Zoological Society. ' 59 



families of the strange zoophytic race, their cell-like habitations con- 

 structed with an art and adorned with a variety of pattern and beauty 

 which leave the mind bewildered at the loveliness with which it has 

 pleased God to embellish every nook of the habitable world. 



The spirit of " ennui " can never come near those to whom Nature 

 unfolds her wonders, and when such a subject is rendered so attractive 

 as it is now done by being offered in a popular and yet compre- 

 hensive form, we cannot doubt its gaining daily more and more hold 

 on general attention. 



This volume is published uniform with Dr. Landsborough's pre- 

 vious one on British Sea-weeds, and no thoughtful visitor to our 

 watering-places ought to be without both the one and the other. 



There are two new species of Lepralia described and figured in the 

 volume, viz. L. melolontha and Gattyce. For the characters we 

 must refer to Mr. Busk's Catalogue. The descriptions in Dr. Lands- 

 borough's ' Popular History ' are from the pen of Mrs. Gatty, who has 

 well merited the compliment of having her name associated Tvith one 

 of them by the acuteness of observation which led her first to discri- 

 minate them, and the accuracy of observation which prompted her 

 to maintain the opinion she had justly formed, in opposition to what 

 might have been deemed authority. The L. Gatiyce is beautifully 

 figured from a drawing by Dr. Greville. Mrs. Gatty is also the first 

 to have ascertained that the Hippothoce have ovarian capsules similar 

 to those of the true Lepralice, — another fact which vindicates the 

 justice of the compliment she has received from the hand of the 

 ablest of our present zoophytologists. 



PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



February 11, 1851.— William Yarrell, Esq., V.P., in the Chair. 



Descriptions of some New Birds in the Museum 

 OF the Earl of Derby. By Dr. Kaup. 



[Concluded from p. 455. vol. x. Ser. 2.] 



Some remarks on the genus Psaris, Cuv. 



The genus Psaris, which is synonymous with Tityra, Vieill., is a 

 true genus, which cannot be considered as the only type of a sub- 

 family, and which cannot be divided into several genera. It is an 

 indivisible genus, which I have separated into some little subgenera 

 only. I prefer, from well-known reasons, the name Psaris. 



The characters of this genus are : — Thick, strong, shghtly com- 

 pressed bill, without strong bristle-feathers on the mouth gape ; tarsi 

 moderately high, with broad scales on the front ; on the sides and 

 behind with small scales. The old males have the second hand wing- 

 feather abnormously short and of an unusual formation. The females 

 and young birds have the wings regular. 



The species of this large genus are Umited to the southern parts of 

 America. 



