127 



<jregengründe möchte ich doch auch die Ceratodus- sutige Brustflosse für 

 ursprünglicher halten als die der Selachier. 



Auch für die Selachier sind die bekannten Xenacanf/nni nicht die 

 tlirecten Ahnen gewesen, so wenig wie für die Dipnoi und Teleostomi\ 

 dieselben sind schon einigermaßen specialisirt, und außerdem kennen 

 wir aus viel älteren Zeiten , aus dem Devon, schon Vertreter dieser 

 drei getrennten Fischordnungen. 



Pleuracanthus ist aber unter allen bekannten Fischformen die- 

 jenige, die den ursprünglichsten Bau besitzt, und diejenige, welche 

 der gemeinsamen Stammform aller echten Fische am nächsten steht. 

 Was Hatteria ist unter den Reptilien, das ist Pleuracanthus unter flen 

 Fischen. 



Straßburg, den 10. Januar 1889. 



III. Mittheilungen aus Museen, Instituten etc. 



1. Zoological Society of London. 



5*'^ February, 1889. — The Secretary read a report on the additions 

 that had been made to the Society's Menagerie during the month of January 

 1 889. — Mr. S dater exhibited a living specimen of the Thick-billed Lark 

 [Rnwphocoris Clotbeyi] lately received by the Society from Southern Algeria, 

 and called attention to its structural peculiarities. — Mr. G. A. Boulenger 

 read a paper on the species of Batrachians of the genus Rhacophorns^ hitherto 

 confounded under the name of R. maculatus, and pointed out their distinc- 

 tions. — Mr. S dater pointed out the characters of some new species of 

 birds of the family Dendrocolaptidae, which were proposed to be called Upu- 

 certhia Bridcjesi, Phacellodomxis rttßpennis, Thripophaga fusciceps, Philydor cer- 

 vicalis, and Picola ptes parvirosfris . — A communication was read from the 

 Rev. O. P. Cambridge on some new species and a new genus of Aranei- 

 dea. Two of these species [Pachylomenus vatalensis and Stegodyphus gregarius) 

 were based on specimens living in the Insect-house in the Society's Gardens. 

 — A communication was read from Prof. F. Jeffrey Bell, containing 

 descriptions of new or rare Holothurians of the genera Plexaura and Plexau- 

 rella. — Dr. Günther, F.R.S., exhibited and made remarks on some fishes 

 which had been dredged up by Mr. John Murray ofi" the West Coast of Scot- 

 land, and were not previously known to occur in British waters viz. Cottns 

 Lüljehorgii (CoUett), Triglops Murrayi, sp. n., Gadus Esmarckii (NUss.), Onus 

 Reinhardti (Collett), Fieraxfer acus (Brunn.), Scopelus scoiicus, sp. n.. and 

 Stomias ferox (Rnhrdt.). — Dr. Günther also exhibited and described a 

 specimen of Lichia vodi'gn (Risso) , a species of which only a few specimens 

 were previously known from the Mediterranean and Madeira. This specimen 

 was obtained by Capt. MacDonald on September 17, 1888, ofi" Waternish 

 Point, Isle of Skye. — He also exhibited a hybrid between the Roach [Leu- 

 ciscus i-utilus) and the Bleak [Alburnvs albnrnus), sent to him by Lord Lilford 

 from the river Nun, Northamptonshire. — Mr. Beddard read a paper 

 descriptive of the coloured epidermic cells of Aeolosoma ienebrarum. — Mr. 



