transverse plates so placed instead of three; the remainder are also transverse, though narrower. The difference in the arrangement in the different species is shown in the plates. I by no means say with any degree of confidence that my specimen is B. Hutchinsii. I have had no opportunity of examining an authentic specimen of that species, the specimens placed by Sir John Richardson in the museum of the Edinburgh University being no longer to be found there; but it answers better to it than any other description, and therefore, although not wholly corresponding to it, I place it under this name, but with a query. I may add, that before coming to the conclusion that these two species were distinct from the Canada goose, care has been taken to consult every accessible authority. The specimens have been shown to Sir John Richardson, who concurs in the opinion that they are distinct. The want of some information as to the habits of the birds sent by my correspondents, deprives us of one important aid in determining the species. For instance, Hutchin's goose differs from the true Canada goose in frequenting the seacoast, feeding on mollusca, and having a fishy taste, instead of feeding on herbage in the fresh-water lakes, which is the habit of the Canada goose proper. This specimen was taken at Severn House. Anas boschas (Linn.), (Common Mallard). Dafila acuta (Linn.), (Pintail). Trout Lake Station and Severn House. Rhynchaspis clypeata (Linn.), (The Shoveller). Moose Factory and Trout Lake. Mareca Americana, (Steph.) Hudson's Bay. Somateria V. nigrum, (Gray).—Proc. Zool. Soc. 1858. This specimen was sent to me by Mr Bernard R. Ross of the Mackenzie River district, as the common Eider Duck, which he thought might be of interest from having been shot on Great Slave Lake, the Eider being supposed exclusively a sea duck, but its occurrence in this fresh-water lake may have been accidental, or it may have been there for breeding purposes, many sea ducks having recourse to fresh-water lakes for this purpose. A circumstance of greater interest, however, is, that it is not the common eider, but the Kamskatchan species Somateria V. nigrum, distinguished by a black mark in the shape of the letter V under the chin, and it is the first time that this species has been recorded as being taken east of the Rocky Mountains. Its occurrence in Great Slave Lake certainly does not necessarily imply that it is to be found in Hudson's Bay and the east coast, but it may be so, and I would direct the attention of my friends there to it. It is so easily identified by the black V under the chin that if it occurs there I think we may now be certain of ascertaining the fact. Harelda glacialis, (Linn.) Severn House. Fuligula affinis (Eyt., Yarr.), (Amer. Scaup Duck). Clangula albeola (Linn.), (Buffel-headed Garrot). Severn House, Moose Factory, Trout Lake Station. Querquedula Americana, (Linn.) Hudson's Bay. This is the American representative of our common teal. Sir J. Richardson remarks that the only difference he could find between the common teal and its American representative was, that the English bird has a white longitudinal band on the scapulars which the other wants. The American bird has usually a transverse broad white bar not possessed by the English. He makes the two species only varieties, but other authors have followed Pennant, and rightly (as it appears to me) kept them distinct. The female specimen sent me, howver, wants the transverse white bar, and Sir John refers to a specimen (he does not say whether male or female) in the Hudson's Bay Company's Museum which wants it. Dendronessa sponsa (Linn.), (Summer Duck). Hudson's Bay. Didemia velvetina (Cassin), (Deglandii, Bonap.). Trout Lake Station, Moose Factory, Severn House. Until put right by Sir Wm. Jardine, I confounded the single specimen received of this species with the Oidemia fusca, or velvet scoter of Britain and Europe, to which it is very closely allied the specific differences consisting in the proportions of the bill, the form of the tuberosity on it, and in the white spot under the eye being larger, and extending in a narrow circle partially round the eyelids. Sir William suggests that both the American and European bird may range in each continent, and that we may find the American form here, or if not, that it is just one of those very close forms which requires. farther examination to enable us to say whether it is an extent of variation only, or really a distinct species. Oidemia Americana (Linn.); Trout Lake. Sir Wm. Jardine remarks that in any specimens or figures of the L. zonorhynchus which he has seen, the black mark on the bill is at some distance from the tip, which is not the case in this specimen. It does not agree with any other, therefore, most probably, is a variety of this species. Larus argentatus (Gmel.); Severn House. Lestris cephus, Brunnich 1764 (Buffoni, Yarr.); Moose