54 
ambulacra of the disk. — Prof. Flower exhibited a photograph (presented 
to the Society by Mr. James Farmer, F.Z.S.) of Seal Point, Farallone Is- 
lands, off the coast of California, showing the immense number of Seals 
(Otaria Gillespii M'Bain) frequenting that locality. — Prof. Flower read 
a paper on the Whales of the genus Hyperoodon, in which he pointed out 
that one of the most important points in the history of these animals yet 
unsolved was whether the largeheaded form, with great development of the 
maxillary crests, called by Dr. J. E. Gray Lagenocetus latifrons, was a distinct 
species, or whether, as suspected by Eschricht, it was the adult male of the 
common form known as Hyperoodon rostratus. The author had asked Capt. 
David Gray to avail himself of his exceptionally favourable opportunities of 
observing these animals in their native haunts, to solve this question, with 
the result shown in the next communication. — A communication was read 
from Capt. David Gray, SS. ‚Eclipse‘, called »Notes on the Characters and 
Habits of the Bottlenose Whale (Hyperoodon)«, in which it was stated that 
he had killed 203 of these animals last season, and had traced in the males 
every gradation of development between the two forms, and had therefore 
conclusively proved that Hyperoodon or Lagenocetus latifrons had no exi- 
stence as a distinct species. The communication was illustrated by sketches 
and photographs, showing the external characters and cranium in various 
stages of growth. — Mr. P.H. Carpenter read a paper on the classifica- 
tion of the Comatulae. He criticized the method of formulation recently pro- 
posed by Prof. F. J. Bell, and pointed out its disadvantages for the purposes 
of classification, owing to its being inapplicable to those Comatulae which 
have irregular arm-divisions. He explained his own system of formulation 
and classification, and stated that he believed it to be capable of dealing with 
all possible variations of Comatula structure. — Mr. F. Day read a paper 
on the identity of Arnoglossus lophotes Gthr., with Pleuronectes Grohmanni 
Bonap. A second paper by Mr. Day contained remarks on some hybrids 
between Salmon and Trout. — A paper by Messrs. Godman and Salvin 
was read, describing some Butterflies from New Ireland, received from the 
Rev. G. Brown and Mr. E. L. Layard. Among these were examples of two 
new species, named respectively Prothoe Layardi and Danais adustus. — Mr. 
Oldfield Thomas read a paper containing descriptions of two new species 
of Fruit-Bats of the genus Pteropus from the Caroline Islands. The author 
proposed to call them Pteropus phaeocephalus and Pt. breviceps. — A commu- 
nication was read from Major G.F.L. Marshall, F.Z.S., containing some 
notes on Asiatic Butterflies. A species of Amecera was mentioned as new 
to the Beluchistan fauna, and three species were described as new to science. 
— Mr.G.A.Boulenger read the description of a new species of Lizard 
from Dacotah, based upon some specimens lately presented to the Society’s 
collection by Mr. S. Garman, of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cam- 
bridge, Mass., and proposed to name it Sceloporus Garmani. — Mr. Arthur 
G. Butler read a paper in which he gave an account of a collection of Spi- 
ders made by the Rev. Deans Cowan in Madagascar. In addition to many 
interesting and singular forms, were specimens of the curious tailed species 
Arachnoura scorpionoides from Central Madagascar. Six new species were 
described. — Mr. W.N.Parker read a paper on some points in the ana- 
tomy of the Indian Tapir. — Mr. Herbert Druce read a paper descriptive 
of new species of Moths chiefly from Western Africa and New Guinea. 
