344 Zoological Society. 



Hampe. — Invitation to authors of treatises of Anatomy and Physio- 

 logy of Plants ; by Dr. H. Mohl. 



Part IV. 

 On the Genesis of Spiral Vessels ; by Dr. linger. — Monstrosities 

 of certain plants ; by Schlechtendal. — Critical revision of Leptosper- 

 me(B cultivated in Germany; by S. Schauer. — On Mexican plants ; 

 by Schlechtendal. 



Part V. 

 AbietincB of Berlin Gardens; by H. F. Link. — On the different 

 kind of cellular tissue in Algse ; by Dr. Kutzing. — On Chondrilla 

 stipitata and tuberosa; by C. H. Schultz. — Revision of Anemones; 

 by G. A. Pritzel. — On Artemisia virens and Santonica Linncei ; by 

 W. de Besser. 



Part VI. 

 On Lactuca; by C. H. Schultz. — On Ceramium ; by Dr. Kutzing. 

 — On the anatomical structure of Casuarince ; by Dr. Goppert. 



PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



October 12, 1841. — Professor Owen, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



A letter from John Parkinson, Esq., was read. In this letter Mr. 

 Parkinson encloses a communication which had been forwarded to 

 him by Mr. Commissary General Coffin, tending to prove the dis- 

 position of the woodcock to return, not only to the same district but 

 to a once-frequented spot. The communication is as follows : — 



" In the year 1833 a woodcock with white feathers in the wings 

 was observed in a cover on the manor of Monkleigh, near Torrington, 

 in the county of Devon. The same bird, or one of exactly similar 

 plumage, re-appeared in the same place during the four succeeding 

 seasons, in which period it was so repeatedly shot at by different 

 persons without effect, that it at last acquired among the country- 

 people the name of * the witch.' In the year 1837 however it was 

 killed by John Piper of Monkleigh, while following the owner of the 

 property which it frequented, the Rev. J. T. Pine Coffin of Port- 

 ledge, who has now the stuffed specimen in his possession. 



" The white feathers are the primary quills and bastard winglets of 

 each wing, the remainder of the plumage being of the ordinary hue. 

 These feathers are all of a pure white, and seem to be of a closer 

 and stronger texture than usual, but no other peculiarity is observa- 

 ble. It is however worthy of notice, that the cover which formed 

 its constant haunt, when not disturbed, is a piece of wood not ex- 

 ceeding fifty acres in extent ; thus proving the disposition of the 

 woodcock to return, not only to the same district but to the same 

 spot which it has once frequented, and to which it is probably first 

 directed by the parent bird, or by other companions older than itself." 

 " Barnstaple, 17th July, 1841." 



A letter from Sir Robert Heron, Bart., was next read. It states 



