lected by Mr. A. R. Wallace in the Islands of Sumatra, Sula, Gilolo, Salwatty, and New Guinea." By F. Smith, Esq., Assistant Zoological Department, British Museum. Communicated by W. W.

Saunders, Esq., V.P.L.S.

6. "On the Structure and Homologies of the Renal Organ in the Nudibranchiate Mollusca." By Albany Hancock, Esq., F.L.S.

7. "Descriptions of new Tubiculous Annelides in the Collection of the British Museum," part 2. By W. Baird, M.D., F.L.S.

June 16th.

Mr. Allis, Vice-President of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society, exhibited some bones and photographs of a skeleton of a species of Dinornis. The skeleton to which the bones belong is perfect, with the exception of the following bones:-the left zygomatic, the atlas, two, three, or more of the cervical vertebræ, the first pair of dorsal ribs, the first pair of sternal ribs, one of the rudimentary wings, and the middle left toe. Out of the nine left ribs seven are still in situ, one is detached, and one is wanting; the sternum is perfect, and as fresh to appearance as though the bird had been alive last year; the inner left toe has the whole of the outer sole still adhering to it, as well as part of the sole of the foot. On the lower part of the back is still a considerable portion of the outer skin studded with the quill part of the feathers, and in one or two rare instances portions of the web of the feather. One fibula has also a portion of outer skin still attached. The bones of the neck all show greater or less marks of having been within reach of the destructive effects of atmospheric influence, while the head at one extremity, and the first dorsal vertebra at the other, are each as perfect as though they had been taken from a fresh-killed bird by the most skilful anatomist. All the bones below the first dorsal are in the same perfect and uninjured state. The skeleton was presented to the Yorkshire Philosophical Society by J. Haydock Gibson, Esq., M.D., of York, whose brother, a resident of New Zealand, sent it with the statement that it was discovered in a sand-hill, sitting on its eggs, by some diggers about 100 miles up the country from Dunedin, to which place it was sent for sale. When the boxes were opened it was thought only to contain the bones of an adult bird; but, when the bones were taken out, it was discovered that a number of small bones belonging to very young birds, offspring of the adult, were also there. Of these there were five iliac bones, four from one side of the bird and a single

one from the other side-thus proving that we have at least one bone of five different individuals. There are also one ischium and os pubis united, the half of a very young sternum, and several ribs.

The following papers were read:-1. "On the Sexual Relations of three Forms of Lythrum Salicaria." By Charles Darwin, Esq., F.R.S. and L.S.

2. "Notes on the Sterility and Hybridization of certain species of Passiflora, Disemma, and Tacsonia." By Mr. John Scott. Communicated by Charles Darwin, Esq., F.R.S. and L.S.

3. "On the Esophagus of the Ruminantia." By Wm. Rutherford, M.D. Communicated by John Anderson, M.D., F.L.S.

4. "On a Peloria and semi-double Flower of Ophrys aranifera." By M. T. Masters, M.D., F.L.S.

4. ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY, (11, Hanover Square.)

June 14th.

Professor Owen read a memoir on the skeleton of the Great Auk, Alca impennis. Professor Owen's observations on this bird were principally based on a specimen, which had been recently disinterred from a deposit of guano on Funk Island, on the coast of Newfoundland, and had been submitted to his examination by Mr. Alfred Newton.-A communication was read from Mr. G. R. Gray on a new species of Pheasant of the genus Pucrasia from Northern China, proposed to be called P. xanthospila.-Communications were read from M. Barboza de Bocage of Lisbon, foreign member, on the recent discovery of a new species of Hyalonema on the coast of Portugal, proposed to be called Hyalonema lusitanicum; on a new Batrachian (Chioglossa lusitanica) recently discovered in Portugal; and on several new species of fishes of the family Squalidæ from the coasts of the same country.- Dr. E. Crisp made some remarks on the cæcal gland, rectum, and other internal parts of the giraffe.

June 28th.

The Secretary called the attention of the meeting to the two young mooruks (Casuarius bennettii) recently hatched in the Society's Gardens, and also exhibited the skeleton of the typical specimen of the same species of Cassowary originally received from Dr. Bennett in 1857.-Mr. Wallace read a memoir "On the Parrots of the

