502 The Irish Natiiralht. Octobef, 



The long-vexed question of the " soaring " power — rising, that is to say, 

 in spiral circles without movement of the wing — is considered to have been 

 definitely solved (as to a certain extent every one must admit that it has 

 been) in favour of the simplest of the old conjectural explanations — the 

 theory of ascending currents of air. The only difficulty that ever pre- 

 sented itself in the way of this solution was the want of evidence showing 

 that upward currents are sufficiently frequent at the altitudes required ; 

 and this doubt the experience of aeroplanists has certainly tended to set 

 aside. 



In conclusion, we must add that when the author deviates now and then 

 from the immediate subject of flight he is apt to stretch his own wings a 

 little more freely than some would consider prudent in the realm of fancy. 

 In his last paragraph he claims that the vocal powers of birds are the natural 

 consequence of their power of over-sea flight. " After a flight cf some 

 thousands of miles, cock and hen must find one another somehow." And 

 so the returned Nightingale " trumpets forth to all the world the fact that 

 he has arrived," and " thus we see that all a bird's activities must be 

 viewed in connection with the fact that he has wings and is capable of long 

 flights." It is, no doubt, a pretty association ; but if we may side with 

 those who hold that the song of the Nightingale has much the same mean- 

 ing as the roar of the Lion and the bellow of the bull Moose — or even of our 

 own Stag — the beautiful moral drawn by Mr. Headley must be a little 

 wide of the mark. Indeed, it is remarkable that many of the loudest - 

 voiced birds — as the Jay, the Peacock, and (in proportion to its size) the 

 Wren — are among the least addicted to — and the least adapted for— 

 migration in the groups to which they respectively belong. 



C. B. M. 



IRISH SOCIETIES. 



ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Recent gifts include a Meerkut from Mrs. Gosselin, Rabbits from Mr. 

 L. F. Gurnell and Mrs. Standen, a Ring-dove from Mrs. Galloway, 

 a Brown-headed Troupial from Capt. Quin, a Grass Snake from Dr. Killeen, 

 and Slowworms and Newts from Mr. H. F. Traill. A Russian Brown 

 Bear, a Black-faced Spider Monkey, and four Brown Capuchin Monkeys 

 have been acquired by purchase or exchange. 



For some time past the Monkey House has been without American 

 representatives. The arrival of the " Spider " and the " Capuchins " 

 is therefore especially welcome. The new Bro'wn Bear is a young male, 

 and a very agile climber. 



