Zoological Society. 401 



a convenient size and moderate price, these discoveries ; to systema- 

 tise the whole ; and arrange the species after a more natural method, 

 has been the object of the author of the present work. In the plates, 

 figures, of the natural size and magnified, of nearly every species, are 

 given, — the figures drawn from nature expressly for the volume ; and 

 from the care bestowed upon them it is confidently believed that 

 they will be found accurate and faithful representations of their ob- 

 jects. 



This work will be published in a form so as to range with Yarrell's 

 British Birds and Fishes, and will be accompanied with numerous 

 wood cuts and engravings. 



PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



October 10, 1837, R. Owen, Esq., in the Chair.— Mr. Gould 

 called the attention of the Meeting to a collection of Birds from 

 Australia and the adjacent islands, belonging to the Raptorial Order, 

 and upon which he proceeded to offer the following observations. 



" My attention during the last few days having been directed to the 

 Raptorial Birds of Australia and the adjacent islands, and my own 

 collection from those parts being particularly rich in the birds of 

 this order, 1 am induced to lay before the Society a slight sketch 

 of all the species found in that portion of the globe, and to exhibit to 

 the Meeting a few which I conceive to be now for the first time 

 made public. From our limited knowledge, however, of this vast 

 continent, my observations will more particularly refer to the birds 

 of the southern parts of Australia and Van Diemen's Land, these 

 being the districts which up to the present time have been most ex- 

 tensively explored. 



" Most of the forms now exhibited will be found to bear a striking 

 resemblance to those inhabiting Europe ; indeed, the similarity 

 is so strikingly obvious as to leave no doubt of the influence of tem- 

 perature on the form of animals. 



" A remarkable deficiency, and that a very important one, is the to- 

 tal absence of any of the Vulturidce, or of any form by which this 

 family might be represented. It is true that a bird has been described 

 by Dr. Latham under the name of 'New Holland Vulture;' but 

 this bird is now almost universally admitted to belong to a totally 

 different order, that of the Rasores. I have placed an example of 

 this singular species on the table, an examination of which will en- 

 able any member present (who has not before had an opportunity of 



Ann. Nat. Hist. Vol. 1. No. 5. July 1838. 2 d 



