11 [Vol. xxxvi. 



Mr. Ogilvie-Grant also exhibited male and female 

 examples of a Bulbul [Ruhigula johnstoni) recently described 

 from Siam by Nils (xyldenstolpe [Kungl. Svensk. Vet.- 

 Akad. Handl. Bd. 1. no. 8, p. 25 (1913)]. 



The species was described from a single male specimen 

 now in the Museum at Stockholm. Thanks to the efforts 

 of Mr. E. G. Herbedt, the Natural History Museum had 

 received two adult males and a female of this fine species, 

 which was allied, on the one hand, to R gularis from 

 Southern India and, on the other, to R. dispar from Java 

 and Sumatra. From the specimens exhibited it would be 

 seen that the species was easily distinguished from both 

 these red-throated forms by its well-developed crest. The 

 female of R. johnstoni, hitherto unknown, appeared to be 

 similar to the male, but the specimen was in moult and 

 somewhat imperfect. 



The remainder of the evening was devoted to a Discussion 

 on 



The Bearing of Oology on Classification, 

 opened by the Rev. F. C. R. Jourdain with the following 

 paper : — 



At the present time there are undoubtedly large numbers 

 of ornithologists who have ceased to regard Oology as having 

 any great scientific value, and in consequence have , shut 

 their eyes to innumerable useful clues as to the relationship 

 between various groups of birds. On the other hand, it is 

 only fair to say that there are many egg-collectors who have 

 no scientific object whatever in view. The mere amassing 

 of enormous series of Guillemots' eggs or specializing in 

 clutches of Tree-Pipits' eggs leads to no scientific end, and 

 tends' to the depreciation of a branch of ornithology which 

 is already under-estimated ; but still more injurious is the 

 mere purchasing of eggs, with little or no authentication in 

 many cases, with a view to pecuniary gain by re-sale. 



The ground-work of all scientific study is the provision, of 

 a large series of ascertained facts. It is therefore necessary 

 that there should be collections of eggs (and without collec- 

 tors there can be no collections), and also that the eggs 



