Mr. E. L. Layard on new species of Paludomus. 133 



The second specimen was at the end of a branch of the Bhela {Seme- 

 carjms anacardium), about two feet from the ground, and constructed 

 of the same materials as the above, viz. raw cotton, cotton threads, 

 also a httle flax, and Uned with horse-hair alone ; the leaves were 

 stitched together partly with thread prepared by the bird, and partly 

 with spun thread ; and so well concealed was it, that even after Capt. 

 Hearsey had discovered it (by accident) he could scarcely find it 

 again to show to me. In it W'Cre found an egg and two young birds 

 nearly fledged. These I placed, with the nest, in a trap-cage, and 

 thus succeeded in capturing both of the old birds. The young birds 

 are similar in colours to the adults, except that they are paler and the 

 top of the head cinereous with a faint rufous tinge ; bill yellowish. 

 The eggs are white, spotted, chiefly at the larger end, with tawny 

 spots." 



Further notices of the habits and nest of this curious bird are given 

 by the following authors, at the places above referred to, viz. Hodgson, 

 Sykes, Blyth, Layard, Nicholson, &c. 



March 14. — Dr. Gray, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



1. Observations ox the Genus Paludomus of Swainson, 

 WITH Descriptions of several New Species, and the 

 Description of a New Species of Anculotus. By 

 Edgar L. Layard, F.Z.S., C.M.E.S. etc. etc. 



A cursory survey of the genus Faludomus, which Swainson many 

 years ago separated from Melania, at once satisfied me that several 

 genera or subgenera, differing in structure and habits, were united 

 together under one name by Mr. Reeve, in his monograph on the 

 genus in the * Conchologia Iconica,' where he describes the charac- 

 ters of the genus as follows : — " Animal fluviatile, with a horny sub- 

 triangularly-ovate concentrically-striated operculum." 



Had Mr. Reeve been furnished with the operculum and a correct 

 account of the habits of each species, he never would have left the 

 genus as it now stands. I was not aware that Dr. Gray had sepa- 

 rated one division from it, until so informed by him when I intro- 

 duced the subject to the notice of the Zoological Society on a former 

 evening ; and I rejoice to find that my observations on the MoUusca 

 in their natural state confirm the views to which that learned zoolo- 

 gist has arrived, from the structure of the opercula. 



This induced me carefully to examine the whole group ; and the 

 ample collection of Mr. Cuming, ever open to the investigator, my 

 owu cabinet, particularly rich in this family, and my memoranda 

 taken in Ceylon, have furnished the results here presented to the 

 Society. 



I propose to separate the genus into four divisions, founded upon 

 the structure of the operculum. 



The first I shall designate Paludomus, as, with the addition of 

 the position of the nucleus in the operculum, the characters, as given 

 by Reeve, sufficiently describe that organ, and from its partiality to 



