688  DR.A.B. MEYER ON THE COLOURS OF OBJECTS. [Nov. 28, 
Mr. J. E. Harting, F.Z.S., exhibited a specimen of a South- 
African Eagle-Owl (Bubo maculosus) stated to have been killed in 
1851 near Waterford, in Ireland, from the collection of Dr. Burkitt 
of Waterford. 
Mr. R. Bowdler Sharpe exhibited some specimens of Swifts sent to 
him by Dr. Lucan from the Congo. 
These consisted of a pair of a species of Chetura, evidently the 
same as C. cassini, Sclater, from Gaboon, with which Mr. Sharpe 
had compared them. The range of this species was thus extended 
from the Gaboon to the Congo district. 
The true Chetura sabinii was discovered in Sierra Leone by Sir 
E. Sabine, and was afterwards met with in Fernando Po by Mr. 
Fraser (cf. Strickl. P. Z. S. 1844, p. 99), and had been more recently 
found on the Loango coast by Dr. Falkenstein (cf. Reichen. J. f. O. 
1877, p. 21). 
Chetura ussheri, Sharpe, still remained known only from the 
original specimens, procured by the late Governor Ussher on the Gold 
Coast (Fort Victoria). 
Dr. Lucan had also forwarded a pair of Cypselus, with the nest 
and eggs, which he believed to belong to Cypselus sharpii, Bouvier 
(Bull. Soc. Zool. France, i. p. 228, pl. vi. fig. 1). The specimens, 
however, showed that the Congo bird now procured by Dr. Lucan 
was the true C. caffer, identical with South-African specimens. 
CO. sharpit differed from C. caffer in having a less forked tail, and 
especially in having the rump-band perfectly uniform, without any of 
the uarrow black shaft-lines which were seen in C. caffer; the white 
on the throat also descended further. 
Mr. Sharpe also exhibited a specimen of Machirhamphus alcinus 
obtained by Mr. Everett near Papar in Northern Borneo, and made 
remarks on the geographical distribution of this singular form of 
Accipitres. 
A communication was read from Dr. A. B. Meyer, C.M.Z.S., in 
reference to Mr. Harting’s communication (above, page 391) as to 
the desirability of adopting a standard of nomenclature for the descrip- 
tion of the colours of natural objects. Dr. Meyer called attention 
to Radde’s international colour-seale published some years ago at 
Hamburg, which appeared to him to answer the required purpose 
exactly. Dr. Meyer had made use of this work for his forthcoming 
monograph on the Jadeite and Nephrite objects of the Dresden 
Museum, and had recommended it to several scientific friends, 
especially to travellers who wished to determine the colour of the 
human skin in different races, Broca’s scale being insufficient for the 
purpose. Dr. Meyer was of opinion that the use of this modern 
work would be far preferable to the republication of Werner’s Nomen- 
clature as proposed by Mr. Harting. 
The following papers were read :— 
