^10' Address delivered at the sixth and last 



honour of the first observer. The two last-mentioned birds 

 are closely allied to a species which had been some time pre- 

 viously made known to science by Mr. Menzies's researches in 

 California, the T^erdix californianus of Dr. Latham, and form 

 an interesting addition to a group which represents in Ame- 

 rica the Quails of tlie Old World. It may not be here out of 

 place to mention that specimens of two species of the group, 

 the O'rt. californianus and Douglasn*, are at present living 

 in the gardens of the Zoological Society. The same gentle- 

 man has added considerably to the information which we had 

 already possessed of the habits and economy of some of the 

 scarcer Gallinaceous Birds of North America ; more particu- 

 larly of the 7 etrao Urophasianus, which we may well remem- 

 ber to have seen first exhibited and described in this room by 

 our distinguished friend and correspondent, the Prince of 

 Musignano. Mr. Douglas has also published in the Zoologi" 

 cal Journal some interesting details respecting the economy 

 of the Fultur californianus. 



We are all well aware of the rare ornithological treasures 

 contained in the collection of Mr. Leadbeater. We have to 

 congratulate ourselves that many of these are becoming known 

 to science through the exertions of their owner. His liberality 

 hitherto to naturalists, in opening his collections for their use, 

 is well known ; his ability in making use of them himself for 

 the advantage of science is now equally conspicuous. In the 

 last number of the Linnean Transactions he added some 

 species to the rare genera Phytotoma, Indicator, and Curso- 

 rius ; a beautiful species to the Tyrannulus of M. Vieillot ; 

 and an African species to the group of Pardalotus, which had 

 previously been supposed to be confined in its range to Aus- 

 tralia. The same volume affords a treat to the lovers of the 

 more splendid productions of nature, in the description by the 

 same hand, and accompanying representation, of a magnificent 

 pheasant, the Phasianus Amherst/<^. From the same collec- 

 tion we had an opportunity of seeing at our last meeting some 

 additional novelties, which will shortly be described by their 

 owner, more particularly two interesting species of the Psitta- 

 cidae, belonging to the Australian groups Trichoglossus and 

 Platycercus, 



The commanders of our scientific expeditions, for the last 

 few years, have not neglected the opportunities afforded to 

 them of contributing to our stores of zoology. The valuable 

 ornithological collections which were obtained by Captain 

 Beechey, in his late voyage in the Blossom, more particularly 

 on the north-west coast of America, were sent to me, within 

 the last year, for examination. Twelve species, apparently 



