PHOTOMICROGEAPHS OF A FEMALE MOLE-FLEA. 191 



Mr. R. H. BtTRifE, F.Z.S., exhibited some skeletons of foetal 

 Mammals prepared by Tadpoles, and drew attention to the 

 possible advantage of such a method over the more laborious 

 process by hand. 



February 24th, 1930. 



A. Smith Woodward, Esq., LL.D., F.R.S., Yice-President, 

 in the Chair. 



Mr. R. I. PocoCK, F.R.S., read the following Report on the 

 Additions ma.de to the Society's Menagerie during the month of 

 January 1920 : — 



The registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during 

 the month of January wei'e 109 in number. Of these 24 weie 

 acquired by presentation, 17 were deposited, 61 were purchased, 

 5 were received in exchange, and 2 were born in the Menagerie. 



The following may be specially mentioned : — 



2 Hybrid Black and Brown Bears [Ursus cmiericanus S X 

 U. arctos 5 ), born in the Menagerie on January 5th. 



1 Persian Gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa 5 ); from Mesopotamia, 

 presented by the 1st Battn. 1st Highland Light Infantry. 



5 Bennett's "Wallabies {Afacropus bennetti, 3 J , 2 5 ) (Tas- 

 mania), received in exchange on January 31st. 



1 Naked-throated Bell-bird (yGhasmorliynchus nudicolUs), from 

 Brazil, purchased on January 1st. 



2 Soft-shelled Land-Tortoises (^'es^McZo love^-idgii), from Dodoma, 

 E. Africa, presented by Arthur Loveridge, January 26th. 



Mr. F. Martin Duncan, F.Z.S., exhibited photomicrographs 

 of a female Mole-Flea (Hi/strichopsyUa talpce), and drew attention 

 to the presence of two spermathecae, a feature in the anatomy of 

 the genital organs of this flea which appeared to have hitherto 

 escaped notice. Several specimens had been submitted to him, 

 and in all the females this characteristic feature was present. 

 He also pointed out that clinging to the abdomen of the flea, by 

 means of their sucker-discs, were a number of hypopial nymphs 

 of one of the Tyi'oglyphidse. He had not at present been able 

 to determine to which species they belonged, but it was intei- 

 esting to note their attachment to the flea inasmuch that it was 

 occasionally taken in the nests of Wild Bees, and might act as a 

 dispersal agent of the Acari. 



