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Show 2 ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS MADE DURING [Jan. 4, Le jeune etait couvert de duvet gris, releve de taches d'un hrun fonce. Malheureusement il a ete mange par le pere, et les observations n ont pu etre continuees.' " The egg unfortunately arrived broken. It is white, very sparsely blotched with reddish-brown, a few of the markings taking the form of irregular hair-like lines, and measures 2-24 by 1*62 in. Thienemann, in his « Fortpflanzungsgeschichte der gesammten Vogel,' has figured what he professes to call a specimen of this egg (tab. lxxii. fig. 14) ; but, as is well known, the letterpress of that work is incomplete, and no one can say whether the specimen was genuine. In like manner M . des Murs, in his ' Oologie Ornitho-logique,' has described the egg of this species (p. 368) ; but, again, evidence as to the authenticity of the specimen is not forthcoming. O n the receipt of-this egg from M . Milne-Edwards, I at once bethought m e of an egg which had long been known to m e as existing in the collection of Mr. H . F. "Walter F.Z.S.; and that gentleman has been so kind as to send it to m e for exhibition to-night. This specimen is considerably larger than that laid in captivity, and also is more highly coloured. In appearance it at once calls to mind eggs of the Rallidce, while the egg from Paris can hardly be said to show such an affinity. It is to be hoped that before long greater success may attend the attempts at inducing this interesting form to breed, either in the Jardin des Plantes or the Gardens of our Society, so that some more distinct conclusion may be drawn, from the evidence thus to be obtained, as to the affinities of Cariama." The following papers were read :- Account of the Zoological Collections made during the Survey of H . M . S . 'Alert' in the Straits of Magellan and on the Coast of Patagonia. Communicated by Dr. A L B E R T G U N T H E R , F.R.S., F.Z.S., Keeper of the Zoological Department, British M u s e u m. [Eeceived November 4, 18S0.] (Plates I.-XI.) I. Mammalia, by OLDFIELD THOMAS, p. 3. II. Birds, by R. B. SIIARPE, p. 6. III. Reptiles, Batrachians, and Fishes, by Dr. A. GUNTHER, p. 18. IV. Mollusca and Moluscoida, by E.A.SMITH, p. 22. V. Polyzoa, by S. O. RIDLEY, p. 44. VI. Crustacea, by E. J. MIERS, p.61. VII. Coleoptera, by 0. O. WATER-HOUSE, p. 80. VIII. Lepidoptera, Orthoptera, and Hemiptera, by A. G. BUTLER, p. 82. IX. Echinodermata, by F. J. BELL, p. 87. X. Ccelenterata. and Spongiidffi, by S. O. RIDLEY, p. 101. The collections described in the following series of papers were made by Dr. R. W . C O P P I N G E R , Staff-Surgeon of H.M.S. 'Alert,' during the cruise of" that ship on the coasts of the southern ex- |
