"When I returned from Norway at the end of July, I asked what had been seen at Binsness, and the keeper told me that some Sand-Grouse had appeared again, and that he had lately seen two birds fly from the water across a wood to the sandhills. So, a day or two after, I went a walk round, and at last I saw two Sand-Grouse get up together. They flew only about fifty yards, so I waited nearly an hour to try and find out where they would go to; but it was no use as they, being shy birds, had seen me. The next day I stalked them, and got to the back of a hillock close to them, where I saw them feeding on the ground. Being nearly in the same place I concluded that they must have eggs and young. I had no dog with me, so I did not try to look. Next day the keeper and I went to the same place and put the birds up. Then we began to search, and at last the dog found close to us the young one I sent to you. They are very difficult to find. We did not look for any more, as I did not wish to take any more or to disturb the birds; but I have no doubt there were two more. You are quite welcome to exhibit the bird, as I dare say not many have been seen. I fancy it is the same pair that bred here last year, as it was close to the same place."

I subsequently learned that Major Chadwick was accompanied on this occasion by the very man and dog who found the young birds in 1888.

Mr. Cullingford, after skinning the specimen, obligingly sent me its body, and I forwarded the contents of its crop to Mr. Robert Service of Maxwelltown, who was so good as to inform me that, young as the bird was, he found it to contain 45 seeds, three of which were those of Rye-grass (Lolium perenne), one of Tufted Hair-grass (Aira cæspitosa), and one of Broom (Cytisus scoparius)—which last I had myself seen. Though he was careful to sow all these seeds without delay, only three of them germinated, namely, two of Poa annua and one of Polygonum persicaria, the vitality of the rest having apparently been destroyed by the spirit in which they had, though only for a few hours, been immersed; but it is possible that some were unripe.

SER. VI. VOL. II.

Q

The fact of this paradoxical species having newly-hatched young-for I cannot suppose the bird sent to me could have been more than two or three days old-so late in the season as the 8th of August seems to be especially remarkable. Magdalene College, Cambridge,

19 January, 1890.

XXI.-On the Columbine Genus Macropygia and its Allies. By Major R. G. WARDLAW RAMSAY, F.L.S., F.Z.S., &c. THE genus Macropygia is one about which but little has been written. It is at first sight a perplexing group, and this fact, perhaps, has prevented many ornithologists from even attempting to identify the specimens which they may have happened to find in local collections. Such are the variations in plumage in this genus, and so closely allied are many of the species, that it is only by an examination of a large series that satisfactory conclusions can be arrived at.

The only systematic treatment which this genus has received is that of Count T. Salvadori (Orn. Pap. vol. iii. p. 132), and perhaps may be added that of Professor Schlegel (Mus. d. Pays-Bas, Columbæ).

With a view to secure sufficient materials for a revision of this group, I have endeavoured to collect as large a number of specimens as possible; and I here take the opportunity of acknowledging the kindness and courtesy of Dr. A. B. Meyer for the loan of specimens from the Dresden Museum, of Dr. Gestro, to whom I was introduced by Count Salvadori, for an interesting series from the Museum at Genoa, and, lastly, of Canon Tristram for placing his specimens at my disposal. These examples, together with the already large series in the National Museum, augmented, as it has been of late years, by the collections of the late Marquis of Tweeddale, and Messrs. Hume, Salvin and Godman, and Seebohm, have given me an opportunity such as has not been previously enjoyed by anyone for working out the genus.

At the outset the student of Macropygia is apt to be perplexed by the great variations in plumage in the same species. On closer examination, however, it will be found that this difficulty is more apparent than real, and that the plumages conform to a fairly definite and uniform system. But although this is so among specimens of the same species, a real difficulty presents itself when the attempt is made to differentiate the species themselves in an intelligible manner-so inconstant are most of the characters to which many of them owe their specific rank.

It is generally in the treatment of immature specimens that most difficulty is encountered; and I would here like to note that there are certain marks indicative of immaturity, some, or all of which, are to be invariably found in birds under a certain age. Of these I may mention black bases to the feathers of the head, excess of rufous, especially on the tips of the wing-coverts, secondaries, and tertiaries, black or blackish feathers on the breast with rufous tips and sometimes rufous centres, and a white or whitish chin and throat, or the feathers of these parts having white shafts.

I find that the species, with a very few exceptions, naturally fall into several well-marked groups. In some of these groups the sexes differ, but in others they are alike. The rule holds good, I think, with two exceptions, that when the plumage of the adult is more or less of a uniform colour (as in M. phasianella and M. magna), the sexes are alike, whereas in the groups in which the adult males are particoloured (as in M. tusalia and M. amboinensis) the sexes differ.

The genus Macropygia, Swainson, is confined to the Oriental and Australian Regions of Mr. Wallace (Geogr. Distrib. Animals'). Its known range is from Nepal on the north and west, to the New Hebrides on the east, and the Australian continent on the south.

In habits Macropygia is a Ground-Dove of a tame nature, very partial to open glades and clearings in dense forest, especially when covered with a secondary growth of low scrubby jungle. It is generally found singly or in pairs, and

on being flushed it only flies a short distance and alights on some convenient branch, spreading out its tail like a fan as it does so. Its food is composed of seeds and berries, one very favourite fruit being the Chilli (Capsicum fastigiatum), of which it consumes an enormous quantity.

A very great difficulty which I have experienced in working out this genus, has been caused by the lack of reliably sexed specimens. I regret to find that the symbols on the labels of even the best collectors are not to be implicitly trusted. Collectors are too ready, and I do not except myself from the category, to trust their native taxidermist to determine the sex; indeed, this is often unavoidable. Natives are quite capable of doing it if they will; but I know from experience that, if they have preconceived ideas as to what sex a specimen ought to belong to, very often down goes the symbol on the label without any dissection. It is also impossible to make a native understand that, if the sexual organs, from mutilation or otherwise, are not distinguishable, it is far better to record no sex than to guess it. But no, that is not Ramasawmy's" way of reasoning! "Master" has told him to be sure and sex every bird, and "Master" will be " plenty angry" if he doesn't; and so one or other symbol, as likely as not the wrong one, is put down to perplex the unfortunate naturalists at home. If field-naturalists would append their initials to the sexual symbol, as a guarantee that the dissection was made by them personally, the value of their collections to the worker at home would be much enhanced. For the above-mentioned reasons I have had considerable difficulty, in some cases, in determining which are adult females; and it is just possible that some of my conclusions may be found to be erroneous.

There is one specific title in the genus which has caused a good deal of difficulty-Columba macroura, Gmel. The late Lord Tweeddale has satisfactorily cleared this up, and his views will be found recorded by Capt. Legge (' Birds of Ceylon,' p. 699).

The specimens so marked in the British Museum belong to the true M. amboinensis, Linn.