49 [Vol. xvi. 



carho) were brought on to the ^'^ Lake " perched, on a light 

 skiff and attended by a native Chinese fisherman. On 

 living fishes being thrown into the water the birds caught 

 them with eagerness, and brought them back to their 

 trainer, who made them disgorge their captures by a slight 

 hand-pressure on the throat. The bands round the neck, 

 which prevented the birds from swallowing, were sub- 

 sequently removed, and the Cormorants were allowed to 

 fill their stomachs with the captured fishes. This mode of 

 fishing as practised in China was well known (for a good 

 account of it see the Ibis, 1880, p. 375), but, so far as 

 Dr. Sclater was aware, had not been previously exhibited as 

 a spectacle in Europe. 



Mr. BiDWELL reminded the Members of the Club that 

 the late Capt. F. H. Salvin kept a number of Cormorants 

 trained to catch fish. 



Mr. C. B. EiCKETT described the mode of fishing with 

 Cormorants commonly seen in China. 



Dr. ScLATEE also called attention to a small flock of 

 Bramblings [Fringilla inontifrmgilla) which had been seen 

 this winter in the neighbourhood of his home in Hamp- 

 shire. Several other members stated that they also had 

 seen unusually large numbers of this Finch, especially in 

 the beech-woods of Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. 



The Chairman gave notice that the meeting to be held 

 on March 21st would be devoted to an exhibition of 

 lantern-slides ; and requested that any members who 

 might wish to show slides should supply the Editor with a 

 list of the same on or before February 21st. Last year 

 some of the gentlemen, such as Mr. E. B. Lodge, who had 

 been good enough to bring slides for exhibition, were 

 miable to show them through lack of time, and, to avoid 

 this happening again, it was absolutely necessary that the 

 programme of the evening should be arranged beforehand, 

 the lists properly revised, and a certain amount of time 

 apportioned to each exhibitor. 



