Vol. xxiii.] • 24 



represented the winter or ''non- breeding" dress of other 

 Orders, and that the Anatidne were showing an interesting 

 state of evolution in which this plumage was being gradually 

 suppressed. The occurrence of the eclipse-plumage among 

 the females tended to strengthen and confirm this view. 



Mr. P. F. BuNYARD exhibited some pods of garden-peas 

 showing the result of attacks from Hawfinches [Coccothraustes 

 coccothraustes) . He mentioned the great increase of this 

 species in Kent, and called attention to the amount of damage 

 done by the birds to growing crops of peas &c. As many as 

 forty or fifty birds had been shot in a single orchard. 



The following varieties of eggs were also exhibited by 

 Mr. Bunyard : — Two clutches of eggs of the Nightjar {Capri- 

 mulgus europceus) with a riistinct shade of olive-green, and with 

 the over-markings of a rich dark olive ; also two sets of the 

 same species showing a decidedly pink ground, one with over- 

 markings of dense black, and the other of rich dark brown. 

 The shell-markings in each case were normal. A clutch 

 of five eggs of the Hawfinch with creamy-white ground, 

 showing a slight tinge of pink, with scrolled markings of 

 varying shades of brown, forming a zone, and with shell- 

 markings of clear grey. A clutch of six eggs of the Bullfinch 

 (Pyrrhula eurupaa) with white ground, showing a perceptible 

 tinge of greenish-blue and with the markings fine, but normal. 

 A clutch of four eggs of the Sky-Lark [Alauda arvensis), 

 three of which were of a rich brick-red, the odd e^^ being of 

 normal appearance but with a slight tinge of red ; also two 

 pure white eggs of tlie same species, perfectly normal in size 

 and texture. A remarkable set of four eggs of the Ringed 

 Plover {JEgialitis hiaticola) with very pale bluish-green 

 ground boldly spotted with jet-black, and with large under- 

 lying dark grey blotches ('British Birds,' vol. ii. p, 135). 



Mr. G. M. Mathews exhibited a pair of specimens of 

 a species of JEgintha procured by Mr. A. S. Meek at 

 Cape York on the 7th of August, 1898. These birds 

 had been included bv him in his ' Hand-list,' p. 10.2, with 



