[143]

Zool. Soc. May 11, 1858

(Extract from minutes)

Mr Gould made some observations on the Indian Phasianidæ imported last year and now laying in the gardens of the society. Drawings of the Eggs of the Impeyan Pheasant the Cheer, the Purple Pheasant and two species of Kaleege were exhibited to the meeting.

With reference to the eggs of the Indian Phasianidæ Mr. Sclater remarked that though the Egg of Gallophasis albo-cristata and G. melanota were easily recognizable as of distinct species—as indeed were the birds themselves—yet it was well known in India that in the region where these two species inosculate, a transitional variety is found passing from one to the other.

This was not so surprizing in a gallinaceous bird, but the same thing occurred in two instances in birds of the Passerine genus order and was very remarkable. No one would deny the specific distinctness of Coracias bengalensis of the Indian Peninsular from C. affinis of Assam, or of Colaptes auratus of the Eastern United States of America from Colaptes mexicanus of California and Mexico yet in the country where these species respectively inosculate intermediate varieties are found.