167 



(loc. cit. Taf. I, ¥ìg. 1) und glaube an demselben die Andeutung der 

 oben beschriebenen Foramina in der Gestalt zweier schartenartigen 

 Ausbuchtungen nahe dem Krallenansatze herauszufinden. Nichts- 

 destoweniger findet sich in der sonst so vortrefflichen Monographie 

 noch keine Notiz von diesem Sinnesorgane vor. 



III. Mittheilungen aus Instituten, Gesellschaften etc. 



1. Zoological Society of London. 



1st March, 1881. — The Secretary exhibited the cast integument of 

 a large Spider [Mygale histriata'^.) which had been shed in the Society's Gar- 

 dens. — Mr. G. E. Dob son, C.M.Z.S., read a paper on the anatomy of 

 the Family Erinaceidae, commencing with that of the curious and rare form 

 Gymnura Rafflesii, with which the species of Erinaceus were compared. Gym- 

 nura was shown to be a peculiarly central form, the survivor probably of a 

 once widely spread group. Altogether, the anatomy of thirteen species of 

 Erinaceidae was treated of in this paper. — A communication was read from 

 Mr. F. Moore , F.Z.S., containing the descriptions of some new genera and 

 species of Asiatic Nocturnal Lepidoptera. The characters of 150 new spe- 

 cies were given representing 82 genera, of which 29 were new to science. 

 — A communication was read from Mr. R. Collett, C.M.Z.S., containing 

 an account of the breeding habits of the Grey Seal [Halichoerits grypus) , as 

 observed on the Fro Islands, off Trondhjem's Fiord, in Norway. — Mr. R. 

 Bowdler Sharpe, F.Z.S., read a note on the Fantail Flycatcher of Western 

 Australia [Rhipidura Preissi) , of which he had lately had for the first time an 

 opportunity of examining a specimen. — P. L. Sclater, Secretary. 



2. Linnean Society of London. 



Febr. 3, 1881. — Examples of Prof. C. Semper's method of preser- 

 ving the soft tissues of animals as teaching specimens were exhibited on behalf 

 of Herr L. Würth of Würzburg. — A paper was read by Mr. A. D. 

 Michael, Observations on the Life History of Gamasinae. In this the 

 author endeavours to decide some of the disputed and knotty points in re- 

 ference to these humble parasites; Mr. Mégnin of Versailles and Dr. Kra- 

 mer of Schleusingen, both being good authorities on the subject, being at 

 variance thereon. Mr. Michael, believing that detached observations on cap- 

 tured specimens may have produced unreliable results, has himself bred Gama- 

 sids, closely followed their changes and growth, and watched their manners, 

 and thus has arrived at what he on good grounds assumes to be important 

 results respecting their life-history. He states that the remarkable power of 

 starting each mandible separately with speed and accuracy of aim far in ad- 

 vance of the body, the powerful retractile muscles attached to these man- 

 dibles, the organisation of the remainder of the mouth, the extreme swiftness 

 of the creatures, the use of the front legs as tactile organs only, and not for 

 the purpose of locomotion, and the ample supply of tactile hairs in front only, 

 seem to fit the animals for a predatory life, and point to habits similar to 

 .those of Cheyletus and Trombidium, rather than to those of the true vegetable- 



