87 — 
et appartenait a plusieurs societes savantes ; quoique d’un 
age avancc, il se livrait au travail avec ime ardeur saus exem- 
ple, — et sa mort laisse uu grand vide dans le monde scientifi- 
que. II a succombo a l’ceuvre tel qu’un vaillant soldat sur le 
cliamp de bataillc, mais laissant apres Ini son fils Ernest, digue 
de suivre les traces glorieuses de son pore. 
Le Secretaire donne communication d’une lettre qu’il a 
rec ue du I)r A. G unther, du British Museum, cn date du o 
Mars 1S7-1, et dont voici quelqucs extraits : 
“ The Toad which you have sent me a short time ago, is 
“ the common Toad of the East India — Bufo melanost ictus. 
“ If this specie should have been introduced into Mauritius. 
“ I must congratulate you, as it is a most harmless and useful 
“ animal feeding on nocturnal insects. 
“ I am much obliged to you for the two tree-frogs from 
“ the North East Coast of Madagascar ; they belong to the 
“ genus Rappia, a genus found all over Tropical Africa, I 
“ will let you know in my next letter whether the species are 
“ described. 
“ The study of the Gigantic Land Tortoises of the Mas- 
“ carenes and Galapogos has taken up all the leisure time I 
“ can spare from my official duty, and has delayed my des- 
“ cription of the Round Island reptiles. However I hope to 
“ be able to finish both these memoirs before the end of the 
“ year.” 
Le Secretaire lit egalement quelques extraits qu’il a pris 
des derniers numeros du Gardener's Chronicle. En voici un 
du 21 Mars, donnant une idee du grand changement survenu 
dans la temperature de l’Egypte, depuis que des plantations 
d’arbres y out etc faites. La communication a etc adressee 
