NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 273 



nest as soon as the egg was deposited. The two birds now occupied 

 the two opposite corners of the room in which they were kept, the 

 male on the two eggs in the nest under the straw, the female con- 

 cealed in her corner, also under a bundle of straw placed against 

 the wall. During the time of incubation they ceased to call at 

 night — in fact were perfectly silent, and kept apart. I found the 

 eggs in a hollow formed on the ground in the earth and straw, and 

 placed lengthwise side by side. The male bird lay across them, 

 his narrow body appearing not sufficiently broad to cover them in 

 any other way. The ends of the eggs could be seen projecting 

 from the side of the bird. The male continued to sit in the most 

 persevering manner until the 25th of April, at which time he was 

 much exhausted and left the nest. On examining the eggs I found 

 no traces of young birds. 



" Notwithstanding the failure of reproducing the Apteryx, I 

 think sufficient has been witnessed to show that this bird's mode 

 of reproduction does not differ essentially from that of the allied 

 Struthious birds — in all cases of which that have come under my 

 observation the male bird only sits. I have witnessed the breed- 

 ing of the Mooruk, the Cassowary, the Emu, and the Rhea ; and 

 the mode of procedure of the Apteryx fully justifies me in believ- 

 ing the habits of this bird to be in no way materially different 

 from those of its allies." 



3. Alpine Newt (Triton alpestris, Laur.). This Newt, although 

 not a native of this country, might at first be readily mistaken 

 for our common Warty Newt, but a glance at the ventral aspect 

 of this species is sufficient to show that it differs from our largest 

 Newt. T. alpestris is of a blackish lead colour above, marked 

 with brown, sides and lower part of the tail spotted with black, 

 with which colour the toes are also ringed. All the lower parts 

 are of a bright orange colour, without spots. The tail is com- 

 pressed, with the edges acute. It is common in Switzerland, and 

 is found in Belgium, Austria, Italy, Gallicia, France, and other 

 parts of the south of Europe. The individuals exhibited are from 

 the neighbourhood of Paris. In habits it does not* differ from 

 the common Newts with which all are familiar. 



Mr. Peter Cameron exhibited specimens of Microgaster sericeus, 

 a parasite on Thera juniperata, from Milngavie. When it leaves 

 the caterpillar on which it has fed, this insect in its turn spins a 

 cocoon attached to the spines, where it is attacked by other ichneu- 



