24 



14. From Mr. J. Bidencope. — 21 silver, and 21 copper coins, 2 American 



" Greenbacks." 



15. Head of a Parasitic Worm (Scolex of Tetrarhynchus) found in the 

 Flathead, and mounted for the microscope by Mr. H. Button, of 

 Launceston. The Secretary, after remarking that this specimea 

 had been given him for presentation a few days previously by 

 Mr. Stephens, proceeded to read some remarks upon it, from 

 a Launceston paper, by Mr. Button and Mr. Harrop. (The 

 object itself was placed under a microscope on the table for 

 observation. ) 



16. From Mr. W. E. Shoobridge, Bushy Park. — Three stone imple- 

 ments of the aborigines. One of these is a remarkably fine 

 specimen. They were found on the Bushy Park estate, about 20 

 inches below the surface of the ground. 



17. From the Rev. E. P. Adams, Deloraine. — A Parasitic Fly. 

 Habitat unknown. 



The Secretary read a letter from F. W. Hutton, Esq., the Curator 

 of the Otago Museum, New Zealand, offering a skeleton of Dinomis 

 elephantopus in exchange for some of our mammals and birds. [A speci- 

 men of this species of " Moa " would be of such value to the Museum, 

 and of such general interest, that residents in the country, whether 

 members of the Society or otherwise, are earnestly requested, if they 

 have it in their power, to forward to the Museum some of the animals 

 required, such as native tigers, devils, kangaroos, wallabies, opossums, 

 kangaroo rats, bandicoots, birds, &c, &c, &c] 



A letter from C. Gould, Esq., F.G.S., enclosing the following from 

 Dr. Giinther, was read : — 



"British Museum, Zoological Department, 

 "C. Gould, Esq. •' March 6th, 1874. 



" My Dear Sir, — What you told me the other day about a Seal 

 being found in an inland freshwater lake of Tasmania, has interested 

 me very much. I trust you will succeed in obtaining specimens. It 

 is impossible to conjecture whether the species is identical with, or 

 different from, any of the Seals found in the sea. To settle this point 

 satisfactorily, it would not suffice to examine the skin only of an 

 individual ; but, if possible the skins, skulls (or better all the bones) 

 of a male, female and young one should be obtained. 



" There is nothing improbable, whatever, of a Seal occurring in an 

 inland freshwater lake in Tasmania. From the analogy of the distri- 

 bution of the Faunas in the Arctic and Antarctic regions, the appears to 

 be extremely probable. In Lake Baikal in Siberia, a Seal exists in great 

 abundance, which is thought to be identical with the common Seal of 

 the Northern Coasts (Phoca vitulina). The same species inhabits the 

 Caspian Sea. 



"A writer on Geographical Distribution of Animals has lately gone 

 so far as to propose to travellers in Central Africa to look for Seals in 

 the great lakes of that country ; this idea, of course, is as ridiculous, as 

 to look for coals in granite. 



" I remain, 



" Yours very truly, 



"A. GUNTHER." 



Mr. Grant observed that some conversation had taken place at a 

 former meeting of the Society as to the probable existence of a large 

 animal, whether seal or otherwise, in Lake Tiberias. Since that time he 

 had had many opportunities of making careful enquiries of people 

 working close to the Lake, and he felt convinced that no large animal 

 existed there. He had offered fifty pounds as a reward for the discovery 

 of any such animal as a Seal, &c, but no one had hitherto claimed the 



