1020 Birds. 



The external ear of Otus brachyotos has the conchal opening very 

 large, and extending from the base of the mandibles to the apex of 

 the head. 



Right ear. — Operculum narrow, lengthened. The orifice of the in- 

 terior auditory canal is placed beneath the transverse fold, or in the 

 inferior depression, and is directed upwards. A small fold, branch- 

 ing off at right angles from the anterior third of the medial transverse 

 fold, directs itself towards the bone which forms the posterior edge of 

 the auditory canal, traversing the anterior part of the inferior depres- 

 sion. Internal skin of the conch thin, ample, loose and naked. Fea- 

 thers edging the ear with their inferior barbs detached, and directed 

 slightly obliquely internally. Bony protuberances very prominent. 

 The superior depression about 2 J lines broad and 2 long, traversed 

 through the middle by a small vein. 



Left ear. — Operculum the same as in the right. Auditory opening 

 placed above the medial transverse fold and in the superior depres- 

 sion, directed downwards. Inferior depression small, less than the 

 superior one of the right ear, and without any visible trace of the small 

 supplementary fold seen in that one. The rest as in the other ear. 



Scops Eared Owl, Scops Aldrovandi. Very scarce. Two instances 

 of its capture are recorded. 



Bohemian Wax-wing, Bombycilla garrula. Seen nearly every year 

 in the province of Liege. This pretty bird is seen in small families 

 towards the end of winter, haunting thickets &c, and feeding on ber- 

 ries and worms. They are very fearless, and allow of a near approach. 



Muscicapa albicollis. Several have been killed in different parts 

 of the country : I have never seen it alive. 



Nutcracker, Nucifraga Caryocatactes. A great migration of these 

 birds took place through Belgium last winter, during the months of 

 October and November : a few specimens had been taken for several 

 years previously, in the Ardennes, into which they most probably 

 came, following the ranges of mountains which communicate with the 

 Vosges and Alps. A great number were taken in the horse-hair 

 nooses set to catch thrushes and redwings, and which are baited with 

 the berries of Sorbus Aucuparia. Mr. Fisher is, I believe, mistaken, 

 when he says that the continental specimens have the mandible and 

 maxilla of equal length (Zool. 824), for upwards of twenty I have seen 

 this year have all of them got these of unequal length. 



M. Edm. De Selys Longchamps read an interesting paper on these 

 birds before the Royal Academy of Sciences of Brussels, which is 

 printed in the October bulletin of the Proceedings of that Society. In 



