74 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



doubt to the mutual gratification of both bird and quadruped. 

 Any one wishing to observe the habits of the grey wagtail 

 {Motacilla loarula) can do so without difficulty on the Water 

 of Leith, for it is almost impossible at any time, winter or 

 summer, to walk from Stockbridge to Dean Bridge without 

 seeing several, and they are also frequently to be seen on the 

 same stream at Bennington. A favourite place for the nest 

 of the pied wagtail is the ivy against our dwellings, and a 

 well-kept lawn a favourite feeding ground. They are met 

 with at a distance from streams more frequently than the 

 grey wagtail, and the yellow species seems to me to be as 

 much a frequenter of pastures and commons as streams. The 

 grey-headed wagtail {Motacilla flava) is unknown to me, 

 though Mr Gray records its having been seen at the Water of 

 Leith. 



VIII. On an Abnormal Specimen of Eiiplectella aspergilhtm 

 (Owen). By George Leslie, Esq., Demonstrator of 

 Zoology, University of Edinburgh. 



(Read 16th April 1879.) 



The specimen which I now exhibit to the Society is one 

 which attracted my attention while lately examining the 

 zoological collection in the museum of the Albert Institute 

 of Dundee. It was sent from Manilla in the Philippine 

 Islands, together with a fine Meyerina and examples of the 

 normal form of Eiiplectella, and was very kindly entrusted to 

 me for description by Mr John Maclauchlan, the curator of 

 the museum, to whom I would now tender my best thanks. 

 Before describing the specimen, a few observations on the 

 history of our knowledge of Eitplectella, and on its general 

 structure and contour, may be profitable. 



This beautiful sponge was first described by Professor 

 Owen, who in 1841 communicated a paper on the structure 

 of an example received from the Philippines to the Zoological 

 Society of London. This was subsequently printed, accom- 

 panied with an excellent figure in the Transactions of the 



