214 Zoological Society : — 



veloped embryo may be successfully accomplished by means of sun- 

 dry knives, scissors, and books, which form part of the collector's 

 equipment. 



The surest method of packing eggs for travelling long distances is 

 " to roll up each egg separately in tow, flax, wool, or some similar ma- 

 terial, so as to form a ball, and then to place these balls side by side 

 in a good stout box, taking care there be no room for them to shift 

 their position." 



The unsafest way, on the other hand, is " to place the eggs in a box, 

 filling up the interstices with bran, sawdust, corn, or sand." The 

 eggs, if unblown, will, after sufficient jolting, be found all together 

 at the bottom of the box ; if blown, they will all rise to the top. In 

 either case the result is equally fatal. 



We may conclude, in the words of Mr. Newton, that precision in 

 the identification and authentication of his specimens is the first duty 

 of an egg-collector. No egg should be left without its inscription, 

 no collection without its catalogue ; and we trust that Mr. Newton's 

 earnest wish may be realized that oologists will henceforward " ex- 

 ercise greater zeal in seeking and recording precise information, at the 

 very time and place where only it may be sought and recorded." " To 

 attain this main object no trouble is too laborious, no care too great." 



Work in the Press. 



We understand that Mr. Van Voorst is about to publish a new work 



on British Conchology, in a cheap form, but completely illustrated. 



The author is a gentleman of considerable eminence in the scientific 



world, who has especially studied this branch of our natural history. 



PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



November 13, I860.— Dr. J. E. Gray, V.P., in the Chair. 



Description of a New Coral (Corallium Johnsoni) from 

 Madeira. By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., V.P.Z.S., etc. 

 Mr. James Yate Johnson, the author of an admirable ' Guide to the 

 Island of Madeira,' and who has for years been studying the natural 

 productions of that beautiful island for the purpose of preparing a 

 Fauna of it, having kindly given me some specimens of Corals from 

 thence, I am induced to send the following description of a very in- 

 teresting specimen of this hitherto very limited genvis to the Society. 



Corallium Johnsoni. 



Coral branched, subflabelliform. Branches nearly simple, sub- 

 parallel, flexuose, with a few very short ascending branchlets scat- 

 tered on the side of the upper surfoce. Bark yellow, granular, with 

 three or four rows of rather convex poly]ie-cells on the upper surface 

 of the branches, and with the under side smooth and rounded. The 

 axis white, striated. 



Hab. Madeira. 



This coral differs from the Red Coral of the Mediteranean and 



