Vol. xxxiii.] 144 



Major Proctor also exhibited some interesting enlarge- 

 ments of photographs, which he had taken in Spain in the 

 month of April. These included nests of the 



Black Vulture (Vultur monachus) , 

 Egyptian Vulture (Nephron per cnopterus), 

 Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti), 

 Golden Eagle (A. chrysaetus), 

 Black Kite (Milvus korschun). 



Mr. C. G. Talbot-Ponsonby exhibited pale -whitish-buff 

 varieties of the Common Partridge {Perdix perdix), which 

 had been purchased in Leadenhall Market from among a 

 number of frozen Russian birds. Both were females, the 

 cross-markings on the wing-coverts, though pale, being 

 distinctly visible. 



At the invitation of the Chairman, Dr. George Horne, 

 of Melbourne, Australia, made the following interesting 

 remarks on Lyre-birds {Menura): — 



"Position of Nest. — The nests generally have an open space 

 in front, or are placed opposite a stream. They are built 

 either upon the ground backed up against a trunk or bank, 

 or high up on a stump or fern-tree. The high or low 

 positions are persisted in by individual pairs, even though 

 the low builders are disturbed several times every year. 



"' Nest-building . — The male is the builder. First he makes 

 a platform of heavy twigs, which project to form a landing- 

 place ; then a layer of fine rootlets is added forming a domed 

 nest. The lining is the down taken from the back and 

 flanks. Sometimes the rootlets formed a trap-door, opening 

 and shutting at pleasure. Old nests are rifled for down and 

 rootlets, but are never re-built. A half-built nest, if inter- 

 fered with, is at once deserted. 



" During Incubation. — The male does not sit, nor does he 

 feed the female. She leaves her nest to feed sometimes for 

 an hour at a time. The egg is then completely covered in 

 the down. Handling her egg in her absence is not followed 

 by desertion. 



" Feeding. — The food consists chiefly of insects living in the 



