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j PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
OF THE
ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY
OF LONDON
FOR THE YEAR
PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY, AND SOLD AT THEIR HOUSE IN HANOVER SQUARE.
LONDON : MESSRS. LONGMAN, GREEN, LONGMAN, ROBERTS, AND GREEN, PATERNOSTER ROW. PARIS: LEIPZIG:
M. J. ROTHSCHILD, M. J. ROTHSCHILD, 43, RUE SAINT ANDRE DES ARTS. 34, QUERSTRASSE.
PRINTED BY TAYLOR AND FRANCIS, RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET.
LIST
CF THE
CONTRIBUTORS,
With References to the several Articles contributed by each.
Apams, Arruur, R.N., F.L.S., &c., and ANnGas, GEoRGE Frencu, C.M.Z.S.
Descriptions of New Species of Shells, chiefly from Au-
stralia, in the Collection of Mr. Angas
Apams, Henry, F.L.S., and Aneas, Georce FReEncu, C.M.Z.S.
Descriptions of New Genera and Species of Chitonide from
the Australian Seas, in the Collection of George French
Oa rier
Aneas, Georce Frencu, C.M.Z.S.
Observations on the Geographical Distribution of the Species of Voluta and Cymbium in the Australian Seas .. ..
Anoas, Georce Frencu, C.M.Z.S., and Apams, ARTHUR, R.N., F.L.S., &e. Descriptions of New Species of Shells, chiefly from Au- stralia, in the Collection of Mr. Angas
Page
192
Iv Aneas, GrorGe Frencu, C.M.Z.S., and Apams, Henry, F.L.S. Descriptions of New Species of Chitonide from the Austra-
lian Seas, in the Collection of George French Angas
Antuony, Harry, M.D.
Extract of a letter, dated Brass River, Bight of Biafra, ad- dressed to Mr. Louis Fraser, respecting the intended trans- portation of what was supposed to be a species of Clarias..
ARCHER, S., Ass. Surg. 98th Foot.
Extract from a letter addressed to S. P. Woodward, Esq., dated Rawal Pindee, respecting some shells from Cashmere
Barrp, W., M.D., F.L.S.
Remarks on a Species of Shell belonging to the Family Dentaliide. With Notes on their use by the Natives of Van- couver’s Island and British Columbia, by J. K. Lorn, F.Z.S.
Bartuett, A. D.
Exhibition of a curious variety of the Common Partridge
Bare, C. Spence, F.R.S.
Characters of New Species of Crustaceans discovered by J. K. Lord on the Coast of Vancouver Island............
Bravan, Lieut. R. C., of the Bengal Revenue Survey Depart- ment.
Exhibition, by the Secretary, of a series of specimens of birds’ eggs, collected in the vicinity of Barrackpore, and pre- sented to the Society, with notes on their nesting-habits, by
Brppome, Captain R. H., Officiating Conservator of Forests, Madras.
Description of a New Species of laps from Malabar... .
Bennett, Dr. Grorer, F.Z.S.
Notes on the Didunculus strigirostris, or Tooth-billed Pi- BOOM ise -tarnene «
Page
192
69
136
649
661
379
139
———e ee
Page Buytu, Epwarp, C.M.Z.S. Notes on Sandry Mammalsisaq% 08 so od aren! 482 Bocages, J. V. Barsoza pv, Directeur du Muséum @’ Histoire Naturelle de Lisbonne, etc. Notice sur un Batrachien nouveau du Portugal ........ 264 Note sur la Découverte d’un Zoophyte de la Famille Hyalo- chetides sur la Cote du Portugal...................... 265
Bocage, J. V. Barsoza, vu, Directeur du Muséum a’ Histoire Naturelle de Lisbonne, ete.; et F. pz Briro CAPELLo,
Aide-Naturaliste au dit Muséum. Sur quelques Espéces inédites de Squalide de la Tribu Acanthiana, Gray, qui fréquentent les Cotes du Portugal... 260
Buckuanp, Franx T., M.A., F.Z.S. Exhibition of, and remarks on, some Oysters from Prince MARASLESIATIONS cr..cp¥eheses arts oo. oe.9 Sea ee en 1
Observations on the habits of Spawning Trout, and on the results obtained in the course of experiments made with eggs amen: from dead fishein ss tae een cathe tae ee te 8°) 68
Carre.1o, F. pr Briro, et Bocacez, J. V. Barsoza pv. Sur quelques Espéces inédites de Squalide de la Tribu Acanthiana, Gray, qui fréquentent les Cotes du Portugal .. 260
CarpENTER, Puiip P., B.A., Ph.D. Contributions towards a Monograph of the Pandoride .. 596
Carter, Henry. Description of the New Lizard (Spatalura carteri, Gray), arent Wifes oe SR ag 3 Hb, -pe ss Deed to ale lt yatta oe 135
Cox, Jamss C., M.D., F.R.C.S. Edinb., Secretary to the Ento- mological Society of New South Wales.
On a supposed New Species of the Genus Helix from ivercn-eustern Anstialia J... 6... eee amdiene a eelsecs ) 40
vi Page Descriptions of Two New Species of Australian Land Shells 486
Descriptions of Four New Species of Australian Land Shells 594
Crisp, Epwarps, M.D., F.Z.S. On the Visceral Anatomy of the Screamer (Chauna cha-
PUP) tile We cscs, Taka Stks we Wiese AG selene & singe Ae On Filaria gracilisin a Monkey ......-..----++eee > 16 On some parts of the Anatomy of the Porpoise ......-. 17
Contributions to the Anatomy of the Giraffe, with an Ac- count of the Length of the Alimentary Canal of many of the
Ruminants, as measured by the Author ............+... 68 Exhibition of some drawings representing the eggs and
young of the Anaconda (Hunectes murinus) ......-.++-: 68 Contributions to the Anatomy of the Eland............ 98
Exhibition of a wax cast of the tongue, larynx, trachea, heart, lungs, and thyroid gland of a young Lion at birth .. 158
Exhibition of an ear of barley ...........-+---+++--- 159
On the Change of Colour in the Common Trout (Salmo Vita) eee SS OL em ee ee 166
Further Contributions to the Anatomy of the Giraffe and the Nylehaa’ Sei 25. af SR. as ese ne ne aie ee 269
Doury, Dr. H.
List of the Shells collected by Capt. Speke during his Secoud Journey through Central Africa ....... niente asa meee 116
Fiower, W. H., F.R.S., F.R.C.S., F.Z.S., Conservator of the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons.
On the Optic Lobes of the Brain of the Echidna........ 18 On a Lesser Fin- Whale (Balenoptera rostrata, Fabr.) re- cently stranded on the Norfolk Coast .................. 252
On the Brain of the Red ase ce re seni- culite, MAE ss ee hapa eal © oun ?e eS Gee Meee Se
Vil Page Notes on the Skeletons of Whales in the principal Mu-
seums of Holland and Belgium, with Descriptions of Two Species apparently new to Science .......... 002... 000 384
On a New Species of Grampus (Orca meridionalis) from PAPI OS ie cd AO) cpuia eh oy telethon th ap Sa’ w heastecccary 420
Fraser, Louts, C.M.Z.S. List of specialities observed in several Zoological Gardens 159
Exhibition of the Horns of Budorcas tazicolor, Hodgs... 168
Exhibition of a specimen of Euplocamus prelatus, from Bip OW BEC CCHIOH Tay, sahti. 52 nine Wios e Salocs Wege are oe an 377
Exhibition of a second pair of Horns of Budorcas taxicolor, also from his own collection............ Rea as ca areus OUT
Gouxp, Joun, F.R.S., F.Z.S. Description of a New Species of Gull from Tibet ...... 54 Description of a New Species of Chrysococcyx ........ 73 Description of a New Species of the Genus Mergus .... 184
Exhibition of a specimen of Emberiza pusilla, Pall., and Anthus campestris, captured near Brighton.............. 377
Description of the Egg of Parra gallinacea............ 661
Gray, GrorGEe Rosert, F.L.S., F.Z.S. Notice of a New Species of Goliathus................ 34
On a New Species of Megapode .................... 41
Notice of a New Species of Turacus from Eastern Africa 44
On a New Species of Prionops ............ a Gees ree ea On a New Species of Smithornis ......-..46.... 020205 143 On a New Species of Pucrasia from China............ 258
Gray, JoHn Epwarp, Ph.D., F.R.S., F.L.S., F.R.G.S., F.Z.S., Keeper of the Zoological Collections in the Bri- tish Museum.
Notes on certain Species of Tortoises from the Asiatic Islands, transmitted to the British Museum by Dr. Bleeker. 11
viii Notice of a New Squirrel (Sciwrus ornatus) from Natal. .
Notes on Seals (Phocide), including the Description of a New Seal (Halicyon richardi) from the West Coast of North
JA ETICa |e RAF TIN SD ROLL Re SES tS
Description of a New Mustela from Quito .......... 3 Notes on some Mammalia, with the Description of a New Golunda, from ‘Western Aiea... 2.0.0. 2 weiss ws one eiste es Notes on some Lizards from South-eastern Africa, with the Descriptions of several New Species ...........-.--- Notice of a New Species of Zorilla .........0++--+ 00:
Revision of the Species of Trionychide found in Asia and Africa, with the Descriptions of some New Species........
Notes on the Species of Sand-Moles (Georychus) Additional Observations on Dermatemys, a Genus of Emy- dide from Central America .........-. 0 Description of a New Species of Stawrotypus (S. salvinit) from Guatemala ho. 2 boos Sas tir spies tiny Se age oe On the Genera of Chelydide and the Characters furnished by the, Study ‘of their Skulls. . 00.0... 20. -s ea ea des eee Notice of a Portion of a New Form of Animal (Myriosteon higginsii) ,probably indicating a New Group of Echinodermata Note on the Bonnet of the Right Whale.............. On the Cetacea which have been observed in the Seas sur- rounding the British Islands............. On Urocyclus, a New Genus of Gasteropodous Mollusca mona ATCA tis. x0!5 = 6 jos Mig daiR eile: ats = okays <1 amend ee Notice of a New Variety of Rhodona punctata from the Weill RIVET sc shee age yere pe ocean ries terete Note on Sternotherus adansonii from West Africa...... Notice of a New Variety of Galago from Quillimane (Oto- gale crassicaudata, var. kirkii). ..... 20.50. 00es cece ees Note on the Clawed Toads (Dactylethra) of Africa ....
Revision of the Genera and Species of Chamaleonide, with the Description of some New Species .............. eit
Page 13
27
195
250
ix A Revision of the Genera and Species of Viverrine Animals (Viverride), founded on the Collection in the British Museum
Notice of the Atlas and Cervical Vertebree of a Right Whale in the Museum of Sydney, New South Wales ....... ..
A Revision of the Genera and Species of Ursine Animals (Urside), founded on the Collection in the British Museum
GinTuer, ALBert, M.A., M.D., Ph.D., F.Z.S. Description of a New Species of Mormyrus.. . On some New Species of Central-American Fishes .... ..
Third Contribution to our Knowledge of Batrachians from Australia Bae ier aivacns aim emo sas Dew ates lacie On the Reptiles and Fishes obtained by Capt. Speke during the Hast-African Expedition .... «06. .<!, ..j[esucale sae sas
Report of a Collection of Fishes made by Messrs. Dow, Godman, and Salvin in Guatemala ................ cee
On a Poison-organ in a Genus of Batrachoid Fishes ....
On a New Genus of Pediculate Fish from the Sea of Ma- BIS Sticke it 0s pte en date Ses oe DA AE inte
Report ona Collection of Reptiles and Fishes made by Dr. Kirk in the Zambesi and Nyassa Regions .............. Descriptions of some New Species of Batrachians from West PETE Reese p's sete ok neck ts
Report on a Collection of Reptiles and Fishes from Pa- ReHINE. 235 ooo
GuRNEY, JoHN Henry, M.P., F.Z.S. List of Birds collected in Damara Land by Mr. C. J. SUT ESN ae oe a
Hancock, Henry J. B., F.Z.S. Notice of intention to try experiments on the supposed elec- Suiviliy, Of Cohapeigs 51. te mane) dese wisi. adban wate
46
115
144 155
301
303
. 479
. 488
x Page
Huxtey, Prof. T. H., F.R.S., V.P.Z.S. On the Angwantibo (Arctocebus calabarensis, Gray) .... 314 On the Structure of the Skull of Man, the Gorilla, the
Chimpanzee, and the Orang-Utan, yan the period of the Hirsi MenwHON 25.5 Mecuulaiee Beir imine 26+ -)~-2cbaoelak BBO
Kirk, Joun, M.D., F.L.S. List of Mammalia met with in Zambesia, East Tropical |: iis 1 ae Ee AN neh ata a tl teem cries eT op |
Krerrt, Gerarp, Acting Curator and Secretary of the Au- stralian Museum, Sydney. Description of Aspidiotes melanocephalus ............ 20 Description of Three New Species of Australian Snakes.. 180
Notes on Australian Freshwater Fishes, and Descriptions of. FouriNewmuSpeciesscoc: goste.S..ju. dowiosie Jc a: dingan bee
Latimer, Georces, Austrian Consul at Porto Rico. Letter from, offering to forward Manatees for the So- eiety-s Menagerie: 0). ¢.. 25s putacces> seus 0A de ele, ne ee
LEADBEATER, BENJAMIN, F.L.S., F.Z.S. Exhibition of a young Apteryx owenit............+.5. 1 Exhibition of Horns of the Cariboo (Tarandus rangifer). 1
Exhibition of a remarkable pair of tusks of the Indian Elephant ° 3.2.7.5 ss'ee seta e's wise on 2 eae Oe oe
Lorp, J. K., F.Z.S. Notes on the use of a species of Shell of the Family Denta- liide by the Natives of Vancouver’s Island and British Columbia 137
Notes on the Urotrichus’: 00. oR ee ee SO
Mivart, St. Georee, F.L.S., F.Z.S., Lecturer on Compara- tive Anatomy at St. Mary’s Hospital. Notes on the Crania and Dentition of the Lemuride .... 611
xi Page Monrerro, Mr.
Exhibition of a living Pigeon (Columéa arquatrizx) trom Benoni Ate oe or BD. COREE DOR om athe hee a 18
Newton, ALFreD, M.A., F.L.S., F.Z.S. Notes on the Zoology of Spitsbergen ................ 494
Owen, Professor RicnArp, D.C.L., F.Z.S., F.R.S., F.L.S., F.G.S., Superintendent of the Natural History Collec- tions, British Museum.
Memoir on the Skeleton of the Great Auk (Alea impennis) 258
Memoir on Dinornis, being the ninth of a series of Contri- butions to the Society’s ‘ Transactions’ on this subject.... 648
Parker, W. K., F.Z.S. On the Osteology of the Kagu (Rhinochetus jubatus) .. 70 On the Sternal Apparatus of Birds and other Vertebrata 339
Pease, W. Harper.
Descriptions of New Species of Land Shells from the Islands of the Central Pacific, communicated by Dr. P. P. Carpenter 668
Remarks on the Species of Succinea inhabiting the Tahi- tian Archipelago, with Description of a New Species ...... 676
Prrters, Dr. W., F.M.Z.S., Director of the Royal Zoological Museum, Berlin.
extract ola letter from! -)s2s rs cs Case hs Gas ebe 62 cs 377
Preirrer, Dr. L.
Descriptions of Seven New Species of Land Shells, from the Collection of H. Cuming, Esq. /: ..2...520......... 603
SALVIN, OsBert, F.Z.S.
Descriptions of Seventeen New Species of Birds from Cp ebo Fie espe ae op ete a ain ld din 0) Sa cedars os See 579
xii Savin, Ossert, F.Z.S., and Scuater, Parnie Luruey.
Notes on a collection of Birds from the Isthmus of Panama
Scuater, Puinie Lutrtey, M.A., Ph.D., F.R.S., F.LS., Secretary to the Society.
List of Birds from Huaheine, Society Islands..........
On some Additions to the List of the Birds of the Falkland Islands ..
On the Species of the Genus Chauna ......
On the Mammals collected and observed by eee J. H. Speke during the East-African patent ; with Notes bs Capt. J. H. Speke ......
On the Birds collected by cae J. H. Speke di during the East-African Expedition ; with Notes by Capt. J. H. Speke On the Species of the American Genus Coccyzus ...... @ On some important additions to the Menagerie ........ Announcement of the arrival of a living Didunculus and of other additions to the Society’s Menagerie ....
On Two New Species of Birds from New Granada...... Announcement of Mr. James Thompson (the Society’s Head Keeper)’s safe arrival at Calcutta ................ Exhibition of a series of bird-skins collected by the Rev. H. B. Tristram’s Expedition in Palestine ..............
List of a Collection of Birds procured by Mr. George H. White in the vicinity of the City of Mexico ..
On a New Species of White Cockatoo living in the So- ciety’s Gardens (Cacatua ophthalmica) ....
Notes on the Species of Tadorna living in the Society’s Menagerie .. ...
Characters of a New Species of Falcon discovered by the
late Dr. Dickinson, of the Central African Mission, on the River, ShinG-gas gs sue ae ee Ea ee ee
Note on the Species of Cuckoos of the Genus Neomorphus
Page
342
106 119 138
158 166
168 169 172 187 veg
248 249
xill
Remarks on the breeding of Bennett’s Cassowary in the mee Societys (VMenatente ols wig aial ad Sis SAM SN wie Bee walla oo ZF Exhibition of a skeleton of Bennett’s Cassowary........ 271 Characters of Three New American Parrots ........... 297 Note on the Geographical Distribution of the Ducks of the Brent IPRAFOCUONE (oo S15 et ay ich in wea ne es as ieee, BOO Announcement of Mr. Thompson’s return from Calcutta . with a valuable collection of animals ................6-. 373 Notice of additions to the Menagerie ........... .... 374
Exhibition of a series of specimens of birds’ eggs, collected in the vicinity of Barrackpore, and preseuted to the Society, by Lieut. R. C. Beavan, with notes on their nesting-habits.. 375
Description of a New Species of Duck from Madagascar... 487 On some additions to the Menagerie ................ 587
Descriptions of Seven New Species of Birds discovered by the late Dr. John Natterer in Brazil .............. ... 605
Note on the Quadrumana living in the Society’s Menagerie 7 bo
SCLATER, Puinip Lutyiey, and Satvin, OsBerr.
Notes on a Collection of Birds from the Isthmus of Panama 342
Semper, OrrTo.
Descriptions of New Species of Mollusks of the Genera URINATE AE AUTRE Nc cicicie ose os i ca he nated 29.45 ed
SmiTH, FREDERICK.
List of Insects collected ss vl ea during the East- SPIE MAPIOSPECIENON cc. teers adie «vs areese yes moe Sach oe NEO
Swinuog, Rosert, F.Z.S., H. B. M.’s V.-Consul at Formosa.
Extracts from a letter from, respecting animals intended fertne: society 5) Wenamerie <4... odes au « <'san ety ok 2 « 168
Onta New Ratfrom Formosa: ... 64. 5. dsc.0n sce aat 189 Amendments to his ‘“‘ Catalogue of the Birds of China”’.. 271 Extracts from letters from, addressed to Dr. J. E.Gray.. 378
X1V
Page TEGETMEIER, Mr. Exhibition of experiments in a new mode of pinioning wild Tristram, Rev. H. B., C.M.Z.S. Descriptions of New Birds from Palestine ............ 169 Exhibition of a pair of Sanderlings (Calidris arenaria) from Grimsey Island, Iceland, and three eggs, supposed to be Phase we think Gym eee RNC wars tae aves, iecocep e's srk a aes Se Report on the Birds of Palestine .................... 426 Wauace, Atrrep R., F.Z.S. On the Parrots of the Malayan Region, with Remarks on their Habits, Distribution, and Affinities, and the Descriptions of Two. New, Species * -s.s:0 cu cimctt- adens onebice sauce oar
ERRATA ET ADDENDA.
In Dr. Gray’s paper on the Chelydide (p. 129), the characters of the Section Hydraspidina should have been divided into two. The section-paragraph should commence with the words, “The auri- occipital arch, &c.,’’ and gives the characters that are contrasted with those of Section C, p. 131.
>
In Mr. Flower’s paper on a new species of Grampus (Orca meri- dionalis), the drawing of the upper surface of the skull (page 421 ) should have been reversed by the artist. As it stands now, the nasal apertures appear distorted towards the right side, instead of the left, as they are in nature.
Dr. Gray wishes to state with reference to Chameleo teniabron- chus, Smith, referred to at p. 476, that Sir Andrew Smith has, since the publication of Dr. Gray’s paper, presented the type specimen of this species to the British Museum.
LIST OF PLATES.
Plate Page BS RS CLUTUS ONROLU Ste ata si a'a: saraiain air sKat Ante ING +s ab eek 13 I. { Fig. 1. Mormyrus tamandud.. +... sss see eee eves } 29 Fig. 2. DALES, . <, PASSA AD OED «Dale UL Bigs 1, Pristipomaldouat piSasanrawiet. of cab! heya 2 Fig. .2.. Microdesmus dipusy iste coe sls sate wees ss ; i 23 iv. { Be: L., Heros labiatiiaesvai2chi. sh oakiteelen s 3d5 Fig. 2, 2a. Eleotris seminudus........000.0e0005 Vit Golsothas) kirkianus) ic.cinic.. bio etagaeny -ebmetNen 0 ckaessers 34 Vil: Megapodiusinriichardit. «. .« cractryys a eieiiae 6 s.cle bees 4] Big. 1. Mirophyes fasciolatus os... 0.0. once sees ns VIL Fig. 2. Pterophrynus affinis Hedi nithca co Ryo OO Ons 46 Fig. 3. ——== fasmantensigas occa ceed eschews secs RS he eM 6s minicar He idisih ecole blades Miele wd VIII. Mustela aureoventris .............: ip Apo CEC ONLOD o 55 IX. { ig ee OT OBES WAKE |-\ers.c 7s [e\c}e ars ereiale! sistas « ais eins \ 58 Fig. 2. Homodactylus turnerit ..........000e 000s X= LOMA GIOINUCNE SNS eee es Whi d es oe emcee oee 69 IE OVATE Ten IOS GEibGins scape Saou oe od sc aon at 74 PENS, TRH Gehphus SOK aio gice pian oF ap do shoe ee nay em } 98 UNE OIMILE PULEREN OD a pa. nin fc'ehe a: 8 cad wscieias 9 Vala wal ee' se ANY.» Psclidoprocne Gtbicepe s i..0 ho 3566 sn tse oaian on o's seins 106 BN eis CoATERIIS. OREM ERLUR osa. Cyete ata sk ji any diehavg sole niB «0a op one “one 115 RVD SIL OPNTS Tt] OLALET. GIES -\o, «isi g7a,cieie.c"ars so. ain.6.0 sieve ee 4 143 Beilin Cacaiua ducorpsit ood avo cies cv wiatuv welds ose sed oh 187 Poy Uh.” “Padorna tadoraotdesi cc 505 Seale vce ive wile Sos \ 189 XIX. DAIBCTLLD Wtiarelserecoster es Te ct auatelenere the petiote orate tee RE MERASEA DUREROSPALL 1 ine ds Pits Henge wudles 258 EXON CHILO GLOSSATUSELANLCE). 5) arcs + os «eng au: es) lees ae eee ae 264 XXII. Hyalonema lusitantcwm ... 2.00. cc eek cece ee eees 265 XXIII. Sternotherus adansonii.......... 0. cc cee cee eaes 296 KONUVE MConunus TROMONUSLET wos coe tat ey eos he tee ee 297 MoV “Melanocetus johnsone 25 «0.6 wee sce vs cteeisie a sie oltre 301
Xvi
Plate Page Fig. 1. Coronella nototania ..........eeee eevee sa { Fig. 2. Chametortus aulicus,..i..s.sesececesees | Fig. 1. Hyperolius flavomaculatus ..........+.+- > 303 XXVII. Fig. 2. —— Citrinus......0sccccvccervecsuscecs ] Fig. 3. —— Microps....cecccrcsccesccccescens XXVIII. Arctocebus calabarensis.... 0. cccceescccvececcsene 314 XXIX. Brain of Mycetes seniculus.........0secceesscreces 335 XXX. LEucometis cassinit ......... eee eens DODO Owe 342 XXXI. Chameleon monachus........000ssecececceesees xxx { Fig. 1. Ensirostris melleri .... +. 00+ eevee evens 465 \ Fig. 2. Sauroceras rhinoceratum .......40.0ee00s Fig. 1. Pywicephalus rugosus .....)-++0eeeeeees Fig. 2. Cystignathus bocagii........0+0.eeeeees aaa Fig. 3. Hyperolinus nasutus ........sccceenseece ak Fig. 4. MCCACTUCLUSs woloie ciiviele (ieee) otal eelna sine KRXIV a Anas, miellertic rie nadaasy sant tee emt tes okies 487 KX Vi. < -Mayiadestes:melanaps ores tdeiniets Seria ss doe ude eis KEXVI -Carpodecies nitidis,.,. Cs visiv.. Mosh see } 579 XXXVIL { Fig. Ie Granatellus MELZELNTWE eaves bie sie lao miele oes Fig. 2. SOLUCEM cr otee eee tere ke, alah cs Eat eae centers | 605 XXXVIIL. .Péeroptochus thoracicus ) 2... 0005s ioe ee ee eects \ RINGING. 5 Pept MAL LEPENs Baas ive tel ovetc\ evs ob vite ote Ko/olphet tio eiela\ oi EXT ay pI CLAY OG OMIRCLLE ein ue ne s)he Rata akrerate ete hele) ete taetn RLM PECHECHDSALONUS xi a1a or.ta Aehiiene ene tele enetet aletere) areal } 1”
4
v
PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
OF THE
ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.
