3210 Reptiles. — Fishes. — Zoological Society. 



adult specimen of the Caspian tern (Sterna Caspia), was shot near that place about a 

 fortnight ago. Another, also in adult plumage, was shot near Lausanne before I left 

 Switzerland early in May, 1851. It is of very rare occurrence there, though all our 

 commoner species of tern are pretty abundant on the lake in summer. — T. W. Powys; 

 10, Grosvenor Place, July 1, 1851. 



A Toad in Difficulties. — Walking with a friend round a fish-pond on the 30th of 

 June last, my attention was attracted by a toad of forlorn aspect, crouching on the 

 marshy edge of the pool. Something was evidently wrong, so I stopped to investi- 

 gate, and was much surprized to find that the middle toe of one of the bind feet was 

 firmly held between the valves of a mollusk about half an inch in diameter, Cyclas 

 cornea, I think, and thus all altempts at locomotion on the part of the poor toad were 

 effectually impeded. When I detached the bivalve the toad proceeded to make the 

 best use of its restored liberty, by seeking the shelter of the long grass and sedge, its 

 gravity a good deal disturbed and its leg a little crippled by the accident. — Root. C. 

 Douglas; Forebridge, Stafford, July 14, 1851. 



The Ballan Wrasse (Labrus maculatus, Block). — I lately procured a very fine spe- 

 cimen of this fish, which is frequently caught along our coast. It measured in length 

 fully 19 inches, the largest size I have seen noted. The dorsal and anal fins differ 

 considerably in figure from those represented in the cut given in Yarrell's ' British 

 Fishes,' (Vol. i. p. 275) : in fact, a drawing of the present specimen would produce a 

 very different figure. In the first instance, the terminating and larger lobes of both 

 the fins referred to, are larger and much more rounded throughout; and in the second, 

 the two first spinous rays of the anal fin are wider apart, and extended, as in the figure 

 of Dentex vulgaris (p. Ill, ut supra). The snout is largely protractile, a long shaft 

 of bone proceeding from each of the two pieces forming the superior maxillary jaw, 

 and extending upwards for more than an inch under the common integuments of the 

 skull. These shafts are arranged alongside of each other, and seem only to be united 

 by a gristly membrane at their origin. The fleshy lips are plaited or channelled by 

 longitudinal folds, particulars, I presume, characteristic of this species, but which I 

 have not seen recorded by any ichthyologist. — Geo. Harris ; Gamrie, Banffshire, 

 June 19, 1851. 



Proceedings of the Zoological Society. 



Evening Meeting, June 10, 1851. — John Gould, Esq., F.K.S., in the chair. 



Mr. Sclater read descriptions of two new species of birds of the genus Tamioptera, 

 which he characterized under the names of T. erythropygia and T. striaticollis. These 

 birds, of which the specimens were derived from the collection of Edward Wilson, 

 Esq., arc natives of Ecuador. 



The Secretary read a paper by Dr. Nicholson, on a new species of Artamus, disco] 

 vend by him in Northern India. 



The Secretary read a second communication from Dr. Nicholson, on the habits of 

 l!i( t lilor-bird, as observed by himself at Surat and at Raghote. 



