Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 2 (1878).djvu/285

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PROCEEDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES.
261

Mr. Sclater also called attention to the extraordinay mimicry of the true rectrices by the elongated upper tail-coverts in Ciconia maguari and C. episcopus as observable in the living examples of these birds in the Society's Gardens.

Mr. Edward R. Alston exhibited, on behalf of Dr. Elliott Coues, two specimens of Synaptomys Cooperi. To this species — the type of Synaptomys, proposed in 1867 by Professor Baird as a subgenus of Myodes, full generic rank had been accorded by Dr. Coues in 1874. The present specimens were, so far as was known, the first typical specimens sent to Europe.

Professor Huxley read a memoir on the Cray-fishes, in which he gave a review of the various generic divisions of this group of Podophthalmous Crustacea, and pointed out how remarkably these divisions corresponded with their geographical distribution.

Professor W.H. Flower exhibited the skull of a two-horned Rhinoceros from Tipperah, and read a note on the peculiarities of its structure.

A communication was read from Messrs. Godman, Salvin and Druce containing a catalogue of the Lepidoptera collected by Mr. S.N. Walter, in the Island of Billiton.

Messrs. Godman and Salvin also read a list of the butterflies collected in Eastern New Guinea and some neighbouring Islands by Dr. Comrie, during the voyage of H.M.S. 'Basilisk.'

Mr. A.G. Butler read a paper containing the description of a new species of the orthopterous genus Phylloptera from Madagascar, which he proposed to name Phylloptera segonoides.

Messrs. Sclater and Salvin read a report on the collection of Birds made during the voyage of H.M.S. 'Challenger.' The present communication, forming the eleventh of the series, contained a description of the Stegano- podes and of the Impennes. Of the first group the collection contained thirty-three specimens belonging to eight species ; of the second, thirty-seven specimens belonging to six species.

Prof. E. Ray Laukester read a paper in which he gave an account of the structure of the hearts of Ceratodus, Protopterus, and Chimæra, with an account of certain undescribed pocket-valves in the conus arteriosus of Ceratodus and of Protopterus.

June 18, 1878. — Arthur Geote, Esq,, Vice-President, in the chair.

The Secretary read extracts from a letter addressed to him by Mr. E. L. Layard, containing remarks on two species of New Caledonian birds.

A second communication from Mr. Layard stated that there was an example of the recently-described Woolly Cheetah (Felis lanea) in the South African Museum at Cape Town.

Mr. Edward R. Alston read a paper "On the Squirrels of the Neotropical Region," in which he recognised twelve out of fifty-nine described species,