37 



March 28th. 1837. 



Dr. Bostock, in the Chair. 



Mr. Chambers read a paper upon the habits and geographical dis- 

 tribution of Humming Birds, and exhibited the nest and eggs of the 

 only species {Trochilus colubris,) which visits the United States, and 

 which is there very commonly bred in confinement. Mr. Chambers 

 adverted to the probability of success if attempts were made to do- 

 mesticate these birds in this country. A lady residing at Boston 

 informed him that in that city they are readily reared in cages, and 

 she expressed great surprise on hearing that only one instance had 

 occurred of their being domesticated in England, as the climate so 

 nearly corresponds. 



The first part of a paper was then read by F. Debell Bennett, 

 Esq., corresponding member, on " The Natural History of the Sper- 

 maceti Whale." 



Mr. Yarrell then brought before the notice of the meeting " A 

 Synopsis of the Fishes of Madeira," by the Rev. R. T. Lowe, Cor- 

 responding Member of the Society. This synopsis includes all the 

 Fishes hitherto found at Madeira, with observations upon many of 

 the species, and the character of such genera and species as are 

 new. The Author has also drawn up a table, showing the com- 

 parative number and distribution of the British, Mediterranean, and 

 Maderan Fishes. It appears from this, that notwithstanding the 

 uniformity of its shores, both in structure and materials, occasioning 

 a corresponding uniformity in food and shelter, that the number of 

 marine species found at Madeira equals two thirds the amount be- 

 longing to the British seas. 



With the exception of the genus Anguilla, the fresh- water species 

 are entirely absent, the physical structure of the island preventing the 

 formation of lakes and pools, and reducing its streams to the cha- 

 racter of rapid rivulets or mountain torrents. A result indicated by 

 the table just referred to, and which Mr. Lowe particularly notices, 

 is, that Madeira possesses as many species in common with Britain 

 as it has with the Mediterranean, and also that there is a variation 

 in the ratio between the marine Acanthopterygians and Malaco- 

 pterygians proportionate to the latitude. In Britain the marine Jca/j- 

 thopterygians are to the marine Malacopterygians as one and a quarter 

 to one ; in the Mediterranean, as two and three fifths to one ; while 

 at Madeira the ratio increases to three and a half to one. 



The Author's remaining observations principally relate to the 

 particular periods of the year, and to the comparative abundance in 

 which certain species are met with.* 



* The paper will appear in the Society's Transactions. 



