Vol. xxvii.] 82 



that it was probable that the hen-like plumage of the cock 

 Pheasants recently exhibited at the Zoological Society had 

 in reality been produced in the same way by a disturbance 

 of pigment. 



Mr. J. L. BoNHOTE exhibited and made remarks on 

 some feathers taken from the head of the Water-Rail [Rallus 

 aguaticus, Linn.) : — 



" On examining the top of the head in this species, 

 especially its anterior portion, a number of smooth and 

 polished black or brown bristles are at once apparent. On 

 removing a few of the feathers, these apparent bristles are 

 found to be the slightly swollen and enlarged terminal 

 half of the rachis or shaft of some of the head-feathers. A 

 careful comparison under the microscope shows these struc- 

 tures to be precisely analogous to the red '^wax ' tips found 

 in the Waxwing {Ampelis garrulus, Linn.), although in the 

 latter species the tip is proportionately more swollen and its 

 bright red colour renders it very conspicuous.^' 



Mr. Bonhote further stated that he had found these 

 feathers, irrespective of age, sex, or season, on every example 

 of jR. aguaticus which he had examined, but they were 

 apparently absent oil all the other British species of Rails. 



Mr. BoNHOTE also exhibited and made remarks on the 

 sequences of nesting-plumages in the Eagle-Owl {Bubo 

 ignavus, Forst.). 



In this species there were three distinct plumages before 

 the assumption of the first true contour- or body-feathers 

 (teleoptyles). The first was a short white down, which was 

 worn for the first fortnight or three weeks after hatching ; 

 this was followed by a longer cream-coloured down, which 

 was in turn succeeded, when the bii'd was about eight or ten 

 weeks old, by downy feathers — that was to say, feathers with 

 a median shaft carrying barbs and barbicels, but with the 

 vane loose and downy and offering no resistance to the air. 

 This plumage was worn for about two months, and was then 

 succeeded by the first true feathers. 



At the February meeting Mr. Pycraft had pointed out 