January 12, 1864. Dr. J. E. Gray in the Chair.
Mr. Buckland exhibited and made remarks on some specimens of Oysters from Prince Edward’s Island, alluding especially to the pro- bable advantages of introducing the American species Ostrea virgi- nica into this country.
Mr. Leadbeater exhibited a young specimen of Owen’s Apteryx (Apteryx owenii) from New Zealand.
Mr. Henry J. B. Hancock gave notice of his intention to try some experiments on the supposed electricity of Octopus in the Society’s Gardens.
The following papers were read :—
1. A List or Brrps coLLecTreD In DAMARA LAND BY Mr. C.J. AnprerRsson. By J. H. Gurney, M.P., F.Z.S.
In drawing up this list of birds, which I have received from my friend Mr. Andersson, and which bears full testimony to his well- known scientific assiduity as an ornithological collector, I have omitted those species which have already been enumerated, by Messrs. Strick- land and Sclater in the ‘ Contributions to Ornithology’ for 1852, as haying been collected by Mr. Andersson in his first journey to Da- mara Land, and confine myself to the enumeration of species not mentioned in the above-named list, but which have been all collected by Mr. Andersson in that country.
Proc. Zoou. Soc.—1864, No. I.
2 MR. J. H. GURNEY ON BIRDS [Jan. 12,
1. Fatco srarmicus, Temm. 2, TINNUNCULUS RUPICOLOIDES (Smith). 3. TINNUNCULUS CENCHRIS (Frisch).
4, ErRyTHROPUS VESPERTINUS (Linn.).
This is the first instance which has come to my knowledge of the occurrence of this species south of the equator. The specimens sent me are marked as having been obtained at Omatolo, January 2nd, 1860; they consist of two adult and one immature males, and one adult female.
5. Metizrax MonoGRAMmicus (Temm.). 6. MeLierax poLyzonus (Riipp.).
7. AccrpPiTeR TAcHIRO (Daud.).
8. ACCIPITER MINULLUS (Daud.).
9. ACCIPITER POLYZONOIDES, Smith.
10. Crrcus crnerArius (Mont.).
11. Circus swarnsont, Smith.
12. Buso tacrevus (Temm.).
13. Coractras prLosus, Lath.
14, Hirunpo monrerrt, Hartl.
15. IrR1soR SENEGALENSIS (Vieill. }.
16. DryMa@ca RUFICAPILLA, Smith.
17. DryMa@CA CHINIANA, Smith.
18. DryMG@CA SUBRUFICAPILLA, Smith. 19. EREMOMELA FLAVIDA, Strickland. 20. EREMOMELA FLAVIVENTRIS (Burch.). 21. CAMAROPTERA OLIVACEA, Sundey.
22. PHYLLOPNEUSTE TROCHILUs (Linn.).
Dr. Hartlaub agrees with me in referring the specimen sent to this species, though the dimensions barely equal the average size of European specimens.
23. AEDON LEuUcoPHRYS (Vieill.). 24, BRADYORNIS MARIQUENSIS, Smith. 25. Parus NIGER, Vieill.
26. Or1oLUS AURATUS, Vieill.
1864.] COLLECTED BY MR. ANDERSSON IN DAMARA LAND. 3
27. Muscicapa Grisoxa, Linn.
28. CAMPEPHAGA NIGRA, Vieill.
29. ENNEoctToNnus coLiurio (Linn.). 30. TeLEPHONUS TRIVIRGATUS (Smith). 31. Basanistes crssorpEs (Smith).
32. Prionops rerzit, Wahlberg.
33. PRionoprs TALACOMA, Smith.
34. PHOLIDAUGES LEUCOGASTER (Gmel.). 35. PLoceus MARIQUENSIS, Smith.
36. EsrreLpA Bpencuata (Linn.).
37. Passer pirrusus, Smith.
38. XANTHODIRA FLAVIGULA (Sundev.). 39. CRITHAGRA HARTLAUBII, Bolle.
40. FPRINGILLARIA FLAVIVENTRIS (Vieill.). 41. OxyLopnus GLanparrvus (Linn.). 42. Cucuxuus cLamosvus, Lath.
43. Gina capensis (Linn.).
44. FrancoLinus sustrorauatus, Smith. 45. Currrusta LaTeRALts (Smith).
46. Terexia cinerea (Temm.).
47. ParRA AFRICANA, Gmel.
48. Rauuus aquaricus, Linn.
49. ORTYGOMETRA BAILLONI (Vieill.). 50. CorETHRURA DimrD1IATA (Temm.). 51, GaLuiInuLa cHLoropus (Linn.).
52. GALLINULA PUMILA, Sclater, Ibis, 1859, pl. 7, p. 249.
Mr. Andersson has also, at my request, put together the following notes on the habits of some of the birds enumerated in this list and in that of Messrs. Strickland and Sclater above referred to, as ob- served by him in Damara Land and Namaqua Land.
_ Fatco siarmicus, Temm. Not uncommon, but very wary and difficult of approach. Ob-
4 MR. J. H. GURNEY ON BIRDS [Jan. 12,
served both north and south of the Orange River (I always speak of the south-west coast). Found most abundant in the neighbour- hood of the Okavango River. Flight very rapid and powerful.
ACCIPITER GABAR.
The commonest Sparrow-Hawk in Damara Land, especially abun- dant in some rainy seasons. Feeds on mice, lizards, locusts, moths, white ants, &c.
Anterior part of bill and legs bright reddish orange ; nails of a dark horn-black ; iris brilliant purple. Extreme length of a full-grown female* about 1 foot 1 inch 8 lines, the male being only 12 inches long.
MELIERAX POLYZONUS (Riipp.).
Not uncommon in Damara and Great Namaqua Land, but not so numerous as Accipiter gabar. Food nearly similar to that of the preceding species. Iris dark brown; legs yellow, brightest beneath the toes; bill bluish black, approaching to the latter colour towards the extremities.
PoLIOHIERAX SEMITORQUATUS (Smith).
Very rare in all parts from the Orange River on the south to the Okavango River to the north, and Lake Ngami to the east. I never personally observed above seven or eight specimens. Their flight appears short when disturbed ; they just remove from one tree or bush to another. Usually found in pairs. Ata distance they have scarcely the appearance of Hawks, and may easily be mistaken for some large species of Shrike.
ACCIPITER POLYZONOIDES, Smith.
T am inclined to think this Hawk a scarce bird; at all events, I have only obtained three or four specimens, and, to the best of my recollection, have seen but few more; however, from its great re- semblance at a distance to one or two other species, it is probable I may have overlooked or confounded him with such. Iris bright orange; legs yellow; base of upper mandible yellow, remainder (except near the base, where it is bluish black) darkish.
ACCIPITER MINULLUS (Daud.).
Very rare; I do not remember to have met with it in Great Na- maqua Land.
CIRCUS SWAINSONI, Smith.
Migratory. In favourably rainy seasons met with pretty nume- rously. Their haunts are the sides and banks of marshes and rivers and other humid places. I have observed very few old or mature
* All measurements given in these “ notes ” are taken from birds immediately after death. I divide my inch into 12 lines.
1864.] COLLECTED BY MR. ANDERSSON IN DAMARA LAND. 5
birds either in Damara or Great Namaqua Land. Food—lizards; mice, white ants, &c.
PrRIONOPS TALACOMA, Smith.
I did not observe this elegant and interesting bird until I had passed the latitude of Omanboudi. To the northward of this it is not un- common, being usually found in secluded spots, where it restlessly hops about from branch to branch amongst the brushwood ( in flocks often consisting of numerous individuals). At times these fly slowly from tree to tree (or bush, as the case may be), and generally close to the ground. The moment they have reached their temporary destination, the first-arrived fix their gaze intently below them on the ground; and if any prey is within sight, down these alight as quick as thought. Thus some of the flock are always at once on the ground, perching or moving onwards.
Prionors retTz11, Wahlberg.
I never but once observed this bird, and that was a few days south of the Okavango River. There were six individuals in a flock, all of which I secured—a rather fortunate event, since they were exceed- ingly wary and watchful, always perching on the loftiest and most exposed situations. These six individuals appeared to me to be all of one hatching, since I think I only obtamed two adults (male and female), the remainder being evidently young birds of both cin They exactly resemble P. talacoma in their manners and
abits.
TELEPHONUS TRIVIRGATUS (Smith),
TELEPHONUS SENEGALENSIS.
I have two specimens of these Laniade greatly resembling each other, as well as the one depicted in the ‘ Nat. Library’ as T. tri- virgatus. They differ from each other a trifle in size, and the bill of one is of a darker horn-colour, whilst that of the other is reddish brown (this is the colour of Dr. Smith’s specimen). The two centre tail-feathers of mine are of a brownish grey, with numerous dark bars particularly conspicuous on the upper or outer surface. In Dr. Smith’s, again, all the tail-feathers are broadly tipped with white, whilst in my specimens several of the centre feathers are without this edging. I never observed this bird till after I passed the northern frontier of Damara Land proper.
BRADYORNIS MARIQUENSIS, Smith.
Very common throughout Damara and Great Namaqua Land, and as far as the River Okavango to the northward. My experience of this bird differs considerably from that gained by Dr. Smith, who thinks it very similar in habits to the short-legged Thrushes. To me it is more of a Fly-catcher or even of a Shrike; for, like either of these, it watches for its prey from some elevated spot, from which it pounces with great rapidity on anything coming within reach, It
6 MR. J. H. GURNEY ON BIRDS (Jan. 12,
is very partial to burnt ground and localities singed by fire. Dr. Smith has given a good illustration of the young.
Orrouvs auratus (Vieill.).
I have only once or twice observed this splendid Oriole in the southern parts of Damara Land—that is, the mature bird. The young (at least I believe it to be the same bird) is pretty common, but only during the rainy season; for it is migratory. The old bird is extremely shy and wary, and always keeps to the thickest part of the jungle. On and in the neighbourhood of the Okavango River it is, however, more abundant, but still retains its shy habits.
In the young bird the iris is brown, legs lead-colour, bill reddish brown.
- Parus nicer (Vieill.).
Never observed in Great Namaqua Land, and very rare in Da- mara Land. It is only as one approaches the Okavango River that it becomes of more frequent occurrence. Resembles the great Euro- pean Titmouse in its habits.
PARUS CINERESCENS.
Found sparingly from the confines of the Okavango River to the Orange River on the south—that is, as regards the west coast. Iris dark brown.
PHOLIDAUGES LEUCOGASTER (Gmel.).
Common throughout Damara Land and parts adjacent (north- ward), but almost entirely as a migratory bird. A few isolated indi- viduals probably remain all the year round, for I have observed such Icng after the general migration is over. Shy and wary.
CAMPEPHAGA NIGRA, Vieill.
First observed in the neighbourhood (and there very sparingly) of the Okavango River, and never in Damara or Great Namaqua Land. Its real home must be considerably north of the river in question, for I merely noticed it as a migratory bird. Exceedingly shy and difficult of approach ; generally observed moving about in the upper parts of large trees.
PLOCEUS MARIQUENSIS, Smith.
Abundant in Damara and Great Namaqua Land. Most of the old birds appear to me to migrate. Builds its nest amongst reeds, or in small trees immediately overhanging water. Iris orange ; legs, toes and claws, and lower mandible nearly flesh-red ; upper man- dible brownish red. Gregarious.
FRANCOLINUS SUBTORQUATUS, Smith.
I first observed this plain but pretty Francolin as I approached the Okavango River; indeed the few specimens obtained by myself
1864.] COLLECTED BY MR. ANDERSSON IN DAMARA LAND. 7
were secured within a few days’ journey of it. It has a true Par- tridge’s call. Dr. Smith describes its strongholds as rocky places, whereas I found it on grassy plains interspersed with large trees and a little brushwood.
ORTYGOMETRA BAILLONTI (Vieill.).
Found sparingly (necessarily on account of the scarcity of suitable localities) in Damara Land, also on the River Okavango. At Oman- boudi I found it plentiful, where it also bred. I found the nest re- peatedly. It usually contained as many as seven eggs of a dull olive- brown colour, or rather a yellowish brown, indistinctly marked with a confusion of brownish freckles. The size of the eggs is enormous —if anything, larger than those of European Starlings. This spe- cies will take the wing for a short distance when hard pressed and when beyond the immediate refuge of reeds and rushes, its usual stronghold.
GALLINULA CHLOROPUS. Common in Damara and Great Namaqua Land—that is, wherever there is a swampy spot.
PARRA CAPENSIS, Smith.
Never but once saw this bird in Damara Land, and that was at Omanboudi; but it is common in the lake regions, and on the River Okavango, where it also breeds.
LAMPROCOLIUS PH@NICOPTERUS, Sw.
This is to Damara Land and parts adjacent what the Starling is to many parts of Europe. In manner, habits, mode of life, &., it is precisely similar. Eggs of a similar colour, though scarcely of so deep a blue. Irides bright orange. My friend Layard thinks there may be two species; but this I think doubtful. Entire length
9 inches 8 or 9 lines.
CRATEROPUS BICOLOR.
Pretty common throughout Damara Land. I fancy there may be two distinct species. Irides light reddish brown ; legs bluish brown ; bill black. Is, like others of the species, very uoisy but, as a rule, shy. A full-grown specimen measures 10 inches.
DRYMGCA CAPENSIS. Pretty common in the southern parts of Great Namaqua Land ; not observed in Damara Land; abundant in the Cape Colony.
AMADINA ERYTHROCEPHALA.
I had been several years in this country (Damara Land) before I knew of the existence of this pretty Finch, or rather Sparrow. Could I possibly have overlooked it? I scarcely think so. A few
8 DR. P. L. SCLATER ON BIRDS FROM HUAHEINE. [Jan. 12,
isolated specimens may have escaped me. Lately, at all events, I have discovered it in considerable numbers, particularly this year (1863). Numerous families were reared at my residence at Otjim- bingue. They build a nest like that of the common European House- Sparrow ; indeed, like that bird, they are partial to the eaves and corners of dwelling-houses and out-houses. In Great Namaqua Land I have found it more numerous, and I have reason to think it is not uncommon in some of the northern parts of the Cape Colony and the Orange River Free States ; but of this latter Nate am not positive. In specimens supposed to have come from the Colony side, the red on the head is clearer, and the colours throughout consider- ably darker. There is also, in particular, a strong rusty-brown tint about the breast, wings, &c., not so perceptible in my Damara Land specimens.
CURSORIUS BICINCTUS.
Sparingly scattered over Damara and Great Namaqua Land. This year (1863), I have found it particularly abundant in the south of Damara Land. Entire length probably about 84 inches.
LANIUS SUBCORONATUS.
Common in Damara and Great Namaqua Land, but I am not sure that it is found as far south as the Orange River. I think not. Where it ceases, Lanius collurio takes its place. It resembles the rest of the true Shrikes in its habits. Pounces upon its prey from some elevated situation.
CorETHRURA DIMIDIATA (Temm.).
I found this pretty little Rail first and only at Omanboudi (Cen- tral Damara Land), where it was not uncommon, but very shy and retired in its habits. It bred at Omanboudi; but I did not succeed in procuring the nest.
2. List or A COLLECTION OF BrirDs FROM HUAHEINE, Society’s Isuanps. By P. L. Scuatrer, M.A., Pu.D., F.R.S., Secre- TARY TO THE SOCIETY.
Mr. J. H. Gurney having received a small collection of birds from Mr. James H. Wodehouse, H. B. M.’s Consul at Raiatea, Society Islands, has requested me to look them through and to determine the species, which I have had great pleasure in doing.
The series only embraces ten species, but some among them are of much interest. Our best information on the Pacific avifauna is derived from Mr. Cassin’s volume on the ‘ Mammalogy and Ornitho- logy of the U.S. Exploring Expedition under Commodore Wilkes,’ to which I have given references in most cases.
1864.] DR. P. L. SCLATER ON BIRDS FROM HUAHEINE. 9
1. Tarare orairrensis, Less.: Cassin, U.S. Expl. Exp. p. 159. A single specimen of this characteristic Pacific form.
2. Topirampuus TuTUS (Gm.): Cassin, J. ¢. p. 206.
Two examples of this species, one of which is not quite mature, the blue on the head and back being tinged with greenish, and the white below with yellowish.
3. EupyNamis Tairensis (Sparrm.): Cassin, J. ¢. p. 248. One example of this Cuckoo.
4. Pritonopus CHRYSOGASTER, G. R. Gray, P. Z. S. 1853, p. 48, pl. 54.
It is very satisfactory to have an ascertained locality for this beau- tiful little Fruit-Pigeon, which is closely allied to P. purpuratus (Gm.), of the neighbouring island of Tahiti. Other species of the same form are P. fasciatus of the Samoan Islands, and P. coralensis of the Paumotu group. Indeed every island-group of the South Pacific appears to have one or more representatives of this genus of Fruit-Pigeons.
5. Heropias suGuaris (Forster): Gould, B. Austr. vi. pl. 60.
One specimen in the bluish-grey plumage of this widely spread species.
6. Toranus rncAnus (Gm.).—T" oceanicus, Less. et Cass. 1. ¢. p. 318.
One example of this widely distributed Pacific species.
7. ANAS SUPERCILIOSA, Gm.: Gould, B. Austr. vii. pl. 9.
One example of this Australian Duck, which has a wide range in the Southern Pacific.
8. SreRNA POLIOCcERCA, Gould, B. Austr. vii. pl. 24.
9. Anous stotipus (Linn.): Gould, B. Austr. vii. pl. 34. A very widely distributed species.
10. TacHYPETES PALMERSTONI (Gm.): Cassin, U.S. Expl. Exp. p. 359.
One example of the Pacific Frigate-bird, if really distinct from T. aquila, as maintained by Cassin, J. ¢.
The following extracts from Mr. Wodehouse’s letter to Mr. Gurney (dated Raiatea, September 3rd, 1863) give some particulars concern- ing these birds. I have inserted the scientific name after the native name in each case :—
‘<I forwarded in May last from here, per ‘ John Williams,’ bound
10 DR. P. L., SCLATER ON BIRDS FROM HUAHEINE. ([Jan. 12,
for Sydney, a box containing some specimens of birds, inhabitants of this group. It so happened that at the time they arrived from the neighbouring island of Huaheine, we were busily engaged packing up two boxes of things for England, vid Sydney, and I had no time to do more than pin on to each of the birds its native name, reserving an account of their habits, &c., for a future time.
«The ‘John Williams,’ missionary barque, would have had to perform a circuitous voyage to Sydney, where the box was to b2 transferred to a homeward-bound Australian trader. It may perhaps reach you a little before this letter.
“The only birds which will interest you at all will be the rapto- rial, but only after a fashion, as their food is chiefly fish.
“1. ‘Otaha,’ or Man-of-War Hawk (Tachypetes palmerstont), so called, as you know, from its swift and dashing habits. The Otaha does not alight on the surface of the sea, being neither able to swim nor dive; but it hovers over the ocean with unwearied assiduity. Sailors believe it sleeps on the wing. Their flight is easy and grace- ful, and has the charm of variety. Sometimes the bird may be seen balanced in mid-air, its wings spread apparently motionless, its long forked tail expanding and closing with a quick alternate action, and its head inquisitively turned from side to side to inspect the ocean beneath ; sometimes it wheels rapidly, or darts to the surface of the water, in pursuit of its prey, and at others soars to such a great height that it is lost to sight amongst the clouds of heaven. When the ocean is turbulent, they fare well; but when calm, they live by plundering other birds, whose ocean-food they compel them to dis- gorge by repeated blows, and, when ejected, the Otaha seizes it with great dexterity before it falls into the sea.
«They are very numerous in these islands. The Otaha builds its nest on the mous or verdant islets near the reef, amongst the leaves of the ‘ wild palm.’
**T believe the female lays no more than three eggs
“The above description of the Otaha is chiefly taken from a book ; it is a faithful one.
«©2. The ‘ Tarapapa,’ or Blue Heron (Herodias jugularis). This bird is very common here, and takes its prey after the usual Heron fashion, walking along the shores of the lagoon, or, as I have often seen them, sitting motionless on a low coral-rock for hours. The ‘Tarapapa,’ I am told, makes its nest in the low coral-rocks, which here and there just show their heads above water, close to the shores of the lagoon.
“3. ‘Otino’ (Sterna poliocerca). White Reef-bird, also a species of Heron, as you will have seen. This gentleman passes his time on the ‘barrier-reef’ amidst the foam of the broken wave, which brings with it from the ocean the small fish which constitutes his food. His home is, too, the ‘ wild palm’ of the ‘green motu,’ close to his beloved reef, on whose wave-beaten surface he passes his life. I do not know how many eggs the female lays.
4, *Torea’ (Totanus incanus). ‘This bird seeks its food along the shore, like the Heron. ;
1864. ] DR. J. E. GRAY ON ASIATIC TORTOISES, 11
“5. ‘Otatare’ (Todiramphus tutus). A white bird, which builds its nest in the mountains. This gentleman is the terror of the little native girls, as he swoops down on their little pet pullets. (Two specimens. )
“6, ‘Ooea’ (Hudynamis taitensis). A speckled bird with a long tail—a land-bird.
“7. ‘Moora,’ or Wild Duck (Anas superciliosa). Builds on the hillside in the trees.
“8. ‘Omamao’ (Tatare otaitiensis). A sort of Sparrow.
“9, “Obio’ (Anous stolidus). A singing-bird, so called from its peculiar note.
“10. ‘Uupa’ (Péilonopus chrysogaster). Pigeons (two speci- mens).
«The gentleman who, at my request, shot and preserved the above specimens is residing in Huaheine, one of the islands of the group, and is a collector of mountain and other Mollusca. As he under- stands preserving birds, I furnished him with materials out of your box. I only asked for the birds of prey; but as he sent the others, I thought you might as well have them all.
“There is no Owl here ; but there is a species of Owl at the Sand- wich Islands ; and Mr. Garrett, the gentleman who sent these speci- mens, is visiting the Sandwich Islands, and will bring back some specimens. I do not know if there are any other birds of prey there.”
3. NoTrEs ON CERTAIN SpEecirs OF TORTOISES FROM THE ASIA- TIC ISLANDS TRANSMITTED TO THE British MuseuM BY Dr. Buerxer. By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., etc.
_ Dr. Bleeker has kindly sent to the British Museum a series of specimens of the Tortoises which he has lately named, but I believe not described, in the ‘ Natuurkundig Tijdschrift voor Nederlansch Indie,’ xiii. 1857, p. 470. I have compared these with the speci- mens in the British Museum, which I have at various times de- scribed, and herewith send the result of the comparison.
I have done so because I think it is very important that there should be a uniformity between the names used in the British Museum and those adopted in the museums on the Continent, more especially as I am desirous of conforming to the rule of priority, and quite willing to adopt the names used by any continental natu- ralist, if they-are given and described before those described in this country.
It is more important that a concordance should be established as regards Dr. Bleeker’s species, as I believe that he has sent specimens to several of the larger continental and American collections.
I take this opportunity of stating how much I consider myself indebted to Dr. Bleeker’s kindness in contributing original typical specimens of these and other reptiles to the Museum, which has enabled me to make the comparisons.
12 DR. J. E. GRAY ON ASIATIC TORTOISES. (Jan. 12,
I believe that Dr. Bleeker has only paid a limited attention to the study of reptiles: his great object has been to collect, to figure while living, and to preserve the fish of the Indian Ocean ; and he has suc- ceeded in forming a very extensive collection, the largest, I believe, that has ever been formed, and in discovering a very large number of new and most interesting species, and in establishing numerous new genera. Moreover he has most kindly furnished the British Museum with types of the greater part of these, thereby greatly en- riching our collection, which, I believe, was, before that addition, the largest and best-preserved series of fish yet formed.
1. Under the name of Cistudo bankanensis, Bleeker, evidently from Banka Island, we have received a young specimen of a terres- trial Emydide, with moderately stout, rather short toes, united by a distinct web nearly to the tips. The toes are covered above with small scales like those on the webs, and there are only two or three very small, triangular, rather broader and more band-like scales on the upper surface of each of the toes near the claws, which are most developed and numerous on the inner toes or thumbs of each foot. The fore legs are covered in front with very thin membranous band- like shields; the hind legs are covered with small scales.
This specimen agrees in almost every particular with a young spe- cimen of Geoemyda grandis, which I described in the ‘ Annals and Magazine of Natural History’ for September 1860 (vol. vi. p. 218), from Camboja and Siam ; so that I am inclined to think that it may be a variety of that species.
It differs in the underside being plain yellow, and very obscurely mottled with some smaller rather dusky spots.
