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Show 688 DR. A. B. MEYER ON THE COLOURS OF OBJECTS. [NOV. 28, Mr. J. E. Harting, F.Z.S., exhibited a specimen of a South- African Eagle-Owl (Bubo maculosus) stated to have been killed in 1851 near Waterford, in Ireland, from the collection of Dr. Burkitt of Waterford. Mr. R. Bowdler Sharpe exhibited some specimens of Swifts sent to him by Dr. Lucan from the Congo. These consisted of a pair of a species of Chatura, evidently the same as C. cassini, Sclater, from Gaboon, with which Mr. Sharpe had compared them, The range of this species was thus extended from the Gaboon to the Congo district. The true Chatura sabinii was discovered in Sierra Leone by Sir E. Sabine, and was afterwards met with in Fernando Po by Mr. Fraser (cf. Strickl. P. Z. S. 1844, p. 99), and had been more recently found on the Loango coast bv Dr. Falkenstein (cf. Reichen. J. f. O. 1877, p. 21). Chatura ussheri, Sharpe, still remained known only from the original specimens, procured by the late Governor Ussher on the Gold Coast (Fort Victoria). Dr. Lucan had also forwarded a pair of Cypselus, with the nest and eggs, which he believed to belong to Cypselus sharpii, Bouvier (Bull. Soc. Zool. France, i. p. 228, pl. vi. fig. 1). The specimens, however, showed that the Congo bird now procured by Dr. Lucan was the true C. coffer, identical with South-African specimens. C. sharpii differed from C. coffer in having a less forked tail, and especially in having the rump-band perfectly uniform, without any of the narrow black shaft-lines which were seen in C. caffer; the white on the throat also descended further. Mr. Sharpe also exhibited a specimen of Machirhamphus alcinus obtained by Mr. Everett near Papar in Northern Borneo, and made remarks on the geographical distribution of this singular form of Accipitres. A communication was read from Dr. A. B. Meyer, C.M.Z.S., in reference to Mr. Harting's communication (above, page 391) as to the desirability of adopting a standard of nomenclature for the description of the colours of natural objects. Dr. Meyer called attention to Radde's international colour-scale published some years ago at Hamburg, which appeared to him to answer the required purpose exactly. Dr. Meyer had made use of this work for his forthcoming monograph on the Jadeite and Nephrite objects of the Dresden Museum, and had recommended it to several scientific friends, especially to travellers who wished to determine the colour of the human skin in different races, Broca's scale being insufficient for the purpose. Dr. Meyer was of opinion that the use of this modern work would be far preferable to the republication of Werner's Nomenclature as proposed by Mr. Harting. The following papers were read :- |
