Vol. xxxvi.] 80 



material. Unfortunately, this nest was destroyed and no 

 conclusive evidence obtained that these were genuine eggs 

 of the Nightingale. 



Colonel Rattray set to work to find the second clutch, 

 and on May 30th he found it close by the old nest containing 

 three eggs (two blue eggs and one olive egg), which at once 

 showed him that it was a Nightingale's nest and eggs. But 

 to make it absolutely certain. Colonel Rattray, on May 31st, 

 went to the nest as soon as it was light and found it con- 

 tained the three eggs, as on the day before. He watched 

 the Nightingale go into the nest, and at 12.45 p.m. she left 

 her nest and it contained a fourth egg and this time bright 

 blue, establishing beyond any doubt whatsoever that the 

 blue eggs are genuine eggs of the Nightingale. That a 

 Nightingale should sometimes lay blue eggs is what one 

 would expect, though, so far as I knoWj it is of rare 

 occurrence. 



We find in the eggs of the Pheasant — where the normal 

 eggs are very much like Nightingale's eggs in colour — blue 

 eggs frequently occurring, especially in the eggs laid in 

 captivity. 



Messrs, Bunyard, Chape, and Bidwell mentioned other 

 instances of blue eggs of the Nightingale, and a discussion 

 on the coloration of birds' eggs in general ensued, the 

 consensus of opinion being that our knowledge of this 

 subject was very limited^ and that it offered a promising field 

 for investigation. 



Mr. E. C. Stuart Baker exhibited a pair of very rare 

 Cuckoos {Carpococcyx renauldi), collected by Mr. E. G. 

 Hertjcrt in Siara. The onh^ other specimens hitherto 

 known of this fine bird are those in the Paris Museum, 

 named by Oustalet from specimens obtained from Annam. 



Mr. E. C. Stuart Baker also made the following state- 

 ment : — 



My attention has been drawn by Mr. T. Iredale to the 

 fact that my name of Rhipidura albicoUis kempi, published 



