SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. 37 



bird from Southern New Guinea, supposed to be that of Chlamydodera 

 cerviniventris. 



Sir Joseph Fayrer exhibited a shed deer-horn, apparently gnawed by 

 other deer, and made remarks on this subject. 



Mr. Sclater exhibited, on the part of Dr. George Bennett, four skins of 

 a species of Paradise-bird of the genus Drepanornis, obtained in the vicinity 

 of Port Moresby, in Southern New Guinea. Mr. Sclater considered this 

 fornj to be only subspecifically different from D. Albertisi of North-eastern 

 New Guinea. 



Mr. W. Burton exhibited a supposed hybrid between a male Blackcock 

 and a hen Pheasant. 



Mr. R. Bowdler Sharpe gave descriptions of some new species of Flower- 

 peckers, viz., Dicwum sulaense, from the Sula Islands ; D. pulchrius, from 

 S.E. New Guinea ; and D. Tristrami, from the Solomon Islands. The author 

 added some critical notes on other species of Dicmim and PrionocMlus. 



Mr. J. B. Sutton read a paper on the diseases of Monkeys dying in the 

 Society's Gardens, on which he gave many interesting details. Mr. Sutton 

 called special attention to the prevalence of the belief that Monkeys in 

 confinement generally die of tuberculosis, and showed that such is not 

 really the case. 



Mr. H. 0. Forbes read a paper describing the peculiar habits of a 

 spider, Thomims decipiens, as observed by him in Sumatra. 



A second paper by Mr. Forbes gave an account of some rare birds from 

 the Moluccas and from Timor Laut. To this the author added the 

 description of a new species of Ground-Thrush from Timor Laut, which he 

 proposed to call Geocichla Machild, in acknowledgment of services rendered 

 to him by Dr. Julius Machik in Sumatra. 



A communication was read from Prof. J. von Haast, containing notes 

 on Ziphius [Epiodon] novm-zealandia', in continuation of a former paper 

 read before the Society on the same subject. A second communication from 

 Prot. Haast gave a description of a large Southern Rorqual, Physaius 

 (Balmnoptera) australis, which had been washed ashore dead on the New 

 Brighton beach, about five miles from Christchurch, New Zealand. Prof. 

 Haast was doubtful as to the distinctness of this animal from Balcenoptera 

 musculus of the Northern Atlantic. 



Mr. G. French Angas read some notes on the terrestrial Mollusca of 

 Dominica collected during a recent visit to that island.— P. L. Sclater, 

 Secretary. 



