72 Miscellaneous. 



I thought this Hydra might possibly owe its colour to some pecu- 

 liarity in the food it got in its pond ; but, having kept many of them 

 in different waters for several weeks, I find them not only retain 

 their original hue, but give that hue to the offspring they so freely 

 bud. Hence I conclude that it deserves a specific name as much 

 or, rather, as little as the three other species. 



I remain, Gentlemen, 



Yours, &c,. 

 Dec. 5, 1859. G. H. LEWES. 



[Dr. Gray seems to have found the same species (?) near the same 

 place, between twenty and thirty years ago. (See Johnston's Brit. 

 Zoophytes, 2nd edit. p. 123.) Pr. Gray says: "I have found a 

 bright-red Hydra rather abundant on Putney Heath, near London. 

 It does not differ much from the green one, except in colour." ED.] 



On a new species of Odontophorus. By JOHN GOULD, Esa., 

 F.R.S., &c. 



Two specimens of a fine species of Odontophorus having been placed 

 in my hands by Mr. Sclater, for the purpose of comparing it with 

 the other known members of the group, I beg to state that, after 

 having done so with great care, I can come to no other conclusion 

 than that it differs from the whole of them. It is most nearly allied 

 to the O. speciosus of Tschudi, and the O. hyperythrus, Gould, but 

 differs from the former in the much darker colouring of its upper 

 surface, and in the rich rusty-red colouring of its forehead ; it is 

 also distinguished by having a broad band of the same colour sur- 

 mounting the eye and extending to the nape of the neck, where it is 

 met by a similar band, which commences at the base of the upper 

 mandible, extends under the eye, through the ear, which feature has 

 suggested the name oferythrops as its specific appellation. From the 

 O. hyperythrus it differs in having a shorter and more obtuse bill, 

 and in the well-defined black marking of the throat. The bird was 

 discovered at Pallatanga in Ecuador, by Mr. Fraser. 



ODONTOPHORUS ERYTHROPS. 



Forehead, stripe over and another below the eye, extending beyond 

 the ear-coverts, deep rust-red ; crown of the head dark-brown ; all 

 the upper surface dark chocolate-brown, blotched and freckled with 

 black ; a small spot of buffy-white at the tip of each of the wing- 

 coverts ; throat and upper part of the neck jet-black : in the centre of 

 this black mark, near its lower margin, a few of the feathers are snowy- 

 white at the base, forming an indistinct lunar-shaped mark. Under 

 surface, rich deep chestnut ; feathers of the short tail and the pri- 

 maries brownish black, the outer margins of the latter freckled with 

 buff; thighs and under tail-coverts rayed transversely with black 

 and lighter chestnut ; bill black ; feet blackish horn-colour. 



Total length 10| inches, bill L wing 5f, tail 2i, tarsi If . Proc. 

 Zool. Soc. Feb. 8, 1859. 



