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RA
BULLETIN
OF THE
BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB
EDITED BY
Dr. JEFFERY G. HARRISON
Volume 72 1952
LONDON H. F. & G. WITHERBY LTD., 5, WARWICK COURT, W.C.1 _
1953 Published February 16th, 1953 PRICE 2/6
eee
H. F. & G. WIiTHERBY LTD. WARWICK COURT, HiGH HOLBORN, LONDON.
PREFACE
Nine Meetines were held during the year 1952, from January to June and October to December inclusive and nine Bulletins were issued, in accord with the Committee’s decision that the date on the cover and the date of publication shall coincide.
There has been a welcome increase in the number of papers sub- mitted. Because of this, there is now a short waiting list for publication. Papers read before the Club and those describing new forms are given priority, but these can only appear in the appropriate Bulletin if they are submitted to the Editor one week in advance of the meeting. In order to distinguish between papers read before the Club and those which are not, a change in titles has been introduced.
The number of attendances at the Meetings was as follows :— Members of the Club, 345; Guests, 204; Guests of the Club, 6. These were H.H. Prince Dharma Kumarsinhji, Mr. P. H. T.. Hartley, Dr. and Mrs. Ludwig Koch, Mr. Roger Tory Peterson and Dr. N. Tinbergen,
The thanks of the Club are due to Mr. C. N. Walter, who undertook to compile the list of authors for this volume. The Editor also grate- fully acknowledges the help he has received from his predecessor,
Captain C. H. B. Grant, and from the publishers on taking over the Bulletin.
JEFFERY HARRISON.
Sevenoaks, December, 1952.
COMMITTEE 1952.
Sir Puoinie Manson-Baur, Chairman (elected 1950).
Colonel R. MerrnertzHacen, Vice-Chairman (elected 1950). Dr. J. G. Harrison, Editor (elected 1952).
Mr. N. J. P. Wapuzy, Hon. Secretary (elected 1950).
Mr. C. N. Wauter, Hon. Treasurer (elected 1950).
Colonel O. E. Wynne (elected 1950).
Miss C. M. Acuanp (elected 1951).
Mr. EK. M. Nicwouson (elected 1952).
OFFICERS OF THE BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB,
PAST AND PRESENT.
Chairmen.
P. L. Scuater.
Lord RotHscHILp.
W. L. ScLater.
H. F. WitHersy.
De P2B: Lowe.
Major 8S. 8. FLower.
D. A. BANNERMAN.
G. M. MarHews.
Dr. A. LANDSBOROUGH THOMSON.
D. SetH-Smitu.
Dr. J. M. Harrison.
Sir Puinie Manson-Banur.
Vice-Chairmen.
Lord RotHscHILp.
W. L. ScLater.
H. F. WirHersy.
G. M. Maruews.
N. B. Kinnear.
H. WHIstTLER.
D. SetH-SMITH.
Col. R. Sparrow.
Dr. G. CarmicHAEL Low. Hon. Guy CHARTERIS. W. L. Scuater.
Dr. D. A. BANNERMAN. Captain C. H. B. Grant. B. W. Tucker.
F. J. F. Barrinerton. Dr. E. Hopxrnson.
C. W. MackwortH-PRAED. Dr. J. M. Harrison,
Sir Parmie Manson-Banr. B. G. Harrison.
Lt.-Col. W. P. C: Trentson.
Miss E. M. Gopman.
Col. R. MEINERTZHAGEN. Major A. G. L. SLapEN. Col. R. MEINERTZHAGEN.
1892-1915. 1913-1918. 1918-1924. 1924-1927. 1927-1930. 1930-1982. 1932-1935. 1935-19388.
