NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 29 



distinguished by a nearly square-shaped head, covered by bony 

 plates, the scapula and angle of the praeoperculum being produced 

 into long spines, the body covered with strongly keeled scales, two 

 dorsal fins, the second little less than the first, and the pectorals 

 (the flight organs) much enlarged. There are granular teeth in the 

 jaws and none in the palate. They are natives of the Mediterranean, 

 Atlantic, and Indian Seas. The genus comprises four species, and 

 this one grows to a length of 20 inches. 



Mr John Young, F.G.S., exhibibited a specimen of a sand- 

 burrowing macrurous crustacean, Callianassa turneriana (White) 

 from Old Calabar, on the West Coast of Africa, and measuring about 

 10 inches in length. It was presented to the Hunterian Museum 

 along with a collection of shells, &c, from West Africa, by Mr 

 Alexander Henderson, of Glasgow, who says it is found specially at 

 the Cameroons, its occurrence being only periodical, once, it is 

 said, in four or seven years. With the natives of the Cameroons it 

 forms part of the dowry of a woman at marriage, and should divorce 

 be necessary, the shrimps must also be returned; but not being 

 always obtainable, there is room enough for a good African quarrel 

 among the natives. They say that it always comes down stream, but 

 that the salt water kills it, and certainly myriads are to be seen float- 

 ing dead in the brackish water where the shipping lie. It is edible, 

 although the natives think it not worth cooking, as "nothing live 

 inside," they say. 



Mr Peter Cameron exhibited a number of galls,- amongst them one 

 on the stem of Triticum repens, very like that of a species of Aidax, 

 except that the latter is found on the root of the plant. Also a 

 Cecidomyia gall on the root of a Juncus, and one on the flower-head 

 of a compositaceous plant, perhaps a gall of Cecidomyia artimesiae. 

 He also showed a collection of Hymenoptera from the Sandwich 

 Islands, which he had received from the Rev. T. Blackburn. Most 

 of the species are peculiar to the Islands, and belong to the genera 

 Odynems, Crabro, and Prosoins. Three of the Ants are British, 

 Solenopsis geminata, Pheidole posilla (the House Ant of Madeira, 

 now common in bakehouses, &c, in this country), and Ponera 

 co7itrada, the latter being rare in Britain. The peculiarity of the 

 insect fauna of the Oceanic Islands was commented on at length, 

 and their study was recommended, as before long most of the species 

 will be exterminated by man's agency, or by the introduced 

 species. 



