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Nav. 24, 1870] 
NATURE 
77 

of the new Australian Mudfish, recently described by Mr. Krefft 
in the Society’s ‘‘ Proceedings” as Ceratodus forsteri. 
specimen had been obtained from the Mary River, Queensland, 
and forwarded to Mr. Sclater by Mr. E. P. Ramsay.—Dr. J. 
Murie read a memoir on the form and structure of the Manatee 
(Manatus americanus), as deduced from a fresh specimen of this 
animal forwarded to this Society in a living state by Mr. G. W. 
Latimer, of Porto Rico, in April 1866, but which had un- 
fortunately died just before reaching Southampton.—A com- 
munication was read from Mr. Morton Allport, relating to the pro- 
gress of the experiments for introducing Salmon and Trout into 
‘Tasmania.—Professor Flower read a memoir on the anatomy of 
the Panda (Adlurus fiddgens), as deduced from a specimen of this 
animal which had been presented to the Society by Dr. Simpson, 
in May 1869, and had lived for some time in the Society’s Gardens. 
After an elaborate examination of every part of this animal, 
Professor Flower came to the conclusion that it belonged to the 
Arctoidean group of the Carnivores, and was most nearly allied 
to the Raccoons and other members of the family Procyonide. 
Mr. Bartlett read some notes chiefly on the habits of the same 
animal, as observed when living in the Society’s Gardens.—A 
communication was read from Dr. J. E, Gray, containing the out- 
lines of a new arrangement of the Delphinoid Whales.—A com- 
mhunication was read from Mr. W. Harper Pease, containing 
remarks on the Mollusks of the genus 777fhoris and descriptions 
of some new species.—Mr. A. G. Butler communicated a notice 
of some abnormalities observed in the neuration of the hind wings 
in Acrea andromacha.—A paper was read by Dr. A. Giinther 
containing descriptions of two new species of Lizards of the 
enera Aumeces and Calotes, proposed to be called £, 
rachydactylus (from Pegu) and C. jerdoni (from the Khasya hills). 
—A paper was read by Messrs. Sclater and Salvin on the recent 
collections of Venezuelan birds made by Mr. A. Goering in the 
vicinity of Merida. The present collection was stated to embrace 
examples of 105 species, nine of which were considered to be new 
to Science. Amongst the latter were two new Parrots, proposed 
to be called Urochroma dilectissma and Conurus rhodocephalus.— 
A communication was read from Mr. H. Adams, containing 
descriptions of 27 new species of Shells collected by Mr. R. 
McAndrew in the Red Sea. A second communication from Mr. 
Adams contained descriptions of a new genus and four new 
species of Shells from Borneo and other localities, 
Anthropological Society of London, November 15.—Dr, 
Charnock, Y.P., in the chair; H, R. Adam, and Dayid 
Kinloch. were elected fellows. Dr. R. H. Bakewell read 
a paper on ‘The Condition of the Blood-corpuscles in certain 
Races.” The author’s researches had been undertaken at the 
request of Dr. Barnard Davis, F.R.S. While inyestigating the 
pathology of malarious fevers, the writer made numerous micro- 
scopical examinations of the blood, both of the sick and the 
healthy, in Trinidad. On comparison of the various races of 
English, French, Portuguese, Italians, Germans, Indians, Chi- 
nese, Africans (bothindigenous and of West Indian birth), and 
Creoles of various breeds, he found that, besides the differences 
produced by disease, there were well-marked differences between 
the various races. The corpuscles of the flesh-eating Mussulman 
and the vegetable-feeding Hindoo were contrasted, and it was 
found that the Hindoo’s blood contained a much larger number 
of white corpuscles, the red corpuscles also differing in form from 
those of the Mussulman. The author coined the word ‘‘num- 
mulation ” for the phenomenon observed in the aggregation of 
the corpuscles like rozeawx of coin. He gave the results of the 
examination of the blood of about a hundred different persons. — 
Mr. C. Staniland Wake, Director A.S.L., then read a paper on 
‘Tribal Affinities among the Aborigines of Australia.” After 
tracing’the distribution of the several forms of native habitations, 
canoes, and weapons, and also of certain burial customs and 
initiatory rites, and referring to the apparently universal practice 
of cannibalism and blood-revenge, the writer stated, firstly, that 
the phenomena presented by the generality of the western natives 
are, on the whole, of a more simple character than those exhibited 
by the other aborigines agreeing with the milder disposition they 
apparently possess ; secondly, that the southern and eastern 
natives agree generally in their customs with the aborigines of 
the western part of the continent, but that they present certain 
peculiarities which seem to suggest an internal influence. This 
influence must haye proceeded from the north, and there the 
yery customs of phenomena which constitute the differentia be- 
tween the natives of the west and those of the east are met with. 
