Vol. xxix.] 104. 



At the conclusion of the conjoint dinner of the B. O. U. 

 and B. O. C, the President of the British Ornithologists' 

 Union proposed the health of His Majesty the King and 

 that of '' Absent Ibises/^ as is customary at the Annual 

 Dinner. 



He remarked that he was glad to see Mr. A. F. Wollaston 

 among those attending the Annual Dinner, and he felt sure 

 that all present would join in wishing him every success in 

 the fresh exploration he was about to undertake. He hoped 

 that this time, profitiug by the experience of the first expe- 

 dition, he might be successful in reaching the higher ranges 

 of the Snow Mountains in Dutch New Guinea. 



Mr. Wollaston, after thanking the President and Members 

 for their hearty good wishes, said that he felt very hopeful 

 about this undertaking, and that in any case his brother 

 " Ibises " might be sure that he would do his utmost to 

 attain success. 



The President then vacated the Chair in favour of Dr. P. 

 L. ScLATER, who, as Chairman of the B. O. C, conducted 

 the business during the remainder of the evening. 



INIr. H. M. Wallis and Mr. C. E. Pearson described the 

 nesting of the Thick-billed Lark (Rhamphocorys clot-bey, 

 Bonap,). The nest, found on the 8th of April, in the desert 

 about six miles south of Biskra, was placed among stones 

 and was much larger than is usually constructed by birds 

 of this kind. It was entirely composed of the glaucous, 

 Avoolly sprays of some desert j)lant and extended some inches 

 beyond the sides of the cup among the surrounding stones. 

 The four young birds had left the nest and were found 

 some distance apart. Both parents were very bold, and were 

 observed at close quarters feeding the young, A rather 

 large larval locust was being carried by the male in its bill. 



Mr. Pearson exhibited skins of the parent birds and four 

 young, one of the latter having been presented by him to 

 the Natural History Museum. 



[This young bird agrees with the brief description given by 



