484 Zoological Society : — 



very old specimen in the Catalogue of the Museum of the College 

 of Surgeons, states it to be the result of disease, whereas it is the 

 normal condition of all largely crested fowls. 



An intimate connexion exists between the size of the tuberosity 

 and that of the feathered crest, so that those chickens may be se- 

 lected at birth that will eventually possess the largest crests. 



The intermaxillary bones are usually more or less deficient in all 

 the varieties of crested fowls, the nostrils arched, and the comb when 

 present is crescentic or bicorned. Several of the varieties of crested 

 fowls are destitute of fleshy wattles, their place being supplied by a 

 ruif or beard of feathers ; there is, however, no corresponding alter- 

 ation in the lower maxillary bone. 



Mr. Woodward exhibited preparations of the mantle and oral 

 apparatus of the recent British Terebratula {T. caput-serpentis)y 

 specimens of which had been forwarded in a living state from Oban, 

 Argyle, by J. Leckenby, Esq., of Scarborough. It appears that this 

 shell, although a native of the deep sea, can live a week out of water, 

 if placed in a bottle or tin-box with moist sea-weed. The valves are 

 so accurately adjusted as to prevent the escape of the contained 

 fluid. The mantle, arms and cirri of this species are frosted over 

 with radiated spicula, composed of carbonate of lime, as described 

 by Oscar Schmidt, and form a beautiful object for the polariscope. 

 To the palaeontologist this structural peculiarity is extremely inter- 

 esting, as it explains the preservation of many parts of the internal 

 organization, including the delicate cirriy in fossil Brachiopoda. 



Mr. Fraser exhibited a considerable number of Birds, from the 

 collection of T. C. Eyton, Esq., and more particularly drew attention 

 to a singular variety of RamphaMos discolorus, Linn., in which the 

 blood-red colouring of the abdomen and upper tail-coverts was re- 

 placed by chrome-yellow. 



The specimen was procured from Rio de Janeiro. 



He next directed attention to a species of Trogon, which is so 

 nearly allied to Trogon collaris, Vieill., that by most writers it might 

 be considered as identical with, or a mere variety of that species. 

 This bird, for which Mr. Fraser proposed the name of Trogon Eytoniy 

 diff^ers, however, in having the mandibles larger and more robust ; 

 the plumage of the neck and breast of a fine coppery bronze, instead 

 of green ; the central tail-feathers bronze instead of green ; and the 

 barring of the wing-coverts and lateral tail-feathers broader, and 

 consequently more distinct. 



Total length, 9|^ inches ; bill, | ; wing, 4f ; tail, 5f . 



Hab. Rio de Janeiro. 



The third specimen was a fine species of Juida (which Mr. Fraser 

 proposed to call Juida Eytoni)^ nearly allied to Juida longicauda^ 

 Swains., but differing from that species in having the whole of the 

 body and wings of a fine oil-green, instead of bluish-green, and in 

 having the velvety -black marks near the tips of the wing-coverts and 

 scapularies more conspicuous than in that species ; the lower parts 



