4f" 





*r Zoological Club of the Linnean Society. 505 



■ 5»^ ' 



most important viscera. The nine orders of birds as defined J^y M. * 

 Blainville from the character of the 5^enmm and its^pendages were' 

 noticed, as were also the generic divisions of Dr. F.4 J. Sherminier, de- 

 termined by the form of Jthe same parts. 



The Trumpeter, Mr. Yarrell observed, had been placed by Linnse us 

 and Blumenbach after the Rails, and by other systematic writers either 

 among the Gallinaceous Birds or with th^ Cranes. On comparing'' its 

 skeleton with those of the genus Rallus, Linn., it was shown to possess 

 less affinity to that group than to any of the species of the more Jrue^ 

 ^ yJVaders or the Gallinaceous birds ; and an extended examination of it^ 1 

 osteology showed that it partook equally of the characters of those two 

 large divisions. To judge, therefore, from the skeleton, the true situa- ^ 



• tion of the bird appeared to be at the point of contact of the two circles 

 described by the orders Rasores and Grallatores. 



Mr. Yarrell having purposely confined his remarks to the osteology of 

 the bird, Mr. Vigors adverted to the confirmation furnished by it of the 

 correctness of the vie wg^ which he had advanced in , his Essay on the TVa-* 

 tural' Affinities that connect the Orders and Families of Birds. He had 

 'v?there been induced by the consideration of the external characters and 

 habits alone to regard the genus Psophia as constituting the connecting 

 link between the Rasores and the Grallatores ; and thSe anatomical in- 

 vestigations which had that evening'b^en submitted to the Club having 

 led to the same exclusion, the propriety of this location in the system ^^ J 

 might now be considered to be fully established. , ^ 



November 1 1. — Mr. YarreJ^l exhibited a drawing.of a rare British fish, 

 the Spar as lineatus of Montagu, whose description and figure in the se- NB^ 

 cond volume of the Wernerian Transactions appear to be the only origi- 

 nal notices hitherto given of it. He also mentioned that he had recently 

 seen a specimen of the Scoiopax Sabini, Vig., killed in Ireland, which 

 * agreed in every, respect with the individuals formerly exhibited to the 

 Club. ^ 



Mr. Bell made some observations relative to the habits of the Toad, 

 Bufo vulgaris, Daud., particularly as regarded its ipode of feeding. He 

 also stated that he had had several opportunities during the last summer 

 of observing the fact recorded by Schneider, that Toads devour the skin 

 which they shed. Ia,otj^ instance he witnessed the whole process cf the 



