54 



versai tendency amongst the Arctoidea to the definition of a distinct and 

 conspicuous lozenge shaped patch of brain substance defined by the crucial 

 and precruciai sulci. This condition which he found in no single non-arc- 

 toid Carnivora, he also fo\ind in the brain of Otaria Gillespii and afterwards 

 in Phoca vituUna where it is very small and much hidden. This fact he addu- 

 ced as an important argument in favour of the view that the Pinnipedia 

 were evolved from some Arctoid, probably Ursine form of Land Carnivora. 

 — In illustration of Ornithological Notes Mr. Thos. E. Gunn showed an 

 interesting series, in varied plumage, of the somewhat rare British Blue- 

 throated Warbler [RttticUla suecica L.). The examples in question were pro- 

 cured by Mr. G. E. Power at Cley on the Norfolk Coast in September last. 

 Mr. Gunn also exhibited an immature female specimen of the Little Bittern 

 [Botaurus minutua) shot at Broxburne Bridge, Herts, on 15th Oct.; as like- 

 wise a hybrid between a cock Goldfinch and hen Bullfinch, which possessed 

 the marked characteristics of both parents. — J. Murie. 



2. Linnean Society of New South Wales. 



26th November, 1884. — 1. On a New and Remarkable instance of 

 Symbiosis. By William A. Has well, M.A., B.Sc. P/ioronis australis found 

 by the author in Port Jackson, and briefly described in a preliminary note 

 in the Proceedings of this Society {Vol. 7, p. 606), forms colonies, the indi- 

 viduals of which inhabit chambers or tubes in a common soft matrix formed 

 of fine felted filaments. The whole colony grows round a large Sea- Ane- 

 mone in such a way as to form a complete tube for it, the PAoronis doubt- 

 less profiting by the action of the thread-cells in the tentacles of the Ane- 

 mone, in killing or stunning any minute organisms that come in contact 

 with them. — 2. On the Pycnogonidae of the Australian Coast, with de- 

 scriptions of New Species. By William A. Has well, M.A., B.Sc. In 

 this Paper which is a review of all the Australian species seven New Species 

 are described — Nymphon validtim, and aequidigi latum : Nymphopsis armatus, 

 a new genus and species ; Ammothea loiigicollis and assimilis ; Colossendeis 

 tenuissima and Phoxichilidium tuhiferiim. — 3. Notes on the Port Jackson 

 Crustacea. By Charles Chilton, B.A. Some New Species are here descri- 

 bed, and observations are made on the sexual and other peculiarities cha- 

 racterising certain genera. — 4. Descriptions of Australian Micro-Lepi- 

 doptera. By E. Meyrick, B.A. No. XII. Oecophoridae (Continued). 

 This paper continues the Oecophoridae, as far as the genus Ocystula ; fifty 

 additional species are described, of which forty-six are new to science. — 

 5. A Monograph of the Australian Sponges. Partili. By R. v. Lenden- 

 feld, Ph.D. The author gives a complete description of the known Austra- 

 lian species of Calcareous Sponges, 52 in number. To the species described 

 by Carter, Haeckel, PoléjaefF and Ridley, numerous new ones are added. A 

 new classificatory system is established in this Paper. The Calcispongiae as 

 an Order are divided into Poléjaefi"s two Suborders, the meaning of which 

 has however, been slightly changed. To Hsockel's three Families and Car- 

 ter's Teichonidae, three new Families are added. The classification appears 

 as follows : 



Ordo. Calcispongia. Spongiae with Calcareous Skeleton. 



I. Subordo Homocoela. Calcispongiae without differentiated En- 

 toderm. 



