TD Zoological Society. 



figure will be found in the ' Abbildungen' &c. of the Prince de Neu- 

 wied. 



The new species of Manis referred to in the letter is from Western 

 Africa, and is at once distinguished, Mr. Gray observes, from the 

 Manis tetradactyla (which it most nearly approaches) by its having 

 the tail rather shorter — that is, about half as long again as the body 

 — and double the number of series of scales on the body, and also 

 by the scales being more acute, and furnished each with three sharp 

 points. Two specimens of this species, of different sizes, are con- 

 tained in the British Museum collection. It is named by Mr. Gray 



Manis multiscutata. Manis caudd corpore multum longiore ; 

 squamarum dorsalium elongatarum, tricuspidum, ad basin striata- 

 rum, seriebus 23. 



Hab. Western Africa. 



Mr. Gould exhibited a new species of Australian Heron : — 



Ardea rectirostris. Ardea superne fuscescenti-cinerea, capite et 

 cristd nigris ; rostra magis recto atque robusto qudm in Ardea 

 cinere^. 



Crown of the head and crest dull black ; back of the neck and all 

 the upper surface brownish grey, passing into greyish white on the 

 tips of the wing-coverts -^ secondaries, scapularies and tail-feathers 

 dark grey ; spurious wing and primaries greyish black ; sides of the 

 lace and chin white ; dawn the front of the neck an interrupted line 

 of black, formed by each feather having an oblong stripe of black on 

 the inner side of the stem near the tip, the marks becoming larger 

 and paler in colour as they approach the chest, the same kind of 

 marking continuing over the under surface, but the stripes very pale 

 , brown ; under tail-coverts white ; bill dark horn-colour, becoming 

 nearly black on the culmen y feet greenish black. 



Total length, 37 inches; bill, 7 ; wing, 16^ ; tail, 7 ; tarsi, 6^. 



Hab. New South Wales. 



The above description is taken from a bird which appears to be 

 immature ; it has much the appearance of, and is nearly allied to, the 

 Common Heron of Europe. 



A communicatian from Mr. Hinds, contaming descriptions of two 

 new species of Shells, from the collection of Hugh Cuming, Esq., 

 was then read. 



G-enus Triphoris, Deshayes, Hinds, Ann. Nat. Hist. vol. xi. p. 16. 



Triphoris pagodus. Tri. (Ino) testd cylindraced, elongatd, aciimi- 

 natd, anfractibus 18— 20, tricar inatis ; carinis incequalibus ,inferiore 

 multo maximd, duobus superioribus parvis cequalibus ; aperturd 

 quadratd. Axis 8| lin. 

 The only specimen of this shell is dead and imperfect. It is, how- 

 ever, slightly mottled with brown, being most probably the remains 

 of an uniform colour. It is rendered very distinct from any species 

 hitherto described by the manner of its keeling. A faint elevated 

 line would also appear to traverse the course of the suture. 



