4236 Zoological Society. 



mention Helops pallidus and Ectinus aterrimus. In Hymenoptera, particularly among 

 the Ichneuraonidae, the President observed that his friend Mr. Desvignes, informed him 

 that he had made some valuable discoveries, and he announced that he intended to 

 follow up these researches more fully during the approaching season. Again, in 

 Micro-Lepidoptera much has been done, but much more remained to be done ; he, 

 for one, fully intended to be a labourer in the vineyard, and he hoped that all those 

 who heard him would assist in the cause. On the whole, he believed that entomolo- 

 gists had reason to congratulate themselves on the produce of the year 1853. 



In the report of the November meeting, at the end of the remarks about Elachista 

 Cerussella, read the dark one or male is only to be obtained by breeding: Mr. Harding 

 informs me the female is common in the fens. — /. T. N. 



Zoological Society of London. 

 January 24, 1854. — Dr. Crisp made the following exhibitions. 



Great Gray Shrike. 

 A gray shrike {Lanim excubitor), which was shot in the eastern part of Suf- 

 folk, in October last. Mr. Bartlett, on examining the bird soon after it was shot, 

 thought it was the American species. On comparing its anatomy with that of the red- 

 backed shrike (L. collurio), the only important difference was in the weight of 

 the brain. Thus the brains of two red-backed shrikes examined, weighed 12 and 13 

 grains; the weight of their bodies being 1 oz. 160 grs., and 1 oz. 185 grs. The 

 weight of the body of the gray shrike was 2 oz. 80 grains ; of the brain 59 grs. ; 

 forming a somewhat remarkable contrast. The gizzard of the last-mentioned bird 

 contained a dung-beetle and a grasshopper. 



Peregrine Falcon. 

 A peregrine falcon (Falco Peregrinus), also shot in the eastern part of Suffolk, 

 in December last. The bird was very muscular and fat. Its weight 2 lbs. 5 oz. ; 

 whilst the weight of another dissected, that had been kept in confinement, was only» 



1 lb. 7 oz. Of two goshawks (F. palumbarius), dissected last year, the first weighed 



2 lbs. 4 oz., the second 2 lbs. 5 oz. The body of the common buzzard (Buteo vulgaris), 

 1 lb. 8 oz. The chief motive for the exhibition of this bird was to show the tarsal 

 muscles, which although of large size, more especially the flexor of the hind toes, were* 

 small, when compared with those of the fruit-eating pigeons, particularly the nutmeg: 

 (S. cenea), exhibited at the Society in December last. 



Specimens of Filarice. 

 Two specimens of worms (Filaria), from the lungs and heart of the peregrine fal- 

 cons mentioned above. The Filariae in the cellular tissue at the root of the great ves- 

 sels of the heart were five or six inches long, and the specimen was believed by the 

 author to have been unique. A large number of Ascarides, two inches in length, 

 from the stomach of the common buzzard (B. vulgaris), wild. In the stomach were 

 also skeletons of two small birds, the bones being denuded of their flesh by the 



