Zoological Society. 46. 1 



ences between these species, stating certain differences in their 

 internal anatomy, and noticing those of their habits. 



An extract was read from the ^Analyse des Travaux de la Societe 

 d' HistoireNaturelle de I' He Maurice, pendant la 2de Annee : ' it was 

 communicated to the Committee by its author, M, Julian Desjardins, 

 Corr. Memb. Z. S., the Secretary of the Society whose labours are 

 enumerated in it. 



Among the novelties which have occupied that Society during 

 the season of 1830-1831 have been some observations by M. J. 

 Desjardins on the Zoology of the Mauritius as compared with that 

 of the Isle of Bourbon, from which has resulted the curious fact, 

 that notwithstanding that these islands are situated in such close 

 proximity to each other, are of the same formation, and present a 

 most remarkable analogy in their soil, their animals are not univer- 

 sally the same, some species being met with in one which never 

 occur in the other. 



In some remarks on the bones of the Dodo, (consisting of a ster- 

 nnm, a cranium, and four bones of the extremities,) which were sent 

 by M. Desjardins to Paris, and which excited so much attention 

 during the past summer from M. Cuvier and M. de Blainville, oc- 

 casion is taken to correct some errors which have crept ipto the 

 published statements respecting them. They were discovered, in 

 1786, in a cavern on the island of Rodriguez. 



Mr. Gray exhibited living specimens of the common Lizard, La- 

 certa agilis, Linn., for the purpose of pointing out the marks of dis- 

 tinction between the sexes. The male is generally larger than the 

 female, and more distinctly coloured ; the under side of his body and 

 base of his tail are very bright orange, while in the female these parts 

 are pale yellowish green ; his ante-anal scale is short and transverse, 

 that of the female being much longer and hexagonal ; and the under 

 side of the base of his tail is flat, with a slight longitudinal middle 

 depression just behind the vent, this part of the tail being in the fe- 

 male rounded and convex. In April and May the male may also be 

 known by the base of the tail being dilated on the sides, just behind 

 the thigh, a dilatation probably caused by the size ol the penes, which 

 are retracted inio these parts. 



Mr. Gray further explained various particulars of the habits of 

 this species, observed by him in individuals which he had kept in a 

 living state ; and added, that in the only instance in which he had 

 observed the coitus, ooe alone of the penes was inserted. 



June 12. — The exhibition was resumed of the new species of 

 Shells collected by Mr. Cuming on the western coast of South 

 America and among the islands of the South Pacific Ocean. 



The whole of the new species, thirty-nine in number, of the Genus 

 CoLUM BELLA Contained in the collection, were illustrated by Mr. 

 G.li.Sowerby. They are as follows: Columbella pulcherrima, liar - 

 .piformis, Licanalifcra, spurca, liuccinoides, coronata, lyrata, uncinata, 

 elegans, unifasciata, gibberula, turrita, J'ulva, rugosa, /lucluata, rc- 

 curva, lanceolaia, maculosa, hcemasloma, varia, scalariua, pyrosloma 

 (^This species somewhat resembles Col. mcndicaria. Mr. Sowerby is 



