248 MR. C. M. WOODFORD ON THE [May 1, 



May 1, 1888. 



Professor Flower, C.B., LL.D., F.R.S., PresiJent, in the Chair. 



Col. Irby, F.Z.S., exhibited, on behalf of Lord Lilford, a specimen 

 of Jquila rapax from Southern Spain, being, as he believed, the first 

 positively authentic specimen of this species of Eagle obtained 

 within the limits of the Peninsula. 



Prof. Flower, C.B., LL.D., F.R.S., exhibited and made remarks 

 on a specimen of a Japanese Domestic Cock, with enormously elon- 

 gated tail-coverts, the longest of which measured nine feet in length. 

 The specimen had been presented to the British Museum by Mr. 

 F. D. Parker. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. General Remarks on the Zoology of the Solomon Islands^ 

 and Notes on Brenchley^s Megajjode. By C. M. Wood- 

 ford, F.Z.S. 



[Eeceived April 30, 1888.] 



The Solomons are a group of large islands situated about 500 

 miles east of New Guinea, and are included by Wallace in his Austro- 

 Malayan subdivision of the Australian Region. Zoologically they 

 are most interesting, as they form the extreme eastern limit of the 

 extension of Marsupials. 



As might be expected, the group is not particularly rich in Mam- 

 mals ; but several species of frugivorous and insectivorous Bats occur. 

 ]\Iany of these are peculiar to the group, my own collections having 

 added three new genera and five species to the list, besides three new 

 species of Mus. Marsupials are represented by one, and perhaps two, 

 species of Cuscus, Cuscus orientalis being common. I was once told 

 hy a native, who had heen to Queensland, and who consequently 

 should have known Wallabies when he saw one, that Wallabies are 

 to be found in the mountains of Guadalcanar ; but 1 am inclined to 

 doubt the information, and my offer of a very large amount of 

 " trade " for the whole or any part of a Wallaby from that island 

 met with no response. 



The Birds of the Solomons are extremely interesting. Several 

 species of fruit-eating Pigeons and of the smaller Ptilopus occur 

 commonly. The wide-ranging Nicobar Pigeon {Caloenas nicobaricus) 

 is frequently met with, and is not afraid to venture considerable 

 distances from land. On my last visit to the group one flew on 

 board and settled for some seconds, when we were distant forty 

 miles to the westward of Reuual Island — an outlying island that can 



