XXX 



''This specimen — an adult female^ obtained in Apnl 1891 — 

 will come into Dr. Sharpe's ' Key' (see Cat. B. vii, p. 43i) 

 after G. albigularis, which has the hind neck uniform with 

 the back ; but the words of the ' Key ' should be modified to 

 'uniform or nearly uniform.'' The differences between the 

 new species and G. albigularis are of course obvious, the 

 latter having no black pectoral band.'' 



]\rr. ScLATER exhibited the skin of a Hemipode^ forwarded 

 to him by iMr. H. H. JohnstoUj C.B., being the first example 

 of this family obtained in Nyasaland. It was shot on the 

 plateau near Zomba, in December last. Mr. Ogilvie-Grant 

 had determined it as Turnix nana (cf. Cat. B. Brit. Mus. 

 xxii. p. 541) of Natal and Cape Colony. 



Dr. BowDLER Sharpe read a paper on the geographical 

 distribution of the Little Bitterns [Ardttta), of which he 

 recognized nine species. 



1. ArDETTA MINUTA (L.) . 



Hab. Central and Southern Europe below 60° N. lat., the 

 countries of the ^lediterranean, eastward to Central Asia, 

 Cashmere, and wintering in the plains of N.W. India to 

 80° E. long. N.E. Africa in winter, and said to have occurred 

 in East and West Africa. 



2. Ardetta podicipes (Bp.). 



Represents A. minuta in Africa and Madagascar, and 

 appears to be generally distributed south of 15° N. lat. 



3. Ardetta sinensis. 



Hab. From N. China and the Japanese islands throughout 

 China to the Burmese countries, the peninsula of India, and 

 Ceylon, breeding in all these countries. It is also found, 

 apparently as a winter visitant, in the Malay Peninsula and 

 Archipelago to New Guinea and New Britain. The British 

 ^luseum contains two specimens from Australia. The species 

 is likewise found in the Seychelles, a very interesting fact 

 when taken into consideration with the distribution of 

 Bi.i.toridesjavanica in the iMascarene Islands {cf. antea, p.xvii). 



