290 MR. G. B. SOWERBY ON A NEW ASPERGILLTJM. [May 15, 



The Ciconiine stem gave off AbJimia before the Ciconiine charac- 

 ters were fully acc|uirecl. Bcdceniceps a})j)ears to me to be a further 

 specialization of the Ardeidse, and not to stand nearer to the form 

 which gave rise to the Ardeida;. I believe this because Balee- 

 niceps is decidedly a Heron in respect of its ahmeiitary tract, powder- 

 down patches, and syrinx ; the loss of the syringeal muscles is a 

 further specialization, and evidently a recent one (from the fact of 

 their degenerate equivalent being present). The form of the syrinx 

 in the Herodiones was originally that which is now seen in iSco/nts 

 and the Ardeidpe ; that this is so, seems to be shown by the fact that 

 the Ardeine form of syrinx is found in so many other groups of birds, 

 while the Ciconiine form is peculiar to the Ciconiae. In Abdimia 

 (and to a less extent in Xenorhyiichus) the syrinx has not quite 

 acquired the typical Ciconiine form — the membi-anu tympaniformis 

 is, to a considerable extent, left ; that is to say, the bronchial semi- 

 rings haA'e not yet united to obliterate the membrana irjwpaniforniu, 

 as is the case with the typical Storks. For this reason I regard 

 Abdimia as having branched oif from the main stem a little before 

 the development of the typical Storks. 



4. Description of a Gigantic new Species of Aspergillnm 

 from Japan. By G. B. Sowerbv, F.Z.S., F.L.S. 



[Received May 3, 1888.] 

 ASPERGILLUM GIGANTEXJM, n. Sp. 



Asp. testa valvis magnis, subti-ajiecoideis, concentrice rvfjosis 

 irregulariter striatis ; antice paulum atteiwatis, rotunduiis ; 

 j)ostice hdiorilus oblique trnncutis. Vagina maxima, elongata, 

 solidivsculn, subrecfa, calados et aremdas ayglutinante ; Umbo 

 conspicue irregulariter Q—7-Jarium J'oliato ; disco irreguhniter 

 convexo, calculos et conchas ugglutinante, tubulis numerosis 

 parviusculis rotundatis armato. 

 Hab. Japonia. 



A species of extraordinary magnitude, the specimen being over 

 13 inches (32| centim.) in length and about \h inches (4 centim.) 

 in diameter, in the widest part. The sheath is of the form of 

 A. vaginiferum ; but the valves are much larger in proportion and of 

 quite a different form, which, ajiart Irom the unusual dimensions, 

 would be sufficient to constitute it a distinct species. The valves are 

 25 millim. long and 15 broad. 



A second specimen (somewhat smaller, but in better condition) of 

 this species is in the Museum of the Zoological Society (" Natura 

 Artis Magistra ") of Amsterdam, ])laced there by Mr. Oitmans, the 

 late Cuiator, with the name of Aspergillmn japojiicum, confirming 

 the locality. So far as is at present known, Aspergillum vaginiferum 

 inhabits exclusively the Red Sea. 