This | 


Comparing the distribution of initiatory rites with that of other 
customs, it would seem that scarifying the flesh and nose-perfo- 
ration are, like the use of the semi-circular hut, primitive cus- 
toms at one time common to all the aborigines ; that the custom 
of removing a front tooth is almost limited to the canoe-making 
peoples of the north, south, or east, who also possess in common 
certain funeral rites unknown to the western natives ; whilst cir- 
cumcision is limited to the northern and southern tribes and to 
some intermediate ones. The final conclusion of the paper was, 
that the western natives represent the most primitive and simple 
form of the Australian stock, the natives of the south and east 
having been intermixed with fresh comers from the north, who 
introduced new customs. This southward moyement was in two 
directions—one across the continent to the head of the Great 
Bight, thence spreading east and west along the coast ; the other 
along the north and eastern shores, and gradually spreading over 
the eastern portion of the continent.—Dr. Robert Peel con- 
tributed a communication on Australian Aborigines and Halfs 
Castes, and exhibited skulls (which he had presented to the 
Society’s Museum) in illustration. 
Chemical Society, November 17.—Prof. Williamson, F.R.S., 
President, in the chair. The following papers were read :— 
“Mineralogical Notices,” by Prof. Maskelyne and Dr. Flight. 
The contents of this communication were—I. On the formation 
of basic cupric sulphate. In 1867 M. Pisani described a mineral 
which he supposed to be the Woodwardite of Mr. Church. The 
substance, however, is not the latter mineral. It had previously 
been examined in the Laboratory of the British Museum, and the 
results sufficiently tallied with those of M. Pisani to identify the 
mineral. The only interest this mineral offers is in the light it 
seems to throw on the possible modes of the formation of native 
basic cupric sulphates. The actions of solutions of magnesium 
or calcium sulphate on malachite may terminate in the produc- 
tion of langite. An experiment in the laboratory showed that 
an insoluble cupric sulphate and acid magnesium carbonate were 
actually formed. 2. Opal from Waddela Plain, Abyssinia. Mr. 
Markham presented to the British Museum some remarkable 
specimens of green opal from the above locality, Its analysis 
showed it to consist of about 92 per cent. of silica, 6 per cent. of 
water, and the remainder was iron, manganese, calcium, and 
magnesium. 3. Francolite, Comwall. Its analytical numbers 
point to the formula ; 
5 [3 Ca, 2 (P O,)] 
Ca CO, 4 + 2CaF, 
It is, in fact, a fluor-apatite, in which one equivalent in every 
six of the calcium phosphate is replaced by carbonate. The 
crystallography of this mineral seems also to point to its not 
being ordinary apatite, and in fact to its not being the same 
mineral as the original francolite from Wheal Franco. 4. Epidote 
and serpentine, Iona. A pebble in which a green mineral tra- 
verses bright red felspar and quartz in veins was sent by the 
Duke of Argyll to the British Museum. Its analysis leads to 
the view that it consists of a lime epidote with some 23 per cent. 
of quartz, the former mineral having the following constitution : 
3 [2 CaO, SiO,] + 2 [2 (Zal 2 Fe), Og, 3 Si Oo] 
Two specimens of serpentine from the same locality gave the 
general formula : 
3 RO, 2 Si O,, 2 Hy O, 
where R represents in one case Mg, with a little Fe and Ca ; in 
the other Mg, with nearly one-fifth of its equivalent of an equal 
mixture of Fe and Mg. 5. Vivianite. Two kinds of this mineral 
were found in an unknown Cornish locality. The one is ofa 
pale, bluish tint, the other of a brownish colour. Both proved 
to be octahydrated ferrous orthophosphate, 3 Fe O, P, O;, 8H, O, 
and the difference in the colours can only be ascribed to some 
minute difference in the degree of oxidation of the iron. 6. 
Cronstedtite. The analysis of this mineral presented considerable 
difficulties, inasmuch as it was extremely difficult to free it from 
the substances with which it is found associated. The cronsted- 
tite in question possesses an unusual interest from a crystallo- 
graphical point of view, being one of the best defined types of 
hemimorphism. 7. Pholerite. This mineral, derived from 
India, is of a pale flesh white, penetrated in several places 
by patches and veins of a black mineral. A new name was 
proposed for this mineral, but the analysis shows it to be nothing 
but pholerite. Mr. Church observed that it was a matter of con- 
gratulation to have those beautiful specimens which are stored in 
our magnificent national collections investigated in so excellent a 
