3796 Zoological Society. 



Proceedings of the Zoological Society. 



Tuesday, January 11, 1853. — Dr. Gray, Vice-President, in the chair. 



Mr. Waterhouse described a new species of rodent from South America, remarka- 

 ble for having a very short tail, and strong fore-feet, furnished with large and nearly 

 straight claws. It was from the province of Mendoza, having recently been sent by 

 Mr. Bridges, after whom it was named by Mr. Waterhouse, Hesperomys Bridgesii. 



M. G. P. Deshayes described thirty-seven new species of shells from the collection 

 of Mr. Cuming, including several very interesting types. 



Dr. Gray described a new salamander from California, under the name of Amby- 

 stoma Californiensis ; and a gigantic tortoise from the Galapagos, under the name of 

 Testudo platycephalus. The latter species is established on a skull only. 



Tuesday, January 25, 1853. — Dr. Gray, Vice-President, in the chair. 



The Secretary read a letter from Mr. L. Fraser, H.M. Vice-Consul at Whidah, writ- 

 ten from Clarence, Fernando Po, and addressed to Mr. Cuming. It contained some 

 notice of the existence of a large Quadrumanous animal in the interior, called by the 

 natives Tap-par-po-har, which is supposed by them to be a chimpanzee, but which is 

 considered by Mr. Fraser to be most probably a Cynocephalus. Mr. Fraser has not 

 yet succeeded in obtaining a specimen. He describes two new birds obtained in June 

 and July last, at Fernando Po, under the names of Bubo poensis, and Buceros poensis. 



M. Deshayes read a paper on the animals of Camostrea, Clementia, and Glauco- 

 nome ; and in the course of it he took occasion to describe fourteen new species of the 

 genus Mactra, and two of Clementia. 



Dr. Gray read a paper on the division of Stenobranchiate Gasteropodous Mollusca, 

 in which he made use of the character afforded by the mouth, which he considers to 

 establish the distinction of two great groups in a much more natural manner than the 

 presence or absence of a siphon in the mantle, and to be more consistent with the ha- 

 bits of the animals, and much less liable to exceptions. The character upon which 

 Dr. Gray chiefly relies, is the form, disposition, and number of the teeth on the lin- 

 gual membrane. His arrangement is as follows : — 



Suborder I. — Proboscidifera. 14. Scalariadae. 



Fam. 1. Muricidae. 15. Acteonidae. 



2. Buccinidae. 16. Acusidae. 



3. Olividae. 17. Pyramidellidae. 



4. Lamellariadae. 18. Architectomidae. 



5. Fasciolaridae. 



6. Volutidae. Suborder II. — Rostrifera. 



7. Pleurotonidae. Fam. 1. Cancellarisedae. 



8. Doliidae. 2. Conidae. 



9. Tritoniadae. 3. Amphiperasidae. 



10. Scytotypidae. 4. Cypraeadae. 



11. Volutonidae. 5. Pediculariadae. 



12. Naticidae. 6. Aporrhaidac. 



13. Cassididae. 7. Strombidae. 