1958-19458. 19435-1946. 1946-1949. 1950—
1930-1951. 1931-1982. 1952-1933. 1985-1934. 1934-1935. 19385-1936. 1936-1937. 1937-1938. 1938-1959. 1938-1989. 1939-1940. 1959-1940. 1940-19458. 1940-1943. 1943-1945. 1943-1945. 1945-1946. 1945-1946. 1946-1947. 1946-1947. 1947-1948. 1947-1948. 1948-1949. 1948-1949. 1950-
al
Editors.
R. BowviLerR SHARPE.
W. BR. OGiILviz-GRANT. D. A. BANNERMAN.
D. SetH-SmirH.
Dr. PP. BR. hows.
N. B. Kinnear.
Dr. G. CARMICHAEL Low. Captain C. H. B. Granr. Dr. G. CarmMIcHAEL Low. Lt.-Col W. P. C. TrEnison. Captain C. H. B. Grant. Dr. JG. HARRISON.
1892-1904. 1904-1914. 1914-1915. 1915-1920. 1920-1925. 1925-1930. 1930-1935. 1935-1940. 1940-1945. 1945-1947. 1947-1952. 1952-
Honorary Secretaries and Treasurers.
HowarpD SAUNDERS.
W. E. pe WINTON.
H. F. WirHersy.
Dr. P. R. Lowe.
C. G. Tarsot-Ponsonsy. D. A. BANNERMAN.
Dr. Puinie GosseE.
J. L. Bonwote.
C. W. MackwortH-PRAeEp. Dr. G. CarmicHaEL Low. C. W. Mackworts-PRaeEp.
Honorary Secretaries.
Dr. A. LANDSBOROUGH THOMSON.
C. R. Sronor.
N. B. Kinnear.
Dr. G. CarmicHAEL Low.
Lt.-Col=<W. P. C. TEntrson.
Captain C. H. B. Granrv.
W. EB. Grsce.
Miss G. M. Raopss.
Now. & WaApLEY.
Honorary Treasurers.
C. W. MackwortH-PRAEp. Major A. G. L. SLADEN. Miss EK. P. Leacg.
C. N. WaAuteEer.
1892-1899. 1899-1904. 1904-1914. 1914-1915. 1915-1918. 1918-1919. 1919-1920. 1920-1922. 1922-1923. 1923-1929. 1929-1935.
1935-1938. 19388-1940. 1940-1945. 1943-1945. 1945-1947. 1947. 1947-1949. 1949-1950. 1950—
1935-1936. 1956-1942. 1942-1949. 1950-
vil
LIST OF MEMBERS. DECEMBER, 1952.
—
As for 1949, amended 1950, 1951 and as follows :— Resigned or died during 1952:—
ie. r. Bexson, Mr. S. Boorman, Mrs. F: EH. Carrer, May BR. P. Donatpson, Mr. W. E. Gurae, Mrs. V. R. Jonnstoneg, Dr. G. C. iow, Mr. A. S. Patuirs, Mrs. BN: G. Pawps.
New members in 1952 :—
Atrgy, A. F.; Broad Leys Cottage, Ghyll Head, Windermere, Westmorland.
Atkinson Wiites, G. L.; Elsenwood, Portsmouth Road, Camberley, Surrey.
BraMuitt, R.; Summer House, Cottenham Road, Rotherham. Bromuezy, R.; 28, Woodthorne Road, Tettenhall, Staffs.
Brown, Miss B. E.; Gresham Cottage, Granville Road, Limpsfield, Surrey.*
Conver, P. J.; Dale Fort Field Centre, Haverfordwest, Pembs. Dickinson, H. J.; The Spimney, Wallis Wood, Ockley, Surrey. Epwarps, P.; 98, St. John’s Road, Ipswich, Suffolk. ErcHtcopar, R. D.; 55, Rue de Buffon, Paris V.
Hacuisuxa, The Marquis; Atami, Shizuoka-Ken, Japan. Herineton, S. D.; 8, Eton Villas, London, N.W.3.* Horrmann, Lukas; Schonenberg, Nr. Pratteln, Switzerland. Mances, H. 8.; Wychwood, Pembroke Road, Woking, Surrey.* Minus, Dr. J. D.; Shortlands, Seaford, Sussex.
