176 



von den Schlangen Python Mohirvs und von den Fischen Esox Lucms. 

 Jedoch überall ist es ein Haupterfordernis für einen guten Erfolg, 

 daß die Thiere so frisch wie möglich sind. 



Tni Anschlüsse hieran möchte ich auf die künstlichen Augen bei 

 Fischen und Schlangen hinweisen, da dieselben sehr häufig den natür- 

 lichen Verhältnissen nicht entsprechen. Die Pupillen der Schlangen 

 bilden einen schmalen Spalt, welcher in dieser Weise ® das Auge 

 durchsetzt, wogegen die Pupille der künstlichen Augen meist derart O 

 gestaltet ist. Es ist daher zweckmäßig, einfache Glasaugen ohne Pu- 

 pille und Iris zu nehmen und dieselben auf der Rückseite in der erfor- 

 derlichen Weise zu bemalen. 



2. Zoological Society of London. 



P* March, 1887. — Prof. Jeffrey Bell read extracts from a communi- 

 cation sent to him hy Mr. Edgar Thurston, Superintendent of the Government 

 (-entrai Museum, Madras, containing observations on two species of Ba- 

 trachians of the genus Cacojms. — Mr. O. S al vin (on behalf of Mr. F. D, 

 Godman) exhibited a pair of a large and rare Butterfly [Omitho'pte.ra Victor ice) ^ 

 the male of which had been hitherto undescribed. These specimens were ob- 

 tained at the end of May 1886 by Mr. C. M. Woodford, at North-West 

 Bay, Maleita Island, one of the Solomon group. — Mr. E. B. Poulton, 

 F.Z.S., read a paper containing an account of his experiments on the pro- 

 tective value of colour and markings in Insects (especially in Lepidopterous 

 larvœ) in their relation to Vertebrata. It was found that conspicuous insects 

 svere nearly always refused by birds and lizards, but that they were eaten in 

 extreme hunger ; hence the unpleasant taste failed as a protection under these 

 circumstances. Further, conspicuous and unpalatable insects, although 

 widely separated, tended to converge in colour and pattern, being thus more 

 easily seen and remembered by their enemies. In the insects protected by 

 resembling their surroundings it was observed that mere size might prevent 

 the attacks of small enemies. Some such insects were unpalatable, but could 

 not be distinguished from the others. In tracing the inedibility through the 

 stages, it was found that no inedible imago was edible in the larval stage ; 

 in this stage therefore the unpleasant taste arose. — Mr. G. A. Boulenger, 

 F.Z.S., read a paper descriptive of the fishes collected by the late Mr. 

 Clarence Buckley in Ecuador. The set of all the species in the collection 

 acquired by tlie British Museum in 18SÖ contained a large number of iiighly 

 interesting and well-preserved specimens. Amongst them were representatives 

 of ten species described as new to science. — Mr. Richard S. Wray, B.Sc, 

 read a note on a vestigial structure in the adult Ostrich representing the 

 distal phalanges of the third digit, — Mr. John H. Ponsonby, F.Z.S., 

 communicated (on behalf of Mr. Andrew Garrett) the second and concluding- 

 part of a paper on the Terrestrial Mollusks of the Viti or Fiji Islands. — 

 Mr. Edgar A. Smith gave an account of a small collection of shells from 

 the Loo-(!hoo Islands made by Mr. H. Pryer, C.M.Z.S. — P. L. S dater, 

 Secretary. 



Druck von Breitkopf & Härtel in Leipzig. 



