Proceedings. XXVil. 
was quite impossible to say whether the bird was a white 
variety of the wild turtle dove (Turtur vulgaris) or was a tame 
dove, which had escaped from a cage. If the former, the 
specimen was very interesting, as white varieties of the 
English turtle dove were exceedingly rare. The small size of 
the bird, which, however, might be due, to some extent, to bad 
stuffing, would seem to favour the view that the bird was a 
tame one which had escaped. 
Attention was also called to a Night Jar (Caprimulgus 
europceus), exhibited by Mr. W. H. Rowland, and to a series 
of eggs of this bird, which was exhibited by Mr. P. Crowley. 
The PresipENT also called attention to some plants of 
Asarabacca (Asarum Europceum) brought by Mr. P. Crowley, 
and which were now in full flower. These were garden 
specimens, but the plant was believed to be truly wild in some 
places in the north of England and in Wiltshire. 
A paper was read by Mr. J. W. WA ttis on ‘“ Man, his social 
progress in pre-historic times,” which was followed by a 
discussion, in which the President, Mr. W. H. Rowland, Mr. 
Lovett, and others, took part. 
Mr. P. Crow.ey again exhibited his collection of nests of 
British birds, which had been selected by the common cuckoo 
for the deposit of its eggs, and these were described by the 
President, who also called attention to various matters con- 
nected with the history of the cuckoo upon which these nests 
and eggs seemed to have an important bearing. (See p. 38). 
In the discussion which ensued on this paper, Mr. A. M. 
Davis mentioned that he had seen a cuckoo take away an egg 
from the nest of a hedge sparrow in his garden. He distinctly 
saw the egg in the cuckoo’s mouth, and he afterwards found 
the egg of the cuckoo in the nest of the hedge sparrow. 
Mr. A. M. Davis expressed his belief that it was usual for the 
cuckoo, when it laid an egg in a nest, to remove one or more 
of the eggs which the nest contained. 
The PresipEenT also read a paper ‘“‘ On a peculiarity appa- 
rently hitherto undescribed, in the breastbone of the Gannet 
(Sula bassana).” (See p. 42). 
Mr, P. CRowLey read some interesting details as to the 
quantity of sap which had escaped from the cut branch of a 
Birch Tree in his garden at Waddon. (See p. 44). 
Mr. J. W. CuisHoLM communicated the result of an exami- 
nation by the Geological sub-committee, of a well lately sunk 
by Messrs. Legrand and Sutcliff, Artesian Well Engineers, of 
Bunhill Row, London, at the Brewery of Messrs. Pontifex and 
Hall, at Elmer’s End. The depth reached was 180o-ft. 6-in., 
and the beds bored through were as follows :— 
