1881.] MR. BARTLETT ON THE HABITS OF THE DARTER. 247 



Dimensions. millim. 



Total length (the tip of the tail is broken off) ...... 310 



From tip of snout to ear-opening 43 



„ „ „ fore limb 53 



„ „ ,, vent 135 



Length of fore limb 72 



,, „ third finger 17 



„ „ fourth finger 19 



,, „ hind limb 95 



„ „ third toe 19 



fourth toe 28 



» 



This species is allied to E. heterolepis, E. microlepis, and E, pree- 

 stabilis, but differs from all three in the higher dorsal crest, from 

 E. heterolepis in the scales of the body, which are smaller (about 

 42 vertically in the present species, and 29 in E. heterolepis") and not 

 intermixed with conical ones, and in the absence of a second lateral 

 series of large scales; from E. microlepis in the larger, slightly or 

 not keeled dorsal scales ; from E. preestabilis in the shape of the 

 dorsal scales, and especially in the strongly keeled pectoral and 

 ventral ones. 



EXPLANATION OP PLATE XXVI. 



Fig. 1. Eny alius oshapghnessyi. 1 a, scutellation of the side of ditto. 

 Fig. 2. Scutellation of the side of E. microlepis. 



6. Remarks upon the Habits of the Darter {Plotus an- 

 hinga). By A. D. Bartlett^ Superintendent of the 

 Society^s Gardens. 



[Eeceived Jan. 6, 1881.] 



At a meeting of this Society in 1869 (see P.Z.S. 1869, p. 142) I read 

 a paper upon the habits of the Hornbills, and called attention to the 

 fact that, from time to time, these birds cast up a substance that is 

 found upon examination to be the epithelial lining of the gizzard. I 

 now bring before the Society a notice of another instance of this re- 

 markable habit, in a very different group of birds. A Darter (^Plotus 

 anhingd), the bird I now speak of, was received on the 18th of July 

 1880, and since that time has appeared to be m perfect health, and 

 has fed regularly. It has thrown up the lining of its stomach on 

 three or four occasions during this period ; but unfortunately the 

 keeper, not being aware of the interest that would be attached to the 

 circumstance, and not knowing the nature of the substance, care- 

 lessly threw the castings away. I happened, however, to be present 

 when the last sac was thrown up, and secured it for examination, 

 and have handed it over to our Prosector, Mr. Forbes, for that pur- 

 pose. 



This remarbable fact being now known to occur in two widely 



