634 PROF. FLOWER ON THE SKULL OF A CHIMPANZEE. [Nov. 14, 
The following letter, addressed to the Secretary by Mr. E. L. 
Layard, F.Z.S., was read :— 
“ Noumea, Aug. 22, 1882. 
«Srr,—In a ‘Note on the genera Schenicola and Catriscus’ 
(P. Z. S. 1882, pp. 919 & 920), Mr. Sharpe alludes to a skin in the 
British Museum of Schenicola platyura, obtained ‘ from Mr. Cuming, 
who received it doubtless from one of his correspondents, perhaps 
Mr. Thwaites or Mr. Layard.’ 
‘It will narrow the question if I state that Mr. Cuming ever re- 
ceived a single specimen of any bird whatsoever from me. We ex- 
changed shells, but never had any communication respecting birds. 
If Mr. Cuming got the skin in question from Mr, Thwaites, the latter 
probably procured it in the mountainous regions of the central 
province (Kandy), where he lived. I have no recollection of the 
bird myself.”’ 
Professor Jeffrey Bell exhibited some examples of Limneus 
truncatulus, which had been given him by Mr. A. P. Thomas’, who 
has lately shown that that species is the chief host of the larva of 
the liver-fluke. 
Mr. H. E. Dresser exhibited the type specimens of Melittophagus 
boehmi, Reichenow (J. f. O. 1882, p. 233), and of Merops dresseri, 
Shelley (P. Z. S. 1882, p. 302), and showed that these birds are speci- 
fically identical. The type of Melittophagus boehmi lacked the central 
elongated rectrices, and was therefore placed in the genus Melitto- 
phagus, whereas, as would be seen by the more perfect specimen 
described by Capt. Shelley, this bird was a true Merops. 
Professor Flower exhibited the skull of a young Chimpanzee, 
which had been sent to him from the Soudan by Dr. Emin Bey. 
The exact locality in which the animal was taken was not given; | 
but it was stated to have lived for some weeks in Dr. Emin Bey’s 
house at Lado. 
Prof. Flower made the following remarks on the skull :— 
This skull has the ordinary milk-dentition complete, except that 
the lower canines are not fully exserted. The first true molars are 
altogether concealed within the alveoli. Although the lower part 
of the face, the base of the skull, and the teeth precisely resemble 
those of Chimpanzees of corresponding age from the west coast of 
Africa, the upper part of the cranium presents a most striking 
difference, as seen in the accompanying outline (p. 635). The 
frontal region, instead of receding at a gentle slope from the 
supraorbital ridge, rises far more vertically, continuing the line of the 
face upwards. From the occiput the hinder part of the cranium 
slopes up almost in a straight line towards the forehead, so that the 
upper contour, instead of forming a nearly even low arch with its 
highest part about the centre, or over the external auditory meatus, 
1 Journ. R. Agricult. Soc. xviii. p. 452 (1882). 
