372 Zoological Society. 



of limestone. The bones which have been found, belong principally 

 to the Hippopotamus; but tusks and teeth of the Elephant, as well 

 as teeth of a large carnivorous animal, have been discovered. An 

 osseous breccia extends around the mouth of the cave to the distance 

 of many yards but differs from that within, in the greater abundance 

 of fragments of limestone and pebbles, and in the bones having 

 undergone greater attrition. The cave has been excavated to the 

 depth of 20 feet, and its irregular sides appear to have been worn by 

 water into polished hollows, perforated by the Lithodomus. Marks 

 of the action of water, though to less extent, are visible much higher 

 than the mouth of the cave, but the labours of the Lithodomus appear 

 to have been confined to the surface below its level. The bottom of 

 the cave was found to be covered with comminuted shells mixed 

 with numerous well preserved specimens. Four other caves are 

 mentioned as occurring at higher levels in the face of the hill. No 

 bones have been discovered in them, though they bear the same proofs 

 of the action of water, and their walls are perforated in the same 

 manner. In conclusion, the author infers, from the evidence presented 

 by the caves, and the known habits of the Lithodomus, that this part 

 of the coast of Sicily was successively elevated to its present level, 

 subsequently to the Mediterranean being inhabited by the existing 

 species of Testacea, and he speculates on the changes which may 

 have been produced at the same time in the physical outline of the 

 country. 



A communication from Capt. Colquhoun, and addressed to 

 Roderick Impey Murchison, Esq., F.G.S., descriptive of masses of 

 meteoric iron found in Mexico and Potosi, was next read. 



The mass of iron principally noticed in this communication was 

 formerly in the street of San Domingo, at Zacatecas in Mexico. It 

 was about 4J feet long and 1^ broad. On one side it was marked 

 with deep indentations. The other masses were found at Charcas 

 and Pablazon near Catorce. 



A letter was lastly read, from Mr. Gardner, Geographer, to Ro- 

 derick Impey Murchison, Esq., F.G.S., "On the relative position of 

 land and water with respect to the Antipodes." 



This letter was accompanied by a map of the world, on which 

 was delineated, by colours, the antipodes of the existing dry land: 

 and the writer of it states that he had ascertained by measurement 

 that only T 'r P art °f tne present continents and islands has land op- 

 posite to it; that the antipodes of the eastern hemisphere are 

 confined to South America, with the exception of about the -^ a part, 

 situated principally in New Zealand; and that the reciprocal 

 antipodes of the western hemisphere fall on part of China and the 

 Eastern Archipelago. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



July 23 — A letter was read, addressed to the Society by W v Wil- 

 liamson, Esq., dated Scarborough, July 2, 1833. It contained a full 

 description of a specimen of the garrulous Roller, Coracias garrula, 

 Linn., which was shot in the previous week in a limestone quarry 



