Royal Society, 869 



LI V. — Description of a new Species of the Genus Malurus. 

 By John Gould, Esq., F.R.S. &c. 



Malurits hypoleucus, Gould. 



Crown of tlie head and all the upper surface dull indlgo- 

 blue, somewhat brightest on the head; ear-coverts azure blue; 

 lores and a narrow ring around each eye white; wings ncary 

 uniform brown, with a slight tinge of dull blue at th - b -se of 

 the primaries; under surface white from the chin to the vent, 

 with a wash of fawn-colour on the flanks; tail similar m lorm 

 and colouring to that of M. cyaneus, all the feathers being blue, 

 except the outer web of the external feather and the tif)s of all 

 of them, the extent of the white on the tips dmiinishin.;- as the 

 feathers approach the central ones; bill black ; legs light brown. 



Total length 4|- inches; bill -J-^, wing 1|, tail 2^-, tarsi f. 



Habitat. Supposed to be the Cape York district of Queens- 

 land, Australia. 



Remark. This bird, which is a true Malurus^ is easily distin- 

 guished from every other known species of the genus by the 

 uniform dull blue colouring of the entire upper, and the equally 

 uniform light hue of the under surface, which has suggested 

 the specific name. 



PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 



ROYAL SOCIETY. 



March 21, 1867. — Lieut.-General Sabine, President, in the Chair. 



" On a remarkable Alteration of Appearance and Structure of the 

 Human Hair." By Erasmus Wilson, F.R.S. 



I have the honour of submitting to the Royal Society a specimen 

 of human hair of very remarkable appearance. Every hair is brown 

 and white in alternate bands, looking as if encircled with rings ; 

 and this change of aspect extends throughout the whole length of 

 the hair, and gives to the general mass a curiously speckled cha- 

 racter. The brown segment of the hair, which represents its normal 

 colour, measures about J^ of an inch in length, or something less 

 than a quarter of a line ; the white, or abnormal segment about 

 half that length, namely y^ of an inch ; and the two together about 

 ^jT of an inch, or one-third of a line. 



The hair was taken from a lad aged seven years and a half, a 

 gentleman's son; he is reported as being "an active, healthy boy, 

 quick and intelligent." He was delicate up to the age of four, 

 having suffered in quick succession the diseases of childhood, a 

 severe attack of croup, and several attacks of convulsions. The 

 change in the appearance of the hair was first noticed when he was 

 between two and three vears old, and has increased perceptibly 



Ann.^'May.N.Hist.'Str,^. Voi.xix. 27 



