19 1 7-] Letters, Extracts, and Notes. 123 



1907, p. 576), and they appear in Mr. Bates's description 

 and Mr. Keuleman's figure of immature Parmoptila ivooa- 

 hoiisii, with a bulky and (one judges) dark nest (' Ibis/ 

 1909, p. 67). 



The further view, that the twin-spot tongue may be 

 similarly explained, remains, I fear, unsupported by my 

 now somewhat numerous sjiecial observations and experi- 

 ments, and it is only necessary to state the birds that possess 

 this tongue — certain Shrikes, Flycatchers, White-eyes, 

 Larks, Turdidse, and Warblers, mostly birds with open 

 nests — to give point to Capt. Ingram's criticism of the 

 theory in 'The Il)is ' for 1907, p. 576. Macrunyx nestlings 

 too, with the Bearded Tit type of patch, lie in brilliantly-lit 

 nests. 



I am free to admit that my own, alternative, explanation 

 as to the use of these markings is as yet by no means 

 proved ; but these are, at any rate, facts which tell strongly 

 against the view that they were originally a nestling adap- 

 tation at all. I myself feel that they probably represent 

 what was once the adult mouth of a common ancestor, and 

 is now a stage in development that is still well accentuated 

 in those of its descendants to which it continues to be 

 (or has again become) of practical value on the lines I have 

 already suggested (' Ibis,' 1916, pp. 281-284). 



Yours truly, 

 GuDgunyana, C. F. M. SwYN NEKTON. 



Melsetter, Rhodesia. 



24 October, 1916. 



Second Oological Dinner. 



The second Annual Oological Dinner was held in London 

 at Fagani's Kestaurant, on Wednesday, September 13, 1916. 

 Lord Rothschild took the chair at 7 o'clock, Mr. Thomas 

 Parkin acting as Vice-Chairman. 



The Chairman, after some opening remarks, congratulated 

 those present on the wonderful exhibition of eggs on view. 

 He proceeded to exhibit a pair each of the eggs of the 

 Condor (^Sarcorhamphus gryphus), and of the Calif ornian 



