No. 117. 



ABSTRACT OF THE PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LOxNDOiV 



March 4th, 1913. 

 Dr. A. Smith Woodward, F.R.S., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The Minutes of the last Scientific Meeting were confirmed. 



Dr. S. F. Harmer, M.A., F.R.S. , exhibited a hair-ball which 

 was presented to the British Museum (Natural History) by 

 Mr. A. Dobree, in January 1911. Alluding to Mr. E. G. 

 Boulenger's exhibit, on February 18th last, of spines of a Mada- 

 gascar Insectivore in the excrement of a Boa, he pointed out that 

 this was perhaps another case of the occurrence of spiny hairs in 

 the alimentary canal of a reptile. Mr. Dobr^e's specimen, which 

 has been described by Mr. R. Lydekker, F.R.S., in ' The Field,' 

 vol. 117, Feb. 25, 1911, p. 383, was found in the Province of 

 Morondava, West Coast of Madagascar, between Belo on the 

 Tsiribihina River and Bevilo ; and it has the form of a hair-ball, 

 consisting largely of the hairs of Tenrecs (Centetes). Bearing 

 Mr. Boulenger's results in mind, it is possible that the specimen 

 in question may have come from a Boa ; but it seems to be more 

 probable that it came from the stomach of a Crocodile. The 

 principal reason for coming to this conclusion is the evidence 

 supplied by Mr. J. Simao da Costa to the British Musevim that 

 hair-balls of this nature occur in the stomachs of Crocodilians ia 

 N. Brazil, as recorded by Mr. Lydekker in the note above 

 referred to. 



Mr. E. G. BouLEXGER, F.Z.S., Curator of Reptiles, made 

 remarks on the Lung-Fish, Protopterus cethiopicus, which the 

 Society had recently received from Mr. C. W. Woodhouse, and 

 which was the only Dipnoan that had not previously been 

 exhibited alive in Europe. 



* This Abstract is published by the Society at its offices, Zoological Gardens, 

 Regent's Park, N.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 sura of Six ShiUmgs per annum, payable in advance. 



