113 [Vol. xxxiii. 



enthusiastically drunk, aud Mr. Upcher returned thanks in 

 a few well-chosen words. 



The remainder of the evening was devoted to an exhibi- 

 tion of lantern-slides, and many interesting and beautifnl 

 photographs of some of our rarer British species and many 

 remarkable foreign birds were shown. 



Dr. F. Gr. Penrose showed a series of Lumiere auto- 

 chromes to illustrate Protective Coloration. Each slide 

 showed how the eggs or sitting birds harmonized with the 

 surroundings and were extremely difficult to detect. He 

 mentioned that nearly all birds which nest in the open 

 sit remarkably still at times, particularly if come upon 

 unexpectedly. 



He thought there must be something very peculiar about 

 the scent given off by nesting-birds and their eggs. It was 

 well known that dogs could be trained to find the eggs of 

 Plovers aud other species, but sitting birds were often passed 

 by without being discovered. He had watched many birds 

 approaching their nests, but had never observed anything 

 in their movements which suggested that they were en- 

 deavouring to conceal their trail in the way that mammals 

 were said to do. 



He thought the evidence was very strong that some sitting 

 birds and some eggs laid in the open, as well as the young of 

 many ground-breeding species, were protected by the colour 

 and pattern of their feathers, down, &c, and that birds both 

 old and young had acquired the habit of remaining quite 

 still in the near presence of man and other enemies. 



To illustrate the preceding remarks, Dr. Penrose showed 

 slides of the following species : — 



Nightjar (Caprimulgus eurojjceus). He had never been 

 fortunate enough to obtain a really satisfactory photograph 

 of an adult bird, but the second slide showed how difficult 

 a young bird was to detect. 



Norfolk Plover (CEdicnemus oedicnemus). The eggs 

 were laid on a fallow-field, and the sitting bird was invisible 

 at quite a short distance. 



