960 



pear to have become scarcer. Water-birds, as might be expected, 

 have resorted in great numbers to the Car since they have been less 

 disturbed, and this year they appear to be more numerous than usual. 

 Several species also have bred in greater numbers this season than 

 usual, and some have bred which had not been previously noticed at 

 the Car in the breeding season. Several broods of the redshank 

 were brought out, the water crake bred there this season, and a ruff 

 and reeve were seen by Mr. R. Reay, of Berwick Hill. Mr. John 

 Hancock, by whom this information is furnished, obtained the egg of 

 the redshank. Amongst the other birds seen was a flock of about 

 thirty ring-dottrels, a number unusually large to be seen together at 

 Prestwick Car. The only business transacted at the meeting was the 

 election of four new members, and the presentation, by Mr. J. Han- 

 cock, of a Notice of the Capture of the Thrush Nightingale [Sylvia 

 Turdoides, Meyer), the largest European warbler, near the village 

 of Swalwell, three or four miles west of Newcastle. The attention 

 of Mr. Thos. Robson, of Swalwell, a gentleman perfectly acquainted 

 with the notes of our different warblers, was, towards the end of last 

 May, attracted to a note which he did not recognize. After some 

 trouble he succeeded in seeing, and afterwards in obtaining the bird, 

 which proved to be the male of the species above named. Although 

 this was the only specimen obtained, yet, from the time of year and 

 other circumstances, there is little doubt that this fine warbler is a 

 regular visitant, its peculiarly retired habits having hitherto concealed 

 it from observation. Mr. Hancock has in his possession an egg ob- 

 tained in Northamptonshire, which agrees exactly with the descrip- 

 tion of the thrush nightingale, but from not supposing the bird to be 

 a native of England, Mr. Hancock was unwilling to assign the egg 

 to this species ; now, however, that the bird has been obtained here 

 in the breeding season, there seems no reason to doubt that it breeds 

 also in Northamptonshire. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 



Friday, September 3. — J. E. Gray, Esq., F.R.S., President, in the 

 Chair. 



Donations to the Library were announced from Dr. Steele and the 

 Rev. G. H. Stoddart. British plants had been received from Dr. 

 Dickie, Dr. Dewar, Mr. Fitt and Mr. Maw. Mr. Alexander Irvine, 



