330 MR. RIEDEL ON BIRDS FROM TIMORT^AO. [NoV. 18, 



3. On a Case of Cross-breeding between two Species of Fly- 

 catchers of the genus Rhipidura. By Thomas H. Potts^ 

 of Obinitaki, New Zealand. 



[Eeceived October 27, 1884.] 



The writer has repeatedly drawn attention to the interesting fact 

 of the occasional crossing between RJiijndura flahellifera and li. 

 fulif/inosa (see Trans. N. Z. Inst. vols, ii., iii., v., & vi. ; also 

 N. Z. Journal of Science, July 1884). It is noticeable that this fact 

 is not alluded to in the ' Manual of the Birds of New Zealand,' pub- 

 lished in 1882, by authority of the Colonial IMuseum and Greological 

 Survey Department. 



In order to bring this peculiar habit more prominently before 

 ornithologists, I forward a nest and eggs for the inspection of 

 memhers of the Zoological Society of London. 



I found the nest on Sept. 10, and took it this morning ; it contained 

 three eggs. Before I removed it, I saw both parent birds undertake 

 the duties of incubation in turn, relieving each other at brief 

 intervals. The cock hird was R.fuliyinosn, with the aural plumes 

 very small but quite distinct; the hen, B. flabelUfera, occupied the 

 nest till gently pushed off with the finger. 



In Trans. N. Z. Institute, vol. iii. p. 80, will be found some 

 account of the nests of Rhipidura, specimens of which were taken 

 both on Banks' Peninsula and in the Malvern district to the west. 



Obinitaki, September 12, 1884. 



November 18, 1884. 

 Prof. W. H. Flower, LL.D., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. 



The Secretary read the following report on the additions to the 

 Society's Menagerie during October 1884 : — 



The total number of registered additions to the Society's Mena- 

 gerie during the month of October was 108, of which 47 were by 

 presentation, 17 by purchase, 10 by birth, 7 received in exchange, 

 and 27 received on deposit. The total number of departures during 

 the same period, by death and removals, was 132. 



Amongst them special attention was called to a Black -necked Coly 

 {Colius nigricoUis), purchased October 20th, being the first example 

 of this species received alive by the Society. (See Plate XLY. fig. 1.) 



The following extracts were read from a letter addressed to the 

 Secretary by Mr. J. G. F. Riedel, C.M.Z.S. :— 



" I beg leave to say a few words on Mr. Forbes's lecent observations 

 {supra, p. 425) concerning the birds collected on Timoilao by my 

 hunters, and described by Dr. A. B. Meyer, as also concerning some 

 of Mr. Forbes's remarks on the island-group itself. 



" Before the arrival of Mr. Forbes in the Moluccas I had forwarded 



