Zoological Society, 387 



nature of the skin between its 5 rows of plates. It was sent to En- 

 gland from China by Mr. John Russell Reeves, and was characterized 

 by Mr. Gray as Acipenser Sinensis. 



The other species was stated by Mr. Gray to belong to a new sec- 

 tion intermediate between the true Sturgeons and the Spatulariee, 

 having a broad expanded muzzle, flat above, shelving on the sides, 

 and concave, and furnished with a central ridge beneath. It was 

 characterized as Acipenser cataphractus; Acipenser cataphractus, 

 Rapp, MSS. Hab. in fluvio Mississippi. 



The exhibition was resumed of the Shells collected by Mr. Cuming 

 on the Western Coast of South America, and among the Islands of 

 the South Pacific Ocean. Those exhibited at the Meeting were ac- 

 companied by characters by Mr. G. B. Sowerby, and comprehended the 

 following apparently undescribed species of the genus Fissurella. 



Fiss. maxima (in some specimens the internal margin shows a very 

 great development of crystalline structure), grandis (long. 4, lat 2-6 

 poll.), limbata (a representation of the inside of this shell has been 

 given in Mr. Sowerby's ' Genera of Recent and Fossil Shells,' under 

 the name of Fiss.picta, Lam., from which it is nevertheless very di- 

 stinct), biradiata (Frembly MSS.), lata (approaches, in form and co- 

 louring, very nearly to Fiss.picta, hscm.), pulchr a, oriens, Chilensis, 

 obscura, virescens, nigro-punctata, macrotrema, affinis (Gray), micro- 

 trema (the dorsal perforation so small, and the coloration so dark, 

 that it is difficult at first sight to perceive it to be really a Fissurella), 

 inaqualis. Pica, Chemnitzii (represented by Martini, I. t. xi. f, 100, 

 whose figure is cited by Lamarck as a representation of Fiss. Gr<eca), 

 latimarginata, trapezina, ccqualis, fulvescens, nigrita, aspera, aaperella, 

 mutabilis, Panamensis, Ruppellii, Clypeus, and crenifera. The cha- 

 racters of all these species are detailed in the ' Proceedings' of the 

 Society. 



A Letter was read, addressed by Capt. P. P. King, R.N., Corr. 

 Memb. Z.S., to W. J. Broderip, Esq., und dated New South Wales, 

 April 13, 1834. It gave some account of the Oceanic Birds ob- 

 served during the late voyage of the writer from Europe to New 

 South Wales, and more particularly of those of the genus Diomedea, 

 Linn. 



" From the meridian of the island of Tristan d'Acunha to that of 

 the island of St, Paul's, on about the parallel of 40° of south lati- 

 tude, we were daily surrounded by a multitude of oceanic birds. — Of 

 the Petrel tribe the Cape Pigeon, Procellaria Capensis, Linn., w^as 

 most abundant ; but the Proc. vittata (vel ccerulea) frequently was 

 observed ; as was also a small black Petrel which I do not recollect 

 to have before seen. 



" Of the genus Diomedea the species which I regarded as the spa- 

 dicea, chlororhynchos and fuliginosa of Authors, were the most re- 

 markable. Near Tristan d'Acunha the first (Diom. spadicea) most 

 abounded : between the Cape and the longitude of 30° East the 

 second {Diom. chlororhynchos) became more numerous : and in the 

 neighbourhood of St. Paul's their place was supplied by the Diom. fu- 

 liginosa. Where one species abounded, the others were only occa- 



3 D2 