There are also on the side of the head two yellow streaks—one from the upper, and the other from the lower hind angle of the eye— which are extended on to the temple. These are not visible in our dried specimen of the Tortoise from Siam, but they may be there in the living state.
2. CycLEMyYS OVATA?
There is a young specimen of a fluviatile Tortoise named Cistudo diardii, Bleeker, but it is in too young and imperfect a state to de- cide which of the three species of the genus Cyclemys it may belong to. The back is rather more oblong than in the very young speci- mens I have seen of Cyclemys orbiculata, so that it may belong to either Cyclemys ovata of Sarawak or Cyclemys oldhami of Siam— most probably the former, but I have never seen the young state of these species.
3. CuoRA AMBOINENSIS.
There are, in the collection of Dr. Bleeker, a small half-grown spe- cimen of this species under the name of Cistudo amboinensis ; a very dark young specimen of about the same size as the former, called Emys melanogaster, Bleeker ; anda large adult specimen named Emys hypselonotus, Bleeker.
1864.] DR. J. E. GRAY ON A NEW SQUIRREL. 13
These all three seem to belong to Cuora amboinensis, Gray, Cat. Shield Rept. B. M. 41; Proc. Zool. Soc. 1863, p. 176.
Dr. Bleeker states that this species is found in Batchian and Boero (Nat. Tijdschr. Nederl. Ind. 1857, p. 473).
Dr. Bleeker, in the paper above-cited, has called a species Cistudo borneensis, from Borneo and Sintang; but I have not seen any spe- cimen so named.
4. CHELONIA, sp.?
There are two young specimens of this genus in the collection, one named Chelonia dubia, Bleeker, and the other Chelonia poly- aspis ; but it is not possible to determine the species from specimens in this state: they may be distinct, but I greatly doubt it.
Dr. Bleeker, in the ‘ Nat. Tijdschr. Nederl. Ind.’ 1857, p. 471, mentions Sphargis coriacea, Merrem, as found at Pidang, in Sumatra.
4, Notice or A New Saqurrrew (SciurRUS ORNATUS) FROM Nata. By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.RS., erc.
(Plate I.)
Mr. W. Fosbrooke, who so kindly sent to the Museum the small An- telope (Cephalophus bicolor) which is described in the ‘ Proceedings’ of this Society for 1862, p. 263, has now given to the Museum the skins of a male and female Squirrel, which is called the Pocoluti or Tree-Mouse by the Amazulus. The Zulus seemed to consider it a very rare animal, and the fact of a Squirrel being found in the dis- trict a discovery.
We have also received a very imperfect skin, in a bad state, of a Squirrel which appears to belong to the same species, from Capt. Speke, but without any special habitat.
ScIuRUS ORNATUS.
Back dark blackish grizzled ; hairs red, with a broad black sub- terminal band and a white tip. Head, legs and thighs, underside, and tail very bright red-bay ; the hairs of the head, limbs, and belly red to the base; the hairs of the tail very vivid and dark red for more than half their length; the base, especially of those near the lower end of the tail, black, with two broad greyish bands.
The red colour of the female not quite so bright and dark, and the base of the tail grizzled, with shorter red tips to the hairs.
Hab. Natal (W. Fosbrooke, Esq.).
This species is about the size of the Common European Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).
14 DR. E. CRISP ON THE ANATOMY OF THE SCREAMER. [Jan. 12,
5. On THE VisceRAL ANATOMY OF THE SCREAMER (CHAUNA CHAVARIA). By Epwarps Crisp, M.D., F.Z.S., erc.
Before I speak of the visceral anatomy of the Chauna chavaria, a few words respecting the habits of this bird will not be inappropriate. Linneus calls it Parra chavaria (Syst. Nat. i. 260); Latham (Gen. Syn. v. 246), the Faithful Jacana—a name that throws some light upon one of its characteristics. Linneus, according to Shaw (vol. xii. p. 272), on the authority of Jacquin, says “ that its gait is solemn and slow, but it flies easily and swiftly; it cannot run unless assisted by the wings at the same time. When any part of the skin is touched by the hand, a crackling is felt, though it is very downy beneath the feathers; and this down adheres so closely as to enable the bird at times to swim, notwithstanding the length of its legs and of its cleft feet, which latter enable it also to walk on the aquatic plants of the pools.’’ He goes on to say ‘that by means of its four wing-spurs it can drive off even the Carrion-Vulture ; and that it is used by the natives as a protector to the poultry, defend- ing them against birds of prey, and returning home with its charge in the evening.’ Cuvier, like Shaw, places this bird after the Ja- canas, and before the Megapodes, Rails, Crakes, Coots, and Galli- nules ; he also alludes to the inflation of the skin and to the courage of the bird. Cuvier, in speaking of the Horned Screamer (Palame- dea cornuta), says, ‘it has a bony box in the middle of the trachea, like that of the Velvet Pochard (@demia fusea),’’ which may pos- sibly occasion the difference in the voice of this and of the Chauna to be mentioned below.
I have had an opportunity of seeing the two above-mentioned birds alive in the Society’s collection. The spund emitted by the Horned Screamer that was in the Gardens for three or four years was a loud and sudden hoot—a noise that could always be elicited by imitating the sound of the bird ; it had no resemblance to a scream. The voice of the bird, however, now in the Gardens (Chauna cha- varia) is of a very different character, approaching that of a scream. Its food is chiefly vegetable, but the keeper tells me “that it will eat meat sometimes.’ Through the kindness of Mr. Bartlett, I have examined the living specimen in the Gardens, and I find that the statement respecting the presence of air under the skin is correct.
I had an opportunity of examining two of the bodies out of the three that died recently, and also of inspecting the skeleton of one of them. These birds were male and female, and, with the exception of the difference in the generative organs, there was a great resemblance between them, both in the form and size of the viscera. As Mr. Parker is about to describe the skeleton, I will allude only to one circumstance connected with it. In my last paper “On the Pre- sence or Absence of Air in the Bones of Birds,”’ I stated that I had not at that time met with the skeleton of a bird the bones of which were entirely permeated with air. This bird, however, has nearly every bone filled with air; and a few other birds that I have since
1864.] DR. £. CRISP ON THE ANATOMY OF THE SCREAMER. 15
examined—the Gannet, Pelican, and Adjutant—have very light and airy skeletons.
As I have said on a former occasion, the body of a bird, as regards a part of its mechanism, is not unlike a balloon. When the Gannet and the Pelican descend with the rapidity of an arrow upon a shoal of fish, which their quick sight enables them to see at a great dis- tance, the abdominal and thoracic air-cells are compressed by the abdominal and other muscles, and the greater part of the air is thus expelled and the bird descends with greater rapidity. The bird in question (Chauna chavaria) is no doubt one of rapid flight ; but pro- bably the great benefit it derives from the presence of air in its bones and under its skin is to enable it to walk with greater facility upon the aquatic plants, and thus obtain its food, which probably in a state of nature consists chiefly of Mollusca, judging from the form of its intestinal tube.
The visceral anatomy of this bird presents some points of especial interest, and, judging from the reference to my notes of the dis- sections of a great many birds (British and foreign), there are some peculiarities in its organization that I have not before met with. The tongue is fleshy, thick, and rather pointed. The trachea is large above and small below; but the greater part of the tube is uniform in size, and the rings firm and unyielding ; the rings number 129. Two pairs of muscles are present at the lower part—the sterno- tracheales and broncho-tracheales; these are of large size. The eyes are large; irides of a light yellow colour. The lungs, heart, kidneys, thyroids, spleen, pancreas, generative organs, and renal bodies present no remarkable deviation from the ordinary type, ex- cept that the generative organs and renal bodies are of a deep orange colour. The lobes of the liver (in both specimens) are connected by a very small, narrow isthmus, much smaller than I have seen it in any other bird of the same size. But the intestinal tube of this bird, as shown by the drawings on the table, offers some of the most cutious anomalies. The cesophagus is of uniform size and of mode- rate capacity ; the proventriculus thick and capacious; the glands large and flask-shaped ; the gizzard thin, its parietes of nearly the same thickness in every part; the calibre of the small intestines moderate, that of the rectum very large. The mucous lining of this gut forms forty-two transverse folds, so as to extend greatly the absorbing surface. The subjoined is the length of the canal :—
inches. ALDISLT ES gal ape near ee ra 12 GAPE cers esc cti es end Rice <a ho epee pil MtESHINER. Ow te oe ee Ap! Mpipentices, three)... ..% 0. cit ae Large intestine ...... Anse Peas 13 833
The intestinal tube holds 14 ozs. 3 drachms of water. The appen- dices, although short, are very capacious, and, like the large intes-
16 DR. E. CRISP ON FILARIA GRACILIS. [Jan. 12,
tine, are furnished with transverse folds of the mucous membrane, but more faintly marked.
The important peculiarities of this bird are the great lightness of the skeleton, the presence of air under the skin, the great length of the rectum, and the extent of the mucous folds, the large calibre oa appendices, and the very slight connexion between the hepatic obes.
6. On FinariaA GRACILIS IN A Monkey. By Epwarps Crisp, M.D., F.Z.S.
I am induced to exhibit the following specimens of entozoa from a Monkey that I have recently dissected, because at the present time, as I have before stated in my paper on the Gall-bladder (Proceedings, 1862, p. 132), I believe that these brutes (the Quadrumana) have by some been unduly elevated in the animal scale ; and a brief com- parison of the entozoa found in the Quadrumana and in the human subject will, I think, be profitable, as it may induce others to in- vestigate more fully this interesting subject. The Filariz (Filaria gracilis) exhibited I found in the chest, along the cesophagus, and over the intercostal muscles, in a Macacus cynomolgus about one- third grown (not in the Society’s collection) ; and I may state that, with the exception of some Echinococci, I have not before found an entozoon in nearly 200 Apes and Monkeys that I have examined ; but I may add that in many instances entozoa were not carefully looked for. Diesing, who, in his ‘Systema Helminthum,’ has col- lected a larger number of species of entozoa than any other writer, mentions forty species of Quadrumana in which entozoa were found. Of these forty species, including one Lemur, I find on carefully ana- lyzing the tables, that 83 entozoa were discovered, including 19 species; of these, 3 only are common to Man and to the Apes and Monkeys, viz. Cysticercus cellulose, Trichocephalus dispar, and Echinococcus polymorphus. The Filaria gracilis occurred in 19 instances, and its seat was as follows :—in the abdomen 12, abdomen and intercostal muscles 2, chest and abdomen 1, hand and intercostal muscles 1, skin and intercostal muscles 1, tongue 1, tongue and abdomen 1. From these statistics it will be seen that many of the same species of entozoa are found in different species of Monkey, disproving the generally received notion that every animal has its peculiar parasite.
Of the entozoa common to Man and the Quadrumana, among the 19 species above mentioned, the Trichocephalus dispar occurred in 7 instances, the Cysticercus cellulose in 2, the Echinococcus polymor- phus in 2. The only species of Filaria was the F. gracilis; two species of tapeworm were present—the Tenia megastoma in 7 cases, and the Tenia rugosa in 1. Among the above animals was one An- thropoid Ape, the Orang ; and in this the Trichocephalus dispar was found. In the Hunterian Museum are entozoa from two of the’ Quadrumana only—the Filaria gracilis, from the Orang and the Capuchin Monkey.
1864.] DR. E. CRISP ON THE ANATOMY OF THE PORPOISE. 17
It is known to most that there is a great difference of opinion as to the mode of entrance of one species of Fv/aria into Man, viz. the Guinea-worm (fF. medinensis), some supposing that it enters by the mouth, others by the skin. I think it is tolerably clear from the above statistics that the Filaria gracilis enters by the mouth, and creeps through the air-tubes or alimentary canal. In my next com- munication, I purpose introducing into my list other examples, of a more recent date, of the occurrence of entozoa in the Quadrumana.
7. ON somE Parts or THE ANATOMY OF THE PORPOISE. By Epwarps Crisp, M.D., F.Z.S.
The communication recently made by Mr. Buckland on his treat- ment of the living Porpoise (Phocena communis) lately brought by him to the Society’s Gardens induces me to offer a few remarks on the anatomy of this animal, in relation to its treatment in confine- ment. It will be remembered that a herring was forced into its throat, and that suffocation was thus probably induced. This animal has four stomachs; and the intestinal canal of one, 3 feet in length, that I recently dissected, measured 56 feet 3 inches. In larger spe- cimens I have found a greater length of tube; but the most remark- able circumstance connected with the intestines is the length and extent of the folds,—the mucous membrane in the greater part of the alimentary track being formed into six or seven duplicatures, so as to increase the absorbing surface to an enormous extent.
The liver is bilobular, the pancreas large, the spleen small; the lungs are large and unilobular; but the air-tube presents one of the greatest peculiarities, and a knowledge of its conformation readily explains how quickly the animal may be suffocated by the introduc- tion of any large body into the pharynx. ‘There are only four tra- cheal rings before the origin of the first bronchial tube, and four below that previous to the division into the main bronchi; so that we have the curious anomaly, in some of the animals of this family, that the bronchial rings are six or seven times as numerous as the tracheal. The brain of the Porpoise is very large; that of the one spoken of above weighed 16 oz.; the eyes 318 grains.
I have said enough to show that this animal, from the structure of its alimentary tube, requires a large and constant supply of food in confinement; and I moreover believe that there is no chance of its living out of salt water for any length of time.
Proc. Zoou. Soc.—1864, No. II.
18 MR. W. H. FLOWER ON THE BRAIN OF THE ECHIDNA. [Jan. 26,
January 26, 1864. E. W. H. Holdsworth, Esq., F.Z.S., in the Chair.
Mr. Monteiro exhibited a living Pigeon (Columba arquatrix), ob- tained by his son Mr. J. J. Monteiro nm Benguela.
An extract was read of a letter from Dr. Harry Anthony to Mr. Louis Fraser, dated Brass River, Bight of Biafra, 3rd Dec. 1863, referring (as follows) to what was supposed to be a species of Cla- rLas :—
«TI intend to try and send you by my next ship some of the ‘ Black Fish’ out of the bush, called by the natives Egalegala; they are perfectly black, and are very fine eating. They are so fat they will fry without butter, taste something like eels; they are in shape something like ‘ Catfish,’ with filaments from the lower jaw ; they live amongst the mud in the mangrove bush. It would be grand to acclimatize them ; they are such fine eating. They would drive eels out of the market.
The following papers were read :—
1. On THE Optic Lopes or THE BRaIN OP THE Ecuipna. By W. H. Frower, F.R.C.S., F.Z.S., ConservaTOR OF THE Museum or THE Roya COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.
It is commonly stated in works on comparative anatomy, that while the optic lobes of the Mammalia generally are ‘‘ corpora qua- drigemina,”’ in the Monotremata they are “‘ corpora bigemina;” and herein a transitional character towards the inferior vertebrates has been perceived.
Professor Owen’s description of these parts, in the article ‘‘ Mono- tremata”’ in the ‘Cyclopedia of Anatomy and Physiology’ (the standard original authority upon the anatomy of this group of ani- mals), runs thus :—In the Ornithorhynchus “ the posterior bigeminal body is much smaller than the anterior, and the transverse depression which divides them is very feebly marked: the longitudinal groove is equally feeble on the ‘nates,’ and is altogether absent in the ‘ testes,’ which thus form a single small tubercle. It is in the con- dition of these parts, recognized, but too briefly noticed, by Meckel, that the brain of the Ornithorhynchus deviates most essentially from the Marsupialia, and offers the most direct step in the descent to the Oviparous type.” Of the Echidna he says, “The optic thalami and nates appear as one convex body, slightly contracted laterally, and divided from each other by a sigmoid linear fissure: the testes are only half the breadth of the nates, and the median longitudinal line of division, which is very faint in the larger bodies, is not visible in the small and posterior tubercle. The Hehidna corresponds in this characteristic modification with the Ornithorhynchus.”
1864.] MR. W. H. FLOWER ON THE BRAIN OF THE ECHIDNA. 19
It appears from this account, that, of the cross fissures which divide the four tubercles in the higher mammals, the longitudinal one is deficient in the Monotremes, and that the bodies are ‘‘ anterior’? and “« posterior ” in respect to each other. Now, as in the inferior Verte- brates, the two optic lobes are placed laterally, and in birds widely separated from each other in the middle line, a deficiency of the median longitudinal fissure is anything but a step to the oviparous type; and to apply “bigeminal” to the optic lobes of the Monotre- mata in the same sense in which it is applied to those of the oviparous Vertebrates leads to an erroneous conception of their condition.
I have lately had an opportunity of examining the brain of an Echidna (E. hystrix) which died in the Gardens of the Zoological Society ; and on exposing the optic lobes, found that they differed considerably in appearance from the above-quoted description. ‘They form together a mass transversely oblong, being *35 inch in breadth and *25 inch in length, placed between the optic thalami in front and the superior peduncles of the cerebellum behind. The small pineal body lies in a hollow in the middle line in front, and on each side of this the groove of separation between their anterior border and the posterior edge of the optic thalamus is distinct enough, so that there is no confluence of the ‘nates’ with the optic thalamus. On their posterior contour there is a fairly deep notch in the middle line, and the longitudinal fissure is indicated by a shallow groove along the entire upper surface. The projecting anterior and poste- rior tubercles on each side are also distinct, being separated from each other by a curved depression. The former is round, the latter transversely elongated, or rather crescentic, with the concavity turned
Fig. 1. Fig. 2.
forwards. Viewed laterally, the posterior eminence is seen to be somewhat less elevated than the anterior. Compared with the size of the cerebral hemispheres these bodies are small, much less deve-
20 MR. G. KREFFT ON A NEW AUSTRALIAN SNAKE. [Jan. 26,
loped, for instance, than in a Rodent of corresponding dimensions. Another important point to notice is, that the ventricles of the optic lobes, the persistence of which is so characteristic of the oviparous Vertebrates, are obliterated in the Echidna.
As is well known, there is considerable variation in the form and relative size of the four eminences on the surface of the optic lobes, and of the distinctness with which they are marked off from one another, in different mammals. In the Sloth, and more especially the Wombat, they are scarcely, if at all, more sharply defined than in the Lchidna, which therefore, in this respect, presents no trenchant deviation from the ordinary Mammalian type.
EXPLANATION OF THE WOODCUT. Middle portion of the brain of the Echidna (E. hystrix), twice the natural size.
Fig. 1. Seen from above. The cerebellum turned back to show its superior pe- duncles. Fig. 2. Side view. a. Optic thalamus. b. Peduncle of the pineal body. c. Pineal body. d. Anterior eminence of the optic lobe (natis). e. Posterior eminence of the optic lobe (¢estis). J. Superior peduncle of the cerebellum (processus a cerebello ad testes). g. Cerebe}lum. h. Optic track. i. Fifth nerve.
2. DESCRIPTION OF ASPIDIOTES MELANOCEPHALUS, A NEW SNAKE FROM Port Denison, N.E. Ausrratia. By Gerarp Krerrt, ActiInG CurATOR AND SECRETARY, AUSTRALIAN Museum, SYDNEY.
Fam. Borpz.
ASPIDIOTES, nov. gen.
Crown covered with broad shields reaching behind the eyes; the remaining part of the head scaly; labial shields without pits, the front ones high and narrow, the hinder shields lower aud broad. Nostrils lateral, in the middle of a plate, two loreals, two anterior and four posterior oculars ; superciliaries broad, rather prominent above the eye; nasal shield very large, much produced backwards, and deeply grooved on its lower edge. Scales smooth, in fifty-two series on the middle of the body ; ventral plates rather narrow ; sub- caudals entire, except the last ten or twelve, which are divided. Tail conical, prehensile, ending ina blunt point. Head rather high, of moderate size; teeth not very large (smaller than in Morelia). Body thick and compressed.
ASPIDIOTES MELANOCEPHALUS.
Seales in 52 series on the middle of the body. Ventral shields narrow, 330. Anal entire. Subcaudals 515.
1864.] | MR. G. KREFFT ON A NEW AUSTRALIAN SNAKE. 21
Head rather high ; body thick and compressed ; tail conical, taper- ing, prehensile, ending in a blunt point ; anal spurs small ; ten upper labials, the sixth coming into the orbit ; two anterior and four poste- rior ocular shields; two loreals, the second nearest to the eye very small; one nasal, pierced by the nostril ; eye moderate, pupil ellip- tical, erect. Three pairs of frontal shields, the middle pair longest ; vertical broad, the largest shield of the head, with an obtuse angle in front and an acute one behind, sides rounded; superciliaries
large, prominent above the eyes ; occipitals distinct, but smaller than the vertical, forked and rounded behind ; the first pair of frontals small, triangular ; the second pair five-sided, nearly as large again as the first pair ; the third smaller than the second and larger than the first, quadrangular. Of the fourteen lower labial shields, the first seven are narrow and elongate, the rest broad ; no groove upon the labials. The nasal shield is very broad, with a deep pit, shaped like a bean, and much produced backwards. Head moderate; body thick, compressed ; anal spurs small. Colour light brown, with a series of darker rings, which become indistinct near the sides ; below
22 DR. A. GUNTHER ON NEW SPECIES OF MORMYRUS. [Jan. 26,
yellowish-white here and there, with a few dark blotches ; head and neck jet-black above and below. ‘Total length 7! 10". Hab. Port Denison.
3. Description oF A New SpPEciEs or Mormyrvs. By Dr. A. GUNTHER.
(Plate II.)
Only a short time ago I described* a peculiar species of Mormyrus, M. petersii, distinguished by a very long mandibulary flap. I have the pleasure to lay to-day before the Society another species with the same structure of the fins, and with a similar prolongation of the lower jaw. It comes, like M. petersii, from West Africa. The peculiar form of the snout has suggested the specific name of
Mormyrus TAMANDUA. (PI. II. fig. 1.)
D. 28. A.3l. V.6. L. lat. 80. Body compressed, rather elongate—its greatest height, between the origin of the dorsal and anal fins, being two-ninths of the total length (without caudal) ; the length of the head is one-fourth of the same. The snout is much prolonged, tubiform, slightly tapering, and curved downwards, the distance between the eye and the end of the mandibulary flap being twice that between the eye and the gill-opening. The mouth is very small, at the extremity of the snout, with the jaws equal, and armed with two pairs of feeble conical teeth above and below. The mandi- bulary flap is as long as the eye. The eye is covered with the skin, but appears through from below it. The pectoral is nearly twice as long as the ventral, and extends beyond its base. The dorsal and anal fins are opposite each other, and placed on the caudal portion of the body, the origin of the former being in the middle between the occiput and the root of the caudal. The scales on the trunk are rather small and irregularly arranged, but become gradually larger and more regular posteriorly. Coloration uniform.
The single specimen obtained is 10 inches long.
We add, for comparison, the diagnosis of the other species men- tioned above : —
Mormyrus petersi. (PI. II. fig. 2.)
D. 27. A. 34. L. lat. 66. The mandible is prolonged into a long, conical fleshy appendage, which is nearly half as long as the head. Dark brown, with two lighter cross bands.
Hab. Old Calabar.
* Wiegm. Arch. 1862, p. 64.
-
21
YR
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dire Sh Mh a ST Eto | ks eG chan
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1864. ] DR. A. GUNTHER ON NEW AMERICAN FISHES. 23
4. On some New Species or CenTRAL-AMERICAN FISHES, By Dr. A. GUnrHer.
(Plates III. & IV.)
Our Corresponding Member Capt. J. M. Dow having sent to this Society a second collection of Central American Fishes, a complete series.of the species contained therein has been deposited by our Secretary in the British Museum. The following is a list of those which I have examined, a few others having been omitted, as they belong to families in the revision of which I am engaged at present or shall be in a very short time :—
.
I. Species collected on the Pacific Coast of Panama. 1. SERRANUS SELLICAUDA, Gill, sp. 2. Ruypricus MAcuLatus, Holbr.
3. Mrsorprion NOVEM-FASciATUS, Gill, sp. Very closely allied to M. griseus.
4. Mesorrion, n. sp. There are two young specimens of an apparently undescribed form in the collection ; but the description and determination are better deferred until more examples have been obtained.
5. PRISTIPOMA MELANOPTERUM, C. & Y.
6. PristipoMa Dovil, n. sp. (PI. III. fig. 1.) DG. A. =. L. lat. 48. L. transv. 8/15. The height of the
body is one-half of the total length (without caudal) ; the length of the head one-third. Snout obtuse, not much longer than the eye ; cleft of the mouth small, the maxillary extending to the vertical from the anterior margin of the orbit. Lips thick ; a pair of pores on the symphysis of the lower jaw, a central groove behind it. Snout naked, the remainder of the head being scaly. The width of the interorbital space is much less than that of the orbit. Dorsal and anal spines exceedingly strong; the third of the dorsal fin is the longest, and nearly two-thirds as long as the head. The second anal spine is much longer than the third, and a little shorter (but stronger) than the third of the dorsal fin. Each ray of the soft fins is accom- panied by a series of minute scales, but only on the caudal fin are these scales dense enough to cover the rays. Caudal fin slightly emarginate. Silvery, with four black cross bands: the first runs from the occiput through the eye to behind the angle of the mouth; the second from before the dorsal fin to below the base of the pec- toral; the third from the base of the sixth, seventh, and eighth dorsal spines to the vent ; the fourth descends from the origin of the soft dorsal to that of the soft anal. Fins blackish. Only one specimen, 83 inches long, is in the collection.
