of the Deutsche ornithologische Gesellschaft. 125 



and describing a number of new forms. Professor Wilhelm 

 Blasius described the fossil bird-deposits in the Riibeland caves 

 on the Harz, and spoke of some Malayan birds. Professor 

 Koenig discoursed on some rare Mediterranean birds. Dr. 

 Helm criticized Gatke's supposed proofs of the rapidity of 

 the flight of migrants. Professor Rudolf Blasius gave 

 animated impressions of his visits to some parts of Western 

 Franc(3, especially Normandy, Brittany, and Touraine, much 

 regretting- the want of adequate labelling with regard to 

 locality and date of capture in the museums at most of these 

 places. Herr Matschie dilated upon the affinities of the 

 Polynesian fauna ; Herr Schalow made proposals about a 

 German ornithological bibliography ; Herr R. Schlegel 

 showed some varieties of Rapaces and Tetraonidce ; and Herr 

 J. Thienemann made proposals for a permanent ornitho- 

 logical observatory-station, to be placed on the north-eastern 

 point of Germany. 



Only a short interval was allowed for luncheon and a 

 visit to the Museum of the University of Leipzig, where a 

 fairly good representative collection of birds may be seen, 

 and where, at present, the very interesting collections of the 

 Deep-Sea Expedition are on view. The egg-cabinets of 

 Dr. Eugene Rey, famous for the enormous series of eggs of 

 Cuculus canoruii, were also inspected. 



In the afternoon the scientific business was continued. 

 Among others, Freiherr von Berlepsch spoke about the work 

 of the section for the Protection of Birds in Paris in June; 

 but the most interesting lecture on this occasion was that of 

 Professor Reichenow, who compared the richness of the 

 African Avifauna with that of other countries, and laid 

 before the Meeting the first part of his great work on the 

 Birds of Africa, which had just left the press. 



The last day was devoted to an excursion, via Eisleben, 

 to the " Siisse See," and to the scanty remains of a once 

 wide-spreading " Salzige See," both historical localities in 

 German ornithology, where the Naumanns made many of 

 their observations and did much collecting. Afterwards the 

 village of Volkmaritz, the new home of Pastor Kleinschmidt, 



