The Zoologist— June, 1868. 1257 



more than four feet: it was captured at the entrance of Pegham Harbour that 

 morning. The principal spine on the back, the " fishing rod," was short, having been 

 broken, but the enormous mouth appeared to be the principal feature of attraction. 

 Mr. Conch mentions an example which measured four feet and a half iu length, in 

 which this organ measured fourteen inches across? The angler has been known to 

 swallow a herring gull and attempt the same with a great northern diver; in both 

 cases fish as well as bird perished. — W. Jeffery,jun. 



PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



Zoological Society. 



March 26, 1868.— John Gould, F.R.S., V.-P., in the chair. 



The minutes of the last Meeting having been read and confirmed, 



The Secretary read letters received from SirR. Alcock and M. le Pere David, with 

 reference to a new species of stag (Elaphurus Davidianus), which those gentlemen had 

 been endeavouring to procure from China for the Society's Gardens. 



A letter was read from the Rev. W. Hincks, of Toronto, on the subject of Cygnus 

 Passmori, which he considered to be a species distinct from Cygnus Buccinator. A dis- 

 cussion followed, in which the Chairman, Prof. Newton, Mr. Blyth and Mr. Halting 

 took part, when it appeared that the claim of Cygnus Passmori to rank as a distinct 

 species was not suificienily established. Mr. Hincks had pointed out as a dis- 

 tinguishing character the rusty colour of the head and upper porliou of the neck. 

 Mr. Halting doubled whether this would be found constant, and thought that, at all 

 events, it could not be considered as a distinctive character, inasmuch as he had 

 observed the same peculiaiiiy iu other species of the genus Cygnus. He attempted to 

 account for it by supposing that it was either a vegetable or a mineral dye, acquired 

 either by contact with roots under water or by the birds feeding in water which was 

 impregnated by iron. 



Mr. A. G. Butler read some descriptions of little-known species of Lepidoptera. 



A report was read by Dr. Giintber on a collection of marine fishes which he had 

 received from St. Helena, and out of the thirty-five species which this collection con- 

 tained it appeared that six were new to Science. An interesting discussion followed 

 ou the affinities of the fish, insect and bird fauna of St. Helena, in which the 

 Secretary, Mr. Murray and Prof. Newton took part. 



Dr. Giintber read a second report on a collection of fresh-water fishes from Brazil 

 and Surinam, and communicated descriptions of some uew or little-known species. 



The Secretary communicated some remarks on Baker's antelope, from observation 

 of a living animal at Turin, and read a note ou the subject, which had been received, 

 together with an original sketch of the antelope, from Sir S. Baker, its discoverer. 

 A pair of horns belonging to this sj ecies were exhibited, and compared with the horns 

 of another allied species, when an interesting discussion followed, in which the Chair- 

 man, Mr. Blyth and others took part. 



Dr. Murie read a paper on the arrest of growth in the salmon wheu detained in 

 fresh water, and exhibited an example which had been hatched in the Society's 

 SECOND SERIES — VOL. III. ' 2 H 