7. PotyNEMUS APPROXIMANS (Lay & Bennett ?). D.75. A.x. L. lat. 60.
15
24 DR. A. GUNTHER ON NEW AMERICAN FISHES. [Jan. 26,
8. CaRANx, 2. sp. There is a young specimen in the collection which appears to belong to an undescribed species closely allied to C. carangus and C. hippos.
9. CARANX LEUCURUS, 0. sp.
D. 8| = A. 2\|-~. Very closely allied to C. bicolor. The first
dorsal fin is composed of short, stoutish spines, the fourth of which is the longest, but scarcely longer than the eye. The soft dorsal and anal are rather elevated ; the caudal is emarginate, and has the lobes rounded. Teeth very small, forming a single series in both jaws ; palate smooth. The height of the body is one-half of the total length (without caudal), the length of the head one-third. Snout rather obtuse, the jaws being equal in front when the mouth is closed ; the maxillary extends to below the anterior margin of the orbit. The lateral line makes anteriorly a subsemicircular curve, the width of which is contained from 12 to 14 times in the length of the straight portion; it becomes straight behind the vertical from the origin of the second dorsal, and is armed with about fifty small and low shields, only a few of which terminate in a depressed spine. The pectoral fin extends to the anal spines. Brownish grey, body with six dark-brown vertical bands: the first crosses the body behind the base of the pectoral, and the fourth descends from the middle of the soft dorsal fin. Operculum with a large black spot. Dorsal, anal, and ventral black ; pectoral and caudal whitish.
Only two young specimens are in the collection, the larger being 3 inches long.
10. ? Caranx vorsatts, Gill, sp. 11. Gosius soporatTor, Cuv. & Val.
12. ELeoTRIs SEMINUDUS, n. sp. (PI. IV. figs. 2, 2a.)
D. 7\11. A. 9. The head and the trunk are naked; the tail is covered with small scales ; head depressed, broader than high, flat above, its length being two-sevenths of the total. Snout rather ob- tuse, longer than the eye, with the lower jaw somewhat prominent ; the cleft of the mouth extends to below the anterior margin of the orbit. Teeth in the upper jaw inanarrow band ; the lower has four somewhat larger and recurved teeth in front, the others appear to form a single series ; palate toothless. None of the fin-rays are pro- longed ; the pectoral does not quite extend to the origin of the second dorsal; ventral much shorter than pectoral, its inner ray is the longest, the others gradually decreasing in length outwards ; caudal fin rounded. Brown, with numerous well-defined white cross stripes on the head as well as on the body; vertical fins black.
Although there is only a single example, 20 lines long, in the col- lection, the characters of this species are so well marked that I do not hesitate to describe it.
13. SALARIAS ATLANTICUS, Cuyv. & Val.
bo Gr
1864.] DR. A. GUNTHER ON NEW AMERICAN FISHES.
14. Cuinus DELALANDI, Cuy. & Val. 15. Cuinus MAcRocEPHALUS, Gthr. 16. CREMNOBATES MONOPHTHALMUS, Gthr.
17. ATHERINICHTHYS PACHYLEPIS, Ni. Sp. D.4|25. A. aig L. lat. 41. L. transv. 7. The height of
* 20—21° the body is nearly equal to the length of the head, and contained five times and a half or five times and a third in the total length (without caudal). The snout is short, not longer than the diameter of the eye, and the cleft of the mouth does not extend backwards to below the anterior margin of the eye. The anterior dorsal is com- posed of short, feeble spines, and its origin is opposite to the fourth or fifth anal rays. The pectoral fin is much longer than the head. The silvery streak occupies the adjoining halves of the third and fourth series of scales.
Two specimens, 6 inches long, were in the collection.
18. MuGit BRASILIENSIS, Agass. 19. Mueiz prososcipevus, Gthr.
20. GoBIESOX RHODOSPILUS, ND. sp.
D.6. A.5. C.8-9. P.17. A vertical fold of the skin along the lower half of the base of the pectoral; the coracoid is scarcely below the level of the upper margin of the pectoral. The distance of the origin of the dorsal fin from the caudal is contained twice and two-thirds in its distance from the snout ; the anal commences below the third dorsal ray. A very narrow band of short conical teeth in the upper jaw—one of the lateral teeth being somewhat larger than the others, recurved, canine-like. The lower jaw with a single series of teeth, the anterior being narrow incisors, whilst the outermost on each side is distinctly a canine tooth, corresponding to that in the upper jaw. Rose-coloured, with dark-rose transverse spots, each spot having an edge of deep-red dots.
Two specimens, 18 inches long, are in the collection.
21. PLATYGLOSSUS DISPILUS, 2. sp.
D. 2. A. = L. lat. 28. L. transv. 2/9. The height of the body equals the length of the head, and is contained four times and one-fourth in the total. Caudal fin rounded, with the lobes very slightly produced. Greenish olive, with a roundish black spot edged with silvery, on the lateral line, below the fifth and sixth dorsal spines; the side of the head with five or six pearl-coloured streaks, apart of which are continued on the body, forming a series of round spots. An oblong variegated blotch behind the pectoral fin: it is composed of three pearl-coloured stripes, enclosing two yellow bands, each of which has an undulated purple edge. No spot in the axil of the pectoral. A short oblique yellowish streak behind the base of
26 DR. A. GUNTHER ON NEW AMERICAN FISHES. [Jan. 26,
each soft dorsal ray ; these streaks form a continuous band on the spinous portion. Anal fin with two or three whitish lines; caudal with several irregular reddish longitudinal bands, which are conver- gent behind.
Young specimens are much more plain-coloured ; the black spot on the lateral line, however, is very distinct, and there is another at the root of the caudal.
Capt. Dow’s collection contains a single young specimen ; but Mr. Salvin has brought a second, apparently adult, it being 53 inches long.
22. PsEUDOJULIS NOTOSPILUS, 0. sp.
D. 2. 3 = L. lat. 25. LL. transv. 2, The height of the
body is rather less than the length of the head, and contained four times and a quarter in the total. Dorsal spines pungent ; caudal fin slightly rounded. Brownish or yellowish olive; young specimens with a silvery band along each side of the trunk, above the pectoral fin. Back with four or five indistinct broad brown cross bars; a series of blotches on the dorsal fin corresponds to these cross bands, one of them, on the three first soft dorsal rays, being the largest and most distinct ; it is of a deep black colour, and of an ovate form. The corners of the caudal fin are white ; ventral whitish, with a broad blackish outer margin.
One adult specimen, 4 inches long, and several young ones are in the collection. :
23. JULIS LUCASANA, Gill. 24, DINEMATICHTHYS MARGINATUS, Ayres.
25. MicropESMUS DIPUS, n. g. et sp. Of this we have re- ceived only a single small example ; and as it is not in a perfect state of preservation, we cannot decide whether it should be referred to the Blennoids or Gadoids, or whether it is the type of a distinct family. However, we may hope that Capt. Dow will succeed in ob- taining more specimens.
MicropEsMvs.
Body much elongate, eel-like, covered with rudimentary scales ; head rather short, with obtuse snout, narrow cleft of the mouth, and prominent lower jaw. Eyes minute. Teeth in both jaws mi- nute ; palate toothless. The gill-opening is reduced to a small slit in front of the pectoral fin. Vertical fins united by a membrane, but the caudal can be easily distinguished from the two other fins. Dorsal fin very long, composed of flexible, undivided rays, like the anal. Pectorals short ; ventrals thoracic, each reduced to a single ray. Vent in the middle of the total length.
Micropesmus pipus. (PI. III. fig. 2.) D.55. A. 34. C.16. P.12. V.1. The depth of the body
1864.] DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE SPECIES OF SEALS. 27
is about one-eighteenth of the total length; the length of the head one-eleventh. The head is rather compressed, the snout short, the mouth very narrow, and the lower jaw very prominent. The mi- nute eye is lateral and in the anterior third of the length of the head. The dorsal fin commences at a distance from the occiput which is somewhat less than the length of the head; it is nearly even, and the rays are very distinct, the interradial membrane being thin and transparent. The anal fin commences immediately behind the vent. The caudal rays are much more slender and more closely set than those of the dorsal and anal; the caudal fin is rounded, two-thirds of the length of the head. Pectorals as long as the ventrals, and half as long as the head; the latter fins are close together, and in- serted a little behind the root of the pectoral. Upper parts uniform brownish olive. The single specimen is 4} inches long.
26. ANABLEPsS DOvII, Gill.
II. Species collected at Colon. 1. Prist1POMA MELANOPTERUM, Cuv. & Val. 2. PoMACANTHUS PARU, Gthr.
3. SpHyR2ZNA PICUDA, Bl. Schn.
III. Species from the Lake of Managua, Nicaragua. 1. Heros tapratus, n. sp. (PI. IV. fig. 1.) D.%. A.4. L, lat. 32. L. transv. 6/13. The anterior por-
11° 8 tions of the upper and lower lips are much enlarged, each forming a moveable subtriangular flap. The height of the body is somewhat more than the length of the head, and two-fifths of the total. The mouth is very protractile ; the eye occupies the middle of the length of the head. Scales on the cheek in four series. Base of the dorsal almost scaleless. Uniform red, or sometimes red irregularly mar- bled with black.
The largest specimen is 7 inches long.
5. Notes on Srats (PHOCID#), INCLUDING THE DESCRIPTION or A New Sra (HALICYON RICHARDII) FROM THE WEST Coast or Nort America. By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., ETC.
Mr. Charles B. Wood, the Surgeon of H.M.S. ‘ Hecate,’ has very kindly sent to the British Museum, along with other interesting spe- cimens from the north-western part of North America, the skeleton of a Seal from Fraser’s River, and the skull of a Seal obtained on the west coast of Vancouver’s Island.
The skull was procured from the natives, who had the animal
28 DK. J. E. GRAY ON THE SPECIES OF SEALS, (Jan. 26,
towed along the side of their canoe. They refused to part with the entire animal, but were at length induced to sell the head.
The examination of the skulls shows that the two Seals evidently belong to the same species, the specimen from Fraser’s River being adult, and the other not quite so old. Mr. Wood observes that ‘the younger Seal was captured among the islands in Queen Charlotte’s Sound, at the north end of Vancouver ; has a fur of a dark brown, almost black-colour; and is unlike that from the Fraser’s River, which is lighter and less timid, being often seen seated on a log floating down with the current.”
The skull of this Seal differs so greatly from those of any of the Seals on the eastern side of the Arctic Ocean, that I am induced to propose for it a new subdivision, which may be thus named and cha- racterized :—
Haticyon. The palate of the skull arched out behind. Cutting-teeth 2
Grinders 3 or 5, lobed, compressed. The lower jaw strong, bowed out on the sides, thick in front, and with a low crest on the inner side of the lower edge near the front; the ramus of the lower jaw erect, with a tubercular prominence beneath the notch at the angle.
HALicyon RICHARDII, sp. nov.
Fur pale brown ; when young, darker.
Hab. Fraser’s River and Vancouver’s Island.
I have dedicated this species, at the request of Mr. Wood, to Capt. Richard, the Hydrographer to the Admiralty, and Captain of H.M.S. ‘Hecate’ when these Seals were collected. I have the more plea- sure in doing this, as the Museum has received many very interest- ing specimens collected during the voyage of the ‘ Hecate,’ showing the interest which her Commander takes in the natural sciences, which I have no doubt will receive additional encouragement in the new position which he has won by his hydrographic and scientific qualifications.
The skull resembles that of Callocephalus hispidus and Pagophilus grenlandicus in the dilatation of the front part of the lower edge of the lower jaw; but it agrees with Callocephalus hispidus most in the greater development of the face, and in the concave edge of the hinder part of the palate.
It differs from these skulls—
1. In the dilatation of the lower jaw not being extended so far back, only occupying the first two-fifths of the length of the jaw; while in the other two species it occupies full half the length of that bone.
2. In the sides of the lower jaw being much wider apart, and arched outwards, making the space between them much wider be- hind, agreeing in this respect with Phoca barbata.
3. In the front of the lower jaw being thick and swollen, and with only a slight ridge on the middle of the lower edge in front; and the jaws in this part being well separated from each other, not thin, concave inwardly, and with a well-developed inferior edge on the
1864. ] DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE SPECIES OF SEALS. 29
inner sides, those of the two sides of the jaws being parallel and near together in the centre.
The angle at the hinder lower edge of the lower jaw is much more produced, and with a more prominent tubercle, than in either Callocephalus hispidus or Pagophilus greenlandicus.
4. The hinder edge of the palate being concave forwards, and not straight and transverse as in Pagophilus, nor angularly cut out as in Callocephalus.
4
Fig. 1. Skull of Halicyon richardit.
2. End of lower jaw of Phoca barbata, to show the dilatations and inflexions of the lobe over the angle.
3. End of the lower jaw of Pagomys fetidus. The end of the jaw of Callo- cephalus vitulinus is somewhat similar.
4. Lower edge of the lower jaw of Halicyon richardit.
5. Lower edge of the lower jaw of Phoca barbata.
6. Lower edge of the lower jaw of Pagophilus grenlandicus. The jaw of Pagomys fetidus is somewhat similar, but much smaller.
30 DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE SPECIES OF SEALS. (Jan. 26,
In the younger specimen the edge of the palate has a slight pro- minence in the middle of each side ; but this is evidently an acci- dental deformity, as the prominences are not of the same size in the two sides. In the adult skull the two sides of the palate are evenly arched out.
The lower jaw most resembles that of the restricted genus Phoca (of which P. darbata is the type) in being solid aud strong, and in the two sides being arched out, leaving a very wide oval space be- tween them, the front part of the space being continued by a tubercle on the inner edge of the front of the jaw, a short distance from the symphysis.
In Phoca the tubercle on the inner side of the lower edge is short, rounded, blunt, and more or less rugose ; in the new Seal, Halicyon, it is a short-edged, elongated ridge. In Phoca the teeth are small, erect, and far apart ; and in Halicyon they are larger, closer together, and distinctly three or five lobed.
In Halicyon the hinder edge of the ramus of the lower jaw is simple, with a distinct notch between it and the tubercular angle of the jaw. In Phoca the hinder edge of the ramus is inflected, form- ing a large half-oblong lobe, convex in front, and concave behind. (fig. 2).
it ee interesting to observe that there is a representative genus on each side of the Arctic Pole; and this agrees with my previous experience—that each species of Seal has a limited, indeed I may say a very well-defined and very limited, geographical distribution. Though the species are very difficult to distinguish by their external characters, yet the skeleton, and especially the skull, affords well- marked and very definite characters.
M. Lepechin described a Phoca oceanica (Act. Petrop. 1777, 259. t. 6 & 7), which has been considered the same as Pagophilus gren- landicus, as abundant on the ice around Nova Zembla. It would be curious to see the skull of a specimen from that locality, and thus discover which species extends itself so far north as those islands. Phoca oceanica, in its young and old state of fur, resembles Pago- philus grenlandicus ; but unfortunately we have only a very limited knowledge of the external appearance of this new Seal from Van- couver’s Island.
The study of a large series of specimens of several species of Seals shows that the form of the lower jaw, though hitherto little attended to by zoologists, affords a very good character for the distinction of the species.
In Pagophilus grenlandicus and Halicyon richardii the angle of the lower jaw is far back, and the hinder edge of the ramus ascends nearly perpendicularly, with a notch at the hinder end, as shown in fig. 6. In Phoca barbata the form of the lower jaw and ramus is nearly similar; but instead of a notch near the angle, the inner edge is produced inwards into a rounded lobe (fig. 2, and see Cat. Seals B.M. p. 27, f. 9).
In Callocephalus vitulinus and C. (Pagomys) feetidus, on the con- trary, the angle of the lower jaw is more towards the front, and the
1864. ] DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE SPECIES OF SEALS. 31
hinder edge of the ramus ascends obliquely with the notch consider- ably in front of the condyle (see fig. 3).
M. Gaimard, in his ‘ Voyage to Iceland and Greenland,’ Mam- malia, plate 11, devotes a plate to the skull and teeth of the Seals of Iceland and Greenland ; but he does not pay any attention to the form of the lower jaw, except incidentally, when representing the teeth of the lower jaw of his P. annellata (t. 11. f. 9). I may ob- serve that this author names on his plates what we call Phoca an- nellata P. hispida, and what we call P. grenlandica P. annellata.
Believing it to be desirable that the Seals, which are so difficult to distinguish by their external characters, should be divided into small sections or subgenera by organic characters, I propose to divide the tribe of Phocina, as defined in my Monograph (see Cat. Seals in the British Museum, p. 20), thus :—
1. Branches of lower jaw diverging ; the lower edge of the lower jaw rounded, simple ; palate angularly arched behind ; angle of lower jaw blunt, sloping behind. CatLtocepuatus. C. vitulinus.
2. Branches of lower jaw diverging ; lower edge of lower jaw di- lated on the inner side.
* Palate angularly notched behind; angle of lower jaw blunt, sloping behind. Pacomys. P. fetidus. P.? nummularis.
** Palate truncated behind; angle of lower jaw acute, erect behind, with a notch above the basal tubercle. Paco- pHiLus. P. grenlandicus.
3. Branches of lower jaw arched on the side and wide apart ; lower edge produced on the inner side behind the symphysis ; palate arched.
* Tubercle on inner edge of front part of lower jaw elongate, sharp-edged ; teeth moderate ; angle of lower jaw simple, with a distinct notch above it. Haxicyon. H. richardii.
** Tubercle on inner edge of front part of lower jaw blunt, rugulose ; teeth small; angle of lower jaw with a rounded lobe on inner side above the basal tubercle. PHoca. P. barbata.
Pacomys? NUMMULARIS.
The lower jaws short and broad ; the grinders thick, with a broad thick central lobe, and nearly side by side (in the skulls of the young animals).
Phoca nummularis, Temm., Faun. Jap. Mamm. Mar. p. 3.
Hab. Japan (Temm.).
This species is only known from some skins and three fragments of skulls in the Leyden Museum.
My excellent friend Professor Schlegel, the energetic Curator of
a DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE SPECIES OF SEALS. [Jan. 26,
the Leyden Museum, has most kindly sent to me for examination and comparison the fragments of skulls above referred to: they consist of the face-bone and the lower jaws of three specimens ; the most perfect specimen has part of the orbit and the upper part of the brain-case attached to it. They are ali from very young speci- mens, of nearly the same age; and, unfortunately, the most perfect one is without the hinder portion of the palate, so that I cannot make sure that it has the same form of the palatine margin that is found in Pagomys; but the part of the side of the palate that is present, when compared with the same part in Pagomys, leads one to think it most likely to be of the same form as iu that genus.
The general form and size of the face, and the form of the teeth, are very similar to those of a skull of Payomys fetidus of the same age. It only differs from the latter in the lower jaw being rather shorter and broader, in the grinders being larger, thicker, and rather closer together, in the central lobe of the grinders being consider- ably larger, thicker, and stronger, and in all the lobes of the grind- ers being more acute. The lower margin of the lower jaw is dilated in front, just as in Pagomys feetidus ; but the jaws behind the dila- tation diverge more from each other, leaving a wider space between them at the hinder part. The form of the hinder angle of the jaws is very similar in the two species. The orbit is rather smaller and more circular; for in P. fetidus it is rather oblong, being rather longer than wide. The forehead appears, as far as one can judge by the fragments, to be flatter and broader, and the nose rather shorter.
The following measurements show the difference between the two species :-—
P., foetidus.. P. nummularis.
in. 12ths. in. 12ths. Length of lower jaw to hinder notch .. 2 11 1 7, Length of lower jaw to end of dilatation. 1 45 1 22 Length of upper teeth-lme .......... 1 34 1 Length of three grinders ............ 0; (25 0 8 Width at outside of hinder notch,..... epee) tae 77 Tienpth Of Orbit... oc 2s ee se eh 1 82 1 5
The Phoca nummularis of Japan has been considered to be iden- - tical with Phoca largha of Pallas, from the east shore of Kams-
chatka, the Phoca chorissii of Lesson, and the Phoque tigre of Kras- chennenikow (which has been named Phoca tigrina by Lesson), on the strength of their coming from nearly the same district ; but I am not aware that specimens of any of the latter species exist to verify the union and determine what are the species described under these names.
The British Museum has lately purchased the dead body of a Seal, which had been exhibited in London as the “ Talking Fish.” The proprietor, an Italian, at first said it was from the coast of South America, but afterwards admitted that it was from one of the ports on the north side of the Mediterranean; and on examination it proved to be the Monk Seal (Phoca albiventer), the type of the
1864.] DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE SPECIES OF SEALS. 33
genus Monachus of Fleming and Pelagus of F. Cuvier, a genus which was one of the desiderata in the Museum Collection.
The comparison of the skull of this animal with the skulls of the Seal from Madeira, which I described in the ‘ Annals and Magazine of Natural History’ for 1854 under the name of Heliophoca atlan- tica, has shown that the latter animal is the same as the Mediter- ranean Seal.
The British Museum has since received from M. Verreaux a very good skeleton of a Seal from Algiers, under the name of Phoca le- porina, which is evidently the same as the Phoca albiventer of Cuvier (Oss. Foss. v. t. 17).
The following synonyms will therefore have to be added to those which I have placed under Monachus albiventer in the Catalogue of Seals in the British Museum, p. 18 :—
Heliophoca atlantica, Gray, Ann. & Mag. N. H. 1854; Arch. f. Nat. 1855, p. 40.
Phoca leporina, Verreaux, not of Lepechin.
Hab. North and south shores of the Mediterranean, tle d’Oléron, and Madeira.
These facts are interesting as showing that the Seal which was for- merly believed to be confined to the north shore of the Mediterranean is also found on the southern one and on the islands of the Atlantic.
Nilsson, in his excellent monograph on the genus, after having examined all the materials that he could find in the different mu- seums, reduced the number of species of Seals to fourteen.
We have now in the British Museum, as by the following list will appear, twenty-four most distinct species, established upon the examination of the osteological as well as the external characters of the animals.
1. Lobodon carcinophaga, Gray, Cat. p. 10. Antarctic Ocean. 2. Stenorhynchus leptonyx, Gray, Cat. p. 13. Antarctic Ocean. 3. Leptonyx weddellii, Gray, Cat. p. 16. Antarctic Ocean.
4. Monachus albiventer, Gray, Cat. p. 18=Heliophoca atlan- tica, Gray. North and south shores of the Mediterranean; Ma- deira.
Monachus? tropicalis, Gray, Cat. p. 28. Jamaica.
. Ommatoplhoca rossii, Gray, Cat. p.19. Antarctic Ocean.
. Callocephalus vitulinus, Gray, Cat. p. 21. North Seas.
. Pagomys fetidus, Gray, Cat. p. 23. North Seas.
. Halocyon richardii, Gray, P. Z. 8.1864. Vancouver’s Island. 0. Pagophilus grenlandicus, Gray, Cat. p. 25. North Sea.
11. Phoca barbata, Gray, Cat. p. 27. North Sea.
12. Halicherus grypus, Gray, Cat. p. 30. North Sea.
13. Trichechus rosmarus, Gray, Cat. p. 32. North Sea.
14. Morunga elephantina, Gray, Cat. p. 34. Antarctic Ocean.
15. Cystophora cristata, Gray, Cat. p. 36. North Sea.
16. ? antillarum, Gray, Cat. p. 38. Jamaica.
17. Arctocephalus monteriensis, Gray, P. Z. S. 1859, p. 358, t. 72. California.
Proc. Zoou. Soc.—1864, No. III.
= SO Onin or
34 MR. G. R. GRAY ON A NEW SPECIES OF GOLIATHUS. [Jan. 26,
18. 4rctocephalus hookeri, Gray, Cat. p. 45. Falkland Islands.
19. lobatus, Gray, Cat. p. 44. Australia.
20. nigrescens, Gray, P. Z. S. 1859, p. 109. Falkland Islands.
21. —— gillespii, Gray, P.Z.S. 1859, p. 110, t. 70. California.
22. delalandii, Gray, P. Z.S. 1859, p. 107, t.69. Cape of Good Hope.
23. Callorhinus ursinus, Gray, P. Z. 8. 1859, pp. 103, 359, t. 68. Behring’s Straits.
24. Otaria leonina, Gray, Cat. p. 47; P. Z. S. 1859, p. 360. Southern Pacific Ocean.
Besides these species, I have very little doubt that the Phoca cas- pica of Nilsson, from the Caspian Sea, the Leo marinus of Steller, from Behring’s Straits, and Pagomys nummularis, from Japan, are distinct. Iam not aware that the Leo. marinus of Steller exists in any museum; the specimen we received from the St. Petersburg Academy under that name is the Callorhinus ursinus of the ‘ Pro- ceedings of the Zoological Society’ for 1859.
6. Notice or A New Species or Gouiatuus. By G. R. Gray. (Plate V.)
Dr. Kirk has, on his return from the Zambesi, added to our knowledge a species of the genus Goliathus, which he obtained as long ago as November 1858, when he picked it up among the hills of Kebrabassa, which is situated about forty miles beyond the Por- tuguese town of Tete. As it appears to be new, I have ventured to lay a description of it before the Society under the name of Golia- thus kirkianus.
