Linn&an Society. 375 



felt on the present occasion, especially with reference to the par- 

 ticular moment of his loss, — at a time when those considerations of 

 religious distinction were about to be removed, which had seemed 

 to have a tendency to deprive those who, like this excellent and dis- 

 tinguished man, differed from the established religion, of the rank 

 in society due to their talents or their worth*. 



His Lordship expressed his anxiety that whatever choice might be 

 made by the Society to fill the vacancy in its Chair, should be such 

 as would contribute to its prosperity, however impossible it might 

 be adequately to supply the loss which it had now so much to re- 

 gret. 



Lord Stanley then adverting to the last volume of the English 

 Flora, which had been received from Sir James Smith but a few 

 days before his death, and was among the presents on the table, 

 related that, showing it to a friend, he had exclaimed, " This is 

 the close of my labours." — As its distinguished author was now 

 removed from the possibility of receiving the customary vote of 

 thanks, His Lordship concluded, by proposing that the grateful 

 feelings of the Society might be expressed to Lady Smith for this 

 last gift of their revered President. 



A portion of Dr. F. Hamilton's Commentary on the Hortus Mala- 

 baricus, Part V., was then read. 



April 15. — Read a letter addressed to the Secretary, from Charles 

 Lucien Buonaparte, Prince of Musignano, F.M,L.S., dated on board 

 the Delaware, near Gibraltar, March 20th, 1828, containing the fol- 

 lowing notice relative to the migration of certain birds. — " A few days 

 ago, being 500 miles from the coasts of Portugal, 400 from those of 

 Africa &c, we were agreeably surprised by the appearance of a few 

 swallows, Hirundo urbica and rustica. This, however extraordinary, 

 might have been explained by an easterly gale, which had cut off the 

 swallows migrating from the Main to Madeira, only 200 miles distant 

 from us ; — but what was my surprise on observing several small 

 warblers hopping about the deck and rigging ! These poor little 

 strangers, exhausted as they were, were soon caught and brought to 

 me. The following short list is that of the species. 



"1. Sylvia trochilus. — 2. Sylvia erithacus (tethys, Temminck). — 

 3. Sylvia suecica, or rather a similar species, which I have already 

 received from Egypt and Barbary. — 4. A species new for Europe and 

 perhaps even a nondescript, having the plumage of an Anthus, and 

 which I think belongs (as Sylvia cisticola and others) to the hitherto 

 African genus Malurus. This, however, must rest undecided, my 

 specimen missing its tail, which was pulled ofFby the sailor who caught 

 the bird." 



A communication was likewise read to the Society from J. Morgan, 

 Esq. F.L.S., relative to the structure of the mammary organs of the 

 Kangaroo, in which a detailed account was given of a recent dissection 



* Alluding to the proceedings for the abolition of the sacramental test, 

 — Sir James Smith having been a member of the congregation of Unitarian 

 dissenters at Norwich. 



of 



