45 



June 10, 1834. 

 Richard Owen, Esq., in the Chair. 



A collection of objects of Zoology, made by Lieut. Allen, R.N., 

 Corr. Memb. Z. S., during bis late expedition up the Quorra into 

 the interior of Africa, and presented by hitn to the Society, was exhi- 

 bited. It was accompanied by another collection formed by thesarae 

 gentleman at Fernando Po. They comprehended a previously un- 

 described species of Plover; an undescribed Tetrodon and a Myletes; 

 specimens of Poiypterus Senegalus, Cuv,, and of a Gymnarchus, Ej. j 

 and specimens of the three horned Chamaleon, Chamaleo Oiveni, 

 Gray, andofa Galago, Galago Senegalensis, GeofF. ; the two latter 

 being from Fernando Po. They also included numerous Jnsects and 

 Arachnida, both from the interior and from the island. 



The bird was characterized by Mr. Gould : 



Vanellus albiceps. Van. capite, gula, alis in medio, uropygio, 

 ventre, crissogue albis ; fac'iei lateribus colloąue purpurascent'u 

 cinereis; scapularibus, remigihus prioribus tribus, caudague di- 

 midio apkali nigris. 



Long. tot. arostri ad caudse apicem, 13 unc, a rostri ad digitorum 

 apicem, 15 unc. ; al<e, 8; cauda, 4; tarsi, 3 ; femoris, 3; rostri, 

 a rietu ad apicem, 1 į. 



Rostrum viridi-aurantiacum, ad apicem nigrum. 



Between the eye and the upper mandible is situated a fleshy sub- 

 stance (resembling that of the common Cock) vvhich hang.s down at 

 right angles vvith the beak ; it is of an orange colour, and is narrow 

 in form, being one inch and a half long and half an inch vvide at the 

 base, whence it gradually tapers throughout its whole length to the 

 tip. The spur on the shoulders is strong and sharp, and is nearly an 

 inch in length. 



The Fishes vvere characterized by Mr. Bennett, who remarked on 

 the complete analogy borne by these species of the rivers of Western 

 Africa to some of those of the Nile. The form of Mylefes, Cuv,, to 

 vvhich Lieut. Allen's fish belongs, has hitherto been obtained only in 

 Egypt; the genus Poiypterus, Geoff., originally observed in the 

 Nile, seems to be limited to that river and to Senegal ; the genus 

 Gymnarchus, Cuv., hus previously been noticed only in the Nilej and 

 the Tetrodon of this collection resembles in its markings that of 

 Egypt. The new species may be thus characterized : 



Myletes Allenii. Myl. oblongus ; pinnd dorsali primd supra 



venlrales positd. 

 D. 10, 0. A. 14. C. 19. P. 15, V. 9. 



Specimen minimum, biunciale, a Myl. Hasselcuistii, Cuv., (Šal- 

 mo Denter, Hass.,) differre videtur situ pinnee dorsalis primse. 



No. XVIII, l'ROtEEDINCiS OF TUE ZoOLOGICAL SoCIETY, 



