306 MR. P. L. SCLATER ON CICONIA BOYCIANA. [May 19, 



healthiness. These islands, which are of volcanic origin, have an 

 excellent soil, composed chiefly of decomposed lava and vegetable 

 matter. They are mostly covered with wood ; but there are some 

 natural savannas, and a few clear spaces, affording ample pasturage 

 for innumerable elephants, deer, buffaloes, and other wild animals. 

 The inhabitants cultivate some maize, and have plantations of bananas 

 and palms ; but their chief wealth consists of cattle and goats. It 

 is remarkable that the hippopotamus is found in the straits which 

 divide the islands of Canyabac and Bulama from the continent ; there 

 is no freshwater river within several miles."* 



The avifauna of Bulama is, as might have been expected, thoroughly 

 Senegambian, as far as we can judge from so small a collection as the 

 present. The nearest point of Africa, Bissao, has been thoroughly 

 explored by M. Beaudouin and other French naturalists ; but I am 

 not aware that any connected account of their collections has ever 

 been published. 



1 . Asturinula monogrammica. 1 1 . Terpsiphone nigriceps. 



2. Coracias abyssinica. 12. Pholidauges leucoguster. 



3. Merops'cegyptius. 13. Euplectes fiammiceps. 



4. Corythornis cyanostigma. 14. Coliostruthus macrurus. 



5. Schizorhis africana. 15. Hyphantornis luteolus. 



6. Nectarinia cyanocephala. 16. Spermestes bicolor. 

 7- Nectarinia cuprea. 17. Estrelda rufopicta. 



8. Nectarinia subcollaris. 18. Treron calva. 



9. Laniarius barbarus. 19. Turtur erythrophrys. 

 10. Laniarius balcbahiri. 



The collection contains a specimen of Laniarius bakbakiri, appa- 

 rently identical with South-African examples. This is the first time 

 that this species has been known to occur in West Africa ; and I was 

 inclined to doubt its Bulama origin. Major Bulger, however, believes 

 that it was collected with the other birds, but has kindly promised 

 to inquire into the matter on his brother's return. 



May 19, 1874. 



Dr. E. Hamilton, V.P., in the Chair. 



Mr. Sclater exhibited a skin of Ciconia boyciana, Swinhoe(P. Z.S. 

 1873, p. 513, and 1874, p. 2, PI. I.), being that of one of the two 

 specimens recently living in the Gardens f, and stated that he had 

 received a communication from M. L. Taczanowski of Warsaw, 

 C.M.Z.S., from which it would appear that this species was the or- 

 dinary White Stork of Eastern Siberia. The following was an extract 

 from M. Taczanowski's letter. After stating that M. Severtzow had 



* Life of Capt. Beaver by Smyth ; and Capt. Belcher in tho Journ. of the 

 Geogr. Soc. 



t This specimen is now in Lord Waldcn's collection. 



