL GENERAL Merrine was held at Pagani’s Restaurant, immediately before the Dinner.

Mr. W. L. Sctater took the Chair.

Dr. G. C. Low was elected Honorary Secretary and Treasurer in place of Mr. C. W. Mackworth-Praed, who had resigned. Mr. H. M. Watuis was elected a member of the Committee in place of the Rev. J. R. Hale, who retired through seniority. |

ALTERATION OF RULE.

It was resolved, in order to avoid the incidence of a meeting on Ash Wednesday, that the following Clause should be inserted in Rule V. after the word “‘ Committee ” : ‘“‘ But should such Wednesday happen to be Ash Wednesday, the meeting will take place on the Wednesday following.” This was put by the Chairman to the meeting and unani- mously agreed to.

The Accounts and Report of the Committee were accepted and passed.

Mr. Munt suggested that the accounts in future should _ be audited by a firm of Chartered Accountants.

Mr. Scuater said that this matter had been discussed by the Committee prior to the General Meeting, and was approved by them.

Mr. Munrt thereupon proposed, and the Rev. J. R. Haz seconded, that in future the accounts should be audited by a firm of Chartered Accountants. .

- This was unanimously agreed to by the meeting.

3 i) | Mody xlarw.

Mr. Scuarer then proposed a very hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Munt for the trouble and care he had taken with the finances of the Club in the past.

Dr. P. R. Lowe seconded this, and the motion was passed with acclamation.

A discussion then took place as to whether it were advisable or not to change the place for the Club Dinner. On a vote being taken, it was decided not to do so.

Committee, 1923-24. W. iL. Sctater, Chairman (elected 1918). P. R. Lows, Hditor (elected 1920). G. C. Low, Hon. Sec. & Treasurer (elected 1923). Major A. G. L. SLADEN (elected 1921). Col. STEPHENSON R. CLARKE (elected 1922). D. A. BANNERMAN (elected 1922). H. M. Watts (elected 1923).

Mr. Davip BANnNERMAN described four more birds col- lected by Mr. Bates in the Banso and Genderu Mountains of Northern Cameroon whick he proposed to name :

Nesocharis shelleyi bansoensis, subsp. nov.

Adult male. Similar to N. shelleyt shelleyi from Fernando Po and the Cameroon Mountain, but the grey of the nape and belly considerably darker; the golden-olive of the breast, back, rump, and upper tail-coverts is darker and lacks the orange-yellow wash of the typical species. It is rather larger throughout. Wing 45-48 mm.

Adult female. Similar to the female of the typical species, but the grey underparts are darker and the golden-olive upper parts are also of a deeper shade. It is also larger. Wing 45-47 mm.

a2

Vol. xliv. | 4

Type in the British Museum, g ad. Banso Mts. north of Kumbo (6000 ft.), 13 Sept., 1922. G. L. Bates coll. (No. 6890).

Measurements of type. Bill 8, wing 48, tail 30, tarsus 13: mm;

Range. Banso Mountains (5000- 6000 ft.) and Manenguba Mountains, Western Cameroon.

Observation. I drew attention to the differences existing between a. specimen from the Manenguba Mountains col- lected by Boyd Alexander and birds from Cameroon Mountain as long ago as ‘The Ibis,’ 1919, p. 659.

Andropadus tephrolemus bamendz, subsp. nov.

Distinguished from <A. tephrolemus tephrolemus from the Cameroon Mountain, the type-locality, and from Fer- nando Po, in having the underside darker; the belly is a much darker shade of yellow (in typical specimens the belly is almost sulphur-yellow), and does not show the contrast of the typical bird. The grey of the throat is also darker, as well as that of the head.

Wings: ¢ 85-95 mm., ? 86-88 mm.; tail 84-90 mm.; bill 14 mm.

Seven specimens were obtained.

Distribution. Bamenda (5500 ft.); Banso Mts. north of Kumbo (6000 ft.); between Bamenda and Kumbo (4000 ft.).

Type in the British Museum, ¢ ad. Near Bamenda (5500 ft.), Cameroon Highlands, 23 Aug., 1922. G.L. Bates coll. (No. 6789).

Batis bella batesi, subsp. nov.

Adult male. Distinguisbed from BD. b. chadensis ae its larger size, dark blue head and back, much broader chest- band, and considerably larger bill. The same characters distinguish it from 6. b. congoensis. It approaches in size B. b. nyanse, but is even larger than that form, having a slightly longer bill, a broader chest-band, and a darker head

5 [ Vol. xliv.

and back. The grey on the mantle is not nearly as light in colour as in B. 6. nyanze, and does not, therefore, form such a contrast.

Bill 14, wing 61, tail 43, tarsus 17 mm.

Adult female. Most nearly resembles the female of B. 6. nyanze, but the breast-band is two shades lighter chestnut in colour, resembling in shade the chest-band of B. b. chadensis.

- From the females of that form it may be easily recognised

by its dark (not light brownish-grey) back and by its larger size. From the females of B. b. congoensis, which it resembles closely on the upper parts, it may be distinguished by its paler chest-band.

The wing of the ? is 62 mm.

Type in the British Museum, g¢ ad. Near Bamenda (5500 ft.), Cameroon Highlands, 21 Aug., 1922. G. L. Bates goll, (No. 6772).

Range. Mountains near Bamenda and Genderu Mountains, Cameroon.

Riparia rufigula bansoensis, subsp. nov.

Distinguished from R. r. rufigula by its very much darker colouring throughout, particularly the upper surface, which is dark sooty-brown with a slight greenish gloss. The throat is deeper chestnut, and the underparts are several shades darker brown.

Wing 112-114, bill 8, tail 45, tarsus 10 mm.

Type in the British Museum, ¢ ad. Bamenda (4750 ft.), Cameroon Highlands, 25 August, 1922. G. L. Bates coll. (No. 6792).

Observation. Curiously enough, examples from the Manen- guba Mountains in Cameroon are inseparable from the typical race described from Kenya Colony. The form described above is evidently a dark local form confined to the high mountains in the neighbourhood of Bamenda, Kumbo, and the Banso Mountains. It was found from 3500-6000 ft.

Vol. xliv. | 6

Mr. BANNERMAN then drew the attention of the members present to the affinities of the birds of the Cameroon— | Nigerian highlands, and noted the curious connection which seemed to exist between the avifauna of the Banso and Genderu Mountains with that of the highlands of Ruwen- zori and Abyssinia, illustrating his remarks with examples from Mr. Bates’s collections. He next dealt with the link existing with Cameroon Mountain, and showed that, although several of the birds known only from this peak had again been rediscovered in the Banso Monntains, yet other species found in both localities were represented by two perfectly distinct races—the damper, mist-laden atmosphere of the mountains in the north of Cameroon having a marked affect on the birds inhabiting them. The subject will be dealt with more fully in the joint paper which Messrs. Bannerman and Bates are publishing in the forthcoming numbers of ‘ The Ibis.” _

Dr. Ernst Harrert described the following new sub- species from Tanganyika Territory :—

Turdus milanjensis uluguru, subsp. nov.

Closely allied to 7. m. nyzke, but throat as light as in T. m. milanjensis, also chest and upperside more olivaceous (as in 7. m. milanjensis), but middle of ahdomen white, under tail-coverts white with olive edges to both webs. Wing, 6 118, 2 117 mm. Bill (in skin) yellow, base of upper mandible dark brown.

Type in the Tring Museum, ? ad. Bagito, Uluguru Mts., Tanganyika Territory, 4. v.22. Coll. Arthur Loveridge.

Observation. Mr. Loveridge also collected a male on the

8th June, 1922.

Dr. V. G. L. vAN SomEREN sent for exhibition the type of a new form of Phyllastrephus, which he describes as follows :—

7 [ Vol. xliv.

Phyllastrephus placidus sokokensis, subsp. nev.

Type of plumage similar to that of P. placidus placidus Shelley, from Kikuku (of which P. p. kentensis Mearns is a synonym), but generally paler throughout. The centre of the breast and abdomen is paler, only slightly streaked with yellow. The crown and nape are uniform in colour with the mantle greyish-olive, not dark olive-brown. They lack the complete whitish orbital ring, and the ear-coverts are not distinctly streaked, as in typical P. p. placidus. The entire upper surface, including the wings and tail, is lighter in colour. In size they are much alike. Wings, ¢ 85-92 mm., 9 75-86 mm.

Distribution. The forests along the coast of Kenya, from north of the Tana River, south to Shimoni and Gazi.

Type inthe Tring Museum, gf ad. Bokoke Forest, 16.1.21. Dr. van Someren coll.

Observation. Bill horn-black, paler tips and cutting-edges; iris white or yellowish white; legs greyish. In typical P. placidus the iris is brown, red-brown, or reddish. Our 100 skins from the coast have been compared with about 70 from Kikuyu. The typical P. placidus ranges within the colony from Mt. Kenya to the Kikuyu escarpment and south to Kilimanjaro.

Mr. HE. C. Stuart Baker exhibited some new races of Flycatchers and Shrikes, and made the following remarks on these two families :—

In working out the Oriental Muscicapide, Laniide, and Pericrocotide for the second volume of the ‘ Avifauna of British India,’ I have found it necessary to suppress some subspecies and to create others; in some instances also names hitherto used have been found to be preoecupied or otherwise untenable, and accordingly have had to be altered. For the purpose of easy reference I embody all these altera- tions in this one note.

Vol. xliv.] 8

Genus CYORNIS.

The genus Cyornis is one which has been especially difficult to unravel, as specific differences are often so slight that they have been accounted of subspecific value, though now further material has shown that these, apparently, very minor differences are constant in two forms of birds breeding in the same area and under the same conditions, and there- fore of specific value.

Within the limits of the country included in the ‘Avifauna of British India’ I have accepted the following species :— '

(1) Cyornis cyanea (Hume), 8. F. v. p. 101 (1877), Muleyit. nike yy » hodgsoni (Verr.), Nouv. Arch. Mus. vi. p. 34 (1870), Moupin. (3) » yperythra (Blyth), J. ALS. BY xi opps (1842), India. (A) » tricolor (Hodg.), P, Z. 8. 1845, p. 26, Nepal. we) » superciliaris (Jerdon), Madr. Jour. L.S. xi. p. 16 (1840), N. Indian Ghats. (6) » melanoleuca (Hodgs.), Blyth, J. A. S. B. xii. | p. 940 (1843), Nepal. (7) » .sapphira (Tickell),. Blyth;, J. A. S..82) ome p. 939 (1843), Darjiling. (8) » vivida, Swinhoe, Ibis, 1864, p. 463, Formosa. (9) 4, pallipes (Jerdon), Madr. Jour. L.S. xi. p. 15 (1840), Coonoor Ghats. (10) .,, | rubeculoides (Vigors), P. Z.8. 1831, p. 33, Himalayas, Darjiling. (11) » banyumas (Horsfield), Trans. Linn. See X1lh. p. 146, Java. (12) , twckellie, Blyth, J. A.S. B. xvi. p. 941 (1843), Central India. (13) » | . unicolor, Blyth; J... B. xu.-p, L007 (saa Darjiling. (14) a magnirostris, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xvili..p, 14 (1849), Darjiling.

In regard to the great majority of these species there is little to remark, as their status is obvious, and when they

9 [Vol. xliv.

have been divided into subspecies these have been generally accepted without comment.

Cyornis hyperythra. The position of the birds found in Sumatra is rather doubtful, but they seem nearer to C. h. malayana than to Robinson’s C. h. vulcant from Java.

Cyornis superciliaris. Cyornis astigma, hitherto accepted as a good species, is certainly only a subspecies of C. super- ciliaris and birds from Hastern Nepal and Sikkim often show traces of the white supercilium, which is the only dis- tinguishing character between the two. The young bird marked Muscicapa blytht (=melanoleuca) in Col. Stephenson Clarke’s Yunnan collection is, I think, a specimen of this bird.

Cyornis rubeculoides, C. banyumas, and C. tickellie com- pose a most difficult group of Flycatchers, which have been treated in various ways by recent writers. Some have treated them as subspecies of one species, whilst others have divided them into further subspecies, sometimes allotted to one species, sometimes to two or more and some- times have included other species and races which have really nothing to do with any of them.

They appear to form three good species whose ranges overlap greatly, and which are themselves divisible into recognizable geographical races :—

(1) Cyornis rubeculoides is found resident throughout the Himalayas from Kashmir to N. Burma and throughout the hills of Burma to Tenasserim. Throughout this wide area I can find no characteristic dividing it into any geo- graphical races.

This species differs from those nearest to it, in which the females are never blue, by the deep bright blue of the upper parts and in having the whole chin and throat blue.

(2) Cyornis banyumas occurs from Northern Burma, Shan States, and Yunnan through the Malay Peninsula to Java, etc. Its characteristics are: female never blue; blue of male always with more indigo tint in it than C. rube-

culoides.

aod

Vol. xliv,] 10

_ [t appears to be divisible into the following races :

(a) C. b. banyumas. Whole lower surface gs or

strongly washed with rufous. Range. South Malay Peninsula to Java.

(b) C. b. cerulifrons. Breast and flanks rufous, abdomen and under tail-coverts white or nearly so. A deeper blue above than the next race. i

Range. Peninsular Burma and Siam, and North ~ Malay Peninsula.

(c) C. b. dialilema. Similar to the last, but a duller blue above, and with more of a dag wash on the centre of the abdonien.

Range. Northern Siam and Burma, Shan States and Yunnan. Cyornis whitei Harington, C. glaucicomans Ober- holser, and C. dialilema are not separable, and the latter name by Salvadori has priority.

(3) Cyornis tickellie is separable from the two other species in always having a blue female, and some form of this species is found throughout the ranges oceupied by the other two. They are as Pole

(a) C. t. tickelliw. Abdomen and flanks decidedly washed with pale rufous and not sharply separated from the rufous breast.

Range. Practically the whole of India (except Sind and the extreme N.W. Province), N. and Central Burma to Karennee, where it meets C. t. swma- trensis ; Yunnan, Shan States, Northern Siam, and Annam. |

(b) C. t. nesea Oberholser. Differing from the last race only in its generally richer coloration.

Range. Ceylon only.

(e) C.t. sumatrensis. Differing from either of the two other races in having the abdomen very white and sharply contrasting with the rufous breast.

Range. From Central Burma, Annam, Siam, through the Malay Peninsula.

11 [ Vol. xliv.

Cyornis magnirostris, though it differs so little from the rubeculoides group except in the size of its tail, is. a good Species and cannot be linked either with this species or with C. banyumas, its breeding-range being continuous in great part with both of them.

Siena STROPHIATA.

This species is easily separable into two races, and that from Annam must be: given a name. | | :

Siphia strophiata fuscogularis, subsp. nov.

Differs from S. s. strophiata in having the throat and sides of the neck grey and the head the same grey olive- brown as the back. |

Type. In the British Museum, g. Langbian Peaks, S. Annam, 21.iv. 1918. Robinson & Kloss Coll. Reg. No. 1919.12 .20.163.

Range. Annam only.

CULICICAPA CEYLONENSIS.

- This little Flycatcher is separable into three subspecies, recognizable at a glance when the birds are laid out in series :

(1) CuLIcICAPA CEYLONENSIS CEYLONENSIS.

Platyrhynchus ceylonensis Swainson, Zool. Ill. rL Pande (1820), Ceylon.

Range. Ceylon, the whele of India (except Sind, Rajpu- tana, and the Punjab), Assam, N. Burma, Central Burma, and Northern Siam.

-(2) Culicicapa ceylonensis orientalis, subsp. nov.

Decidedly darker than C. c. ceylonensis above, with a darker grey head and less yellow on the rump and upper tail-coverts.

Measurements as in the typical race. Wing 58-67 mm,

Range. Hills of South Central Western China, Yunnan, Shan States, Northern Siam, and Cochin China.

Type. In the British Museum, ¢ ad. Szechuan, West’ China. F. W. Styan Coll. Brit. Mus, Reg. 1914.5.6.261.

Vol. xliv. | 12

Culicicapa ceylonensis meridionalis, subsp. nov.

A much darker bird than either of the preceding races, with the rump and upper tail-coverts almost concolorous with the back ; the throat and breast are also a darker grey.

Range. Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Malay Peninsula, Penin- sular Burma and Siam, South Annam, and South Cochin Hills.

Type. In the British Museum, ¢. Keo, Tung Song, Siam, 22.ix.15. HE. G. Herbert Coll. Brit. Mus. Reg. 1916.12.27.928.

LANIDz.

Oates’s Laniide I have divided into three families: (1) the Lantide or true Shrikes, with normal upper plumage ; (2) the Pericrocotide or Shrikes, with the rump-feathers spinous; and (3) the Artamide or Swallow-Shrikes, birds with greatly lengthened wings and shortened tarsi and habits such as one.would expect to find connected with such marked structural differences.

The Pericrocotide take the place of the Campephagide. As Campephaga cannot be used as a generic name, a fact now universally accepted, forany of the Shrikes, the family- name must be taken from that of the oldest genus, Pericrocotus.

I have already dealt at length with the genera Pericro- cotus and Graucalus in previous numbers of ‘ The Ibis,’ but not with the genus Campephaga as used by Oates, or Lalage as now accepted.

The only species which seems to call for notice here is Campephaga terat, an unfortunate little bird which must lose both its generic and specific names. Campophaga, as has already been shown, is untenable, and terat Bodd., Tabl. Pl. Enl. p. 17 (1783), is antedated by Turdus niger Forster, Indische Zool. p.41 (1781) (India). The type-loeality “India” of Forster must be restricted to Camorta, Nicobars, the only locality within India proper where this species is found.

There appear to be several well-defined races of this Cuckoo-Shrike, the differences being great in the females and almost or quite unapparent in the males:

A

13 [ Vol. xliv.

(1) LALAGE NIGRA NIGRA.

- Turdus niger Forster, Indische Zool. p. 41 (1781). Type- locality as restricted : Camorta, Nicobars. ~ Female always a rather dark grey, not very pure, and, slic placed alongside Philippine birds, appearing slightly brownish. Wings 86-89, tail 57-64, tarsus about 20, culmen about 14 mm. _ Distribution. Nicobars only.

(2) LALAGE NIGRA SCHISTICEPS.

Lalage schisticeps Neumann, Journ. f. Orn. Ixvii. p. 333 (1919): Philippines.

Female always a rather light grey, very pure, and with no trace of brown when fully adult, though young birds are distinctly brownish.

Wings 92-95, tail 61-65, tarsus about 20, culmen 14- 15 mm.

Distribution. Philippines only.

(3) LALAGE NIGRA BRUNNESCENS, subsp. nov.

- Female always brown, never assuming a grey plumage. The shade of brown is quite dark and rich, much darker than in the next bird. |

Type in the British Museum. Klang, Malay Peninsula (W, Davison). Hume collection, Brit. Mus. Reg. 86.4.1.941.

In this race the young are a much darker brown than in any of the other subspecies and have the breast strongly tinged with fulvous.

The measurements (in millimetres) of L. n. brunnescens in the various areas it inhabits are as given below :—

Wings. Tail. Culmen. Malay Peninsula., 84-86 58-63 about 14 BOAO wiek ss case 86-938 60-65 op 14 Sumatra ..secove 88-93 60-65 » 14-165 JANA alee 6 Vidin'.e ao 84-90 58-65 » 14-16

Distribution. Fed. Malay States, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo.

Stearman ~ 1952, (bo es

/ Lp renha 4 | Maw. le ¢) Fars ben BPawmews ou Sug oe por anced 1922)

Vol. xliv. ] 14

(4) LALAGE ‘NIGRA TIMORIENSIS. . Ceblepyrus. timoriensis S. Muller, Nat. Vers. Land-en- Volk, p. 190 (1839-44) : Timor. | ~ Female always pale brown, pale portions of wings rufes- cent instead of white as in L. nigra brunnescens. - : LN stribution. Timor, Bali, and Lombok.

Messrs. H. C. Rosrnson and ©. B. Kuoss sent the fol- lowing description of a new Sun-bird, which they propose to call :-—

Athopyga nipalensis australis, subsp. nov.

Differs from 4. n. nipalensis (Horsf.) in smaller size, in the reduction in size of the yellow rump-band, and in the greater extent of green on the lower back in males: the green areas are also perhaps rather less yellowish than in the typical form, but in this respect birds from North Burma and the Shan States are intermediate. Females are hardly separable apart from size, except that the edging of the wing is olive-yellow.

Specimens examined:—A male and two females from Khao Luang, Nakon Sri Tamarat, Peninsular Siam, 5000- 5800 ft.; and five males and a female from Khao Nong, 3500 £t., thirty miles north of Khao Luang. -

Types. Adult male and female from Khao Luang, Nakon Sri Tamarat, Peninsular Siam, 5000-5800 ft. . Collected on 29th and 30th March, 1921, by H. M. Pendlebury.

