■\-. * , »^-^ i'
't-l *
B- E. I I
f" 'I" "^ 3! "' |i ; »
f y'l
:• ]p. I. -% f h : . f
' ii- 't' ilif '.i\ .
THE . \
PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
LINNEAN SOCIETY
OF
NEV\^ SOUTH \A^ALES.
VOL. TIL
[With Twenty-seven Plates].
I>mi>4"TE3ID So I>"CrBXiIS:SEID IFOia THEE SOOIIQT-Sr
Ey Foster and J^airfax, 14 ^ arrack ^treet,
AND SOLD BY THE SOCIETY. 18 7 9.
A^^V^
^
CONTENTS OF VOL. III.
PART I,
Description of a new species of Ptilotis from Torres Straits. By E
P. Ramsay, F.L.S
On an Australian variety of Meritina pulligera, Linn. By the Rev
J. E. Tenison- Woods, F.G.S., F.L.S., &c
On a new genus of Milleporidfe. By the Rev. J. E. Texison
Woods, F.G.S., F.L.S., &c. With Plate
On a new species of Psammoseris. By the Rev. J. E. Tenisox
Woods, F.C4.S., F.L.S., &c '
Description of a species of Myiolestes from Fiji. By E. P. Ramsay.
F.L.S
Note on a species of TTierafpon found in a dam at Warialda. By
William Macleay, F.L.S., with Remarks by the Rev. J. E
Texison-Woods. F.G.S., F.L.S., &c
On a new species of Desmophyllum, and a young stage of Cycloseris
Sinensis. By the Rev. J. E. Texison- Woods, F.G.S., F.L.S. &c On the Geology of Yass Plains. By Charles Jenkins, Esq., L.S
Yass. With Plate
Descriptions of some new fishes from Port Jackson and King George's
Sound. By William Macleay, F.L.S. With Plates. Notes on List of Australian Birds. By E. P. Rajisay, F.L.S. Notes on the Fishes of the Norman River. By Count F. de
Castelnaf
On a new species of Soplocephalns from Sutton Forest. By Williajn:
Macleay. F.L.S
On the Power of Locomotion in the Tunicata. By William Macleay,
F.L.S '
On some Australian Littorinidce. By the Rev. J. E. Texisox- Woods
F.G.S., F.L.S., &c,
Descriptions of five species of Birds from Torres Straits and New
Guinea, &c. By E. P. Ramsay, F.L.S
Page
12
15 17 21
33
38
41
52 54 55
72
iy. CONTENTS.
PART II.
Page Descriptions of seven new species of Terrestrial and Marine Shells
from Australia. By John Brazier, CM. Z.S., &c. Plate 8.... 77
On Bulimits Dufresnii. By the Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, F.G.S.,
F.L.S., &c. Plate 7 81
On three new genera and one new species of Madreporaria Corals.
By the Rev. J. Tenison-Woods, F.G.S., F.L.S., &c. Plate 10. 92
Zoology of the "Chevert" Ornithology, Part II. By E. P. Ramsay,
F.L.S., &c 100
On two new species of Gerygone. By E. P. Ramsay, F.L.S., &c. ... 116
On the Ferns of Queensland. By F. M. Bailey, F.L.S., &c. ... 118
On two new species of Land Shells. By the Rev. J. E. Tenison- Woods, F.G.S., F.L.S., &c. Plate 12 123
On a new genus of Polyzoa. By the Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods,
F.G.S., F.L.S., &c. Plate 13 126
On some Corals from Darnley Island. By the Rev. J. E. Tenison- Woods, F.G.S., F.L.S., &c. Plates 9 and 11 128
On some new Extratropical Corals. By the Rev. J. E. Tenison- Woods, F.G.S., F.L.S., &c. Plates 12 and 13 131
On some Freshwater Shells from New Zealand. By the Rev. J. E.
Tenison-Woods, F.G.S., F.L.S., &c. Plate 13 135
On some new Australian (chiefly Freshwater) Fishes. By Count F.
de Castelnau. 140
Proposed Zoological Station for Sydney. By Baron N. de
Miklucho-Macleay 144
Lepidoptera having the Antlia terminal in a teretron or borer. By
R. B. Read, M.R.C.S. Plate 14 150
On the Tracheae of some Australian Ducks. By E. P. Ramsay,
F.L.S., &c 154
Mollusca of the " Chevert " Expedition. By John Brazier,
C.M.Z.S., &c 155
Drawings by Australian Aborigines. By J. C. Cox, M.D., F.L.S,,
&c., Plates 15 and 16 155
PART III.
Page Report of Committee on Zoological Station ... ... ... ... 161
On a new Ganoid Fish from Queensland. By Count F. de Cas- telnau. Plate 19, A. 164
On a species of Amphisile, from the Palau Islands. By William
Maclbay, F.L.S. Plate 19, B 165
CONTENTS. r.
Page
On Maci*odontism. By N. de Mikluho-Maclay, Hon. Mem. Linn
Soc. N. S. W. Plate 18
On the Goshawk from Port Moresby. By E. P. Ramsay, F.L.S., &c Descriptions of Australian Microlepidoptera. By E. Meyeick, B.A On the Geology of Yass Plains. Second Paper. By Charles
Jenkins, L.S., Yass Plate 17
Description of a new species of Vivipara. By John Brazier
C.M.Z.S., &c
On some Tertiary Fossils from Muddy Creek. By the Rev. J. E
Tenison-Woods, F.G.S., F.L.S., &c. Plates 20 and 21
Contributions to the Zoology of New Guinea. Mammals and Birds
By E. P. Ramsay, F.L.S., &c
169 173 175
216
221
222
241
PART IV.
