HISTORY OF THE SOCIETY. 478 



ish-white, which extends across the internal web of the seven first 

 primary quills. Tail Berlin-blue, very long, and strongly forked ; 

 the two middle tectrices much the longest. Tectrices twelve in 

 number. Total length of body from the tip of bill to point of 

 tail, eleven inches ; tail, five inches. Tarsus weak, and rather 

 longer than middle toe ; length an inch and a quarter. Toes, 

 external united to middle by two joints ; internal by one. The 

 specimen of this very rare and beautiful bird, which is a native 

 of Northern India, was brought from thence by Lady Dalhousie. 

 It was remarked, that it is distinguished from the typical speci- 

 men by the following characters : — The first that strikes us is 

 the position of the nostrils, which, as already noticed, are inserted 

 at the base of the bill, and partially covered with feathers. In 

 the typical species they are quite naked, and inserted at a dis- 

 tance from the base. Secondly, the strong cuneiform tail, and 

 shortness of the wings ; and lastly, the weakness of the tarsi. 

 Although the bird presents a peculiar group of characters, it was 

 not considered advisable to form a genus of it, until its habits and 

 manners should be made known. Its locality is also interesting, 

 from its pointing out that this genus probably extends over all India 

 proper — At the same meeting, a specimen of a new Meleagris, 

 from New Holland, was exhibited and described. The' trivial 

 name of Lindesayii was given in honour of Colonel Lindesay, a 

 distinguished officer, and very active naturalist, formerly com- 

 mander of the 39th regiment in New South Wales, but now re- 

 moved to India. This bird gave rise to the erroneous opinion 

 that vultures exist in the Australian continent. 



Dr Greville, Vice-President, in the cliair Professor Jame- 

 son, in a series of geological observations which he read to the 

 Society, among other interesting topics, noticed the following : — 



1st, Beds of recent Shells on the hanks nf the Firths of Forth 

 and Clyde, situated considerably above the present level of these 

 esttmries. These beds. Professor Jameson remarked, had been 



1835. 

 Feb. 7. 