. Measurements :— |

(1) 4. n. australis from Peninsular Siam. Wings: ¢, AT: 5:48'°5, 48°, 49, 49, 49S 29) 445, oe 45 * mn,

(2) 4. -nipalensis subsp., from South Shan _ States. Wings: ¢, 53-54; 2, 49-51 mm.

(3) di. n. nipalensis from Nepal and Sikkim. Wings: 3, 51-55; 2, 48-51 mm.

Observation. We are indebted to Me. N. ZB. Kivi for a comparison of our birds with British Indian. specimens and for details regarding the latter. |

* Types.

15 [Vol. xliv.

Mr. Gregory M. Martuews sent the following lesen bE new subspecies, as well as some new names :—

To the synonymy of Mathewsena rubicunda (Perry) add ‘Ardea antigone Anon., in Field’s Geogr. Memoirs on New ‘South Wales, p. 444 (1825), nom nud.

Lathamus gmelint new name for. Psittacus australis Kuhl, not Gmelin. Tasmania. vd

To the synonymy: of Dacelo noveguinew (Hermann) add Alcedo onocrotalus Anon.,in Field’s Geogr. Memoirs on New South Wales, p. 440 (1825). New name for Dacelo gigantea Leach= Latham.

Micropus pacificus torment, subsp. nov. For the bird described in my ‘ Birds of Australia,’ vol. vii. p. 276 (pl. 348), pt.iii., Aug. 26th, 1913. Type. Point Torment, North-west Australia. |

Fregata minor peninsule, subsp. nov., differs from F’. m. listert Mathews in having a longer culmen and shorter tail. Type. North Queensland.

Whatlocka wellsi striata, subsp. nov., differs from Whitlocka wellst wells: (Grant) in being darker and smaller. Type. Shaw River, Northern Mid-west Australia.

To the synonymy of Anthus australis Vieillot add Anthus pallidus Cotton, Tasm. Journ. Nat. Se. vol. ili. p. 363 (1848), nom. nud.

To the synonymy of Mirafra horsjieldi Gould add Anthus invidens Cotton, as above, nom. nud.

Colonel R. MetnertzHacren forwarded the following descriptions of new Larks, which he proposed to call :—

Ammomanes deserti coxi, subsp. nov.

In colour similar to A. d. isabellina from Egypt, but with longer and stouter bill and longer wing.

Three examined in the British Museum from Karyatein in the North Syrian Desert, and two others in our collection, one from the Syrian Desert 40 miles east of Damascus and the other from near El Jid (long. 40° 10’ E. by lat. 33° 10’ N.) in Northern Arabia.

Vol. xliv.] 16

Wings of four males 102, 106, 108, 108 ; culmens ‘16- 18 mm.

Wing of one female 100, culmen 16°5 mm.

I have measured over thirty Ammomanes d. isabellina, and find their wings rarely exceed 99, though occasionally attain 102 mm. The culmen of A. d. isabellina rarely attains 17 mm.

This race is entirely isolated from A. d. isabellina by A. d. fracterculus in Palestine, and A. d. anne in North-west Arabia. I can only assume that it is an example of parallel evolution.

Type in the British Museum, ¢. Karyatein, 24. iii. 05. Reg. no. 1905.10.11.46.

Galerida cristata imami, subsp. nov.

Generally darker on the upper parts than G. c. tardinata from Aden. As wear takes place the darkness of the plumage becomes more accentuated till in January the bird is several shades darker than birds in similar plumage from Aden, Lahej, and the Hadramaut.

Twelve examined from Sok-el-Khamis, Menakha, Sanaa, in the Yemen, and from El Kubar and Gerba in the Amiri country north of Aden. The race is therefore a hill-form as opposed to G. c. tardinata, which is confined to the plains of South-western Arabia. Forty G. c. tardinata examined.

Type in the Tring Museum, ?. Sok-el-Khamis, 8000 ft., Yemen, 11. viii. 13, Bury collection.

Dr. G. C. Low communicated the following note on the nomenclature of the South American Black Oyster- catcher,

HA@MATOPUS TOWNSENDI Audubon.

Until recently this species of Oyster-catcher has been called Hematopus ater Vieill. Brabourne and Chubb then proposed the name Hematopus quoyz after its discoverer. Vieillot’s name had apparently been given to the North American species, the names of the different black Oyster- catchers having been much mixed up. Oberholser replied

WW [ Vol. xliv.

to this and called attention to the fact that an earlier name was that of Audubon, viz., Hamatopus townsendi. It is not quite clear where the specimen to which this name was given came from (vide extracts below), but the picture given of it in the folio edition of Audubon, a reduced copy of which appears in his ‘ Birds of America,’ 8vo edition, distinctly shows that it is the South American bird, its beak and feet being characteristic. The name should therefore be Hamatopus townsend.

Eatracts from the Literature.

VIEILLOT ET OUDART:

‘One encounters this species | /7. ater! in N.W. America, on the Isle of Curacgoa, Magellan Straits, New Zealand, and New Holland.”

AvuDUvuBON, Orn. biog. v. 1839, p. 247: (2) HaMatorpus TOWNSENDI.

“‘ A specimen of this species, which very closely resembles the last [H. bachmani], but is much larger and differs in its proportions, was also forwarded to me by Dr. Townsend, but without any notice respecting its habits or distribution. I have compared it with some specimens brought from the Coast of California with which it agrees in all respects.”

Cassin, in Baird’s Bds. North America, p. 700 :

“Tt is not at all probable that this bird [ Haematopus townsendi| is entitled as yet to be regarded as_ belonging to the Fauna of the United States, though so given by Audubon. It was described and figured by that dis- tinguished ornithologist from specimens in Dr. Townsend’s collection, which were, very probably, from Peru or Chili, where he collected on the route from Oregon to the United States. Not one of the later observers and collectors has met with this bird at any locality in North America, and it ought, very probably, to be omitted from our Ornithology. - It is a well-known species of South America.”

Vol. xliv.] 18

OBERHOLSER :

‘“‘ Messrs. Brabourne and Chubb have recently given the name Hwmatopus quoyi to the bird from the Falkland Islands, previously described by Sharpe as Hematopus ater. There is, however, an earlier and certainly pertinent name in Hematopus townsendt Audubon, based on a_ specimen supposedly from the mouth of the Columbia River, but which doubtless came, as did others of Audubon’s specimens, from South America. In view of this, we designate the Falkland Islands as its type-locality.”

References.

(1) Hematopus niger (nec Pall.), Quoy & Gaim. Voy. ‘ Uranie,’. Zool. i. .1824, p. 129, pl. 24 (Falkland Islands).

(2) Hematopus ater Vieillot et Oudart, Gal. ois. ii. 1825, p. 88, pl. 230.

(3) Hematopus ater Sharpe, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus. xxiv. 1896, pp. 121 & 731.

(4) Hematopus ater Ridgway, Bds. N. & M. Anbeed wilt. L919; p29.

(5) Hamatopus ater Cassin, in Baird’s Rep. Pacific R. R. Survey, ix. 1858, p. 700; and in Baird’s Bds. N. Amer. p- 700.

(6) Hematopus townsendi Audubon, Bds. America, fol. ed. iv. 1830, pl. £27. fig. 3.

(7) Hematopus townsendt Audubon, Orn. biog. v. 1839, p. 247.

(8) Haematopus townsendi Audubon, Bds. America, 8vo ed. v. 1842, p. 245, pl. 326.

(9) Hematopus quoyt Brabourne & Chubb, Hamatopus quoyi, nom. nov. for Hawmatopus ater Sharpe (nec Vieillot) of the Falkland Islands, Bds. South America, i. 1912, p. 37.

(10) Hematopus Mion Oberholser, Lematopus quoyt 3rabourne & Chubb, is antedated by /Z. townsend: Aud., Washington, Proc. Biol. Soc. xxxi. 1918, p. 47.

19 [ Vol. xliv.

Dr. G. C. Low also communicated the following note on the classification of the species and subspecies of Hematopus :—

Sclater having pointed out (Bull. B. O. C. xlii. 1922, p. 72) that the correct name for the black Oyster-catcher of South Africa is Haematopus moguint moquini, and Oberholser that the correct name for the black Oyster-catcher of South America is Hematopus townsend: (vide previous communication), we may now classify the species and sub- species of the genus as follows :—

Genus H £MATOPUS. Species and Subspecies. Black and white Species.

Hematopus ostralegus ostralegus. Kurope.

i Be osculans. China.

. = Jinscha. New Zealand.

s sy longirostris. Australia.

a a reischeki. New Zealand.

" és picatus. N.W. Australia.

wu palliatus pallatus. America, U.S., ete.

ei of POFGrt. Lower California and southwards.

a 5 galapagensis. Galapagos Islands.

Mw ny prote. Bahamas.

es Hy. durnfordi. Patagonia.

ns leucopodus. Falkland Islands, Patagonia.

Black Species.

—— Hematopus bachmani. N.W. America, Aleutian Islands, Yolumbia, California.

7 townsendi *. Pacitie Coast of South

America, south of Peru; Straits of Magellan; Falkland Islands. :

* Syns. H. ater, H. quoyt,

Vol. xliv.] 20 Black Species (cont.)

Hematopus moquini moquint*. South Africa. » meade-waldor. Canary Islands. 5 unicolor unicolor. a 5 Jfuliginosus. | Australia and New m 5 ophthalmicus. Zealand. 54 » bernierr.

Mr. P. F. Bunyarp exhibited the following eggs from his collection :—

Woop-Lark (Lullula arborea).—Four eggs together with an egg of a Cuckoo (C. canorus), Surrey, 6. vi. 23. Found by Major C: W. Smeed and Lieut. Dyson, R.N. The eggs of the foster-parent were large typical eggs, but the Cuckoo’s was exceptional and had a _ ground-colour of greenish-grey, with conspicuous superimposed markings of brownish-black. The nest was in a tuft of long fine grass by the side of a cart-track. This was probably a new British record, though the foster-parent was a comparatively common one on the Continent. Weight of Cuckoo’s egg 231 mg.

Woov-Wars._erR (P. sibilatriz).—Three eges with one of a Cuckoo, Surrey, 17. vi.23. The eggs of the foster-parent were typical, while that of the Cuckoo was a fine specimen rather heavily marked with reddish-brown. Mr. Bunyard stated that he found the nest by watching the Wood-Warbler return to it, and added that it must be considered as a very rare foster-parent for the Cuckoo in the British Isles, pro- bably the first authenticated record. Weight of Cuckoo’s egg 210 mg.

Cuckoo (C. canorus).—Two eggs from the nests of the Wren (7. troglodytes). These eggs were laid by the same bird and were fairly typical, with a few large superimposed blotches of brownish-black, and were taken in Surrey,

22.6, 23.

Mr. Bunyard went on to say that from the position of the Wood-Warbler’s and Wren’s nests he considered it

* Syns. LH, neger, HH. capensis,

21 [Vol. xliv.

impossible for the Cuckoo to have gone on to the nest to lay the egg, or to have placed herself in a position from which she could have laid the ege through the entrance.

Weight of Cuckoo’s eggs 241 and 221 mg.

A discussion followed in which several members took part.

[Eprror.—The Rev. F. C. R. Jourparn sends us the following note :—The earliest published record of the Cuckoo Jaying in the nest of the Wood-Warbler in the British Isles appears to be that by Mr. C. Stubbs (Zool. 1869, p. 8681). Mr. D. H. Meares records the second instance in the ‘Caradoc and Severn Valley Field Club Record’ for 1901, p. 39, and J. Palmer also records a third case in the ‘Record’ for 1906, p.27. Mr. J. Beddall Smith also found a Cuckoo victimizing a Wood-Warbler in 1905, which he recorded in Brit. Birds, xii. p. 46 (1918). There are thus at least four published records (three of which are men- tioned in Mr. Jourdain’s list of Cuckoo fosterers in ‘The British Bird Book,’ ii. p. 491), besides the set in the British Museum from the Crowley Collection (Cat. Hggs Brit. Mus. iii. p. 108), so that. Mr. Bunyard’s is apparently the sixth recorded instance from the British Isles.

The Wood-Lark is a rare fosterer, and has only been recorded on one or two previous occasions and with insufficient data. |

[Epitor.—The data on the clutch referred to in the British Museum are not sufficient to make the record undoubtedly authentic.]

Mr. A. F. GrirritH made some interesting remarks on his observation of a Velvet Scoter, which was accompanied by eleven ducklings about six or seven days old, on a loch in Ross-shire. He also described how he saw a Common Buzzard stooping several times at an Eagle, much as a Peregrine will do at a Buzzard. The Eagle finally turned over on its back, just as a Buzzard does when a Falcon stoops at it.

Vol. xliv. | 22

The next Meeting of the B.0.C. will be held on Wednesday, the 14th of November, 1923, at PAGANI’S RESTAURANT, 42-48 Great Portland Street, W.1, the Dinner at 7 p.m. Members intending to dine are requested to inform the Hon. Secretary, Dr. G@. C. Low, 86 Brook Street, Grosvenor Square, W.1.

| N.B.—Members who intend to make any communication at the next Meeting of the Club are requested to give notice beforehand to the Editor at Nat. Hist. Museum, South Kensington, and to place in his hands

not later than at the meeting MSS. for publication in the Bulletin. |

(Signed ) W. L. Scuater, Prrcy R. Lowsg, G. C. Low, Chairman. Editor. Hon. Sec. §& Treas.

BULLETIN

ERerisH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB.

No. CCLXAXXII.

Tae two-hundred-and-seventy-eighth Meeting of the Club was held at Pagani’s Restaurant, 42-48, Great Portland Street, W., on Wednesday, November 14th, 1923.

Chairman: H. M. Wattis.

Members present :—H. C. Sruarr Baker; D. A. Banner- man; G. K. Baynes; P. F. Bunyarp; C. Cuvsp; W. FirzHersert-BrockHoues ;x M. Hacnisuxa: Rev. J.R. Hate; Dr. KE. Harrert; Rev. F, C. R. Jourpaiy ; N. B. Krynzar; Dr. T. G. Lonestrarr; Dr. G. C. Low (Hon. Sec.); Dr. P. H. Manson-Banr; Colonel R. Mernerrz- HAGEN; H. Mount; D. W. Mussetwuite; C. E. Pearson ; F. R. Ratouirr ; R. H. Reap; C. B. Rickert; D. Sreru- Smith ; Major A. G. L. Stapen; B. W. Tucker; G. M. Vevers; R. Ware; H. F. Wituersy.

Guests: —J. D. Brown ; E. Gitroy ; N. Gizroy; Capt. F. MussELWwHuHits ; J. A. Ryze; D. W. Sera-Smirn. |

{ December 8th, 1923, | a VOL, XLIv.

Vol. xliv.] 24

Dr. Ernst Hartert exhibited some specimens of Tehitrea from eastern Africa and called attention to their variation. The most striking specimen was a skin, probably a male in its first year, with the underside white, with a faint yellowish- brown tinge in two or three places on the breast, under tail- coverts buff. In all other respects it is a typical red male of the East African form, which would be Tehitrea viridis ferret?. It was shot in the Kakamega Forest, eastern Kavi- rondo, and is in Dr. van Someren’s collection.

Then there were two males with the underside light rufous, more or less whitish on the‘lower abdomen, and with bluish- grey patches on the breast. In the one the wing was devoid of all white colour, on the other there were a few white spots on the primary coverts; in all other respects they were like 3 T.v. ferreti. These specimens might be hybrids between T. v. ferreti and T. emini, the former having a white line along the wing and grey underside, the latter a bright rufous- red under surface and no white on the wing. One was from Entebbe, Uganda, the other from the Yala River in Kenya Colony. A specimen very much like these, but with the breast splashed with blue-black, from the Gambia, was in the British Museum.

Another peculiar bird, a female, was shot by Rudolf Grauer between Bukoba and Kagera in Tanganyika Territory. The back was somewhat paler than in 7. v. ferreti and T. emini, breast and abdomen white, washed with grey, the latter also with some yellowish tinge. ‘These specimens, i.e.,the ¢ from Kakamega Forest and the one from Bukolea,

could not be different species, but must be aberrant varieties or mutations. |

Mr. Davip Bannerman made the following remarks on the genera Turdinus and Alcippe, and showed that. they should no longer be used for African species. He said :—

I wish to draw -attention to the confusion which has

hitherto existed in the genera Turdinus and Alcippe, and first to point out the absurdity of placing any African species

25 [ Vol. xliv.

in the genus Turdinus. Dr. Reichenow assigns to it no less than eleven species inhabiting the African Continent, and draws only a very narrow line between the genera Turdinus and Alcippe. When we come to examine the African species placed in these genera and compare them with the types of the eastern members of these groups, you will surely agree that some drastic changes must be made.

Look first at Turdinus macrodactylus Strickland, which is the type of the genus Jurdinus. It is an inhabitant of Malay, and is characterised by its long heavy bill with hooked upper mandible, stiff rictal bristles, very heavy feet and tarsus, rounded wing, and last, but by no means least, its loose plumage and squamated colour-pattern.

I would restrict the genus to the Malay Peninsula, Java, Sumatra, and Borneo, and include in it 7. lepidopleurus from Java (evidently but a subspecies of J. macrodactylus), T. atrigularts from Borneo, T. rufipectus and T. loricatus from Sumatra. There may be others, but if you will examine the species mentioned, you will see that they form a well-marked group, totally distinct from any African bird or indeed from the unicoloured Indian species which were formerly placed in this genus, and which Mr. Stuart Baker has now rightly placed in the genus Malacocincla Blyth (1845), with type M. abbotti.

The majority of the African species which were formerly united with Zurdinus, I would place in the genus lladopsis Heine (1859), with type Turdirostris fulvescens Cassin. In this genus I would include at any rate J/ladopsis rujipennis, batesi, gularis, moloneyanus, iboensis, and cerviniventris, but not atriceps of Sharpe ; this species will be dealt with later.

Only one more genus needs mention before coming to the point of my remarks—Alcippe of Blyth (1844). The type of the genus is A. cinerea Blyth, a wide-ranging species which was described from Singapore. I would restrict the genus (which is already a large one) to the numerous species inhabiting India, Burma, Ceylon, Malay, Java, and China, and refuse to admit into its ranks any African species

Vol. xliv. | 26

whatsoever. The four African species and one subspecies usually associated with the genus Alezppe I will deal with in a moment.

I now come to Turdinus atriceps of Sharpe. We cannot allow this species to remain in the genus Turdinus. Just compare it with 7. macrodactylum. The formation of the short fine bill, thin tarsus, and comparatively weak feet alone is sufficient to enable it to be placed in another genus, though it was the colour-pattern which first struck me as being so distinct. I was at once struck by the similarity of its colour-pattern to the five African birds mentioned above, which have hitherto been placed in the genus Alcippe— i.e., stierlingt Reich., abyssinicus Riipp., monachus Reichw., clauder Alex. (the last two subspecies of abyssinicus), and pyrrhopterus Reichw. & Neum., the whole forming a well- marked group with grey underparts, fulvous upper parts, and with black or grey heads, all having the same wing-formula, slender bills with hooked upper mandible and weak rictal bristles, fine feet and tarsi.

I propose for this compact little group the new generic name :—

Pseudoalcippe, gen. nov., with type Turdinus atriceps Sharpe.

Finally, I will ask you to compare A. cinerea (the type of the genus Alcippe) with T. macrodactylum (the type of the genus Turdinus), and Pseudoalcippe atriceps with them both, and I think you will see the force of my argument in uniting the little derelicts from the two groups under one generic name, and eradicating altogether the genera Turdinus and Alcippe trom African Ornithology.

Mr. Stuart Baker said that he agreed with Mr. Banner- man in his action. He had examined the species in the British Museum for which the new genus was proposed, and he had no doubt that they formed a little group which required separating generically. As regards Alcippe and Turdinus, he was in accord that these genera should be restricted to the species inhabiting the Hast.

27 [ Vol. xliv.

Mr. BANNERMAN then described a new Seed-eater from the highlands of Cameroon and Nigeria which he proposed

to name

Policspiza gularis montanorum, subsp. nov.

Adult male and female. Distinguished from the nearly allied P. g. flegeli Hartert (described from Loko on the Benue River) by having the entire plumage darker ; the upper parts are a warm brown, several shades deeper than the upper parts of P. g. flegeli. The underparts are also darker, but not so much so in comparison with the back.

Type. In the British Museum. ¢ ad. Banso Mountains, N. of Kumbo, 6000 ft. (No. 6879). G. L. Bates coll.

Range. Confined to the highland districts of Cameroon and Nigeria. Specimens were obtained N. of Kumbo, and between that place and Bamenda, at altitudes varying between 4000 and 6000 feet, also at Takum on the high spur south of Ibi (1500 ft.). This specimen (No. 7426) from Takum undoubtedly belongs to this highland form, and not to the Benue River race.

