326 Zoological Society. 



who possesses the deepest knowledge of each and every class of ver- 

 tebrate animals, and whose literary and truly philosophical attain- 

 ments are only equaled by his practical and thorough acquaintance 

 with species, the only solid base of our science. 



Hah. In Insulis Moluccis ; most pi'obably from Ceram. 



The total length of this Parrot is 1 English foot 2 inches, the wings 

 measuring 8j inches, and its tail 5^ inches. The bill is black, as in 

 the other Noble-Lories {Eclecti), and the small portion of the cere 

 that remains uncovered Ijy the red feathei's of the front is greyish ; 

 the red colour on the head is brighter than on the rest of the plumage, 

 and somewhat lighter than in the other species ; the naked ring around 

 the eye is very narrow and grey, without the small blue feathers that 

 surround it in Eclectus puniceiis only ; the iris is stramineous and ex- 

 teriorly of a reddish colour ; the pupil, excessively dilatable, is blue- 

 black. The feet are grey, with the granular little scales blackish ; 

 the nails black. The quills are greenish internally, reddish externally, 

 but with their point of a shining blue ; on the under surface they are 

 entirely blackish ; the under wing-coverts are red, intermixed with 

 blue. The tail-feathers are of a dull red, with black shafts, and in- 

 ternally somewhat greenish. The bottom of the whole plumage is 

 lead-colour. 



The absence of blue on the back and abdomen at once distinguishes 



animal, still the less numerous undulated ribbons of enamel are nearly quite as 

 M'ide as those forming the losanges of the African. The number of pairs of false 

 ribs (which alone vary, the true ones being always 6) is 14, one less than in the 

 africanus, one more than in the indicus; and so it is with the dorsal vertebrae, 

 which are 20 (21 and 19 in the others), whilst the new species agrees with afri- 

 canus in the number of sacral vertebrae (4), and with indicus in that of the caudal 

 ones (34). 



Of the Birds T shall only mention Agelastcs meleagrides, Temm., a lesser Tale- 

 galla, furnished with a strong spur, very rounded wings, and a flat tail. The head 

 and neclv are naked; a very broad white collar; all the rest of the plumage black, 

 finely undulated with white. 



In the Reptiles a new Viperine may be spoken of with great interest, consti- 

 tuting certainly an independent genus {Chloroechis, Schlegel), and showing that 

 Nature takes pleasure in hiding under the similarity of tints the snares of a de- 

 testable animal, as the innocence of the females of showy birds affords them pro- 

 tection against the tyrants of the air. The green colour of this poisonous Ser- 

 pent from Ashantee, as well as its forms, recall the DeudrophidirKB, and make it, 

 though a true Viperine, lead an arboreal life, and conceal its perfidious power 

 among the foliage of the trees. 



From the Amphibians a dozen of undescribed Hi/ladince will prove Africa not so 

 deficient of these elegant Frogs as it has been supposed to be ; whilst another 

 small Batrachian from New llolland {Myiobatrachus paradoxus, Schlegel) has 

 the general appearance of a Bombinator, but with the body rounded and the legs 

 and toes shortish, somewhat connected or at least entangled by the marginal skin of 

 the flanks. It is rendered remarkable in the whole class of Amphibia by two long 

 curved canine teeth situated towards the end of the superior jaw, and much re- 

 sembling fangs. 



Among the Fishes I have particularly admired a Percine from the Cape, allied 

 to the Anthias buphthalrnos of my ' Fauna Italica,' and called by Schlegel Anthias 

 gibbiceps .... But what, if hundreds of new species of that class (and I am still 

 dazzled by the sight of many and many even of my favourite Pleuronectidcp) would 

 by their being well known greatly benefit our science, and alone give convincing 

 proof of the propriety, nay, I may add, of the urgent necessity, of the publication ? 



