xni [Vol. x. 



Smith on his expedition to Lake Rudolph), who, I regret 

 to say, died at Aden on the 20th of October last, after 

 the return of the expedition. The collection of birds, 

 which is in the hands of Mr. Ogilvie Grant, has only just 

 arrived and has not yet been fully examined. There are few 

 new species represented in it, but there are certainly many 

 of considerable interest. Mr. J. S. Budgett has lately 

 returned from a successful visit to our colony on the River 

 Gambia. He also has made a collection of birds, which 

 have not yet been examined, but will certainly prove to 

 be of considerable value. Nor must be omitted mention of 

 the second expedition to Lake Tanganyika, now being con- 

 ducted by Mr. J. E. S. Moore. Mr. Moore will devote 

 himself principally, of course, to the aquatic products of the 

 Lake, but two of his companions, Mr. Berridge and 

 Mr. Mathews, are ardent ornithologists, and will pay special 

 attention to our branch of natural history. Except from 

 some of the German explorers, we have, as yet, but little 

 information concerning the bird-life of the Tanganyika 

 district, especially of the country northward of it, which 

 Mr. Moore's expedition is planned to pass through on its 

 return journey. Mr. F. J. Jackson, C.B., may have little 

 time for ornithology, owing to his official duties in Uganda; 

 but that he is still able to devote a little leisure to his favourite 

 study is shown by the excellent series of papers now appearing 

 in ' The Ibis/ 



This Meeting will presently have before it the descriptions 

 of several new species of birds by Mr. H. Weld Blundell 

 and Lord Lovat, discovered during their late adventurous 

 journey through Southern Abyssinia to Khartum. The 

 travellers landed at Berbera in December 1898, traversed 

 Shoa, Southern Abyssinia, and the North Galla country, 

 struck the Blue Nile, which they followed as far as Roseires, 

 whence they proceeded by steamer to Khartum, and thence 

 by train to Cairo, which was reached in May 1899. 

 Their bird-collection contains 520 specimens representing 

 299 species, of which 11 are new ; examples of many of the 

 species described by Riippell, and known only by the types 



