76 NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF DUBLIN. 



The Right Hon. Lord Viscount Powerscourt, Powerscourt Castle, 

 Enniskerry, was elected a memher of the Society. 



The meeting then adjourned to the first Friday in December. 



FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1863. 



C. P. Croker, Esq., M. D., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The urinates of the preceding General Meeting were read and con- 

 firmed. 



Mr. R. P. Williams brought forward a specimen of the European 

 Boiler ( Corracias garrula), presented by the Earl of Courtown. This 

 beautiful and very rare bird was shot by the late Earl, who sent it for 

 presentation to the Natural History Society ; but by some mistake it 

 reached the Museum of Irish Industry, where it was set up and placed 

 amongst the ornithological specimens collected by the Ordnance Survey. 

 Having been informed of these facts by the late Professor Kinahan, Mr. 

 Williams waited on Sir Robert Kane, Director of the Museum of Irish 

 Industry, and learned that he was willing to hand over the Roller on 

 receipt of a request to that effect from the Earl of Courtown ; and on 

 application to his Lordship, he was kind enough to write to that effect, 

 and the bird was handed over to the Society by Sir Robert Kane. The 

 following is Lord Courtown's letter : — 



" 12 Hereford-street, Park-lane, London, W., 

 "June 25th, 1863. 



" Sir — The Roller in the Museum of Irish Industry was presented 

 by my father. Should Sir Robert Kane wish to consult my wishes with 

 regard to it, I authorize you to tell him I have no objection to its being 

 removed to the Museum of Natural History, obviously the proper place 

 for it. 



" Tour obedient servant, 



"i?. P. Williams, Esq." " COURTOWN. 



Mr. R. P. Williams also presented, on behalf of John Travers Madden, 

 Esq., Inch House, Balbriggan, the feet and wing feathers of Pallas's 

 Pinnated Sand Grouse (Syrrhaptes paradoxus), which in the month of 

 June last suddenly visited the north of Europe, England, and Scotland, as 

 recorded in "The Field" newspaper by many observers, and in the county 

 Donegal by Mr. William Sinclair, of Drumbeg, Donegal. This bird was 

 probably of the same flock, and wounded or struck down by a bird of 

 prey, as it had been all consumed but the legs and pinions. Observing 

 its very extraordinary feet, like those of a rat, Mr. Madden kindly se- 

 cured what remained, and which are now presented. 



Mr. William Williams sent for presentation to the Society a mounted 

 specimen of the Brown Buzzard (Buteo fuscus). 



Thanks were voted to the various donors of the foregoing. 