Plagiostomata of the Pacific. By N. de Miklouho-Maclay, and
William Macleay, F.L.S. Parti. With 5 Plates 306
On an apparently new species of Penguin from Campbell Island. By
F. W. HuTTON, Professor of Zoology, Otago Universit}'... ... 334
Notes on a small collection of Birds from the New Hebrides, with a
description of a new species of Merula. By E. P. Ramsay,
F.L.S., &c 336
Description of a new species of Rhlpidura from Lord Howe's Island.
By E. P. Ramsay, F.L.S., &c 340
On six new species of Annelids of the family Amphinomidoe in the
Macleay Museum. By William A. Haswell, M.A., B. Sc,
Edinburgh 341
Essay on the Ichthyology of Port Jackson, By Count F. de
Castelnau 347
Contributions to the Zoology of New Guinea, Part III. Description
of a new Marsupial allied to the genus Perameles. By E. P.
Ramsay, F.L.S., &c 402
'i^oie^ on Puffinus carneipes oi Gould. By E. P. Ramsay, F.L.S.,&c. 406 On two new species of Stenorhynchus. By W. A. Haswell, M.A.,
B. Sc 408
Notes on the Anatomy of the Brachial Plexus of Birds. By W. A.
Haswell, M.A., B. Sc 409
President's Annual Address ... ... ... ... 414
INDEX TO VOL. III.
Acaiitlioperca Gulliveri .. Accipiter cirrhoceplialiis . . Achrcea grisella ... Acrostichum Pteroides .. Actitis hypoleucos Adeorbis acuticarinata . .
aster Adiantum affine . .
capillus-veneris diaphanum JEgialitis Geoffroyi hiaticula mongolus ^gotheles Beniiettii Agenor modestus . . . 350, Ailurcedus Stonei . . . Alcyone affinis
pusilla . . . Aleuterius variabilis Animotretus rostratus Amphinome nitida
prselonga Amphisile Komis . . . Anas castanea
gibberifrons . . . punctata superciliosa ... Ancillaria semilaevis Anerastia mirabilella Anguilla Australis 355,
Antennarius commersonii pimiiceps . . . Aphareus roseus . . . 350, Aphritis Urvillei ... Aplodactylus lophodon ...
obscurus 350, Apogon fasciatiis . . . 350,
Novae Hollandi^ Aprosmictus cliloropterus Aracana lenticularis 356, Arachnopora argentea Ardea sacra
|
Page 1 |
|
|
42, 45 1 |
|
|
247 |
|
|
216 |
|
|
118 |
|
|
297 |
|
|
238 |
|
|
238 |
|
|
, , |
119 |
|
119 |
|
|
119 |
|
|
297 |
|
|
297 |
|
|
115 |
|
|
264 |
|
|
357, |
371 |
|
268 |
|
|
258 |
|
|
258 |
|
|
399 |
|
|
355 |
, 359 |
|
341 |
|
|
341 |
|
|
166 |
|
|
115 |
, 301 |
|
38 |
|
|
115 |
|
|
301 |
|
|
229 |
|
|
213 |
|
|
360, |
400 |
|
353, |
362 |
|
353, |
362 |
|
361, |
373 |
|
351, |
358 |
|
350, |
357 |
|
357, |
374 |
|
357, |
370 |
|
350 |
357 |
|
251 |
|
|
360, |
400 |
|
8 |
|
|
115 |
Page Arripis truttaceus 350, 357, 363
Aristeus Fitzroyensis ... ... 141
flu\'iatilis ... ... 141
Arius Australis 42, 50
Arses Enado 269
telescophthalmus ... 114, 269 Artamus leucopygialis ... 189, 276 Aspidimn teneriim ... ... 120
truncatum ... ... 120
Asj)lenmm maximum . . ... 121
sylvaticum ... ... 121
Astur cruentus 173, 248
leucosomus... ... ... 248
Sharpei 173, 248
Atherina pinguis ... ... 353, 362
Atlierinichthys Duboulayi ... 143
Jacksoniana 353, 359
Atypichthys strigatus 350, 361, 374
Atypus strigatus ... ... ... 375
Aulopus purpurissatus 355, 360, 364 Auxis Eamsayi ... 352,858,382 Balanopliyllia dentata ... ... 98
Balistes Jacksonianus . . . 356, 360 Batrachus dubius ... ... 353, 358
Baza Keinwardtii... ... ... 246
stenozoa ... ... ... 246
Belideus ariel ... ... ... 243
Bellerophon acutus ... ... 23
Beloneferox ... 355,359,394
Kreffti 42, 50
Beryx affinis ... 349,360,365
Blechnum cartilagineum... ... 121
nitidum ... ... 121
Blennius unicornis 353, 358, 384
Blepliaris ciliaris ... 352,362,383
indicus ... ... ... 383
BramaRaii 352,361
Bronteus ... ... 217
Buceros ruficollis ... ... ... 263
Bulimus Dufresnii ... 81, 91
Butoroides flavicollis ... ... 299
Javanica ... 116, 299
2
3
765
11.
INDEX.
