Zoological Society. 253 
in every point of view: the position of the animals well-chosen to 
exhibit their characters and habits,—nothing overstrained, nothing 
exaggerated,—and yet, sobered down as they are to nature, nothing 
can well be imagined more chaste and beautiful in colouring, or more 
curious in exterior decoration. ‘The letter-press is not less worthy 
of praise for its correct and almost severe simplicity. The singular 
beauty of the objects before them has never tempted the authors to 
the indulgence of a figurative and flowery style, which, while it might 
have rendered the descriptions obscure, would only have marred the 
pleasing effect which these portraits must produce on every culti- 
vated mind. All is in keeping,—artists and authors,—and every 
page of the work bespeaks the correct and excellent taste of the 
authors of it. 
The promise which this number gives us of the value of that which 
is to come, will be kept, we feel assured, to the letter; and what 
pleases us most of all, is the fact, that this beautiful volume will have 
a circulation far beyond what similar works have hitherto had ; that it 
will not be confined to the libraries of the rich, but will travel down, 
unaided by the cheapness of plain copies and of inferior paper, to the 
table of the great bulk of the naturalists of this country. It is this 
diffusive quality of the ‘“‘ Ray Society” that makes us set a value upon 
it. Here it has placed before a great number, pictures of forms which 
are novel and hitherto undreamt of by them ; and we, who have been 
long familiar with the animals, can almost envy their new-born feel- 
ings of delight at the contemplation of this now unveiled feature in 
the portraiture of the Divine Mind. There is a great deal of good 
done, were the effect of this monograph to stop at this; but we even 
cherish the hope that it may induce some to taste a higher pleasure 
in the personal study of these “‘ elaborate compositions’ of our and 
their Creator. We cannot but wish all success to a Society which 
affords so rich a treat at so small an expense. 
PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 
ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
April 22, 1845.—Richard C. Griffith, Esq., in the Chair. 
“ Descriptions of new species of Heliz, in the cabinet of H. Cu- 
ming, Esq.,” by Dr. L. Pfeiffer. 
Hexix ponperosa, Pfr. Hel. T. imperforatd, subglobosd, tumidd, 
solidd, ponderosd, leviusculd (striis incrementi et concentricis con- 
fertissimis vix perspicuis), alba, basi epidermide nitidd, pallide 
corned indutd ; anfractibus 44 conveviusculis, ultimo subangulato, 
fasciis albis hydrophanis infra angulum obsolete notato ; columella 
recta, lata, perobliqud ; aperturd subauriformi, intus albd ; peri- 
stomate late reflexo. 
Diam. long. 23 ; transv. 17; altit. 134 lin. 
From Banguey, province of North Ilocos, isle of Luzon: found on 
leaves of trees. (Cuming.) 
