TRANSAOTIOXS OF SECTION D. — DEPT. ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY. 671 



that of an edge on tlie inner margin of the claw, heing in the horny sheath, but not 

 appearing in the bone ; it is on a plane with the upper or concave surface of, and 

 projecting at right angles to the inner side of the claw, the teeth being directed 

 forwards and slightly curved towards their points ; it is not found on the claw of 

 young birds, but grows with the growth of the bird. 



Possessed of this peculiarity we find representatives of the following families : — 



1. Strigidm (Swainson mentions Strix Jlanunea , but the author has not detected it) ; 



2. Caprimulgidce ; 3. Charadriidce ; 4. Ardeida ; 6. PelecanidtB. 



That it is not caused by ' wear and tear ' is evidenced by the constancy of its 

 position, and the regularity, size, and shape of the teeth. 



It cannot serve the bird in seizing or retaining its prey, nor yet in retaining its 

 perch (unless, possibly, with the Caprimulgidce, which perch along a branch, having 

 one foot placed before the other). 



Possibly the birds possessed of this form may, from food or habit, be more 

 subject to parasites, or these be of a peculiar nature. Whether this be so or not, the 

 proper function of this peculiar form of claw is evidently to cleanse and preen the 

 plumage, and, with the Capinmulgidce, to keep clean the vibrissas. 



k 



MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6. 



The following Papers and Report were read : — 



1. On the Anatomy and Glassification of the Petrels, based upon those col' 

 leded hj H.M.S. ' Challenger.' Btj W. A. Forbes, II,A., F.L.S., F.Z.S. 



After stating the reasons why hitherto the anatomy of this group of birds 

 had been hardly at all studied, the author, who has been enabled, thanks mainly to 

 the specimens collected by the Challenge!-, and entrusted to him for anatomical 

 examination by Sir WyvUle Thomson, to dissect nearly all the chief genera of this 

 group, proceeded to give an account of the results as yet arrived at. 



After describing briefly some of the more remarkable peculiarities of structure 

 of the group of Petrels or Tubinares, of which about 150 species are now known, 

 the author proceeded to consider the questions of their classification and affinities. 

 The Tubinares form a very well-defined group, separated off from all other birds by 

 a combination of characters external and internal, not found elsewhere, as well as 

 by some peculiar to the group itself. Two well-marked families now exist : one, the 

 Oceanic Petrels ( OceanitidcB) represented by four genera, and about eight species ; 

 the other {Procellariidcs) containing all the remainder of the group, and being 

 divisible again into three sul>families, the Albatrosses {Diomedeince), the Diving 

 Petrels (PelecanoidincB), and the true Petrels {Procellariin<s) , this last division con- 

 tainuig by far the greater number of the genera and species. 



As regards the affinities of the group, the author was of the opinion that the 

 Petrels are probably much modified descendants of some ancient form, which was 

 related to the Ciconiiform birds of Garrod, i.e. the storks, American vultures, 

 Accipitres, Steganopodes, and their allies. Any relationship to the gulls {Laridce) 

 was not borne out by the anatomy of the two groups in question. 



2, On some Permajiient Larval Forms among the Crinoidea. 

 By P. Herbert Carpenter, M.A. 



Since the discovery of the pentacrinoid stage in the development of the feather- 

 star, the stalked Crinoids have been universally regarded as occupying the position 

 of permanent larval forms with respect to the Cotnatnla ; and the discovery of types 

 like Shizocrinus and Hyocrinus, in which the oral plates are more or less com- 



