27 [Vol. xlii. 



abrasion. It must also be remembered that birds breeding 

 in West Greenland do so later than do those in East 

 Greenland, whence early June birds show considerable 

 fading in June. Therefore West Greenland birds arrive at 

 their breeding-haunts later than do those in East Greenland, 

 and therefore assume their nuptial plumage later. 



A series of over 60 males from all localities, and showing 

 every type of plumage from May to August, exemplify 

 these remarks even better than do the females. But in 

 neither sex is there any geographical variation, the difference 

 being individual and seasonal. 



'O 



The Eev. F. C. R. Joukdain regretted that Mr. Iredale 

 was not present that evening, but he had himself had an 

 opportunity of examining that afternoon the series of speci- 

 mens from the British Museum and Tring as well as the 

 16 obtained in Spitsbergen and 2 from Iceland. It was 

 obvious that all the June-July Spitsbergen and Iceland 

 birds were creamy white on the mantle, while the June 

 Alaska and May Massachussetts birds were warm cinnamon. 

 Some few skins were decidedly paler, e.g., one from 

 Frobisher Bay dated 1861, but even this was not so pale 

 as the Spitsbergen ones. Unfortunately May-killed birds 

 from Europe are lacking in all collections, and unless the 

 warm-cinnamon colour can be shown to exist in European 

 birds, Colonel Meinertzhagen's contention must be regarded 

 as not proven. 



Exhibition of eggs of B. leucopsis, etc. : — 



The Rev. F. C. R. Jourdain brought up for exhibition 

 four clutches of eggs of the Barnacle-Goose [Branta 

 leuco2')sis) and one each of Brent [B. bernicla hernida) and 

 Pink-footed Goose [Anser brachi/rhynchus), all obtained by 

 the Oxford Expedition to Spitsbergen in 1921. Each clutch 

 was accompanied by the nest and down. The eggs of the 

 Barnacle-Goose were of especial interest as being the first 

 eggs taken from wild birds ever exhibited in this country ; 

 the only other well-authenticated specimens being the 12 

 eggs taken by Professor Koenig's expeditions of 1907 and 



