312 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
Mr. 8. O. Ridley read a paper “On the Genus Plocamia of Schmidt, 
and some other Echinonematous Sponges.” With reference to the genus 
mentioned, for which he accepted Prof. Duncan’s name of Dirrhopalum, 
he enumerated three species already described, but assigned to other 
genera, which must be added to it; the distribution is thus extended from 
the tropical Atlantic to the British, Portuguese, and Ceylon seas. He 
described a New Zealand species which proves to be new to science, and 
appears to decide a point which has been disputed—viz., the existence of 
ceratinous material in the skeleton. Geological facts were brought forward 
showing the existence of the genus in the Eocene upper chalk and green- 
sand formations. A new genus of the same order was described, based 
on a species of Lamarck, and two other species; it is closely allied to 
Dictyocylindrus ; its distribution extends from Arabia to Australia. 
Prof. P. M. Duncan made a communication on two new species of 
Sponge from the Atlantic sea-bed. 
The ninth part of “The Mollusca of the ‘ Challenger’—Family of 
Pleurotomide,” by the Rev. R. Boog Watson, was read in abstract by the 
Secretary. 
June 16, 1881.—Sir J. Lussock, Bart., F.R.S., President, in the chair. 
Mr. Alexander Somerville, Capt. J. T. Wright, and Mr. John Forrest, 
the Australian explorer, were elected Fellows of the Society. 
The Rev. W. Higgins exhibited a specimen of Holothuria which had 
been obtained between Patagonia and the Falkland Islands. This he 
had identified as Psolus squamatus, and he observed that it had been 
figured by Otho F. Miiller, in his ‘ Zoologia Danica,’ but its southern locality 
now adds an interesting proof of the wide distribution of the species. 
A paper was read entitled ‘A Revision of the Idoteid@,” a family of 
Sessile-eyed Crustaceans, by Mr. E. J. Miers. In this contribution the 
author, after some introductory remarks on the history and classification of 
the group, enumerates critically forty-seven species, besides several varieties, 
distributed into four genera. The Idoteide are found in all parts of the 
globe, but more abundantly in the temperate and colder seas than in the 
tropics, and usually at moderate depths on sandy, muddy, or rocky bottoms. 
Their nearest affinities are with the Chetiliide and Arcturide, and whether 
the latter finally may be associated with the Jdvteide future workers will 
determine. 
A communication was read “On the Nostrils of the Cormorant,” by 
Professor Ewart. Certain structural peculiarities were described which 
apparently accounted for, or seemed possibly connected with, the bird's 
habit of flying with its mouth open. 
The President then announced the close of the Session, and that the 
next evening meeting would be held on November 8rd, 1881.—J. Muriz. 
