18 



bėlov? these parts (Notės on Dissection of Active Gibbon, Zoological 

 Journal, vol. v. p. 14). 



The foot is remarkable for the smallness of the os calcis, a character 

 common to the Orangs and the lower Monkeys, and which, giving 

 less basai surface to the foot, indicates less power of supporting the 

 frame in the erect posture. The hind-foot is formed for grasping 

 the branches of trees and not for -vvalking on the ground. The meta- 

 tarsal bones decrease in strength (as in the hand) from the first 

 towards the little finger. The thumb is strongly formed, especially 

 its metatarsal bone. The ungueal phalanges are -vvanting in the 

 second and third finger, and the ungueal and penultimate in the little 

 finger of the only hind extreniity mounted on the skeleton. These 

 defects in the hind-foot arise from the animal having been afFected 

 sorae time previous to her death with a morbid statė of constitution 

 (supposed to arise from confinement), ■vvhich caused her to gnaw off 

 the ends of some of her fingers. The foot is thro\vn less on the 

 extemal edge than in the lower Quadrumana. 



I am fuUy conscious of the imperfection of this account of the 

 osteology of the Active Gibbon, yet trust that I have called atten- 

 tion to some points in which the organization of the skeleton is 

 beautifuUy adapted to the habits of the creature. No part of the 

 studies of a naturalist is more interesting or instructive than thus to 

 trace, however imperfectly, the hand of an all-wise Creator in the 

 works of nature. Edw. Frt. 



The next paper eontained " Descriptions of eleven new species of 

 Australian Birds," by John Gould, Esq. : — 



Athene marmorata. Ath. omni supertore corpore, alis, cauddgue, 

 saturate fuscis, nuchd autem, alarum tectricibus, et scapularibus, 

 obscure albo maculatis ; pogoniis internis primariorum ad basin et 

 rectricum lateralium fasciis stramineis, ad extremam pogoniam 

 albicantibus, ornatis ; facie et mento albidis ; corpore inferiore 

 saturate f usco , albo et arenaceo colore maculato. 

 AU the upper surface, \vings and tail dark brown, obscurely spotted 

 ■vvith white round the back of the neck, on the wing-coverts and sca- 

 pularies ; inner \vebs of the primaries at their base, and the inner 

 webs of the lateral tail-feathers crossed by bands, -vvhich are bufFnext 

 the shaft and white towards the extremity of the -vvebs ; face and chin 

 whitish ; under surface dark brown, blotched with white and sandy 

 brown ; legs and thighs fawn-colour ; bill horn-colour ; feet yellow. 

 Totai length, 14 inches; bill, 1^ ; wing, 9| ; tail, 6 ; tarsi, 2. 

 Hab. South Australia. 



Remark. — Nearly allied to Athene maculata, but much exceeding 

 that species in size. 



Athene rufa. Ath. disco faciali saturate fusco ; omni corpore, 



supra saturate /usco, infra arenaceo-rufo, multis autem lineis rufo- 



fuscis transversim fasciato . 



'Facial disc dark bro\vn ; all the upj)er surface dark bro\vn, crossed 



,i)y numerous narrovv bars of reddish brown, the tints becoming paler 



