Linnean Societ?/, 295 



Nov. 7. — Joseph Woods, Esq. was elected a member of the 

 Council, in the stead of Sir T. S. Raffles, deceased. 



Nov. 21. — The reading was commenced, of a paper, entitled, 

 Remarks on the comparative anatomy of certain birds of CubOy 

 with a view to their respective places in the system of Nature^ or 

 their relations with other animals; by W.S.MacLeay, Esq. F.L.S. 



Dec. 19. — The reading of Mr. MacLeay's paper was continued, 



Feb. 6. 1827. — A paper was read, entitled Observations on the 

 Trachea of Birds, with descriptions and representations of several 

 not hitherto figured ; by William Yarrell, Esq. F.L.S. 



The extraordinary structures described by the authour, ar|e 

 that of the crested Pintado of Africa (Numida cristata, Pall.J, 

 the Demoiselle, the Stanley Grane, the Black Swan of New 

 Holland^ and other swans, geese, and ducks. It was remarked- 

 that all birds with a complex structure of trachea have loud 

 harsh voices, while the simple forms belong to the delightful 

 song-birds. The paper concluded with an arrangement of the 

 British species of the Duck family. 



Feb. 20. — A description of a new species of Bat, from the 

 Illinois, by Bracy Clark, Esq. F.L.S. was read ; and the reading 

 of Mr. W. S. MacLeay's paper On certain Birds of Cuba wa? 

 continued. 



March 6. — A paper was read. On two new genera of Land 

 Tortoises; by Thomas Bell, Esq. F.L.S. 



These genera possess a peculiar interest as exhibiting the 

 affinities by which the freshwater tortoises are connected with 

 those inhabiting the land. Mr. Bell has named them Pyxis and 

 Kinyxis ; and both are distinguished by a moveable joint, one in 

 the sternum, and the other in the hinder part of the back, by- 

 means of which the shell can be completely closed. The species 

 described are Pyxis arachnoides, a perfect land-tortoise, with 

 the anterior lobe of the sternum moveable, and as capable of 

 accurately closing the shell as any species of the freshwater 

 box-tortoises : Kinyxis castanea : and Kinyxis Homiana, a spe- 

 cies forming a passage from the group of Testudinida to that of 

 thQ Emydida. *^ 



