Proceedings of Societies. 109 



have seen are lithographic, drawn by Mrs Gould, and beautifully executed 



Crossodeira, n. g Microura, n. g — Paradoxornis, n. g. ( See p. 62) — Todus, 



Sialia, Accentor, will be illustrated in the 1st number. 



Dr Ed. Ruppel. — This indefatigable zoologist has commenced a new work 

 entitled " Neue Wirbelthiere zu der fauna von Abyssinien gehbrig entdeckt 

 und beschrieben." We have seen the first four fasciculi, one devoted to each 

 branch, Mammalia, Aves, Reptilia, Pisces. The plates are lithographic, the text 

 German, with Latin specific descriptions. Some very interesting species are figur- 

 ed and described. 



R. Cunningham, Colonial Botanist New South Wales. — Early in the present 

 year, accounts were brought from New South Wales, which gave the deepest 

 distress to the friends and relatives of Mr R. Cunningham, heightened, if possible, 

 by a kind of uncertainty of their authenticity. Official accounts, however, have 

 now been received, which in part confirm the melancholy fate of this zealous 

 botanist. The following extract will best convey the information, and we would 

 still fondly hope, that, under the guidance of Providence, he may be yet preserved 

 and in time restored to those who now have to lament his absence. " But a griev- 

 ous misfortune befel the expedition in the loss of Mr Cunningham, the Colonial 

 Botanist, who wandered from the party near the head of the river Bogan, on the 

 17th of April. After an anxious search, continued for twelve days, during which 

 the party halted, his horse was traced till found dead, having still the saddle on, 

 and the bridle in its mouth. It appeared that Mr Cunningham, after losing his 

 horse, had directed his own steps northward ; we traced them into the Bogan, 

 and westward along the bed of that river for twenty miles, and until they disap- 

 peared near a recent encampment of natives. There a small portion of the skirt 

 of his coat was found, also some fragments of a map which I had seen in his 

 possession. There were two distinct tribes of natives on the Bogan, but from 

 those with whom we had communication we could learn nothing of his fate. I 

 have ever since indulged a hope that he might have crossed to the Macquarie, 

 and so returned to the settled districts, but this hope has not relieved me much 

 from the most painful apprehensions, considering the dispositions of the natives. 

 Whether Mr Cunningham really survives or not, his absence has made a melan- 

 choly blank in our party, and has certainly caused a serious loss to science." — 

 Athena urn. 



Dr Smith — We have satisfaction in announcing that Dr Smith, the superin- 

 tendent of the South African Museum, has returned in safety to the Cape from 

 his expedition to the interior. He arrived in the first week of February, and in 

 general has been successful ; but no particulars have yet reached Europe. 



Notices and Proceedings of Societies — London. 

 Entomological Society, April 4th — Observations and experiments for ex- 

 cluding the house and other flies from apartments, by means of nets, by the Rev. 

 Edward Stanley, M. A — Descriptions of Zeuxo Westwoodiana, a new crusta- 

 ceous insect from the Island of the Mauritius by Robert Templeton. — Notes on 

 the habits of Asmia atricapilla, and upon the mode in which its nest is construct- 

 ed, by G. M. Waterhouse — Descriptions of six new East Indian Coleoptera, by 

 W. W. Saunders. — Various living bees of different species were exhibited by 