Observations. Mr. Bates’s specimens have been sent to ' Berlin for comparison with the type of P. g. flegeli Hartert, together with a light-coloured example from Zoranda which we believed to be typical P. 9. fegelr. Dr. Stresemann writes under date 28.x.23: “‘ Your Poliospiza certainly belong to two different races, even if we consider that one is ina fresh, the other in a rather worn plumage. Your Zoranda bird agrees quite well with the type of P. g. flegeli, while the Bamenda bird is much darker and evidently requires a new name. The Bamenda specimen has dark centres to the under tail-coverts, while the type of P. g. flegeli has pure white ones.”

The bird here named has nothing to do with P. 9. wamensis Grote, which Dr. Grote tells me is larger and distinctly more brown. )

Vol. xliv.] 28

Dr. C. B. Ticenurst forwarded the following deseriptions of new races of Iraq and Indian birds :—

(1) Sitta neumayer kurdistanica, subsp. nov.

Largest, with S. n. dresseri, of all races of Rock-Nuthatch. —

Resembles S. n. dresseri, but a darker blue-grey on the upper parts and the flanks darker rust-colour.

3. Wing 91-98, exposed culmen 24-26°5 ; 2. Wing 90, bill 25 mm. Four males and one female examined, fifteen S. n. dressert examined.

Type. In the British Museum. ¢ Tang-i-Dorq, 2000 {t., Kurdistan, 19.x.22. No. 1721. Cox-Cheesman coll.

Distribution. Replaces S. n. dresseri in Kurdistan ; all specimens come from Dohuk district.

(2) Podiceps ruficollis iraquensis, subsp. nov.

Like P. r. rujicollis, but smaller. In breeding-dress darker on neck and belly than either P. r. rusicollis or P. r. capensis on the average. The white on the wings is more extensive than in P. r. ruficollis, but less than in P. 7. capensis ; the white often extends on to the bases of the inner primaries, and there is more on the secondaries than in P. 1. rujicollis.

3. Wing 91-97; 2 83-89 mm.

Type. In the British Museum. Iskandariyeh, Huphrates, 23. vi. 1922. No. 2151. Cox-Cheesman coll.

Distribution. Resident in the marshes of Iraq and ? Palestine.

Observations. On size alone this could neither be P. r. rujicollis nor P. r. capensis. When I wrote the ‘ Birds of Mesopotamia’ I had to place the Little Grebe under P.r. capensis, owing to lack of material.

(3) Horeites brunnifrons whistleri, subsp. nov. Resembles A. b. brunnifrons from Nepal and Sikkim, but

is paler chestnut on the head ; paler, not so rufous, on back and edge of wing, paler under tail-coverts and thighs.

Type. In the British Museum. 6. Simla, 24. x1. 1880. W. Davison coll. Reg. No. 86.7.8.2196.

Distribution, N.W. Himalayas.

29 [ Vol. xliv.

(4) Phylloscopus pulcher kangre, subsp. nov.

Like Ph. p. pulcher, but more yellowish-olive, not so dark olive, on back and edge of wing ; head not so dark.

Type. In the British Museum. Simla, 29. x, 1880. W. Davison coll. Reg. No. 86.7.8.1289.

Distribution. N.W. Himalayas.

Observations. Differs from P. p. pulcher in much the same way as Ph. proregulus simlaensis does from P. p. newton,

Mr. P. F. Buyyarp exhibited a clutch of twelve, three clutches of eleven, and five clutches of nine eggs of the Carolina Crake (Porzana carolina) from Buffalo Lake, Alberta, Genesee, Co. Mich., Games N. York, Harrison, Dakota, ete.

The claim of the Carolina Crake to be ranked as a British bird rests on four records (‘A List of British Birds,” B. O. U., Second edition, p. 302).

Though a comparatively common egg, very few appear to have reached this country. There are three only in the Nat. Hist. Mus. Cat. of Birds’ Eggs, vol. i. p. 117, plate ix. fig. 2; unfortunately, these are wrongly described as resembling the eggs of P. porzana. This is, as far as I am aware, the only egg of P. carolina figured in British works. If comparison is made, it will be seen that there is no resemblance between the eggs of the two species.

A series of Spotted Crake (P. porzana) were also exhibited for comparison.

Oologically closely allied (except in size) to eggs of the Moorhen (G. chloropus), eggs of P. carolina, however, are not so reddish in the ground-colour.

Measurements. 1°24x90 in., a clutch eight te fifteen (Chapman, ‘ Handbook of Birds of Hastern N. A.,’ p. 143).

Dr. T. G. Lonestarr exhibited some specimens obtained by the Merton College Expedition in Spitsbergen, 1923 :— Spitsbergen Ptarmigan. ‘Two adult males (8. viii. 23).

Sanderling ¢?, clutch of 4 eggs and _ nest-material (28. vii. 23). Sabine’s Gull, juvenile (26. viii. 23).

Vol. xliv.] | 30

They saw two adult and an immature Great Northern Diver on a large lake inland from Dirkses Bay.

This exhibit has special interest, from the fact that no eggs of the Sanderling have previously been obtained in the Spitsbergen Archipelago. Dr. W.S. Bruce on one occasion obtained young on Prince Charles Foreland, but, unfortu- nately, no details of the occurrence are to be found among his papers. The measurements of this clutch, obtained by Dr. Longstaff, were 37 x 24°8, 35-4 x 24:1, 37:1 x 24:8, and d5D°4 x 24°5 mm.

The Spitsbergen Ptarmigan was almost exterminated by unfavourable weather-conditions in 1920-21, and the acquisition of these specimens, which have been generously presented to the British Museum, is worthy of note.

Mr. D. W. Mussetwuire and Mr. R. Wars exhibited an interesting series of five Wren—Cuckoo eggs taken on a private estate in Sussex during the four years 1920-1923. Each nest was found by either one or other of the exhibitors. The following are brief particulars of the five nests :—

Nest No. 1, Cuckoo and 1 egg of Wren.—Found June 1920. Nest in brambles &c. and much damaged, the top being partly pushed off. Nest forsaken.

Nest No. 2, Cuckoo and 5 eggs of Wren.—Found May 1922. Nest in brambles &c. Top part of entrance-hole slightly damaged. Cuckoo’s egg nearest entrance-hole.

Nest No. 3, Cuckoo and 5 eggs of Wren.—Found May 1923. Nest in brambles &c. ‘Top part of entrance-hole damaged and enlarged. Cuckoo’s egg nearest entrance- hole.

Nest No. 4, Cuckoo and 5 eggs of Wren.—Found May 1923. Nest in holly-bush. Top part badly damaged and nest forsaken. Nest, which was intact, contained two Wren’s eggs when first found. Second visit made two days later, when Cuckoo’s egg was found to have been deposited and nest badly damaged. Cuckoo’s egg nearest entrance- hole.

Nest No. 5, Cuckoo and 5 eggs of Wren.—Found June 1923. Nest in furze-bush and intact up to time of having

al [ Vol. xliv.

three Wren’s eggs. Next visit disclosed that Cuckoo’s egg had been deposited and top part of nest slightly damaged and hole sufficiently enlarged to see Cuckoo’s egg and some of the Wren’s without touching the nest.

One of the damaged nests was also produced, but this was not taken until some time later owing to decision to exhibit not being made until September last.

The following points are brought to notice :—

(1) All five nests were damaged.

(2) Two of the five nests were forsaken.

(3) Four of the Cuckoo’s eggs were nearest the entrance- hole. No similar observation made in regard to nest found in 1920.

(4) Four nests, each contained 5 eggs of Wren, suggesting the possibility that the Cuckoo did not on all occasions remove an egg of the fosterer. Nest found in 1920 likely forsaken at an early stage.

(5) All five eggs of Cuckoo of same type, leaving little doubt that they were produced by an individual female and incidentally one regularly parasitic on the Wren (77oglo- dytes t. troglodytes).

Mr. Musselwhite, in describing this series, made the following remarks, with which Mr. Ware was in agree- ment :-—

The outstanding feature connected with this exhibit is the interference or damage to the Wrens’ nests by the Cuckoo. The five instances now reported are by no means isolated. There is ample unquestionable evidence of this practice being general in the case of domed nests, such as Wren (Troglodytes t. troglodytes), Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus c. collybita), and Willow-Warbler (Phylloscopus t. trochilus), in which a Cuckoo’s egg has been found. This damage, I suggest, is closely associated with the deposition of the Cuckoo’s egg, and both Mr. Ware and myself, after careful survey of each nest and surroundings, are of opinion that it was by no means impossible for the Cuckoo to have laid. into the nests. Ifa Cuckoo can lay in a difficult Meadow- Pipit’s (Anthus pratensis) nest, it is not unreasonable to

Vola xliv. | 32

suppose that it is possible for a Cuckoo to lay into a domed nest in an open position. Again, the act of coition by a male bird would appear to be a very difficult perfor- mance if left to description, whereas by observance it is accomplished with the utmost ease and in a matter of seconds. This being so, it does not seem that the female Cuckoo, in laying into a nest, has a task to perform which is greater or physically out of the question. The evidence weighs very much in favour of the damage to the nest being done at the same time as the egg is deposited, and, assuming this to be the case, it seems to lend more support to the theory that the egg is laid into the nest rather than deposited by means of the beak.

Mr. J. D. La Toucue sent the following descriptions of new forms :— |

In my notes on the birds of South-east Yunnan (‘ Ibis,’ 1923, p. 324) I have called the S.E. Yunnan Red-headed Babbler “ Stachyridopsis ruficeps davidi Oustalet.” The four specimens collected are of a brighter green and yellow when laid side by side with 8.H. China birds. They belong

evidently to another form which I would propose to call

Stachyridopsis ruficeps bangsi, subsp. nov.

Description. Differs from S. r. davidi in having the chin, throat, breast, and centre of abdomen warm bufhish-yellow, and the sides of the breast and the flanks olive-green. The orange-chestnut of the head is confined to the crown, asin the S.E. China birds, but is rather darker. Wing 54-56 mm.

Type, & ?, Milati, S.E. Yunnan, 9 Feb., 1921.

Named in honour of Mr. Outram Bangs.

A specimen of the Red-headed Babbler, shot at Yunnanfu and only received this year, is like S. r. davidi, but has a paler (whitish-yellow) throat and a very pale chestnut crown. As this skin is in worn summer plumage, it is difficult to say to what form it belongs. It is, however, much closer to S. 7. davidi than to the Southern Yunnan bird. These birds and the above-described Bulbul have

3d [ Vol. xliv.

been kindly compared for me by Mr. N. B. Kinnear at the Natural History Museum.

The Coal-Tit which inhabits the high monntains of North- west Fohkien has long been wrongly identified with P. a. pekinensis. Dr. Hartert, to whom I referred the matter, kindly informs me that the Fohkien bird “ is much smaller than P. a. pekinensis,” and that the latter has the flanks ‘“‘rufescent ” in colour and is as described by him. David and Oustalet give the wing as 60 mm. (Ois. de la Chine, p. 283). I would propose to call the Fohkien Coal-Tit.

Parus ater kuatunensis, subsp. nov.

Description. Head and crest glossy blue-black, the crest long, asin P. a. pekinensis of N.W. Chihli; back and scapulars da:k grey; rump and upper tail-coverts brownish-grey ; nuchal spot, sides of head and neck, centre of breast, and abdomen dull pale buff; flanks sandy-grey. Iris dark brown, bill blackish, legs dark leaden-blue. Wing 53°5-58 mm. :

Types, 3, Kuatun, N.W. Fohkien, Feb. 1912.

Sere Yes, x uF 1 Nov., 1901.

The next Meeting of the B.0.C. will be held on Wednesday, the 12th of December, 1923, at PAGANI’S RESTAURANT, 42-48 Great Portland Street, W.1, the Dinner at 7 p.m. Members intending to dine are requested to inform the Hon. Secretary, Dr. G. C. Low, 86 Brook Street, Grosvenor Square, W.1.

[| N.B.—Members who intend to make any communication at the next Meeting of the Club are requested to give notice beforehand to the Hditor at Nat. Hist. Museum, South Kensington, and to place in his hands not later than at the meeting MSS. for publication in the Bulletin. ]

(Signed) H. M. Wa .tis, Prrcy R. Lows, G. C. Low, Chairman. wy editor Hon. See. §& Treas.

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BULLETIN

Pret isH “ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB

No. CCLAXAXITII.

Tae two-hundred-and-seventy-ninth Meeting of the Club was held at Pagani’s Restaurant, 42-48, Great Portland

Street, W., on Wednesday, December 12th, 1923.

Chairman: Lord RoTHSCHILD.

Members present :—K. C. Stuart Baker; G. K. Baynss ; P. F. Bunyarp; R. H. Deanzt; M.U. Hacuisuxa; Dr. E. Harrert; Rev. F.C. R. Jourpain; N.B. Kinnear; L.R. W. Loyp; Dr. P. R. Lows (#diior) ; Dr. G. C. Low (Hon. Sec. § Treas.); C.W.Mackwortu-Prarp; J. H. McNeite; Col. & Mrs. R. MetnertzHacen; D. W. Muvsse.wuite ; F. R. Ratotirr; C. B. Rickert; C. G. TALBot-Ponsonsy ;

G. M. Vevers; H. M. Wauiis; H. F. WiraErsy.

Guest: —Commander R. E. Vauauayn, R.N.

VOL, XLIV,

(January 5th, 1924, ]

Vol. xliv. | 36

Count Nits Gy.LpENstoLPE forwarded the following description of a new Fruit-Pigeon :—

Treron calva vylderi, subsp. nov.’

A very pale form. Underparts in the adult male greyish with a very slight olive tinge; nuchal collar rather well defined and of a more pure grey than the back; upper tail- coverts grey, the feathers slightly olive-grey at the tips; central rectrices greyish, paler and more greyish-white terminally; outermost pair of tail-feathers dark grey basally, then brownish-black and tipped with greyish-white ; remaining rectrices grey with the brownishi-black colour less intense and the tips darker; rectrices from below blackish brown, tipped with greyish-white. Head and neck rather bright “ oil-yellow” (Ridgway), slightly less bright on the crown and sides of face ; crop-region yellowish ; underparts greyish, the feathers tipped with yellowish. Patch near bend of wing vinaceous drab ; scapulars slightly more olive- grey than the back; yellow markings on wings very pale yellow.

A female from the same locality resembles the male, but the upper parts are less pure grey, more tinged with olive ; nuchal collar less well marked and the whole coloration duller.

Bare portion of bill slightly shorter than the rhampho- theca, or equal to it. BS

Type. Adult male, collected at Quevep, Great Namaqua- land, 23rd August, 1873, by Mr. G. de Vylder.

Dimensions of type. Wing 164 mm.; tail 100 mm. ; rhamphotheca, 10°5 mm.; bare portion of bill 10 mm. The female shows the following measurements: Wing 166 mm.; tail 106 mm.; rhamphotheca 10°5 mm. ; bare portion of bill 10°5 mm.

Remarks. This is an easily distinguished form differing from its nearest geographical ally, Zreron calva ansorget Hartert and Goodson, from Mossamedes, by its much paler coleration and by having the bare portion of the bill either shorter than or equal to the rhamphotheca, not longer as in

37 [ Vol. xliv.

T. c. ansorgei and T. c. calva. Besides the specimens mentioned above, another unsexed bird from ex-German S.W. Africa in the Berlin Museum has been examined.

Colonel MrInerTzHAGEN exhibited some Song-Thrushes from the Island of Mull and made the following remarks :—

Three Thrushes (7urdus philomelos) recently obtained in Mull show characters intermediate between T. p. clarket and T. p. hebridensis. The Island of Mull being what may be termed intermediate territory between the mainland of Scotland and the Outer Hebrides, it is not surprising that an intermediate form of the Song-Thrush occurs. Great interest _ also lies in the fact that the rainfall of Mull is also slightly less than that in the Outer Hebrides, but greater than that which falls on the eastern mainland of Scotland. This looks as though rainfall affects the density of pigment among the Song-Thrushes, but against this Thrushes from Ireland, where the rainfall is greater than in Scotland, do not show to the same extent a tendency to 7’. p. hebridensis.

I may add that in both the Outer Hebrides and in Mull the Thrush is perforce a heather- and ground-frequenting bird, whilst in Great Britain and Ireland they seldom occur far from bushes or undergrowth.

Whether this habit or degree of rainfall is the influence which stimulates colour-pigment, it seems that among Turdus philomelos variation is dominated by environment and not by mutation, though in other closely allied species variation appears to follow the principles of mutation.

A series of Song-Thrushes with notes on their habits from the south-west corner of Ireland would be most interesting and might throw light on the subject, as in that locality falls the greatest amount of rain in the British Islands, outside mountain areas.

The Rev. F. C. R. Jourparn exhibited, on behalf of Lt.-Colonel W. A. Payn, the skins of two Lesser Ringed Plovers (Charadrius dulius) shot near Biskra in the Algerian Sahara in 1923 on their breeding-ground. Both birds were short-winged, the male especially so (wing g 106-7 mm.; ? 113 mm.), in this respect approaching

Vol. xliv.] 38

Ch. dubius jerdoni. A. clutch of. eggs was also exhibited taken at Hammam Meskoutine in the same season, all the egos but one being of a very abnormal character, most of the colouring-matter being in the form of a suffused cloud at the large end.

Mr. E. C. Stuart Baker made the following remarks on the species Cisticola eailis. There appear to be the following well-differentiated forms of this Cisticola occurring in the Oriental Region :—

(1) CISTICOLA EXILIS ERYTHROCEPHALA. Cisticola erythrocephala Blyth, J.A.S.B. xx. p. 523 (1851) (Nilgiris). Upper parts strongly suffused with rufous: crown during breeding-season deep chestnut-rufous.

Hab. Hills of Southern India.

(2) CISTICOLA E. TYTLERI.

Cisticola tytlers Jerdon, B. of I. 11. p. 176 (1863) (Dacca).

Upper parts strongly. suffused with rufous, though less so on the back than in C. e. erythrocephala and with the dark streaks wider and blacker. Head during breeding-season pale golden-yellow.

Hab. N.E. India, Assam, Chin and Kachin Hills, _ Yunnan.

(3) CISTICOLA E. VOLITANS.

Calamanthella volitans Swinhoe, Journ. N. China As. Soe. 1859 (Formosa).

Upper parts very grey with only a tinge of rufous on neck and upper tail-coverts. Head during breeding-season the palest yellow-white, bleaching quickly to almost pure white.

Hab. Formosa and South-east China.

(4) CISTICOLA E. RUSTICA.

Cisticola rustica Wall, P. Z. 8. 1863, pp. 19, 25 (Boru).

Underparts in breeding-plumage very rufous,

I cannot separate from this form C. e. deliculata Blyth, Ibis, 1870, p. 170 (Java) (nom. nud.), and C. e. grayi Walden, A. M.N. H. (4) ix. p. 400 (1872) (Celebes).

Hab. Philippines, Celebes, Boru, Java, Timor.

ag [ Vol. xliv.

(5) Cisticola exilis equicaudata, subsp. nov.

Differs from all other forms in:having the tail the same length both in summer and winter. There is a fine series in the British Museum of this form, and in no specimen does the tail exceed 34 mm., against 46 to 48 mm. in winter specimens from the Philippines and other areas.

Measurements the same as in other races. Wing about 42 to 46 mm.

Type in the British Msiaite $, Samkok, Siam. Herbert Coll. Reg. No. 1916.12: 27. 954.

Hab. Siam, South Burma.

Cisticola e. ewilis Vig. & Horsf. Trans. Linn. Soc. xv. p. 228 (1827) (New Holland), is a very grey bird like

C. é. volitans, but with the crown golden rufous.

Mr. Sate BakeER also described the following :—

* "Franklinia rufescens austeni, subsp. nov.

Differs from franklina rufescens rufescens in its darker plumage both above and below, but more especially the latter.

It is a slightly larger bird than F. r. rufescens, and has a decidedly longer tail in winter.

Measurements. Wing 43 to 47 mm.; tail, summer 40 to

A7 mm., winter 48 to 67 mm. The corresponding measure-

ments for /. r. rufescens are 34 to 88 mm. in summer,

A2 to 52 mm. in winter.

_. Type in the British Museum. ¢, Lhota, Naga Hills; 19th December. Reg. No. 95.7.14.1989.

Distribution. Kumaon to Assam, both north and south of the Brahmaputra.

[have named this little bird after the great naturalist who has so recently left us.

Mr. Stuart Baker also exhibited, on behalf of Mr. H. Whistler, two clutches believed to be the first authentic eggs ever taken of the Sand-Plover, Charadrius mongolus atrifrons.. These two clutches of three each were taken at the Chandra Lake, Lahul, on the 2nd and 14th of July, 1922, at an elevation of about 14,000 feet.

They measure 39°0'x 26°], 38°7 x 27°0, 37°6x 27°3 mm. ;

Vol. xliv. |] AQ

and 36°4'x 26:0, 38°6 x 25:6, 37°2x 26:0 mm. The third clutch exhibited was taken by Mr. B. B. Osmaston on the 26th of June, 1923, in the Indus Valley, at an elevation of 13,200 feet. These measure 36°2 x 25°8, 36°0x 25°9, 36°2 X 26°0 mm.

