154 
divisions. Among those who took part in the subsequent dis- 
cussion were Mr. George Campbell, Mr. A. R. Wallace, Mr. E. 
G. Squier, Dr. Ray, Mr. Luke Burke, and Mr. Dardy.—Mr. 
Squier exhibited a large collection of drawings, plans, and photo- 
graphs of localities of interest in Peru. 
Zoological Society, June 9.—George Busk, V.P., in 
the chair. The Secretary read some notices of the principal 
additions to the Society’s menagerie during the month of May, 
and called particular attention: to a deer sent home from Singa- 
pore by order of H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh. This animal 
appeared to belong to a new species, and was proposed to be 
called Cervus alfredt.—Professor Newton, V.P., exhibited a series 
of skins of the large falcon found in Alaska and sent to this 
country for examination by the Smithsonian Institution, and 
referred them to the Falco islandicus of Gmelin.—Mr. Gould 
exhibited and made remarks upon some skins of British water- 
ouzels.—Mr. R. Swinhoe read a series of zoological notes made 
duringa journey from Canton to Peking and Kalgan. Mr. 
Swinhoe’s remarks contained descriptions of several new species 
of mammals and birds, amongst which were a new hedgehog, 
proposed to be called Zvinaceus dealbatus, and a new species of 
dwarf swan, for which the name Cygnus davidis, after M. le Pére 
David, its discoverer, was proposed.—Mr. R. Swinhoe also read 
a paper containing notes on ceitain reptiles and batrachians 
collected in various parts of China.—Mr. R. B. Sharpe read a 
paper on the Ornithology of Madagascar, based upon a collection 
recently formed by Mr. A. Crossley, in the neighbourhocd of 
Noce Vola, in the north-western portion of the island. Two 
new species were discriminated, and proposed to be cailed 
Ceblepyris major and Corethrura insularis. Two species—viz., 
Bernieria crossleyi of Grandidier, and £@lisia madagascariensis of 
Hartlaub—were likewise generically separated, under the respec- 
tive names of JJystacornis and Oxylabes.—Dr,. John Hawkes, 
F.Z.S., communicat.d a note on a case of hernia ventriculi in 
a common canary.—Mr. D. G. Elliot exhibited and pointed out 
the characters of two new species of pheasants from the province 
of Yarkand, proposed to be called Phasianus shawit and P. 
insignis ; also a well-marked permanent variety of P. torguatus 
from the Island of Formosa, proposed to be called P. formosanus. 
Mr. Eliot also made remarks on the affinities of the known 
species of true Phasianus, and pointed out their geographical 
distribution.—A communication was read from Mr. A. Sanders, 
F.Z.S., containing notes on the myology of a Geckoid lizard, 
Platydactylus japonicus.—A communication was read from Mr. 
Gerard Krefft, C.M.Z.S., of Sydney, containing a preliminary 
account of the skeleton of a rare whale, probably identical with 
Dioflodon sechellensis, recently obtained in the Australian seas, 
near Lord Howe’s Island.—Messrs. Sclater and Salvin commu- 
nicated a synopsis of tle birds of the family of Cracide. The 
authors proposed to divide this family into three sub-families— 
the Cracine, Penolopine, and Oreophasidine. Of the first of these 
twelve species were recognised, and of the second thirty-eight, 
while the third contained only one representative. One species 
of Guan was described as new, and proposed to be called Ortalida 
erythroptera.—A communication was read from Professor Barboza 
du Bocage, F.M.Z.S., contaming a description of the young of 
Pelecanus sharpii.—Dr. A. Giinther communicated an account 
of the species of tailless batrachians, recently added to the 
collection of the British Museum, amongst which was a new 
diminutive frog, recently discovered by Dr. Cunningham in 
Fuegia, and proposed to be called Mannophryne variegata,— 
Dr. J. Murie read a paper on the anatomy and osteology of the 
Saiga (Saiva tartarica), founded on examples of this mammal 
that had lived in the Society’s Gardens. The conclusions arrived 
at by the anthor as to the systematic position of the Saiga were, 
that this animal cannot be well included in any of the subdivisions 
of the ruminants hitherto established, but constitutes a form 
intermediate between the sheep and the antelope. 
Victoria Institute, April 25.—Rev, Dr. Thornton, vice- 
resident, in the chair. A paper was read on “‘ Comparative 
sychology,” by Mr. E. J. Worshead. _ The following gentlemen 
took part in the discussion :—Rey, C. A. Row, Rey. J. B. 
Ouran, Dr. C. Haughton, Mr. Reddie, Rey. Sir S. Marsh, Rev. 
