Vol. xix.] 70 



the 19th, 1907. Any members of the Club who intended 

 to be present at the Congress were requested to send in their 

 names to the Secretary (Mr. H. F. Witherby) at their earliest 

 convenience. 



Dr. ScLATER stated that since he had had the honour of 

 taking the chair at the February meeting he had made a 

 short excursion to Egypt, and had passed eighteen days there, 

 mainly in the pleasant company of his friends Capt. Stanley 

 Flower, the Director, and Mr. M. J. Nicoll, the Assistant 

 Director of the Zoological Gardens, Giza. 



The Gardens were in excellent order, and had become one 

 of the most popular resorts of Cairo. There was a fine 

 series of birds, and among them were three examples of the 

 Shoe-billed Stork {Balaniceps rex) which appeared to be in 

 good health. 



The Gardens were inhabited by many Kites (Milvus 

 (Bgyptius) and Hooded Crows {Corvus corniic), which at this 

 time of the year were busily engaged in nesting. 



Mr. Nicoll spent all his spare time in collecting birds and 

 had already obtained about 120 specimens. Dr. Sclater had 

 accompanied him on three excursions in the neighbourhood 

 of the Pyramids of Giza, when 26 specimens of 14 different 

 species had been obtained. The most common birds at this 

 time of year were perhaps the White Wagtail {Motacilla 

 alba) and the Red-throated Pipit {Anthus cervinus). The 

 Courser [Cursorius gallicus) was found in small flocks near 

 the edge of the desert. The Short-toed Lark (Calandrella 

 brachydactyla) was also common in flocks, and one example 

 of the smaller species (C minor) had been obtained. 



Mr. F. E. Blaauw made the following remarks : — 

 " (1) As it is not usual for the European species of wild 

 Geese to present abnormally coloured plumages, I wish to 

 record the occurrence of a curious variety of the Bean-Goose 

 [Anser segetum) which I received alive in February. 



" The general colouring of the bird is of a pale yellowish- 