Ottoway, C. L. 84, West Street, Alford, Lincs.
SHaRicuT, R. G.; c/o Shell Petroleum Co. Ltd., St. Helen’s Court, Great St. Helens, London, E.C.8.
SLADEN, Dr. W. J. L.; 28, Grove Way, Esher, Surrey.
WatterR, Mrs. V.; 32, Stanley Avenue, Beckenham, Kent. Wetts, T. P.; 9, Burlington Grove, Morecambe, Lancs.
* Associate Members.
Total membership—193.
vill
Change of addresses :— BannerMAN, D. A., Boreland of Southwick, by Dumfries, Scotland.
Benson, C. W.; c/o Game & Tsetse Control, P.O. Box 72, Lusaka, N. Rhodesia.
Buair, H. M. §.; Bonnie Rigg, 5, St. George’s Avenue, S. Shields.
Crancry, P. A.; Museum & Art Gallery, City Hall, Smith Street, Durban, Natal.
Contuins; $8. J. Ki; D; A/e.. Office,, EK. Atrican Harbourseyilys.., Dar-es-Salaam, Tanganyika.
Mackenzi£, J. M. D.; Greyfriars, Greyfriars Gardens, St. Andrews, Scotland.
ParRRINDER, E. R.; 91, Weald Road, Sevenoaks, Kent. Rypzewski, W.; 223, Selhurst Road, London, §8.E.25.
Mrs. J. B. Priestizy is now Mrs. D. A. BANNERMAN. . Address as above.
CORRIGENDA, VOL. 72. . 87, line 28, for Vicillot read Vieillot.
. 387, line 28, for east to west read west to east. . 45, line 12, for T. Fisher read J. Fisher. . 46, line 19, for T. Fisher read J. Fisher.
. 46, bottom line, for Mr. Roger Tony Peterson read Mr. Roger Tory Peterson.
sS: Fe Ome eS
. 47, line 8, for Mr. Roger Tony Peterson read Mr. Roger Tory Peterson.
S
. 49, line 20, for designed read designated.
. 88, line 46, for Novotates read Novitates.
. 90, line 36, for Lapesuaye read Lafresnaye. . 95, line 88, for Nicato read Nicator.
. 96, lines 7, 11, 18, for Nicato read Nicator.
ie ome to S ‘FS
1X
LIST OF AUTHORS AND OTHER PERSONS REFERRED TO.
BULL, B.O:C: VOER.-72.
Nos. 1-9. Page ACCOUNTS, FINANCIAL ... _ we iat pa ' on ae a AQ) ALEXANDER, H. G.
Identifying Birds of Prey in the Field ... hes oat af Lae 5d ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING ... wee i see Ag an pd ans 45 Benson, C. W.
Further breeding notes from Nyasaland ag oe eat wa 61
Further new or unusual records from Northern Rhodesia ... oe 81
Probable parasitisation of Parisoma plumbeum (Hartlaub) by
Chrysococcyx klaasi (Stephens) = fas te ahs a ee 94 CuaPIn, Dr. James P. A New Race of Muscicapa aquatica Heuglin, from Northern Rhodesia oe aye ae Ae es a Se Ms ee ae 21 COMMITTEE, 1952 on ae ae ae eas a a soe me 46 DHARMAKUMARSINHJI, PRINCE.
Colour Film of the Lesser Florican and Great Indian Bustard ... 61 Grant, Capt. C. H. B. x
The Scientific Name of the Jack Snipe eas ae we a
On the type locality of Parus ater britannicus Sharpe a ‘pate 23
The Validity of Turton’s name Twurdus ericetorum for the Song-Thrush : Br a Jee nats Sie ales sis 73
GRANT, Capt. C. H. B., and MackworrtH-PRAED, C. W. A New Race of Serin Serinus pel ee koliensis from Eastern
Africa oa : NA ue : kt oe oe : Wi 1 On some pas Shitke types and ihe Hares occurring in me Africa + 66
On the Relationship « of the » European rata ae eres | Grey Shrikes Y 94
HacuHisuKA, T'HE Marquis Masvu U.
