1884.] MR. P. L. SCLATER ON THE LESSER KOODOO. 45 



Mr. Henry Seebohm, F.Z.S., exhibited a skin of the American 

 Kestrel (Falco sparverius), which had been shot by Thomas Hague, 

 a gamekeeper, in the neighbourhood of Helmsley in North-east 

 Yorkshire last May. Two birds were together, and were both 

 dropped by the gamekeeper by a right and left shot ; but he was 

 only able to mark one of them down. The bird found was taken in 

 the flesh to Mr. Christopher Smith, who was unable to identify it, 

 and sold afterwards to Mr. Robert Taylor of Harome, who pre- 

 served it. It proved to be a female. Mr. Taylor, not knowing its 

 rarity, parted with it in exchange to Mr. C. Helstrip, a birdstuffer in 

 York. He offered it to Mr. James Backhouse, jun., of that city, as a 

 Lesser Kestrel, of whose collection it now forms a part. Mr. Back- 

 house has taken considerable trouble to satisfy himself of the bona 

 fides of all concerned, and there is nothing in the appearance of the 

 skin to lead to the supposition that the bird had been kept in a cage. 



The American Kestrel breeds throughout North America south of 

 lat. o'2°, and is found in a more or less modified form in most parts 

 of South America. South of Virginia this bird is said to be a 

 resident, but there is no doubt that it is migratory in the northern 

 portion of its range. It was not known that this species had ever 

 vsited Europe before. 



Unfortunately the name of a brother of Mr. Taylor, who is now 

 dead, had been connected with an alleged occurrence of the Swallow- 

 tailed Kite in the same district in 1859, but there did not seem to be 

 any reason why a possible attempt at fraud in one case should affect 

 the authenticity of the other. 



Mr. G. F. Butt, F.Z.S., sent for exhibition two examples of a 

 variety of the Red Grouse (Lagopus scoticus,) shot in September 

 1883 on the Appleby Moors in Westmoreland, and stated to be out 

 of a brood of ten birds. They were remarkable for their pale 

 plumage, which was nearly white, mottled with brown. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. On the Lesser Koodoo, Strepsiceros imberbis of Blyth. 

 By P. L. Sclater, M.A., Ph.D., F.R.S., Secretary to 

 the Society. 



[Eeceived January 30, 1884.] 



(Plate IV.) 



When I was inspecting the fine collection of liviug animals at the 

 Chateau Beaujardin, Tours, in October last, my friend M. J. M. 

 Comely called my attention to a young pair of Antelopes, which he 

 had then lately received, and asked my assistance in determining 

 their species. I could only tell him that they appeared to belong 



