LIXNEAX SOCIETY OF LOXDOJJ. 21 



Tlie President announced that there would be ballots for 

 FelloxAS ou the 5t.h May, ;iud on the 2nd and I'ith June. 



Prof. E. Xewsteaj), F.li.S., A.L.8., then delivered a lecture, 

 entitled "Some Observations on the Natural History of the 

 Upper Shiri Eiver, Nyasaland." TheLectarer dealt with the com- 

 mon types of the flora and fauna of the Upper Shiri River. The 

 flora was dealt with under three sections: — (1) The river and its 

 banks, (2) the opeu "dambo" or savanna, and (3) the forest. 

 As regards the flora of the river, attention was called to the plants 

 forming the fringe of the sudd, namely Pistia Stratiotes and Trapa 

 hispinosa. The width of the sudd in the river a little south of the 

 lake Malombe was given as approximately thirty-seven yards ou 

 either side; the width, however, varied at different points. The 

 banks of the river in places were clothed witii a more or less 

 dense vegetation, consisting of a few palms (species?), the Baobab 

 (Adansonia dirfitdta), Kigelia sp., with here and there the «carlet- 

 tiowered climber, Comhretum microphyllum, etc. In the open 

 dambo, during the dry season, the plants were nearly all resting. 

 The commonest of the plants, however, was a species of Asjxcrcu/us 

 and an undetermined species of Leguminosse. The forest proper 

 is fringed on the river-side by Acacias of various species, of which 

 flit-topped species predominated. Hereabouts the Candelabra, 

 Eupliorhia grandidens (?), was also very common. In the forest 

 the tree most commonly met with was the Iron-wood, Copaifera 

 Mopane. The Ebony {Diospyros spp.) was also fairly common, 

 and so also was a species of Parhia. 



Illustrations were shown of the giant climber, Klclwia sp., 

 Stroj^hdntJius Nicholsoni, and Adenium multiflorwn, the last-named 

 plant being fairly common, and blossoming during the dry season. 



In dealing with the insects, special reference was made to a 

 highly protected species of Mantis (Taracodes perloides), and tiie 

 common Tsetse-fly of the country [Glossina morsitans), the latter 

 being the chief factor concerned in the dissemination of Sleeping 

 Sickness in man. 



Illustrations of the common Tree-frog, Chiromantls sienimpeUna, 

 were shown, and attention was called to its highly protective 

 colour and pattern. 



Seventy-eight species of birds were collected, and specifically 

 determined. Among these, «as a new and undescribed species of 

 flycatcher {Enjthrocercus nijasa'); large flocks of the beautiful and 

 rare little lorikeet, Agapornis liliamv, were observed. 



Photographs from life were shown of a large number of birds 

 common to the region in question, supplemented by a collection 

 of prepared bird-skins. 



After the lecture, which was illustrated by a large number 

 of lantern-slides, an animated discussion followed in which 

 Lord Rothschild, Dr. A. B. Kendle, Sec.L.S., Lt.-Col. Tull Walsh, 

 and Prof. E. S. Goodricli, Sec.L.S., took part. Replies to the 

 various questions propounded were given by the lecturer, as to 