Page Bythinella coralla... ... ... 136
Cacatua galerita ... ... ... 105
Triton 104, 250
Cacomantis assimilis ... ... 256
dumetorum ... ... 257
Caloenas Nicobarica ... ... 295
ferruginea ... ... 339
Calornis cantor ... ... ... 279
cantoroides ... ... 279
metallica 107, 279
viridescens ... 107, 279
Campephaga Boyeri ... ... 284
Marescotii 283
Mulleri 115
Sloetii 285
strenua ... ... 115
Cancellaria varicifera ... ..231
Canis familiaris var. Papuensis . . . 242 Caprimulgus macrourus ... ... 264
Caranx georgianus . . . 352, 358, 364
macrosoma ... 352, 362
Carpophaga Mulleri ... 102,294
pacifica ... 292, 339
pinon 102, 292
rufigaster ... ... 292
rufiventris ... ... 292
spilorrhoa ... ... 103
VanWyckii 292
Zoeas 291
Centronotus Gardenii ... ... 381
Centropogon Australis ... 351, 358
robustus ... 351, 358
Centropus melanurus .. ... 110
Menbekii 258
spilopterus ... 110, 258
Cerithium apheles 232
cribarioides ... ... 231
Ceroprepes almella 210
Cestracion Francisi ... ... 315
pantherinus .. ... 316
Phillipi 309
Quoyi 316
zebra 309
Ceyx solitaria 259
Chalcites plagosus ... ... 1 10
Chalcophaps chrysochlora 104, 294, 339 Jobiensis ... ... 294
Margaritas ... ... 294
Stephani 294
Chalcopsitta chloropterus . . . 254
Chalcopsittacus scintillans ... 106 Chanos salmoneus ... 355, 362
Chatcessus Erebi 42, 51
Chsetodon ocellipinnis 33
Page
Chsetodon sexf asciatus . . . 350, 357
tetracanthus ... ... 376
Cheilanthes caudata ... ... 119
Cheilodactylus annularis 351, 358, 377 fuscus 350, 357, 376 gibbosus 351, 358, 363 rubrofasciatus ... 140
vestitus 378
Cheirurus iusignis ... ... 217
Chibia carbonaria ... ... 109, 275
Chilo Parramattellus ... ... 178
Chironemus marmoratus 350, 357, 363 Chlamydodera cerviniventris 102, 268 Chloeia flava ... ... ... 345
Macleayi 345
pulchella 345
Chrysaena Correi ... ... ... 339
Chrysophrys australis 350, 357, 363, 373
sarba 350, 361, 373
Cicinnurus regius ... ... ... 267
Cinnyris aspasise .. ... ... 288
frenata 102, 287
Circus Wolffi 336
Cisticola lineocapilla ... ... 275
ruficeps ... 108, 275
Olupea hypselosoma ... ... 355
moluccensis 355, 362, 395
sagax ... ... 855, 362
Cnidoglanis lepturus 355, 359, 393
megastoma 355, 359, 392
CoUocalia spodiopygia ... ... 265
CoUuricincla brunnea ... ... 280
megarliyncha ... 280 Conger labiata . . . 355, 360, 396 Conopophila albogularis ... ... 285
Conradia ... ... ... ... 61
Couthoyia ... ... ... ... 61
Conus Kalphii 228
Coris lineolata ... 354,359,390 Corvina albida ... ... 42, 47
Corvus orru ... ... ... 278
Cossyphus Grouldii ... ... 354
unimaculata 354, 359, 389
vulpinus ... 354, 359
Cracticus cassicus ... 109, 281
mentalis ... ... 28X
Spaldingi ... ... 39
Quoyi 281
Crambus aurantiacus ... ... 184
bifractella 197
Crambus bivittellus ... ... 186
concinellus ... ... 182
cuniferellus ... ... 189
dimidiellus 190
|
INDEX. |
HI. |
||||
|
Page |
Page |
||||
|
enneagrammus . . . |
. 194 |
Edoliosoma melas |
115, |
283 |
|
|
halterellus |
. 183 |
plumbea |
283 |
||
|
hoplitellus |
. 188 |
Elacate nigra ... 351 |
361 |
381 |
|
|
invalidellus |
. 193 |
Pondiceriana |
381 |
||
|
lativittalis |
. 183 |
Elapocranium |
54 |
||
|
milvellus |
. 181 |
Eleotris adspersa ... |
142 |
||
|
opuleutellus |
. 192 |
Australia... 353, |
358J |
384 |
|
|
pleniferellus |
. 187 |
mogurnda |
353, |
358 |
|
|
recurvellus |
. 186 |
planiceps |
42, 49 |
||
|
relatalis |
. 191 |
simplex ... |
42, 49 |
||
|
torrentellus |
. 184 |
sulcaticollis |
142 |
||
|
trivittatus |
. 185 |
Elops saurus |
355," |
362 |
|
|
vivittellus |
. 185 |
Engraulis nasutus... |
42, 51 |
||
|
Cristiceps antinectes |
353, 358 |
Enoplosus armatus 349, |
357, |
363 |
|
|
aurantiacus 353 |
358, 386 |
Eopsaltria nana |
39 |
||
|
Macleayi 353, |
358„ 385 |
placens |
272 |
||
|
Cuscus chrysorrhous |
. 243 |
Eos fuscata |
253 |
||
|
Goldiei |
. 243 |
Epbeslia elutella |
215 |
||
|
orientalis ... |
. 243 |
