22 
two principal folded plates of enamel and a smaller transverse fold 
between them. The lower grinders are oblong, and the foremost of 
these teeth presents two roundish rings of enamel, each of which has 
an internal fold, and the hinder ring has moreover a small fold on 
the fore part of the outer side. Each of the other molars in this jaw 
is furnished with two sinuous folds on the inner side and one on the 
middle of the outer edge. Of this animal (which is from Brazil) a 
figure will be found in the ‘ Abbildungen’ &c. of the Prince de Neu- 
wied. 
The new species of Manis referred to in the letter is from Western 
Africa, and is at once distinguished, Mr. Gray observes, from the 
Manis tetradactyla (which it most nearly approaches) by its having 
the tail rather shorter—that is, about half as long again as the body 
—and double the number of series of scales on the body, and also 
by the scales being more acute, and furnished each with three sharp 
points. ‘Two specimens of this species, of different sizes, are con- 
tained in the British Museum collection. It is named by Mr. Gray 
Manis mutriscutata. Manis caudd corpore multum longiore ; 
squamarum dorsalium elongatarum, tricuspidum, ad basin striata- 
rum, seriebus 23. 
Hab. Western Africa. 
Mr. Gould exhibited a new species of Australian Heron :— 
ARDEA RECTIROSTRIS. Ardea superne fuscescenti-cinerea, capite et 
cristd nigris ; rostro magis recto atque robusto quam in Ardea 
cinerea. 
Crown of the head and crest dull black; back of the neck and all 
the upper surface brownish grey, passing into greyish white on the 
tips of the wing-coverts; secondaries, scapularies and tail-feathers 
dark grey ; spurious wing and primaries greyish black; sides of the 
face and chin white; down the front of the neck an interrupted line 
of black, formed by each feather having an oblong stripe of black on 
the inner side of the stem near the tip, the marks becoming larger 
and paler in colour as they approach the chest, the same kind of 
marking continuing over the under surface, but the stripes very pale 
brown; under tail-coverts white; bill dark horn-colour, becoming 
nearly black on the culmen; feet greenish black. 
Total length, 37 inches; bill, 7; wing, 164; tail, 7 ; tarsi, 63. 
Hab. New South Wales. 
The above description is taken from a bird which appears to be 
immature ; it has much the appearance of, and is nearly allied to, the 
Common Heron of Europe. 
A communication from Mr. Hinds, containing descriptions of two 
new species of Shells, from the collection of Hugh Cuming, Esq., 
was then read. 
Genus Tripnoris, Deshayes, Hinds, Ann. Nat. Hist. vol. xi. p. 16. 
Tripnoris pacopus. Tri. (Ino) testd cylindraced, elongata, acumi- 
