x.'ai 



to dark hazel in surjjrne]. I ^lave iiot ijoticed any ■v^"it]i 

 a red iris."" 



The discussion ou Zur. J. A, Alllx's recent paper on tlie 

 changes of plumage in birds \''as i-esurned- ^nd ]\Ir. J. G. 

 i^IiLLAis exhibited a series of L'areJda gJaciaUs sho"\ring the 

 Avhole of the changes of ilie male from its v inter plumage to 

 the full breeding-dress. He also exLibiied specimens of the 

 Sanderliug. the Sclaronian (?rei)c. and the Ptarmigan^ 

 sho-\Ting that in the two las.t-].anjed species the change in 

 plumage vras effected by an abso:ute alteration in the pattern 

 of the feather^ and not by a mo'-ilt. 



]Mr. W. R. Ogila'ie Gkaxt siipplcmented the remarks of 

 !Mr. i\Iillais by exhibiting a se''ies of flank-feathers taken 

 from female Ued Grouse bet^vee:l tl:e months of October and 

 ]\Iayj shoAving the alteration of the pattern mouth by month. 



j\Ir. Ernst Hartert also exhibited a series of Birds of 

 Paradise, Lopliorld'na, D'tplnjUjcks. kc, which showed a 

 gradual change of pattern in the; feather, without a moult. 



A paper on the subject will be published later on in 'The 

 Ibis," in which Dr. Bowdllr Siiarpe (who was unfortunately 

 absent from the roeeting thj'ough illness) will combat 

 ]\[r. Allen^s views on the subjet^t of moulting. The verdict 

 of the majority of tlie ]\Iembers present at the meeting was 

 that a change of pattern in the feathers of certain birds was 

 absolutely certain. 



]\Ir. E. W. De Wixxox gave some fttrtlier notes on the 

 changes of plumage undergone by the AVading-Birds in the 

 Zoological Gardens; and the C hairmax specially instanced 

 the Spotted Piedshanl:, which had recently gained its full 

 summer plumage. 



]\Ir. Trevor-Battye described the nest and eggs of Cygnus 

 beioicki; the nest being composed entirely of moss. 



He also gave some details of the proposed exploration of 

 Spitzbergen, in which he was about to take part. 



