nS



Correspondence, Notes, etc.



activity in the nest than the young of Pigeons. In this early stage the

hare-looking head is rather Parrot-like. The way these young birds

clamber about in almost a quadrupedal fashion, helping themselves some¬

times with their unfeathered wings, reminded me of what I had read con¬

cerning the young of Opisthocomus, though of course the habits were not

so strongly marked, and so far as I know the young of the Touracous have

not the fingers of the maims so strongly developed as in Opisthocomus.' 1 ''

Sir Harry Johnstone likewise states that there are generally two or three

young birds, and that the natives say four are often hatched.


Although published in 1897, this account of the young of a particu¬

larly interesting group seems to have been generally overlooked ; but I

noticed it some time back, and in an article I wrote 011 these birds in the

“ P'eathered World ” for August 5th of last year I mentioned the downy

and partly active state of the young Touracou, though, being pressed with

work at the time, I forgot to say who was my authority for the statement.


I see Mr. Pycraft states that the Touracous are semi-zygodactyle,

by which I take it he means that the fourth or outer front toe may

be turned either backwards or forwards, or is at any rate not definitely

directed backwards. I had one of the above-mentioned Gallirex chloro-

chlamys under my charge for a mouth, it having been entrusted to me for

the Zoo. by the late General Mathews in Hast Africa, and I have often

observed other species at the Zoo. since. I find the outer toe is almost

invariably behind, although it is turned back in such a way as to look as if

unnaturally forced into that position. The web also between the third and

fourth toes seems to show that these birds were not so very long ago non-

zygodactyle, and in skins, in man} 7 cases at all events, the fourth toe comes

forward as in ordinary birds. Frank Finn.



THE SOCIETY’S MEDAL.


Medals have been awarded to Mr. W. H. St. Ouintin, for

breeding the Lesser Pintailed Sand Grouse (Pterocles exustus'),

and to Mrs. Howard Williams for breeding the Yellow Sparrow

(Passer luteus') ; both cases being believed to be the first on

record for the United Kingdom.



THE ILLUSTRATION FUND.



The Committee acknowledge with many thanks the receipt of the

following donations towards this fund : —


Mr. Duncan Parker, £1.


Mr. W. B. Gibbins, 10s.



