134 Northern News, 



filaments have entirely disappeared, the down consisting simply 

 of a small quill which has independent radiating filaments. 

 Comparing the eggs of a Snipe and a Thrush, and a Lapwing 

 and a Jackdaw, birds about the same size, Prof. Garstang 

 showed that the egg which produces a downy chick is larger 

 and longer in incubating, than the egg of a passerine or more 

 highly developed species. 



Mr. Booth, introducing a discussion on the varying number 

 of eggs laid by different species, contended that whilst the 

 Columbidse (Doves) and Charadriid?e (waders, etc.) are constant 

 in their egg laying habits, the majority of British species show 

 considerable diversity. One explanation was that they are 

 endeavouring to increase their numbers or at least keep up 

 to the level of the past. Yet some species are decreasing 

 whilst others are increasing, and the singular thing is that 

 the Blue Tit, which lays a large number of eggs, probably is 

 not increasing as much as the Guillemot, Gannet and Fulmar, 

 though they lay only a single egg. The speaker's former 

 opinion was that the smallness of a clutch was associated 

 with longevity, but in the case of the notoriously long lived' 

 species comprising the Anatidae (Swans, Geese, Ducks), this 

 does not apply. Neither does the relative abundance or 

 variety of the food supply throw any light on the matter. It 

 is even doubtful whether, in years of super-abundance of a 

 suitable food, certain species do increase the number of their 

 eggs, as is attributed to the Short-eared Owl in Scotland during 

 a vole plague. Trustworthy oological friends entitled to speak 

 with authority, assured him that neither the Rough-legged 

 Buzzard nor Arctic Skua increase their clutches when Lem- 

 mings, on which both very largely feed, are plentiful in Scan- 

 dinavia. In fact, over-feeding in domestic varieties tends to 

 decrease productiveness, and this also appears to be true in the 

 human race. 



The discussion was continued, but nothing definite could 

 be arrived at. 



Mr. Ralph Chislett showed a fine series of lantern slides of 

 the Nightjar, eggs, parent birds, and the young in stages up to 

 15 days. Mr. Jasper Atkinson had also a fine selection of 

 slides of his last year's work, which included series of the 

 Redstart, Snipe, Blue Tit and Sand Martin. — W. Greaves. 



Hull Museum Publications, No. no (being the Quarterly Record of 

 Additions No. 55), is largely composed of papers which originally appeared 

 in The Naturalist. It contains Mr. T. Sheppard's paper ' On Arranging 

 Museum Cases for Birds ' ; papers on Mollusca by Mr. Hans Schlesch ; 

 The Distribution of Spiders in East Yorkshire, and The Bristly Millepede 

 in East Yorkshire ; by Mr. T. Stainforth, and Pseudanodonta rlongata in 

 Yorkshire by J- A. Hargreaves and J. Digby Firth. The publication is 

 sold at one penny. 



Naturalist, 



