552 PROF. NEWTON ON SOME BIRD-SKINS. [Julie 1 7 



been in the Leiden Museum, and had been figured by Schlegel in the 

 'Fauna Japonica' under the name of O. stelleri. 



Mr. C. G. Danford exhibited and made some remarks on some 

 remarkable antlers of Deer, which he had obtained during his recent 

 journey in Asia Minor. 



Hans, Graf von Berlepsch, C.M.Z.S., exhibited and made remarks 

 on the skins of two varieties of the Long-tailed Titmouse {Mecistura 

 caudata), which occurred near Cassel, in Germany, one of which 

 appeared to be the same as the British form of this bird. 



Dr. J. Murie read a paper on the Manatee (Manatus americanus), 

 containing the results of his examination of the specimen which was 

 lately living in the "Westminster Aquarium. The peculiar attitudes 

 assumed by the animal in life, the great mobility of the upper lip, and 

 the occasional use of the limbs in feeding were noted. As regards 

 the anatomy, the chief points dwelt on were the shape of the brain 

 and its suppressed convolutions. The vexed question of the number 

 of the cervical nerves and their distribution was also discussed. 



This paper will be printed in the Society's ' Transactions.' 



Mr. F. D. Godman exhibited and made remarks on a drawing of 

 the Manatee by Mr. Wolf, taken from the specimen lately living in 

 the Westminster Aquarium. 



Prof. Newton, on behalf of Mr. Edward Newton, C.M.G., Cor- 

 responding Member, exhibited some bird-skins obtained by the 

 latter in Jamaica, remarking : — 



"Of the specimens on the table two belong to as many species 

 which I believe have not before been recorded as occurring in 

 Jamaica. One of them, the well-known Dendrocca virens, has so 

 wide a distribution that the only wonder is that it has not hitherto 

 been met with there ; but the other is of more interest. It is that 

 which was originally described by Audubon (Orn. Biogr. ii. p. 5G3) 

 under the name of Sylvia swainsoni, and was subsequently referred 

 by the same author (B. Am. ii. p. 83) to a new genus, Helinaia, a 

 ■word which Agassiz says should be written Heloncea. It is an ex- 

 tremely rare species; and I doubt whether a second example has ever 

 been seen in this country. The present was killed by my brother at 

 Hope, in the parish of St. Andrew, February 8th, 18/9, and was 

 found by him to be a male. I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. 

 Ridgway, of the Smithsonian Institution, for the determination of 

 this specimen of a species I never saw before. It is well figured in 

 Audubon's great work. 



" I have then to exhibit specimens of the rare Dendrceca phai-etra , 

 first discovered by Mr. Gosse in Jamaica, to which island it is doubt- 

 less peculiar. These are of some interest as showing the nestling or 

 at least immature stage of the plumage, which, as will be perceived, 

 is of an olive-green and yellow instead of the black and white of the 