The eggs are exactly like those of Charadrius hiaticula, but average a good deal bigger, the largest. recorded egg of that bird being 38°3x 27:0 (Hartert, Vog. Pal. p. 1533). Of the three clutches one is of the pale grey type with very small primary spots of dark brown and_ blackish, and secondary ones of lavender and neutral tint. The two other clutches are of the pale buff or yellow stone-colour type, with rather larger spots and blotches of deep reddish-brown and black, the underlying spots being lavender.

The nests are described as mere scratchings in the ‘sand, that obtained by Mr. Osmaston having been made in shingle and sand about 100 yards from the River Indus and about 15 feet above the level of the water.

A chick in down, sent by Mr. Whistler, is a very pale golden-fulvous above and white below ; the crown is more golden, spotted with black, a black line of dots on either side and a second line from the corner of the eye down the neck; a broad collar on the hind neck is unspotted pale fulvous, and below this the whole back is mottled with black, the lower back and rump having more detined bars; the shoulders of the wing are barred and mottled with deep brewn. On the throat and fore neck there is a broad bare patch of black skin: “ Iris dark brown ; bill black, mouth fleshy livid; feet plumbeous with a tinge of purple ; claws black, soles dull salmon-brown.”

Mr. P. F. Buyyarp exhibited the following remarkable egos from his collection :—

Hawrincw (C. coccothraustes)—A clutch of six from Kent, with heavy superimposed markings, forming in some cases a complete zone near the large end, the remaining portion almost unmarked.

A clutch of five from Kent, with heavily pigmented super- imposed blotches and veins, mostly confined to the large ends, very bluish green ground-colour.

Al [ Vol. xliv.

A clutch of five from Northants, heavily vein-marked longitudinally.

Woop-WarBLER (P. sebilatrixz)—A clutch of six from Kent, exceptionally heavily pigmented with superimposed spots and blotches almost concealing the extreme large ends.

NicHtsar (C. europeus).—A clutch of two from Kent, one of which has conspicuous salmon-pink ground-colour, the second egg is considerably paler, superimposed markings pale reddish-brown. A clutch with pure white ground were shown for comparison.

Mr. BaNNERMAN sent the description of a new White-eye from Pemba Island which he proposed to.name :—

Zosterops vaughani, sp. nov.

Adult male. Forehead and crown to behind the eyes bright golden-yellow, gradually merging into yellowish-olive on the hind crown and nape. Mantle, back, and wing- coverts dull golden-olive, slightly paler on the rump and upper tail-coverts, but, no sign of a rump-band. Primaries and secondaries blackish-brown, the former narrowly, the latter broadly margined on the outer web with dull golden- olive. ‘Tail blackish-brown, the basal two-thirds margined on the outer web with the same colour as the back. The eye entirely surrounded with a narrow ring of white feathers. Lores black. The whole of the underparts from the chin to the under tail-coverts pale canary-yellow sometimes washed with orange. ‘The sides of the face and sides of the body washed with olive-green. Axillaries and lesser under wing- coverts pale sulphur-yellow ; inner lining of the wing white. Bill black ; legs dark slate-colour.

Bill (exposed culmen) 11 mm.; wing 52-55 mm.; tail (between central feathers) 36 mm. ; tarsus 15 mm.

Flabitat. Pemba Island (north of Zanzibar).

Type in the British Museum. ¢ ad., September 1923, Pemba Island. J. H. Vaughan Coll.

Observations. Named in honour of Mr. John H. Vaughan, of the Colonial Civil Service, who has very kindly presented the type to the National Collection.

Vol. xlive} 49

The ‘next Meeting of the B. 0. C. will be held on Wednesday, the 9th of January, 1924, at PAGANI’S RESTAURANT, 42-48 Great Portland Street, W.1, the Dinner at 7 p.m. Members intending to dine are requested to inform the Hon. Secretary, Dr. G. C. Low, 86 Brook Street, wisi rack:

Square, W.1. dd

My '

NOTICE.

The paecuniae for 1923-1924—£1 1s. 0d. became due on the Ist of October last. Members who do not pay this by Banker’ nker's Order, or who have ‘not already paid, will greatly oblige lige if

they will send their remittance as soon as possible to the

Treasurer, Dr. G6 tow 8 Brook Street, Grosvenor Square W 1.

~[N.B.—Members who intend to make any communication ° at the next Meeting of the Club are requested to give notice beforehand to the Hditor at Nat. Hist. Museum, South . Kensington, and to place in his hands not later than at the meeting MBS. for publication in

the Bulletin. le

(Signed) ine ROTHSCHILD, Percy R. Lows, Grorce-C. Low, - Chairman. Editor. Hon. Sec. §& Treas. =I PAK , to ~ ae th .

i eee eee

BULLETIN

OF THE

Serio ORNITHOLOGISTS” CLUB,

No. CCLXXXIV.

Tar two- hundred -and-eightieth Meeting of the Club was held at Pagani’s Restaurant, 42-48, Great Portland Street, W., on Wednesday, January 9th, 1924.

Chairman: W. L. SCLATER.

Members present :—P.F.Bunyarp; Hon.G. L. Coarteris ; Capt. H. L. Cocnrann, R.N.; Major-Gen. Sir P. Cox; Rev. J.R. Hate; Dr. E. Hartert; Rev. F.C. R. Jourpar ;

_N. B. Kinnear; Dr. G. C. Low (Hon. Sec. § Treas.); _-N. 8. Lucas; Admiral H. Lynes; C. W. Mackworrs-

PrazED; Dr. P. H. Manson-Banr; G. M. Maruews; Col. & Mrs. R. Mernertzgacen; T. H. Newman; ©. E. Pearson; B. B. Riviere; D. Sera-Smira; Major A. G.

L. Suapen sy H. M. Watuis; H. F. Wirnersy.

Guests:—Dr. Huco Granvik; W. H. Hate; A. W. MatTHeEws.

[January 24th, 1924, 1 VOL. XLIV.

V al shiva) is... AA

Colonel MrIneRTZHAGEN described the following races of African Kingfishers :—

Corythornis cristata johanne, subsp. nov.

Nearest to C. cristata vintsioides from Madagascar, from which it differs in being considerably paler and more greenish-blue on the upper parts and upper tail-coverts. Also larger. Kleven examined from Anjouan Island and nine from Mayotte: culmen 29 (once), 30-42; whereas the culmen of twenty-three birds (vintstoides) from Mada- gascar ranged from 30-37 mm.

Apparently confined to the Comoro Islands.

Type in the British Museum: Anjouan Island, Comoro Islands, coll. Kirk. Reg. no. 90.10.2.34.

Halcyon senegalensis ranivorus, subsp. nov.

I regard the senegaloides-group with upper and lower mandibles red as races of the senegalensis-group.

Halcyon senegaloides was originally described by Andrew Smith (8S. Afr. Quart. Journ. 2nd ser. p. 144) in 1834 from Durban. Halcyon irrorata (Reichb. Handb. Alcedin. p. 11, 1851) is a synonym, being but a new name for Smith’s senegaloides.

Hitherto the range of H. senegaloides has been regarded as stretching along the coast from south-eastern Cape Colony north to Manda Island, near Lamu north of Mombasa. But birds from the coast of Tanganyika Territory and Kenya Colony are smaller and slightly paler on the crown.

Four examined from Durban, Natal, and the Lower Zambesi: wing 104-111, culmen 53-54 mm. ‘These are Halcyon s. senegaloides.

BHleven examined from Dar-es-Salaam, Melindi, Mombasa, Pangani River, Lamu, and Manda Island: wing 99-104, culmen 47-52 mm. The Dar-es-Salaam specimen. is probably intermediate, with a wing of 109 and culmen of 51 mm.

45 [ Vol. xliv.

Type in the British Museum. No sex. Pangani River, Tanganyika Territory (Kirk). Reg. no. 90.12.28.27.

The only specimen of this race which I have obtained was shot whilst eating a small frog, which has induced me to name it ranivorus.

“ Velvet-Scoter” breeding in Scotland. Mr. H. F. Wirgersy made the following remarks :— “At the October Meeting Mr. A. F. Griffith made some

remarks about some Velvet-Scoters which he had seen in Scotland. These were so briefly reported in the ‘ Bulletin’ (vol. xliv. p. 21) that it was impossible to form any judg- ment upon them, and as I was not at the meeting I asked Mr. Griffith to supply me with particulars, which he has very kindly done. He also permits me to refer to them to- night. Briefly, the essential points are as follows:—On July 17th, 1922, Mr. Griffith saw on a loch in West Ross- shire a duck with eleven ducklings entirely in down and about a week old. They were near the side of the loch, and he got within 15 yards of them and noted that each -duckling had a well-marked white bar on the wing. He did not observe any details in the duck, beyond noticing that it seemed ‘uniform dull dark brownish.’ In the middle of the loch, about 100 yards off, were two drakes and one duck. Mr. Griffith could see these very clearly with binoculars, and states that ‘the drakes were obviously Velvet-Scoters,’ but he did not distinguish the duck. Mr. Griffith does not say by what character he identified the drakes, but I assume that he saw the white wing-bar, and, if this is so, I see no reason why he should not have observed the same character in the ducks, especially in the one with the ducklings, which he saw at 15 yards. It isa very well-known habit of the duck family for the drakes, more often than not, to keep apart from ducks with broods, and the fact that there were two drake Velvet-Scoters on the loch is no proof what- ever that the ducks were also Velvet-Scoters. Moreover, ducklings in down of the Velvet-Scoter, collected by Meves in Sweden and now in the British Museum, have no white

Vol. xliv. | 46

bar on the wing. They have very small whitish spots under the wing, but these are scarcely noticeable, certainly not in the field, and the upper parts of the ducklings are quite uniform. They have no mark which could possibly be con- fused with a wing-bar. I think, therefore, that Mr. Griffith’s record of the Velvet-Scoter breeding in Scotland must be placed with others which are not acceptable.”

Mr. P. F. Bunyarp exhibited droppings of the British Redbreast, Erithacus rubecula melophilus, composed entirely of putty, and made the following remarks :—

‘“‘T was talking to a friend at Fortis Green on Dec. 21, 1923, while he was at work at the potting-bench with marguerite-cuttings, when a Robin came close up to him, which he had named Bobby. On my remarking to him how ‘tame it was, he held out a wireworm, which Bobby took from his fingers. Near by was an ordinary paint-pot, half- filled with putty. I noticed some droppings lying about the pot, and remarked to him that he had’ rats or mice about. He said,‘ No, those are the Robin’s droppings ; he feeds on the putty.” I naturally thought he was joking ; he then took me round the greenhouse, and pointed to several of these droppings lying on the soil round the plants, and which he assured me he had seen the bird deposit.

“The putty appears to have passed right through the bird in the form of undigested pellets, and had become quite hard.”

The Rev. F. C. R. Jourpain exhibited, on behalf of Com- mander R. H. Vaughan, two clutches of eggs of the Purple Gallinule (Porphryrio ceruleus) from Andalucia. One was normal in type of colouring, but the other was of the scarce erythristic type which has been met with occasionally both in Southern Spain and in Algeria.

The Hon. G. L. CHarteris exhibited two sets of eggs of the Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia m. melanocephala) from Hycres, where all the eggs appeared to be of the yellowish-

AT [ Vol. xliv.

ochreous type, not unlike those of the Sedge-Warbler in colouring, while two other sets from Liguria were boldly spotted with blackish-brown on a bluish ground and were widely different in appearance. Mr. Jourdain stated that in a series of eggs of Sardinian Warbler from Spain, Corsica, the Balearic Isles, etc., the amount of variation was extraordinary, erythristic types being not uncommon in some districts.

Mr. Nacamicat Kuropa sent the following description of a new form.of Pygmy Woodpecker from Tonkin :—

Yungipicus pygmeus tonkinensis, subsp. nov.

Tyngipicus scintilliceps kaleensis (nee Swinhoe), Kuroda, Annot. Zool. Japon. vol. ix. pt. 3, p. 228 (1917): Tonkin.

Diagnosis. Similar to Y. p. obscurus (La Touche) (Bull. B.O.C. vol. xlii. 1921, p. 14) from Yunnan, but with a few distinct white spots on the interscapular region and on the lower hind neck ; the innermost secondaries not barred, but with large white patches asin Y. p. kaleensis of S. China and Formosa and Y. p. swinhoei of Hainan ; the breast and abdomen as well as the flanks washed with much more yellowish than in Y. p. kaleensis; the longitudinal stripes on the underparts as broad as in Y. p. kaleensis, and much broader than in Y. p. swinhoet. The under wing-coverts spotted. (7 specimens examined.)

Type. & ad., in N. Kuroda Coll., No. 1654. Yen-bai, Tonkin, 16 x.1911. 8S. Tsuchiya coll.

Measurements of type. Wing 91 mm.; exposed culmen 14:5 mm., entire culmen 18 mm.; tail 47 mm.; tarsus 14 mm.

Halitat. Tonkin (Yen-bai and Lao-kay).

Observations. This new form essentially differs from Y. p. seintilliceps, clementi, and doerriesi by its smaller size and much darker coloration of plumage.

Vol. xliv. | 48

The next Meeting of the B. 0. C. will be held on Wednesday, the 13th of February, 1924, at PAGANI’S RESTAURANT, 42-48 Great Portland Street, W.1, the Dinner at 7 p.m. Members intending to dine are requested to inform the Hon. Secretary, Dr. G. C. Low, 86 Brook Street, Grosvenor Square, W.1. |

NOTICES.

The Subscription for 1923-1924—-£1 1s. 0d.—became due on the Ist of October last. Members who do not pay this by Banker’s Order, or who have not already paid, will greatly oblige if they will send their remittance as soon as possible to the

‘Treasurer, Dr. G. C. Low, 86 Brook Street, Grosvenor Square,W.1.

ee eter Og Oe Siem ee March Meeting, which is held on Wednesday, March 12th, 1924, in conjunction with the British Ornithologists’ Union, is devoted principally to the exhibition of lantern-slides. The Hon. Secretary will be very glad to hear from any Member who has slides to exhibit, in order that the necessary

arrangements may be made.

| N.B.—Members who intend to make any communication at the next Meeting of the Club are requested to give notice beforehand to the Editor at Nat. Hist. Museum, South Kensington, and to place in his hands not later than at the meeiing MSS. for publication in the Bulletin. |

(Signed) W.. L. SciateEr, Percy R. Lowz, Gerorcs C. Low, Chairman. iditor. Hon. Sec. § Treas. Ni oy i

ig an

BULLETIN

OF THE

BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB.

No. CCLXXXV.

THe two-hundred-and-eighty-first Meeting of the Club was held at Pagani’s Restaurant, 42-48, Great Portland

Street, W., on Wednesday, February 13th, 1924.

Chairman: Lord RotTuscHiILp.

Members present:—EK. C. Stuart Baker: Miss M. G. Best; Dr. J. O. Beven; P. F. Bunyarp; Hon. G. Li. CHARTERIS ; Capt. H. L. Cocuranz, R.N.; Major-Gen. Sir Percy Cox; Dr. E. Hartert; Rev. F.C. R. Jourpain ; Capt. J. N. Kennepy; N. B. Kinnear; G. OC. Lampert ; Dr. T. G. Lonestarr: Dr. G. C. Low (Hon. Sec. § Treas.) ; N.S. Lucas’; Admiral H. Lynes; Dr. P. Manson-Banr ; Col. & Mrs. R. MeinertzHacen; H. Mount; T.H. Newman; C. E. Pearson; C. B. Rickett; 8. F. Stewart; G. M. Vevers 5x H. M. Watiis; H. F. Wiruersy.

Guests: —N. Gitroy ; W. SHoreE-Balty.

[ March 4th, 1924, | a VOL, XLI¥,

Vol. xliv.] 50

Lord RoruscHitp and Dr. Ernst Harrert exhibited part of a collection from St. Matthias Island, north of New Hanover, north-east of New Guinea. ‘St. Matthias Island,” Lord Rothschild said, ‘‘ had only once been visited, in 1901, by the members of the Mencke Expedition, among whom was the ornithologist Dr. O. Heinroth, but he could practically only collect one day, as the camp was treacherously attacked, Mr. Mencke and other members killed, and Dr. Heinroth wounded. The latter, however, collected and described three species—/Talcyon matthie, Monarcha menckei, and Rhipidura matthie. Last year, Mr. A. F. Hichhorn, Mr. Albert Meek’s brother-in-law, visited St. Matthias and made an extensive collection of birds. He sent series of the three birds discovered by Heinroth, which were hitherto unique types in the Berlin Museum. Among tle other birds we found the following new forms, which we describe as follows :-—

Micropsitta meeki proxima, subsp. nov.

Very closely allied to Md. meekt meeki from Manus (Admiralty Is.), but sides of the head lighter, not so blackish grey-brown, more yellowish-grey, the yellow superciliary lines more developed, distinct, and wider, and connected by a yellow band across the forehead ; wing longer, 10 g 65-67, 1 2 65, another 2? 63 mm.

The wings of M. meeki meekt measure 59-61°5 (not 5-961°5 !) mm.

Type. & ad. St. Matthias Island, 30.v.1923. Albert F. Hichhorn coll. No. 8475.

Hab. St. Matthias and Squally Islands, north of New

Hanover.

Pachycephala pectoralis sexuvaria, subsp. nov.

g ad. Colour like that of P. p. finscht and P. p. goodsoni (from Manus), the yellow of the abdomen between the two, but more like that of P. p. jfinschi, not so orange as in P. p. goodsoni. Bill as small as that of P. p. finschi, not

BW | [ Vol. xliv.

as big as in P. p. goodsont. Wing shorter than in both, only 89-90 mm., in both P. p. jinschi and goodsoni above 90 mm.

2 ad. Upperside olivaceous-rufous, head like back, back not at all greenish. Abdomen rich buff, in one specimen more yellowish-brown, but in none of the three specimens yellow in the middle. These females are adult, as they have pure black bills. Wings 87-88 mm.

Type. 9. St. Matthias Island, 9.vi.1923. Albert F. Eichhorn coll.

Hab. St. Matthias Island.

Lalage conjuncta, sp. nov.

& ad. Upperside black, rump white, upper tail-coverts with narrow white edges ; wings black, greater upper coverts white, the longest series with black inner webs ; inner edges to primaries, outer edges to secondaries white; tail black, outer rectrices with white tips. Lores black, sides of head from under the eyes white; no white superciliary line! Throat and breast white, abdomen and under tail-coverts light chestnut. Thighs black and white. Under wing- coverts white, spotted with black near outer edge. Wing 92, tail 77 mm.

Type. 3. St. Matthias Island, 30.vil.1923. A. F. Hich- horn coll. No. 8691.

Hab. St. Matthias Island.

Only this one specimen was sent. It connects in a way the Lalage aurea, with the whole underside (except the chin) chestnut, with the Z.karw group, which has the breast always barred, and has characters of the L. atrovirens group (whole underside white, no superciliary line), and the Australian L. tricolor and L. leucomela, the former with grey rump, the latter with rufous under tail-coverts. Unfortunately no _ female was collected, which would have been of particular

interest. a )

a

Vol. xliv. | 52

Rhipidura rufiventris mussai, subsp. nov.

Quite similar to Rh. ruf. gularis, but bill larger, wider at base, upperside and generally also the breast-band slightly darker.

Type. d. St. Matthias Island, June 11th, 1923. A. F. Hichhorn coll. No. 8540.

Hab. St. Matthias or Mussa Island.

Phylloscopus trivirgatus matthie, subsp. nov.

Nearest to P. triv. giulianetti, but sides of the head and superciliary line pale grey, not yellowish, dark line in front and behind the eye not blackish but dark grey, top of head not so blackish, more grey, back brighter and more brownish- green, bill longer. Wing 51°5 and 53mm. _ IE correctly sexed, “¢”’ therefore much smaller than P. t. giulianettii.

Type. &. St. Matthias Island, 15.vi.1923. A. F. Hich- horn coll. No. 8557.

Hab. St. Matthias Island.

Only two specimens were procured. The existence of a Phylloscopus on this island makes it probable that other forms will occur on many other of the islands near New Guinea. Dr. Stresemann has treated P. t. giulianettu of New Guinea as a subspecies of P.t. poliocephalus of the Arfak Mts. (formerly described as a Gerygone!). This may be correct, though P. t. poliocephalus has a rather short tail, but P. t. gtulranettw is connected with the Moluccan forms, and we consider these to be subspecies of P. trivirgatus of Java.

Turdus dauma eichhorni, subsp. nov.

Differs at a glance from its nearest ally, 7. d. papuensis, by its smaller size and less ochraceous rump and upper tail- coverts, these parts being not in contrast with the back, while they are much lighter and more ochraceous in 7, d, papuensis. Moreover, the coloration is everywhere less decided, the contrast between the black edges to the feathers of the upperside being less in evidence and the

53 [ Vol. xliv.

blackish tips to the feathers of the underside less deep black and narrower. The crown of the head is not so dark. The under mandible of the bill is light horn-colour, almost whitish in skin, while it is almost the same dark brown in T. d. papuensis. Iris dark brown, feet light horn- colour. Wings: 6 ¢ 109-112, 2 ? 107 mm.

