371 



Diese Zahlen beziehen sich aber nur auf den Großen Plöner See 

 selbst. In den lîuchten desselben macht sieh der Rückgang noch nicht 

 so stark benierklich. So z. B. ergab ein Netzzug im Bischofs-See (bei 

 5 m Tiefe) am 20. August noch 1 138 250 Colonien von Binohryon sti- 

 pitatum und 353 250 von Dinohryon dkergens , sowie 1 570 000 Indivi- 

 duen von Ceratium, 274 750 von HyalodapJmia kahlbergeiisis^ 4 984 000 

 Bänder von Fragilaria crotonensis und 172 700 Kugeln von Gloeotrichia. 

 Dem entsprechend betrug das Volumen immer noch 314 ccm unter 

 dem Quadratmeter, was in diesem Falle als der Planktongehalt von 

 5 cbm Wasser zu betrachten ist. Der Bischofs-See ist übrigens nichts 

 weiter als eine durch einen Kranz von Inseln abgeschlossene Bucht 

 des Plöner Sees. 



2. Linnean Society of New South Wales. 



June 26tli, 1895. — 1) Ethnological. — 2) Descriptions of some new 

 Araneidae of New South Wales. No. 5. By W. J. Rainbow. Three new 

 species of orb-weavers of the genus Nephila from New England and Sydney 

 are described. The fact is recorded of a young bird (probably Estrilda tem- 

 poralis] having been caught in the web of N. ventricosa in the vicinity of 

 Sydney; also that Mr. A. J. Thorpe, of the Australian Museum , had seen 

 an emu wren [Stipiiurus malachurus) entangled in the web of one of the 

 Nephilae at Maddens, near Belle Plains (N.S.W.); also at Cape York, se- 

 veral of the blue warblers, notably Malm-iis Brownii (Vig. et Hors.) and M. 

 amabilis (Gould). The writer points out that it is only young birds and those 

 of weak wing-power that are arrested by such webs; and he expresses doubt 

 as to the correctness of the assertion of some writers that birds so caught 

 are devoured by the spiders ; he points out that each web is placed in posi- 

 tion by the unerring instincts of the spider , simply because the situation is 

 such as will assure abundance of food in the shape of insects, and that it is 

 merely an accident when a bird becomes entangled in the toil. The paper 

 concludes with a description of the mode of coition in the Nephilae, and a 

 list of the previously described Australian species of the genus. — 3) Bo- 

 tanical. — 4) On a new fossil Mammal allied to Hypsiprymnus, but resembl- 

 ing in some points the Plagiaulacidae. By Robert Broom, M.B,, CM.. B.Sc. 

 The remains described under the name of Burramys parvtis are those of a 

 small Marsupial not larger than an ordinary mouse. The form is specially 

 interesting in having but three true molars in each jaw; and a very large 

 grooved premolar with serrate edge very similar to that found in the Eocene 

 genus Neoplayiaulax. Its affinities are dealt with at some length, and an 

 endeavour made to trace its relationship phylogenetically. — 5) On some new 

 or hitherto little known Land Shells from New Guinea or adjacent Islands. 

 By C. F. Ancey. Three new Papuan species, viz., Hemiplecta granigera, Pa- 

 puina tuomensis, and Piipina Beddomei, are described, and other known land 

 shells from German New Guinea are discussed. — 6) and 7) Botanical. — 

 Mr. Hedley showed a valve of Cardium vertebratum , Jonas, and offered the 

 following observations: — »This valve was collected by Mr. J. Jennings on 

 Balmoral Beach, Middle Harbour, Port Jackson. Though the occurrence of 

 this shell in this neighbourhood has long been known to our veteran collec- 

 tor Mr. J. Brazier, it does not seem ever to have been recorded in literature. 

 The species occurs near Bowen, Gladstone, Brisbane, and in Port Stephens, 