¢. Castaneous black, with the upper part of head, the seven nar- row longitudinal lines on the thorax, the base, and outer edges of the elytra broadly margined, also with a series of narrow irregular transverse lines on their centres of a pearly white. The bifurcated horn in front of the head, all beneath the body, and legs deep casta- neous; the four hind legs fringed inwardly with pale rufous hairs. Scutellum of a long-triangular form, castaneous black, with a short narrow longitudinal line in the centre of a pearly white.
Of the known species it approaches most nearly to the Goliathus fornassinii, from which, however, it differs in the form of the head and thorax: the former is longer, with the bifurcated horn in front shorter, while each fork of it is broader, with the apex of each broadly truncated ; the latter is less rounded, with the sides suban- gulated in the centre, thus differing from the figure of the head of the male given in the ‘Ann. Soc. Ent. de Fr.’ iv. pl. 7. f. la.
Gohathus kirkianus
PZ.S 1864 Plate V
W West imp
mM" :
1864.] | MESSRS. ADAMS AND ANGAS ON NEW SHELLS. 35
7. Descriptions or New SPECIES OF SHELLS, CHIEFLY FROM AUSTRALIA, IN THE COLLECTION OF Mr. ANGAS. By ArtTuurR Apams, R.N., F.L.S., erc., AND GeorGE FRENCH ANGAS.
1. Trrron waTerHovsE!, Ad. & Ang.
T. testa ovato-fusiformi, rimata, epidermide fusca squamato- pilosa induta, pallide castanea, spira elata aperturam equante ; anfractibus convexis, postice planatis, longitudinaliter subpli- catis, liris prominentibus transversis ad plicas nodulosis ornatis ; iris crenulatis duabus magnis duplicibus cum tribus parvis alternantibus, interstitiis cancellatis ; anfractu ultimo varice conspicuo compresso fimbriato instructo ; apertura ovata, intus alba; labio antice levi, canali angusto; labro margine late varicoso, intus nodoso-lirato.
Long. 3 inches, lat. 1 inch 9 lines.
Hab. Port Lincoln (Coll. Angas.).
Differs from 7. spengleri in the squamato-pilose epidermis, in the broad flattened varix of the outer lip, in the double lirze of the whorls, and in the inner lip being smooth anteriorly. It is named after Mr. F. G. Waterhouse, the South Australian naturalist and explorer.
2. Triron stranceE!, Ad. & Ang.
T. testa ovata, solida, umbilicata, albida; anfract. 4, convevis, longitudinaliter subplicatis, costis transversis magnis trisul- catis, interstitiis lirulis duabus transversis crenulatis ornatis ; anfractu ultimo varice unico crasso rotundato conspicuo in- structo ; apertura parva, rotundato-ovata, canali angusto valde recurvato ; labro extus late varicoso, intus plicato.
Long. 13 inch, lat. 1 inch.
Hab. Moreton Bay (Coll. Angas.).
Characterized by its small plicate aperture, its recurved beak, and the peculiar sculpture of the whorls. We dedicate this species to the memory of the late lamented Frederick Strange, who lost his life in the cause of science at the Percy Islands, on the north-eastern coast of Australia.
3. Nerituta (CaALLompHALA) Lucipa, Ad. & Ang.
N. testa orbiculari, depressa, imperforata, spira parva apice acuto, alba, semipellucida, nitida, radiatim creberrime striata; anfractibus 4, planis, ultimo ad peripheriam obtuse angulato, suturis impressis, regione umbilicali callo albo opaco granuloso obtecta ; apertura circulart, antice integra; labio callo parvo angulato instructo ; labro supra anfractum penultimum reflexo, margine callo albo incrassato instructo.
Long. 1 line, lat. 2 lines.
Hab. Coodgee Bay, N. S. Wales, in shell-sand (Coll. Angas.).
This little shell differs from the other species of Neritula in the
36 MESSRS. ADAMS AND ANGAS ON NEW SHELLS. ([Jan. 26,
aperture being entire in front, as in J'einostoma, on which account we have proposed to give it subgeneric rank under the name of Cal- lomphala.
4. CaTILLus ornatus, Ad. & Ang.
C. testa ovata, tenui, luteo-virescente, lineis nigris transversis undulatis ornata, superficie decussata, apice prominulo ad sini- stram inclinato ; apertura intus ceruleo-alba.
Long. 8 lines, lat. 6 lines.
Hab. Viti-Lifu, Fijis (Coll. Angas.).
This species is remarkable for the beauty of its painting and the
finely decussated character of the surface.
5. NeriTevua (DostiA) tiruensis, Ad. & Ang. 4% ‘45%
N. testa capuliformi, oblongo-ovata, subdepressa, apice eroso ad sinistram inclinato, obscura, fusca, radiatim nigro fasciata ; apertura ochracea; labio plano, aurantiaco, lateribus dila- tatis,
Long. 1 inch, lat. 8 lines.
Hab. Lifu (Coll. Angas.).
An interesting addition to the limited group named Dostia by Dr.
Gray, characterized by its broad flattened inner lip and its Catillus- like form. The operculum is that of Neritella.
6. GrppuLa nitipa, Ad. & Ang.
G. testa elato-conoidalt, apice obtuso, late umbilicata, levi, nitida, luteo-viridescente, purpureo rubroque in flammulas longitudi- nales et lineas transversas interruptas dispositis varie picta ; anfractibus tumidulis, transversim striatis, ultimo ad periphe- riam obtuse angulato, basi convexa, umbilici margine angulato; apertura rotundato-quadrata, intus vivide iridescente ; labio simplici ; labro intus sulcato.
Long. 23 lines, lat. 23 lines.
Hab. Hokianga, New Zealand (Coll. Angas.).
A beautifully painted small shining species, of an elevately conoi-
dal form, and with the interior of the aperture vividly iridescent as in Elenchus.
GiBBuULA picturRatTA, Ad. & Ang.
7.
G. testa depresso-conica, late umbilicata, viridescente, carmineo purpureo alboque sepe in flammulas longitudinales et fascias transversas interruptas dispositis varie picta ; anfractibus con- vexis, transversim valde sulcatis, ultimo cingulo prominulo albo rubroque articulato instructo ; basi planiuscula; apertura ro- tundato-quadrata, intus iridescente ; labio simplici ; labro intus suleato.
Long. 3 lines, lat. 3 lines.
Hab. On seaweed, low water, Port Jackson (Coll. Angas.).
A small] richly painted species, differing from G. nitida in form,
1864.] MESSRS, ADAMS AND ANGAS ON NEW SHELLS. 37
in the whorls being strongly transversely sulcate, and in the surface not being polished.
8. THALOTIA MuUNDULA, Ad. & Ang.
T. testa elato-conica, subperforata, albida, flammulis purpureis longitudinalibus obsolete picta ; anfractibus planis, in medio concavis, ad suturas cingulo rotundato prominulo succinctis, transversim liratis, liris equalibus subgranulosis, basi lirulis concentricis cum interstitiis radiatim striatis ornata ; apertura subquadrata; labio arcuato, antice in dentem obtusum desi- nente ; labro intus obsolete sulcato.
Long. 6 lines, lat. 43 lines.
Hab. Sharks’ Bay, Western Australia (Coll. Angas.).
Characterized by the rounded elevated ridge at the sutures, the
transverse granular lire, and the obscure flame-like longitudinal markings.
9. TRocHOCOCHLEA ExcAvaATA, Ad. & Ang.
T. testa depresso-conoidea, imperforata, viridi-cinerea, maculis atro-purpureis undulatis confertis longitudinalibus ornata ; anfractibus convexiusculis, transversim sulcatis, ultimo magno, ad peripheriam acute angulato, basi plana; apertura subqua- drata, perobliqua ; labio albo, lato, excavato ; labro intus levi.
Long. 3 lines, lat. 4 lines.
Hab. New Zealand (Coll. Angas.).
A depressed species, with a concave base, and with the inner lip
excavated.
10. Canruiripus pecoratus, Ad. & Ang.
C. testa turbinato-conoidea, imperforata, cupreo-aurantiaca, flammulis longitudinalibus albo articulatis, in anfractu ultimo fascia lata albo articulata et serie transversa macularum qua- dratarum albarum ornata, apice carneola tincto ; anfractibus planis, transversim sulcatis, sulcis distantibus postice obsoletis, anfract. ultimo ad peripheriam rotundato ; upertura subqua- drata ; labio vir recto, in medio calloso ; labro intus sulcato.
Long. 3 lines, lat. 2 lines.
Hab. York Peninsula, South Australia (Coll. Angas.).
A small but beautifully ornamented species, of a rich golden-orange
colour, marked with white spots and flammules.
11. CyLinpRoBULLA FiscHERI, Ad. & Ang.
C. testa cylindracea, fragili, tenui, alba, semipellucida, antice truncata, postice rotundata et radiatim striata, striis prope extremitatem posticam abrupte desinentibus ; apertura in mes dio lineart, vir clausa, antice dilatata.
Long. 3 lines, lat. 14 line.
Hab. South Australia.
38 MESSRS. ADAMS AND ANGAS ON NEW SHELLS. [Jan. 26,
This species differs from the C. beani, Fisch., which is the only other described, and which inhabits Guadaloupe, in being white, in the spire being more conspicuous, and especially in the posterior extremity being strongly striate, the strie ending abruptly at the distance of about a line from the suture.
12. Hexix (Corasia) ANADYoMENE, Ad. & Ang.
H. testa orbiculari, depresso-conica, imperforata, alba, epider- mide tenui straminea pellucida obtecta; anfractibus 4, planis, longitudinaliter tenuissime striatis; ultimo antice dilatato, ad peritrema constricto, ad peripheriam angulato et carina jiliformi conspicua ornato ; apertura subquadrata ; labio ecallo umbilici regionem tegente; labro in medio angulato, margine valde reflexo et incrassato.
Long. 6 lines, lat. 1 inch.
Hab. Guadalcanar, Solomon Islands (Coll. Angas.).
This elegant species somewhat resembles in form H. aphrodite, Pfr., from which, however, it differs in the whorls being more con- vex, and in the keel and peritreme not being of an opake-white ; the aperture moreover is less produced and angular.
13. Butiminus (CHonpRULA) LEPIDULA, Ad. & Ang.
B. testa turrita, pupiformi, umbilicata, tenui, nitida, semipellucida, cornea ; anfractibus 5, valde convewis, longitudinaliter striatis ; apertura rotundato-ovata, peristomate interrupto, albo, late re- flexo ; labio superne callo parvo albo tuberculiformi munito.
Long. 2 lines, lat. 1 line.
Hab. Sharks’ Bay, North-west Australia (Coll. Angas.).
This little species differs from C. adelaide in being semipellucid,
shining, and of a horn-colour. The whorls moreover are much more strongly convex.
14, Succrnea strieiiuata, Ad. & Ang.
S. testa ovato-conica, tenui, semipellucida, pallide luteo-cornea, spira aperturam vie equante, apice papilloso ; anfractibus 34, valde convewis, longitudinaliter strigillatis ; apertura oblongo- ovata; labio callo tenui longo instructo ; labro simplici.
Long. 5 lines, lat. 24 lines.
Hab. Sharks’ Bay, North-west Australia (Coll. Angas.).
A species somewhat allied to Succinea strigata, Pfr., from South Australia, having the same papillary apex ; but differing in being smaller, thinner, of a lighter colour, and in the whorls being less strongly strigose.
15. Lepropoma pournt, Ad. & Ang. 7! hy 1Gs%4
L. testa depresso-turbinata, profunde umbilicata, pallide fulvo- olivacea, spira brevi conica; anfractibus convexiusculis, trans- versim obsolete liratis, anfractu ultimo ad peripheriam valde
1864.] | MESSRS. ADAMS AND ANGAS ON NEW SHELLS. 39
carinato ; apertura patula, peritremate late dilatato et reflexo, regione umbilicali excavata.
Long. 73 lines, lat. 9 lines.
Hab. New Ireland (Coll. Angas.).
A larger species than L. panayense, Sow., which it somewhat resembles in form. The last whorl is very strongly carinated at the periphery, and the peritreme is not dark-coloured. We have named the species in compliment to Dr. Dohrn, who has made the opercu- lated land-shells an especial object of study.
16. Paysa rnriata, Ad. & Ang.
P. testa oblongo-ovata, umbilicata, tenui, semipellucida, viridi- cornea, anfractibus supremis fuscis opacis, epidermide pilosa obtecta, pilis in lineis transversis dispositis ; anfractibus 4, valde convexis, longitudinaliter striatis et lineis transversis equidistantibus punctatis instructis, anfractu ultimo magno ventricoso inflato; apertura ovata; labio late reflexo, umbilicum obtegente ; labro simplict.
Long. 8 lines, lat. 6 lines.
Hab. Wakefield River, South Australia (Coll. Angas.).
A fine inflated bulbous species with the upper whorls usually semi- opake and fuscous, and the lower whorls more pellucid and of a pale greenish horn-colour. The epidermis is ornamented with re- gular transverse rows of short hairs. ;
17. THECALIA MACROTHECA, Ad. & Ang.
T. testa oblonga, perinequilaterali, pallide carnea, epidermide fulva tenui induta, radiatim valde costata, costis nodoso-squa- mosis, latere antico brevissimo subauriculato, postico longiore dilatato ad extremitatem rotundato, margine ventralt antice sinuato et crenato, theca interna magna infundibuliform ; apertura ovata, expansa.
Alt. 4 lines, lat. 6 lines.
Hab. Rapid Bay, South Australia (Coll. Angas.).
The cup-shaped appendage is much larger in the female, which in the Cape species is frequently found filled with ova. In the male of Thecalia concamerata which we have examined, the ventral margin is also folded on itself; but the cup is much narrower, and appears never to contain any ova.
18. Unto (Atasmopon) rvansi, Ad. & Ang.
U. testa transversim ovata, compressa, tenui, viridi-olivacea, ad umbones pallidiore, umbonibus vie erosis, concentrice crebre plicata, lirulis duabus subnodulosis radiantibus ornata ; latere antico parvo et rotundato, postico dilatato et oblique truncato, margine ventrali valde arcuato.
Alt. 14 inch, lat. 2 inches 3 lines.
Hab. Lagoon of the Lower Murray River (Coll. Angas.).
40 DR. J. C. COX ON A NEW HELIX. (Jan. 26,
This light olive-brown compressed species, which is characterized by the posterior side-angle being somewhat winged, is named after Henry Evans, Esq., an old colonist and a relative of one of the au- thors, who has derived considerable assistance in collecting speci- mens of natural history from his willing co-operation.
8. On A suPpposeD New Species or THE Genus HELIX FROM NorTH-EASTERN AvusTRALIA. By James C. Cox, M.D., F.R.C.S. Epins., Secretary TO THE ENTOMOLOGICAL So- creTy or New Soutu WALEs.
HELIx FORBESII.
H. testa obtecte wmbilicata, globulosa, solida, sub epidermide lutescente alba, lineis fuscis cincta ; spira obtusa ; anfractibus septem ; apertura lunato-rotundata, intus alba ; peristomate undique expanso, margine columellari superne dilatato.
Shell with a covered umbilicus, globular, solid ; white beneath a yellowish epidermis, encircled with brown lines ; spire obtuse ; whorls seven ; aperture lunar rounded, white within ; lip expanded through- out, columellar margin dilated at the top.
Hab. Port Denison, Queensland.
This shell, which I have named after the late Prof. Edward Forbes, and of which I have a large number of specimens, was found on the trunks of the native fig-trees at Port Denison. I believed it at first to be only a local variety of H. lessoni; but on more careful investi- gation I have found it to be a very well-marked vew species, and I am unable to find any record of its having been before described.
Limo,
L
Jayna
1864.] MR. G. R. GRAY ON A NEW MEGAPODE. 41
February 9, 1864. John Gould, Esq., F.R.S., in the Chair.
Mr. Tegetmeier exhibited experiments in a new mode of pinioning wild birds, by which they might be prevented from injuring their plumage.
The following papers were read :—
1. On 4 New Species or Mecarope. By G. R. Gray. (Plate VI.)
I have had placed in my hands a specimen of a bird (preserved in spirits) from the Island of Nina Fou*, which, on examination, has proved to be a new species of the remarkable genus Megapodius. The specific characters are as follows :—
MEGAPODIUS PRITCHARDII. (PI. VI.)
Young female. Slaty black+, with the base of most of the fea- thers white ; wings (imperfect, the quills having been mostly cut away) with the first quill fuscous black ; the rest are apparently white, probably fuscous black at their tips ; upper tail-coverts white ; tail fuscous black ; abdomen pale fuscous black or slaty ; cheeks and upper part of the neck vermilion-red, slightly feathered with small - scattered black plumes ; bill bright yellow; tarsi and toes pale yel- low ; claws blackish lead-colour.
Length, from tip of bill to end of tail, 12 or 13 inches.
The specimen from which the description was taken was obtained by Mr. W. T. Pritchard at Nina Fou, which island is situated about halfway between the Feejee Islands and the Samoan Islands, and is far removed to the northward of the Friendly or Tonga Islands, yet it is considered to form part of this latter group. This somewhat isolated island is said to be of small size, of a volcanic origin, and peculiarly liable to eruptions and earthquakes. The natives informed him that the bird “laid 200 eggs, and piled them one above another in the shape of a pyramid, the last egg forming the apex.” This statement Mr. Pritchard “hesitated to believe; but the natives rei- terated it.” The bird lives in the bush, runs very fast, and does not fly any distance at a time.
It so happens that the Nina Fou bird was lately recorded in the ‘ Proceedings of the Zoological Society’ (1862, p. 247), from infor- mation obtained by Mr. Bennett of Capt. M*Leod, who stated that the bird was known to the natives by the name of ‘“ Mallow ;”’ and it lives in the scrubs in the centre of the island, about the margin of a
* Onooafow, or Proby Island, or Hope Island, or Good Hope Island. + Mr. Bennett says, ‘of an uniform blackish-brown colour.” While Mr. Prit- chard remarks it to be “ of a brownish blue.”
42 MR. G. R. GRAY ON A NEW MEGAPODE. [Feb. 9,
large lagoon of brackish water, which has the appearance of having been an extinct crater; the birds lay their eggs on one side only of the lagoon, where the soil is composed of a sulphur-looking sand ; the eggs are deposited from 1 to 2 feet beneath the surface.
This latter account is in accordance with the known habits of several of the species of this genus, and Mr. Pritchard was right in doubting the correctness of the marvellous and most improbable story related to him by the natives. It is only by the permission of the king or chief that the eggs or birds can be procured, which is also the case in other localities.
The natives of the Tonga Islands informed Mr. Pritchard that the bird was ‘‘no¢ found on any of their islands, except Nina Fou.” There is, however, in the British Museum an egg, with the provi- sional name of Megapodius burnabyi, which agrees with the de- scription of the Nina Fou egg. _ It was obtained by Lieut. Burnaby, R.N., at the Hapace Islands, which is the centre cluster of the three groups usually considered to fourm the Friendly or Tonga Islands. The bird of the Hapace Islands may, when made known, prove to be a species closely allied to the Megapodius pritchardii, if not the same.
The subjoined list of species of the Megapodide is given to show which of them are contained in the British Museum. This is de- noted by (B.M.) being placed after the localities whence the spe- cimens have been received.
1. TALEGALLUS CUVIERI, Less. New Guinea, Dorey (B.M.); Aru Islands.
2. TALEGALLUS LATHAMI (Gray). Australia, North, West, and South (B.M.).
3. MEGACEPHALON RUBRIPES (Quoy & Gaim.).
Celebes, Menado (B.M.).
M. Teysmann, in his “‘ Reise nach den Molukken,”’ published in vol. x. of ‘ Bonplandia,’ makes a remark which seems to imply that there are two species bearing a horn-like projection.
4, LEIPOA OCELLATA, Gould. Australia, South (B.M.) and West.
*
5. MEGAPODIUS FREYCINETI, Quoy & Gaim.
Tetrao nove guinee, Gm., juv.?
Oriolus coturnix, Scop.
Coturnix nove guinea, G. R. Gr.
Megapodius, juv., G. R. Gr.
Alecthelia urvilii, Less.
New Guinea; Island of Waigiou; Mysol; Kaioa; Batchian (B.M.); and Morty Islands.
1864.] MR. G. R. GRAY ON A NEW MEGAPODE,. 43
6. ? Mecaponivus quoyi, G. R. Gr.
Gilolo, South (B.M., juv.). Perhaps only a local variety; but the young state differs from
that of the former. ¥*
7. MEGAPODIUS FORSTENI, Temm. Amboina (B.M.); Ceram (B.M.); Bouru; Banda?
8. MEGAPODIUS MACGILLIVRAYI, G. R. Gr. Louisiade Archipelago, Duchateau Isles (B.M.) and Pig Island. HEX
9. MEGAPODIUS REINWARDTII, Wagl.
New Guinea, Dorey (B.M.), River Oetanata; Aru Islands (B.M.); Ké Islands (B.M.).
10. MreGapropius TuMULUS, Gould.
Australia, North (B.M.); Islands in Endeavour and Torres Straits; Craincross Island (B.M.).
11. MreGApopIuUS RUBRIPES, Temm.
Amboina (B.M.).
12. MreGaropius Gou.tpil, G. R. Gr. Lombock (B.M.); Flores (juv. B.M.)?
13. MEGAPODIUS NICOBARIENSIS, Bl.
Nicobar Islands.
The adults of the last five species closely assimilate to one an- other; but the young birds exhibit differences in colour and mark- ings, yet in general appearance they bear a great resemblance to each
other. KKK
14. Mrecaropius cuminaetl, Dillw. Philippine Islands, Manilla (B.M.); Labuan ; Borneo,
15. MeGApopius GILBERTIHI, G. R. Gr. Celebes, Menado (B.M.). KEERK 16. MeGapopius wWALuace!, G. R. Gr. Gilolo, East (B.M.); Ternate; Bouru. KRKEKE 17. MEGAPODIUS LA-PEROUSI, Quoy & Gaim. Ladrone or Marian Islands, Guam, Botta, and Tinian.
44 MR. G. R. GRAY ON A NEW TOURACO. [Feb. 9,
KKEKREKE 18. MreGaApropius pritcHaArpil, G. R. Gr. Island of Nina Fou (B.M.).
19?. MrGapropius BURNABY], G. R. Gr. Hapace Islands (egg, B.M.).
20?. Mrcapopius starril, G. R. Gr. Samoan Islands (egg, B.M.).
21’. Mrecaropius? anpERSONI, G. R. Gr. New Caledonia.
Among other localities in which these birds are found, may be recorded all the islands that compose the group known as the New Hebrides. Mr. Bennett especially refers to Sandwich Island, where, he says, one of the species is known by the name of “'Tarboosh ;” while at Tanna, another of this group, a similar bird is denomi- nated in English the “ Bush-fowl.”
They also inhabit the Salomon Islands, as eggs, certainly of a species of this genus have been brought lately from them ; and Mr. Bennett states that living specimens were obtained by Mr. Dawson at the Island of Sava or Russell Island*. Further, Downing, in his ‘ List of the Birds of Norfolk Island,’ mentions a bird under the appel- lation of ‘‘ Guinea Fowl,’’ which may prove eventually, when found, to be a species of Megapode !
2. Notice or A New Species or TurRACUS FROM EASTERN Arrica. By G. R. Gray.
A new species of the interesting genus Twracus has just been brought by the Rev. C. Livingstone from the Manganja Highlands of East Africa, where it was obtained at an elevation of 3000 or 4000 feet above the sea.
It approaches the Turacus albocristatus in its general appearance, but the crest differs in form, being as it were bicrested; viz. the plumes from the crown are long and narrow, thus forming a crest pointed posteriorly, while those on the occiput are very short and closely set upon it. All the plumes of both parts are tipped with white. The rest of the plumage is very similar to that of Turacus albocristatus ; but the feathers of the back and wings are margined with shining golden green instead of bluish green, as is seen on the latter-men- tioned species.
I propose the name of Twracus livingstonii, as a slight acknow- ledgment of that gentleman’s merit in adding so interesting a spe- cies to our knowledge of this showy genus.
* This island is not to be found in any map or geographical dictionary that I
am acquainted with, nor even in any of the missionary works treating especially on the islands of the South Seas.
1864.] MR. G. R. GRAY ON A NEW PRIONOPS. 45
Two other species of this family are contained in the Expedition’s collection, viz. Turacus porphyreolophus and Coliphimus concolor. The former differs in having a larger space of rich golden green on the sides of the head, while the rufous tint is entirely wanting on the breast. The second species also offers some slight variations, viz. the crest and throat are of a lighter colour. Thus both species differ in some respects from the specimens obtained in the Cape Colony; but, I suppose, they will come within the category of local varieties.
3. On a New Species or Prionors. By G. R. Gray.
I beg to lay before the Meeting the description of a new species of Prionops, which has been obtained during the Zambesi expedition.
PRIONOPS TRICOLOR.
Black ; back, ramp, wing-coverts, and tertials purplish grey ; quills fuscous black, from the second to the tenth quills crossed interiorly with a white oblique band ; vent, under tail-coverts, and tips of the tail-feathers white; on the latter the white decreases in width from the outer to the central feathers, where it exhibits only a small spot on each feather.
