PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 65 



MARCH 10, 1855. 

 B. BALL, LL.D., President, in the Chair. 



Mr. T. W. Warren said that he had the pleasure of announcing the occurrence in 

 Ireland of Bonaparte's gull (Larus Bonapartii). The bird was shot by Captain 

 Watkins, near Dublin, and given to Mrs. Baker, of Grafton-street, to stuff. She 

 was under the impression that it was the little gull (Larus minutus); but Mr. 

 Montgomery happening to see it, at once announced it to be Bonaparte's gull, with 

 which view he coincided. 



Dr. Carte produced Richardson's Fauna Boreali Americana, vol. ii., in which 

 the Larus Bonapartii was figured, and said, that on a careful examination of the 

 bird, he was of the same opinion as Mr. Warren and Mr. Montgomery. The bird 

 had been beautifully stuffed by Mrs. Baker. 



Dr. Ball exhibited several specimens of the L. Bonapartii, from North America 

 (one of which specimens Dr. Carte said was the facsimile of Captain Watkin's 

 bird). He was of opinion that the gull was not so rare as was supposed, and 

 thought it very likely that other specimens would be obtained. 



Mr. Grainger said that the only other recorded Irish specimen was that in the 

 Belfast Museum, the species of which was determined by the late W. Thompson, 

 Esq., with the assistance of some of the London ornithologists. 



Mr. Wright, though he had no doubt but that the bird in question was the 

 Larus Bonapartii, having the testimony of such good Irish ornithologists as Mr. 

 Warren and Mr. Montgomery, would wish that an opportunity was afforded of 

 comparing the bird in question with Mr. Thompson's, which is in the Museum of 

 the Belfast Natural History Society. 



Mr. John Grainger exhibited a crustacean of the genus Hyas, which he believed 

 to be distinct from either of the described species. The circumstances of its capture 

 were somewhat interesting. Some years ago a friend of his had taken a cod-fish, 

 by a line, when on the banks of Newfoundland. The fish came up with its lips 

 fastened together by the hook. It is usual, in such circumstances, for the contents 

 of the stomach to be discharged ; but, of course, on this occasion, these got no farther 

 than the fish's mouth. On opening this, there appeared about twenty crustaceans, 

 more or less decomposed. The most perfect was selected and sent home. It was 

 submitted to the late Wm. Thompson, Esq., of Belfast, who pronounced it a Hyas ; 

 but neither Hyas coarctatus nor araneus, and probably an intermediate species. 

 Mr. Grainger thought it the same species as was mentioned in DeKay's "Natural 

 History of New York" as constituting the principal food of the cod-fish off New- 

 foundland, and considered by that author as identical with coarctatus. The 

 principal ground on which a distinction appeared obvious was, that the carapace 

 was very little contracted behind the orbits indeed the entire outline of the 

 carapace was more even than in any specimen of coarctatus he had seen. Again, 

 the fingers of the hand were much shorter in proportion, and had no well-marked 

 gap between them at their base. He, accordingly, thought the American naturalist 

 would have been justified in establishing a distinct species ; and he submitted the 

 question to the members. 



The general opinion expressed was, that there appeared well-marked differences 

 between the specimen presented and numerous examples of coarctatus and araneus 

 from the University and Dublin Society's collections, and that it agreed very well 

 with the plate of Mr. DeKay, though not with his description, which included the 

 strong contraction behind the orbits, characteristic of coarctatus. 



Mr. Wright read the following notes 



ON COLLECTING AND ARRANGING THE BRITISH MOLLUSCA. 



The accompanying hints for collecting and naming the British mollusca are 

 chiefly compiled from the preface to Messrs. Forbes and Hanley's history. They 

 contain nothing that is unknown to naturalists, but I have appended them to my 

 catalogue of Irish mollusca, under the impression that it may be of service to some 

 who may be tyros in malacology, and to whom the smallest hint is useful; 