interpnnctella ... |
216 |
||
|
Cybium commersonii |
352, 361 |
Eromene bifractella |
197 |
||
|
Cycloseris Sinensis |
17, |
19, 20 |
dilatella ... |
199 |
|
|
Cyclopsittacus suavissimus |
. 252 |
longipalpella . . . |
... |
196 |
|
|
Cylicia Huttoni |
. 132 |
prsematurella . . . |
198 |
||
|
vacua |
. 134 |
Erythemra cyanovirens ... |
339 |
||
|
Dacelo Gaudichaudi |
. 261 |
Etiella Behrii |
205 |
||
|
intermedins |
. 261 |
chrysoporella |
206 |
||
|
Leachii |
. 261 |
sincerella .. |
,, . |
204 |
|
|
Dactyloptems orientalis ... |
35. |
I, 361 |
Etrumeus Jacksoniensis 36, |
355, |
360 |
|
Daphnella gracillima |
. 226 |
Eucarpbia ensif erella |
208 |
||
|
Davallia solida |
. 121 |
vulgatella |
207 |
||
|
tripinnata |
. 121 |
Eudynamys cyanocephala |
257 |
||
|
Demiegretta sacra |
. 300 |
Eudjrptes chrysocome |
335 |
||
|
Dendrocygiia guttata |
. 301 |
cbrysolopba |
335 |
||
|
vagans |
. 301 |
Filholi ... |
334 |
||
|
Bendrogalus |
. 244 |
Euktimenaria ducalis |
126 |
||
|
Desmophyllum quinarium |
'i |
17, 18 |
Eulabes Dumontii |
107^ |
279 |
|
Diacopus Bengalensis |
34< |
), 361 |
orientalis ... |
• • • |
279 |
|
Dicseum rubrocoronatum. . . |
IK |
), 276 |
Eumeda elongata ... |
144 |
|
|
Dichorcea Boletiformis . . . |
. 96 |
Eupetes Goldiei |
303 |
||
|
Dicotylichthys punctulatus |
35' |
J, 363 |
nigricrissus |
277 |
|
|
Dicksonia lanata . . |
. 121 |
Eupbrosyne Mastersi |
346 |
||
|
Youngia |
. 121 |
Eurystomus crassirostris... |
263 |
||
|
Dicrurus carbonarius |
10( |
), 275 |
Fistularia serrata . . . 353, |
362," |
388 |
|
Diodon hystrix |
35' |
1, 363 |
Flabellum rubrum |
... |
134 |
|
novemmaculatus 357 |
36[ |
J, 401 |
Fossarus |
61 |
|
|
Donacola nigriceps |
. 289 |
Fusus f uniculatus |
225 |
||
|
Drillia Trevori |
. 227 |
Galleria mellonella |
. .. |
216 |
|
|
Drymophila alecto |
. 113 |
Gallinula ruficrissa |
298 |
||
|
carinata |
. 114 |
tenebrosa |
298 |
||
|
Echeneis naucrates 352, |
36] |
[, 382 |
Gambetta pulverulentus . . . |
297 |
|
|
remora |
355 |
I, 361 |
Gasterosteus ovatus |
383 |
|
|
Echidna Lawesi ... |
. 244 |
Gelocbelidon macrotarsa . , . |
301 |
||
|
Eclectus polychlorus |
loi |
), 253 |
Geoffroyius aruensis |
losi |
252 |
|
Edoliosoma Boyeri |
. 115 |
cyaniceps |
253 |
IV.
INDEX.
350,
293
293
391
359
274
39
117
273
117
357
337
... 286
42, 48
104, 294
... 107
114, 283
... 338
114, 283
... 283
... 283
42,46
42,45
... 278
Page Geology of Yass Plains ; On the 21, 32 Geopelia humeralis
placida ... ... 104,
Gerres ovatus ... 354, 359, subfasciatus . . . 354,
Gerygone cinerascens flavida ... Igata ...
inconspicua ... 116, insularius Glaucosoma Biirgeri Glyciphila flavo-tincta .
subfasciata Gobius sauroides ... Goura Albertisi Gracula Dumontii... Graucalus angustifrons . Caledonicus melanops plumbea streniia GuUiveria fasciata
fusca ... Gymnocorax senex Gyropleurodeus Francisci ... 315
Halcyon albicilla 261
Julise 337
Macleayi 261
sanctus ... ... ... 261
Haliaetus leucogaster ... ... 245
Haliastur girrenera ... ... 246
leucosternus ... .. 246
sphenurus ... ... 246
Harpya cephalotes 243
Heliastes hipsilepis 353, 359, 388
Helicarion fiimosa ... ... 124
Helix Bala 78
Bebias ... ... ... 78
Beddomai 80
Mazee 79
mucoides ... ... ... 125
Nicomede ... 79
Zebina ... ... ... 78
Helotes sexlineatus . . . 350, 357
Hemiramphus argenteus 355, 360, 394
breviceps 355
melanochir355, 362, 364 regularis 355, 360, 394
Henicopernis longicauda 247
Henicophaps albifrons ... ... 104
Herodias garzetta... ... ... 300
Heterocyathus hemisphericus ... 9
Heterodontus Francisci 315
Francisi ... ... 815
Page
Heterodontus galeatus 313
PhiUipi 309
Quoyi 316
zebra 309
Heteroscarus Castelnaui 36, 354, 359 Himantopus lencocephalus ... 115 11 ippocampus Novae Hollandiae 356, 360 tristis ... 356, 364 Hirundo Javanica ... . . ... 275
nigricans ... ... 275
Histiophorus gladius . . . 352, 362 Holocentrus heptodactylus ... 42 Homocosoma distichella . . . ... 215
