13 



In the adjacent soft parts tliere -svėre extensive abscesses, and a 

 wjde spread of discoloration, evidencing the progress of the dis- 

 organization. 



Mr. Cox exhibited a Nightingale in fine plumage and full song, 

 ■which had been for four years in confinement. He stated that the 

 error generally committed by persons attempting to keep these birds 

 and the other species cf Sylviada, was the over care bestowed upon 

 them. A treatment not more tender than that afForded to granivo- 

 rous species, agreed well \vith the Nightingale, for \vhich it was by 

 no means necessary to provide insects as food ; meat scraped fine and 

 n)ixed \vith egg fcrming a sufficient substitute, and furnishing a 

 nourishment at once grateful to the bird and fully adeąuate to supply 

 its ■wants. 



Mr. Bennett called the attention of the Committee to two birds 

 which had been for soine time living in the Society's Garden. In 

 many respects, especially as regards the nakedness of their cheeks, 

 and the nakedness, length, and reticulation of their tarsi, they agree 

 with the Caracurus {Polybonis, Vieill.) ; but differ from the type of 

 that genus in the greater compression of their beaks ; their trans- 

 verse oval nostrils ; their comparatively slender make ; and their 

 more vulturine appearance, \vhich is much inereased by the soft 

 dovvny nature of the plumage of their head and neck. From the 

 genus Morphnus of M. Cuvier, which they resemble in many parti- 

 culars, they are at once distinguished by the length of their wings, 

 which reach, \vhen closed, to the extremity of the tail. He stated 

 his opinion that they -tt'ould be found, on a close examination, (which 

 could only be made after death,) to constitute a new genus. Until 

 the opportunity of determining this question should occur, he asso- 

 ciated them provisionally \vith the Caracaras ; and having met with 

 no trace of a description of them in any ornithological \vriter, he 

 proposed for them the following specific character : 



PoLYBORUS ? HYPOLEUcus. Pol. ? capite, colio, pectore, ahdomine- 

 que albis ; scapularibus fusco-griseis ; dorso tegminibusgtie fuscis ; 

 remigihus nigricantibus ; caudd basi nigrd, apice fascid latd al- 

 bidd. 



Jun. Fuscus, capite, colio, corporegiie subtus dilutioribus, remigibus 

 fusco-nigricantibtts. 



The foUovving observations, by Mr. Yarrell, on the subject of his 

 attempts to preserve Whitebait alive, were read. 



" Severai dozens of strong lively fish, four inches in length, \vere 

 transferred \vith great care from the nets into large vessels, (soma 

 of the vessels, to vary the experiments, being of earthenware, and 

 others of wood and metai,) filied with water taken from the Thames 

 at the time of catching the fish. At the expiration of twenty mi- 

 nutes nearly the \vhole of them were dead, none survived longer 

 than half an hour ; and all fell to the bottom of the water. On 

 examination, the air-bladders were found to be empty and coUapsed. 



