[mperial Academj of Sciences of Vienna. Bui 1 have not ■<• 

 to specimens for comparison, bo as t<> enable me to satisfy myself on 

 this point, and I therefore prefer leaving it to M. Jules Verreanx, 

 ulio is better acquainted with these birds than I am, in make further 

 researches on this, the result of which I hope to induce bim to com 

 municate to this Society. 



172. Nycticorax garden] ((im.), Bp. Consp. ii. p. I ll. 



173. ELtRPIPRION CAYKNNKN8IS (din.), Bp. Con-p. ii. p. I 

 I 71. H n\ NCHOPS Mil: \. Linn. 



February 9, 1858. 



Dr. Gray, F.R.S., V.P., in the Chair. 



Mr. Gould exhibited to the Meeting British specimens of the 

 Motacilla flava of Ray, which had been shot by Mr. Thirtle ol 

 Lowestoft, to whom Mr. Gould was indebted for the following note 



as to its occurrence in that part of England : — 



"In February 1855, at Lowestoft their were to be seen on a I 

 extent of waste grass land called the Denes, from 7<i to s <» yellow 

 Wagtails, which is a very uncommon occurrence, for we seldom 

 have more than two or three pairs during the whole summer, and ln>i 

 summer (viz. 1H.">7) I did not Bee one, although I looked for them 

 several times. 



"The birds named as above in 1855 were to be seen from about 

 the 12th of February until the latter end of March. On the 1 Itli of 

 February I observed amongst them a Grey-headed Wagtail, and im- 

 mediately went home for my gun, and 1 shot it and preserved the 

 same : the head was only partially grey. The next day I killed a 

 better specimen ; and within a fortnight from killing the first, I ob- 

 tained seven specimens in all, they being all male birds. I have no 

 doubt that there were females with them, hut I <•« ,A<\ not make 

 them out from the Yellow Wagtails. 



"The last killed were in the best plumage. 



( < During the time these birds were on the Denes the wind was 



blowing from the norlh-ea-t, with bright sunny days ; and the wind 



had been blowing from the same quarter from about Sept. 20th, 

 1854, ;nid continued to do -,, until April 13th, 1855, no4 having anj 

 other direction for twenty-four hours during the whole time. 

 "I know onli of two instances ofthi Grey-headed Wagtail being 



