232 
containing some notes on the respiratory organs of Rea macrorhyncha, and 
comparing these organs with those of the Apteryx and Duck. — P. L. Scla- 
ter, Secretary. 
2. Linnean Society of London. 
15th March, 1883. — Prof. T. S. Cobbold read a paper von Simond- 
sia paradoxa and on its probable affinity with Sphaerularia bombi«. Thirty 
years ago Prof. Simonds discovered a remarkable parasite within cysts in the 
stomach of a wild Boar which died in the Zool. Gartens London. Prof. Si- 
monds regarded the worm as a species of Strongylus, but Dr. Cobbold in 
1864 suggested its affinities might probably be nearer the genus Spzropiera, 
then naming it Simondsia. The original drawings unfortunately were lost 
and only quite lately along with the specimens they have turned up and have 
enabled Dr. Cobbold to investigate them more closely. He arrives at the 
conclusion, that Simondsia is a genus of Endoparasitic Nematodes, in which 
the female is encysted and furnished with an external and much enlarged 
uterus, whose walls expand into branches terminating in Caeca. The male is 
1/, inch and the female °/;) inch long. Moreover it is now found that what was 
at first regarded as the head turns out to be the tail so that the supposed 
Strongyloid character is incorrect. Taking into account what is known of 
Sphaerularia bombi as interpreted by Schneider and whose views are univer- 
sally accepted, it appears that Simondsia though unique, yet approaches to- 
wards Sphaerularia in respect of the enormously developed female repro- 
ductive organ which in both lies outside the body proper. Until Sir 
J. Lubbock’s memoir on Sphaerularia appeared, the so-called male had never 
been indicated; but judged by Schneider's interpretation of that genus, the 
male is still unknown. Dr. Cobbold points out, that the so called rosette in 
Simondsia is morphologically a prolapsed uterus furnished with two egg con- 
taining branches, he regards the external branched processes as homologous 
with the sphaerules of Sphaerularia, whilst the ultimate caecal capsules have 
nothing comparable to them in nature. Dr. Cobbold describes all the 
peculiarities of the strange worm in detail and gives a diagnosis of the genus 
and species. — A paper was read von the Moths of the family Urapteridae 
in the British Museum«, by Arthur G. Butler. The author basing di- 
stinctions on wing neuration and other characters redistributes the family 
and indicates the following new genera; Jristrophis, Gonorthus, Sermoptervs, 
Nepheloleuca, Thinopteryx, Xeropteryx and Æschropteryx. The »18th Contri- 
bution to the Mollusca of the Challenger Expedition«, by the Rev. R. Boog 
Watson was read, in which the Author treats of the family Z'ornatelhdae, 
therein describing 6 new species of the genus Actacon. 
5th April, 1883. — There was exhibited for R. Morton Middleton 
a well marked example of wood showing the extensive ravages of the Isopod 
Limnoria lignorum. The wood was from the pier piles of West Hartlepool, 
where the said Crustacean’s depredations are very destructive. — Mr. F. W. 
Phillips read a communication in which he described a new species of 
fresh water Infusorian, allied to the genus Gerda, and which provisionally is 
named G. caudata. — Other papers read were on botanical subjects. — 
J. Murie. 
Druck von Breitkopf & Harte] in Leipzig. 