Change of Names among Sunbirds and a Woodpecker What is the Amami Woodcock ? - A Change of Name for a Green Pigeon Bes the Pisliseane es
Hann, Mrs. B. P. A New Race of Agapornis roseicollis catumbella from Angola
Notes on the Races of Pitta soror Wardlaw Ramsey, in Southern Indo-China : we
Harrison, Dr. JAMES M. Bombycilla garrulus centralasie in England
Harrison, Dr. JEFFERY G.
On the History of the Partridge in the German Friesian Islands, with the Description of a New Race Perdia perdix pallida from the Island of Borkum ... . ae &: soe i oe avs eu
The name of the Borkum Partridge Perdix bd borkumensis nom nov
The issibokion of the Peat Pas Perdia perdi sphagnatorum in North-West Germany ...
Harrison, Dr. JEFFERY G. See under STapLes, Lieut.-Commdr. C. P.
HARtiEy; -P, H: 'T. The Biology of Cercomela melanura Temminck Sy
HicHAM, WALTER Showed coloured films of Broadland Birds
Kocu, Dr. Lupwic,— Bird Songs
Macponatp, J. D. The validity of Mgithalos smithu Jardine Variation in the Karroo Robin, Erythropygia Soe ae ee Distribution of the Noisy Robin
Mackenziz, J. M. Dp Natural Barriers MACKWORTH-PRAED, C. W. See under Grant, Capt. C. H. B. Manson-Baur, Sir Parr — Jubilee Address
MEINERTZHAGEN, Col. R.
An historical note on the Starling Sturnus wegen L. at the om of Good Hope ; ws
A Note on Perdix Bee! Linneus a Holland
_ On geographical variation in the Monal Pheasant Lophophorus umpejanus Latham a : ;
Page 22 ci) 95 25
102
12
18
47
71
37
89
47 90 92
100
87
x1
Morgav, R. E. The Status of Zosterops smithi Neumann
MUKHERJEE, AJIT KUMAR.
Taxonomic Notes on the Lineated and the Green Barbets of India, with the description of a New Race Megalaima lineata kutru ...
NicHouson, EB. M. Man’s Impact on British Bird Populations
PETERSON, Rocer Tory. American and British Birds. Bird Migration in America ...
RutrLeDGe, Roserr F. Red-Eyed Vireo off the Irish Coast
REPORT OF THE COMMITTER
SacgE, Bryan L.
_ Unusual plumage variation of the Whitethroat Sylvia ¢. communis Latham oe +e ade = ae
Scorr, PETER. Marking Wild Geese in Iceland in July, 1951 .
SERLE, Dr. W. The Affinities of the Genus Picathartes Lesson
The polymorphic forms of Sa aa multicolor multicolor (Gray), in the British Cameroons aa
Colour variation in Malaconotus cruentus (Lesson) ... A New Race of Nicator vireo from Angola
The oe. of iio ee lupeie, ne al a Mesopico elliott (Cassin)
SLADEN, Dr, WILLIAM. Showed coloured films Southampton to South Orkneys
STAPLES, Lieut..Commdr. C. P., and Harrison, Dr. JEFFERY G.
Further as to Colour Change without a Moult—Subtractive Change in the Starling, Sturnus vulgaris Linneus, and the Chaffinch Fringilla celebs Linnezus, and further as to subtractive change as a physiological process and some remarks on its mechanics ... eh ba si :
TINBERGEN, Dr. N. The Behaviour of the Black-headed Gull
Waiter, C. M. N. — On Struthio camelus Linneus
Page
28
47
37
38
95
21
37
6,13
99
106
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_ : 2. ae @ eres . +
BULLETIN_
OF THE
BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB.