vagella 214
Hoplocephalus Bransbyi ... ... 52
Hydrochelidon nigricans , . ... 275
lanthsenas albogularis ... ... 293
Isosillago maculata ... ... 34
Kurtus GuUiveri 42,48
Labrichthys gymnogenis 354, 359, 389 laticlavius ... 354, 359 luculentus ... 354, 359
g1S?uT- ! 35. 354, 359
parila 354, 359, 389
Lalage pacifica ... ... ... 338
rufiventris ... ... 285
Lamprococcyx lucidus ... ... 256
Meyeri ... ... 256
minutillus ... 255
Lanius melas ... ... ... 283
Lasiocera canilinea ... ... 209
Lates calcarifer ... ... ... 42
colonorum 349, 357, 363, 365 nobilis ... ... ... 42
Latris ciliaris ... ... 351, 361
Leda Huttoni ... ... ... 239
inconspicua ... ... ... 239
Lepidotriglia papilio ... 351, 361 Leptoscopus macropygus 351, 358 Lethrinus chrysostomus ... 350, 357 giiphodon 350, 361, 372 Leuciscus Australis ... 42,51
Liotia lamellosa ... ... ... 236
Littorina ... ... ... 60
Lobivanellus miles ... ... 296
Lomaria Capensis ... ... ... 122
discolor 122
procera ... ... ... 122
vulcania ... .. ... 122
Lorius Gulielmi ... 73,106,254
hyposnochrous 72, 106, 254
Lotella callarias . . . 354, 359, 391
rubiginosa ... 354, 359
|
INDEX. V. |
|||
|
Page |
Pap;e |
||
|
Machseramphus alciniis , . . |
. 247 |
Monacanthu3 maculosus 356, 360 |
|
|
Macropygia Amboinensis |
. 293 |
megalurus 356, 360, 398 |
|
|
Doreya |
. 103 |
obscurus . . . 356, 360 |
|
|
Mackiulayi ... |
. 339 |
penicilligerus 356, 362 |
|
|
Macropteryx mystica |
. 265 |
Peronii 356,360,364, 398 |
|
|
Macropus crassipes |
. 244 |
platifrons ... 356,360 |
|
|
Madreporaria tabulata . . . |
7 |
prasmus356,360,364,400 |
|
|
Majaques Parkinsonii |
. 39 |
rudis 356, 360, 399 |
|
|
Malanichthys simplex 350, |
35': |
^ 363 |
spilomelanurus 356, 360 |
|
tricuspidata356, 35'i |
^ 363 |
tomentosus 356, 262 |
|
|
zonata 350, |
35i |
r, 363 |
Monarcha Aruensis 269 |
|
Maliirus alboscapulatus . . . |
lOJ |
;, 274 |
carinata ... 114, 268 |
|
Mangeiia bidens ... |
. 227 |
guttulatus 269 |
|
|
Manucodia atra ... |
10] |
, 265 |
melanoptera ... ... 269 |
|
Keraudreni . . . |
105 |
\, 265 |
melanotus ... ... 269 |
|
Megaloprepia Poliura |
. 291 |
tricolor 113 |
|
|
puella |
lOS |
►, 291 |
Monocentris laponicus 349, 360, 365 |
|
Megapodius Cu\aeri |
. 296 |
Mugil compressus 42, 50 |
|
|
Duperreyi . . . |
IK |
;, 295 |
dobula 42, 50, 353, 362, 387 |
|
Melania oncoides ... |
. 5 |
grandis 353, 359, 364, 386 |
|
|
Melanocharis bicolor |
. 277 |
Peronii ... 353, 359, 387 |
|
|
unicolor . . . |
. 276 |
Mur^naafra 355, 362 |
|
|
Melidora coUaris ... |
. 262 |
siderea .. 355, 360, 396 |
|
|
Goldiei |
. 262 |
Mursenesox bagio . . . 355, 362, 395 |
|
|
macrorhyncha ... |
. 262 |
MuUus fuseatus 370 |
|
|
Melithreptiis albogularis... |
. 287 |
Munia caniceps ... ... ... 289 |
|
|
Merops ornatus ... |
. 263 |
Muscicapa chalybeoeephalus 113, 268 |
|
|
Merula albif rons |
. 336 |
melaleuca 271 |
|
|
poliocephalus |
. 337 |
Musicapa megarliyncha ... ... 280 |
|
|
Pritzbuesi.., |
. 337 |
Mussa laciniata 130 |
|
|
ruficeps |
, , |
. 337 |
soUda 129 |
|
sanguiuolenta |
, . |
. 337 |
Mycteria Australia 300 |
|
Tempesti ... |
. 337 |
Myelois cosmiella . . . ... ... 212 |
|
|
Vanicorensis |
.. |
. 337 |
subarcuella 211 |
|
vinitincta... |
. 337 |
Myiagra melamera ... ... 339 |
|
|
Vitiensis ... |
. 337 |
nitida 112 |
|
|
xanthopiis |
. 337 |
rubecula.. ... ... 112 |
|
|
Micrteca albofrontata |
. 304 |
Myiolestes maximus ... ... 13 |
|
|
iia\agaster |
112 |
, 271 |
nigrogularis 12 |
|
flavovirescens . . . |
. 272 |
Myristicivora spilorrhoa ... ... 292 |
|
|
Microglossus aterrimus ... |
. 105 |
Myrophis Australia 355, 360, 396 |
|
|
Milvus aff inis |
. 246 |
Myxus elongatus 353, 359 |
|
|
striatus |
. 247 |
Myzomela cardinalis ... ... 337 |
|
|
Mino Robertsoni ... |
, |
. 279 |
erytlirocephala ... Ill |
|
Minolia strigata ... |
. 235 |
obscura ... 110, 285 |
|
|
Modulus |
