4978 Tuer ZooLocist—JuLy, 1876. 
“Tn touching on the subject of migration, Mr. Gurney broached (to me, 
at least) a new theory, namely, that some of our summer migrants amongst 
the Insessores may be considered to breed in Southern Africa in winter as 
well as in England in the summer, and thus really may be double-brooded. 
He remarked that though the outlines of the Egyptian goose and the ibis 
on the monuments are extremely accurately drawn, the colouring was very 
far from natural. 
“Their chief discovery was that of the lesser whitefronted goose (Anser 
minutus, Naum.) in Egypt, a bird which was formerly supposed to have been 
a northern species. Many writers had identified the sacred hawk with 
the kestrel; this Mr. Gurney thought was a mistake, he believed it was 
intended for the lanner falcon, an opinion which he informed us was shared 
by his father; this latter bird is far from common. He also stated that 
birds of prey abounded, and that there was an unlimited amount of food for 
them in the shape of countless hordes of semi-wild pigeons; and that kites 
and vultures (these latter popularly called Pharaoh’s hens) are the sanitary 
police or scavengers, and for this useful but disgusting service they are 
very favourably looked upon; and he believed that it was sight which 
guided these Raptores to their food, and not scent. The sacred ibis, he 
informed us, contrary to the general opinion of ordinary mortals, no longer 
inhabited Egypt, but had gone further south. He then entered into a 
description of the different kinds of herons, as well as the peculiar method 
of catching coots on the lakes with a casting net, which bird is there more 
highly prized by the fishermen for the table than the wild ducks: after 
alluding to the ravens, Mr. Gurney finished a very interesting lecture by 
glancing at the Entomology of the country, which as far as he was con- 
cerned, was confined to some of the noxious insects; fleas, flies, and 
mosquitoes, he said, were in enormous hosts, and rendered themselves 
exceedingly disagreeable.” 
Although we have previously (S. S. 4891) noticed this lecture, 
we wish particularly to call the attention of our readers to the 
statement above quoted—the theory that some of our summer 
migrants again breed in South Africa in winter, or at two periods 
in one year. This is a most interesting subject, which would be 
well worth discussing in the ‘ Zoologist.’ 
By far the most elaborate part of the President’s Address is his 
own article upon the Aculeate Hymenoptera of his district: those 
interested in this most beautiful order will find this worthy an 
attentive perusal. 
Last, and not least in this Address, is the reference to the reading 
of ten unpublished letters written by good old Gilbert White of 
