117 [Vol. xliii. 



more or less intermediate buffer states between the two forms 

 giving rise to the hybrid race. 



Such hybrid races, whatever name they may be known by 

 in the future, would seem to belong to a different category 

 than the case of Uelminthophila quoted above, or than such 

 mixed and mongrel forms as are found occupying the 

 territory intermediate between two such species as Colaptes 

 auratus and C. afer in America (cf. J. A. Allen, Bull. Am. 

 Mus. Nat. Hist. iv. 1892). 



As regards Paradisea apoda luptoni (cf. Bull. B. 0. 0. 

 xliii. p. 110), it seems evident, as Lord Rothschild says, that 

 the process of hybridization has taken place on a large scale, 

 and, as it seems to me, very likely over a large area, 

 represented by the valleys of the Merauke and Fly Rivers. 

 For instance, I saw sixty exact intermediates in one box at 

 the Customs, this doubtless only representing a fraction of 

 those lately smuggled over, and it was therefore on that 

 account that I was led to suppose that they belonged to the 

 " Racial Hybrid " category. 



In the event of this process of hybridization extending on 

 a still larger scale, east and west, and such a supposition 

 does not seem altogether inconceivable if we reflect that the 

 commingling of two races may be supposed to have increased 

 the vigour of the intermediate hybrids, it is interesting to 

 reflect what would be the effect on the status of P. a. novcB- 

 guinece and P. a. raggiana considered as two subspecific 

 "entities, for we might eventually get a complete sequence of 

 inter grading forms.] 



Lord Rothschild and Dr. Eenst Haetert exhibited and 

 described a new bird from Buru as follows : — 



Madanga, gen. nov. 



Apparently nearest to Zosterops, but wing and tail com- 

 paratively much longer ; rectrices not square, but pointed. 

 No ring of white short feathers round eye. First primary 

 tiny, outwardly not visible, second (first developed) longer 



a3 



