Letters, Announcements, ^c. 397 



'^ Seven specimens from Madagascar, among which are 

 Mesites variegata and Hypositta coraUirostris ; purchased. 



" Eighteen specimens from the Amirante and Glorioso 

 Islands, and 157 specimens from Torres Straits, collected by 

 Dr. Coppinger during the survey of H.M.S. 'Alert/ and 

 presented by the Lords of the Admiralty. 



" A specimen of a rare Kingfisher [Alcyone pusilla) from 

 Eastern Coram j presented by Hr. J. Gr. F, Riedel. 



"A large series from the Astrolabe range of mountains in 

 South-east New Guinea, collected by Mr. A. Goldie, and 

 containing many new or rare species ; purchased. 



" Fifty-one specimens from New Britain and Duke-of-York 

 Islands ; collected by the late Hr. Kleinschmidt, and pur- 

 chased of the Godeffroy Museum. 



" Twenty specimens from Bermudas, Nova Scotia, and 

 Natal, including a specimen of a species of Pijnt recently de- 

 scribed [Anthus butleri); presented by Capt. Savile G. Beid.^' 



Note on the Breeding 0/ Phoenicopterus antiquorum. — My 

 friend Mr. Abel Chapman, who has devoted much time and 

 attention this spring to the exploration of the marisma to 

 the south of Seville, writes to me as follows upon the 

 question of the nesting of the Flamingo: — "I found a 

 ' pajarera' early in May — many nests all together and others 

 studded round in the shallow water. I visited this colony 

 on the 9th and 11th May, but was disaj)pointed in not find- 

 ing any eggs laid by the latter date, when I was obliged to 

 leave the marisma. However, I obtained sketches of the nests, 

 and birds sitting on them, on both occasions. The nests were 

 only 6 to 8 inches above the water or mud, as the case might 

 be ; and the legs of the birds icere doubled up, their knees pro- 

 jecting beyond their tails, and the marks of their legs were 

 distinctly visible on the side of the hollow top of the nests 

 after the birds had gone." So now it would appear that the 

 position of the Flamingos on their nests is finally settled : 

 they do not sit astride, but double their legs beneath them 

 like other brooding birds. As regards the time of laying : 

 on a former visit to the marisma, Mr. Chapman found that 



