No. 78. 



ABSTRACT OF THE PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON* 



February 1st, 1910. 



Prof. E. A. Minchin, M.A., Vice-President, 

 in the Chair. 



The Minutes of the last Scientific Meeting were confirmed. 



Mr. Charles A. Darling, General Manager of the British New 

 Guinea Development Co., exhibited a mounted specimen of a 

 Cuscus (Phalanger maculatus). The animal had been captured in 

 New Guinea and brought to England alive, but had subsequently 

 died, and was to be presented to the British Museum (Natural 

 History) by its owner, Mr. D. Elliot Alves. Mr. Darling called 

 attention to the soft white fur with brown spots and the prehensile 

 tail, and stated that when the living animal was asleep in daylight 

 the eyes remained open with the pupils fully contracted. 



The Secretary read a letter from Captain J. A. M. Vipan, 

 F.Z.S., which suggested that the probable cause of the immense 

 numbers of the freshwater Cyprinodont fishes known as "Millions" 

 (Girardinus pceciloides) in Barbados, and their consequent agency 

 in suppressing malaria by destroying mosquito larva?, was the 

 absence of other freshwater fishes in that island. The writer 

 added that in his opinion there was no specific distinction between 

 G. pceciloides and G. guppii of Trinidad, and that Pose-ilia reticulata 

 Peters, of Venezuela, was the same fish. The presence of other 

 freshwater fishes in these localities prevented extensive multipli- 

 cation of these small fishes, with the result that they had no 

 effective action in keeping down mosquitoes. 



* This Abstract is published by the Society at 3 Hanover Square, London, 

 W., on the Tuesday following the date of Meeting to which it refers. It will 

 be issued, along with the ' Proceedings,' free of extra charge, to all Fellows who 

 subscribe to the Publications ; but it may be obtained on the day of publication 

 at the price of Sixpence, or, if desired, sent post-free for the sum of Six 

 Shillings per annum, payable in advance. 



