TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 71 
scientific congress at Lucca, in September, but he had promised to be present at. the 
meeting next year, 
Mr. Thompson exhibited to the Section a specimen of the Pycnonotus chrysorrheus, 
Swainson, shot near Waterford in January 1838, and belonging to Dr. Burkitt, of 
that city. This species of bird is a native of Africa, and has not before been noticed 
as visiting Europe. 
Dr. Lankester read the following extract of a letter from Mr. Denny, of Leeds:— 
“During the recent meeting of the Provincial Medical Association in Leeds, a me- 
dical friend of mine informed me that a pair of grey parrots had hatched and reared 
a young bird in his village. This struck me as something novel; at least, so far as 
rearing the young parrot was concerned, as I was previously aware that parrots will 
lay eggs in this country, but I have never heard of an instance of hatching. I there- 
fore put down several queries for my friend to get me answers to on his return, which 
I now forward to you, thinking it might interest some of the members of the British 
Association at Cork :—‘ The two old birds were purchased in the market at Sierra 
Leone, in 1840, when about six months old, and brought to England in the same 
cage; but were then separated until February 1842, the male being left at Hull and 
the female brought to Riccal. She first commenced laying in July 1842, and laid 
three eggs, which were taken from her as she laid them. She began to lay this year 
about the 10th of June, and laid two eggs, which she sat on exactly four weeks, and 
brought off one bird only, which was hatched on Sunday, July 16th. They are fed 
upon boiled flour pudding, which the old birds masticate and feed the young bird 
with, The old lady, the owner, also frequently chews a little pudding and allows the 
young bird to take it from her mouth. Both birds sat upon the eggs in turn, and 
the male frequently pushed the female from the eggs for the purpose. The young 
bird was blind about sixteen days, and quite bare of feathers or down. It can now 
(August 5) see, and is beginning to be downy, and is growing very fast, and appears 
a very strong bird.’” Dr. Lankester also exhibited from Mr. Denny, a specimen of a 
Carabus, completely covered with parasites, which he supposed to be Ewropoda vegetans. 

Mr. Thompson called attention to the circumstance of the nidification of the 
Woodcock in Ireland, with especial reference to Tullamore Park, in the county of 
Down, the seat of the Earl of Roden. Here the species was first observed to remain 
throughout the summer and rear its young in 1835, since which period the numbers 
so remaining have been gradually on the increase, and in the present year twenty- 
two nests have been found; so that woodcocks are now as plentiful in summer as 
in winter in the park. 
Mr. Ball exhibited a drawing of Cuculus glandarius taken from a specimen of the 
bird which had come under his notice. It is the property of Mrs. Creighton, and was 
captured on an island near Clifden, in the county of Galway, in March last. This is 
the first recorded instance of the occurrence of the species in the British Islands. It 
is well known in Africa and Southern Europe. 
Mr. Humphreys read a paper on the Mollusca of the county of Cork, of which he 
enumerated 230 species, besides 55 species of the Articulata, and 25 of the Radiata. 

On the Microscopie Structure of Shells. By W. B. Carpenter, M.D. 
The author stated that all the solid calcareous shells of molluscous animals possessed 
organic structure, in the same manner as the teeth of the higher orders of animals; 
amongst recent shells this structure is characteristic of various natural groups, and 
will, thetefore, probably afford valuable assistance in the determination of fossil genera 
and species. The principal varieties of structure were described as consisting of mo- 
difications of two simple forms, the Cellular and the Membranous. Of the first of 
these, the Pinna affords a good example :. it consists of prismatic cells, like the cellular 
tissue of vegetables, filled with carbonate of lime; and if placed in acid, the lime will 
be removed, and the membrane alone remain, still preserving its cellular structure. 
In old specimens of the Pinna the animal matter is sometimes destroyed, leaving only 