The frontal plumes covering the nostrils are short, turned upwards, and slightly curved backwards in front of the eyes, like those of the Prionops talacoma, which latter species, with the new one, were sent in the first series of birds as from Tette.
The eyes are surrounded by serrated fleshy rings. The bill and feet red; the former is tipped with yellow.
Length 7" 6"; wings 5".
This new species is allied to Prionops retzii, but it is without the white rump, and the tips of the tail-feathers are white on both webs.
There are six species now known of the genus Prionops; they consist of
. plumatus, Shaw.
. poliocephalus, Stanley. . concinnatus, Sundev.
. talacoma, A. Smith.
. retzii, Wahlb.
. tricolor, G. R. Gr.
The allied genus, Sigmodus, contains three species, viz.
=] jh” iea=)ay~ [og]
S. caniceps, Temm. S. rufiventris, Bp. S. scopifrons, Peters.
All the species of these two genera are confined to the continent of Africa.
46 DR. A. GUNTHER ON AUSTRALIAN BATRACHIA. [Feb. 9,
4. Tuirp ConTRIBUTION TO OUR KNOWLEDGE OF BATRACHIANS FROM AuSTRALIA. By Dr. A. GUNTHER.
(Plate VII.)
The following is a continuation of two other papers treating on the same subject ; they were published in the ‘ Annals and Magazine of Natural History,’ 1863, p. 26, and in the ‘ Proceedings’ of this Society, 1863, p. 249.
MrxopuyeEs (g. n. RANIDARUM),
Habitus as in Rana, the head being broad and large; legs of mo- derate length. Tongue circular, not notched behind; vomerine teeth in two series ; lower jaw without tooth-like apophyses. Open- ings of the Eustachian tubes narrower than the choane ; tympanum distinct. Fingers free, none opposite to the others; interdigital membrane between the toes well developed; fifth toe moveable to its base ; a long, compressed, subsemicircular tubercle at the meta- tarsus. Male with a single subgular sac, which is not visible exter- nally.
Mixopuygs Fasciotatus. (Pl. VII. fig. 1.)
This Batrachian approaches the true Frogs more closely than any other known from the Australian region ; its habitus is that of Rana, but the head is disproportionally large and broad. The snout is ob- tusely rounded, with the canthus rostralis gradually descending in a gentle curve, and with the loreal region obliquely flattened. The nostril is scarcely below the canthus, midway between the eye and the end of the snout. The eye is large, prominent. Cleft of the mouth very wide, much broader than long. The vomerine teeth are in a nearly straight line, between the anterior angles of the choane; the two series being separated in the middle by a narrow space. Two long slits on the side of the tongue lead into the subgular sac. The tympanum is nearly as large as the eye. With the exception of a very slight fold above the tympanum, the skin is perfectly smooth.
Fingers tapering, rather slender. The length of the body equals the distance between vent and heel, but it is much more than the length of the remaining foot. Toes two-thirds webbed, so that the three outer phalanges of the fourth toe remain free.
Upper parts brownish olive, with a darker cross band between the hinder half of the superciliaries. A black band runs along the can- thus rostralis, widening on the foremost part of the snout below the nostril, and is continued behind the eye, above the tympanum ; sides of the body with round brown or black spots ; legs with numerous black cross bands, which are most distinct on the hinder side of the fore legs and on the anterior side of the hind limbs. Lower parts uniform white ; throat of the male brownish.
Specimens of this Frog have been sent by Mr. Krefft from the
PZ $1864 Plate VII
3
Geo West lth ad nat WWest imp
1 Mixophyes fasciolatus. 2 Pterophrynus affms.
3 P tasmaniensis. 4 P levis.
1864.] DR. A. GUNTHER ON AUSTRALIAN BATRACHIA. 47
Clarence River; the following are the dimensions of an adult female :—
lines Length of the body .......+---+ese---+- 33 Width of the mouth .............-..6. 14 Length of the fore limb ......-+.......+- 23 of the third finger ............0- ri of the hind limb................ 54 Os ther entire tOOb. «cites ictatops <ptiaxe.sy.eu 23
at the fourth: COG. 4. ses; quasayorne oi = 153
PrerorpuryNnus AFFinis. (Pl. VII. fig. 2.)
Habit as in Camariolius varius, Peters, but with the snout longer and more pointed ; the canthus rostralis is rather distinct hetween eye and nostril, and is strongly deflexed in front. Upper parts smooth, the lower coarsely granulated. Eye rather large, not much shorter than the snout. Tongue narrow, ovate, entire behind ; vo- merine teeth none, but there is a short, scarcely perceptible osseous ridge in front of the orbital groove. Toes not fringed; tarsus with a longitudinal fold of the skin ; metatarsus with two minute tubercles. The length of the body is more than the distance between vent and metatarsal tubercles. Upper parts reddish olive, with a double series of irregular blackish spots along the back ; a black band runs from behind the eye along the side of the body towards the loin, a blackish streak along the canthus rostralis. Lower parts whitish.
lines Length of the body.............-.--0-- 12 pfdie hare leh ox da ahead oe opthe.fourth hind toe...\..- . 212159; 5 Distance between vent and knee.......... 42
Hab. Western Australia.
Having found in the collection of the British Museum a specimen of Pterophrynus verrucosus, Liitken, I convinced myself that the slight swelling ‘of the skin between the angle of the mouth and the shoulder is not produced by an accumulation of glands, so as to deserve the name of a parotoid. The processes of the sacral ver- tebra are so slightly dilated, that they might be described as cylin- drical ; however, each process terminates in a cartilage, which is very distinctly dilated. On comparing this Frog with the Camario- lius of Peters, I came to the conclusion that both these genera must be united; for although Professor Peters describes the processes of the sacral vertebra as narrow, I find them in Camariolius varius, Peters, as slightly dilated as in Pterophrynus. Probably any one who had no opportunity of observing the following species would have overlooked the dilatation of those processes in the species mentioned. P. levis has them very distinctly dilated, and P. afinis and P. tasmaniensis are, in this respect, intermediate between these extreme forms. They form only one genus, which, perhaps, must be still further extended ; for, whilst none of the species mentioned
48 DR. A. GUNTHER ON AUSTRALIAN BATRACHIA. [Feb. 9,
are provided with vomerine teeth, several specimens in our col- lection, which, perhaps, are the Cystignathus georgianus of D. & B., and which can scarcely be generically separated from our Péero- phryni, have those teeth well developed. Tschudi has proposed the name of Crinia for the last-named species.
PTEROPHRYNUS TASMANIENSIS. (PI, VII. fig. 3.)
Very similar to Camariolius pictus, Peters; upper and lower parts nearly entirely smooth, with scarcely any trace of flat tubercles. Snout rounded in front, somewhat pointed, sloping downwards in a gentle curve from the nostrils. Eye of moderate size, rather longer than its distance from the nostril. Tongue narrow, ovate, entire behind ; vomerine teeth none. Toes fringed; tarsus without longitudinal fold ; metatarsus with two minute tubercles. The length of the body equals the distance between vent and metatarsal tubercles. Upper parts blackish brown, with a more or less distinct broad red- dish-olive band running from behind the eye towards the loin ; lower parts beautifully rose-coloured, largely marbled with black ; the pre- anal parts black.
lines
Length of the body | i4) 6 0004.43. 9, eapkiok 13
of the hind tlmb: sa s4 Heid. eos 19
of the fourth hind toe............ 6
* Distance between vent and knee.......... 5
Hab. Van Diemen’s Land.
PreropuryNus Levis. (Pl. VII. fig. 4.)
Habit as in Pseudophryne; snout rather short and rounded, with the canthus rostralis obtuse. Eye considerably shorter than the snout. Upper and lower parts perfectly smooth. Tongue narrow, ovate, entire behind; vomerine teeth none. Tympanum very small, covered not only by the skin, but also by muscle. Toes not fringed, without subarticular tubercles; neither a tarsal fold nor metatarsal tubercles are present. The length of the body is not much less than that of the hind limb. Brownish olive ; small yellow spots are scat- tered over the upper parts ; numerous brown spots on the belly and on the lower side of the hind limb.
lines Denpth Of the BOG 65sec sys alo wince oth 13 ob the timd Wintle...2 3 ceteaks 43, 4 16 of the fourth hind toe............ 54 Distance between vent and knee.. ... 45
Hab. Van Diemen’s Land.
LiITORIA WILCOXII.
Snout of moderate length, somewhat pointed in front, the distance between the front angles of the orbits being equal to that between the eye and the extremity of the snout. Canthus rostralis angular ; nostril much nearer to the end of the snout than to the eye. Tym-
1864.) DR. A. GUNTHER ON AUSTRALIAN BATRACHIA. 49
panum very distinct, half the size of the eye. Skin perfectly smooth; a fold across the chest; belly granulated. Vomerine teeth in two oblique short series between the anterior part of the choane ; tongue entire behind. Openings of the Eustachian tubes much narrower than the choane. Limbs rather slender: the third finger is longer than the fourth. The length of the body is a little less than the distance between vent and heel. Tarsus with a lateral fold of the skin; metatarsus with two small tubercles. Toes three-fourths webbed; the length of the fourth toe is a little less than one-half of that of the body. Disks rather small.
Upper parts greyish olive, indistinctly marbled with darker; a dark cross band between the eyes. A black band runs from the snout along the canthus rostralis, and is continued behind the eye, through the tympanum, to behind the axil. Sides of the belly and hinder side of the thigh yellow, marbled with black.
lines
Eeugth or the beby Pf .0. 2228 a 19 Width of the cleft of the mouth.......... 62 ihength-ot the fore limb .2...2. . 22. Va. 134 of the third finger .............. 43
of the hing Thm 5.3 seca nner SD
pb thevengire faotinid: peek: jot kb
Of fhe! fourth toe ai. Suisse. terest s 9
Two specimens were sent by Mr. Krefft; they were collected at the Clarence River by James F. Wilcox, Esq., to whom science is in- debted for many valuable acquisitions from that country.
I take this opportunity of remarking that Hyla aurea, Less., has the first finger opposite to the three others, and that therefore it ought to be referred to the genus Litoria.
HALOPHILA PLATYDACTYLA.
This species is very similar to H. vitiana, Bibr., but distinguished by the very broad terminal disks of the fingers, which are as large as the tympanum. In the form of its head it agrees with the other species mentioned; the tympanum is not quite half as large as the eye; the choanz and openings of the Eustachian tubes are small, and the minute vomerine teeth form only a very short oblique series behind the choane. The skin is perfectly smooth. The first finger is shorter than the others. The length of the body is more than the distance between vent and heel. Toes with a rudimentary web, and with the terminal disks much smaller than those of the fingers ; the third toe is longer than the fifth; metatarsus with two minute tubercles. Uniform brownish violet above ; light brownish below.
Length of the body 16 lines, of the hind limb 22 lines, of the fourth toe 7 lines, of the fore limb 113 lines.
The locality where this species has beeu obtained is not known, but it is probable that it came from one of the Feejee Islands.
Proc. Zoou. Soc.—1864, No. IV.
50 MR. G. F. ANGAS ON THE DISTRIBUTION [Feb. 9,
5. OBSERVATIONS ON THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE Species oF VoLuTA AND CYMBIUM IN THE AUSTRALIAN Seas. By Greorce Frencu Aneas, Corr. Mem.
New Holland may well be regarded as the metropolis of the Vo- lutide, no less than twenty-eight or twenty-nine of the seventy species of the genus Voluta already known to us, and some half-dozen species of the allied genus Cymbium, having their habitat in the Au- stralian waters. Under the term Australia I include New Cale- donia, New Zealand, and the adjacent islands, which may fairly re- present one geographical province or area, throughout which this family developes itself in a large number of species. Having had frequent opportunities, during my researches both in Australia and New Zealand, of determining the exact geographical range of many of the Volutes, I have been induced to embody my observations in the following notes on such species as are inhabitants of the Australian Seas.
1, Votura (ScapHa) MaGniFica, Chemnitz.
This noble species, one of the largest of the genus, is peculiar to the east coast.of Australia, south of the tropic of Capricorn. Its most northern limit appears to be about Port Curtis and Moreton Bay, where a tubercled variety was found by the late Mr. S. Stutch- bury, of which I have seen two examples. In the sheltered harbours of Brisbane Water and Port Jackson, where it seems to attain its maximum size, it is found half burying itself amongst the weed and ooze on a sandy or muddy bottom, often in shallow water below tide-mark. My largest specimen, from Vaucluse Bay, in Sydney Harbour, measures nearly | foot in length ; and the one in the British Museum, from the same locality, presented by Capt. Sir Everard Home, is still larger. This species occurs as far south as Woollon- gong and Jervis Bay, which I judge to be near its southern limit. As might be expected from so large and conspicuous a species, it is now becoming rare in Port Jackson, and fine specimens in good con- dition are very difficult to obtain.
2. Votuta (ScAPHA) FUSIFORMIS, Swainson.
This scarce and elegant Volute belongs to Tasmania and the islands of Bass’s Straits; I have never met with it either in New South Wales or South Australia. In most of the specimens which have heen obtained, the papillary apex is wanting. The specimens from King’s Island and other parts of Bass’s Straits are larger, thicker, and more yentricose than those from Southern Tasmania.
3. Votuta (ScapHa) RuTILA, Broderip.
From the north-east coast of Australia. My specimen was ob- tained near Cape York, during the cruise of H.M.S. ‘ Rattlesnake,’ and is not tubercled.
1864.] OF VOLUTA AND CYMBIUM IN THE AUSTRALIAN Seas, 51
4. Votura (ScapHa) PIPERITA, Sowerby.
This lovely species is extremely rare: I do not think there are half a dozen specimens in Europe. Its habitat (till lately unknown) is Woodlark Island, whence the two fine examples in my own col- lection were obtained by H.M.S. ‘Iris.’
5. Voiura (ScapHa) puLcHRA, Sowerby.
An exquisitely beautiful Volute, of which a specimen in a live state was found at Heron Island, on the north coast of Australia, by my friend Mr. J. Macgillivray, and is now in the National Collection.
6. Votuta (Scapa) DESHAYESII, Reeve.
This gorgeously blood-spotted Volute has only been known to collectors during the last few years. Previously to its being de- scribed by Mr. Reeve in the ‘ Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London,’ I had received several specimens from the tortoiseshell and béche-de-mer traders, who visit the islands to the north-east of Sydney. It appears to come from the north coast of New Cale- donia, and (although at one time I saw some hundreds lying on the deck of a small schooner in Sydney, and was obligingly offered as many as I liked to take by the captain) is still a species much valued by collectors in Europe.
7. Votutra (ScarHa) NorRISII, Sowerby.
King George’s Sound, Western Australia. Rare. This species differs from the common /, nivosa in being shorter and broader, with a very dark aperture, and in having the whorls coronated at the angle.
8. Votuta (ScapHa) nivosa, Lam.
Peculiar to the west coast of Australia, where it ranges abundantly from Swan River to Sharks’ Bay. At the latter place a small yel- lowish variety occurs, in which the snow-flake markings are nearly obsolete.
9, VotutTa (ScAPHA) MARIA-EMMA, Gray.
This species is most probably from the north-west coast of Au- stralia. At present I believe it is unique in the Cumingian collection.
10. Votuta (ScapHa) MAMILLA, Gray.
Several specimens of this large and remarkably papillose shell have lately been obtained in Tasmania. A fragment, evidently belonging to this species, was found on the beach at Kangaroo Island, in South Australia, amongst a heap of débris and broken shells.
11. Votura (Scarua) pactrica, Solander.
There are two or three very marked varieties of this species, which is pretty generally distributed along the shores of the north island of New Zealand. About Hokianga, on the west coast, 1 have met with
52 MR. G. F. ANGAS ON THE DISTRIBUTION [Feb. 9,
it nodulous and elongated. At the Bay of Islands there is a smooth variety, more ventricose, and richly coloured.
12. VotuTa (ScapHa) GRACILIS, Swainson.
A miniature species, differing in form and style of painting from the preceding, of which I have seen a few specimens from New Zea- land only.
13. Votuta (Scapua) soputa, Gray.
From the north coast of Australia, very rare. Mr. Murphy, of Sydney, possesses a very fine example of this species, which he ob- tained at Port Essington, when in company with the expedition of the late lamented Leichardt. One or two specimens have also been collected by H. M. surveying-ships on the north coast.
14. Vo.tuTa (VOLUTELLA) FLAVICANS, Gmel.
This species (V. volvacea of Lamarck) occurs also at Port Essing- ton, whence my specimens were obtained. It probably extends northwards to New Guinea and the adjacent islands.
15. Votuta (VoLUTELLA) PAPILLOSA, Swains.
This ponderous and handsomely marked shell is one of consider- able rarity. Worn and dead examples, however, may frequently be met with on the beaches at Encounter Bay and Kangaroo Island in South Australia, and in several parts of Tasmania and Bass’s Straits. In the adult state the outer lip is often extremely thickened ; and the apex in the young shell somewhat resembles that of V. mamilla, on a smaller scale.
16. Votuta (VoLUTELLA) FULGETRUM, Broderip.
This fine species is also rare, and inhabits similar localities to the preceding, VY. papillosa. The first specimen was brought to Europe from Port Lincoln by Flinders’s Expedition, and afterwards realized a large sum at the sale of the Tankerville Collection. By far the finest example of V. fulgetrum yet obtained, both for size and bril- liancy of colour, was dredged at Tunby Bay, in Spencer’s Gulf, on the edge of a sandbank, and is now in my collection. In the British Museum are two specimens of this species, presented by my friend Mr. Harvey, of Port Lincoln, labelled as being from ‘ Port Lincoln, Torres Straits”!
17. Votuta (VOLUTELLA) ROSSINIANA, Bernardi.
From New Caledonia, rare. A very elegant species, somewhat resembling V’. imperialis of the Philippines.
18. Votura (AmortiA) unpuLaTA, Lam.
This common species has a wider range of distribution than most of the genus. It occurs in Port Jackson, on the east coast, where it
1864.] OF VOLUTA AND CYMBIUM IN THE AUSTRALIAN SEAS. 53
is very rare, and extends round the south coast of Australia as far to the westward as Swan River. In Tasmania and Bass’s Straits, where it is very abundant, the shells are of a darker colour and stouter than those from Port Lincoln, which are of a pale ivory tint and more elongated.
19. Votuta (AmoriA) ExopTANDA, Sowerby.
This extremely rare Volute was first described by Mr. Lovell Reeve from a unique specimen in the collection of the Rev. Mr. Crotch. Miss Saul has shown me a second specimen, in a worn state, having been picked up on the beach at Port Elliott, in South Australia, by some children, who used it as a toy with other broken shells. On their arrival in England, the “ much-to-be-desired”’ Volute was eagerly rescued by Miss Saul, and now holds a distin- guished place in that lady’s cabinet.
20. Votutra (AmorrA) votva, Chemnitz.
This species (V. pallida of Gray) occurs freely along the west coast of Australia, especially about Swan River. V. volva has been confounded with VY. turnert and V. pretexta, from the north and east coasts, by some authors; but I regard them as being each spe- cifically distinct, besides belonging to widely different localities.
21. Votuta (AmoRIA) RETICULATA, Reeve.
An extremely rare species, somewhat allied to the last, but banded and beautifully reticulated with chestnut-brown. The few specimens already known have been brought from the neighbourhood of Sharks’ Bay, Western Australia.
22. Votuta (AMoRIA) TURNER], Gray. A delicate longitudinally striped species from North-east Australia.
23. VoLutTa (AmorIA) PRETEXTA, Reeve. A small reticulated species from the north coast of Australia.
24. Votuta (AmorIA) MACULATA, Swainson.
This rare and elegantly spotted shell, of which but few specimens are known, has its locality to the north of Queensland. I possess one example, which was obtained on the beach at Port Curtis.
25. Votuta (AmorIA) MARMORATA, Swainson.
Another very scarce species of a graceful Cyméa-like form, from Port Stephens and Port Macquarie, on the east coast of New South Wales. :
26. Votuta (AmoriA) ZEBRA, Leach.
A common species at Port Curtis and the mouth of the Richmond River, on the east coast of Australia. The V. lineata of Leach is a variety of this species.
54 MR. J. GOULD ON A NEW GULL FROM TIBET. [Feb. 9,
27. Vouuta (Lyria) mMirrz#rormis, Lamarck. V. multicostata, Broderip.
South Australia, on banks of sandy mud in Spencer’s Gulf and Gulf St. Vincent. Large and richly coloured specimens are occa- sionally washed on shore near the Semaphore at Port Adelaide, in a tolerably good state. Those found at Port Lincoln are smaller and paler in colour. _I possess a specimen of the latter variety from the beach at Buffalo Mouth, South Africa, though I do not find the species included in Professor Krauss’s ‘Siid-Afrikanische Mol- lusken.’
28. Votura (Lyrta) NucLevs, Lamarck. The smallest of the Australian Volutes, of which I have obtained specimens from the north-east coast, near Cape York. 29. VouuTa (LyR1A) DELICIosA, Montrouzier. A small, compact, delicately marked species from New Caledonia. It is very closely allied to V. eassidula from Japan. 30. MeLo GrorGin&, Gray. ‘Moreton Bay and Swan River.
31. Meo umsiticatus, Brod Moreton Bay.
32. Meo pDIADEMA, Lam. Port Essington.
33. MrLo mucrRoNATUS, Sow Moreton Bay.
34. Meo BrRoperipPu, Gray. Torres Straits.
35. Me Lo MILTONIS, Gray. Swan River.
6. DescripTion oF A NEw SPECIES OF GULL FROM TIBET. By J. Gou.p, Esa., F.R.S., etc.
CHROICOCEPHALUS TIBETANUS, Gould.
Head light chocolate-brown, deepening into black on the nape, sides of the head, and fore part of the neck ; back and wings delicate grey ; shoulders and edge of the wing pure white; first two primaries black, with an oblong patch of white occupying the basal portion of the outer web and the corresponding portion of the inner web for about half its breadth, and with an oval patch of white near the tip ;
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1864.] DR. J. E. GRAY ON WEST-AFRICAN MAMMALS. hy)
the remaining quills white, largely tipped and broadly margined along the inner web with black ; remainder of the plumage, comprising the neck, under surface, upper and under tail-coverts, pure white ; bill, legs, and feet coral-red ; nails black.
Total length 16 inches, bill 2 inches, wing 123 inches, tail 5 inches, tarsi 24 inches.
Hab. Tibet.
Remark. This fine and very distinct species belongs to that section of the Laride which comprises the well-known Black-headed Gull, C. ridibundus, but cannot be confounded with that or any other species, the broad black mark in the centre of its first two primaries, together with its larger size, serving at once to distinguish it. It was brought from Tibet by Major W. E. Hay, F.Z.S.
7. Descriprion or A New MusTeELa From QuiTo. By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., ere.
(Plate VIII.)
Mr. Gould has transferred to the British Museum the skin of a small Mustela which he received from Quito, along with a new spe- cies of Humming-bird, which he has lately described.
It is very distinct from any we have previously seen. It is about the size of the European Weasel (Mustela vulgaris).
MUsTELA AUREOVENTRIS. (PI. VIII.)
Dark brown; chin and side of the throat white ; throat, chest, inside of fore legs, and belly golden yellow ; whiskers black; tail rather tapering, as long as the body ; the soles of the hind feet hairy ; the pad of the toes bald, callous, hairy on the sides ; ears rounded, hairy. Length of body and head 6 inches, of tail 44 inches.
Hab. Ecuador.
8. Notes on somME MamMALiA, WITH THE DESCRIPTION OF A | New GouunpA, FRoM WESTERN Arrica. By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., erc.
In the ‘Proceedings of the Zoological Society’ for 1862, p. 8, Mr. Andrew Murray has described a Bat from Old Calabar under the name of Sphyrocephalus labrosus.
The British Museum has just received from Western Africa a young specimen of a Bat which evidently belongs to the same species ; and, as it differs in several particulars from the adult, I herewith send a short account of its peculiarities :—
The wings of this specimen, like all young Bats, are not completely developed, the fingers being short and the bones soft and flexible. The bald disk at the end of the nose is by no means so much deve-
56 DR. J. E. GRAY ON WEST-AFRICAN MAMMALS. [Feb. 9,
loped as in the adult; indeed the face differs only from the usual appearance of a Pteropine Bat in having the end of the nose rather broader, more bald, and in there being a deep groove with a slight fold of skin on the hinder side of it on each side of the muffle; and the front of the lower lip is reflected and bent down, with a slight notch in its middle. The nostrils are tubular and rather far apart. The
upper surface of the nose is rather swollen, convex, with a central longitudinal and some transverse wrinkles ; the surface of this large swollen part is only covered with short hairs, and is scattered with slender, rather short, erect, black bristles.
Epomophorus whitei, Bennett.
A white tuft of short soft hairs at the base of the front side of the ear; a tuft of white short hairs covering a deep pouch on the side of the shoulder.
Hab. Shupanga, on the Zambesi.
Dr. Kirk has presented to the Museum two specimens of this species ; they are both males.
‘They eat figs, coming out just for an hour or so in the evening and then retiring into dark places.”
