182 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
Like old Turks, a male dominates over a harem of a dozen or fifteen 
females, which he guards with jealous care, for two months or more never 
stirring from the spot, and meantime fights terrific battles for its main- 
tenance. A neutral zone exists to the rear of the breeding-grounds, where 
the enforced bachelors and adolescent young of both sexes repair. These 
come and go continuously, passing to and fro through free lanes of 
passage. Others of these animals delight in dashing among the breakers 
on the surf, or in droves frolic and play on the sand and grassy dunes 
adjoining the more rocky ground of the “rookery.” The method of 
shaving the fleshy side of the skin, thus cutting loose the roots of the 
long coarse hairs, and retaining the superficial fine fur of commerce, was 
explained, as also other interesting points in the economy and natural 
history of those animals. The value of the stuffed specimens of Otaria 
ursina which were exhibited may be inferred from the fact that that they 
are the only good examples of the species in any accessible Museum in 
Europe. The British Museum possesses only an old battered skin, while 
in St. Petersburg — rather an out-of-the-way spot for easy reference to 
naturalists—two specimens are said to exist. 
In the absence of the author, the Secretary read the main points of 
a communication, by Mr. Benjamin Clarke, on ‘A New Arrangement 
of the Classes of Zoology,” founded on the position of the oviducts, or, 
when these are absent, on the position of the ovaries, including a new 
mode of arranging the Mammalia. The principle of arrangement adopted 
is said to be in harmony with a system of classification of the phanero- 
gamous plants previously proposed by the author. His present zoological 
arrangement he submits in a tabular form, adding a commentary on the 
various grouping adopted. 
April 4, 1878.—W. CarrutHers, Esq., F.R.S., Vice-President, in the 
chair. 
The following gentlemen were balloted for and elected Fellows of the 
Society :— Frederick Manson Bailey, Esq., of Brisbane, Queensland ; 
Dr. Archibald Hewan, Chester Square, 8.W.; George Payne, jun., Esq., 
Sittingbourne; and James Robert Reid (Bengal Civil Service), Edinburgh. 
The only zoological paper read at this meeting was “On some minute 
Hymenopterous Insects,” by Prof. J. O. Westwood. He describes the 
following new forms:—Mymar Taprobanicus, M. Wollastonii, Alaptus 
excisus, Oligosita subfasciata, O. Staniforthit, O. nodicornis, and Tricho- 
gramma (Aprobosca) erosicornis. ‘These singular insects, although of 
microscopic minuteness, possess considerable interest, not only from their 
peculiar structure, but also from their curious habits.—J, Murte. 
