LINNBAN SOCIETY OF LONDON. 5 



The cross between Silver Pheasant (Gennams nycthemeras) and 

 iSwinhoe's Pheasant (Gr. Swinlwei) gave a remarkable series of 

 segregating forms in the F., generation. Amongst these were 

 birds scarcely distinguishable from Swinlwei. The F^ form was a 

 combination very distinct from the parental types ; and, judging 

 from the frequency with which some of the new forms occurred in 

 P.,, it was evident that they behaved as dominants and likely that 

 they could have been bred true. 



The cross Phasianus versicolor X P. formosanus had been made 

 reciprocally. Crosses involving several pairs showed that there 

 were consistent differences according to the way in which the 

 cross was made. The egg o^ formosanus is much larger than that 

 of versicolor, and in this respect as well as in several details 

 of pattern the F^ females resembled the fathers. The F^ females 

 from versicolor § x formosanus <S were sterile both with F^ 

 males of F^ and formosanus males, though eggs were laid in two 

 seasons. 



The Fj from the reciprocal {formosanus 5 x versicolor S ) were 

 fertile, one female laying as many as 90 eggs in one season 

 (12 eggs is a fair average for versicolor in England and 35 for 

 formosanus). The F^ series showed a considerable range of forms, 

 and among them were many recurrences of features characteristic 

 of the parental types. 



Mr. W. Bateson and Mr. E. S. Goodrich contributed further 

 remarks, and Mrs. Haig Thomas replied. 



January 17th, 1918. 



Sir David Prain, C.M.G., C.I.E., F.R.S., President, 

 in the Chair. 



The Minutes of the General Meeting of the 13th December, 

 1917, were read and confirmed. 



A memorandum of the Meeting of Fellows summoned by 

 circular to protest against the dismantling of the British Museum, 

 including the Natural History Museum, for use as Government 

 offices, held on Monday, 7th January, 1918, was read as under: — 

 The President, Sir Daa^d Prain, in the Chair, stated that the 

 Bve-Laws of the Society did not provide for a Special Meeting of 

 the Society, a defect whiclj needed to be remedied : therefore the 

 present meeting was a Meeting of the Fellows, and not a General 

 Meeting of the Society. 



Sir Henry McMahon then moved the adoption of the following 

 Resolutions, which had been approved by the Council : — 



The Fellows of tlie Linnean Society of London in Meeting 

 assembled, desire to place upon record :— 



Their profound astonishment and alarm at the reported 

 intention to dismantle the British Museum, including the 



