No. 101. 



ABSTRACT OF THE PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.' 



November 7th, 1911. 

 Frederick Gillett, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The Minutes of the last Scientific Meeting were confirmed. 



Mr. F. Mbnteith OaiLViE, F.Z.S., communicated a paper by- 

 Mr. T. E. GuNN, F.L.S., " On the Presence of Two Ovaries in 

 certain British Birds, more especially the Falconidse." The 

 author outlined the views held by the majority of English mor- 

 phologists on the reproductive organs of adult female birds, and 

 enumerated examples which he had collected during a number of 

 years where the right as well as the left ovary was present, and, 

 so far as could be ascertained, in the two cases of which sections 

 had been made, where the right ovary was functional. He 

 pointed out the extraordinary preponderance in his examples of 

 paired ovaries occurring in the Falconidfe, as compared with those 

 derived from any other source, and remarked that in that family 

 the ovaries were usually placed symmetrically one on either side 

 of the vertebral column and at about the same level. In examples 

 other than the Falconidse this symmetrical arrangement was the 

 exception rather than the rule, the right ovary generally occupy- 

 ing a position almost directly below the left, in the left half of 

 the body-cavity, which, in the author's opinion, suggested a half- 

 way home on the road leading to the final disappearance of the 

 right ovary. 



Mr. R. I. PococK, F.R.S., F.L.S., F.Z.S., Superintendent 

 of the Gardens, exhibited a series of lantern-slides prepared from 



* This Abstract is published by the Society at its ofBces, Zoological Grardens, 

 Regent's Park, N.W., on the Tuesday following the date of Meeting to whicli 

 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. 



