Notice of the Passer montanus, the Tree Sparrow. 69 
and not merely distinctive of an immature fish, it seems to 
occupy a middle position between the Genus Urogymnus of 
Gray — "Tail without a spine ;" and the Genus Trygon — "Tail 
with one or more serrated spines ;" as having " Tail with spine 
bordered and tipped with membrane ;" otherwise I am inclined 
to place this fish under the Genus Hemitrygon of Miiller 
and Henle, which is distinguished by having a " tail with a 
hem-like fin on the under side only." In the British Museum 
Catalogue of 1851 there are only two species given under this 
genus, one from the Chinese Seas, and the other from the 
Adriatic ; so that this large species may possibly not have been 
previously described; and I would accordingly, while waiting 
for more information on the subject,give it the provisional name 
of Hemitrygon Ukpam. I have presented one of the specimens 
of this fish to the Natural History Museum of the University. 
Sir William Jardine said, the account given by the natives 
of the young fish entering the maternal organs was very inte- 
resting ; the Rays were considered the analogues of the Mar- 
supiATA among animals, and it would be very curious indeed 
should a peculiarity of this kind be common to both. The 
thanks of the Society were voted to Mr Archibald Hewan, Old 
Calabar, for his kindness in forwarding to this country the 
specimens of the Ukpam. 
(2 ) Notice of the Passer montanus, the Tree Sparrow^ shot near 
Dunhar. By John Alexander Smith, M.B, 
The Passer montanus, the Tree Sparrow (exhibited), was 
shot at Pitcox, near Dunbar, by Dr C. Nelson, and was 
the first specimen he had seen killed in Scotland. It is 
distinguished from the common sparrow by its smaller size, 
by the chestnut colour of the top of the head, which is also 
more divided from the colours of the back, by the sides of the 
neck being white, by a distinctly-defined black spot on each 
cheek, and by two white stripes on the wing, there being only 
one in the common sparrow. Our books on ornithology state 
generally that this bird has never been observed in Scotland. 
From its considerable resemblance, however, to the common 
sparrow, it might be easily overlooked. Mr Keddie, assistant 
to Mr Sanderson of George Street, informed me he had seen 
specimens of this bird, some five or six years ago, frequenting 
