104 F. 'Film— The Feet of Birch in Flight. [March, 



in tlie course of his long and extensive experience as a dealer in living 

 animals. 



The bird being so rare in captivity, I have thought it worth while 

 to point out, by means of this specimen, that Mr. Hume was mistaken 

 in thinking that the species is unable to walk. He says (Game Birds 

 and Wildfowl of India, Vol. Ill, p. 301): " On land one only sees them 

 resting near the water's edge, and when disturbed they shuffle on their 

 breasts into the river. I do not think that they can walk at all. Any- 

 how I have always seen them just half-glide, half-wriggle, breast fore- 

 most, and I think touching the rock, into the water."* 



But from the actions of the bird now exhibited, it is easy to see 

 that the Goosander can walk like other ducks, and does so in the same 

 attitude as they, though it is naturally not so active on land as the less 

 aquatic species. No doiibt the birds seen by Mr. Hume were simply 

 disinclined to stand up and walk properly when they had but a very 

 short distance to go, and preferred the lazier method of locomotion he 

 describes in the passage above quoted. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. An ancient inscribed Buddhistic Statue from Crdvasti. — By Dr. T. 

 Bloch. 



The paper will be published in the Journal, Part I. 



2. Some new species of plants from the North-Fastern Frontiers of 

 India.— By Sir G. King, K.C.I.E., M.B., LL.D., F.R.S., and Surgeon- 

 Major D. Prain, M.B. 



The paper will be published in the Journal^ Part IE. 



3. The Later Mughals (1707-1803).—% William Irvine, B.O.S., 

 (retired) . 



The paper will be published in the Journal, Part I. 



■i. On certain imperfectly known Points in the Habits and Economy 

 of Birds, No. 1. On the position of the feet of the *^ Picarian " Birds and 

 of Parrots in flight. — By P. Pinn, B A., F.Z.S., Deputy Superintendent 

 of the Indian Museum, 



Although the habits of birds, more especially those connected with 

 nidification and the care of the young, have been long and carefully 



* The bird was here put down on the floor and made to walk about, which it did 

 in the ordinary manner of ducks, though unwillingly, having probably not recovered 

 condition after a long journey from the Hills. A specimen of the allied Merganser 



