A Valuable Lecture at the American Woman's Club The lecture on "Birds of China" given by Mr. Andrew Allison, of James Sprunt Academy at Kiangyin, Kiangsu province, at the meeting of the American Woman's Club on Tuesday afternoon aroused great interest. Mr. Allison has made o study of ornithology all his life and, although he devs not instruct in biology at the Academy, he has nevertheless given a great deal of time and interest to the subject in China. Ho spoke first on the general subject of WMdstudy, ete. He showed specimens of 30 different birds which can be secu in or around Shanghai within one year, describing many of them d, in several cases,—imitating calls. Among those which be described were the following:
Desizexs or SHANGHAI.
1.—The grebe, first in the scale of organization. This bird' resembles a duck in appearance but is unlike it m its habits on the water. It is smaller than any class of duck and propel itself rather than paddles through the water.
—The laughing gull, found in europe and Asia as well. This! bird had a touch of black on its head which is a remnant of an entirely black head in the summer. Gulls which have white heads in summer change to black in the wipter_and vice verea.
3..—The water-cock, with a small knob on the head, found in marshes and rice fields. Its flight is floppy and loose and it trails a pair of huge feet.
4.—The heron, which appears perfectly white from below when in flight, but entirely disappears because of its colouring' on the ground.
5.—The turtle-dove with beautiful, mesaiclike marking on the neck, This bird is practically do-masticated in China as are also the bulbul and the sparrow.
6.—The cuckoo, which lays its eggs in other birds' nests, is one of the most conspicuous birds around Shanghai. It can be heard day or night.
7.—The true hawk.
&—The white-necked crow, which is almost as big as a hawk, 9.—The—azure-winged magpie with a beautiful smoky-grey back and zine-black cap.
10.—The crested mynab, one of the commonest which nests in the tops of pagodas. This bird is taught to speak.
11.—Tho red-backed shrike, not very common about Shanghai but seen in large colonies at Shanghai Baptist College.
The tree-warbler, which is commonest of all around Shanghai. This is a strictly old-world bird and it comes from India.
13.—The Arctic _willow-warbler which ranges from India to. Alaska and five species of which are found about Shanghai. This bird has a shrill noted call.
Eriaurrre is Birps.
Mr. Allison spoke of the Chinese etiquette regarding birds. He said that no gentleman could take the laughing thrush out for a walk as it is only carried by soldiers and apprentices. The little silver aye is the gentleman's bird, while the young sport of China may be seen carrying a crow-tit. The commonness of the laughing thrush is best illustrated by the fact that no' legal proceedings are instituted against anyone who steals one of these birds.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.