Mr. C. O. Groome Napier exhibited a specioien of the 
spar-winged plover, a bird commoa in Egypt, which waa 
known to enter the crocodile's raouth, for the purpose, pro- 
bably, of removing leeches. It had a remarkably sharp 
horny spur on the wing, the use of which was not known. 
It was very canning, unlike the Dottrell, to which it was 
allied, and eggs of which were exhibited. This bird, as was 
well-known, waa very foolish, and rarely bred in J3ritain. 
Mr. Pease and Mr. Swayne questioned the existeQce of 
leeches, but believed the plover acted as a kind of living 
toothpick to the crocodile, Mr. Napier also exhibited a 
cocoon of the tarantula spider, from Tobago, which had 
contained 100 eggs, about the size of rape-seed, 
WM. LANT CARPENTER, 
Hon. Reporting Secretary, 
