850 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



two ordinary claws being present and in perfect condition. I do not usually 

 note monstrosities, but I do so in tliis case because it shows the tendency 

 of any part of a Stalk-eyed Crustacean to assume the form of any other 

 part. — Thomas Cornish (Penzance). 



ARCHEOLOGY. 



Meaning of the word "Gaunt" applied to the Great Crested 

 Grebe. — Attention having been directed (Zool. 1879, p. 408) to the fact 

 that in the Co. Durham formerly (1343—1301) land was held by the 

 tenure iiitei' alia of paying one " wode henne" yearly to the Bishop of 

 Durham for the time being, it may be worth while to mention that in the 

 reign of Edward I. land was held in the Co. Bucks by the tenure of 

 finding (amongst other things) a couple of Grebes. William, son of 

 William de Alesbury, held three yardlands of the King in " Alesbury" by 

 the serjeanty of finding straw in winter and rushes in summer for the 

 King's bedchamber, and providing (amongst other things) two Grebes {duas 

 gantas), which services were to be performed thrice a year if the King 

 should happen to come three times to "Alesbury,' and not oftener. Blount, 

 who cites this tenure sub voce " Aylesbury," renders gantas, geese ; but 

 whenever geese were intended anseres is the word found in the Court Rolls. 

 Bearing in mind the use of the soft satiny plumage for the trimming of 

 robes and mantles, I have do doubt that by duas gantas we are to under- 

 stand "two gauuts," i.e. two grebes. "Gaunt," a provincial name for 

 the Great Crested Grebe, in the Sussex dialect signifies to yawn (Ang. 

 Sax. geanian), and I have frequently observed in the grebes and divers a 

 spasmodic action analogous to gaping or yawning. — J. E. Hartino. 



SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. 



Zoological Society of London. 



Jxme 17, 1884.— Prof. W. H. Flower, LL.D., F.R.S., President, in 

 the chair. 



Mr. H. Seebohm exhibited and made remarks on some specimens of 

 rare Asiatic and European birds, and called special attention to examples 

 of a newly-discovered Russian species, Bonasa griseiventris (Menzbier). 



Mr. Sclater exhibited the knob of the culmen of the beak of a Rough- 

 billed Pelican (Pe/<?crtH!is), which had been shed by the bird in the Society's 

 Gardens last autumn; and called attention to the fact that on coming into 

 breeding-plumage again this summer the bird had grown another knob. 



Mr. Sclater also called the attention of the meeting to a very singular 

 habit of a Vasa Parrot, Coracopsis vasa, as observed in the Society's Gardens. 



