62 



Colonel Sykes, in illustration of the extended geographical distri- 

 bution of some species of Birds, called the attention of the Meeting 

 to a collection of Bird-skins, formed at the Cape of Good Hope by 

 Captain Spiller, R.A., and presented by that gentleman to the So- 

 ciety. The principal object had in view was the demonstration of 

 the identity of many species of Birds existing in Southern Africa, 

 with those which Colonel Sykes had himself obtained in Dukhun. 

 By the juxtaposition of the Cape Birds, and of those killed by him- 

 self in India, he showed that the following species exist equally in 

 both those countries : several of them are also common to Europe. 



Falco Tinnunculus, Linn. — South Africa, India, and Europe. 



Mihus Govinda, Sykes. — South Africa and India. 



Strix Javanica, Horsf. — Strix Jlammea, Linn. ? Universal ? 



Alcedo rudis, Linn. — South Africa and India. 



Oriolus melanocephalus, Linn. — South Africa and India. 



Coracias Indica, Linn. — South Africa and India. 



Vpupa minor, Shaw. — South Africa and India. 



Cinnyris Mahrattensis, Cuv. — South Africa and India. 



Ardea Caboga, Penn. — South Africa, India, and Europe. 



Nycticorax Europceus, Steph. — South Africa, India, and Europe. 



Limosa Glottoides. — South Africa and India. 



Gallinago media, Ray. — South Africa, India, and Europe. 



Rhynchaa Capensis, Steph. — South Africa and India. 



Cursorius Asiaticus, Lath. — South Africa and India. 



Himantopus melanopterus, Horsf. — Universal. 



Colonel Sykes remarked that he had previously, while illustrating 

 his ' Catalogue of the Birds of Dukhun', read before the Committee 

 of Science and Correspondence in 1832, shown the specific identity 

 of many European and Indian Birds, especially in the orders Gral- 

 latores and Natatores. 



" Some account of a hybrid Bird between the cock Pheasant, Pha- 

 sianus Colchicus, Linn., and the grey Hen, Tetrao Tetrix, Ej., by 

 Thomas C. Eyton, Esq.," was read. It was illustrated by the ex- 

 hibition of the preserved skin of the bird, and also of a drawing 

 made from it. 



" For some years past a single ^rey Hen has been observed in the 

 neighbourhood of the Merrington covers, belonging to Robert A. 

 Slaney, Esq., but she was never observed to be accompanied by a 

 black Cock, or any other of her species. In November last a bird 

 was shot on the manor adjoining Merrington, belonging to J. A. 

 Lloyd, Esq., resembling the black game in some particulars, and the 

 Pheasant in others. In December another bird was shot in the Mer- 

 rington covers, resembling the former, but smaller : it is now in my 

 collection, beautifully preserved by Mr. Shaw of Shrewsbury. 