Type. 6. St. Matthias Island, 31.v.1923. A. F. Hich- horn coll. No. 8480.

Hab. St. Matthias Island.

Named after its discoverer, Albert F. Eichhorn.

Turdus melanarius heinrothi, subsp. nov.

Blackish brown like J. m. melanarius, but head not as dark as back, and more brown and smaller. Wings and whole upperside appear to be more brownish, not so blackish, but this requires further research, as the specimen is in rather worn plumage. Wing 111, probably 112 if not worn. Only one male obtained, 9.vii.1923. “Iris dark brown. Bill cadmium. Feet yellow and brownish.” (A. fF. Hichhorn.)

Hab. St. Matthias Island.

Named after Dr. Heinroth, who was the first ornithological collector who visited St. Matthias Island in 1901.

Type. &. St. Matthias Island, 9.vii.23. A. F. Hich- horn coll. No. 8647.

Colonel R. MrrnerTzHaGeN made some remarks on the the Yellow-naped Woodpecker (Picus chlorolophus) and described several new races as follows :—

An examination of the large series of Picus chlorolophus in the British Museum discloses the necessity to recognize nine races.

PicUS CHLOROLOPHUS CHLOROLOPHUS.

Picus chlorolophus Vieillot, Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat. xxvi. p- 78 (1818): Bengal.

Picus chloropus Vieillot, Dict. Class. d’Hist. Nat. p. 500 (1828): Bengal.

Vol. xliv. | 54

Picus nepaulensis Gray in Hardw. Ill. Ind. Zool.i. pl. xxxi. (1830-32) : Nepal.

(Dryotomus sericeocollis of Hodgson’s MSS. is an un- published name.)

Adult 8. Upper parts olive-green, darker on the crown and tinged with lemon-yellow on the mantle. Feathers of the forehead, malar stripe, patch behind the eye, and nape with deep scarlet borders. Nuchal crest lemon-yellow to orange-yellow. Lower throat and chest olive-green. Lower breast and abdomen paler, and barred with olive- brown and dirty white. Throat barred olive-brown and white. Outer web of inner primaries and outer secondaries with a terracotta marking adjoining the shaft.

Adult 9. As in male, but lacks crimson on forehead and malar stripe.

Thirty-four examined from Sikkim, Bhutan, Sone west Yunnan, and Cachar. Seven birds from Maymyo in the N. Shan States and one from Bhamo agree best with this race. A series (21 birds) from Assam appear to be inter- mediate between this race and Picus c. burme.

Wings of 34 Picus c. chlorolophus from Sikkim measure 129-141 mm.

Picus chlorolophus simlz, subsp. nov.

Highteen birds examined from Simla, Mussoorie, Kumaon, and Dehra Doon. These are larger than Picus c. chloro- lophus, having wings varying from 142 to 150 mm. In colour they are very close to Sikkim birds, but some show a tendency to be less yellowish on the mantle.

Four birds examined from Naini Thal are slightly smaller (wings 138-142 mm.) and would appear to be intermediate between this race and the typical form from Nepal.

Type in the British Museum, 9. Dehra Doon (Hume Collection), 20.i1.1871. Reg. No. 87.8.10.1292.

Picus chlorolophus burma, subsp. nov. Forty-two specimens examined from Pegu, Tenasserim, the Southern Shan States, and Burma generally have wings varying from 133 to 142 mm. The lower throat and upper

55 [ Vol. xliv.

breast is a darker olive-green, almost an olive-brownish- green. Ina series the mantle is distinctly darker, lacking the lemon-yellow tint of Sikkim birds, though this dis- tinction is scarcely noticeable when comparing individual specimens. A very small proportion of Burmese birds more closely resemble Sikkim specimens. :

Type in the British Museum, ?. Pegu Town (Bingham). Reg. No. 98.3.10.358.

PiIcUs CHLOROLOPHUS CHLORIGASTER.

Brachylophus mentalis apud Jerd. Madr. Journ. xi. p. 214 (1840) : Travancore and Malabar. Nec Picus mentalis of Temminck.

— Picus chlorigaster Jerdon, Madr. Journ. xiii. pt. 2, p. 139 (1844) : “Southern India.” Restricted locality, Travancore (Madr. Journ. xi. p. 214).

Picus xanthoderus Malherbe, Rev. Zoolog. 1845, p. 402 : Madras.

Gecinus chlorophaus Gray, Gen. B. iii, App. 21 (1849). New name for P. chlorigaster of Jerdon.

Gecinus chlorophanes Jerdon, Birds of India, i. p. 290 (1862) : Malabar, Travancore, also Ceylon. ‘‘ Wing 43 inches, bill at front 9/10 of an inch.’ Jerdon here is obviously describing the same form previously referred to as P. chlorigaster.

Forty-six examined from Khandesh (Davison), North Canara, Wynaad, Mysore, Malabar, Calicut, Travancore, Trivandrum, Nilgiri Hills, and Mysore. Butler records it from Belgaum. Of doubtful occurrence at Madras, though specimens in the British Museum are so labelled.

The adult male resembles Picus c. chlorolophus, but has much darker green upper parts and the whole crown is crimson. The wing-coverts are invariably washed with bronze-gold.

In the adult female the entire crown is dark green, but the nuchal crest has much more crimson than is found in Picus c. chlorolophus.

Smaller: wings from 115 mm. in females to 125 in males, culmen from 23 mm. in females to 28 in males.

Vol. xliv.] 56

Picus chlorolophus wellsi, subsp. nov.

Twenty-one examined from Ceylon. In addition to having a smaller culmen than P. c. chlorigaster, Ceylon birds are darker and duller green on the back, wing-coverts lack the bronze wash always present in southern Indian examples; and the chest is more uniform.

Wings from 111 mm. in females to 125 in males, culmen from 20 mm. in females to 25 in males.

Type in the British Museum, ¢@. Ceylon (Butler), 7.x1.1895. Reg. No. 1916.9.20.552.

PIcUS CHLOROLOPHUS RODGERI.

Gecinus rodgert Hartert and Butler, Novit. Zool. v. p. 508 (1898): Gunong Ijau, Perak.

Four examined (Tring).

Near P. c. longipennis, but with less red distributed on crown and with the yellow nuchal crest more orange-yellow (not so pure lemon-yellow). Underparts browner and less greenish. Males with a well-marked crimson malar stripe. Females with a whitish loral streak extending under the eyes and ear-coverts.

Differs from P. c. burme in being greener (less yellow) on the mantle and with slightly darker underparts.

Wings 124-128, culmen 24-27 mm. Therefore much smaller than P. c. burme.

Only known from the Malay Peninsula.

PicuUs CHLORULOPHUS VANHEYSTI.

Brachylophus chlorolophus vanheystt Robinson and Kloss, Journ. Straits Branch R. As. Soc. No. 80, p. 97 (1919): Bandar Baroi, N.E. Sumatra.

Two examined (Tring), including the type.

Very near P.c. longipennis and rodgeri, but with more orange (less lemon-yellow) nuchal crest than the former and with more yellow (less greenish) mantle than the latter.

57 [ Vol. xliv.

Underparts not so brown asin P.c. rodgeri. Malar stripe in male clearly indicated by pale buff and crimson barring, and in female by pure pale buff.

Wings, male 130, female 126 mm.; eulmens 25 mm. HE sxelore probably larger than P. c. rodgeri.

Apparently confined to Sumatra.

PiIcus CHLOROLOPHUS LONGIPENNIS.

Gecinus chlorigaster longipennis Hartert, Novit. Zool. xvii. p. 222 (1910): Mount Wuchi, Central Hainan.

Six examined (Tring) from Central Hainan.

Underparts darker than in P.c. chlorolophus and abdo- men darker and less barred with whitish than in P. c. burme. Upper parts greener (less yellow) than in either P.c. chlorolophus or burme and a darker green than in P. ce. chlorigaster. The red on the head extends partially and more or less over the whole crown. Nuchal crest lemon- yellow, never with a trace of orange. Lower portion of lores and a line passing from lores under the ear-coverts pale yellowish-green. Malar stripe in males only indicated by an occasional crimson spot.

Wings 129-135, culmen 25-26 mm. Therefore larger than P. ¢. rodgert.

Picus chlorolophus annamensis, subsp. nov.

Two adults and two juveniles examined. These differ markedly from Burmese birds in having much paler under-. parts and from Sikkim birds in having duller (less green and more brownish) underparts. These characteristics are even more marked when comparing juvenile specimens. Upper parts as in Burmese specimens. Wings of two adults 1385 and 136 mm.

This race is ever so much paler underneath and less green above than either P. c. longipennis, rodgeri, or vanheysti.

Type in the British Museum, ?. Daban, Southern Annam (Robinson and Kloss), 23.11.1918. Reg. No. 1919.12.20.116.

Vol. xliv. | 58

Colonel R. MEINERTZHAGEN also made remarks on the dif- ferences between the European Snipe (Capella g. gallinago) and the American Snipe (Capella g. delicata) and the occur- rence of the latter form in the British Islands.

The differences between the American Snipe (Capella g. delicata) and the European Snipe (Capella g. gallinago) have been variously described by various authors. Seebohm (Mon. Charadr. p. 487) formulates the extreme differences under five headings—namely, number of tail-feathers, barring on the outer tail-feathers, barring on the axillaries, markings on the breast, and the length of the culmen; and, whilst stating that these differences are constant in the American Snipe, they are not constant in the Huropean Snipe. At the same time Seebohm admits that he bas seen a Huropean Snipe which embodies all the characters of an American Snipe.

Hartert (Vog. Pal. Fauna, ii. p. 1660) notes the differ- ences in axillaries, number of tail-feathers, length of culmen, and upper wing-coverts, which are said to be more plentifully spotted with white in the American bird.

In the ‘ Handbook of British Birds’ the American Snipe is dismissed with the remarks that it usually has 16 tail-teathers and usually a shorter bill.

Ridgway (Birds N. & Middle Amer. pp. 165-174) says of the American Snipe that it is very similar to the European Snipe, but has 16 tail-feathers instead of 14, that the lateral pair of rectrices are narrower and more distinctly barred, and that the axillaries and under wing-coverts are heavily and regularly barred. The culmen also averages smaller.

Let us examine these differences. In all 127 European and 64 American Snipe have been examined.

Number of tail-feathers. In the European Snipe the rectrices usually number 14, but as few as 12, and as many as 18, have been recorded.

In the American Snipe the number of rectrices seems to be constantly 16. This difference is therefore merely an indication, and cannot be taken as a reliable character.

59 [Vol. xliv.

Markings on outer tail-feathers. Seebohn states that there are usually three bars on the outer rectrices of the Huropean Snipe and five on those of the American form. I cannot confirm this. In American Snipe the barring is narrower and there are consequently more bars, frequently as many as 7. This number is also occasionally reached by European birds.

Barring on axillaries. Western examples of the European Snipe usually have well-barred axillaries, the amount of white generally exceeding the amount of dark. About 8 per cent. of birds examined have white axillaries with a few black marks either in the form of rudimentary bars or longitudinal marks. Pure white axillaries are very rare. The further east one goes, the more predominant becomes white in the axillaries. Well-barred examples from Hastern Asia are not the rule.

In the American Snipe the barring on the axillaries is invariably, as far as I have been able to ascertain, heavy, dark, and clean-cut, the black bars always equalling and usually exceeding the white bars in breadth. European Snipe frequently have axillaries indistinguishable from those of the American bird, and the character can only be termed indicative.

Markings on breast. Seebohm states that in the American Snipe the breast-markings are transverse, whilst in Huropean birds they are longitudinal. This is not a sure character, as in at least 10 per cent. of American birds examined the marking on the breast is longitudinal. Moreover, transverse barring on the breast does occasionally occur in Kuropean examples, though it is admittedly rare.

This character can therefore only be indicative.

Length of culmen. Only males will be considered. Hartert gives the measurement of culmens of European Snipe as 69- 79. (In all cases culmen-measurements have been taken from junction of culmen with skull, and where it has been measured by authors from feathers 5 mm, has been added as compensation.) The ‘ Handbook of British Birds’ gives the

Vol. xliv. ] 60

measurement of 12 males as 65-73 mm. Hleven British- taken males in our collection have culmens 67—77, and eleven males from Eastern Asia have culmens 63-79. If we, for the moment, disregard the doubtful race “ raddei,” we then have the culmens of European Snipe varying from 63-79 in a large series. These measurements are confirmed by the vast series from throughout the Palearctic Region and Africa in the British Museum.

22 males of the American Snipe in the British Museum have culmens measuring 64-73. Ridgway gives the culmens of 18 American males as 62°5-72°5 mm.

All we can say of this character is that the culmen of the American Snipe does not exceed 73, whereas that of the European Snipe ranges up to 79 mm.

Breadth of outer tail-feathers. It is curious that this character has been overlooked by European authors. In the Huropean bird, at 20 mm. distance from the tip of the outer tail-feather, the breadth of the feather is rarely less than 10 mm., whereas in the American bird it rarely, if ever, exceeds 9 mm., a very slight difference, but considerable when applied to such small objects.

Of 40 Huropean Snipe the largest breadth is 12°5 mm. and the smallest 8 (once), then 9°5 mm.

Of 40 American Snipe the broadest is 9 mm, and the narrowest 4 mm.

As far as one can see, the breadth of the outer tail-feather is the only sure character in the American Snipe which is not shared by Huropean birds.

Occurrence in the British Isles. Harting recorded an example of the American Snipe from Taplow, Buckingham- shire, on August 1st, 1863. The locality and date are most unlikely for the occurrence of a straggler from America, and the record has not been accepted.

On Oct. 26th, 1920, I selected a Snipe with 16 tail-feathers from several shot in South Uist. One tail-feather was inadvertently lost in skinning the bird. As European Snipe occasionally occur with more than 14 tail-feathers, little

61 [ Vol. xliv.

attention was paid to this bird until a short time ago, when I became interested in the differences between the two forms and critically examined this South Uist specimen. In this specimen : (1) The number of tail-feathers is 16. (2) The barring on the outer tail-feathers is close. (3) The axillaries are dark and clear-cut, the black bars equalling the white bars. (4) The breast-markings are transverse. (5) The culmen is 67 mm., coming well within the measurement of American birds. (6) The breadth of the outer tail-feather at 20 mm. from its tip is 8 mm.

I therefore conclude that our South Uist specimen belongs to the American race, and it appears to be the first authentic record from Kurope.

Mr. E. C. Stuart Baker described the following new races of Warblers :—

ACANTHOPNEUSTE NITIDUS. There appear to be four races of this species :

(1) A. NITIDUS NITIDUS ha ages aby X11. Ps, 9 GD (1843): Calcutta.

Above light olive-green, below quite bright yellow; median wing-bar inconspicuous.

Breeding Caucasus to Persia and probably arenes and N.W. Frontier India.

(2) A. NITIDUS viRIDANUS Blyth, J. A.S8. B. xii. p. 967 (1843): Calcutta.

Above brownish-olive, below duller yellow; median wing-bar inconspicuous.

Breeding N.E. Hurope, West Siberia to Turkestan, Tibet, Kashmir, Sikkim, and possibly hills of N. Assam.

Vol. xliv. | 62

(3) A. NITIDUS PLUMBEITARSUS Swinhoe, Ibis, 1861, p. 330: Taku and Peking.

Very dark above and below more grey; median wing-bar inconspicuous.

Breeding Transbaikalia and N.W. China.

(4) A. nitidus saturatus, subsp. nov.

Above dark olive-green, the darkest of all the races ; the underparts grey with yellow smears on the abdomen and breast ; the wing-bars and supercilium very couspicuous and very white.

Type in the British Museum, ¢. Dalan, S. Annam, March 1918 (Boden Kloss). Reg. No. 1919.12.20.391.

Breeding Manchuria; winter Annam, Yunnan, and

N. Shan States.

ABRORNIS SUPERCILIARIS.

Of this Flycatcher-Warbler I recognize three sub- species :

(1) A. SUPERCILIARIS SUPERCILIARIS Tickell, J. A. 8S. B. xxviii. p. 414 (1859) : Himalayas, restricted to Sikkim.

Above yellowish-green ; the crown dull yellowish-green.

Breeding Sikkim to Eastern Assam, N. of the Brahma- putra.

~(2) A. superciliaris salwinensis, subsp. nov. Above yellowish-green ; whole crown browner grey. Type in the British Museum, ¢. Salwin (W. Davison). Reg. No. 86.4.1.3364. Breeding hills of Assam south of the Brahmaputra, Burma, and N. Siam to Yunnan, and south to Northern Tenasserim.

(3) A. SUPERCILIARIS SCHWANERI Blyth, ex Temm. MS., p. 169 (1870): Bangermassing, Borneo.

Above olive-green ; whole crown brownish-olive.

Breeding Peninsular Burma and Siam to Borneo and Sumatra.

>~

63 [ Vol. xliv.

ABRORNIS SCHISTICEPS.

The specimens from Assam, south of the Brahmaputra, Manipur, and the Chin Hills seem to be easily separable from other geographical races of this bird. From A. s. schisticeps it differs in having the yellow of the lower parts much paler and confined to the chin and throat. From A. s. ripponi it differs in not having the breast grey, contrasting with the yellow throat. It also seems to be a smaller bird than the latter, with a wing 46 to 48 mm. as against 50 to 51 mm. in that bird ; tail 40 to 41 mm. against 44 to 45 mm.

I propose to call this race

~ Abrornis schisticeps flavimentalis, subsp. nov. Type in the British Museum: Mt. Victoria, 18.4.04. Rippon Coll. Reg. No. 1905.9.10.816.

HOREITES BRUNNIFRONS.

A series from Yunnan collected by Forrest differ from typical H. b. brunnifrons from Nepal, Sikkim, Assam, and the Chin Hills in being very much darker, to the same extent that HA. 6. wihistleri Ticehurst, from the N.W. Himlayas, differs in being much paler.

I name this race from its shade-loving habits :-—

Horeites brunnifrons umbraticus, subsp. nov.

Type in the British Museum, ¢. Shweli-Salwin Divide, West Central Yunnan. Forrest Coll. Reg. No. 1921.7.15.396.

Birds of this species found breeding by Col. H. H. Harington in the Northern Sban States would almost certainly also belong to this race.

Measurements much the same as in the typical race and decidedly larger than H. b. whistleri.. Wing 47 to 49 mm. ; tail 34 to 40 mm.; tarsus about 19 mm.; culmen from feathers about 9 to 10 mm.

Mr. P. F. Bunyarp exhibited the following interesting egos from his collection :—

RED-BACKED SHRIKE (Lanius collurio)—Two clutches of six each, from Surrey (6.vi.20 and 5.vi.22), of the greenish

Vole iv] 64

form, very faintly speckled at the large ends. The two | clutches are obviously from the same bird. The locality was _ not visited in 1921; in 1922 the second clutch was found » within a few yards of the 1920 clutch. me

These were exhibited to prove that for at least shred seasons the same form of egg is perpetuated by individual — birds of this species, and (or) possibly by the offspring.

NoutHaAtcu (Stita cesia).—A clutch of seven leucitic eggs from Radnorshire (Owen R. Owen). One egg has a few underlying markings at the large end, otherwise they show no pigment; the grain of the shell is very rough with many nodules.

NiGHTINGALE.—A clutch of five from Kent (Col. Charles Stonham). Ground colour pale greenish-blue with suffused caps of reddish-brown, somewhat resembling certain forms of the Stone-Chat (Sazicola rubicola).

NOTICE.

The next Meeting of the Club will be held on Wednesday, March 12th, 1924, at PAGANI’S RESTAURANT, 42-48 Great Portland Street, W.1. Members are reminded that this Dinner is held conjointly with the Annual Dinner of the B. 0. U., and that they are allowed to bring Lady Guests.

The Meeting will be devoted principally to the exhibition of Lantern-slides and Photographs, and the Hon. Secretary will be pleased to hear from any members who have slides etc. to exhibit, so that their names may be included in the Agenda,

Members intending to dine are particularly requested to inform the Hon. Sec., Dr. G. ¢. Low, 86 Brook Street, W. 1, in order that the necessary seating arrangements may be made.

(Signed) RovrHscHILD, Percy R. Lowe, Grorce C. Low, Chairman. Editor. Lon. Sec. & Treas.

23) RULLETIN

OF THE

BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB.

No. CCLXXXVI.

Taz two-hundred-and-eighty-second Meeting of the Club was held at Pagani’s Restaurant, 42-48, Great Portland Street, W.,on Wednesday, March 12th, 1924, in conjunction with the Annual Dinner of the British Ornithologists’ Union.