The lips are very thick and rather dependent on the side, forming a very large pouch on the side of the mouth. The nostrils are mo- derately convolute on the outer side of the muffle, which is divided by a deep central notch, which extends down to the edge of the lip.
In the ‘ Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society of Edinburgh ’ for March 28, 1860, Mr. Andrew Murray, under the title of ‘ Con- tributions to the Fauna of Old Calabar,” has indicated two new ge- nera of Mammalia. He has most kindly transmitted to the British Museum the specimens on which these observations were founded. I have been enabled, by comparison with other specimens, to deter- mine what I consider them to be. The following are Mr. Murray’s notes :—
“« Anahyster (new genus of Otter) calabaricus, Murray,” 1. ec. p. dass
“Its dentition differs from that of our Common Otter (Lutra vul- garis) in having one fewer premolar in the upper jaw. Mr. Murray had submitted it to Professor Owen, who believes it to be a non-
1864.) DR. J. E, GRAY ON WEST-AFRICAN MAMMALS. 57
descript, and that it approaches Exhydra of Fleming (Phil. of Zool.) in having the first premolar suppressed above, but that the latter has also the first premolar suppressed below; it has, however, six incisors in the upper jaw; while the Sea-Otter (Hnxhydra) has only four in the adult state, which the specimen in question has.”
«It would appear to form an intermediate link between the true Otter and the Sea-Otter ; and its habitat in an estuary may there- fore perhaps be thought suitable enough.”
The skull transmitted by Mr. Murray exactly agrees in external form and disposition of the teeth with Aonywx of Lesson ; but it differs from the specimen of the skull of donyz in the British Mu- seum in the suppression of the front upper false grinders; but this may be only accidental, or peculiar to the West African form of that
enus. ‘ I have never seen any other specimen of a skull or a skin of the genus Aonyx from the west coast of Africa; so I cannot say whether it differs in any other character from the donyx of the Cape of Good Hope.
Aonyzx differs greatly in the external form of the skull from both Lutra and Enhydra. Tam inclined to regard Anahyster as a syno- nym of Aonyz.
The skull of Aonyz is well figured in De Blainville’s ‘ Ostéologie,’ plate 8 of the genus Mustela.
“‘ Rhinomus soricoides (nov. gen., nov. spec.?), Murray, /. c. p. 159.”
‘“‘This is a very puzzling little animal ; it has the appearance of a Shrew, with its long snout, but is in reality a mouse. Its dentition is somewhat peculiar, having a process behind them like the cusp of a carnivorous tooth. It is pentadactylous both before and behind ; and as all the allied genera and species have four fingers before and five behind, Mr. Murray considered that there was no alternative but to make a genus for its reception.”
The specimen described is a Sorez, allied to, if not the same as, Sorex myosurus, the cusp on the lower incisor tooth being the usual form of the cutting-teeth of that genus, so that Rhinomus must be reduced to a synonym of Sorez.
GoLUNDA PULCHELLA, Ni. S.
Blackish brown; chin, throat, inner side of limbs, and beneath greyish white; head grizzled with yellowish-white hairs; back with six rows of small oblong spots, almost continuous, forming narrow lateral streaks; outside of limbs with smaller pale spots, which are separated in the middle of the back by a well-defined black streak ; tail as long as the body, naked, with short scattered adpressed hairs.
Hab. West Africa (Mr. Gould); Central Africa (Capt. Speke).
This species is somewhat like G. barbara of North Africa, but the streaks of nearly continuous spots are very much smaller and narrower.
58 DR. J. E. GRAY ON AFRICAN LIZARDS, [Feb. 9,
I received the specimen above-described from Mr. Gould. There is in the British Museum an imperfect skin of the same species, which was presented by Capt. Speke as coming from Unyamuezi. Capt. Speke’s specimen is not so brightly coloured, and the vertebral streak is not so broad and distinct.
AULACODUS SWINDERNIANUS.
Hab. The delta of the Zambesi, on the Sand-Islands.
The flesh is much praised ; said to be very similar to the Cavies of South America (Dr. Kirk). ;
Dr. Kirk has sent to the Museum two fcetal specimens of this animal with their membranes.
9. Notes on some New Lizarps From SoutH-EAsTern AF- RICA, WITH THE DESCRIPTIONS OF SEVERAL New SPECIES. By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., Etc.
(Plate IX.)
Dr. John Kirk has most kindly sent to the British Museum a series of Lizards, Snakes, Insects, and other animals collected during the Zambesi expedition, under H. M. Consul the Rev. Dr. Living- stone. As the series of Lizards contains some species which do not appear to have been previously inserted in the ‘Systematic Cata- logue,’ I forward an account of them to the Society.
GERRHOSAURUS ROBUSTUS, Peters, Monatsb. 1854, p. 618.
Hab. Tette (Peters; Dr. Kirk).
Dr. Peters gives the word Caaiia as the name of this Lizard ; but, Dr. Kirk informs me, that word simply means ‘I do not know,” which was probably what the native said when he asked him what they called it.
Common near Tette. The native told Dr Kirk that it entered fowl-houses and killed the fowls, and that it bit very hard.
This species agrees in general appearance with the Lizard figured in Dr. Andrew Smith’s ‘ Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa,’ under the name of Gerrhosaurus bibronii; but the head of the Tette specimen is dark brown like the body, and is spotted with white; while in Dr. Smith’s species the head is figured as uniform red- brown.
'TEIRA ORNATA, 0. S.
Blackish brown above (in spirits), with three narrow continuous streaks from the occiput to the base of the tail; head with small symmetrically curved white lines; sides of the head and body with numerous erect, more or less sinuous, white cross bands ; chin and beneath white ; tail pale reddish brown ; ventral shields six-rowed ; the throat with a slight fold of a single series of rather larger flat
LI9UIN} SALI epOUWOoLy Z uyity stdoimdny T
Pei HD
1864. ] DR. J. E. GRAY ON AFRICAN LIZARDS. 59
scales; under the ears, scales small, granular, smooth ; of the tail elongate, keeled. Hab. South-Eastern Africa (Dr. Kirk).
LYGODACTYLUS, n. g.
Toes free, all clawed, slender, and subcylindrical, with a series of small scales beneath at the base rather dilated ovate, and with two series of regular transverse plates, separated by a central groove be- neath, at the end; the thumb (of the hind foot, at least) large. Head, body, and tail covered with uniform granular scales. Tail cylindrical, tapering; front of the vent granular. Labial shields large, in form equal, smaller behind, with a large shield in front of the chin.
This genus agrees with T'ecadactylus in the form of the plate beneath the toes ; but the toes are freer, and the bases of the toes are slender and subcylindrical. It differs from @dura and Strophura in the plates under the toes being of a uniform size, and closely im- bricate.
LYGODACTYLUS STRIGATUS, sp. nov.
Grey brown (in spirits) above; crown vermiculated and marbled with black ; chin and beneath white, with a black streak commencing from the nostril and continued, enclosing the eye, on the side of the neck and front of the body ; tail pale brown; scales on the back very minute, of the crown rather larger ; upper labial shields narrow ; the lower labial shields 7.7, the four in front of each side larger, be- coming gradually smaller; chin-shield six-sided, with two or three smaller shields on each side behind it.
Hab. South-Eastern Africa (Dr. Kirk).
Body and head 14 inch long; tail 1 inch.
HomopactTy vs, n. g.
The toes free, broad, depressed, rather broader and rounded at the ends ; thumb broad like the toes; all granular at the base, and with a single series of broad transverse plates beneath the dilated end, and without any free compressed terminal joints or claws. Back with large tubercles. Tail with rings of large tubercular scales. No pre- anal nor femoral pores.
This genus is like Phelsuma in the form of the toes ; but the thumb is dilated at the end like the toes; the back is tubercular, and the tail ringed and tubercular.
In the latter character it resembles Tarentola, which has the same habit of living in houses; but it has no compressed joints on the middle toes of the hands and feet.
HoMODACTYLUS TURNERI, sp.nov. (Pl. IX. fig. 2.)
Pale brown ; head blackish, tubercular; back with sixteen longi- tudinal series of large oblong, more or less keeled, black. brown tuber- cles, with a central series of much smaller similar tubercles down the
60 DR. J. E. GRAY ON AFRICAN LIZARDS. [Feb. 9,
vertebral line. The outer side of the limbs with similar tubercles, which are largest on the outer side of the fore legs and hinder side of the thighs and hind legs. Tail with rather distant rings of similar, but rather more acute tubercles, which make six longitudinal series on the base of the tail; underside pale brown, with smooth subequal scales; chin with three band-like shields in front.
Hab. South-Eastern Africa (Dr. Kirk). In the houses.
Var. or junior?
Pale brown, with the tubercles paler and with some opaque-white tubercles intermixed. Head with four longitudinal brown streaks up the face to the forehead ; a brown streak on the upper margin of the temple, five unequal, rather irregular, dark bands across the back, and with some more obscure paler bands across the tail. The toes appear scarcely so much dilated ; but in other respects they are like the two larger dark specimens.
I have named this species in honour of J. Aspinall Turner, Esq., M.P., who has done so much to make known the zoology of West- ern Africa, and formed such a fine collection of insects, especially of Coleoptera.
M. Auguste Duméril, in the ‘Revue et Mag. de Zoologie’ for 1851, describes and figures a Nocturnal Lizard, which had been re- ceived from Senegal, under the name of Stenodactylus caudicinctus (p. 478, t. 13).
M. A. Duméril observes that the slender-toed Geckotians are easily divided into two genera,—the Gymnodactyles having slender toes, which are smooth on the edge and with small centrical plates beneath ; while the Stenodactyles have each side of the toes fringed with small teeth, and the lower surface granular.
I cannot consider this an accurate account of the typical Steno- dactyles, or, at least, of the toes of the long-known species on which the genus Stenodactylus of Cuvier was established ; for in that ani- mal, as is well shown in Savigny’s figure in the large work on Egypt, the underside of the toes is furnished with a series of plates as in the Gymnodactyles, but instead of the plate being entire on the edge, as in Gymnodactylus, it is deeply dentated on the outer margin, which caused me, in my ‘Catalogue of Lizards in the British Museum,’ to form a tribe for it in the family Geckotide, under the name Steno- dactylina, which is thus characterized :—
“E. Toes cylindrical, tapering, toothed on the sides, lower surface with denticulated cross plates”’ (1. c. p. 177).
The Lizard from Senegal, which M. A. Duméril has referred to this genus, does not agree with this character. It, indeed, has the under surface of its cylindrical tapering toes covered with small acute scales, like the soles of its feet; and therefore I think that it must be formed into a distinct genus, which will form an anomalous group among the Night Lizards, or Geckotide, characterized by this peculiarity in the toes.
The Senegal Lizard cannot be properly referred to the genus Ste-
1864.] DR. J. E. GRAY ON AFRICAN LIZARDS. 61
nodactylus for another reason: the true Stenodactyli have the external appearance of the dgame, so much so that Geoffroy, on Savigny’s plate, calls it Z’ dgame ponctué; ard M. Audouin, in his ‘ Explanation of Savigny’s Plates,’ referred it to the genus Trapelus, under the name of T.. savignii ; while the Senegal Lizard is a typical Gecko in all outward characters except the toes, so much so that when it was first seen it was thought to be an Hudlepharis, erro- neously said to come from Africa. I propose to call this genus
PsILODACTYLUS, g. 0.
Toes short, subcylindrical, tapering, covered with flat scales above, and, like the palms, with small rough granules beneath ; thumb like toes, but shorter; all clawed. Tail cylindrical, covered with flat scales, annularly plaited with a series of larger scales on the edge of the folds; beneath covered with subequal, flat, square scales. Pre- anal pores in a short angular line. Head depressed, covered with polygonal shields ; labial shields low, broad ; upper and lower rostral shields large, similar. Edge of the eyelids reflexed, expanded ; pupil large. Back with series of granular tubercles, those on the side formed of three subequal, larger scales. Chin, throat, and belly with smooth polygonal scales.
This genus is very similar to Hublepharis (hardwickii) in external appearance and distribution of colour, but differs in the toes being very much shorter, thicker, and cylindrical and tapering, in the ends not being compressed and arched, but thick and cylindrical like the bases, and in the under surface of the toes being covered with small rough granules, like the under surface of the palm or soles of the feet. It differs also in the tubercles of the back being formed of groups of three scales; the central scales or tubercles on the middle of the back are larger than those on each side of it, but on the sides of the back the three scales are of nearly equal size.
In Eublepharis the toes are compressed at the end, and have a broad band-like scale beneath, and the tubercles of the back and sides are all formed of a single large scale.
PsILODACTYLUS CAUDICINCTUS. Stenodactylus caudicinctus, A. Duméril, 7. c.
In spirits, pale whitish ; upper part of the head brown, edged with a black horseshoe-shaped ‘band behind ; cheek and side of the throat black, varied ; back with two very broad irregular-edged black cross bands ; tail dark, ringed.
Hab. W. Africa; Old Calabar?
EuPREPIS GULARIS, Sp. nov.
Pale bronze-green brown (in spirit), with five narrow whitish streaks from the occiput continued on the base of the tail; crown of the head uniform brown; the central dorsal streak with a narrow black edge on each side, the two lateral streaks scarcely dark-edged,
62 DR. J. E. GRAY ON AFRICAN LIZARDS. [Feb. 9,
the upper one arising from the back edge of the eye, and the lower from the pale scales on the upper lip; the throat, the sides of the face, and neck dark brown, white-speckled. The front edge of the ears with a few very small thin scales.
Hab. South-Eastern Africa.
In the ‘ Catalogue of Lizards in the British Museum,’ I regarded these specimens from South Africa as varieties of the Euprepis quin- quefasciatus from Western Africa; but on recomparing these speci- mens with other specimens received since, and with the specimens brought home by Dr. Kirk, I am convinced that they are distinct.
EupREPIS KIRKII, sp. nov. (Pl. IX. fig. 1.)
Black-brown ; back with three uniform well-marked yellow streaks, the middle one from the end of the nose to the base of the tail, the lateral ones from the eyebrows and continued on the side of the base of the tail, and tail-end blue. There is a streak like the others, but less distinct, on each side of the body, arising from the lips, continued across the ear-hole, and obscurely continued on the side of the base of the tail. The chin and underside of the body and base of the tail whitish ; scales with three distinct keels ; two series of scales between each pale streak ; the ear-holes oblong, erect, open, with three very small indistinct prominences on the front edge, which are placed at unequal distances from each other.
Hab. Tette (Dr. Kirk).
This species resembles in external appearance the Blue-tailed Skink of North America; but the central dorsal streak is not forked over the head. It is very like the ZL. quinquefasciatus of Western Africa ; but the dorsal streaks are not black-edged, and the central one is continued to the end of the nose. ‘This is not the case in the latter species, which agrees with ZH. kirkii in having only two series of scales between each white streak.
Named in honour of Dr. Kirk, its discoverer.
Euprepis GRANTII, Sp. nov.
Pale bronzed brown, with a broad pale whitish streak on each side of the back, continued from the eyebrows to the lower part of the tail. Sides of the head and neck with a broad blackish streak, en- closing the eye and over the ears. ‘The upper lip and slender streak under the eye opaque white. Scales three-keeled.
Hab. South-Eastern Africa (Dr. Kirk).
CHAMELEO DILEPIS, Gray, Cat. Lizards B.M. 266.
The white band on the sides is formed of round groups of white scales of the same size and form as the other scales on the sides. There is also a triangular white spot at the angles of the mouth.
Hab. South-Eastern Africa (Dr. Kirk).
1864.] DR. E. CRISP ON THE ANATOMY OF THE GIRATFE. 63
10. ConrriBUTIONS TO THE ANATOMY OF THE GIRAFFE, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE LENGTH OF THE ALIMENTARY CANAL OF MANY OF THE RUMINANTS, AS MEASURED BY THE AutTHor. By Epwarps Crisp, M.D., F.Z.S., erc.
The anatomy of the Giraffe has been so ably described by Professor Owen in the second volume of our ‘ Transactions,’ that it would be waste of time to enter minutely into matters connected with the dis- section of this animal that are already published. My object will rather be to bring before the Society certain structural peculiarities that have not been, as I believe, properly investigated, and others that have not been noticed.
Since the publication of the communication by Professor Owen, mentioned above, I have had an opportunity of examining three Giraffes that died at the Society’s Gardens. The old female was brought from Kordofan with three others in 1836; she bred six young ones, all males. Before her death, which took place in 1852 (at which period she was about eighteen years of age), her abdomen was greatly enlarged, and it was supposed that the enlargement arose from the presence of water; but I found after death that the sto- mach was enormously distended with vegetable food, which had evi- dently been accumulating for a long period, the enfeebled powers of the stomach from old age, combined with the state of the liver, not enabling this viscus to get rid of its contents. The liver contained several Echinococci, varying in size from that of a pigeon’s egg to a hen’s egg; two of these cysts were also present on the surface of the spleen, as seen in the drawing exhibited. To show the capacity of the stomach of this animal, I may mention that the vegetable food spoken of above weighed more than 180 lbs.
The next Giraffe examined was a young male that died the year following (Dec. 30, 1853), from inflammation of the lungs and dis- eased kidneys.
The third was a young animal bred in the Gardens in 1861; it died, from the effects of an accident, at the age of two months, and I examined the body in company with Dr. Cobbold and Mr. Jennens.
As I have said before, the form of the viscera of the Giraffe has been so well described by Professor Owen that I need not repeat the description here ; but the accompanying drawings of all the viscera, reduced in size, will give at a glance the form of them, both in the Giraffe and in the Eland. I will also, as the weight of the viscera has not been before given (except in one example in my work on the ee vesure and Use of the Spleen,’ 1853), append the following table :—
64 DR. E. CRISP ON THE ANATOMY OF THE GIRAFFE. [Feb. 9,
F See a a og 3 e s| © |_als ah. g | Heart. = Liver. |Spleen.| 9 | EE a Eye. |¥2'3 5 4 a | 4 je sie Aas oz. | lbs. oz.|bs.| Ibs. 0z.| lbs. oz.) 0z. | lbs. oz.| grs.|grs.| grs, | ft. in Old female : weight of = body about 5 0/10; 120,)112;5 | 112 254 16 cwt. Young male: weight of body about THO Sedo ola oatc2 tere I OL) Seales was 209 O 16 cwt. Young, | OZ. grs. 400 two months: }/133} 1 0 | 22) 30} 010 | 23 | 6 54 | 67 |350); lens }|107 11 body 3 ewt. | | 35
The most interesting feature in the above table, perhaps, is the great length of the alimentary canal; but it will be fully shown, in the table that I have appended to this paper, that the digestive tube of the Giraffe, when the size of the animal is taken into account, is of less extent than that of many of the smaller ruminants.
As regards the length of the intestinal tube, the differences between my measurements and those of Professor Owen are so great that they could only arise from the difference in the age of the animal. In Prof. Owen’s three specimens (all adults) the canal measured 124, 133, and 136 feet (Transactions, vol. ii. p. 227); whilst in my specimens the length of the tube was 254, 209, and, in the immature specimen, 107 feet 11 inches. In the ‘Mémoires du Muséum @ Histoire Na- turelle de Strasbourg,’ 1840 to 1846, MM. Joly et Lavocat have given a long and elaborate description of the dissection of a young Giraffe, and they allude frequently to Professor Owen’s paper on this sub- ject. These gentlemen, in remarking on the alimentary canal, say, “‘Ce que nous a surtout frappé en étudiant l’appareil digestif, c’est la longueur réellement extraordinaire du canal qui forme la partie principale de cet appareil.” And they quote from Cuvier and Du- vernoy the length of the canal of the Camel 42™°213, Ox 48™-869, Stag 21":538, Horse 25":189 ; and go on to say that the total length of the alimentary canal of the Giraffe examined by them was 65 metres 25 millimetres (about equal to 211 English feet, and 2 feet longer than that of my young male), and, to quote their own words, “‘C’est A dire des dimensions relatives bien plus considérables que celles qu’ ont offertes sous ce rapport tous les mammiféres dont on a étudié organisation, le Mouton excepté.”
As I have stated above, many animals have relatively a longer ali- mentary tube than the Giraffe.
In the examinations by Professor Owen, only the brain and liver appear to have been weighed. ‘The brain in his specimen weighed 14 ozs. ; that of the young male dissected by me, 15 ozs. ; and it will be seen that the brain of the young specimen was nearly equal in
1864.] DR. £. CRISP ON THE ANATOMY OF THE GIRAFFE. 65
weight to that of the adult. Its eye, too, weighed 400 grains; the erystalline lens 35 grains (a large visual organ for so young an animal) ; the thyroids weighed 350 grains ; and the salivary glands 1174 grains. The urinary bladder held 23 pints of fluid. In the young male the tongue measured 1 foot 10 inches in length, and the trachea and bronchi contained more than 200 rings. Valves were present in the abdominal veins of the two last-named animals, including the renal and splenic ; they were only seen in the splenic vein of the old Giraffe, the other abdominal veins not having been examined.
It is well known that the Giraffe has been variously classed by different writers, Illiger and Swainson placing it with the Camels ; others think that it is more nearly allied to the Deer; some place it with the Antelopes; whilst Dr. Gray, I believe, makes it a distinct family.
As has been mentioned often at this Society, Professor Owen found a double gall-bladder in one of his specimens, whilst in all others it has been stated to have been absent ; but I find another in- stance where a gall-bladder was found in a Giraffe, related by Gordon, in the supplement to the 7th volume of Buffon. Professor Owen thinks that the occasional presence of a gall-bladder is the best evi- dence of the affinity to the Antelopes; but, as I have stated in my paper on the gall-bladder, the oft-made assertion that the solid-horned ruminants (Deer) have no gall-bladder is not to be depended upon.
There is one feature (hitherto, I believe, unnoticed) that separates this animal entirely from the Camelide, viz. the form of the blood- corpuscles ; and the more the anatomy of the Giraffe is investigated, the more aberrant it appears.
MM. Joly and Lavocat, before quoted (1846), state that in the Giraffe that they inspected they found seven or eight cavities, which appeared to be furnished with glandular crypts, at the origin of the duodenum. I believe these crypts had not been before noticed, and I omitted to look for them.
I have mentioned the subject of classification because the recent discovery of Dr. Cobbold of sacculated glands and pouches in the small intestine and czecum, some of which he has compared to water- reservoirs, may lead to the inference that the affinity to the Camelide is greater than was formerly supposed ; but as the matter is import- ant, I quote Dr. Cobbold’s own words from the Supplement to Todd’s Cyclopedia, page 539 :—“ The intestinal glands in Rumi- nantia generally do not offer any deviation worthy of notice; in the Giraffe, however, we have discovered a curious exception to this rule, arising out of the presence of certain pouch-like folds in connexion with the glandule agminate, and in particular with a very remark- able extension of the last Peyerian patch beyond the ileo-colic open- ing. Probably more than one-half of the entire series of agminated follicles exhibited this peculiarity ; but, in consequence of our having retained only some 6 or 8 feet of the gut for minute examination, we are not in a position to state with accuracy either the total number or precise localization of all the glands (four of which were found) presenting this anomaly. In the small intestines the fold consists
Proc. Zoou, Soc.—1864, No. V.
66 Dk. E. CRISP ON THE ANATOMY OF THE GIRAFFE. ([Feb. 9,
simply in a semilunar valve-like production of the mucous membrane overlapping the anterior or duodeual end of each patch so as to leave a kind of cul de sac, &e.
“Far more striking and complicated is the pouched structure situated within the cecal extremity of the colon. Here we have from fifteen to twenty saccules, some of them resembling in many respects the water-reservoirs of the reticulum, and having a depth of 3 or 4 lines,” &e.
I now proceed to give an account of the intestinal tube of the young Giraffe last inspected. It was slit open from mouth to anus, and I examined it very carefully with Mr. Jennens in every part; and, that I might be correct, we went over it a second time. The only gland visible to the naked eye was a small agminated patch, 3 lines in length and 13 in breadth, on the lower part of the ileum. The glands before described by Dr. Cobbold were present, but not in so well-marked a character as those figured in the paper alluded to; and on distending the ceecum with air, I found that these crypts formed no external bulging, as is the case with the water-reservoirs spoken of by Dr. Cobbold, as the preparation before the Society will show. :
The careful examination, microscopical and otherwise, of the whole intestinal track of the abdominal tube in an old Giraffe will be a matter of great interest and importance, so that we may ascertain the exact condition of these peculiarities, duodenal, ceecal, and rectal, in the adult animal.
The most interesting part of my communication remains to be told. For the better inspection of the rectum of the young Giraffe, I took it to my own house, and was surprised to find, on cutting it open, that the mucous lining was elevated into irregular-shaped quadran- gular folds, having somewhat the appearance of the cells of the reti- culum, but on a larger scale. I have mislaid the preparation and a sketch of it, but I hope to exhibit it at the next Meeting. Since this examination, I have carefully looked at the rectum in all the ruminants inspected, but have found no analogous structure. I did not examine the lining membrane of this gut in the adult specimens, nor am I aware that it has ever been properly inspected.
