PHOTOMICROGRAPHS OF A FEMALE MOLE-FLEA. 



191 



Mr. R. H. Bdrne, F.Z.S., exhibited some skeletons of foetal 

 Mammals prepared by Tadpoles, and drew attention to the 

 possible advantage of such a method over the more laborious 

 process by hand. 



February 24th, 1920. 



A. Smith Woodward, Esq., LL.D., F.R.S., "Vice-President, 

 in the Chair. 



Mr. R. I. PococK, F.R.S., read the following Report on the 

 Additions made to the Society's Menagerie during the month of 

 January 1920 :— 



The registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during 

 the month of January were 109 in number. Of these 24 wei'e 

 acquired by presentation, 17 were deposited, 61 were purchased, 

 5 were received in exchange, and 2 were born in the Menagerie. 



The following may be specially mentioned : — 



2 Hybrid Black and Brown Bears (Ursus americanus <S X 

 U. arctos 5 )j born in the Menagerie on January 5th. 



1 Persian Gazelle {Gazella subgnUurosa ^ ), from Mesopotamia, 

 presented by the 1st Battn, 1st Highland Light Infantry. 



5 Bennett's Wallabies {Macropiis hennetti, 3 , 2 $ ) (Tas- 

 mania), received in exchange on January 31st. 



1 Naked-throated Bell-bird [Chasmorhynchus nudicolUs), from 

 Brazil, purchased on January 1st. 



2 Soft-shelled Land-Tortoises (7Wzt<:Zo loveridgii)^ from Dodoma, 

 E. Africa, presented by Arthur Loveridge, January 26th. 



Mr. F. Martin Duncax, F.Z.S., exhibited photomicrograplis 

 of a female Mole-Flea {Hystrichopsylla tcdpce), and drew attention 

 to the presence of two spermathecas, a feature in the anatomy of 

 the genital organs of this flea which appeared to have hitherto 

 escaped notice. Several specimens had been submitted to him, 

 and in all the females this characteristic feature was present. 

 He also pointed out that clinging to the abdomen of the flea, by 

 means of their sucker-discs, were a number of hypopial nymphs 

 of one of the Tyroglyphidse. He had not at present been able 

 to determine to which species they belonged, but it was intei- 

 esting to note their attachment to the flea inasmuch that it was 

 occasionally taken in the nests of Wild Bees, and might act as a 

 dispersal agent of the Acari. 



