Societies and Academies

Abstract

SYDNEY. Linnean Society of New South Wales, July 25.— Dr. J. C. Cox, Vice-President, in the chair.—The following papers were read:—The insects of King's Sound and its vicinity, part 2, by William Macleay. This paper contains a list of all the Lamellicorn insects in the collection made by Mr. Froggatt in the West Kimberley district. Of the seventy-six species recorded, fifty-nine are described as new, but are all referable to known genera. The genera most numerous in species are Ontho-phagus and Heleronyx. The sub-family Cetoniides is represented by four species only.—Catalogue of the known Coleoptera of New Guinea, &c., part 2, by George Masters, Curator of the Macleay Museum. Part 2 of this catalogue, comprising the Tetramerous and Trimerous divisions, amounting to about uoo species, completes the list of Coleoptera hitherto described from the region under consideration. The total number of species recorded is 2079.—Malaysian land and fresh-water Mollusca, by Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods. After some introductory remarks on the extent and physical geography of the region under consideration, and on the characteristic features of its land and fresh-water Mollusca, the author gives a list of about 400 species indigenous to the Malay Peninsula in the States south of Keddah, and the Indian Archipelago, not including the Philippines and New Guinea. A bibliographical list is appended. —Mr. Ogilby exhibited a specimen of a deep-sea fish (Chlcrophthalmus nigripennis), originally described by Dr. Günther in the Ann. of Nat. Hist., 1878, and figured in vol. xxii. of the “Challenger Reports.” The original specimens were taken by the Challenger naturalists off Twofold Bay, in 120 fathoms; the specimen exhibited was captured quite recently off Port Jackson in 70 fathoms, the only other occasion on which the species has been met with since its discovery.—Mr. Ogilby also exhibited a photograph of Acanthias Blainvillii, not hitherto recorded from New South Wales, and one of a variety of Acanthoclinus littoreus, originally described by Forster in “Cook's Voyage,” the former having been taken in deep water off Port Jackson, the latter under stones between tide-marks at Lord Howe Island.—Mr. Brazier exhibited a spherical stone, about ½ inch in diameter, found in the crop of a Goura pigeon (G. Albertisi, Salvad.), from Hall Sound, New Guinea. Also a tube of freshwater shells (Segmentina australiensis, E. A. Smith), from Waterloo Swamps.—Mr. MacDonald showed under the microscope an interesting exhibit of Rotifers (Megalotrocha sp.), living in clusters on pond weed.—Mr. Burnell exhibited two living slow-worms (Typhlops nigrescens), from Wentworthville, near Parramatta. —Mr. Deane exhibited a remarkable excrescence on a root of Monotoca elliptica, found by Mr. J. F. Fitzhardinge in the neighbourhood of Sydney; a specimen of an apodal lizard (Delma impar) found by Mr. C. F. Price, of Arable, near Cooma, where the species is said to be abundant in basaltic country; and examples of concretionary nodules occurring abundantly in a slaty rock in a cutting near Bredbo on the Goulburn to Cooma Railway.