290 MK. G. B. SOWERBY ON A NEW ASPERGILLUM. [May 15, 



The Cicoiiiine stem pave off Abdimia before the Ciconiine charac- 

 ters were fully acquired. Balaniceps appears to me to be a further 

 specialization of the Ardeitlse, and not to stand nearer to the form 

 ■which gave rise to the Ardeidse. I believe this because Bcdce- 

 niceps is decidedly a Heron in respect of its alimentary tract, powder- 

 down patches, and syrinx ; the loss of the syringeal muscles is a 

 further specialization, and evidently a recent one (from the fact of 

 their degenerate equivalent being present). The form of the syrinx 

 in the Herodiones was originally that which is now seen in Scopus 

 and the Ardeidae ; that this is so, seems to be shown by the fact that 

 the Ardeiue form of syrinx is found in so many other groups of birds, 

 while the Ciconiine form is peculiar to the Ciconise. In Abdimia 

 (and to a less extent in Xenorhynchus) the syrinx has not quite 

 acquired the typical Ciconiine form — the membrana tympanifomtis 

 is, to a considerable extent, left ; that is to say, the bronchial semi- 

 rings have not yet united to obliterate the membrana tymjjanifortnis, 

 as is the case with the typical Storks. For this reason I regard 

 Abdimia as having branched off from the main stem a little before 

 the development of the typical Storks. 



4. Description of a Gigantic new Species of Aspergillum 

 from Japan. By G. B. Sowerby, F.Z.S., F.L.S. 



[Eeceived May 3, 1888.] 



Aspergillum giganteum, n. sp. 



Asp. testa valvis magnis, subtra2)ezoideis, concentrice mc/osis 

 irregulariter striatis ; antice pauhnn uttenuatis, rotundulis ; 

 postice latiorilus oblique truncutis. Vagi7ia maxima, elongata, 

 solidiuscula, subrecta, calculos et aremdas agglutinante ; Umbo 

 conspicue irregulariter ()—7-fariam foliato ; disco ii-regidaiiter 

 convexo, calculos et conchas agglutinante, tubulis numeroais 

 2:>arvi-usculis rotundatis armato. 

 Hab. Japonia. 



A species of extraordinary magnitude, the specimen being over 

 13 inches (oL'g centim.) in length and about H inches (4 centini.) 

 in diameter, in the widest part. The sheath is of the form of 

 A. vaginiferum ; but the valves are much larger in proportion and of 

 quite a different form, which, apart from the unusual dimensions, 

 would be sufficient to constitute it a distinct species. The valves are 

 25 millim, long and 15 broad. 



A second specimen (somewhat smaller, but in better condition) of 

 this species is in the Museum of the Zoological Society ("Natura 

 Artis Magistra ") of Amsterdam, placed there by Mr. Oltmans, the 

 late Cuiator, with the name of Aspergillum japoidcum, confirming 

 the locality. So far as is at present known, Aspergillum vaginiferum 

 inhabits exclusively the Red Sea. 



