Vol. xxvii.] 96 



Woodpecker [Dendrocopus major 7najor) from Norway and 

 from Yorksliire_, and the British Greater Spotted Wood- 

 pecker {Dendrocojjus ni. miglicus). Mr. Witherby made the 

 following remarks : — 



"In exhibiting these birds, I wish to draw attention to 

 the great practical advantage to the student of migration 

 which is to be gained by a careful study and comparison 

 of those British birds which have been separated as distinct 

 geographical forms. Migrant Jays have often been noted 

 in various parts of England and Scotland, but their origin 

 has never been proved until recently, when Dr. N. F. 

 Ticehurst obtained some from Kent and found they were 

 of the grey-backed Continental form, which is very distinct 

 from our British bird, and still more so from the darker 

 Irish bird, which Dr. Hartert and I have lately described. In 

 the same way we have migrations of Greater Spotted Wood- 

 peckers, and an examination of specimens has conclusively 

 proved that these birds are of Continental origin. If you 

 will compare the fine long bill of the British bird with the 

 shorter, thicker bill of the northern race, I think you will 

 agree with me that by this character alone the two forms 

 are easily separable. The Great Tit is another case in point. 

 Dr. C. B. Ticehurst last autumu observed that migrant 

 Great Tits, noted on the Norfolk and Suffolk coasts, were 

 of undoubted Continental origin ; and here, again, the two 

 races are easily distinguished by their bills, that of the 

 British bird being much longer and stouter than that of 

 the typical form.^^ 



Mr. G. M. Mathews described the following new birds 

 from Australia : — 



Meliornis nigra dulciei, subsp. n. 



Adult. Differs from typical M. nigra (Bechst.) in having 

 the white patch on each side of the neck pear-shaped, not 

 round. Culmen 24 mm. ; wing 74 ; tail 69; tarsus 21. 



Hab. Albany, West Australia. 



Type No. 3346. Coll. G. M. Mathews. 



