356 ON FALCO BARBARUS AND CYPSELUS PALLIDUS. [Mar. 5, 



The following papers were read : — 



1. On the Occurrence of Falco barbarus and Cypselus pallidus 

 on the Continent of Europe. By Howard Saunders, 

 F.Z.S. 



[Keceived March 4, 1872.] 



In the excellent account of Falco barbarus given by Mr. O. 

 Salvin in ' The Ibis,' 1859, p. 184 et seq., he recommends that a look- 

 out should be kept for it in Spain ; and I have now great pleasure in 

 exhibiting an example of this miniature Peregrine obtained near 

 Granada, Spain, in January 1871. It appears to be a bird of the 

 year, and proved to be a female on dissection. As Messrs. Salvin 

 and Brodrick observe in their ' Falconry in the British Isles,' p. 101, 

 "although smaller by nearly one fourth than the true Peregrine, 

 it has the organs of destruction," such as the beak, feet, and talons, 

 fully as large." Indeed in the present specimen the middle toe is 

 very nearly as long as that of a magnificent adult female Peregrine, 

 and rather longer than that of an adult male, her mate, shot near 

 Seville, and rivalling in size the largest northern specimens. As 

 Mr. Salvin remarks, the small stature, powerful feet and claws, and 

 ruddy under plumage of Falco barbarus are its best characteristics. 



In 'The Ibis,' 1870, p. 445, Capt. G. E. Shelley described Cyp- 

 selus pallidus as new, from a specimen he had obtained in Egypt, 

 where it would appear to take the place of Cypselus apus. He sub- 

 sequently identified with this species specimens brought by Major 

 Irby from Tangiers ; and that gentleman further remarked that he 

 had seen it in Spain. I am not aware that he has hitherto been 

 successful in obtaining specimens in the Peninsula, and have there- 

 fore great pleasure in exhibiting a solitary specimen obtained at 

 Granada on the 28th May, 1870, and sent to me along with a number 

 of the common species, from which it may be distinguished by its 

 lighter colour, white throat, and lighter forehead. From the date, 

 it was probably breeding. 



2. Notes on an Ostrich lately living in the Society's Col- 

 lection. By A. H. Garrod, B.A., Prosector to the 

 Society, and Frank Darwin, B.A. 



[Keceived March 5, 1872.] 



A male Ostrich (Struthio camelus) has been in the Society's 

 Gardens since April 18G9, and was quite healthy until last October, 

 when its appetite began to fail, and it did not take kindly to its 

 food from that time until its death on the 6th ult. In September 

 last the keeper noticed on several occasions that after running about 

 as it was accustomed to do in play, it turned giddy and apparently 