Before I introduce the table, I will make a few remarks on the im- portance of a correct study of the alimentary canal and its appen- dages, the mucous glands, liver, pancreas, and spleen. Here it is that the pabulum of life is prepared, the blood-corpuscles generated, and the most important functions of the body performed. In addi- tion to the usual mode of examination, I have adopted one that I be- lieve is quite novel, viz. that of ascertaining the capacity of the di- gestive track by distending the various parts of the tube with water and accurately measuring the capacity of each division. When this plan is pursued throughout the whole class of Vertebrata, and the weight of the thoracic and abdominal viscera and other parts ascer- tained at the same time, I am sanguine enough to believe that many of our physiological deductions will stand on a firmer basis than at present. Let me give one example of the capacity of the alimentary
1864.] DR. E. CRISP ON THE ANATOMY OF THE GIRAFFE. 67
tube in a ruminant ; and I select the Aoudad (Ovis tragelaphus) for that purpose.
The alimentary tube measured 91 feet 1 inch in length ; the con- tents of the stomach weighed 20 lbs., and this viscus held 28 pints of water ; the cesophagus 8 ozs. ; the small intestines 9 pints, the large 4 pints: in all 41 pints. The gall-bladder contained 3 ozs. of bile.
In the subjoined table I have not selected all the ruminants I have dissected, as some of my papers have been mislaid ; but the number, I hope, is sufficient to lead to a useful and practical inference. The comparison, too, of the length of the canal in young and in old ani- mals is one, I think, of great interest. In all instances (when prac- ticable) the intestines have been pulled from the mesentery.
Length of alimentary Name. canal.
ft. in.
Giraffe, female, 18 years (Camelopardalis gyrafia) .. 254 0 CES 2 atl Oil Re Seale DNS aaa Mes, nee 20209 - 0 PR NET THOME eta gree at oa oo vow pecs ode Gg 107 11 Milani Oreas conuain glo. eqs ve tao lees oc fee. 161 0 Bubaline Antelope (dleelaphus bubalis) .......... 94.6 Old Leucoryx (Oryx leucoryx) .......0.. cece. se? 48356 Peramsrinnler ditto nee vids hed eaditts deuce Sis 65 0 Addax (Addax nasomaculata) 1.0... cece ce cece es 72,0 Bontiboe (Alcelaphus pygargus) 00... cece canes 64 2 Duykerboe (Cephalophus mergens) ........0..04. 95 0 Rheitboe (Eleotragus arundinaceus) ...........4 +. 48 0 Springbock, young (Gazella euchore) ............ 38 0 Sing-Sing (ddenota hob) .... 6... cece cece cceuae 64 0 EG HeeihriPe Mes Phys Jes oakt. cE wos pnd be 37 4 Indian Antelope (Cervieapra bezoarctica).......... 39 (0 Ditto, Ng as wis atta tt. 4 Re iAS BIAS Sine b 44 0 Bennett’s Gazelle (Gazella bennettii) ............ 43 0 Dorcas Gazelle (G. doreas). 2. . 6... 2... ce eee ee 4) 65 sree pweminge 15 'G7A...) os fs ae woe sss ce 10" 6 Indian Antelope (Antilope cervicapra) ............ 64 0 mane, atew weeks Gld gee) | ke ee 33 6 Philantomba Antelope (Cephalophus maxwellii) 39 8 Isabelline Antelope, young (Antilope isabellina) .... 31 0 Four-horned Antelope (Tetraceros quadricornis) .. 50 10 Harte Beest (Boselaphus caama Sd Sbatayamatese easel. 0 er, ee Nylghau, at birth, weight 14 Ibs. (Portaz picta)..., 32 2 meio, oldMemiale’ MA tPs Ty, ih 5G, fa, LAS TO ee ee ler Naples Sort ne ee eS 140 0 Reindeer, old female (Cervus tarandus)......... 120 0 Ditto. ditto. Rea ears 126 0 Mexican Deer (C. mewicanus) ..........se.-.008 52 6 Milatca Deer, younp- inf... dod. 2). bee hewt 2 48 4 Sambur Deer (C. aristotelis) ........ 00 cece ce ceus 80 0 Rocky-Mountain Deer ( Sas sao Sitka the y eat HAST
68 DR. E. CRISP ON THE ANATOMY OF THE GIRAFFE. ([Feb. 23,
Length of alimentary Name. canal.
ft. in.
Virginian Deer, two days old (Cervus virginianus) .. 18 2 Musk Deer, 3 lbs. (Moschus moschiferus).........- 13 5 EG Cero BICCR ce Neco reny one aA saat os ea ntes 129 0 PUUGACH A UCCTIL DOCOS). «vig ee b=. slae ahen pens ses ve 70 0 Huanaco (Auchenia huanaco).......... 0. eeee eee 95 0 Goat (kid), ‘four months.) V2.0 tae awk so en 30 0 Brocket (Consstre Pufeayoc vob. «2 = san way lees 55 9 Niaston’ (Onis Mmusiman)<. 25 cc. ins ae os Sn a a's 46 7 Aoudad (Or Zragelisphaey, 22sec sk at Stee be 91.0 Pape Sheep (Or aries)s.. Wisc satan cere caiewiane oe OF ask Southdown Lamb, six months ...............2.. eS) Old Southdown Ewe ........... terrier walle wom naa 109 8 Bipiester RAW, ier, ie args 25 cio 5 wales OS iy Re 117 0 Ox (B08: taUrs awe is «ale a oon seks ee ee eae 123 0 MRO NOD Hoth Ba 2 Ora aot tae Maleate on eee ee Bison,-eld- (Ch. ‘amerieanna).!, 5 <0 25st em ee ae 157 O
The above are not exactly in generic order. J may remark that the great majority of the animals were in the Society’s collection.
As this Society was established partly for the cultivation of phy- siology, I may be excused, I hope, for saying a word in conclusion in reference to the ruminants in this table. In 1853, when I showed the valves in the splenic veins of the Giraffe to this Society (P. Z. 8. 1853, p. 99), Kolliker, Carpenter, and all writers denied the exist- ence of valves in the abdominal veins; but I have found that all the quadrupeds mentioned in this table, as well as many others of a different order, possess them, not only in the intestinal veins, but often in the splenic and renal.
Time will not permit me to enter on the anatomy of the Eland on this occasion; I must therefore defer the paper until a future Meeting.
February 23, 1864. John Gould, Esq., F.R.S., in the Chair.
Dr. E. Crisp exhibited some drawings representing the eggs and young of the Anaconda (Zunectes murinus).
Mr. F. T. Buckland made some observations on the habits of spawning Trout, and on the results obtained in the course of experi- ments he had made with eggs taken from dead fishes.
TTT VWITTHOY a
VHONNTSNS em
Mary Pe MET Nw! NW
1864.] DR. J. E. GRAY ON A NEW ZORILLA, 69
The Secretary read the following extract from a letter addressed to Mr. S. P. Woodward, of the British Museum, by S. Archer, Esq., Assistant-Surgeon 98th Foot, dated Rawal Pindee, Dec. 26th, 1862, accompanied by specimens of Vitrina flemingi :-— |
“I send you herewith a few specimens of Vitrina flemingi, in spirits, as I thought you might wish to examine the teeth of a large species of the genus. I found them pretty abundantly along the banks of the Jhelum, on the road to Cashmere, and it seems to be not uncommon in the Himalayas between 5000 and 8000 feet elevation.
“ With the exception of a large white Bulimus, frequently reversed, it was almost the only land-shell I obtained.
“ Lymnea stagnalis, and a smaller species, is common in the lake near the city of Cashmere and in other places (about 5000 fect ele- vation). A small Cyrena is also abundant in the Jhelum, within the valley. There are alarge number of plants indigenous to the valley, which are also common in England; and I think I met with about half of our diurnal Lepidoptera, some of our rarest species being most abundant. (See paper, by S. P. Woodward, ‘On the Land and Freshwater Shells of Kashmir and Tibet, collected by Dr. T. Thomson,’ Proc. Zool. Soc. 1856, pe isa.)
The following papers were read :—
1. Notice or a New Species oF ZorILuA. By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., etc.
(Plate X.)
The British Museum, rather more than ten years ago, purchased of Mr. Argent the skin of a Zorilla, which differs from any others which I have seen. Unfortunately it was without any habitat, and T have been waiting in hopes of a second specimen occurring which would supply this deficiency.
It, however, appears so distinct that I think it now better to give a short account of it, that it may be recorded in the systematic cata- logues.
ZORILLA ALBINUCHA. (PI. X.)
Black ; back with four yellowish-white stripes, the two middle streaks short, the outer extending from the occiput to the base of the tail; tail yellowish white ; forehead, crown, nape, and upper part of the ears pure white.
Hab. q
The hair soft and short ; the white hair of the crown and the yel- lowish hair of the dorsal stripes one-coloured to the base ; the hair of the tail rigid, more or less blackish at the base.
There are two or three small, black, unsymmetrically placed spots on the crown, and the central black streak of the back is extended a short way up the centre of the nape. The front claws are short and acute.
70 MR. W. K. PARKER ON THE KAGU. [Feb. 23,
It differs from the Zorilla vaillantii, Loche (Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1856, vili. 497, t. 22), in the crown of the head being entirely white, and the streak on the back narrower and well-defined.
2, On THE OsTEOLOGY oF THE KaGu (RHINOCHETUS JUBATUS). By W. K. Parker.
If we take the terrestrial, amphibious, and aquatic birds as a prac- tical half of the whole class, we shall find that the minor groups into which they break up all fuse into each other at their margins.
If it were not for the fact that the Pigeons, Ardeine birds (e. g. Ibises, Storks, and Herons), and the “ Pelecaninze” have tender young, then a straight line might be drawn through the class, leaving on one side the plunderers, songsters, and other families of the ‘‘ Aves altrices,” and on the other the walking, running, wading, swimming, and diving birds. As it is, however, this interdigitation of the two main halves does not take away the great naturalness of such a subdivision ; and the land- and water-birds may be considered as together forming avery natural group.
Certainly these birds have very much in common; and inosculant forms so completely connect together the minor subdivisions as to make one seamless web of these apparently incongruous materials.
This slow but sure melting of family into family, and genus into genus, this mixing of single types so as to form double, triple, and multiple types, makes the ancestral hypothesis very hard to digest, whilst yet it seems to be the only one at hand having any scientifig value. It may be an ignis fatuus, but, to one perplexed with tracing the mazy labyrinth of types, it looks like a light shining in a dark place.
The Palamedea and the Kagu have turned up to me very oppor- tunely just now; they have made me rethink my thoughts, and re- peat and vary my observations, on the relationships of the land- and water-groups of birds. The former of these birds—the Palamedea— by bringing an essentially Anserine bird so near those outlying “ Gal- line”? the Curassow and the Brush-Turkey, shows how it is that there exists so much in common in the skull and face of the Fowl and the Goose; whilst the Kagu, by tying closely together the Trumpeter and the Hurypyga, in some degree opens the eyes to understand why the relationship of the Cranes to the Herons, and of both to the Rails, should be so close and intimate.
I have also been brought to re-analyze the families so as to elimi- nate, if possible, the single or pure from the mixed types, whether merely double or multiple.
Tentatively and cautiously let us separate the true Ralline birds, from the Notornis to the Coot ; this group may stand as one of the simple-type families.
Parallel with these birds—in some respects more intelligent, in others coming nearer to the reptile—we place the Plovers, not having respect to the length of their bills, but to the degree in which -
1864.] MR. W. K. PARKER ON THE KAGU. 71
they have retained a certain embryological simplicity of structure, and are thus less typically ornithic than their relatives the Gulls, on one hand, and the Ibises, on the other.
The typical Fowls and the typical Geese and Ducks appear to form two more groups of equal value with the Ralline and Pluvialine groups; but as these two simple types do not bear very directly upon the subject of this present paper, they will be considered on some other occasion.
Any one who has mastered the development of a Rail or a Plover will be in a state of fitness to study the meaning of what he will see in the structure of the Heron and of the Crane.
At present my view of the matter is, that, whilst the Heron has risen considerably higher in the bird-scale than the Crane, yet they are intimately related ; moreover, that the Heron has full two- thirds of the ralline nature in it to one of the pluvialine, and, on the other hand, that the Crane has in it twice as much of the Plover as of the Rail.
In supposing these birds to be thus double in their nature, I do not forget that they have characters peculiar to themselves alone ; identity-characters they might be called: we see this everywhere in nature; and those of us who have large families know well that, whilst each child is in one sense a copy of both parents at once, yet he holds his own, and has so much and such well-marked indivi- dualism as to make him in a certain sense like the starting-point of divergence towards a distinct species. I here append a sort of scheme, showing some of the more important relationships of the Kagu, one of the best examples of a multiple type :—
Rallus. Ardea. Grus. Pluvialis. 4 Nycticoraz. An de Himantopus. Brachypteryz. Tigrisoma. Balearica. Gdicnemus. Rhinochetus. BLurypyga. Psophia.
pant Dap nn
The Rhinochetus, the Psophia, and the Eurypyga are on the same level ; they are intimately related inter se, and very closely also to the Cranes and Herons. Iam not aware whether, in placing them on the same line, I have truly indicated the ornzthic height of each. In the upper line it is certainly not so; yet that is a natural arrangement in one important matter ; for the Heron comes near to the Rail, and the Crane to the Plover, and all are intimately related.
The Psophia is the truest Crane in the bottom line, yet its skull is principally ralline in character ; the Eurypyga comes nearest to the Heron: as for the Kagu, whether it be most of a Crane, a Night- Heron, or a Wingless Rail, I will not say; it has a more distant re- lationship with the Stone-Plover (dicnemus).
72 MR. W. K. PARKER ON THE KAGU. [Feb. 23,
The Psophia has a very phasianine expression of face, and the structure of its head answers to that look very considerably ; whilst the Zurypyga has stretched just as far out for some of its characters, and is unmistakeably related to the Stilt-Plover (Himantopus). It would be tedious if the details were given; but I hold myself ready to prove my assertions. Leaving the beautiful and complex skulls of the Kagu, the Hurypyga, and the Psophia (merely remarking that the first is most like that of a Night-Heron, the second halfway between that of the Kagu and the Himantopus, and that the third is, as it were, the skull of a phasianine Rail), let us turn to the sternum in these birds.
In each case this bone answers best to that of a newly hatched Crane (e. g. Grus montignesia), whilst it is, as yet, totally unossified. The breast-bone of the Trumpeter comes nearest that of the Crowned Crane (Balearica) ; the Kagu’s sternum is truest to the embryo Crane ; whilst that of the Hurypyga answers in nature both to that of the young Crane and the young Heron. The sternum of the true Crane, in its early condition, is very interesting, as, besides its own proper characters, it shows a dying-out of the pluvialine inner hypo- sternal processes. The dorsal vertebree are largely anchylosed toge- ther in these three mixed types—the Kagu, Psophia, and Eurypyga ; and this occurs in all the Cranes more or less, and also in that strange Crane-Goose the Flamingo.
The furculum of the Kagu is but little stronger, and only a little more U-shaped, than that of the Brachypteryzx ; that of the Psophia has its rami more divergent than that of a Crane, and the process at the angle is weaker ; and, lastly, the furculum of the Hurypyga is intermediate between those of the Psophia and the Stilt-Plover.
That which strikes the eye at once in the pelvis of the Kagu is the great height and steepness of the iliac crests, and the peculiar bend downwards of the hinder part of the sacrum; this is equally well seen in the pelvis of the Brachypteryx and the Psophia.
This has a further interest ; for that which gives character to the pelvis of the Talegalla, as compared with that of other gallinaceous birds, is this peculiar height of the iliac crests. .
In the Lurypyga this character is not only toned down, as it were, but the posterior part of the pelvis is much broader: and this part of the bird alone would only indicate a specific difference from that peculiar Ibidine Stork the Uméretta ; for its pelvis differs but little from that of the Lurypyga, save in being stronger, and it answers to that common broad kind so constantly seen in every modification of an essentially pluvialine bird.
My last remark is, that all the outliers of the typical “ Ardeinze” —Baleniceps, Scopus, Eurypyga, Rhinochetus, and the Storks— take hands round the well-defined central group, viz. the Herons, Bitterns, Egrets, Night-Herons, Tiger-Bitterns, and Boat-bill.
1864.] MR. J. GOULD ON A NEW CUCKOO. 73
3. ON some AppiITIONS TO THE List oF THE BIRDS OF THE Fatkianp Istanps. By P. L. Scuater, M.A., Pu.D., F.R.S.
In the Society’s ‘ Proceedings’ for 1860, p. 382, I published a list of birds collected by Capt. Packe in the Falkland Islands, in which fifty-seven species were enumerated as occurring in that group of islands. In the following year Capt. Abbott’s fine series of spe- cimens from the same locality, concerning which he contributed a valuable paper to the ‘ Ibis’?*, enabled me to make an addition of ten species to the avifauna of the groupt+. Mr. Leadbeater has recently sent to me for examination a few additional specimens lately obtained by Capt. Packe, among which are two species not included in either of my former lists. These are—
1. Eererra truce (Licht.): Ardea leuce, Licht. Doubl. p. 77 ; Burmeister, Syst. Ueb. iii. p. 416.
This is a widely distributed American species.
2. Prion TuRTUR, Gould, B. Austr. vii. pl. 54.
A species found throughout the Southern Pacific and Atlantic, ac- cording to Mr. Gould.
I have thought it desirable to record the occurrence of these two species in the Falklands, in order to make the list as complete as pos- sible. At the same time I may call attention to the rectifications made in the ‘ Ibis,’ 1861, p. 312, concerning the names of two of the species contained in my first list, sc. Nycticorax gardeni and Larus roseiventris, which I now believe ought to stand as Nycticorax obscurus (Licht.) and Larus glaucotis, Meyen.
4, Description ot A New Speciss or CHrysococcyx. By Joun Gou tp, F.R.S., erc.
CuRysOcoccyx SCHOMBURGKI, Gould.
Crown of the head, neck, back, and scapularies rich shining cop- pery bluish green ; wing-coverts bright shining green, margiued with a coppery hue; first three primaries dark bluish black, with a stripe of white down the central part of their imner webs; the remainder of the primaries bluish green on their outer webs, with a tinge of copper on their margins, the inner webs bluish black with a broad stripe of white along their basal margin; tail-feathers deep bluish green, with a tinge of copper on their margins, and the outer fea- thers on each side crossed by three irregular bands of white, aud with an oval spot of white at the tip; throat, under surface of the body, and under wing-coverts alternately banded with pure white
* See Ibis, 1861, p. 149, “ Notes on the Birds of the Falkland Islands,” by Capt. C. C. Abbott. tT See P. Z. S. 1861, p. 45.
74 DR. P. L. SCLATER ON A NEW CHAUNA. [Feb. 23,
and bronzy green; under tail-coverts beautiful grass-green, those nearest the body largely tipped with white; bill orange, tipped with black ; tarsi and feet olive.
Total length 64 inches, bill 4, wing 44, tail 33, tarsi 3.
Hab. Siam.
Remark. This very beautiful species is nearly allied to the Chry- sococcyx hodgsoni of Moore (C. smaragdineus, Blyth) and C. wanthorhynchus of Horsfield. It was sent to me from Siam by Sir Robert Schomburgk, Her Britannic Majesty’s Consul-General for that country ; and I have named it in honour of one whose devotion to natural science is well known, and to whose merits in this respect I have had the pleasure of bearing testimony upon several previous occasions.
5. On THE SPECIES OF THE GENUS CHaAuNA. By P. L. Scuater, M.A., Pu.D., F.R.S., SecRETARY TO THE SOCIETY.
(Plate XI.)
In my paper on some new and interesting additions to the Mena- gerie, read before this Society last November*, I mentioned the acquisition of several specimens of a Crested Screamer (Chauna) from the neighbourhood of Cartagena, New Granada, which had been ob- tained for us through the exertions of our Corresponding Member Mr. Greey. Struck with the difference exhibited by these New Granadian birds from the ordinary Brazilian Chauna chavaria, I had at first considered them to belong to the scarce and little-known Central-American species Chauna derbiana, and under this name the fine living specimen received in July 1863, which still ornaments our aviary, was figured in the ‘Illustrated London News’ for October 3rd, 1863. I became, however, afterwards persuaded, by reference to former authorities, that I had erred in my identification, and that the New Granadian bird was more nearly allied to the Brazilian Chauna chavaria, and under this name I spoke of it in my commu- nication referred to above. But within these last few weeks one of the dead specimens of this bird received from Mr. Greey having been mounted and placed in the British Museum, in close proximity to Brazilian examples of the true Chauna chavaria, I have had the opportunity of comparing them together, and have again somewhat modified my opinions as regards the New Granadian bird. _ It is, in fact, evidently intermediate in characters, as in geographical posi- tion, between the two former known species ; and, as four specimens received from the same locality present similar appearances, I do not hesitate to characterize it as a third species of the genus, under the name of Chauna nigricollis, its most obvious distinguishing character from Chauna chavaria being the distinct black neck. This is conti- nued upwards to the white throat and cheeks, from which it is se- parated by a well-marked boundary.
* See P. Z.S. 1863, p. 377.
Fault o. hoor bit. wel
M&N banhart lynp J Wolf. del et lith
: CHAUNA NIGRICOLLIS
1864.] DR. P. L. SCLATER ON A NEW CHAUNA. 75
The following diagnoses will, I think, serve to distinguish the three species of Chauna :—
1. CHAUNA CHAVARIA.
Parra chavaria, Linn. 8. N. i. p. 260. Palamedea chavaria, Temm. PI. Col. 219; Burm. Syst. Ueb. iii. p- 397.
Cinerea: collo undique obscuriore : ventre albo, cinereo flammu-
lato.
Hab. In Brasil. merid. et Paraguay.
This appears to be the largest and most lightly coloured of the three forms of Chauna. The black ring is ill-defined, and placed much lower down the neck. In the two succeeding species the neck is wholly black up to the white throat and cheeks. The belly of this species is whitish, with indistinct flammulations of cinereous.
2. CHAUNA NIGRICOLLIS, sp. nov. (Pl. XI.) Chauna chavaria, Sclater, P. Z. 8. 1863, p. 377.
Saturate nigricanti-cinerea: gula et genis circumscripte et di- stincte albis : collo undique et late nigro: ventre cinereo, crisso albo.
Hab. In Noy. Granada, ad ripas fl. Dekke.
In its distinct white throat and black neck, this form agrees more nearly with Chauna derbiana, but in general coloration rather ap- proaches the Brazilian C. chavaria. It appears to be decidedly smaller in dimensions than the latter species, and I see no traces of the partial denudation of the throat which appears to obtain in adult examples of Chauna chavaria.
As no Chauna, as far as I am aware, occurs in Guiana or in any part of the Amazon valley, it would seem that the areas of these two species are separated by a considerable interval.
3. CHAUNA DERBIANA, G. R. Gray. Chauna derbiana, Gray & Mitch., Gen. Birds, pl. 161.
Nigra: gula genisque circumscripte albis: rostro et pedibus ru-
bris.
Hab. In Guatemala, prov. Peten.
The only two specimens of this scarce bird in England are, I be- lieve, those in the Derby Museum at Liverpool, from one of which the figure was taken. Mr. T. Moore, the Curator, has kindly fur- nished me with the following note respecting the precise locality of this species, which is of interest, as no details whatever have yet been published on the subject :—
“The original specimen of Chauna derbiana, that from which the figure in Gray’s ‘ Genera’ was taken, was obtained by Mr. J. Bates, who was sent out by the late Lord Derby with the primary object of procuring and importing alive the Meleagris ocellata.
“The specimen is labelled ‘J. Bates, Sept. 1843, Peten,’ by his
76 DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE TRIONYCHIDE. [Feb. 23,
Lordship’s stuffer; and has also attached to it the following label in Bates’s handwriting :—‘ Kept this bird alive by cramming it with food upwards of four months. Died while I was at Peten.’ ““We have another and better specimen in skin, labelled as fol- lows :—‘ Purchased of J. Leadbeater, Sept. 3, 1843, from Bogota.’ “I do not know on what grounds Leadbeater gives Bogota for the locality of his specimen, and should much doubt its correctness.”
6. REVISION OF THE SPECIES OF TRIONYCHID FOUND IN ASIA AND AFRICA, WITH THE DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME NEw Species. By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., Erc.
In the quarto ‘Catalogue of Shield Reptiles in the British Mu- seum’ I carefully revised the species of this family, and figured the skulls of the genera as far as they were then contained in the Mu- seum Collection. Since that period I have described, in the ‘ Pro- ceedings of the Zoological Society,’ several other Asiatic and African species.
Very shortly after the appearance of this catalogue, Professor Agassiz, in the ‘ Contributions to the Natural History of the United States’ (2 vols. 4to, 1857), published his observations on this group. He remarks that ‘‘a critical revision of the genera of Trionychide appears a great desideratum in herpetology ;”’ and goes on to say, “*T have already satisfied myself that the number of species is much greater than is generally supposed ;”’ and further, ‘in this con- nexion I would remark that it is hardly possible to distinguish the Trionychide by their external characters, and that nothing short of a careful examination of their jaws, and especially of the skull, will reveal their generic characters.” (Contrib. p. 396.)
These observations are fully justified by the study of the Asiatic and African species contained in the Museum collection.
I have therefore