Lord RotuscHiLp, the President of the B.0.U., took the Chair during the Dinner ; and Mr. W. L. Sctarer (Chairman of the Club) during the

subsequent proceedings.

Members of the B.O.C. present:—L. Arpern; E. C, StuarT Baker; Miss M. G. 8S. Best; Dr. J. O. Beven; S. Boorman ; C. D. Borner; P. F. Bunyarp; Hon. G. L. CHarTERIs ; R. W. Coase; C. Cuuss; Denis Cox; Sir Percy Cox; R. H. Deane; Capt. F. W. Dewuorst; A. H. Evans; A. Ezra; A. F. Grirrira ; Hon. Masaustr Hacuisuka; Rey. F. R. Hate; Dr. J. M. Harrison ; Dr. EK. Harrert; Rev. F. C. R. Jourpary; Capt. J. Ny Kennepy; N. B. Kinnear; Dr. T. G. Lonoastarr: Dr. G. C. Low (Hon. Sec. § Treas.); Dr. P. R. Lows (Ldiior) ;

[ March 31st, 1924, 1 VOL, XLIV,

Vol. xliv. | 66

N. F. Lucas; Admiral H. Lynrs; Mrs. Reainatp McKenna ; C. M. Mackwortu-Pragp; Lt.-Col. H. A. F. Maacratu; Dr. P. H. Manson-Banr; G. M. Maruews; HH. G. B. Meapre-Watpo; Col. & Mrs. R. MginertzHaGEN ; Major J. C. Movutron; H. Mount; CU. Onpnam; ©. E. Pearson; H. Leysporns Porpuam; A. BH. Price; F. R. Ratcuirr; R. H. Reap; C. B. Rickert; B. B. Riviere; C. H. Roper; D. Sers-Smirp; Sir Matcotm Seton ; Major A. G. L. Suapen ; Mrs. R. Hata THomas ; Dr. C. B. Ticenurst ; Miss EH. L. Turner; G. pe H. Vaizey; G.M. VEVERS ; i. M. Wattis; H. Waistier ; H. F. Warunesy ;

W. 4H. Wouniae

Members of the B. O. U.:—C. E. Baxter; E. BIDWELL ; Lt.-Col. R. H. R. Brockzenpank; K.J.A. ete Capt. M.S. GLADSTONE; W. EK. Gunae ; i. Grunina; C. Hopwoop; Surg.-Comm. K. H. Jonzs, R.N.; L. M. Joprine ; N. H. Joy; Brig.-Gen. H. R. Kenan ; Cane CW Ia, Kytenr ; ; Mrs. A. H. Murron; W. J. ona H. W. Rosiysoy ; Major C. W. Smrep ; 7: STEWART ; Magan oF TAVISTOCK 3 A. LANDSBOROUGH ated ; W. H. THorrzt; EH. Vary; Dr. A. H. Waker ; Capt. J. A.C. Wairaker ; J.S. Wine.

Guests :—Mrs. ARDERN ; Mrs. Raymonp AsquitH ; Mrs. B.C. Stuart Baker ; Dr. Becxert-Overy ; J. D. Brown ; Miss J. Coarrerton ; Lady GWENDOLEN CHURCHILL; Mrs. Denis Cox; H.J.SHotro Doucras ; G. Evans ; N. Griroy; HK. Gizny ; Miss L. Grunine ; Brig.-Gen. R. Hato; Mrs. E: Hartert; Mrs, A. H. Jones; Mrs. MackwortuH-PRaAzp ; Mrs. P. H. Mawnson-Baur;.H. J. Masstncoam ;: C. H. Payne; Mrs. LeyBorng Popuam ; E. Price; 8. Riccarpo ; Mrs. Riviere; Mrs. D. Srra-Smituy; D. W. Seru-Smiru ; Lady Seton; M. G. Sworze; Mrs. Stapen; Mrs. J. STEWART; Mrs. LAanDsBorouGH THomson; Sir Matunw and Lady Tuomrson; Mrs. C. B. Ticrnurst; J.-B. Waupy;

F. Watey; R. Watson; Mrs. H. F. Wirnmrsy ;.J. M. YATES. |

67 [ Vol. xliv.

The Annual Dinner of the B.O.U., held in conjunction with the B:O.C., was very well-attended, 25 members of the Union being present, 60 members of the Club, and _ 39 guests, a total of over 120.

Captain ©. W. R. Kyieur opened the proceedings with a most interesting exhibition of slides illustrating nests of birds, both in the tree-tops and other situations. Perhaps the most striking of those was the nest of the Heron (Ardea cinerea), with the ae of the young birds by the adults.

Mr. W. H. Guece showed a series of photographs of the nesting of the Whimbrel (Wumenius pheopus pheopus) and other scenes of bird-life in the Shetlands.

Miss E. L. Turner showed slides of massed Starlings and Sand-Martins assembling at their roosting-places. Also pictures of Hickling Broad under snow and ice; together with various incidents in the life-history of some Coots. These were followed by a series of slides of both Whooper and Bewick’s Swans taken on the wing,

Mr. J. D. Brown brought some slides of birds inhabiting Spitzbergen, while the Rev. F. C. R. Jourpain, who included Canada in his exhibition, also showed an excellent photograph of the Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) nesting somewhere on the mainland of Scotland.

Mr. D. Seru-SmituH gave examples from the Zoological Gardens, and Dr. Manson-Baur showed slides taken many years ago in America and Scotland; considering that they were taken so long ago, they were remarkably clear and well-defined. They included Ospreys’ nests, pictures of the Skimmer (hynchops) and the Red-necked Phalarope.

All the slides were excellent and were much enjoyed by the large audience.

Vol. xliv.] 68

Mr. N. B. Kinnear described a new form of Cuckoo- Shrike from Queensland, collected by Capt. G. H. Wilkins of the British Museum Australian Expedition, as follows :—

Graucalus papuensis wilkinsi, subsp. nov.

Similar to Graucalus papuensis hypoleucos Gould (type- loc., Port Essington) from Cape York and Cairns Dist., but larger and darker grey above. On the underside the lower throat, breast, and upper abdomen are pearl-grey, as opposed to white washed with grey, and the flight-feathers are black instead of blackish-brown.

Measurements. 3, wing 164 mm., tail 128 mm.; ?, wing 160 mm., tail 122 mm.

(3 3 arid 3 ° from Cape Vor and Cairns ee the follow- ing measurements :— 6, wing 152-158 mm., tail 112- 116 mm.; 92, 147-157 mm., tail 115-117 an.)

Type in the British Museum, No. 63, 3, 4th May, 1923, Mt. Driven, South Central Queensland, collected by Capt. G. H. Wilkins.

No form of this Cuckoo-Shrike appears to have been recorded South of the Cairns District, and its occurrence in the interior of South Queensland is therefore of consider- able interest. In addition to the two specimens collected by Capt. Wilkins, there is in the National Collection a third

skin collected by Mr. T. V. Sherrin at Hidsvoed in 1922. Mr. Mathews has divided the Australian forms of this bird into several races, but the material in the British Museum is not sufficiently good to prove whether these should stand or not.

Mr. Kinnear also forwarded the following note :—

In the ‘ Novitates Zoologice’ for 1903 Lord Rothschild and Dr. Hartert adopted the name fumata (Bonaparte, Consp. Av. i. p. 392 : Outanata, Dutch New Guinea) for the form of Myzomela obscura found in the Aru Islands, as they considered that there was every likelihood of the birds from the Aru Islands and mainland of New Guinea being the same. Some years later, in 1907, these authors described a new

69 [ Vol. xliv.

race of this bird from the highlands of British New Guinea, which they called M. 0. meeki, and in their description compared it with examples from the Aru Islands.

We have in the British Museum a series of this Honey- eater from the mouth of the Mimika River, Dutch New Guinea. These agree in colour with the highland form meeki, but the males are larger, with a wing of 71-73 mm. as against 67-68 mm. in the males of fumata.

It is necessary, therefore, to give a name to the form from the Aru Islands, and I propose to call it

Myzomela obscura aruensis, subsp. nov.

Type, B.M. No. 1907.12.11.252. ¢ collected in Feb. 1904 by W. Goodfellow at Silbattabatta, Aru Islands.

The three Papuan forms are as follows :—

Myzomela obscura fumata, Bonaparte, Consp. Avium, 1. p. 392: Outanata, New Guinea.

Mouth of the Mimika R., Dutch New Guinea, East Cape, British New Guinea. Wing, ¢ 71-73 mm., ? 62-71 mm.

Twelve specimens examined.

Myzomela obscura meeki Rothschild & Hartert, Nov. Zool. p. 479 (1907) : Upper Aroa River.

Range. Highlands of British New Guinea.

Wing, ¢ 67-68 mm., ? 67 mm.

Three specimens examined from Tring Museum.

Myzomela obscura aruensis. Silbattabatta, Aru Islands.

Darker and more brown, especially on the underside, the dark throat-patch hardly showing.

Wing, ¢ 66-69 mm., ? 60 mm.

Range. Aru Islands.

Three specimens examined.

Mr. Grecory M. Matuews sent the following :—

To the synonymy of Charadrius mongolus Pallas add Agialitis macrorhynchus Ewing, Tasm. Journ.

Nat. Sci. vol. i. pt. 1, p. 57 (1841).

Vol. xliv.] 70

To the synonymy of Polophilus phasianinus (Latham) add Cen- tropus speciosus Brookes, Diser. Cat. Zool. Mus. Brookes (1830), and Centropus afinis Gould, in Grey’s Two Exp. Austr., App. p. 418 (1841). |

- as Kakatoe galerita (Latham) add Plyctolo-

. phus macrorhamphus Brookes as above.

a » ' Pezoporus wallicus (Kerr) add P. me- lanorrhabdotus Brookes as above.

i : Dromiceius novehollandie (Latham) add

D. major Brookes, as above. Stictopeleia cuneata (Latham) add Turtur spilonota Gould, in Grey’s Two Exp. Austr., App. p. 419 (1841). if * Fulica australis Gould add Fulica nove- hollandie Gould, as above, p. 420. Add to my Check-list Micra@ca griseoceps De Vis (1894). Pterodroma dubius, new name of the bird eae and described in my ‘ Birds of Australia,’ vol. i. pt. 2, pl. 86, p. 157, July 31st, 1912 North Aiea Neonanodes chrysogaster wallicus, subsp. nov., for the bird figured and described in my ‘ Birds of Australia,’ vol. vi. pt. 5, pl. 316, p. 4388, Sept. 11th, 1917, New South Wales.

Dr. V. G. L. van SomEREN sent the following note and description of a new subspecies of Cosmopsarus :—

I have recently had the opportunity of examining speci- mens of Cosmopsarus regius Reich. from the type-locality Massa-bubu on the Tana River (not Massa of the Kiliman- jaro district).

This examination shows conclusively that the Tana Birds are similar to those of the Northern Frontier and Somali- land, and therefore C.r. donaldsoni mihi, Bull. B. O. C., Dee., vol. xl. p. 52, type-loc. Marsabit, becomes a synonym of C. regius regius.

The Kilimanjaro birds, which I formerly accepted as typical, and which differed constantly from north-eastern examples, are the race which should have been named. For these birds I propose the name

71 [ Vol. xliv. Cosmopsarus regius magnificus, subsp. nov.

Type, &, Tsavo, 5.4.18, in my own collection. This race differs from typical C. regius in being more purplish-blue on the upperside, in having a more golden- yellow underside, and, more particularly, in having the breast-band bronzy-purple, not purplish-blue. - Obs. I have examined 30 of this new race and an equal number of the typical C. regius.

Dr. ©. B. Ticzenurst and Mr. H. Watstier communicated

the following two new races of birds from the N.W. Himalayas :—

Fulvetta vinipecta kangra, subsp. nov.

Differs from Fulvetta vinipecta vinipecta (Hodgs.), type- locality Nepal, in the pure white unstreaked throat, in the lesser extent of the vinous wash on the lower breast and flanks, and in the paler tint of the abdomen; the rusty- rufous of the rump is less marked. The back is a pale brown, and the cheeks and ear-coverts are blacker, less brownish in tint, but these two characters are less constant.

Hab, N.W. Himalayas (Dharmsala, Palumpur, Koteghar).

Type. No. 5425. f, Palumpur, 6000 ft, Kangra, 27. xii. 1923. Coll. Hugh Whistler. (Presented to the British Museum. ) )

Ixulus flavicollis albicollis, subsp. nov.

A larger and paler race than Jeulus flavicollis flavicollis (Hodgs.), type-locality Nepal. The sides of the head and the whole hind neck are markedly paler, the ferruginous- brown of these parts being posteriorly bordered by and giving place to white ; the upper surface in freshly moulted birds is a cold greyish-brown, as contrasted with the warm olive-brown of the typical race; the whole of the under surface is paler and whitish in tone, marked with cold olive- grey instead of warm olivaceous.

Measurements. Wing 62:5 to 69°5 mm., mostly 64 to 69°5 mm., as against 60°5 to 66 mm., mostly 62:5 to 65°5 mm. in J. f. flavicollis. Twenty specimens of each race measured.

Vol. xliv. | 72

Hab. N.W. Himalayas (Dharmsala, Kulu, Koteghar, Simla, Nynee Tal).

Type. No. 4010. &, Dharmsala, 4000 ft., Kangra, 20.xi.1921. Coll. Hugh Whistler. (Presented to the British Museum.) |

Dr, Percy R. Lowr communicated the fact that the © British Museum had received from the Rey. H. M. C. Rogers (through Mr. Douglas Gane) an immature example of Jonornis martinica, which had been taken on the island of Tristan d@’Acunha. As far as he knew, this was the first record of this species having wandered from South America to the island. The distance from the nearest point of land to Tristan d’Acunha was roughly 1800 miles.

Another interesting example of wandering outside the limits of its normal distribution might be quoted in the case of Porphyrula alleni, an example of which had been taken . by Pay-Commander D. EH. Smith, R.N., on Ascension Island on May 27, 1920, and also presented to the Museum.

NOTICE.

The next Meeting of the Club will be held on Wednesday, April 9th, 1924, at PAGANT’S RESTAURANT, 42-48 Great Portland Street, W.1., the Dinner at 7 p.m.

A DEMONSTRATION, with MICROSCOPICAL SPECIMENS, of some of the common blood-protozoa of birds will be given by Dr. G. C, Low.

Members intending to dine are requested to inform the Hon. Sec., Dr. G. C. Low, 86 Brook Street, Grosvenor Square, W.1.

[N.B.—Members who intend to make any communication at the next Meeting of the Club are requested to give notice beforehand to the Kditor at Nat. Hist. Museum, South Kensington, and, to place in his hands not later than at the meeting MSS. for publication in the Bulletin. |

goigned) W. L. Scuarer, Percy R. Lows, Gerorar CO. Low, Chairman. Editor. Fon. Sec. § Treas.

BULLETIN

OF THE

Perlis ORNITHOLOGISTS ’~ CLUB.

No. CCLAXAAVII.

Tae two-hundred-and-eighty-third Meeting of the Club was held at. Pagani’s Restaurant, 42-48, Great Portland Street, W.,on Wednesday, April 9th, 1924.

Chairman: Rev. J. R. Have, M.A.

Members present :—W.SuHort Batty; D. A. BANNERMAN ; P. F. Bunyarp; N. B. Kinnear; Dr. G. C. Low (Hon, Sec. & Treas.); N.S. Lucas; C. W. MackwortH-PRAgp ; Dr. P. Manson-Baur; Col. & Mrs. MEINERTZHAGEN ; C. OtpHAM; C. E. Pearson; OC. B. Rickrett; D. Seru- SmitH ; H. Kirke Swany; B. W. Tucker ; H. WHISTLER ; J. SLADEN Wing ; H. F. Wiruersy.

Guests :—J. P. R. Hate; W. H. Haus; Lt.-Col. A. HE. Hamerron ; W. Raw.

Dr. G. C. Low gave a demonstration, illustrated by micro- scopical specimens and coloured diagrams, of some of the common blood-protozoa of birds, viz. Plasmodiwm precoe

[April 26th, 1924.1 VOL, XL1V.

Vol. xliv. | 74

(Proteosoma), a malarial parasite of Sparrows and other birds ; HHamoproteus columbe (Halteridium), a common parasite of Pigeons and many other birds ; Leucocytozoon neavei, a parasite of the Guinea-fowl, and Zrypanosoma sp. ? of the Thrush.

For many of these specimens and also for the coloured plates shown, Dr. Low said he was greatly indebted to Dr. C. M. Wenyon, C.M.G., Director of the Wellcome Bureau of Scientific Research, for his kindness in lending them for the demonstration.

The systematic position of those parasites in the animal kingdom may be seen at a glance in the table on p. 70.

Plasmodium preco# is the cause of bird malaria and is of special interest, as it was with this parasite that Sir Ronald Ross worked out the life-history of malaria in mosquitoes. The parasite has two cycles: one in the red corpuscle of the bird’s blood (the intracorporeal or asexual pliase—Schizo- gony), the other in the mosquito (the extracorporeal or sexual phase—Sporogony).

Whereas the human malarial parasites are transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles, the bird ones, on the other hand, develop in mosquitoes of the genus Culew.

The blood of mammals and birds consists of red blood-cor- puscles, white blood-corpuscles of different sorts, blood-plates, and the liquor sanguinis, plasma, or serum in which the cor- puscles float. In mammals, with the exception of the camel, the red corpuscles are non-nucleated biconcave circular discs, measuring 7°5 micromillimetres in diameter; in birds, on the other hand, they are oval and contain a well-marked nucleus.

Starting then with the small malarial ring in the oval nucleated blood-corpuscle of the bird (trophozoite), the parasite slowly enlarges and black pigment appears in its substance. Finally, the protoplasm segments or breaks up (Schizont) into a number of spheres or spores (merozoites) ; and, as the corpuscle by this time has been destroyed, these escape into the blood-plasma and so pass into fresh cor- pusdes and start a fresh cycle over again. At the same

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time, however, certain full-grown parasites do not segment or break up into spores, and these are the sexual forms (gametocytes) that develop in the mosquito’s stomach. When suitable mosquitoes—Culea jfatigans—suck the bird’s blood all the parasites present pass into the stomach, the asexual ones disappearing, whereas the sexual forms remain and develop. Some of these are males (microgametocytes), some females (macrogametocytes); from the former, flagella (microgametes) (equalling the spermatozoa of higher life) are given off and one of these penetrates a female body (macrogamete), so producing sexual union or zygosis.

The rounded body (zygote) now changes in shape and becomes pointed at one end (odkinete), this enabling it to penetrate into the wall of the mosquito’s stomach. Here it comes to rest (oocyst) and begins to enlarge and develop. Changes take place in its interior, eventuating in a number of sickle-shaped bodies called sporozoites. The capsule of the oocyst now ruptures, thus allowing of the escape of these bodies, which are gradually collected in the salivary glands.

When the mosquito next bites a bird the sporozoites are inoculated with the saliva, and one of these, penetrating a corpuscle, forms a little ring (trophozoite) and so starts the intracorporeal phase.

It takes about ten days at suitable temperatures for the parasites to develop in the mosquito, and then about another ten days’ incubation before the bird develops fever. This may be severe and kill the bird, or recovery—with or without relapse—may take place.

Hemoproteus columbe also inhabits the red blood-corpuscles of the bird. Instead of a mosquito it has, on the other hand, for its intermediate host a Hippoboscid fly, Lynchia maura.

The gametocytes after fertilisation develop in the stomach- wall of the fly ina similar manner to those of Plasmodium precox in the stomach-wall of the mosquito, the development finally ending in sporozoites in the salivary glands.

Schizogony (sporulation) in the bird-host in this case takes place in the endothelial cells of the blood-vessels of

TF [ Vol. xliv.

the viscera (liver, kidney, etc.), and not in the red blood- corpuscles of the peripheral blood.

The Leucocytozoon is another parasite of the blood of birds. It lives in the white blood-corpusceles, and, not having heemo- globin available, does not become pigmented when it grows. It has the peculiar habit of making the host-cell spindle- shaped. In its life-history, transmission, etc., it is closely related to Hemoproteus.

The Trypanosomes live in the serum or plasma of the blood, where they swim about and multiply by fission. Many birds harbour these parasites—whether of the same, or different species, not being yet accurately determined. Their method of transmission also is not definitely known, but certain mosquitoes are suspected as intermediate hosts.

In man and some animals the glossine or tsetse-flies, Glossina palpalis and Glossina morsitans, are the inter- mediate hosts and carriers of the parasite from animal to animal, while in rats a flea (Ceratophyllus fasciatus) functions.

As to whether parasites of the Trypanosome group cause symptoms in birds or not is unknown. It is probable—in many instances at least—that they are harmless, much in the same way as Trypanosoma lewisi in the rat; but, on the other hand, one must always remember that heavy infections of any parasites are detrimental to health, and may kill the host.

A very interesting point in the parasitology of birds is dependent upon their migratory habits. A bird nesting in Siberia may winter in the equatorial tropics, and it thus becomes liable to pick up the parasites of both areas, exactly in a similar manner to the white man who goes to live in the tropics. One must bear this specially in mind in dealing with the subject.

