Liimceaii Society. 59 



he now concludes, that an adhesive secretion is emitted by the in- 

 struments employed by the animals in climbing, showing not only 

 that they are prevented from climbing by the applicatifyu either of 

 moisture or of fine powders to the surfaces, but that distinct tracks 

 of such matter are left on the surfaces by the insects after climbing 

 upon them. After some further remarks on the physiology of the 

 subject, &-c., the author concludes by observing, that snails, it is 

 well known, can adhere to polished bodies by means of a mucous 

 secretion, and that from minutely inspecting preserved specimens 

 of Hylce and of Geckos, he is decidedly of opinion that those rep- 

 tiles are enabled to run upon the vertical sides of smooth objects 

 by the agency of adhesive matter emitted from the fimbriated under 

 surface of the dilated extremities of the toes. 



The reading was also commenced of a General History and 

 Distribution of Marsupial Animals ; with original descriptions of 

 the species which inhabit the continent of Australia and its depen- 

 dencies ; by W. Ogiiby, Esq. M.A. F.Z.S. : communicated by J. E. 

 Bicheno, Esq. F.R.S , Sec. L.S. 



Dec, 20 — The reading of Mr. Ogiiby 's paper was concluded. 



In the introductory portion of this paper, commencing with some 

 general remarks on the objects of interest which Australia offers to tlie 

 consideration both of the philosopher and the statesman, the author 

 proposes to substitute the terms Mammals and Marsupials for Mam- 

 malia and Marsiipialia, deeming the former more congenial to the 

 spirit of the English language. He then enters into a bi-ief general 

 consideration of the natural history of the Mammals of New Holland, 

 from which he infers that they must necessarily have been created 

 upon that insulated continent ; and supposing also that they must 

 have been the result of an act of creation subsequent to that by which 

 the productions of the other continents were brought into existence, 

 he infers the probability, that new species, like new individuals, may 

 be daily springing up into being, to supply the place of those which 

 daily perish, and of which the remains are so abundantly strewed 

 beneath the surface of the earth. After some further observations 

 on the mammalogy of Australia and on the paucity of our know- 

 ledge respecting it, he proceeds to consider the organization of the 

 Marsupials in general, as examined by M. Geoffroy St. Hilaire, 

 Sir Everard Home, Mr.Morgan, and other zootomists. The history 

 and nomenclature of these animals, as contained in the works of 

 Linnaeus, Shaw, M. Geoffroy St. Hilaire, Illiger, Cuvier, and De 

 Blainville, are then detailed. A list of the thirteen natural genera 

 of Marsupials succeeds, including the Monoiremata, which the 

 author regards as more nearly allied to the Marsupials, by the com- 

 mon possession of the marsupial bones, than to the Edentata, with 

 whicii they arc usually associated. Considering the existence of 

 the marsupial bones to he the simple and only unexceptionable 

 ciiaracter of the group, to which they are peculiar, the author re- 

 gards the Marsupials as constituting a primary division, or order, 

 of Mammals, and the Monotremaia as a subordinate group of that 

 order. He next proceeds to ascertain and characterize tlie in. 

 I 2 ferior 