. 61 |
Nasiterna pusilla ... .. ... 251 |
|
|
Monacanthus Ayraudi 356, |
360, 397 |
NassaTatei 230 |
|
|
brunneus . . . |
. 356 |
Natica Hamiltonensis 229 |
|
|
Chinensls ... |
. 398 |
Wintlei 229 |
|
|
convexirostris |
356 |
, 360 |
Naucrates ductor 352, 361 |
|
Damellii . . . |
. 356 |
Neoanthias Guntheri 349, 361, 367 |
|
|
granulatus 356 |
360, 398 |
Neoch^etodon vittatus 350, 357, 375 |
|
|
giittulatus . . . |
. 37 |
Neosphyrpena multiradiata 352, 358, 363 |
|
|
hippocrepis 356, 360, 398 |
Nephopteryx opimella ... ... 201 |
|
VI. |
INDEX. |
||||
|
Page |
Page |
||||
|
stenopterella |
200 |
Physa Guyonensis |
... 138 |
||
|
Neritina puUigera... |
3 |
lirata |
... 138 |
||
|
sulcata ... |
3 |
Piezorhynchus Alecto |
113, 268 |
||
|
Ninox albomaculata |
249 |
nitidus . . . |
113, 268 |
||
|
dimorpha . . . |
248 |
Pisania tenuicostata |
... 224 |
||
|
undulata . . . |
249 |
Pitta Macklotii |
... 277 |
||
|
Notholsena fragilis |
120 |
Novse Guinese |
... 277 |
||
|
pumilio |
119 |
Novae Hibernicse . . |
... 73 |
||
|
Notopygos flavus . . . |
343 |
Placotrochus pedicellatus |
... 134 |
||
|
parvus... Numenius cyanopus |
344 296 |
Platycephalus Bassensis j |
351, 358, 363, 379 |
||
|
uropygialis |
296 |
cirronasus . . . |
351, 358 |
||
|
Nycticorax Caledonicus |
116, |
300 |
fuscus351,361,363,379 |
||
|
Odax balteatus |
354, |
359 |
laevigatus 351 |
, 358, 363 |
|
|
obscurus |
354, |
359, |
391 |
Tasmanianus |
... 379 |
|
semifasciatus |
354, |
362, |
390 |
Plectorhyncha stictocephalus . . . 304 |
|
|
Olistherops brunneus |
36, |
354 |
Plectropoma annulatum 349 |
, 357, 369 |
|
|
cyanomelas |
354, |
364 |
cyanostigma |
349, 361 |
|
|
Ompax spatuloides |
165 |
nigro-rubrum |
349, 357 |
||
|
Ophichthys serpens |
355, |
359, |
362 |
semicinctum |
349, 361 |
|
Ophideres Atkinsoni |
. . . |
151 |
serratum 349 |
, 357, 368 |
|
|
fuUonica |
151 |
Pleurotoma murndaliana... |
... 226 |
||
|
Oriolus striatus |
112, |
278 |
Samueli |
... 226 |
|
|
Ostracion concatinatus |
356, |
362 |
Plotosus elongatus |
42, 50 |
|
|
diaphanus |
356, |
362 |
Plotus Novse HoUandise . . . |
... 302 |
|
|
Pachycephala brunnea |
282 |
Podargus marmoratus |
... 264 |
||
|
collaris |
74, |
281 |
Papuensis |
. 264 |
|
|
fuliginata |
74, |
282 |
Podiceps gularis |
... 302 |
|
|
melanura |
281 |
Nov83 HoUandise |
... 302 |
||
|
Pagrus unicolor . . . 350, |
357, |
363, |
372 |
Pcecilopteris virens |
... 118 |
|
Pandion leucocephalus |
248 |
Polynemus indicus |
351, 361 |
||
|
Paradisea Raggiana |
101, |
266 |
macrochir |
352, 358 |
|
|
Pardachirus pavoninus |
355, |
362 |
Polypodium nigrescens . . . |
... 120 |
|
|
Panna microlepis . . . |
354, |
359 |
Pomacentrus unifasciatus |
354, 359 |
|
|
squamipinnis |
354, |
359 |
Pomatostomus Isidorii . . . |
112, 280 |
|
|
Parra Novse Guinese |
298 |
Porphyrio melanopterus . . . |
... 279 |
||
|
Patfficus fronto |
. • 1 |
353, |
358 |
Priacanthus Bemmebari . . . |
349, 361 |
|
maculatus |
* ■ • |
353 |
macracanthus 349,361,369 |
||
|
Pelecanus conspicillatus |
302 |
Prionophora ruptella |
... 179 |
||
|
Peltops Blainvillei |
268 |
Psammoseris cylicioides . . . |
... 10 |
||
|
Pempelia rufitinctella |
203 |
Psenes leucurus ... |
352, 362 |
||
|
strigiferella |
202 |
Psettus argenteus ... |
352, 362 |
||
|
Pempheris compressus |
352, |
358, |
384 |
Pseudoambassis elongatus |
42, 44 |
|
Pentaroge marmorata |
351, |
361 |
Macleayi |
42, 43 |
|
|
Perameles Broadbenti |
... |
... |
402 |
Pseudorhombus Russellii 35^ |
, 359, 391 |
|
Moresbiensis |
244 |
Pteris comans |
.. 119 |
||
|
Percis nebulosa ... |
. • • |
351, |
358 |
Pterois volitans |
351, 361 |
|
Periophthalmus Australis |
45 |
5,48 |
zebra |
351, 361 |
|
|
Petrocirtes analis ... |
353, |
362 |
Pteropus conspicillatus ... |
... 242 |
|
|
variabilis |
353, |
362 |
Ptilopus apicalis |
... 339 |
|
|
Pbalacrocorax melanoleucus |
302 |
aurantiifrons |