Most branches of ornithology have been so accurately studied now, that there is little of paramount importance left to be discovered. To anyone, however, wishing to break new ground, one may recommend the study of the diseases of wild birds, with the pathological anatomy involved,

Vol. xliv.] 78

It is quite probable that disease may have had more than a little to do with the extinction of such species as Alca wmpennis, Ectopistes migratorius, and the coming extinction of Numenius borealis, to quote only a few classical examples.

Then we have the examples of disease striking down a species that has become too numerous and overcrowded— often owing to the unnatural interference of man. Such examples are avian tuberculosis in overcrowded pheasant- coverts and grouse disease on overstocked moors. Coccidiosis is specially fatal, in the latter instance, to young stock, and an intestinal helminthiasis—as Leiper has shown,—due to heavy infections with Trichostrongylus pergracilis, is often responsible for the decimation of the adult stock. Bacteria may also play a subsidiary or even a major part in both of these varieties of grouse disease. ‘The part protozoal parasites—such as we have been discussing to-night—play in other bird-diseases has yet to be worked out, and awaits solution.

Mr. H. Kirke Swann exhibited a female skin and a series of eggs of Acvipiter nisus from Ireland, and made the following remarks :—

It has long been known that the. Sparrow-Hawk of Treland ditters somewhat from that of Great Britain—a fact, I think, first pointed out by Dresser in his ‘ Birds of Hurope.’ I was first interested in this difference when some years ago I obtained several sets of eggs from the south of Ireland and was struck by their small average size. I endeavoured without success to obtain skins from that part of Ireland, but recently I interested Mr. Horsbrugh in the matter and asked him to send me a few skins. The first to arrive, a female bird, is so striking in its differences from continental birds that I feel confident in describing it as a new insular race of the species. JI have compared it with the seven Irish skins from Co. Fermanagh and King’s Co. in the British Museum Collection and find they agree with this example in darker coloration and smaller size. We must, of course,

79 [ Vol. xliv.

bear in mind, in considering this race, that comparison has to be made, not with British but with Scandinavian birds, which constitute the typical form. British birds average slightly smalier and darker than the latter, but Irish birds are very noticeably smaller and darker—so much so, in fact, that they closely approach in size the Sardinian insular race, Accipiter nisus wolterstorfi. I propose to call the Irish race

Accipiter nisus hibernicus, subsp. nov. Pp ’ Pp

Type, 2°, Hillsborough, Co. Down, Ulster, March 8, 1924, collected by C. B. Horsbrugh. In collection of H. Kirke Swann.

Total length 350 mm.; wing 220 mm.; tail 167 mm.; tarsus 55 mm.

Above much duller and darker than typical Accipiter nisus nisus; the head and mantle black; below much darker, the bars heavier and closer, and the white interspaces much reduced. The ¢ is also darker above and below, with more rufous on the underside. Wing of five ¢ examples 189- 194 mm., as against 200-208 mm. in continental typical examples, and 195-200 mm. in British examples. Wing of three 9 examples 220-222 mm., as against 229-245 in con- tinental birds and 225-235 in British examples,

Colonel R. Merrtnertzaacen asked whether the Irish Sparrow-Hawk had been compared with Madeiran birds, as if they are not different it is questionable whether the Irish bird should be named.

Mr. C. OLpHAmM enquired whether Mr. Swann had applied to the Dublin Museum for a loan of their specimens before naming this race and was answered in the negative.

Mr. Davin BANNERMAN said that he would like to say a word on this subject, particularly as A. n. granti had been mentioned. He had recently been struck with the great

Vol. xliv.] 80

variation exhibited in individual specimens of the Sparrow- Hawk from Madeira, and also of the Canarian race, if that form is recognized. The depth of colour of the back, the amount of rufous on the underparts of the males, the intensity of the banding of the females, and even the size varied individually to a remarkable extent. The female type of A. n. granti was itself unique in having the under- parts much more closely banded than in any other specimens which had since been obtained from Madeira, and it only showed how careful one ought to be before naming a bird which in other parts of its range showed such variation as described. He did not consider that on the very small series which Mr. Swann had examined that the Irish bird ought to be separated, for what applies to the Sparrow-Hawk in the Atlantic Islands may well apply in Ireland. Mr. Swann had confessed that he had not appealed to the Irish Museums for a loan of their specimens before taking this step, and he entirely agreed with Mr. Oldham, who had suggested that the description should be held over until Mr. Swann could procure additional material from Ireland. From the evi- dence produced he was far from satisfied—taking into consideration Mr. Bunyard’s remarks on the eggs—that the Irish Sparrow-Hawk constituted a distinct race.

Mr. HE. C. Stuart Baker described the following race of Suya crinigera :—

Suya crinigera assamica, subsp. nov.

Very much darker than either S. c¢. crinigera or S. c. striatula. Almost as dark as S. c. yunnanensis, but differing from this bird in having the head heavily streaked through- out the year instead of almost uniform blackish in summer plumage. 8. c. cooke differs from all the other races in having the dark centres to the feathers of the upper plumage almost obsolete.

Wing 53 to 63 mm.; tail 85 to 104 mm.; culmen 12 to

13 mm.

$1 Vol. xliv.

Type, in the British Museum, ¢@, Shillong, Godwin- Austen. Reg. no. 95.7.14.1560.

Distribution. Assam, South and East of the Brahmaputra ; Chin Hills. How far East and South this bird extends is not known, but specimens obtained by Rippon at Myingjan seem referable to it.

NOTICE,

The next Meeting of the Club will be held on Wednesday, May 14th, 1924, at PAGANI’S RESTAURANT, 42-48 Great Portland Street, W.1, the Dinner at 7 p.m.

Members intending to dine are requested to inform the Hon. Sec., Dr. G. C. Low, 86 Brook Street, Grosvenor Square, W.1. :

| N.B.—Members who intend to make any communication at the next Meeting of the Club are requested to give notice beforehand to the Editor at Nat. Hist. - Museum, South Kensington, and to place in his hands not later than at the meeting MSS. for publication in

the Bulletin. |

(Signed ) Rev. J. R. HALg, Dr. P. R. Lowg, Dr. G. C. Low, Chairman. Editor. Hon. See. § Treas.

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E BULLETIN

bs» OF THE

BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB. No. CCLXXXVIII.

Tae two-hundred-and-eighty-fourth Meeting of the Club was held at Pagani’s Restaurant, 42-48, Great Portland Street, W., on Wednesday, May 14th, 1924.

Chairman: W. L. Sciuater, M.A.

Members present :—E. C. Stuart Baker; D. A. BANNeErR- MAN; Dr. J. O. Beven; S. Boorman; G. Brown; P. F. Bounyarp; Capt. R. E. Caezsman; Lt.-Col. A. Dxrumt- Rapcuirre; A. Ezra; Major 8. 8. Fiowrer; Hon. M. Hacuisuka; Rev. J. R. Hate; 8S. H. Hart; Rev. F. C. R. Jourpain ; Capt. J. N. Kennepy; G. C. Lampert; Bec. UC. Low (fon. Sec. & Treas.); N.S. Lucas; Lt.-Col. H. A. F. Magrata; Dr. P. Mawnson-Banr; H. Munt; (. OtpHam; R. H. Reap; Lord Roruscuiup; D. Sera-Smitx; Major A. G. L. Suapen; Mrs. R. Hara THomas; H. M. Watuis; H. F. Wirnersy; C. pe Worms.

Guests :—E. H. Gitt ; Brig.-Gen. RoLtanp Hai.

Mr. D. Sera-Smiru exhibited four skins of the Australian Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus), showing (1) the nor- mally coloured bird, (2) a yellow or “ lutino” variety, (3) a

[June 3rd, 1924, | VOL, XLIV.

Vol. xliv.] 84

blue variety, and (4) a white specimen. In the normal bird the prevailing colour is grass-green, the forehead and lower part of the cheeks being yellow and most of the upper sur- face barred with black. There are two small patches of indigo-blue on the cheeks, and the tail is mostly blue.

The coloration of this species appears to be composed of two pigments, yellow and black, the black pigment combined with certain feather-structure being responsible for the blue tint which, combining with yellow, forms the green coloration which prevails in this species.

In the yellow variety, now common as a cage-bird, the black pigment has disappeared and with it all trace of blue except in the small cheek-patches, which instead of being dark indigo are of a very pale verditer-blue. Otherwise the bird is of an almost uniform canary-yellow, with a faint trace of greenish on the upper tail-coverts and faint indi- cations of the barring on the upper-surface, the barring being of a pale grey or greenish hue.

In the blue variety the yellow pigment has completely disappeared. All the black markings are very distinct, but those areas which are normally yellow are white, and those which are green in the normal bird are bright blue.

A white specimen shows almost complete absence of pig- ment. It was bred from blue parents, and shows a faint trace of blue on the rump and cheek patches.

Mr. Seru-SrrH also exhibited specimens of females of (1) the Common Pheasant and (2) Swinhoe’s Pheasant (Genneus swinhoci) assuming male plumage.

The Rey. F. C. R. Jourpain exhibited specimens of the Brent-Goose (branta bernicla), and pointed out that in prac- tically all literature on the subject published since 1917 the light- and dark-breasted forms have been treated as one, although the Black Brent (B. bernicla nigricans) is generally admitted to be distinct, and by some writers is even regarded as a species. The light- and dark-breasted forms are, how- ever, quite distinct, and the reasons given by Dr. Hartert for

85 [ Vol. xliv.

uniting them can no longer be said to hold good in the light of further information as to the breeding-ranges of the two races. Moreover, the distribution of these races is incorrectly given, even when the two forms are recognized, and there are still large areas with regard to which we have no reliable information.

The following is a brief résumé of our present knowledge of the subject :—

(1) The Dark-breasted Brent breeds in Western Siberia from the mouth of the Yenisei to the Taimyr, and, according to Russian writers, also on Novaya Zemlya. All the birds obtained by Buturlin on Kolguev are also ascribed by Alphéraky to this form. One light-breasted bird is said to have been obtained by Middendortf on the Taimyr, and Trevor-Battye states that a minority of the birds seen by him had light breasts, but no specimens are in existence to support this view. The only skin in the British Museum from Novaya Zemlya is, however, not the typical slaty- breasted bird. From Franz Josef Land we have only one skin for comparison. It may be that we have an inter- mediate form here, but our material is at present far too scanty for any definite statement on the subject. Linnzeus described Anser bernicla as dwelling in Northern Europe and migrating across Sweden, so that it is evident that this name cannot apply to the light-breasted form. In the event of the possible separation of the birds from the North Russian Islands from the W. Siberian race, it would be of great interest if Dr, Lonnberg could throw any light on the question of the origin of the birds which Linnzeus described. Meanwhile, I apply the name J. bernicla bernicla to West Siberian and (apparently) Novaya Zemlya birds.

(2) The Light-breasted Brent, commonly but erroneously called B. bernicla glaucogaster or glaucogastra, but which should be called B. b. collaris C. L. Brehm. This race breeds not only on the Arctic islands of North America, east from the Party Isles, and in Greenland, but also in the Spitsbergen archipelago. There is, of course, some variation among these birds, but out of some 70 or 80 birds examined

Vol. xliv. | 86

by myself and Mr. A. Chapman, all were light-breasted. Le Roi speaks of “ light-”’ and “dark-” breasted birds from Spitsbergen, but is is evident that his dark-breasted form is merely a light-breasted bird with more grey-brown than usual on breast and flanks, but not approaching the uniformly slaty-grey-breasted birds from West Siberia (cf. Avif. Spitzb. tab. x.).

(3) The Black Brent of Western North America and Eastern Siberia, B. bernicla nigricans (Lawr.).

This entails the re-admission of a form accepted by us in the ‘Hand-list’ (1912), and also admitted in the ‘B. O. U. List’ of 1915, but rejected in the addenda to the ‘Hand-list,” Die Vogel d. Pal. Fauna (1920), and the ‘Practical Handbook,’ and also in the ‘B. O. U. List’ of 1923, as well as Witherby’s ‘ Check-list’ (1924). The name “* glaucogaster,”’ used by Seebohm, the ‘A. O. U. Check-list’ (1910), the ‘ Hand-list, and the 2nd Edition of the ‘B.O. U. List’ must also be discarded, as has already been pointed out. Whatever the birds from the North Russian Islands may prove to be (and without a series of skins it is impossible to speak positively), there is no evidence of the occurrence of a dark-breasted bird west of Franz- Josef Land, and Middendorf’s solitary record is the only one of a light-breasted bird east of Novaya Zemlya. Even in their winter-quarters the two migrating streams are quite distinct, until they meet and mingle together in the south of Scotland and the north-east of England. Apart from the North Russian Islands it is clear that there are vast areas in which only one form is represented, and even if the possibility of an intermediate zone in which intergradation takes place be admitted, both forms have an indisputable right to recognition.

The Hon. Masavust Hacnuisuxa described the tolor te new subspecies of Lark :—

Alemon alaudipes omdurmanensis, subsp. nov.

Differs from A. a. alaudipes (type-locality Gafsa and Tozer in Tunis) in having the upper surface, including back

87 [ Vol. xliv.

and wings, more sandy-rufous, in most cases including the head ; slightly smaller than the typical bird.

Measurement: Bill 28mm.; wing 129 mm.; tail 90 mm. ; tarsus 83) mm.

Type, &, in the British Museum. Omdurman, Sudan, 28 Nov., 1902. A. L. Butler’s collection. Reg. 1916.9.20. 1297.

The Rev. J. R. Haus exhibited, for Mr. G. C. Lambert, a clutch of eggs of the Wood-Lark (Lullula arborea), taken on April 26th, 1924, in central Surrey. Some 40 birds wintered in this particular locality (as in the previous winter), and five or six pairs remained to breed. Mr. Hale drew attention to the fact that this species had of recent years extended its breeding-range in a southerly direction, and mentioned that it was gratifying to note that the species was decidedly increasing in numbers.

NOTICE.

The next Meeting of the Club will be held on Wednesday, June 11th, 1924, at PAGANI’S RESTAURANT, 42-48 Great Portland Street, W.1, the Dinner at 7 p.m.

Members intending to dine might kindly inform the Hon. Sec., Dr. G. C. Low, 86 Brook Street, Grosvenor Square, W.1.

N.B.—This is the last Meeting of the Session.

[N.B.—Members who intend to make any communication at the next Meeting of the Club are requested to give notice beforehand to the Editor at Nat. Hist. Museum, South Kensington, and to place in his hands not later than at the meeting MSS. for publication in the Bulletin. |

(Signed) W. L. Sciater, Dre P.R. Lown, Dr. G. C. Low, Chairman. Editor. flon. Sec. & Treas. eh, 3H U x (x 7ih Ly,

4 eerie

- BULLETIN

Ren, OF THE

BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB. No. CCLXXXIX.

Tue two-hundred-and-eighty-fifth Meeting of the Club was held at Pagani’s Restaurant, 42-48, Great Portland Street, W.,on Wednesday, June 11th, 1924.

Chairman: W. L. Scuater, M.A.

Members present:—D, A. BANNERMAN; C. D. Borreur ; G. Brown; P.F. Bunyarp; Major R. H. CoeEesman ; Major S. S. Frower; C. H. B. Grant; Dr. J. M. Harrison; Dr. EH. Harrert; N. B. Kinnear; Dr. G. C. Low (Hon. Sec. § Treas.); Dr. P. Manson-Banr; G. M. Matuews ; H. Munt; ©. OtpHam; C. B.-Ricxett; Lord Roruscuip ; Major A. G. L. Stapen; H. Kirke Swann; G. M. Vevers; H. W. Waire; H.M. Watuis; H. F. Witnersy.

Guests :—Col. W. J. B. Dickson; R. F. Marurws.

Dr. Ernst Harrert gave a short account of his expedition in Marocco, from which he had just returned. He landed at Tangiers and went by automobile to Rabat; but the journey was most unpleasant, frequent heavy showers, mist, and gale making comfort and bird-observations impossible,

[July 7th, 1924. | a VOL. XLIVv.

Vol. xliv. | 90

and the roads in Spanish Marocco were very bad. In Rabat he found the beginning of a “bird-collection, in which were already a number of very interesting specimens, in the Museum of the “ Institut scientifique Chérifien,” where he was very kindly welcomed. Bad, rainy weather kept him longer in Rabat than he had intended. He found the colony of Comatibis eremita on the Salé cliffs deserted, though it had been well known to a number of people. It was described in 1901 by Meade-Waldo. Dr. Hartert collected and observed the Francolin and the Guinea-fowl in the gorges of the Upper Bou-Reg-Reg and its tributaries, and afterwards proceeded to Azrou in the Middle Atlas, known as an ornithological locality through the paper by Admiral Lynes in‘ The Ibis.’ This paper enabled him to see and collect nearly all the species found there by Lynes, whose excellent observations were in nearly all cases confirmed and sometimes supplemented. The mag- nificent forests of oaks and cedars above Azrou were rich in birds, and on the plateau above the forests the rare “ Atlas Shore-Lark ” (Hremophala alpestris atlas), a Skylark, and Seebohm’s Chat (Cinanthe wnanthe seebohmi) were nesting. Dr. Hartert hoped to show some of his specimens at the October meeting of the Club.

Mr. W. L. ScLarEr communicated the following note on the genus Artamia :—

This genus, stated by Gadow (Cat. Bds. B. M. viii. p. 106) to have been first proposed by Lafresnaye (Dict. Univ. d’Hist. Nat. ii. 1832, but really dating from 1842), was originally described by Is. Geoffroy St.-Hilaire (Nouv. Ann. Mus. Paris, i. p. 389, 1832), with Ocypterus sanguinolentus Temm., the Red-and-Black Oriole of Java (named Oriolus cruentatus (Wagl.) in the Catalogue (vol. iii. p. 221)) as type. It seems, therefore, that the generic name Artamia cannot be applied to the White-headed Vanga of Mada- gascar, Artamia leucocephala (Gmel.).

Another generic name given in the Catalogue for the

91 [ Vol. xliv

White-headed Vanga is Leptopteryx Wagler (Syst. Av. 1827), but this genus was first proposed by Horsfield (Trans. Linn. Soc. xiii. p. 143, 1821) as a substitute name for Ocypterus Cuv. preoccupied, and for the bird named Artamus leucogaster in the Catalogue (vol. xiii. p. 2). It is obvious, therefore, that neither Artamia or Leptopterywx can be used for the White-headed Vanga of Mada- gascar. As no other name is available, I would propose

Artamella, gen. nov.,

with Lanius viridis P. L. 8. Miiller (Syst. Nat. Suppl. p. 72, 1776) as type. Miiller’s name is the oldest for the species and antedates Lanius leucocephalus Gmel.,.the specific name used in the Catalogue. The White-headed Vanga of Mada-

eascar should therefore be known as

Artamella viridis (Miill.).

Mr. SciatEr also exhibited an example of a rare Swallow (Phedina brazzw) trom the Belgian Congo, and made the following remarks :—

This bird was first obtained by M. de Brazza, the well- known French traveller, in 1884, at a place called Nganchu on the Lower Congo, not very far from Kwamouth. It was described by Oustalet (‘ Le Naturaliste,’ 1866, p. 300) and was figured in Sharpe and Wyatt’s ‘Monograph of the Swallows’ (pl. 29) from the original and unique specimen in the Paris Museum. Up till quite recently no further examples have been obtained, but lately the present bird was sent me for examination by. M. Schouteden, of the Congo Museum at Tervueren. It was obtained at Lulvabourg in the Kasai district of the Belgian Congo, some 420 miles to the eastward of the original locality. Mr. Chapin also writes to me that he has obtained some examples from the same locality, and probably trom the

same source. a2

Vol. xiivs} 92 Mr. W. L. Scuater also described a new Red-billed

Shrike as follows :—

Sigmodus scopifrons kirki, subsp. nov.

Resembling S. s. scopifrons, but the chestnut patch on the forehead somewhat paler and separated from the black of the hinder part of the crown and nape by a distinct whitish- grey patch. The colour of the back, too, is slightly more ashy than in the typical race. |

Measurements much as in the typical race. Wing of type, not sexed, 100 mm.; bill from frontal feathers 15 mm.; tarsus 21 mm. Claude Grant’s example of the typical race has the wing 98 mm., the bill 15, and the tarsus 20.

Type from Lamu Kirk, Brit. Mus. reg. No. 94. 8.16. 236, figured by Shelley, P. Z.S. 1881, pl. li.

