204 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



encouraging those who do, by those graceful acts of fellow- 

 ship which so well become the members of a Society devoted 

 as ours is to the study of God's works in the beautiful and 

 orderly world that surrounds us. 



A vote of thanks, moved by Mr Alexander Bryson, and 

 seconded by Dr James MacBain, was unanimously given 

 to Mr Page for his valuable and instructive Address, and 

 for his services as President of the- Society. 



The following Communications were read : — 



I. Ornithological Notes. {With Exhibition of Specimens?) 1. Falco 

 gyrfalco (The Jerfalcon); 2. Pernis apivorus (The Honey Buzzard) ; 



3. Tetrao hybridus (Hybrid between Capercailzie and Blackcock); 



4. Syrrhaptes Pallasii (Pallas' Sand- Grouse) ; 5. Parus cceruleus 

 (Blue Titmouse, yellow variety) ; 6. Thalassidroma pelagica (The 

 Storm Petrel). By John Alex. Smith, M.D. 



1. Falco gyrfalco (Yar.) ; the Jerfalcon. 



This fine specimen of this rare bird, the largest and finest 

 of the falcons, w r as shot by Eobert Ainslie, Esq., of Elving- 

 ston, at Muirton, near Beauly, Inverness-shire, about the 

 24th of September last. 



The bird is a female, and measures 27 inches in length from 

 beak to point of tail. The wing, from flexure to point of 

 primaries, 16 inches. The second primary is the longest, 

 and the first shorter than the third. 



I shall give a short description of the plumage of the bird, 

 for comparison with other specimens, as there are still diffi- 

 culties about the distinctions of males, females, and young. 



Bill pale blue, tipped with black ; tooth sharp, and fes- 

 toon distinct. Legs and feet pale blue, and claws black. 

 Read dusky brown, with slight white markings on the top, 

 which become larger on the sides of the neck behind. 

 Upper parts of body dusky greyish-brown ; feathers with 

 dark central line, and edged with narrow borders of buff. 

 Tail slightly rounded, of twelve feathers, the two middle 

 ones dark brown, faintly barred with lighter brown at the 

 upper or basal part ; the lateral tail feathers with transverse 