103, 290 |
||
|
Philemon Nova3 Guineee |
... |
111 |
coronulatus |
103, 290 |
|
|
Phyllopora spinosa |
97 |
Correi |
... 339 |
||
|
Phyllopteryx foliatus |
356, |
360, |
364 |
Gestroi |
... 289 |
|
INDEX. |
Vll. |
|||||
|
Page |
Page |
|||||
|
Ptilopus iozonus . . . |
103, |
289 |
Seriola grandis . . . 352, |
358, |
364 |
|
|
perlatus ... |
290 |
hippos |
352, |
358 |
||
|
pulchellus |
290 |
Lalandii ... |
352, |
362 |
||
|
Rivolii . . . |
339 |
nigrofasciatus |
352, |
362 |
||
|
superbus... |
103,' |
291 |
Serranus Damelii . . . 349, |
357, |
365 |
|
|
Ptilorhis magiiifica |
266 |
dispar |
349, |
360 |
||
|
Ptilotis analoga . . . |
lii, |
286 |
guttatus ... |
349, |
360 |
|
|
filigera |
111 |
guttulatus 33, |
349, |
357 |
||
|
Germana ... |
2, 39, |
285 |
merra |
349, |
360 |
|
|
gracilis |
111, |
286 |
undulato-striatus 349,361,366 |
|||
|
notata |
111, |
286 |
Sillago Bassensis ... 351, |
358, |
380 |
|
|
similis |
111, |
286 |
maculata 351, 358, |
363, |
380 |
|
|
versicolor |
111, |
286 |
Terrse Reginse |
351, |
380 |
|
|
Pufl&nus carneipes |
406 |
Solarium acutum ... |
236 |
|||
|
Pycnonotus stictocephalus |
304 |
Wannonensis . . . |
237 |
|||
|
Rallina tricolor . . . |
297 |
Solea microcephala |
355,' |
359 |
||
|
Rectes ferruginea... |
280 |
Sparus compressus |
384 |
|||
|
Reinwardt^na Reinwai |
dtii |
293 |
Sphecotheres flaviveiitris. . . |
279 |
||
|
Rliinolophus |
243 |
Salvadorii ... |
279 |
|||
|
Rhipidura ambusta castaneothor |
ax |
270 270 |
Sphyraena Novae Hollandise ] |
352," 363, |
358, 381 |
|
|
cervana |
. ,, |
340 |
Squalus Phillipi ... |
309 |
||
|
gularis . . . |
113, |
270 |
Squatarola helvetica |
297 |
||
|
isura . . . |
113 |
Stenorhynchus brevirostris |
408 |
|||
|
setosa ... |
113, |
270 |
fissifrons... |
409 |
||
|
Rhombosolea flesoides |
354, |
359 |
Sterna ansestheta |
302 |
||
|
Rhytidoceros plicatus |
263 |
anglica |
301 |
|||
|
Risella |
61 |
Bergeri |
301 |
|||
|
Ruppelia prolongata |
353, |
359 |
melanauchen |
302 |
||
|
Sauloprocta tricolor |
113, |
271 |
Panayensis |
302 |
||
|
Saurida Australis |
355 |
, 359, |
393 |
Sticharium dorsale |
353, |
359 |
|
nebulosa |
355, |
362 |
Stigmatophora argus |
355, |
362 |
|
|
undosquamis |
355, |
359 |
nigra |
355, |
360 |
|
|
Saurus myops |
355, |
362 |
Stigmatops albo-auricularis |
75, |
285 |
|
|
Scatophagus argus |
350, |
361 |
Strix delicatula ... |
248 |
||
|
multif ascia'^'i'' '^ ^ |
12, 47, 350 |
Sula cyanopus |
... |
303 |
||
|
\ |
357, |
376 |
personata |
303 |
||
|
Schizea dichotoma |
121 |
Sus Papuensis |
242 |
|||
|
Fosteri |
121 |
Syma Torotoro |
260 |
|||
|
Scboeniclus magnus |
297 |
Symphyllia hemispherica |
128 |
|||
|
Schcenobius imparellus |
176 |
Synaptura quagga . . 354, |
362, |
392 |
||
|
Scissna antarctica . . . |
351^ |
381 |
Synancidium horridum . . . |
351, |
361 |
|
|
aquila 351, |
361, |
363, |
381 |
Syngnathus margaritifer. . . |
356, |
360 |
|
Scomber antarcticus |
352, |
358, |
364 |
argus |
355, |
362 |
|
nigra |
381 |
Synoicus cervinus... |
296 |
|||
|
Scorpaeua Bynoensis |
351,' |
358 |
Tachypetes aquila |
303 |
||
|
cardinalis |
351, |
358, |
378 |
Tadorna Radjah ... |
• t • |
300 |
|
cruenta . . . |
351 |
361, |
378 |
Talegallus fuscirostris |
... |
297 |
|
militaris |
378 |
Tanysiptera Galatea |
259 |
|||
|
Scorpis sequipinnis |
350, |
357^ |
376 |
microrhynchus |
259 |
|
|
Scotophilus nigrogriseus |
} ... |
243 |
minor |
259 |
||
|
Scjrthrops Nov8S Hollandise |
110,' |
258 |
Salvadoriana |
... |
259 |
|
|
Sebastes percoides 351, |
361, |
363, |
379 |
Taphozous |
243 |
|
|
SeUiguea pothifolia |
... |
119 |
Tectaria |
61 |
Vlll.
INDEX.
356,
356, 353,
Temnodon saltator 352,
Tetrodon amabilis 356,
finnamentum . .
Hamiltoni
hispidus
hypselogenion
immaculatus
Isevigatus
lunaris ... Teuthis Javus
nebulosa ... Thalotia exigua . . . Therapon caudovittatus
Cuvieri ...
fasciatus
servus ...
