Zoological Society. 3067 



{Pterodactyl™ compressirostris, Owen), with some remarks on the Nomenclature of the 

 previously described Species.' The author apologized for bringing a species of extinct 

 -animal before the Zoological Society, but as its distinctive characters were best shown 

 by comparison with those of the species described by Mr. Bovverbank, at the previous 

 meeting of the Society, he thought it desirable that both descriptions should appear 

 in the same work. After some general remarks on the pterodactyles, and a reference 

 to the characters of the gigantic species described by Mr. Bowerbank as the Pterodac- 

 tyls Cuvieri, Professor Owen proceeded to describe the portions of the fossil skull on 

 which the new species was founded. They consisted of two portions of the upper 

 jaw, including a part of the external nostril, the palate, and the alveoli of the teeth. 

 The entire head restored, according to the proportions of those parts, must have mea- 

 sured from fourteen to sixteen inches in length. It differed from the still larger P. 

 Cuvieri in the straight outline of the upper jaw, and its greater degree of lateral com- 

 pression, from which the specific name was derived; also by its relatively smaller- 

 teeth, which are placed more widely apart in the jaw. The bony palate is extremely 

 narrow, and presents a median groove between two longitudinal convex ridges. Ihe 

 sides of the jaw as they rise from the alveolar border, incline a little outwards before 

 they converge to meet at the upper border, which gradually widens as the jaw ex- 

 tends backwards, but in a great part of its extent is a mere ridge. The bony walls 

 of both portions of jaw present the characteristic compactness and extreme thinness 

 of the pterodactyles skull. So far as the present evidence of three well-marked 

 species of pterodactyle (P. giganteus, P. Cuvieri, and P. compressirostris) goes, the 

 organization of these singularly modified Reptilia, whose existence extended from the 

 lias upwards to the chalk inclusive, had undergone no transmutation, no tendency to 

 pass into any other or higher winged form of animal. Neither had it in any measure 

 degenerated, but on the contrary had attained its maximum of development immedi- 

 ately prior to its final disappearance when, at the close of the secondary epoch in 

 Geology, the pterodactvles were blotted out of existence. 



Mr. Gray read a paper ' On a New Genus and Several New Species of fccutellidi* 



and Echinolampide.' 



The meeting then adjourned to February I lth. 



Monthly General Meeting, February 6.-E. J. Rudge, Esq., F.R.S, in the chan. 



E. W. Cox, Esq., Mansfield Parkyns, Esq, and W. Hartree, Esq. were elected 



Fellows. Mrs. Remington and E. Robins, Esq., were proposed as candidates tor the 



The Report of the Council stated that the number of visitors to the Gardens during 

 the month of January, presented an increase of 5533 over the corresponding month ot 

 1850. The additions to the Menagerie are of unusual interest, including a hue male 

 specimen of the Malayan tapir, and two pairs of mandarin ducks (Avx galenculata). 

 These beautiful birds having the full use of their wings, exhibit for the first time the 

 peculiar arboreal habit of the genus, and may be observed flying to a perch several 

 feet above the ground in the large aviary in which they are eflectvvely displayed. 

 Among other additions and improvements now in progress, the Council have made an 

 arrangement with Mr. Gould, to exhibit his brilliant collection of mounted humming- 