Factory. Xema Bonapartii (Rich. and Sw.); Severn House. Fortunately several specimens of this gull have been received. It is rare in collections, but would appear not to be so in Hudson's Bay. Sterna Hirundo (Linn.), (Common Tern.); Hudson's Bay. The band on the head and cheeks is much paler in the specimen received than in European specimens. Colymbus arcticus (Linn.), (Black-throated Diver); Severn House. Colymbus glacialis (Linn.), (Great Northern Diver); Severn House. II. Observations on some of the Birds received from the Hudson's Bay Company's Territories. By Sir WILLIAM JARDINE, Bart. Sir William Jardine, in remarking on the species of grouse in the collection, observed that there were two species to which the name of obscurus had been applied. The true dusky grouse was first noticed by Mr Say in Major Long's expedition to the Rocky Mountains, and was named by him as a new species, Tetrao obscurus, at the same time describing it "with a rounded tail, having a broad terminal cinereous band." It has an extensive range, and extends to California, the specimen on the table having been obtained by Mr Hepburn in the vicinity of San Francisco. In the beautiful ornithological volume of the Northern Zoology by Sir John Richardson and Mr Swainson, there is a bird excellently represented (Plate 59) under the same name, but which is quite distinct from the San Francisco specimens. Some of our members will recollect that a collector was sent out some years since on an expedition across the Rocky Mountains to Oregon for the purpose of collecting the seeds of hardy trees and plants. This is now generally known as the "Oregon Expedition." I bargained that if any birds were procured they should be sent to me, and among other interesting birds Jeffreys sent a specimen of a grouse exactly corresponding with Swainson's figure above quoted. It is altogether a distinct and darker-coloured bird, and is at once distinguished by its broad tail, square at the end and entirely black, without any terminal cinereous band; the feathers individually broaden towards the tips, and give it a more than usual broad and ample appearance. It was found in the vicinity of Jasper's House, lat. 53° 20'. It does not agree with any of the birds described by the late David Douglass, procured in his excursion across the Rocky Mountains, and I cannot find the specimen from which Mr Swainson drew his figure; but being quite distinct from the T. obscurus of Say, I have applied the specific name of melanurus. In regard to the northern gulls, it was remarked that there were two birds supposed to be confounded under the common name of Larus eburneus, or Ivory Gull, and it is uncertain VOL. II. H to which of these the few specimens recorded as killed in Great Britain belong. These gulls are very closely allied, and yet require careful comparison. The one is Pagophila eburnea (Phipps), (Voyage to North Pole, 1773); the other Pagophila brachytarsus (Halböll), (in Bruck's Paper, Cab. Journ. fur Ornith., 1855, p. 287). The latter is distinguished by its smaller size, greater comparative length of wing, short tarsi, and darker bill, tipped with bronze. My principal reason for alluding to these is, that a beautiful specimen of the latter form was shot a few years since in Caithness by Mr Shearer, and is now in my possession (vide Proceedings of Royal Physical Society, vol. i. p. 4). At the time I considered it as the old P. eburnea, but I find it now belonging to the long-winged form, and as such the first recorded in this country. The thanks of the Society were voted to Sir William Jardine for his valuable communication. III. Notices of the Hen Pheasant assuming Male Plumage, with an Exhibition of the Diseased Ovaries. (Various Specimens were exhibited.) By JOHN ALEX. SMITH, M.D. The bird, with the preparation of its diseased ovaries, which I shall first notice, were brought for exhibition from the Anatomical Museum of the University. It was presented to the Museum by Captain J. W. P. Orde of Kilmory, Argyllshire, in which neighbourhood it was shot, and displayed the characters of the male, especially in the plumage of the head and neck. The injected preparation of the carefully dissected ovaries showed the atrophied state considered to be the common accompaniment of this assumption of the male plumage, but which is also said to be dependent on age. Mr Small, bird-stuffer, George Street, sent for exhibition another of these well-known varieties. In this instance the male plumage was more brilliant than in the last, and the ovaries which were exhibited showed a similar state of atrophy. This bird was the property of W. H. May, Esq., Wellwoodhouse, Muirkirk, Ayrshire. Mr Sanderson, bird-stuffer, George Street, had, at my request, sent another specimen of the hen pheasant assuming male plumage (now exhibited), which, in addition to the plumage, showed also the red warty cheeks of the male, |