TO RESEMBLE OTIIER SPECIES. 
243 
Crossbill by having on their wings faint white bars. This variety 
is tho Loxia rubrifasciata of L. Brehm, and is probably a valid 
species, or will in due time be admitted to stand as such (see 
Dresser’s 4 Birds of Europe,’ supplement). 
No. 12. The late Mr. F. Bond had a Red- spotted Bluethroat 
from Sweden, an adult male with a narrow white border round the 
bay coloured breast spot, thus approaching the White-spotted 
Bluethroat, Cganecula tvo/Ji. There are, however, some naturalists 
who do not consider them distinct species but that is not the 
general opinion. 
No. 13. Very black Starlings, Sturnus vulgaris , were taken in 
Hampshire some years ago (‘Zoologist,’ 1877, p. 22), and in 
Yorkshire (‘Naturalist,’ 1880, p. 307), which were possibly 
examples of the veritable »$. vulgaris. But they had assumed, or 
almost assumed, tho sable spotless garb of their beautiful southern 
cousin, tho Sardinian Starling, S. unicolor. 
No. 14. Snipes have twice been shot, which presented some of 
the characters of the American Qallinago wilsoni (‘ Handbook of 
British Birds,’ p. 143), and others have been shot in Norfolk 
which leant in tho disposition of their colouring to G. major , and 
yet hardly seemed to bo hybrids, so far as one could judge. 
No. 15. Pink-footed Geese, correctly determined as such, with 
yellow legs like the Bean Goose, have been captured in Norfolk 
and elsewhere. 
No. 16. Domesticated Peafowl occasionally produce a form with 
dark blue wings resembling in some measure Pavo muticus, L., 
or it may be some species of Pavo now extinct. Mr. Ogilvie Grant, 
however, thinks there can be no doubt that it is merely a sport of 
nature, though closely resembling hybrids between P. cristatus 
and P. muticus (‘Catalogue of Birds,’ vol. xxii. p. 370); but be it 
what it may, it is a strange race. Mr. Sclater even thinks it may 
be an undiscovered species. 
No. 17. The Black Oystercatcher, Hivmatopus unicolor, of 
New Zealand, and the Pied Oystercatcher, H. longirostris , are 
considered to be distinct species, but they resemble each other at 
times in a perplexing way not at present solved, according to 
Sir Walter Buller in his ‘Birds of New Zealand.’ 
No. 18. As do the several sorts of Ivaleege Pheasants, 
Euplocamus, cf. Ogilvie Grant’s ‘Game Birds,’ vol. i. p. 266. 
