SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. Ill 



lips, whence it comes into contact with the stigma ; (2) by the falling of the 

 pollen masses as a whole from the clinandrum into the stigma ; and (3) by 

 the falling forward of the pollinia from the clinandrum or the anther cap, 

 the caudicle and gland remaining attached to the column. An interesting 

 discussion followed, in which Prof. Marshall Ward, the Rev. G. Henslow, 

 and Mr. A. W. Bennett took part. 



A paper was then read by Dr. John Rae, entitled " Notes on some of 

 the Birds and Mammals of Hudson's Bay Territory." Dr. Rae, whose loug 

 residence in Northern and Arctic America enabled him to speak authori- 

 tatively from personal observation, gave an interesting account of the 

 migrations of the Canada, Snow, and Blue-winged Geese, and of the habits 

 of the American Hare and Lemming. He particularly referred to the 

 belief entertained by some of the Indian tribes he had met with (and to 

 which he himself gave credence) that certain species of small birds are 

 assisted on their migrations by being carried on the backs of Canada Geese. 



Mr. J. E. Harting, in criticising this paper, gave an exposition of the 

 views held by American ornithologists on the subject of the American, 

 Canada, and Snow Geese, their relationships and nomenclature, and 

 pointed out that the story of small birds being carried by larger ones is 

 not confined to North America, but is current in South-Eastern Europe, 

 Palestine, and Arabia, where reliable evidence has been obtained that 

 Wagtails and other small birds travel on the backs of Craues. He added 

 that one instance was known to him of such an occurrence in England, 

 a Short-eared Owl haviug been seen to arrive on the north coast of Yorkshire 

 carrying on its back a Golden-crested Wren, which was secured by the 

 observer (see 'Zoologist,' 1882, p. 73). The meeting then adjourned to 

 March 1st. 



Zoological Society of London. 



February 7, 1888.— Professor W. H. Flower, C.B., LL.D., F.R.S., 

 President, in the chair. 



The Secretary read a report on the additions that bad been made to the 

 Society's Menagerie during the month of January, 1888. 



Mr. E. G. Loder exhibited and made remarks on a large tusk of the 

 African Elephant, which measured 9 ft. 5 in. in length, and weighed 

 184 lbs. It was, he believed, the largest Elephant's tusk hitherto recorded, 

 and its extraordinary size might perhaps be accounted for on the supposition 

 that the animal which carried it had (as sometimes happens) only one tusk. 



Mr. A. Thomson exhibited a living specimen of the larval form of 

 Stick-Insect, Empusa pauperata, from the Insect House. 



Mr. G. A. Boulenger read the third of his series of contributions to the 

 herpetology of the Solomon Islands. The collection now described had been 



