likę Saturnia, is said to have no mouth ! I believe the fact stands 

 thus, — there is no mouth orgauized for the receptiou of nourishment, 

 though sufficiently so to secrete the fluid in question ; this you can 

 ascertain by dissection ; but that a fluid is ejected frotn that organ is 

 a fact which I have repeatedly witnessed, and it is probable, there- 

 fore, that Saturnia and other genera secrete a similar fluid, and 

 similarly apply it to the threads. I have neither eyes nor ylasses 

 adapted for anatomical dissection, but you will be able to follow up 

 the hint here given. I long since wrote about the wing spine to Mr. 

 Westwood, who, I beHeve, doubted the fact of its existence ; but as 

 I have here no opportunity of seeing what is said and done on these 

 subjects, I know not how the matter ended." 



February 12, 1856. 

 Dr. Gray, F.R.S., in the Chair. 

 The following papers were read : — 



1. On a New Species of Pigeon. 

 By g. r. Gray, F.L.S. & Z.S., etc. 



(Avės, PI. CXV.) 



As I beUeve the members of the Society take some interest in 

 those birds which have passed a portion of their existence in the 

 Gardens, I am induced to place before them a Pigeon, which I have 

 every reason to suppose has remained hitherto undescribed. It be- 

 longs to the šame division as the Garnet-vdnged Pigeon of Latham 

 {Columba erythroptera, Gm.), which has been placed in Dr. Reich- 

 enbach's subgenus Phlegoenas by H. H. Prince Bonaparte ; but I 

 think that, considering the numerous divisions that have been 

 formed in this class of birds, it might with equal propriety be divided 

 from it. 



I am led to consider that there exists some sHght confusion in the 

 description of the Columba erythroptera, which is stated by Latham 

 (in his History, viii. p. 71) to come from the Isle of Eimeo, which 

 he describes as having the " belly and vent black," but I think that 

 this is a mistake ; as I find amongst Ellis's drawings, made during 

 the voyage of the great circumnavigator Cook in the year 1 777-79, 

 a representation of a Gamet-vnnged Pigeon that was found on "York 

 Isle or Eimao," having those parts pure white, and that it even 

 extends to the end of the under tail coverts and on the thighs. 



Latham has further noticed two varieties, viz. that which forms 

 his var. A. is from Otaheite, and the description was taken from the 



