Proceedings of the British Association. 335 



does not appear to be the case with the genus under consideration, 

 or with the Anthomys, which was so called because F. Cnvier 

 found their cheek pouches filled with flowers. If it were not for 

 these cheek pouches, the animal before us inight be taken for a 

 Gerboa, with which it perfectly agrees in the softness and color 

 of the fur, and in the length of the hind-legs and tail, which has 

 a brush at the end, so that it may be at once distinguished from 

 the other American genera, above enumerated, which either have 

 an elongated scaly tail, like a rat, or a very short one, like a lem- 

 ming. Mr. Gray is inclined to consider this animal as the repre- 

 sentative of tlie genus (Dipus) Gerboa, which is confined to ilie 

 more temperate part of Africa, as the genus Harpalotis is rejn-e- 

 sentative of the same genus in Australia. The combination of 

 the forms and color of the Gerboa with the external cheek pouches 

 of the pouched rat, at once marks this animal as a new genus, 

 which I propose to call Dipodomys or Gerboa rat, designating the 

 species after its discoverer, D. Phillipsii. 



Col. Hamilton Smith read a paper on the Colossal SepiadcB. — 

 He detailed all that was known of the existence of animals of 

 enormous size, inhabiting the ocean, belonging to the class of 

 Cephalopods. However incredulous some naturalists might be 

 regarding the existence of these animals, he had collected suffi- 

 cient evidence to convince him that animals of a very large size 

 belonging to this class now inhabited the waters of the ocean. 

 The paper was' illustrated by numerous drawings, and one was 

 a sketch of the beak and other parts of an enormous Sepia, still 

 preserved at the Museum of Haarlem, where they were seen by 

 the author. 



The following papers were also read: 



Some inquiries on the Natural History of the Wheat Midge, Cecidomyia Tritici, 

 by Prof. Henslovv. 



On the zoology of the county of Cornwall, by J. Couch. 



On sonie species of European Pines, by Capt. Widdington, R. N. 



On the existence of organic beings in mineral waters, by Dr. Lankester. 



Report on the drawing up, printing and circulating of queries concerning tho 

 human race, for the use of travellers and others. 



Report of the Committee on tiie growth and vitality of seeds. 



On tho hiibils of tiie eel, and on tiie freshwater fishes of Austria, by Capt. Wid- 

 dington, R. N. 



On animal exhalations ns affecting plants, by Mr Ball. 



On natural history as a branch of general education, by Mr. R. Patterson. 



Scheme for yearly observations on the periodicity of birds, by M, de Longchamp, 

 of Liege, 



