Linneafi Socictj/. 295 



Nov. 7. — Joseph Woods, Esq. was elected a member of the 

 Council, in the stead of Sir T. S. Raffles, deceased. 



Nov. 21. — The reading was commenced, of a paper, entitled, 

 Remarks on the comparative anatomy of certain birds of Cuba, 

 zcith a view to their respective places in the system of Nature, or 

 their relations zcith other animals; by W. S.Mac Leay, Esq. F.L.S. 



Dec. 19. — The reading of Mr. IMacLeay's paper was continued. 



Feb. 6. 1827. — A paper was read, entitled Observations on the 

 Trachea of Birds, xzith descriptions and representations of several 

 not hitherto figured ; by William Yarrell, Esq. F.L.S. 



The extraordinary structures described by the authour, are 

 that of the crested Pintado of Africa (Numida cristata, Pall.J, 

 the Demoiselle, the Stanley Crane, the Black Swan of New 

 Holland, and other swans, geese, and ducks. It was remarked 

 that all birds with a complex structure of trachea have loud 

 harsh voices, while the simple forms belong to the delightful 

 song-birds. The paper concluded with an arrangement of the 

 British species of the Duck family. 



Feb. 20. — A description of a ?iezo species of Bat, from the 

 Illinois, by Bracy Clark, Esq. F.L.S. was read ; and the reading 

 of INIr. W. S. MacLeay's paper On certain Birds of Cuba was 

 continued. 



March 6. — A paper was read. On tzso nezo genera of Land 

 Tortoises ; by Thomas Bell, Esq. F.L.S. 



These genera possess a peculiar interest as exhibiting the 

 affinities by which the freshwater tortoises are connected with 

 those inhabiting the land. Mr. Bell has named them Pyxis and 

 Kinyxis ; and both are distinguished by a moveable joint, one in 

 the sternum, and the other in the hinder part of the back, by 

 means- of which the shell can be completely closed. The species 

 described are Pyxis arachnoides, a perfect land-tortoise, with 

 the anterior lobe of the sternum moveable, and as capable of 

 accurately closing the shell as any species of the freshwater 

 box-tortoises : Kinyxis castanea : and Kinyxis Ilumiana, a spe- 

 cies forming a passage from the group of Tcsludinida to that of 

 rlie Emydida. 



