Zoological Society. 419 



tail brownish black, margined externally at the base with wax-yel- 

 low, and with a large oval spot of white on the inner web, at the tip 

 of all but the two centre feathers ; surface white broadly striped 

 with black, the black predominating on the breast and the white on 

 the abdomen ; irides white ; bill and feet black. 



Hab. Western Australia. 



Total length, 7 inches; bill, 1 ; wing, 3£ ; tail, 3 J; tarsi, f. 



Remark. — Nearly allied to the M. Novce-Hollandice, but differing 

 from that species in the stouter and more lengthened form of the 

 bill, and in having the white patch on the face much less denned. 



Limosa Melanuroides. Capite,etcorpore superiore griseo-fuscis ; 



primariis secondariisque ad basin et tectricibus alee majoribus ad 



apicem albis, colore, expansd pennd, tanquam fascid apparente; 



tectricibus caudte superioribus albis ; caudd atrd, nisi rectricibus 



lateralibus duabus ad basin albis. 



Head and all the upper surface greyish brown, with a small streak 



of black down the centre of the feathers ; wings dark brown ; shafts 



white ; base of the primaries and secondaries and tips of the greater 



coverts white, forming a band when the wing is expanded ; upper 



tail-coverts white, forming a conspicuous mark ; tail black, with the 



exception of the two lateral feathers on each side, which are white 



at the base and black at the tip ; neck, breast and flanks greyish 



brown ; abdomen and under tail- coverts white ; irides brown ; bill 



greenish grey, becoming paler on the sides of the upper mandible ; 



legs and feet greenish grey. 



Total length, 13 inches; bill, 3f ; wing, 7f; tail, 3 J; tarsi, 2f. 

 Hab. Port Essington. 



Remark. — Nearly allied to, but differing from, the Limosa mela- 

 nura of Europe in its much smaller size. 



October 13. — William Yarrell, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The following papers were read to the Society : — 



" On twenty new species of Trochilid^; or Humming Birds." 

 By J. Gould, F.R.S. 



Having lately turned my attention to the Trochilidce, I find that, 

 much as this beautiful group has attracted the notice of previous 

 writers, several species remain undescribed. 



At a former meeting of the Society I characterized three, and on 

 the present occasion I propose to describe seventeen others, making 

 twenty in all. The species described are contained in my own col- 

 lection. 



1. Trochilus (topaza) pyra. Troch. abdomine, lateribus, dorso, 

 humerisque, igneis rubro-fulgentibus ; capite, auribus, nuchd, et 

 fascid inferiorem collum ornante, intense atris ; guld luminose t>£- 

 ridi, media aurantiacd ; rectricibus intermediis duabus viridibus, 

 purpurascentibus, reliquis autem intense purpureis ; rectricibus 

 duabus intermediis proximis valde elongatis et ad bases decussatis. 



Abdomen, sides, back, and shoulders, luminous fiery-red ; head, 

 ear- coverts, back of the neck, and a band crossing the lower part of 