The typical race of this rare Shrike was obtained by Peters in Mozambique many years ago, and described in the Journ. Ornith. (1854, p. 422). Examples collected by Sir John Kirk in 1879 are labelled from Lamu, the Pangani River, and Mamboia; of these the Lamu bird is figured by Shelley (P. Z.S. 1881, p. 582, pl. li. fig. 2), and is the type of the new race here described, the other two from the Pangani also belong to the new race, while the bird from Mamboia, which is south of the Pangani, is apparently similar to the Beira bird collected by Claude Grant, which may be con- sidered as a topotypical example of Peters’s bird. Dr. van Someren (Bull. B.O.C. xiii. 1923, p. 80) has recently described examples from the Meru forest N.H.of Mt. Kenya as a distinct race—Sigmodus scopifrons keniensis. Here, also, Dr. Lonnberg (K. Sven. Vet.-Akad. Handl. vol. xlvii, no. 5, 1911, p. 88, pl. ii. fig. 1) obtained two examples, and he noticed the difference of the colour of the patch on the head of his birds as compared with that figured by Shelley. Van Someren, however, compared his birds from Mt. Kenya with those from the coast-lands of Kenya Colony and not with the Mozambique birds, which are quite indistinguishable from the Meru forest birds. We have, therefore,

93 [ Vol. xliv.

SIGMODUS SCOPIFRONS SCOPIFRONS (Peters).

Type-locality, Mozambique. Ranging from Beira to Mamboia and the Meru forest, of which S.’s. keniensis is a synonym.

SIGMODUS SCOPIFRONS KIRKI.

Type-locality, Lamu from the coast-lands of Kenya Colony, from Lamu to the Pangani River. 3

Lorp RotuscHitp exhibited a British-killed specimen of the ‘‘ Cream-coloured Courser” (Cursorius cursor) recorded by John David Hoy among rare birds killed in Suffolk since 1827 (vol. ili. p. 436, addenda to Hoy’s list). The bird is recorded (‘ Magazine of Natural History,’ vol. iv p- 163, 1831) as having been shot by a shepherd named Smith at Freeston, near Aldeburgh, on Oct. 3rd, 1828.

John David Hoy lived at Stoke-by-Nayland on the River Stone, and was a constant correspondent of Yarrell. He furnished the latter with many of his records of rare birds for the first edition of ‘ British Birds,’ including that of the first British Pectoral Sandpiper. Hoy died in 1839.

Mr. David BANNERMAN and Mr. H. F. Wiruersy jointly made the following remarks on the recently described Irish Sparrow-Hawk :—

At the April meeting of the Club Mr. Kirke-Swann separated under the name Accepiter nisus hibernicus the Irish Sparrow-Hawk from the typical species, and his action was criticised by several members present.

Colonel Meinertzhagen has since written to Ireland for a loan of specimens, and as a result we have obtained, through the courtesy of the Irish Museum authorities, 20 additional specimens. As Colonel Meinertzhagen has suddenly gone abroad, we have made a careful examination of these and others amounting to over 100 specimens, including 25 male (15 adult) and 10 female (2 adult) Irish birds, one Swedish and two Norwegian males, and two Swedish females, but

Vol. xliv.] 94

not adult, many other Continental birds (France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, etc.), and a very good series of British birds. Mr. Swann states that comparison must be made with Scandinavian birds, and it would be interesting to know what Scandinavian birds he had for comparison, as those in the British Museum collection are quite insufficient.

The results of our comparison of this series of Irish birds with British and Continental specimens are as follows :—

Adult Males.—We can see no difference in Irish and British birds in coloration either of upper- or under-parts. In a series of both as compared with a series of Continental birds they are slightly darker on the upper-parts on the whole, and the under-parts are inclined to be more rufous, but both these differences are variable, as you will see by the specimens exhibited.

Adult Females.—There being only three Irish adult females available (including Mr. Swann’s type) and no adult Scandinavian, it is impossible to say whether they are distinct or not. The upper-parts of these Irish speci-. mens are dark, but about 50 per cent. of British birds are as dark, and some Continental, though varying, are, it is true, usually rather paler. We can see no difference in the barring of the under-parts, which is very variable.

First - year Males and Females exhibit no constant differences.

Measurements (taken by H. F. Witherby) :—

Wing. Tad. Adult males '’.... 15 Irish .... 191 (one 185)-204 130-150 18 British.... 190-205 ]35-154 16 Continental 191 (one 183)-210 135-158 Adult femaies .. 2-tTrish |... 227, 234 165, 171 (Mr. Swann’s type) 220 (as measured by himself) 167 12 British.... 230-240 166-176 9 Continental 228-245 168-180:

It will be seen that these measurements do not agree with Mr. Swann’s. Although the largest Irish and British birds are smaller than the largest Continental, measurements are an entirely unreliable character. We do not consider

95 [ Vol. xliv.

that average measurements such as those given by Mr. Swann are of value in separating subspecies, and the fact remains that out of 16 adult male Continental birds only three are larger than the largest adult male Irish bird.

To sum up, we are of the opinion that the Irish and other British birds are inseparable, and, although British birds are, on the whole, darker on the upper-parts and have more rufous on the under-parts than Continental birds, there is too much individual variation to enable us to accept the name which Mr. Swann has proposed.

Accipiter nisus hibernicus is founded on a female, and, therefore, six females (but only four males) from various countries are exhibited to illustrate our remarks and the variation which exists.

Two adult males from Norway—one with dark upper- parts, shot in September, the other with much paler upper-parts, shot in May. Note the difference in the amount of rufous on the under-parts. Wings 197 and ‘202 mm.

Two adult males from Ireland (Dublin Museum) inter- mediate in colour between the two birds exhibited from Norway, with wings of 185 and 202 mm.

Two adult females from Rome, both shot in February— one a dark-backed, the other a light-backed example. Wings 237 and 246 mm.

Two adult females from England and Scotland—one dark- backed, the other light-backed. Wings 233 and 235 mm.

Two adult females from Ireland, which resemble in the colour cf the upper-parts the dark-backed bird from Rome and the dark-backed bird from England. Wings 227 and 234 mm.

With regard to the suggestion that the Irish Sparrow- Hawk (if the characters assigned to it by Mr. Swann proved valid) might be the same as Accipiter nisus granti, we may state that there is no fear of this. The Madeiran bird is very distinct from other Sparrow-Hawks, the females being very heavily barred in both the adult and first-year plumage.

Vol. xliv. | i VO

Mr. C. OLpHAm remarked that he had written to Mr. Nevin Forster, County Down, for particulars as to size of the Irish Sparrow-Hawk’s egg in his collection, and that gentleman had replied that 11 eggs, taken in Ulster, measured as follows:—-max. 42:1x 31, 40°8x33 mm.; min. 40 x 30 mm.

Mr. H. Kirke Swann again exhibited the type of his proposed Accipiter nisus hibernicus, and remarked that it was like nothing skown by Messrs. Witherby and Bannerman, and even if it was approached in size by one or two specimens from the Continent it was so dark that there was no comparison in that respect. It was unfortunate that Mr. Horsbrugh, through illness, had not been able to send any more adult skins, as the type and the two examples shown by Messrs. Witherby and Bannerman were the only adult females available. ,_ No doubt, if more adult skins could be got from Ireland, the differences of the Irish bird from the Continental form could be better discerned. Unfortunately, Scandinavian or typical birds were also lacking, as only three skins were available for comparison.

In any case, the comparison was not with examples from Great Britain, as these are a little smaller and darker than Continental birds, and, in fact, constitute an intermediate form. Quite possibly some British Kieinschmidt would in the future even separate the British form from the typical one, and by that time ornithology would have so advanced that the separation would not be disputed. The two essentials for a good geographical race are, firstly, visible differences in shade or extent of coloration, with or with- out a difference in size, and, secondly, a definite and fixed breeding-area, in which no other form of the same species breeds. A difference in size in addition to a difference in shade of coloration is a strong character, but not essential. Only for species are actual colour-differences or differences in pattern of colouring required.

Replying to Mr. Bannerman’s remark that he had mea- sured one set of Irish eggs which were larger than one set

ON. [ Vol. xliv.

of Norwegian, Mr. Swann stated that 21 Irish eggs gave an average of 38°5x3:12 mm., while 22 Norwegian eggs showed an average of 41:1x33 mm. He remarked on the futility of measuring only one set, because in the measurements given he had also included one set of Irish eggs which were a trifle larger than the smallest set of Norwegian eggs included, yet all the other Nor- wegian eggs were considerably larger than the Irish ones and showed a considerably greater average when several sets were measured together. The eggs, however, were only mentioned as showing that the Irish race was a small race laying smaller eggs than the typical form. As against the measurements of skins mentioned by Messrs. Witherby and Bannerman, it should be remarked that the wings of the three Irish adult females shown averaged 227 mm., while the wings of eleven Continental females at the British Museum averaged 235°7 mm. The wing of Mr. Swann’s type was only 220 mm. As to males, five Irish males averaged 192 mm., while the Continental males at the British Museum averaged 200 mm. As an insular race, the Irish bird seems as much entitled to separation as A, nisus wolterstorfi of Sardinia.

Mr. BaNNERMAN, replying for Mr. Witherby and himself, said that Mr. Swann appeared to have entirely missed the significance of their remarks. Mr. Swann, on his own showing, had made a unique (perhaps aberrant) example of a Sparrow-Hawk the type of his Accipiter. nisus habernicus, and neither Mr. Swann nor anybody else had been able to produce a similar specimen from Ireland! Mr. Bannerman condemned whole-heartedly this method of creating sub- species, and said he was content to leave the matter to be judged by the B. O. U. Permanent Committee appointed to consider the validity or otherwise of species added to the British list. In his definition of the essentials for the separation of a good geographical form, Mr. Swann ignored entirely the most important point of all, which was that the difference should be constant in a series from each locality.

Vol. xliv.] 98

Whether Herr Kleinschmidt considered this an essential or not was beside the point, since it was acknowledged to be so by the vast majority of present-day ornithologists.

With regard to the relative size of the eggs, he was surprised that Mr. Swann had troubled to comment on the two clutches in the British Museum, which admittedly proved nothing, and had left Mr. Oldham’s challenge un-

answered.

Dr. J. M. Harrison exhibited a variety of the Jay, and made the following remarks :—

GARRULUS GLANDARIUS, var.— Albescent.

This bird was obtained at Dirrenroth, Canton Berne, Switzerland, in April 1920.

The following points are of interest :—

(1) The ‘‘ bleached” effect exhibited by the bird, most evident on the head and upper-parts.

(2) The redundant character of the plumage generally, but more especially the increased length of the crest- feathers.

(3) The bright blue barring of the bases of the tail- feathers, the outer pair showing faint blue bars on the outer webs throughout their length.

(4) The sickle-shaped first four primaries, this structural deviation being most pronounced in the first primary, which is extremely narrow.

Unfortunately, no note was made of the sex, nor was I able to get any information as to the colour of the iris, but I am of the opinion that this was probably pigmented, as the bird is far from being a true albino.

Dr. ©. B. Ticehurst, to whom IJ sent the bird, classes it amongst the so-called “ hairy albescents,” and mentions an analogous variety of the Water-hen.

Mr. P. F. Bunyarp exhibited two eggs of the Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus), together with one of the Cuckoo (Cuculus

99 [ Vol. xliv.

canorus), from Church Farm House-garden, Angmering, Sussex, taken by the late Mr. 8. V. Clark of that village on June 30th, 1908. Mr. Bunyard made the following remarks :— ,

I was staying at Worthing just after the outbreak of war in 1914, and called with Mr. Wells, the naturalist of the town, to see Mr. Clark’s collection of eggs. The above clutch was shown to us for our opinion ; we had no hesitation in identifying the foster-parent’s eges as belonging to the Cirl Bunting, which is known to breed in the neighbourhood, and which was apparently unknown to Mr. Clark at the time they were found.

Mr. Clark’s collection was sold at Stevens’s rooms Feb. 26th, 1924, and this clutch formed part of Lot 330. At the sale, I was on the look-out for the clutch, and had no difficulty in recognizing it again. The date is a late one for Cuckoos’ eggs—they have, however, been found as late as July.

The Cirl Bunting’s eggs are very typical and heavily marked.

I have failed to trace any other record for the British Islands of the Cirl Bunting having been used as a fosterer. Typical eggs of the Cirl and Yellow Bunting (£. citrinella) were also exhibited for comparison.

Weight of Cuckoo’s egg 220 mg.

Mr. Cuirrorp D. Borrer exhibited :—

(a) An immature Swallow (Jlirundo rustica), nets pure white, with pink eyes. Shot Norfolk, September 1922

(b) Aclutch of eggs of the Carrion-Crow taken in artes early in May 1924. All four eggs, though typical in colour, were unusually small, and much more so than a clutch of typical Rooks’ eggs, asd exhibited.

Mr. C. H. B. Granr sent the following note :—

On the 3rd September, 1921, I obtained a brace of Francolinus streptophorus (O.-Grant, Ibis, 1891, p. 126) at Kibondo in Tanganyika Territory. Kibondo lies in

Vol.. xliv. | 100

latitude 3° 34’ 37", longitude 30° 42’ 51”, at a - height of 4800 ft.

This pair of birds is now in the National Collection at South Kensington, and the male agrees perfectly with the specimens in oe collection from Mt. Elgon (the type), Kavirondo, and Unyoro. ‘The female, howerun differs from the male in having the wing-coverts and ey barred, and when sexed proved to be an adult. This, I think, is an entirely new locality for this species, and extends its range to the country south of the Lake Victoria area. It would appear to be an uncommon bird, as I thoroughly drove the hill-sides around Kibondo, but failed to flush another specimen, nor did I again come across it either in the Kibondo or Kasulu subdistricts during my 23 years’ residence.

Mr. Davin Bannerman described a new Barbet from the French Congo, which he proposed to name

Buccanodon duchaillui gabriellz, subsp. nov.

Differs from B. duchaillui in having the feathers of the forehead bright scarlet-vermilion instead of crimson. The yellow spots on the scapulars and the fringes to the feathers of the rump paler; the entire under surface much less yellow, the broad margins to the feathers of the chest and flanks being pale sulphur-yellow instead of bright yellow.

The differences are so striking between the two forms that birds may be readily assigned to the correct race by glancing at either the upperside or the underside.

Measurements of type :—Bill from the base of feathers 17, wing 81, tail 52 mm.

Type in the British Museum. Pangala, French Congo, 26.6.23. Dr. and Mrs. Vassal coll.

Six specimens were secured, which do not show the slightest variation in colour. The wings measure 80-84 mm. They were obtained by Dr. and Mrs. Vassal, already well

known for their researches in Annam, during a recent

{61 [ Vol. xliv.

journey in the French Congo. Pangala, where the Barbets were secured, lies some 80 miles north-west of Brazzaville as the Crow flies, in a region which is quite unexplored ornithologically.

I have much pleasure in naming this bird in honour of

Mrs. Vassal.

Mr. BANNERMAN corrected an error in the identification of a Hairy-breasted Toothbill from Southern Nigeria and the North Belgian Congo which he had erroneously iden- tified with Zricholema hirsutum hybridum, cf. Rev. Zool. Afr. x. 1922, p. 112. The specimens from the localities there mentioned have nothing whatever to do with T. h. hybridum and require a new name. I propose to call this race

Tricholema hirsutum chapini, subsp. nov.,

in honour of Mr. James P. Chapin of the American Museum of Natural History. In addition to the much smaller bill, the characters given by myself in the ‘Revue Zoologique Africaine’ (supra) for T.h. hybridum and by Mr. Sclater in Bull. B.O.C. xlii. 1922, p. 63, for the same subspecies are really applicable to 7.a.chapin. Want of space forbids my giving the explanation of how the mistake arose. In males of 7. h. ansorgei, the underparts are greener, duller, and more heavily spotted with black.

Type, 6, in Brit. Mus., 1911.12.23.1092. Near Djabia, R. Uelle. 11 Jan., 1906. Boyd Alexander coll.

Bill (exposed culmen) 19°5-23 mm.; wing ¢ 88-92 mm.

Mr. N. B. Krynzar sent the following :—

In working the specimens presented to the British Museum by Mr. A.S. Verney, part of the collection which he made with the assistance of Mr. W. P. Lowe during his expedition to Siam through Tenasserim, I had occasion to examine the series of Tephrodornis pelvicus pelvicus (Hodg- son, Ind. Rev. i. p. 477, 1837, Nepal), and found that examples from Burma, Tenasserim, Siam, and Yunnan could be distinguished from typical skins from Nepal, Sikkim,

Vol. xliv.] 102

Assam, and Manipur. I therefore propose to call the

southern race | Tephrodornis pelvicus verneyi.

Type in the British Museum, ¢. Um Pang, Siam, 1500 ft. Collected by Mr. A. 8S. Verney on 25 Jan., 1924. Collector’s No. 492.

&. Darker above and wanting on the baele and wings the isabelline tinge seen in the typical form.

2. Differs as in @, but, in addition, the ear-coverts are blackish-brown instead of smoky-brown.

Immature. General colour of the upperside dark greyish- brown, the white of the underside washed with smoky-brown and differing markedly from the reddish-isabelline above and sandy-washed below of the northern specimens.

Obs. The difference between the two immature birds is very striking, much more so than in the adults.

Some nde from Assam are very rufous, and one 2? men- tioned by Mr. Ogilvie-Grant, P.Z.8. 1910, p. 575, might easily be Bigialen for J. p. hainanus, from which it is distinguished only by its smaller size.

Mr. Krynear also communicated the following :—

In vol.i. of the Aves, 2nd edition of the ‘ Fauna of British India,’ Mr. Stuart-Baker states that Garrulax pectoralis senmitorquata O. Grant, from Hainan, is found in the “ South Shan States, Yunnan, Siam, and Hainan.”

On comparing skins from Hainan with a series from Tenasserim, I find that not only do they differ in size but also in colour.

In Hainan specimens, in the collection, the colour of the upperside is considerably darker than in Tenasserim birds, and the rust-colour on the under surface is principally con- fined to the flanks and thighs, while the tips of the tail- feathers and edges of the primaries are strongly washed with the same colour.

Four Hainan skins measure: wing 127-128 mm., bill (from anterior edge of nostril to tip) 118-122 mm.

Twelve L. Burma and Tenasserim skins: wing 143- 152 mm., bill 120-125 mm.

103 | Vol. xliv. I propose to call this new subspecies Garrulax pectoralis subfusa, subsp. nov.

Differs from the typical form from Nepal in its paler coloration on the upperside, especially the rufous collar, and in the whole under surface being suffused with rust- colour and wanting the white area in the middle of the abdomen. The rust-colour on the thighs is much paler and the tips of the tail-feathers are rusty or rusty-white, and not white as in true pectoralis.

Type in the British Museum, ¢. Meitan, Tenasserim. Collected by Ossian Limborg. 8 Nov., 1872. Tweeddale Collection. No. 88.4.20.778.

Distribution. Amherst, Thaton, Pegu, Tounghoo, and Karenni Districts of Tenasserim and Lower Burma.

Dr. C. B. Ticznursr forwarded the following eommuni- cation :—

I was unfortunately unable to; be at the May meeting, as I had intended to make some remarks on Mr. Seth-Smith’s exhibition of the two hen Pheasants assuming male dress. Mr. Seth-Smith kindly sent me the bodies of these two Pheasants for dissection. In both birds the oviduct was present and appeared normal, and it was obvious that some time or other the Swinhoe female had laid, judging by the twisted appearance and increased diameter of the duct; equally certain was it that the female Common Pheasant had never laid, as the oviduct was quite narrow and straight. In both these Pheasants the ovary was absent; in the Common Pheasant there was a tiny speck which might have been the last remains of the ovary ; in the Swinhoe Pheasant there was not a trace even. In the region of the ovary there was not any trace of damage or disease, so that one can only surmise that the atrophy of the ovaries in these birds must have been due to old age, which caused the ovarian blood- supply to become insufficient to maintain the organs—a condition which has been found in other female animals in a varying degree, accompanied also by a varying amount of male characteristics.

Vol. xliv. | 104

Dr. C. B. Ticrnursr also forwarded the following de- scription :—

Grammatoptila striata sikkimensis, subsp. nov.

Resembles G. s. striata, but has a considerably shorter wing; darker, redder brown, less olive, above and on the flanks.

Wing 130-141 mm.

Type-locality and Distribution. Sikkim.

Type in the British Museum, No. 86.10.1.4037. Sikkim, April 1873. Mandelli coll.

Obs. Vigors’s type came from the western area Simla- Kumaon, and a series thence measures: wing 145-165 mm. Nepal birds are intermediate; they are small like the Sikkim ones (wing 131-140 mm.), but are rather nearer the typical race in colour. One from Bhutan is large and dark, and possibly another race inhabits that area.

NOTICH.

The next Meeting of the Club will be held on Wednesday, the 8th of October, 1924, at PAGANT’S RESTAURANT, 42-48 Great Portland Street, W.1, the Dinner at 7 p.m.

Members intending to dine might kindly inform the Hon. Sec., Dr. G. C. Low, 86 Brook Street, Grosvenor Square, W.1.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING.

This will also be held at PAGANT’S RESTAURANT on Wednesday, October the 8th, 1924, at 5.45 p.m. An Agenda and Balance Sheet will be issued in September.