Zoological Society. 166 



at least six-and-twentj^ years of study of the vegetation of the island. 

 The necessity even now of being absent from England during the 

 early part of each year is one cause of the small progress made with 

 his Flora ; but another is the great care and caution exercised in the 

 preparation of every part of it. 



This instalment is of less interest to the English botanist than its 

 predecessors. It treats chiefly of plants belonging to a southern 

 type — Myrtacece, Cucurbit acecB, Mesembrianthemacece, Cactacece; 

 and even when the orders are those of plants which inhabit Western 

 Europe, the species are usually different. This was not so much the 

 case in the former, and apparently will be less so in future Parts. 

 The elaborate account of the Cucurbitacece will be read with much 

 interest and advantage ; the account of the Cacti also is valuable. 

 But it is impossible to open the book without seeing proofs of the 

 accuracy and care of its author. 



There are not many new species introduced ; for most of those 

 found by Mr. Lowe were already described in his 'Primitise et 

 Novitise ;' but in several instances he now furnishes valuable addi- 

 tional information concerning them : as an example, let the reader 

 turn to the revised and amphfied account of the magnificent Monizia 

 ec?M/i5 (pp. 365, 366). 



Happily in this cr.se we can dispense with the recognized privilege 

 of reviewers, and make only one complaint, — viz. againt the very 

 slow rate of publication. We fear that this delay in the issue of the 

 Parts is unavoidable ; for Mr. Lowe has now again started for a 

 southern climate. 



We sincerely hope that our recommendation of this book will lead 



an extensive sale. No student of the botany of South-western, or 

 even Western, Europe ought to be without it. 



PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY* 



May 26th, 1863.— Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., in the Chair. 



On the Species of the Genus Sternoth^rus, with some 

 Observations on Kinixys. By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., etc. 



The shell or thorax of the SternothcBri offer such different appear- 

 ances, according to the age or other special conditions under which 

 they have lived, that it is almost impossible to distinguish them ; 

 and the more specimens are received, the greater becomes the diffi- 

 culty. Under these circumstances, as the heads seem to present 

 some characters which, as far as I have been able to observe them 

 in the limited number of specimens which come under my exami- 

 nation, seem permanent, I have attempted to define the peculiari- 

 ties presented by the heads of the specimens in the Museum Col- 

 lection from different localities. The species were so difficult to 

 distinguish by means of the shell only, that, iu my * Catalogue of 



