322 Proceedings of Learned Societies. 



four crops of silk annually. The Moonga, Anthercee assama, is 

 extensively cultivated in the open air in Assam ; the silk forms one 

 of its principal exports. There are generally five broods during the 

 year. 



The Anthercea papilla, or Tussur, or Tusseh silkworm of the 

 Bengalese, is very widely distributed throughout India ; its silk is a 

 most abundant product; it is the most common in use of all the 

 wild silkworms, millions of cocoons are annually collected in the 

 jungles and brought to the silk factories near Calcutta. Other 

 species of Anthercea, as the A. JRoylei, feeding on different species of 

 oak, have also been cultivated. 



In addition to the moths above enumerated, the collection of 

 Mr. Moore exhibited several others belonging to the genera Gricula, 

 Salassa, Satumia, etc., etc., many of which, it is evident,, may be 

 made largely available for the production of different silks, having 

 various qualities likely to render them useful to man. This unique 

 collection will be shown in the Indian department at the Inter- 

 national Exhibition. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY.— April 8. 



The Lepidosiben. — Dr. T. Spencer Cobbold, E.L.S., gave a 

 minute description of the bones of the skull of Lepidosiren annectans, 

 which animal differs so materially from that of the American 

 species {Lepidosiren paradoxa) that some have placed it in a distinct 

 genus, under the title of Protopteris. The New World species, dis- 

 covered by JSatteur, has been carefully anatomized by Bischoff and 

 Hyrtle, whilst the one under consideration has been dissected and 

 described by Owen, Melville, M'Donnell, and others. The osteology 

 of Lepidosiren annectans, however, is still incompletely understood. 

 Dr. Cobbold observed that three, or at most four, bones only were 

 concerned in the formation of the cranium proper, whilst four others 

 formed the face, two of them belonging to the jaws. He stated 

 that there were no true superior maxillary bones, the upper massive 

 jaw being in reality made up of the enormously developed palatine 

 bones. The most remarkable cranial elements are the pair of horn- 

 like bones which stretch backwards to form the vault of the skull. 

 Bischoff says they are altered molar bones, but Dr. Cobbold con- 

 siders them to be the frontals, and he observed that " their presence 

 more than any other of the osseous elements imparts to the skull 

 its unique character." There are many striking differences in the 

 skeletal element of Frotopteris annectans as compared with Lepido- 

 siren paradoxa. 



