Societies and Academies

Abstract

LONDON Zoological Society, November 3.—Prof. W. H. Flower, F.R.S., President, in the chair.—Mr. Sciaterexhihited the skull of a Tapir received by the Society in May, 1878, which was then described as Tapirus roulini, but which had since been found, upon anatomical examination, to be merely a dark variety of Tapirus americanus.—A letter was read from Mr. J. Caldwell, C.M.Z.S., of Port Louis, Mauritius, announcing the finding of a new deposit of dodo-bones in a small cavern in the south-west part of the island.—An extract was read from a letter addressed to the Secretary by Dr. F. H. Bauer, C.M.Z.S., of Buitenzorg, Java, containing some notes on the Flying Lizard (Plychozoon homalocephahirn) of that island—Prof. Bell exhibited and made remarks on a fine specimen of the Decapod Crustacean, Alpheus megacheles, obtained by Mr. Spencer at Herm, Channel Islands.—Mr. Martin Jacoby communicated the second portion of his paper on the Phytophagous Coleoptera of Japan obtained by Mr. George Lewis during his second journey, 1880–81. The present part treated of the Halticine and Galerucirne of Mr. Lewis's collection.—Mr. A. G. Butler read a paper containing an account of two collections of Lepidotera recently received from Somali Land. Mr. Butler considered that the Lepidopterous fauna of Somali Land was essentially Arabian in character.— Mr. L. R. Lydekker, F.Z.S., described a last upper molar of a Mastodon, which had been obtained by Mr. A. H. Everett, C.M.Z.S., in Borneo, and referred it to a small race of M. latidens, previously known only from the Pliocene Siwaliks of India and Burmah. The specimen was of much interest, as increasing our knowledge ot the eastern range of the Siwalik mammals.—Mr. W. T. Blanford, F.R.S., read a monograph of the genus Paradoxurus. After a critical examination of a large series of specimens Mr. Blanford came to the conclusion that it would be necessary to reduce the numerous so-called species of this genus to about ten well-marked forms.—Mr. W. T. Blanford, on behalf of Mr. J. A. Murray, read a paper containing the description of a new species of Mus from Sind, proposed to be called Mus gleaclowi.—Mr. F. E. Beddard, F.Z. S., read an account of the specific characters and structure of some New Zealand earthworms of the genus Acanihodrilus.