Edited by Captain C. H. B. GRANT
Volume 72. : 2 January, | No. I. 1952. 2ls. Od. 2s. 6d. Annually Per Copy
Printed and published by ‘HH. F. & G. WITHERBY LTD., 5, Warwick Court, London, W.C.1 4 for THE BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB.
1952 fy ee Ly Vou. 72
=<, — 3
BULLETIN OF THE
BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB.
Volume 72. No. I.
The five-hundred and eighth meeting of the Club was held at the Rembrandt Hotel, Thurloe Place, §.W.7, on Wednesday, 19th December, 1951, following a dinner at 6.30 P.M.
Chairman: Sir Puitie Manson-Bangr.
Members present, 26; Guests 4, Total 30.
A New Race of Serin from Eastern Africa.
Captain C. H. B. Grant and Mr. C. W. MacxwortH-PRaEpD exhibited and described the following : —
SERINUS CAPISTRATUS KOLIENSIS, new race.
Description.—Differs from Serinus capistratus capistratus Finsch, in that the male lacks the black on the forehead, sides of face and chin, and in general appearance is very similar to the female of S. c. capistratus, but with the streaks on the head and mantle darker. and more distinct, and the dark streaking on the chin to chest darker and much sharper.
Distribution.—Central and southern Uganda and western Kenya Colony to Ruanda, Belgian Congo.
Type.—In the British Museum. Male adult. Onyulu’s, Koli River, Lango, Uganda. 13th March, 1910. Collected by T. V. Fox. (Col. Stephenson Clark Collection.) Collector’s No. 483. Brit. Mus. Reg. No. 1923.8.7.2375.
Measurements of type.—Wing 62, exposed part of culmen 10, tail 45, tarsus 45 mm.
Remarks.—Van Someren is the first to mention, in Nov. Zool. p. 172, 1922, a race of S. capistratus which he could not name. He had these from Kisumu and South Ankole, and states that all were breeding.
Published 18th January, 1952. PRICE 2/6.
Vou. 72 2 1952
We have examined six adult males, four in the British Museum from Mfumburu Mts., Kigezi, Teso, and Koli River; one kindly loaned from the Coryndon Museum, Nairobi, from the Yala River, one kindly loaned from the Musée du Congo Belge, from Busunga, Mokoto, and one of the Van Someren specimens from Kisumu, loaned from the Chicago Nat. Hist. Museum, all of which show the characters given in the description of this new race.
We have also had the loan of two females, one from the Coryndon Museum, and the other from the Chicago Nat. Hist. Museum. The one from the Coryndon Museum is generally rather duller and more buffish than the males, and appears to be adult. We have not seen any young birds with which to compare this female. The one from Kampala (Chicago Nat. Hist. Museum specimen) is similar to the males, but is slightly warmer in colour tone. The wings of the six males measure 61 to 67 mm., and the two females 63 to 65 mm. The unsexed specimen from Kisumu, Van Someren collection, kindly loaned to us by the Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., wing 62 mm., agrees with the series in the B.M. .
We have to thank Dr. Chapin of the American Museum, for giving us all the information he has at his disposal including the record of S.c. capistratus from Usumbura, at the north end of Lake Tanganyika. The bills of all these specimens agree with Serimus and not with Carduelis.
The Affinities of the Genus Picathartes Lesson. Dr. W. SERLE gave the following talk and exhibited specimens.
In 1938 Lowe transferred the West African genus Picathartes from the Corvide to the Sturnide. Lowe demonstrated that in certain osteological characters, namely, the form of the lacrymals, the vomer, and the maxillo-palatines; and in certain characters relating to pterylosis, namely, the almost complete absence of feather tracts on the head, and the form of the dorsal spinal tract, Picathartes differed from the Corvide and resembled certain or most of the Sturnide.
