Zoological Society. 141 



of the Terns, of which ten species are introduced belonging to our 

 native list. The most interesting species to the British ornithologist 

 is the Sterna Leucopreia, for species of which, killed in the end of 

 August at Lyme on the Dorsetshire coast, Mr. Yarrell is indebted 

 to T. C. Heythem, Esq. of Carlisle. 



Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Vol. xv. Part 2. 

 Session 1841-42, Dec. 1842. 4to. Grant and Son. 

 An unusually thin number, containing only sixty-nine pages ; but 

 we have among the contents two papers relating to zoology and 

 botany, both of them illustrated with plates, of the first we have 

 given an abstract at page 126 of the present Number. The second 

 paper alluded to, is on the ultimate secreting structure, and on the 

 laws of its function, by John Goodsir. The conclusions arrived at 

 by the author are : " That all the true secretions are formed by a 

 vital action of the nucleolated cell, and that they are first contained 

 in the cavity of that cell; that growth and secretion are identical, — 

 the same vital process under different circumstances. 



Preparing for Publication. 



Supplement to Dr. Parnell's Grasses of Scotland, including the 

 Cereal Grain, making the British Grasses complete. 



We have much satisfaction in learning that the results of Captain 

 Belcher's Voyage in H.M.S. Sulphur are to be made available to 

 science in the most advantageous manner. Government having ad- 

 vanced a sum of money to provide the requisite illustrations. Richard 

 Brinsley Hinds, Esq. has been appointed by the Admiralty to edit 

 and superintend the publication, and the co-operation of Mr. J. E. 

 Gray, Dr. Richardson, Mr. Gould, &c., has been obtained by that 

 gentleman, to describe respectively the mammalia, fish, birds, &c., 

 the shells being undertaken by himself. 



The work is to be published in parts, and at a moderate price. 



Part XI. of Taylor's Scientific Memoirs, just published, contains 

 Ehrenberg's important memoir on the Animals of the Chalk Forma- 

 tion. 



PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Feb. 8, 1842. — William Yarrell, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



Some notes on the habits of the Horned Screamer {Palamedcn 

 cornuta, Linn.), by William Martin, Esq., Secretary to the Clifton 

 Zoological Gardens, were read. 



These notes were communicated by the President, the Earl of 

 Derby, and are drawn up from observations made upon a specimen 

 of the Palamedea living in the Clifton menagerie. 



" The Horned Screamer was presented to the Society early in 

 June 1839, by Capt. Rees of Bristol. On its arrival in this country 

 it was exceedingly thin and weak. It had been fed during the voy- 



