15 



as one of the most hardy. It is therefore very satisfactory 

 to have to report that this species has bred very freely in 

 the Menagerie during the last year, and that several of 

 the duphcates which have thus accumulated, have been 

 disposed of to Members of the Society, in whose collections 

 they ought to increase rapidly in the course of the ap- 

 proaching summer. 



The collection of Wading Birds has been increased 

 by the addition of several of the smaller European species ; 

 an exceedingly beautiful Gallinule from Borneo ; and by 

 the magnificent Crane recently described by Prince Charles 

 Bonaparte under the name of Leucogeranus Montignesia. 



The birds from which this description was drawn, were 

 brought to Paris by M. de Montigny, the French Consul- 

 General in China in the year 1855. They were placed in 

 the Garden of Plants and there hatched out their young 

 in the following year. 



A pair of these European-born Cranes were obtained 

 from the Directors of the Garden of Plants in October 

 last, and Her Majesty the Queen has now presented two 

 more adult birds of the same species, which have been for 

 some years in the Royal Gardens at Buckingham Palace, 

 and were obtained for Her Majesty by Sir John Bowring. 



The lofty stature and brilliantly contrasted colour of this 

 Crane, which is a native of Mantchouria, are exceedingly 

 striking, and make it by far the most conspicuous species 

 of the genus. 



The Chilian Black-necked Swans, which were, 

 obtained at the dispersion of the collection at Knowsley, in 

 1851, have not yet reproduced in the Menagerie, but as 

 the Council have been able, through the obliging coopera- 

 tion of H.M. Consul-General, Capt. the Hon. E. A. Harris^ 

 R.N., to make arrangements for a larger importation of 

 these beautiful birds, there is reason to hope that the 

 ultimate establishment of the species may yet be effected. 

 A couple of Black-necked Swans were shipped by Capt, 

 Harris as a present to the Society in the autumn of last 

 year, and were safely dehvered by Capt. Carmichael of 

 Liverpool, in November, having borne their long voyage 

 with complete success. 



His Majesty the King of Portugal has continued to 

 manifest his interest in the progress of the Society by 

 various valuable gifts which he has been pleased to 

 present since the last anniversary ; these gifts include two 



