The Zoologist— March, 1868. 1135 



the year 1867: be examined it after it had been preserved. — A. Clark- Kennedy ; 

 Eton, February 20, 1868. 



Bittern in Berkshire. — Early in December, 1867, a fine male bird of this un- 

 common species was seeu near Cookham, in Berkshire, by Mr. Robert Hill, who, 

 however, failed to procure the specimen, which was eventually shot by a man named 

 John Wig, who killed another male of the species about six years ago, which is at 

 present in the collection of Mrs. De Vitre, of Formosa, near Cookham. — Id. 



Spoonbill in the North of Yorkshire.— The head keeper of Mr. J. C. D. Charles- 

 worth killed a fine specimen of the spoonbill in one of the early months of 1867, on a 

 marshy tract of country, the property of the above-mentioned gentleman, in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Richmond, Yorkshire. This bird was shot in the head, and was so 

 mutilated that it was unable to be preserved. — Id. 



Whimbrel in January.— On the 20th of January I saw two of these birds feeding 

 on some mud-flats on the banks of the Taw. They were unfortunately rather wild, 

 and would not allow me to approach quite within shot. One had been killed out of a 

 small flock a few days before, at Instow, and so probably these were the remaining 

 birds. I was astonished at seeing this species at this time of the year.— G. F. Mat hew. 



Mule Swan on Northam Burrows. — Two of these fine birds were seen on Northam 

 Burrows about a fortnight since, and one of them shot. The other frequented the 

 neighbourhood for several days, but was so wary it could not be approached. I 

 examined the bird killed, and it presented no appearance of domestication. — Id. 



Eider Duck on the Thames.— On the 12th of December, 1867, an interesting 

 specimen of the female eider, a bird of the year, was shot on the Thames, in the lower 

 end of the "Jenkin Swatch," near the mouth of the Medway, by Mr. Godfrey 

 Walmesley, and presented to me by his father.— A rthur W. Crichton. 



Storm Petrel in Yorkshire. — Since my last communication on this subject (Zool. 

 S. S. 1060), I have received another letter from Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., informing 

 me that no less than nine of these little birds were procured near Bridlington Quay, 

 Yorkshire, about the same time as the one of which I sent you a notice.— A lexander 

 Clarh-Kennedy ; December 31, 1867. 



Parasites of Birds.— There is a question I should like to ask, and that is, has 

 any one ever given a list of the parasites which infest birds ? I fancy a paper on this 

 subject would be interesting. I for one would much like to have some information on 

 the subject, and possibly it might bring to light some new facts as regards the life- 

 history, and the death, of some of our British birds.— John A. Harvie Brown. 



PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



Zoological Society. 



January 23, 1868.— John Gould, F.R.S., V.-R, in the chair. 



A letter from Mr. Gerard Krefft, corresponding member at Sydney, was read in 

 which the writer stated that amongst the fossil remains in the Australian Museum, he 

 had discovered a portion of the humerus of an extinct species of Echidna from the 

 Darling Downs. 



The Secretary read an interesting communication from Mr. E. P. Ramsay, of 

 Dobroyde, N. S. W., with reference to the habits and nesting of the lyre bird (Menura 