C. Graham, and the chairman. 
Brighton and Sussex Natural History Society, June 9.— 
Mr. Sewell, vice-president, in the chair. A paper on Diptera 
and thzir Wings, by Mr. Peake, was read, in the absence of 
that gentleman, by Mr. Wonfor, Hon. Sec. While wings 
are common to the whole order of insects, the Diptera con- 
NATURE 
Wemocera and Brachycera, wee next pointed out, and the paper 
. a 
| Fune 23, 1870 { 
sist entirely of two-winged flies; but instead of a second | 
or‘hinder pair, they have little thread-like bodies, terminated 
by knobs and called /a/teres, originally considered balancers, 
supposed now by some to be o//actory organs and by others or- 
gans of hearing. From many points of resemblance he thought 
they were analogous to the hind wings of insects, and that at — 
present their special use had not been ascertained. Besides the 
halteres they had also winglets (a/u/@) which were thought to be 
only appendages to the fore-wings. Among the Diptera three — 
classes of fliers were found, differing in the form of their bodies 
and shape of their wings ; first, the slender flies, such as gnats, 
having long bodies, narrow wings, and long legs, but without 
winglets; secondly, those whose bodies, though slender, are 
more weighty, as the Asi/ide, having Jarger bodies, shorter legs, _ 
and yery minute winglets ; lastly, those like the house-fly, with — 
short, thick, and often very heavy bodies, furnished with pro- 
portionate wings, shorter legs, and conspicuous winglets. From 
these circumstances it might be inferred that the long legs of the — 
light-bodied flies acted as rudders, while the winglets of the | 
heavier bodied flies assisted the wings in flying. The wings 
might be described as transparent membranous organs, con- — 
sisting of two laminz united by veins or nervures, and upon their — 
arrangement and the form of the antennz the diStinguishing — 
characters of the Diptera were formed. The several parts of the 
wings andnervures and their differences, as seen in the great groups — 
illustrated by drawings and microscopical preparations of 
wings. . 
TRURO 
Royal Institution of Cornwall, May 17.—The annual 
meeting of this society was held in the Council-room, Truro, 
Mr. J. Henwood, F.R.S., president, in the chair. Mr. H. 
M. Whitley reada paper contributed by Sir. F. M. Williams, 
M.P.: ‘f Recent Observations on the Subterranean Temperature 
of Clifford Amalgamated Mines.” This gave the result of various 
observations made during the past fifty years, and, finally, those 
made by Captain Gilbert previous to ceasing the deep workings” 
some weeks since. Then at 224 fathom level, being 279 fathoms 
from the surface, the highest temperature recorded was 123°°5 ; 
and at 245 fathom level, or 300 fathoms from the surface, the 
highest was 125°. : 
Mr. W. Pengelly read a paper, entitled ‘‘ Notes on the 
Archeology and Geology of Devon and Cornwall.” A diffi-- 
culty formerly existed in relation to the Devonian series of rocks, 
for while in the northern part of the area over whichit extended 
there were found fish, in the south there were only sponges and 
mollusks. The late Mr. Jonathan Couch discovered in 1843 
some fossils which he thought fish, but which Professor McCoy 
in 1857 pronounced to be sponges. The matter dropped till in — 
1857 he himself submitted to Mr. W. H. Baily a fossil found | 
at Hannafore point, near Looe, and it, with a number of the 
same kind collected, were pronounced, on the authority of Mr. 
Simmons and Professor Huxley, to be ichthyolitic. The next 
point to which he specially wished to direct attention was the 
rock joints, of which they had two series, one running east and 
west, and the other north and south, and of which the one that 
crossed the other was naturally themore recent. Of the age of _ 
these joints few indications had been observed. At the eastern 
shore of ‘Torbay, however, where both these systems were to 
be observed, it was evident that they were in existence before 
the close of the New Red Sandstone era, because their fissures 
were filled with dykes of that rock, The east and west dykes 
were faulted and traversed by veins of carbonate of lime, which 
came up on either side to the north and south dykes, but did 
not cross them. This showed that a considerable time must 
have elapsed after the formation of the first system of joints 
before the second. He would commend this subject to the 
geologists of the county. Next he would refer to the lower 
Silurian fossils of the Dodman district. At Budleigh Salterton — 
there was a remarkable collection of quartzite pebbles which con- 
tained fossils, of which the analogues were to be found in the 
rocks of Normandy. However, he objected to being beholden — 
to Normandy if he could trace the pebbles to a source nearer 
home; and he should be delighted if some energetic young 
Cornishman would devote himself to the elucidation of these — 
quartzite pebbles. Thirdly, whence were the flints on our west- — 
ern strand derived ? There was no deposit of flints to the south — 
of the Teign ; the course of the shingle could be traced along 
the coast from the west to the east ; and yet there was an abun- 
