BARKER — NOTE ON OXYURIS AMBIGUA. 31 



plished his work even better than was generally acknowledged ; for, 

 save one poor harmless lizard, not a true Reptile was to be found in the 

 country, and he might perhaps also mention that none apparently ex- 

 isted in any geological formation in Ireland. 



The President said, he was much interested by Dr. Bennett's paper. 

 He had himself never experimented by introducing Snakes into this coun- 

 try ; but probably he had as many pet Toads as any other person ever had ; 

 and he had kept these, he must say beautiful, creatures in a tame con- 

 dition for some twelve months. They escaped into the Botanic Garden, 

 and never could be seen again, nor was there any clue as to what became 

 of them. He could hardly suppose it probable that the Natterjack was 

 accidentally introduced by ship to Kerry, as, though common in Lan- 

 cashire, the every-day communication nowadays with this country 

 had failed to import it, though Portmarnock Sands, near Dublin, 

 presented just the same kind of locality as on the other side of the 

 Channel. 



The following gentlemen were elected Ordinary Members : — Fergus 

 Smith, Esq., 71, Lower Baggot-street ; Richard Perrin, Esq., Upper 

 Mount-street. 



Pursuant to notice of motion, given at last meeting by the Rev. S. 

 Haughton, M. D., it was 



Resolved — "That in future the night of meeting of the Natural 

 History Society of Dublin shall be the first Thursday of the month, 

 instead of the first Eriday of the month." 



The meeting was then accordingly adjourned to the first Thursday 

 in March. 



THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 1866. 

 David Moore, Ph. D., E. L. S., President, in the Chair. 



The following donations to the Museum were announced by Mr. 

 R. P. Williams : — Green Sandpiper, from Mr. Robert Warren, Jun. ; 

 Black-tailed Godwit, in winter plumage, from Mr. J. Travers Madden ; 

 and a Laughing Gull, from Mr. William Mac Dougall, of Howth. 



The thanks of the Society were voted to the respective donors. 



Dr. John Barker exhibited specimens of Oxyurus amhigua, taken 

 from the alimentary canal of the Common Porcupine (Uystrixcristata). 

 Cestoid Worms have been found in this mammal by Redi, and recorded 

 by Rudolphi ; but these are of an entirely different character, and infest 

 the tubercles in the oesophagus. Dr. Spencer Cobbold has described Tcunia 

 pectinata as occurring in the Ilystrix dorsata ; but no nematoid worm has 

 (as far as Dr. Barker knew) been recorded as having been found in the 



