Quadrupeds — Birds. 8675 



An Amendment was moved by Mr. J. W. May, and seconded by Mr. Edwin 

 Sbepherd : 



" That the whole of the Society's Collection of Insects be sold, the type-specimens 

 as well as the others." 



The Meeting-, having been also addressed by Mr. Francis, Mr. Waterhouse, Mr. 

 Desvignes and Mr. Dunning, the Amendment was, on a show of hands, declared to 

 be lost. 



The President then put the original Resolution, when the numbers were— for the 

 Resolution, 22 ; against, 0. — /. W. D. 



A Bat eating Bacon. — At a farm-house near Guildford, in Surrey, when the bacon 

 which had been placed up the kitchen chimney for the purpose of being smoked was 

 taken down, it was found nibbled in several places, and in one flitch was a round hole, 

 about the dimensions of an ordinary rat's hole ; but the damage did not stop here, for 

 on cutting the flitch through we found the whole of the best part had been devoured ; 

 it was hollowed out most carefully all under the rind, but the one hole above mentioned 

 was the only orifice visible from outside. On making inquiries I was told that the 

 mischief was done by the " flutter-mouse," or shorteared bat (Vespertilio murium), 

 which is very numerous in the neighbourhood; and one labourer assured me that he 

 knew of an instance in which the decayed remains of a bat were found in a ham thus 

 hollowed out. I was dubious at first, aud attributed the robbery to rats, whose pre- 

 dilection for bacon is well known ; but when I remembered that a turf tire had been 

 burning on the hearth every day since the bacon was first placed in the chimney I was 

 inclined to believe my informant. — M. F. Coussmaker ; 17, Charles Street, Milford, 

 Pembrokeshire, May 29, 1863. 



A List of British Birds found in South Africa. 

 By J. H. Gurney, Esq., M.P. 



I have personally examined South-African specimens of all the 

 following species, except those which are marked with an asterisk, 

 and which I have added to the list on such authority as appears to me 

 to be fully reliable. 



Egyptian Vulture {Neophron percnopterus). South Africa generally ; 

 rare in Natal. 



Griffon Vulture {Gyps fidvus). South Africa generally. 

 Osprey {Pandion haliceetus). Cape Colony, Natal. 

 Peregrine Falcon {Falco peregrinus). Natal. I have only seen one 

 South-African specimen of this falcon. A nearly allied South-African 



