SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. 223 



Mr. D. Morris drew attention to a Jamaica drift-fruit recently found on 

 the coast of Devonshire. Although figured so long ago as 1640 by Clusius, 

 and subsequently noticed by other observers, the plant yielding it had 

 only lately been identified by Mr. J. H. Hart, of Trinidad, as Sacoglottis 

 amazonica. Mr. Morris likewise exhibited specimens of the fruit of Cato- 

 stemmafragrans, received, for the first time, from St. Vincent, showing its 

 true position to be amongst the Malvacea, tribe Bombacece. 



Mr. Thomas Christy exhibited some kola-nuts, and made remarks on 

 the properties attributed to their medicinal use. 



A paper was then read by Mr. Malcolm Laurie on the anatomy of the 

 genera Pterygotus and SUmonia, and their relationship to recent Arachnida. 

 An interesting discussion followed, in which the President, Prof. Howes, 

 Dr. H. Woodward, and others took part. 



Zoological Society of London. 



May 5.— Prof. W. H. Flower, C.B., LL.D., F.R.S., President, in 

 the chair. 



The Secretary read a report on the additions that had been made to the 

 Society's Menagerie during the month of April, and called special attention 

 to the arrival of what appeared to be an adult male example of the Lesser 

 Orang, Simia morio of Owen, presented by Commander Ernest Rason, R.N., 

 who had obtained it at Sarawak ; and to a Great-billed Tern, Phaethusa 

 magnirostris, obtained by purchase, new to the collection. 



Mr. Sclater opened a discussion on the fauna of British Central Africa, 

 by pointing out the limits of this new territory, which was computed to 

 embrace some 54,000 square miles of land lying immediately north of the 

 Zambezi and west of Lake Nyassa. Mr. Sclater gave an account of the 

 principal authorities who have already written on the subject. He 

 was followed by Mr. G. A. Boulenger, who read a paper " On the State of 

 our Knowledge of the Reptiles and Batrachians of British Central Africa." 

 The discussion was continued by Mr. Edgar A. Smith, who read a note on 

 the Molluscan fauna of British Central Africa; and by Mr. E. T. Newton, 

 who communicated some general remarks on what is known of the geology 

 of British Central Africa, stating several points to which special attention 

 should be directed. Remarks on various branches of the same subject were 

 made by Dr. Gunther, Mr. 0. Thomas, Mr. Stebbing, Mr. Salvin, and 

 Mr. Beddard. 



Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell read notes on some Slugs of the Ethiopian 

 Region, based on specimens in the collection of the British Museum. 



Dr. C. J. Forsyth-Major read a paper containing a summary of our 

 knowledge of the extinct Mammals of the family Giraffida. 



