Zoological Society. 509 
cies found in the Philippine Islands; one was variegated with black 
and white, and the other is of a light chestnut colour, and varied 
with white. Only one of each of these varieties was seen by Mr. 
Cuming, and the variety was, in both cases, in company with ordi- 
nary coloured individuals. 
A letter from the President of the Society, the Earl of Derby, 
was also read; it is dated Prescot, May 13, 1840, and relates to 
some crosses which have taken place among the animals in his Lord- 
ship’s menagerie. ‘‘ A female common Zebra (Equus Zebra),”’ says 
his Lordship, ‘has lately taken to my young Dshiggetai (Equus 
hemionus), and is the only animal he has yet appeared to notice in 
this way. The produce, if any, would, I should think, be curious. 
««T think I have often heard that Foxes will not breed in confine- 
ment, but I have a female which, about two days since, produced 
three young; they only lived about two days. The sire is from 
America.” 
His Lordship has reason to believe that a female Fox also pro- 
duced a similar litter about four years back, but destroyed them. 
On the ‘ Great Water’ of his Lordship’s park, a Bernicle paired 
with, and constantly accompanied, a Canada Goose, but there was 
no produce; this happened last season. In the present one the 
same Bernicle has paired with a white-fronted Goose, and the pair 
have a nest with nine or ten eggs. It is not known, in either case, 
which was the goose and which the gander. 
The Polish Swan has bred with the common species, and his Lord- 
ship further states, that this year a pair of their cross-breed have 
laid again, but the eggs are not yet hatched. 
In a letter from Madame Power, dated Messina, March 25, 1840, 
which was read, that lady states that she had forwarded for the So- 
ciety’s museum some packages containing some bird-skins, and also 
some molluscous animals and zoophytes, preserved in spirits, from 
Sicily. 
A paper by John Wyllie, Esq., describing the peculiar structure 
of the branchial appendages of one of the Indian Siluride, was 
read. 
** The fish to whose singular branchial appendages I wish to draw 
the attention of the Society,” says Mr. Wyllie, “is named ‘ Singee’ 
in the Mahratta, and ‘ Bichoo-Mutchie’ (Scorpion Fish) in the 
Hindostanni language. It is the Silurus Singio of Dr. Hamilton’s 
‘ Fishes of the Ganges.’ ” 
“The following description is drawn from memoranda taken at 
Nagpoor, December 6, 1825 :— 
pied; D. 6; Bo 2; V.6; A: 65; C. 145: Cirrhi, 8. 
** Length of body 7? inches, breadth at anus one inch. Head 
much depressed, very hard, without scales, terminating posteriorly 
in three equal spinous processes, resembling a trident. 
“Body elongated, much compressed; above rounded, below 
cearinated, naked. Colour, when alive, of a very dark olive green; 
when dead, of a bluish black. Ventral and dorsal fins opposite ; 
pectoral quadrangular with one very strong sharp bony ray, and 
