TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 107 



late years in more cases than one. The first instance was twelve or 

 thirteen years ago: a bird of this species was seen for some weeks about 

 Hornsea Moor in the East Riding of Yorkshire ; it Avas some time after 

 presented to the author, in whose collection it is at present, in perfect 

 preservation. Another, in full summer plumage, was killed by a la- 

 bourer in the fields of James Hall, Esq., of Scorborough, near Beverley, 

 about three years ago, and is now in the possession of that gentleman. 

 Another specimen of this bird is in the collection of Mr. Foljambe, of 

 Osberton, with a label on the case, stating it to have been killed near 

 that place. A careful examination of these specimens will, Mr. Strick- 

 land has no doubt, prove that this bird is properly separated from the 

 large egret of North America, which has been frequently placed in our 

 collections for the British species. 



On a species of Scyllium, taken on the Yorkshire Coast. By Arthur 

 Strickland. 



Mr. Strickland described a large fish of this genus, which had been 

 caught in Bridlington Bay on the 11th August, 1838. 



On the Toes of the African Ostrich, and the number of Phalanges in 

 the Toes of other Birds. By T. Allis. 



The author's attention was directed to this subject by Dr. Riley, of 

 Bristol, who had stated at one of the meetings of the British Association, 

 that he had found the rudiments of a third toe in the ostrich. Neither 

 in the specimens which he has placed in the Museum at York, nor in 

 one that he obtained lately, for the express purpose of looking for this 

 rudimentary toe, has he been able to discover any thing like this third 

 member of the foot. He further stated, that Cuvier had given the 

 number of the phalanges of the toes wrong in the following birds. In 

 the cassowary, which has three toes, the real numbers of the phalanges 

 are three, four, and five. In the ostrich, four and five. The Capri- 

 mulgus has the outer and middle toe, having four phalanges each. The 

 swift has only three phalanges, except in the hallux. The humming- 

 bird has the full number of phalanges in all its toes. 



On Tetrao Rahelhahn. By Edward Charlton, M.D. 



Dr. Charlton, in this communication, described the appearance of two 

 individuals of the species or variety of Tetrao above named, and assigned 

 the reasons which induce him to believe that it is a hybrid between the 

 Tetrao urogallus and Tetrao tetrix. In favour of this opinion he 

 quotes Bechstein and Nillson, though on the other side Temniinck de- 

 scribes the bird as a distinct species. Mr. Charlton stated that he found 

 the Norwegian peasantry perfectlv aware of the existence of this hybrid, 

 giving to it the name of ' Rockelhanar.' 



