543 
dünnte sich wegen seiner größeren Schwere unten ansammelt und 
durch den Hahn entfernt werden kann. 3) Sämmtliche Praeparate, ob 
groß oder klein, sind schließlich gleich gut conservirt. 4) Eine Ver- 
geudung von Alcohol kann nicht stattfinden. 5) Der Alcohol wird 
ohne besondere Muhe durch die Filtration gereinigt. 6) Man hat das 
fortwährende Nachsehen nicht nothig. 
Alle diese Vorziige, die natiirlich bei einer groBen Anzahl von 
Behältern am meisten hervortreten müssen, lassen sich in den Worten 
zusammenfassen, daß solche Behälter Zeit, Mühe und Geld sparen. 
Ist das angelegte Capital auch bedeutend, so muß es doch reichliche 
Zinsen tragen. 
Adelaide, den 16. Juni 1883. 
2. Linnean Society of New South Wales. 
July 25th, 1883. — 1. On the Myology of the Frilled Lizard (Chla- 
mydosaurus Kingi) by Charles De Vis, B.A. The author does not find 
there is any special muscular mechanism connected with the reptiles habit of 
elevating the frill and of occasionally assuming the erect attitude. The 
function of the frill he regards as being partly to frighten assailants, partly 
to aid in the collection and concentration of the waves of sound. — 2. De- 
scriptions of Australian Microlepidoptera, No. 9, by E. Meyrick, B.A. 
The paper continues the description of the Oecophoridae, bringing the 
number of Australian species of the family up to 179. — 3. Some remarks 
on the action of Tannin on Infusoria by Harry Gilliatt. Mr. Gilliatt 
points out with reference to a paper by Mr. H. J. Waddington, that the 
effect of the tannic acid on Paramaecium aurelia is to cause the elongation 
and discharge of the trichocysts, which form a dense fringe of slender rods 
all round the body. — Mr. Haswell exhibited a series of anatomical and 
Zoological preparations. — Mr. Macleay exhibited a living specimen of 
Trachydosaurus asper, brought by the Honorable P. G. King from the 
Narran country. — With respect to this Lizard, Professor Stephens read 
the following account written by Dampier, in 1699 (Voyages, vol. IH. 
p. 122, Ed. 1703): — »A sort of Guanos are also found at Shark’s Bay of 
the same shape and size with other guanos (described vol. I., p. 57), but 
differing from them in three remarkable particulars. For these had a larger 
and uglier head, and had no tail; and at the rump, instead of the tail there, 
they had a stump of a tail, which appeared like another head, but not really 
such, being without mouth or eyes. Yet this creature seemed by this means 
to have a head at each end. And which may be reckoned a fourth difference, 
the legs also seemed, all four of them, to be fore-legs, being all alike in 
shape and length, and seeming by the joints and bending to be made as if 
they were to go indifferently either head or tail foremost. They were speck- 
led black and yellow, like toads, and had scales or knobs on their backs like 
those of crocodiles, plated on to the skin, or stuck into it as part of the skin. 
They are very slow in motion, and when a man comes nigh them they will 
stand still and hiss not endeavouring to get away. Their livers are also 
spotted black and yellow, and the body when opened hath a very unsavoury 
