1884.] ON REPTILES ETC. FROM THE SOLOMON ISLANDS. 251 



May 6, 1884. 

 Prof. Flower, LL.D., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. 



The Secretary read the following report on the additions to the 

 Society's Menagerie during the month of April 1884 : — 



The total number of registered additions to the Society's Mena- 

 gerie during the month of April was 220. Of these 43 were ac- 

 quired by presentation, 61 by purchase, 7 were born in the Gardens, 

 and 30 were received on deposit. The total number of departures 

 during the same period, by death and removals, was 128. 



The most noticeable additions during the month were: — ■ 



1. Two Nepalese Hornbills (Aceros nepalensis), purchased April 

 4th, being the first examples of this fine species of Hornbill that 

 have been acquired by the Society. 



2. A fine Gigantic Salamander of Japan (JSIegalobatrachus maoci- 

 mus), purchased April 23rd. No specimen of this Batrachian has 

 been in the Society's collection for some time. The present example 

 is about 2 feet 8 inches in length. 



3. A series of animals collected by Charles T. Kettlewell, Esq., 

 F.Z.S., during the voyage of the yacht ' Marchesa ' in the Eastern 

 Archipelago, amongst which were three examples of the Lesser Bird 

 of Paradise (Paradisea minor) from Jobie Island, and one of the 

 White Cockatoo of the Philippines (Cacatua philippinarum), ob- 

 tained at the Sooloo Islands — a new locality for this species. 



4. A fine example of the Mediterranean Seal (Monac/ius albi- 

 venter), an animal now growing scarce and difficult to procure, 

 purchased April 26th. 



5. A Banded Gym nogene (Polybovoides ti/picus), purchased April 

 30th. This is the first example of this very curious bird of prey 

 that has heen acquired for the collection. 



Professor Bell exhibited some specimens of Estheria melitensis 

 sent from Malta by Captain Beciier, R.A.,and stated that, in answer 

 to his inquiries, that gentleman had confirmed the fact of the males 

 appearing to equal in number the females, as had been stated by 

 previous observers of the members of the genus. 



Lieut. -Col. II. H. Godwin-Austen exhibited and made remarks 

 on an old Indian drawing representing a Tiger-hunt, and called 

 attention to the colour of one of the Elephants represented in it, 

 which was of a creamy-white. 



A communication was read from Mr. G. A. Boulenger, F.Z.S., 

 containing an account of the Reptiles and Batrachians of the Solomon 

 Islands. This memoir was based principally on two important 

 collections made in the Solomon Islands and transmitted to the 

 British Museum by Mr. II. B. Guppy of H.M.S. * Lark ' in 1883 

 and 1884, in which were found several new and interesting forms. 



