431 



schachte fing ich mit einem Netze drei weitere Niphargus aqidlex, sowie 

 auch eine Anzahl Ostracoden. 



Niphargus «., Ostracoden und Copepoden zeigten alle dieselbe 

 schwach weiße bis durchscheinende Färbung. Die gefangenen Stücke 

 von N. a. besitzen eine Länge von 5 — 8 mm. In bezug auf Telson 

 und 3. Uropodenpaar kann ich schon mitteilen, daß bei allen 4 Tieren 

 die Basis des 3. Uropodenpaares und Telson einander gleiche und kon- 

 stante Länge haben. Dagegen schwankt das Verhältnis zwischen 1. und 

 2. Grliede des Außenastes am 3. Uropoden zwischen 3 : 2 und 5 : 2. Der 

 Innenast ist meist Va so lang wie die Basis. Doch muß ich genauere 

 Erörterungen über den ganzen Fund auf später verschieben. 



II. Mitteilungen aus Museen, Instituten usw. 



1. Linnean Society of New South Wales. 



Abstract of Proceedings, September 25th, 1907. — Mr. North sent for 

 exhibition a set of four eggs of the Plumed Egret, Mesophyxplumifera (Gould), 

 with the following note: — "The eggs oi Mesophyx jihimifera here exhibited 

 were taken by Mr. Septimus Robinson on Buckiinguy Station, N.S.W., on 

 the 8th November, 1893. Mr. Robinson reported that he found about a 

 dozen or more nests of this species; they were nearly flat, and scantily formed 

 structures of thin sticks and twigs ; and were so small that they were almost 

 concealed by the birds when sitting. They were built in gum, or 'Humulung' 

 [Acacia sp.?) saplings, standing in water where the Macquarie River had 

 overflowed its banks, and varied in height from seven to twenty feed from 

 the surface of the water, most of them not being higher than twelve feet, and 

 in some saplings were two nests. Each nest contained four eggs, some being 

 fresh, others well advanced in incubation. The eggs are almost true ellipses 

 in form, the shell being close-grained, with fine pittings, otherwise smooth 

 and lustreless. They are of a uniform pale sea green colour, with here and 

 there scattered over the shell almost invisible white limy-incrustations, and 

 measure as follows: — length (A) 1,82 X 1,32; (B) 1,81 X 1,2; (C) 1,82 

 X 1,23; (D) 1,83 X 1,29 inches. Last July, through the kindness of Mr. 

 Charles French, Junr., I was enabled to examine a set of three eggs of the 

 Plumed Egret taken by Mr. J. Ross near Mathoura, N.S.W., in November, 

 1906. They were similar in shape and colour, but slightly larger than the 

 specimens now exhibited. Although Mr. Robinson took the eggs of the 

 Plumed Egret so many years ago, hitherto, I believe the eggs of this species 

 have remained undescribed." — • 1) On the Genus Petalura^ with Description 

 of a new Species [N euroj) ter a: Odonata]. By R. J. Tillyard, M.A., F.E.S. 

 — This remarkable isolated genus is probably a relic of an ancient Australian 

 odonate fauna, which is now being steadily displaced by an Asiatic invasion. 

 P. gigantca Leach, occurs round Sydney and on the Blue Mountains, and was 

 described nearly a hundred years ago. It is about 4^2 inches across the wings. 

 ,The new species, P. ingentissima^ is found in Northern Queensland. It is 

 the largest dragonfly known to exist at present (about 6 inches across the 

 Avings); and seems to show connection with the huge Tertiary Gomphinae 



