88 Proceedings of the Boyal Physical Society. 



abundant— golden plovers, bramblings, and snow buntings. 

 Along shore mixed flocks of the two last named species, 

 accompanied by starlings, redwings, and fieldfares, had 

 dropped into the sea through exhaustion and become the 

 prey of hooded crows, numbers of which were hovering in the 

 vicinity on the look-out for the perishing birds. In several 

 instances blackbirds and thrushes had been found perched on 

 palings in the stiffness of death, and coots and other water 

 birds frozen in corners of ponds which had suddenly closed up 

 when the frost was at its greatest intensity. Similar occur- 

 rences had been recorded in the winter of 1860-61, which 

 was one of unusual severity. 



ly^ — (1.) Hylrid letioeen Golden (Phasianus pictus, Lin) and 

 Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) ; (2.) Goosander 

 (Mergus merganser) ; (3.) Bohemian Waxwing (Bomby- 

 cilla garrula). By John Alex. Smith, M.D., etc. 



(specimens exhibited.) 



1. Hylrid Pheasant. — This bird shared some of the charac- 

 ters of both its parents. It has the bill dark brown and 

 large, the large crest light reddish brown, and the tippet of the 

 golden pheasant, but of a reddish brown colour ; the front of 

 neck showed the greenish iridescent feathers of the common 

 pheasant; body nearly uniform deep salmon colour; belly 

 darker red; wing coverts dark reddish brown; tail large and 

 very long, like golden pheasant, middle feathers uniform 

 li^T-ht brown or fawn colour, some of the outer feathers 

 mottled with dark brown, the pointed coverts dark reddish 

 brown ; spurs small, but sharp. The bird was shot by mis- 

 take in December last by Captain Kinloch, younger of Gil- 

 merton, at Gilmerton, Haddingtonshire. It had been seen on 

 the estate for about four seasons. About five years ago 

 several golden pheasant cocks had escaped or been let loose 

 in the preserves, but this was the only hybrid that had been 

 noticed. Dr Smith was indebted to Mr John Dickson, jun., 

 our well-known gunmaker, for being able to exhibit this very 

 curious bird. Mr J. Keddie, bird-stuffer, informed Dr Smith 



