166 DR. P, L. SCLATER ON NEW AMERICAN BIRDS. [Apr. 12, 
in each series are generally opposite to each other; but there are 
many exceptions to this arrangement and symmetry. 
The Myriosteon can have no affinity to the Polyzoa, for there 
are no cells for the reception of the animal. The celebrated French 
zoologist who suggested that it might possibly belong to that order 
compared it with Eschara, the cells of which are obliterated by age ; 
but then the cells are always well developed in the younger part of 
the coral. : 
The specimen under examination is clearly not a coral gradually 
increasing in size by the development of new cells, but a definitely- 
shaped part of some regularly formed body ; so that the idea of its 
being a Polyzoon is scarcely worthy of as much consideration as I 
have given to it. 
3. ON THE CHANGE OF CoLoUR IN THE Common Trout (SaLmo 
FARIO), By Epwarps Crisp, M.D., F.Z.S., erc. 
During a walking tour over Dartmoor in July last, I was surprised 
to find that out of a large number of Trout caught many were of a 
very dark colour, and others of the usual hue, as shown by the draw- 
ings which I place before the Society. 
The dark-coloured Trout were all taken from dark and deep por- 
tions of the stream, whilst those of the normal appearance were in 
clear water. But a more interesting circumstance connected with 
these Trout was the nature of their food. Iopened the stomach and 
intestines of more than a hundred, and in a great many I found the 
Ephemera and its larva, caterpillars of moths that had fallen from 
the bushes that overhung the stream, and a great many click or 
skip-jack beetles (Hlateride), which, as is well known, are the 
parents of the wire-worm, one of the most destructive insects to our 
grain and root crops. In the stomachs of some of the Trout as many 
as six or seven of these beetles were present (as shown in the draw- 
ing). Iam not aware that this fact has been before noticed, and it 
serves to show that some fishes, like many members of the feathered 
creation, play an important part in the destruction of noxious insects. 
4. On Two New Species or Birps rromM New GrRAnavDA. By 
P. L. Scuater, M.A., Puo.D., F.R.S., SecReTARY TO THE 
Society. 
In a small series of bird-skins lately received by M. Verreaux, of 
Paris, from Bogota, and submitted to my examination, are two speci- 
mens which I consider to belong to species not hitherto characterized. 
These are 
1. BASILEUTERUS CINEREICOLLIS, Sp. nov. 
B. olivaceus, pileo nigricante, crista media aurea: subtus flavus, 
gutture toto et pectore cinereis ; lateribus olivaceo-virescenti- 
bus: rostro corneo, pedibus pallide brunneis. 