Malayan Region, and on the Phenomena presented by the general geographical distribution of this Group of Birds."-Professor Huxley read a paper "On the Potto of Old Calabar." The peculiar characters presented by the dentition of this animal appeared to Professor Huxley quite sufficient to warrant the adoption for it of the separate generic name Arctocebus, as proposed by Dr. Gray.—Mr. W. K. Parker read some remarks on the sternal apparatus of birds and other vertebrates, in which he entered at length into the question of the homologies of this part of the skeleton in the different classes of vertebrates.-Dr. Günther exhibited and made remarks on a very remarkable new form of pediculate fishes from Madeira, discovered by J. Y. Johnson, Esq. and proposed to be called Melanocetus johnsoni. Dr. Günther also read a report on the collection of reptiles and fishes made by Dr. Kirk during the Zambesi expedition, especially alluding to the species obtained from the fresh waters of Lake Nyassa, which proved to be all new to science.-Dr. Gray gave a notice of a new variety of a Scincoid Lizard of the genus Rhodona, from Australia, and read a note on some specimens of a West African tortoise, Sternothyrus adansoni, recently received by the British Muscum.-Dr. P. L. Sclater made some remarks on the geographical distribution of the ducks of the genus Dendrocygna, and pointed out the characters of three American parrots supposed to be new to science.-A paper was read by Messrs. P. L. Sclater and O. Salvin, entitled "Notes on the Birds of Panama."-Mr. W. H. Flower read a communication "On the Brain of the Howling Monkey (Mycetes seniculus),"

LXXVI.-MISCELLANEA.

1. THE SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION TO PALESTINE.

THE main results of the scientific expedition to Palestine, of which we have already spoken more than once in this Journal, were brought before the British Association at their recent meeting at Bath in several papers, read by Mr. Tristram before the different Sections. The Zoological collections embrace about 130 specimens of mammals,

1760 of birds, 300 reptiles, and 100 fishes. Amongst the Invertebrata the principal attention of the expedition was devoted to the terrestrial molluscs and diurnal Lepidoptera, of each of which very fair series were obtained, but a considerable number of Coleoptera and Orthoptera were likewise collected. About 1000 species of Phanerogamic plants were obtained, and are now being arranged for distribution in the Herbarium at Kew. A tolerably full series of geological specimens, principally of the lower cretaceous formations, was amassed, as well as a small but interesting collection of bone breccia and flint flakes from a cavern in the Lebanon, and a large series of fossil fishes from the same district. The minerals of the Dead Sea valley, and the waters of the many saline and sulphureous lakes and springs, were also carefully investigated, and samples of them brought home and placed in the hands of Dr. D. Price.

The results deducible from these materials cannot, of course, be given until the specimens are more fully worked out. As regards the birds, in which this has been already done to a certain extent by Mr. Tristram himself, the species new to science will be but few; but many rare and little known forms, unknown except by the curt descriptions of Hemprich and Ehrenberg, are amongst them. We understand that the Mammals of the collection will be named by Dr. Gray and Mr. Tomes, the Fishes and Reptiles by Dr. Günther, the Insects by Mr. Bates, and Molluscs by Mr. Tristram himself. The whole results of these investigations will ultimately be combined in a general work upon the Natural History of Palestine.

A discovery made during the expedition, which will excite much interest amongst our botanical readers, is that the Cedar is by no means confined to the well-known clump situate upon the old moraine which has been so excellently described by Dr. J. D. Hooker in this Journal,* but has been observed in four other localities in the same part of the Lebanon. One of these, where this tree is scattered over an area of considerable extent, is a deep ravine, which, after many windings, opens upon the sea at Jebeil, the ancient Gebal, between Tripoli and Beyrout. Another clump exists very near the well-known village of Ehden, on the route usually followed by travellers between the Cedars and Tripoli.

*See Natural History Review, 1862, p. 11.

N.H.R.-1864.

2 U

2. SCOTT ON DIMORPHISM IN PRIMULACEAE.

We wish to direct the attention of our readers to some of the results embodied in a paper by Mr. J. Scott, entitled "Observations on the Functions and Structure of the Reproductive Organs in the Primulaceae," in a recently issued part of the Journal of the Linnean Society (Botany, Vol. viii. 78). The memoir extends to nearly 50 pages, but the author appends a good summary.

One of the most remarkable points brought out is the great relative fertility of the non-dimorphic red variety of the common cowslip (Primula veris), and its near approach to absolute sterility when crossed with the pollen of either long or short-styled cowslips of the common colour and form. We have evidence here of a “physiological species"-of a species when tried by the physiological test, though almost destitute of any appreciable structural characteristic beyond mere colour. But throughout the essay we cannot but be struck with the independence of structural and functional characters, especially when we find, on the other hand (as in the case of the Auricula), that a cross with a species universally regarded as distinct on structural grounds, is actually more productive of seed than is an own-pollen (homomorphic) fertilization. It is curious to observe the very different degrees of facility with which two forms of the same species hybridise with distinct species; but this might perhaps have been anticipated from what has been previously published as to the results of reciprocal crosses. We referred in a previous number of this journal (1864, p. 247) to our author's observations upon the fertilisation of certain species of Oncidium, some of which, though infertile with their own pollen, might be fertilised more or less efficiently with the pollen of distinct species. Mr. Scott confirms Mr. Darwin's results as to the relatively greater fertility of the long-styled forms of dimorphic species in their homomorphic unions, and shows that his explanation of it is probably true. We shall be glad to find Mr. Scott's observations strengthened by other experimenters upon the same or different plants. Many of the results can hardly be regarded as secure until they rest upon a broader basis.