(i24 ON THE REPBODUCTIOH OF THE DUCKBILL. [Dec. 17, 



latter very small, with 6 rays. Caudal rounded, | or i length of 

 head; one of the upper rays may be produced in the males. 

 Caudal peduncle a little longer than deep. 30 or 31 scales in a 

 longitudinal series, 12 or 13 in a transverse series ; a series of pits 

 represents the lateral line. Pale olive-brown above, white below ; 

 females uniform, or with a few reddish-brown dots on the dorsal 

 and on the base of the anal. Males with a purple band on each 

 side of the head, passing round to the other side over the lower 

 jaw, and a median band of the same colour behind the chin, on 

 the branchi ostegal membrane ; small carmine-red spots or vermi- 

 culations on the side of the head behind the eye, and often small 

 spots of the same colour on the body ; a streak or a series of 

 spots of crimson along the dorsal and anal and usually two, 

 converging behind, on the caudal, the latter fin being grey 

 between the streaks and pure white outside them ; lower border 

 of pectoral sometimes crimson. 



Total length 63 millim. No difference in size between the 

 sexes. 



Numerous specimens were obtained in September 1901 at 

 Agheri in shallow creeks and flooded yam-plantations. 



This species is most nearly related to F, sjoestedti Liinnberg, 

 from Camaroon, which has 17 or 18 rays to the dorsal fin, 35 scales 

 in the lateral line, and the posterior dorsal and anal rays much 

 produced and filamentous iu the males. The rudimentary pseudo- 

 branchiae, which exist in the East-African F. ortJionotus Peters 

 and F. guentheri Pfeff., and on which Peters's genus Nothobranchius 

 is founded, are not to be found in F. gularvt. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE XXXVII. 



Pig. 1. Phractura ansorgii, with enlarged upper view of head, p. 623. 

 2. Fnndulus gidarw, male, with enlarged lower view of head, p. (\'2'-\. 

 .'!. Ditto, female. 



December 17, L901. 



Prof. Gr. B. Howes, LL.D., F.E.S., Vice-President, 



in the Chair. 



A communication was read from Mr. G. Metcalfe, M.A.. 

 drawing attention to the following entry in the ' Proceedings' for 

 1893 (p. 505) :— " The Hon. Walter Rothschild, F.Z.S., exhibited 

 and made remarks upon .... a specimen of the egg of the Duck- 

 bill (OmithorJiynchw anatiuvs) stated to have been taken out of 

 the pouch of the mother in Queensland.'' A statement that the 

 Duckbill laid its eggs in its burrow had also been placed on the 

 label of the specimens in the Natural History Museum. 



