194 



Esocidae, Salmonidae and Muraenidae. — Dr. Mivart, F.R.S., read a paper 

 descriptive of the skeleton in Lorius ßavopalliatus, comparing it with that of 

 Psittacus erithacus , and pointed out a number of differences in detail. — 

 Mr. G. A. Boulenger, F.R.S., made remarks on some cranial characters 

 of the Salmonoid Fishes, and expressed the opinion that there was no justi- 

 fication for separating Coregonus and Thymallns from the Salmonidae as had 

 been proposed by Cope and Gill. — Prof. T, W. Bridge read a paper in 

 which he pointed out certain features in the skull of Osteoglossum. The 

 author directed attention to the existence of a peculiar oral masticatory me- 

 chanism in Osteoglossum formosum^ distinct from that furnished by the upper 

 and lower jaws and their teeth. The mechanism consists of a linear series 

 of opposable teeth implanted in the oral surface of each mesopterygoid and 

 a small cluster of teeth supported by the parasphenoid. By the lateral slid- 

 ing motion of the proximal elements of the mandibular arch (metapterygoids) 

 on a pair of special horizontally disposed condyles furnished by the para- 

 sphenoid the two series of mesopterygoid teeth become capable of alternation, 

 approximation , and separation in the median line of the oral cavity. The 

 masticatory action of the mesopterygoid may also be supplemented by the 

 vertical movements of the well-known dentigerous »tongue«. The existence 

 of an essentially similar mechanism in the Ganoid Lepidosteus osseus is also 

 described, and the conclusion suggested that the two genera ofi'er in this 

 respect an interesting example of parallelism in evolution. — P. L. Scla- 

 ter, Secretary 



4. Malacological Society of London. 



April 19th 1895. — Dr. H. Woodward, F.R.S., Vice-President, in 

 the Chair. In addition to specimens in illustration of papers, the following 

 were shown : a series of Mollusca from a Pleistocene deposit at Crayford, 

 by Mr. A. S. Kennard; two species of E's^Äer/o from Persia and S.Algeria, 

 by Mr. S. Pace; specimens from a Pleistocene deposit at Chelmsford, by 

 Mr. W. M. Webb; a distribution Chart of Clausilla , by E. R. Sykes. — 

 The following communications were read: — 1) On some new species of 

 British Mollusca from the »Triton« Expedition, by H. K. Jordan. — 2) The 

 Anatomy of Natalina caffra, Fér, By M. F. Woodward. — 3) Descriptions 

 of new species of Mollusca of the genera Bullia , Mangelia^ Trochus, etc., 

 from the Mekran Coast, by G. B. So wer by. — 4) List of Land and Fresh- 

 water Mollusca from New Providence Isle, Bahamas, by W. Bendali. — 

 5) Notes on two cases of the transport and survival of Terrestrial Mollusca in 

 the New Forest, by T. Leighton. — E. R. Sykes, Hon. Sec. 



5. 3ooJiorinecKoe OT;i.t.JieHÌe IlMiiepaTOpcKaro Oóm,ecTBa .IroóHTe- 



JieÄ EcTeCTBOSHania, ÀHTponO.lOrÎH II 9TH0rpa(|)ÌH. (Zoologische Ab- 

 theilung der kaiserlichen Gesellschaft der Freunde der Naturwissenschaften, 

 Anthropologie und Ethnographie.) 

 Sitzung des 7. (19.) Februar 1895. — iL II. me-iKaHOBiüeBt (J. P. 

 Schelkanovzew) machte eine Mittheilung über die Mundtheile von Pulex 

 irritans. Es gelang dem Referenten folgende neue Thatsachen zu beobach- 

 ten: 1) im Labium existieren, entgegen den Beobachtungen von Landois, 

 sowohl Längs- wie Quermuskeln ; 2) jede Mandibula hat das Aussehen eines 

 dünnen Rohres , dessen äußere Wand convex , die innere aber concav ist ; 