If Lowe included other passerine families in his comparative study he does not record the fact.
Lowe's views have not been accepted by all. In particular, Amadon and Delacour have criticised them constructively, and have suggested that Picathartes may be a very aberrant offshoot of the Thrush-babbler assemblage.
I have during the last two years made field observations on Picathartes oreas Reichenow in the British Cameroons; and eollected a series of skins and eggs including embryos and nestling; and these are exhibited tonight. —
These observations (which amplify those made by Bates and Webb), and these specimens, may throw light on the systematic position of Picathartes.
The only nesting places of Picathartes oreas Reichenow, known to me personally are in the Mamfe Division of the British Cameroons, in
1952 3 Vou. 72
heavily forested, trackless, broken country near the headwaters of the Cross River. The forested slopes that rise steeply from the streams that intersect the area are crowned in places by long ranges of sand- stone* cliffs up to a hundred feet in height. The cliffs in their whole depth are often overhung, so that during the rains the rock face (with the Picathartes nests) remains dry.
The Picathartes build mud cups resembling gigantic swallows’ nests. Fragments of roots and grasses bind the mud. They are firmly adherent to the vertical rock face, and even when ledges and niches » are available these are not utilised for support. ‘The inner surface is moulded to the rock face, and the rounded exposed surface is smooth, not papillated like the mud pellet nest of the swallow; and shows here and there superficial linear grooves, made it would seem by the bird’s beak when fashioning the nest. The free outer rim is flanged, and the open cup is lined with a thick or thin pad consisting variously of roots (mainly), grasses, palm fibre, moss, leaf skeletons, and tendrils.
One nest of average bulk weighed 54 lbs., and another of average dimensions had these measurements : —
External diameter at the rim (including Bases): . 840 mm. Internal diameter at the rim a rf sin, OU Tao: Depth of the nest... 49 aed a5 ee LO Wri. Internal depth of the cup ... = oe. OO; Gorm,
A colony comprises four to eight ele including old ones. These are built at heights of four to twenty- five feet, and occupy a stretch of cliff of fifty yards length or less. I know of ten such cliff colonies, separated from fifteen minutes to three hours walking time.
The normal clutch is two, rarely one. The eggs are ovate, elongate- ovate, or ellipsoidal in shape, with a smooth surface and slight or absent gloss. The ground is white tinged with grey, buffish-cream, or greenish, and is usually marked all over the shell with spots and blotches and mottles of amber-brown, yellow-brown, olive-brown, or chestnut-brown primary and ashy-grey secondary markings. Generally the markings are more dense at the broad end where they coalesce to form a cap or wreath.
Average of twenty-five eggs 40.8 x 27.25: max. 45 x 27.3 and 39.7 x 29.9; min. 36.8 x 27.5 and 38.3 x 25.9 mm.
There is considerable range in the type of markings in this short series but all the eggs are typically corvine. You will notice for instance clutch R50/23 which matches almost perfectly a clutch of Coracia pyrrhocorax (Linneus) from the Stuart Baker collection, and clutch R50/29 which matches almost perfectly a clutch of Urocissa - pegeeraryncha occipitalis (Blyth), also from the Stuart Baker collection. + :
*Professor Arthur Holmes, F.R.S., kindly reports on a fragment of cliff sent to him for examination. ‘‘The specimen you sent is a coarse grit made up of fragments of quartz and some feldspar. It is a typical sedimentary rock, probably of no great geological age.’
+The eggs from the Stuart Baker collection and the skins of Eupetes macrocercus
Temminck, are exhibited with the kind permission of the Trustees of the British Museum.
Voreni2 4 1952
In shape, texture, gloss, grain, ground, and markings these are typical crows’ eggs. No eggs of the Sturnide known to me bear any resemblance to those of Picathartes.
