146 Zoological Society : — 



Mr. G. R. Gray laid before the meeting a drawing of Tringa pec- 

 toralis, which was made by the late Mr. Adams, Surgeon of H.M.S. 

 ' Enterprise.' It exhibited the bird in the act of having inflated its 

 throat and breast in the manner of the Pouter Pigeon. From the 

 correctness of the other drawings by the same gentleman, Mr. Gray 

 had little doubt that Mr. Adams observed this singular phenomenon 

 in the specimen from which the drawing was taken. The drawing 

 was more especially placed before the members, in the hopes of 

 learning whether such a singularity of habits had been noticed before 

 in this species or in any other of the TringcB. 



The bird has peculiar feathers on its breast. 



April 12, 1859,— Professor Busk, F.R.S., in the Chair. 

 Description of a New Species of Owl of the genus 

 CiccABA. By Philip Lutley Sclater. 

 Mr. Gurney has invited my attention to the example of an Owl of 

 the genus Ciccaba, which I now exhibit. It has already passed 

 through my hands once, having been submitted to my examination 

 by M. Verreaux, along with other birds from Southern Mexico, of 

 which I gave some account iu these ' Proceedings ' for last year. 

 As will be seen by referring to my remarks given on that occasion*, 

 I then somewhat unwillingly referred it to Ciccaba huhula. Mr. 

 Gurney, however, having acquired the specimen for the Norwich 

 Museum, agrees with M. Jules Verreaux (whose opinion to that 

 effect I have already recorded) in insisting on its distinctness ; and 

 having lately had an opportunity of examining a second specimen of 

 this bird in the collection of the Jardin des Plantes at Paris, I am 

 now quite prepared to coincide with their views, and to characterize 

 this Mexican Ciccaba as an independent species, differing from, 

 though closely allied to, the S. American Ciccaba huhula. It may 

 be recognized at once by the more uniform colour above, there being 

 hardly a trace of white transverse markings, except on the elongated 

 feathers of the neck-collar ; and by the ground-colour below being 

 pure white, crossed by frequent narrow bands of black, each feather 

 showing three or four of such cross-bands. I propose to call this bird 



Ciccaba nigrolineata. 



Schistacescenti-nigra, colli postici plumis elongatis et albo ter qua- 

 terve trayisfasciatis : maculis in regione superciliari et auri- 

 eulari quibusdam albis : siibtus alba, lineis nigris crebro trans- 

 fasciata : mento nigra : subalaribus albis, nigro variegatis : 

 Cauda nigra, albo quinquies transfasciata : rostro et pedibus 

 Jlavissimis : tibiis nigris, albo sparsis. 



Long, tota lo'O, alse 10"5, caudse 6*78, rostriarictu 1*35, tarsi 2*1. 



Hub. In Mexico Meridionali. Mus. Norfolciense et Parisiense. 



Note on the Spur-winged Geese (Plectropterus) now 

 living in the Society's Gardens. By Philip Lutley 

 Sclater. 

 The Society have frequently possessed living examples of the Spur- 

 * SeeV.Z.S. 1858, p. 96. 



