Vol. xli.] 88 



(k) A set of five nicely scrolled eggs of the Twite from 

 Co. Waterford. 



(/) A beautiful set of five Lesser Redpoll from Co. Tipper- 

 ary, clear blue and almost spotless. 



The Rev. F. C. R. Jourdain exhibited the following 

 eggs : — Fringilla c. coelebs, set of 5 (Bullfinch type), set of 6 

 (Blue type) ; Pyrrhula p. pileata, sets of 5 (normal and 

 Greenfinch types), also several sets of Carjyodacus and Pro- 

 passer ; P.p. muriiia (unique set), a clutch of 4 eggs o( Loxia 

 curvirostra balearica (hitherto unknown) ; Emheriza calandra, 

 set of 4 (unmarked), set of 6 (mixed types) ; also sets of 

 E. eioides castaneiceps, E. c. ciopsis, etc., and some excep- 

 tionally large sets of Passer domesticus {!), P. montanus (8), 

 and Petronia petronia (8). Also a number of eggs illus- 

 trating a paper on the importance of the study of variation 

 from the normal type in eggs. 



The following is a resume of the paper : — 



The Entomologists of Hewitson's day were accustomed 

 to reject specimens of Lepidoptera which seemed to them 

 non-typical, all varieties being sternly eliminated from 

 the cabinet, but now the pendulum has swung to the 

 other extreme, and it may almost be said that in some 

 collections the normal type is conspicuous by its absence. 

 Mr. E. C. S. Baker has recently written on the importance 

 of illustrating the type, with regard to colouring, and we 

 may fairly add that with regard to the number of eggs 

 in the clutch it is equally necessary. A series of British 

 Cirl-Buntings entirely composed of sets of 5, or of Arctic 

 Terns, all sets of 3, is misleading and not representative 

 of the species. No collection has any pretence to complete- 

 ness unless the typical or commonest type is represented. 

 To-night, however, I wish to speak a few words on the 

 importance of the variations. Their extraordinary beauty 

 alone will always ensure the existence of collectors and 

 admirers, but there is something more than this in them. 



To take a few examples. There are eggs of Emh. citrinella 

 which are almost exact counterparts of those of E. cirlus. 



