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Show 416 MR. H. SEEBOHM O N VANELLUS GREGARIUS. [Nov. 20, "The green and buff upper tail-coverts of P. tarimensis distinguish it both from P. colchicus and its allied races, in which the upper tail-coverts are copper-red, in some examples alternating with green in certain lights ; and from P. torquatm and its allied races, in which they are green and slate-grey. Both in its geographical range and in its coloration it is intermediate between these two groups; but on the whole its affinities seem to be with the latter if we attach importance to the characters of the tail-feathers, which are narrowly barred with dark brown between buff rather than olive spaces." Mr. Henry Seebohm, F.Z.S., exhibited a specimen of the Sociable Lapwing ( Vanellus gregarius) which had been shot in Lancashire about twenty-five years ago, and was the only example of this species which had been known to have occurred in the British Islands. Mr. Seebohm made the following remarks:-"The specimen now exhibited was shot by a farmer named John Jackson out of a flock of Peewits in autumn, and was preserved by a gamekeeper of the name of John Isles, who placed it in a case of stuffed birds belonging to another gamekeeper of the name of Joseph Frankland. It remained for many years in this case, which contained about sixty other birds, and was taken care of by a farmer of the name of William Frankland, a brother of the gamekeeper, who lived at Holcombe, near Bury. " Whilst it was in Frankland's possession it was erroneously identified as a Cream-coloured Courser, and was recorded as such (Mitchell, 'Birds of Lancashire,' p. 175). It is now in the possession of Mr. W . H . Doeg, of Manchester, who has kindly sent it up for exhibition. "The bird was shot some time between the years 1860 and 1866, at Whitehall, about two miles from St. Michael's on Wyre, and nearly ten miles south-east of Fleetwood, not far from the celebrated Pilling Moss, where the Black-headed Gulls used to breed. " The pedigree of the specimen appears to be perfectly satisfactory, and the appearance in this country of a species which breeds in South-west Siberia only adds another case to many similar accidental occurrences. It is in immature plumage, probably about a year old. There are no signs of the dark streaks on the breast nor of the buff streaks on the back so characteristic of young in first plumage; but the black on the crown and on the belly and the chestnut on the thighs are only beginning to appear. Its shortest primaries are black on the outer webs and white on the inner webs, a character which separates the species at all ages from its thirteen allies. It has a small hind toe; the outer tail-feather on each side is entirely white; the other tail-feathers are crossed by a dark band, and the secondaries are entirely white. The combination of the four last-mentioned characters is also diagnostic of the species." The following papers were read :- |
