208 DR. E. CRTSP ON THE ANATOMY OF TROCHILUS. [JunC 24, 



to the other materials. The down with which the nesthng has been 

 covered, and of which traces may be observed on a few of the back- 

 feathers, is of a dark -brownish grey, as is usual among the Corvidee. 

 The first plumage much resembles that of the adult, being, however, 

 duller in colour and with the white tear-like spots less conspicuous ; 

 but the quill-feathers of the wings and tail are not so entirely desti- 

 tute of metallic reflexions as some authors lead one to imagine. 



Whether the Nutcracker builds the whole structure for itself, or 

 only furnishes the forsaken nest of some other animal, I do not know. 

 This and other particulars we shall probably soon learn from Pastor 

 Theobald himself; and I need scarcely say I look forward with the 

 greatest interest to the clearing up of our doubts as to what its eggs 

 are really like. 



10. Note on Nannoperca australis. By Dr. A. Gtjnther. 



This fish has been described in the preceding volume of the ' Pro- 

 ceedings ' of this Society, p. 116, where the absence of the lateral 

 line has been mentioned as one of the generic characters. By some 

 misunderstanding, the artist has added a strongly marked lateral 

 line (1861, PI. XIX. fig. 2), an error which has been discovered too 

 late for correction. Therefore I take an early opportunity of con- 

 firming the statement made in the text. 



II. On some points relating to the Anatomy of the 

 Humming-bird (Trochilus colubris). By Edwards 

 Crisp, M.D., F.Z.S., etc. 



The recent dissection of the above-named bird has induced me to 

 place an account of some parts of its anatomy before the Society, 

 believing that the communication will not be devoid of interest. 



I am indebted to Mr. Gould for the Humming-bird, which he 

 captured in America, and brought alive to this country j but it lived 

 only a few days after its arrival. 



It had been preserved in spirits for some time before I examined 

 it, and therefore the weight may not have been exactly the same 

 when first captured, but I believe that the difference would be very 

 slight. I have, in the accompanying drawing, depicted the bird with 

 and without its skin. I have also represented the skeleton and all 

 the viscera by measurement. 



The bird (a female) weighed 6 1 grains ; its length from beak to 

 tail 4 inches, the bill being three- fourths of an inch, the tail I inch ; 

 from the extremity of each wing, when extended, 4^ inches. Tail- 

 feathers ten ; wing-feathers in all sixteen, the first the longest. 



On removing the skin, the bird, as represented in the drawing, 

 had a very plump, solid appearance, the pectoral muscles being of 

 very large size : they weighed 1 2 grains, being nearly one-fifth the 

 weight of the bird. The extremities of the os hyoides, as in the 



