l64 Letters, Extracts, and Notes. [Ibis, 



Curlew (Nuinenius arquata), and Woodcock (Scolopax rusti- 

 cola) . 



Major C. Smeed exhibited a clutch of eggs of Cream- 

 coloured Courser [Cursorius r/allicus), taken by himself in 

 the Canary Isles in 1914-. Also a remarkable set of 5 eggs 

 of the Yellow Bunting (Emberiza citrinella) closely resem- 

 bling those of the Corn Bunting (^E. calandi-a), but from 

 which the hen was identified by Lieut. J. S. Dyson, R.A.: 

 also a set of 10 eggs of Little Grebe {^Podictps ruficollis^ 

 taken in 1918 : a set of 5 pale blue eggs of Chaffinch 

 [Fi-ingilla coelebs) and one of 4, abnormally large : and a set 

 of 4 Lapwing [Vanellus vanellm) with green zone round 

 big end of the egg. 



Mr P. B. Smyth showed a fine series of eggs of the Marsh- 

 Warbler {Acrocephalus palustris), taken by himself in 1918 

 and showing a wonderful range of variation. This is the 

 more remarkable, for as a rule the eggs of this species are 

 not very variable. Two very pale sets from the same bird 

 were especially noticeable. 



Dr. J. WiGLEswoRTH sliowcd a very handsomely blotched 

 clutch of eggs of the Hinged Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) 

 from the Orkneys. 



The proposed ' Systema Avium.' 



The Committee of the B. 0. U. has recently appointed a 

 special committee to formulate plans for the preparation 

 and publication, in conjunction with the American Orni- 

 thologists' UnioUj of a new list of the Birds of the World. 

 As the matter will be submitted to the members of the 

 Union at the Annual General Meeting, the Committee wish 

 to let those who will not be able to be present, know what 

 they are proposing to do. 



As all working ornithologists are aware, the subject of 

 nomenclature is a very difficult one, and even if the laws 



