1867.] Zoology and Animal Physiology. 295 



ticellse are confused with Botifers, &c, and a misapprehension is evi- 

 dent of recent observations on the refractive power of fungus-spores, 

 as seen in the " blue-mist ;" these errors would be serious in a scientific 

 publication, but do not really affect the value of a popular essay. 



Proceedings of the Zoological Society. 



At the meetings of this session there have been numerous 

 valuable papers read, chiefly devoted to the description of new 

 forms or rearrangement of previously known animals. The follow- 

 ing papers relate to the Mammalia : — Mr. W. H. Flower, F.B.S., 

 has brought forward a memoir on the skeleton oilnia Geoffroyensis, 

 and on the skull of Pontoporia Blainvillii, in which he made some 

 remarks on the systematic position of these animals in the order 

 Cetacea. Mr. Flower has recently been devoting much time and 

 attention to the study of this order of mammals, as his work pub- 

 lished last year by the Kay Society testifies. Dr. W. Peters, of 

 Berlin, made a communication on some Mammalia collected by 

 Captain Bevan in Bermuda, and on a collection of bats from Trini- 

 dad. Mr. Gerard Krefft, of Sydney, has described two new species 

 of Dasyuridse, which he proposes to call Podabrus Michelli and 

 GJidetocercas cristicauda. Mr. Kobert Swinhoe, H.M. consul at 

 Amoy, China, has forwarded a new monkey to the menagerie, which 

 he proposes to call Inuus Sanctijohannis. Mr. St. George Mivart, 

 in continuance of his researches on the Primates, has communicated 

 a paper on the appendicular skeleton of the Ourang-Outang, in 

 which he has entered very minutely into the osseous characters of 

 that animal. 



Mr. P. L. Sclater described a new species of Katel, recently 

 added to the Society's menagerie, which he proposed to call Melli- 

 vora leuconota. A letter has been received from Mr. E. Bartlett, 

 now engaged in exploring the fauna of Peru, in which he mentions 

 the discovery of a remarkable species of spider-monkey, supposed to 

 be new to science. The death of the sea-bear {Otaria) has afforded 

 an opportunity for the examination and dissection of its viscera, 

 which we believe has never yet been possible. The Society's Pro- 

 sector, Dr. J. Murie, has been occupied in this task, and some 

 important results may be expected from his investigations. 



In Birds, we have numerous new species, or rarer forms, de- 

 scribed by Mr. Sclater, and other ornithologists. Dr. Murie has 

 been making some investigations with regard to the Cygnus bucci- 

 nator, and the new Cygnus Passmori of Professor Hincks, which 

 he considers to be nothing more than a variety of the former. 



Dr. Gray and Dr. Gunther have described a few new reptiles. 

 The former characterizes a Geckoid lizard from Ceylon, which he 

 proposes to call Gecconella punctata. 



