416 MB. H, SEEBOHM ON VANELLUS GREGARIUS. [NoV. 20, 



"The green and buff upper tail-coverts of P. tarimensis distinguish 

 it both from P. colchicus and its allied races, in which the upper 

 tail-coverts are copper-red, in some examples alternating with green 

 in certain lights ; and from P. torquatus and its allied races, in which 

 they are green and slate-grey. Both in its geographical range and 

 in its coloration it is intermediate between these two groups ; but 

 on the whole its affinities seem to be with the latter if we attach 

 importance to the characters of the tail-feathers, which are narrowly 

 barred with dark brown between buff rather than olive spaces." 



Mr. Henry Seebohm, F.Z.S., exhibited a specimen of the Sociable 

 Lapwing ( Vanellus gregarius) which had been shot in Lancashire 

 about twenty-five years ago, and was the only example of this species 

 which had been known to have occurred in the British Islands. 

 Mr. Seebohm made the following remarks : — " The specimen now 

 exhibited was shot by a farmer named John Jackson out of a flock 

 of Peewits in autumn, and was preserved by a gamekeeper of the 

 name of John Isles, who placed it in a case of stuffed birds belonging 

 to another gamekeeper of the name of Joseph Frankland. It re- 

 mained for many years in this case, which contained about sixty 

 other birds, and was taken care of by a farmer of the name of 

 William Frankland, a brother of the gamekeeper, who lived at 

 Holcombe, near Bury. 



" Whilst it was in Frankland's possession it was erroneously identi- 

 fied as a Cream-coloured Courser, and was recorded as such (Mitchell, 

 'Birds of Lancashire,' p. 175). It is now in the possession of Mr. 

 W. H. Doeg, of Manchester, who has kindly sent it up for exhibition. 



" The bird was shot some time between the years 1860 and 1 866, at 

 Whitehall, about two miles from St. Michael's on Wyre, and nearly 

 ten miles south-east of Fleetwood, not far from the celebrated Pilling 

 Moss, where the Black-headed Gulls used to breed. 



" The pedigree of the specimen appears to be perfectly satisfactory, 

 and the appearance in this country of a species which breeds in 

 South-west Siberia only adds another case to many similar accidental 

 occurrences. It is in immature plumage, probably about a year old. 

 There are no signs of the dark streaks on the breast nor of the buff 

 streaks on the back so characteristic of young in first plumage ; but 

 the black on the crown and on the belly and the chestnut on the 

 thighs are only beginning to appear. Its shortest primaries are 

 black on the outer webs and white on the inner webs, a character 

 which separates the species at all ages from its thirteen allies. It 

 has a small hind toe ; the outer tail-feather on each side is entirely 

 white ; the other tail-feathers are crossed by a dark band, and the 

 secondaries are entirely white. The combination of the four last- 

 mentioned characters is also diagnostic of the species." 



The following papers were read : — 