There is wide diversity in the site and structure of the nests of the Corvide (Corvus corax (Linneus), Corvus monedula (Linneus), Pica pica (Linneus), and Podoces humilis Hume, to give only a few examples), indicating perhaps a plasticity of the germ plasm controlling nidification behaviour patterns, which would facilitate the rapid evolution of new norms to suit new environments. If this postulate is accepted, and if Picathartes is to be allied to the Corvide its aberrant nesting habits are explained.
At the nest Picathartes oreas is extremely wary, the incubating bird diving silently and swiftly into the forest when one is still far distant.
The nesting season is prolonged, and coincides with the rains. In March, when several colonies were visited there were no new complete nests, and only a few fresh half-built ones. The earliest record for eges was 7th June (heavily incubated) and the latest 16th October (fresh). Nesting is not synchronised. Colonies may include partially built nests and others with eggs or young, all on the same date.
It appears that one or other of the nesting sites is used as a communal roosting place. I was unable to verify this myself at the colonies I visited at night, but my Ibo skinner, Gilbert Nkwocha, had better fortune. In March (before the nesting season) he observed birds flighting in to roost at one of the colonies; and again in August (the height of the nesting season).
On the latter occasion the birds arrived just before dusk, in pairs or small parties, flying low over the ground through the forest. They settled on the lower branches of the smaller forest trees at the base of the cliff. They occasionally uttered their typical ‘‘chirrrr’’. The estimated size of this roost was fifty birds.
In his original diagnosis of Picathartes oreas, Reichenow describes the underparts as white, in the middle washed with chamois yellow. Other systematists describe the underparts as white. In life the shade of the underparts behind the throat is apricot, darkest on the lower breast, lightest on the undertail-coverts, and intermediate in shade on the belly, thighs, and upper breast, but the skins rapidly lose their yellow colouration even when stored in the dark. You will notice a great difference in the shade of the underparts of the two birds collected nine and twenty-eight months ago respectively. When collected they were of the same shade, and both of them much more intense than they now appear.
In the colouration of its plumage; in the colouration and extent of - the bare patches on the head, and in the distribution of the fine hair-like feathers on the top and sides of the head, the nearly full- fledged nestling resembles the adult.
The embryo, as far as can be determined from a formalin specimen not fully developed, exhibits sparse, hair-like, short, dark down with a vertebral, femoral, humeral, and ulnar distribution.
1952 eg Von. 72
I noted recently, quite by chance, a remarkable similarity between Picathartes and a Malayan species Hupetes macrocercus, specimens of which are exhibited. Hupetes macrocercus* is itself a form of uncertain affinities generally regarded as an aberrant babbler. Its nidification is unknown. Forbes’ anatomical study of Eupetes macrocercus showed only that it was one of the oscinine Passeriformes.
The measurements of two adult specimens of Picathartes oreas and Hupetes macrocercus picked at random, show how closely the two forms approach each other in their proportions.
Picathartes oreas Eupetes macrocercus Wing = uk ie. 256 am: 95 mm. Tail . fe: ) 0046 mm, 103 mm: Bill (from ‘base of skull) 47 mm. 32 mm. Tarsus os lod |) ol mai 41 mm, Middle toe BG out claw 383 mm. 22 mm.
The bill of Picathartes is somewhat stouter and more laterally com- pressed, and the upper mandible more curved. In the anterior position of the nostrils the two forms are similar (note that Ptilorrhoa species differ from them). In both, the forehead is low, and the tail slightly graduated. ‘There is a striking similarity in the texture of the feathers of the mantle, back, and tail. And finally EH. macrocercus shows bare skin patches below the eye and on the sides of the neck.
I believe that till a comparative examination is made of all the passerine groups, including of course the babblers, to assess the phylogenetic significance of the osteological and other characters mentioned by Lowe, Picathartes should remain in or near the Corvide where it originally belonged.
Its eggs are corvine; there is nothing about the neonatal or juvenile plumage inconsistent with its corvine relationships; and in the field it strikes the writer as being nearer to the crows than to any other passerine family.
