71 



no evidence that ^lillepora existed further back in history than what 

 may be called geologically recent times. 



If this conclusion is justified a question arises which it is difficult 

 to answer. How are, we to account for the wide distribution of Mille- 

 pora in the W. Indies, Red Sea, Indian ocean and the Pacific if it had 

 only a recent origin ? 



I should like to take this opportunity to express my thanks to 

 Herr Professor v. Zittel for his great kindness in allowing me to exa- 

 mine some specimens of corals in the Munich Museum. 



II. Mittheilungen aus Museen, Instituten etc. 

 1. Zoological Society of London. 



14th December, 1897. — The Secretary read a report on the additions that 

 had been made to the Society's Menagerie during the month of November 1897. 

 — Mr. G. A. Boulenger, F.R.S., offered some further remarks upon the 

 Siluroid Fish, Vandellia cirrhosa^ and stated that he had made an experiment 

 which satisfied him as to the possibility of the fish penetrating the male 

 human urethra — a habit which has been attributed to it by various travel- 

 lers in South America. — A communication was read from Dr. A. E. Goeldi, 

 C.M.Z.S., ^'On Lepidosiren paradoxa from the Amazons.'' This memoir 

 treated of the geographical distribution of the Lepidosiren on the Amazons, 

 and of its external structure and dimensions, and gave an account of its 

 habits in a natural and captive state. — Mr. J. Graham Kerr gave an ac- 

 count of his recent expedition, along with Mr. Budgett, to the Chaco of 

 Paraguay in quest of Lepidosiren\ and made remarks on its habits as there 

 observed. Mr. Kerr also gave a general account of the early stages of its 

 development, drawing special attention to the presence in the larva of ex- 

 ternal gills and a sucker similar to those of the Amphibia. — A communi- 

 cation was read from Dr, A. G. Butler, F.Z.S., containing a list of 

 33 species of Butterflies obtained by Mr. F. Gillett in Somaliland during the 

 present year, and giving the dates of the capture of the specimens and their 

 localities. — Mr. Oldfield Thomas, F.Z.S., read a paper entitled "On the 

 Mammals obtained by Mr. A. Whyte in North Nyasaland, and presented to 

 the British Museum by Sir H. H. Johnston, K.C.B. ; being a fifth contri- 

 bution to the Mammalogy of Nyasaland." This memoir contained notes on 

 61 species of Mammals, 4 of which were characterized as new, viz. Macro- 

 scelides hrachyrhynchus malosae^ Crocidura lixa^ Myosorex sonila, and Graphiu- 

 rus Johnsioni. — A communication was read from the Rev. O. Pickard Cam- 

 bridge, F.R.S., describing a new genus and species of Acaridea [Eatonia 

 scopulifera) from Algeria. — A communication by Mr. J. Stanley Gardiner, 

 ^'On some Collections of Corals of the Family Pocilloporidae from the South- 

 west Pacific Ocean," was read by the author. Twenty species of the genus 

 Pocillopora and one of the genus Seriatopora were enumerated and remarked 

 upon, five species of the former genus being described as new, viz. Pocillo- 

 pora septata, P. ohtusata, P. coronata^ P. rugosa and P. glomerata. — Mr. W. 

 E. de Winton, F.Z.S., gave an account of a collection of Mammals from 

 Morocco, made by Mr. E. Dodson on behalf of Mr. J. I. S, Whitaker. 



