Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 1 (1877).djvu/214

188 yet only four specimens of this rare bird of prey are known to exist, viz., the type in the Leyden Museum, one in Mr. Hume's collection in India, one in the possession of the Marquis of Tweeddale, and one in the British Museum, presented last year by Captain Stackhouse Pinwell.

February 20, 1877.—Prof. F.R.S., Vice-President, in the chair.

A communication was read from Professor Owen, C.B., containing some additional evidence recently obtained of the former existence in South Australia of extinct birds allied to the genus Dromornis.

Mr. Osbert Salvin exhibited a series of drawings made during Hunter's voyage to Australia in 1788–92, wherein Duke of York Island as it then existed was depicted, together with various objects of Natural History, and offered some remarks on the geographical position and climate of this island, by way of preface to a series of papers by different authors on a collection of mammals, birds, reptiles, fishes, and insects sent home by the Rev. George Brown from the island in question and the neighbouring parts of New Ireland and New Britain.

Mr. Sclater read a paper on the birds in this collection, and described eleven species as new to Science, amongst which were a new Kingfisher, proposed to be called Tanysiptera nigriceps, and a new Pigeon, to which the name Macropygia Browni was assigned.

Dr. G.E. Dobson enumerated the Bats collected, amongst which four were considered to belong to undescribed species, and one of these to a new genus of the frugivorous Bats, proposed to be called Melonycteris.

Mr. Edward R. Alston dealt with the Rodents and Marsupials in this collection, and pointed out that the species, six in number, were either identical with New Guinea forms or nearly allied. For three new species the names of Mus Browni, Uromys rufescens, and Macropus lugens were proposed.

Messrs. O. Salvin and F. Du Cane Godman described the Lepidoptera, and found that the series of butterflies contained twenty-six genera and forty species, while in that of the moths eleven genera were represented by fourteen species.

Mr. E.J. Miers enumerated the Crustacea, and stated that the collection, with one exception (Lysiosquilla arenaria), belonged to the Decapoda, and contained in all forty-four specimens representing sixteen species. Although none of the species were new to Science, several were interesting and little-known forms.

Dr. A. Günther read a paper on the Reptiles and Fishes in this collection. Of nine lizards, one was described as new, and of eleven snakes three were