SOME BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES.
Amapvon, Dzan (19438). The genera of the Starlings and their Relation- ships. American Museum Novitates, No. 1247, pp. 1-16.
AmADON, Dean (1944). The genera of Corvide and their Relation- ships. American Museum Novitates, No. 1251, pp. 1-21.
Bates, G. L. (1930). Handbook of the Birds of West Africa, pp. 535-536.
Devacour, J. (1947). Les Timaliinés. L’Oiseau et la Revue Francaise | d’Ornithologie, 1947, pp. 1-36. .
Forses, W. A. (1881). Note on the systematic position of Hupetes macrocercus. Proc. Zool. Soc., pp. 837-838.
*Mayr (Check-list of the Birds of New Guinea, 1941) followed the satalier systematists in regarding H. castanonotus Salvadori, E. c@rulescens Temminck, and H. leucostictus Sclater, as congeneric with EH. macrocercus. Peters, Auk, p. 94, 194). had created for them a new genus—Ptilorrhoa. I incline to agree with Peters. Indeed EH. macrocercus seems nearer to Picathartes than to its supposed congeners.
Vou. 72 6 1952
Lows, P. R.. (1938). Some anatomical and other notes on the Systematic position of the genus Picathartes, together with some remarks on the families Sturnide and Eulabetide. Ibis, pp. 254-269.
Mayr, E. and Amapon, D. (1951). American Museum Novitates, No. 1496, p. 18.
ReicHenow, A. (1899). Orn. Monatsb. 7, p. 40.
Sere, WiuviaM (1949). Bulletin of the Jourdain Society, 1, No. 12, pp. 95-96.
Wess, C. 8. (1949). Avicultural Magazine, 55, pp. 149-154.
Further as to Colour Change without a Moult—Subtractive Change in the Starling, Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, and the Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, and further as to subtrac-
tive change as a physiological process and some remarks on its mechanics.
Dr. J. G. Harrison made the following remarks and showed slides in colour and monochrome :—
In our last joint paper read before this Club (Bull. B.O.C., 69, pp. 89-103, 1949) we demonstrated tonal colour changes taking place in definitive feathers and took as our examples the Snow Bunting, Lapland Bunting, Black Lark, Brambling, Rock Thrush, Redstart and Stonechat. We also referred to the Starling as presenting a special problem of its own, on which conclusions were reserved. At the same time we considered the process, which was then known as “‘abrasive moult’’—a term used to describe the wearing away of the tips of the feathers as a result of friction by external agencies. We attempted to show that this ‘‘abrasive moult’’ was not the haphazard method by which certain species came, as if by chance, to reveal important secondary sexual characteristics, but was a phenomenon which took place rapidly and at a definite time of year—i.e., the early spring— and furthermore showed marked differences between male and female.
The time factor, the selective sex differences, and the obvious purpose served, led us to postulate that the process was a physiological one and to describe it we suggested the term “‘subtractive change’’ by which we mean to imply that there is a moult of part of the individual feather. In our last paper, we were able to demonstrate ‘‘subtractive change’’ taking place but we made no attempt to correlate it with the physiological state of the bird beyond showing that the chief change took place at the time of year when the bird was beginning to come into breeding condition.
To-night, we hope to take our investigations a stage further and to show that the process of subtractive change is closely linked with the physiological state of the bird. To do this we are going to consider two species, the Starling and the Chaffinch. Both have been chosen for a very special purpose.
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- First, let us consider the Starling. It is well known that there are two populations of Starlings in the British Isles in winter; our own resident birds, and migrant visitors from the Huropean continent. Although there are no colour or structural differences to enable us to distinguish between them, it is an accepted fact that the “‘British’’ Starlings come into breeding condition, pair off, and go to nest con- siderably earlier than the “‘Kuropean’’ Starlings which must migrate home before this happens and are still in flocks when the others have paired. At this time there is a difference