Terr£e Reginse
unicolor... Thynnus pelamys . . . Tigrisoma heliostyla Todopsis Bonapartei
cyanocephala Tornatina involuta Totanus griseopygius Toxotes Carpentariensis Trachichthys Australis Trachinops t^eniatus Trachurus declivis
trachurus ? Trachinotus Bailloni
ovatus Trichoglossus Massente palmarum subplacens Triohomanes filiciila
Javanitum
349, 352,
352, 107,
Page
362, 364 360, 401 357, 363
... 356
363, 364 357, 363
356, 363
357, 363 362, 400 362, 386 353, 362
... 235 42,47
350, 361 42, 46
350, 361 42, 47 ... 16
352, 361 ... 300
108, 274
108, 274
... 239
... 297
42, 47
357, 364
353, 359
358, 383 352, 383 352, 362 362, 383 255, 339
... 339 ... 255 ... 121 ... 121
|
Trichomaues pixidiferum |
121 |
||
|
Triforis sulcata |
233 |
||
|
Wilkinsoni |
233 |
||
|
Triglia Kumu |
351, |
361, |
380 |
|
pleuracanthica |
351, |
358 |
|
|
polyommata |
351, |
358, |
363 |
|
Tringa crassirostris |
297 |
||
|
Tripterygium marmoratum |
34 |
||
|
Triton Prattii |
223 |
||
|
Trochita turbinata |
238 |
||
|
Trochocopus rufus |
35 |
||
|
unicolor |
354, |
359 |
|
|
Trochus supragranosus |
155 |
||
|
Tropidorhynchus XovseGruineeel 1 1,287 |
|||
|
Turbo supragranosus |
155 |
||
|
Turrit ella platyspira |
234 |
||
|
transenna |
234 |
||
|
Upeneichtbys porosus |
■■■| |
350,' 363, |
361 371 |
|
Upeneus signatus . . . |
\ |
350, |
357 |
|
Upenoides Vlamingii 350, 361, 363, 372 |
|||
|
Urospizias cruentus |
173 |
||
|
Vasillum tuberculatum |
93 |
||
|
Vitia ruficapilla . . . |
14 |
||
|
Vivipara Alisoni . . . |
221 |
||
|
Voluta Bednalli . . . |
81 |
||
|
Xantbotis filigera . . . |
... |
286 |
|
|
Zeodrius vestitus ... |
351, |
358, |
377 |
|
Zeus Australis |
352 |
||
|
ciliaris |
383 |
||
|
faber ... |
352, |
361, |
364 |
|
Zostero23S flavifrons |
337 |
||
|
Gouldii . . . |
39 |
||
|
griseonata |
338 |
||
|
longirostris |
... |
288 |
|
|
Westernensis |
• . . |
39 |
OF THE
LINNEAN SOCIETY
OF
NEW SOUTH WALES.
MONDAY, 28 th JANUARY, 1878.
W. J Stephens, Esq., M.A., President, in the Chair.
MEMBER ELECTED.
Mr. Miskin, Queensland.
DONATIONS.
From La Society Entomologique de Belgique : — Compte Rendu of the Society. Part 43 of Serie II. From the Royal Norwegian Society of Christiania : —
1. Index Supplimentum Locorum Natalium specalium Plan- tarum nonnullarum vascularium in Provincia Arctica Norvegige sponte nascentium quas observavit J. M. Norman.
2. AUelositismus af J. M. Norman.
3. Enumerantur muscorum quorandum rariorum sedes in
Norvegia quas observavit R. Wulfsberg.
4. Forstmeister J. M. Norman's Beretning til Departmentet for det Indre om den i Wien i September 1873 Afholdte Kongres af Land — og Forstmeend.
5. Bidrag til Kundskaben om Vegetationen paa Nowaja Semlja, Waigatschoen og ved Jngorstrsedet Meddelt af A. Blytt.
THE PROCEEDINGS /
Z THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
6. Cbristiania omegns Plianerogamer og Bregner med Angivelse af deres udbredelse sarafc en indledning om vegetationens afhaengiglied af underlaget af A. Blytt.
From Prof. Owen : —
On a new species of Sthenurus.
PAPERS READ.
Description of a new species of Ptilotis, from Torres Straits. By E. P. Ramsay, F.L.S.
Ptilotis germana. sp. nov. Adult male. The front and sides of the head, lores, throat and chest, and the margins of the shoulders on the under side, yellow ; ear-coverts yellow, with a narrow stripe of black, commencing almost at the angle of the mouth, passing through them, and below which they are of a brighter yellow ; under wing-coverts pale buff; chest, breast, and remainder of the under surface pale yellow, indistinctly striped down the centre with dull brown, centre of the abdomen and under tail-coverts citron yellow, the greater series of the under tail-coverts striped down the centre with brown ; back of the head, hind neck, and all the upper surface of the body dull brown, with a faint tinge of olive on the rump ; wings and tail dark brown all the feathers broadly margined on the outer webs with bright olive yellow ; bill black, legs brown.
Total length, 5'5 ; wings, 3*1 ; tail, 2*5 ; tarsi, 0*8 ; bill from forehead, 0*7 ; from gape, 0*75. Hob. Torres Straits.
This species comes close to P. ornatus (Gould), on the one hand from the stripes of the chest, but has not the blackish lores of that species ; on the other hand it resembles P. flavescens of the same author, but may be distinguished from it by the dull brown of the back, and stripes on the under surface.
OF NEW SOUTTT WALES. 3
On an Australian variety of Nerttina pulltgera, Linn.
By the Rev. J. E. Tenison- Woods, F.G.S., F.L.S., Cor. Mem.
Lin. Soc, KS.W., &c.
The following new variety of Neritina was obtained by Robert Johnstone, Esq. (and sent to the Curator of the Sydney Museum) in the mountain streams of the Bellenden Kerr Ranges, Northern Queensland.
JSTeritina pdlligera, var. sulcata, n. s.
N. t. caly^triformis, crassa, tumida, vix ohliqua, 7}iarginem versus latiore, jjeriostraca olwacea, parum nitida, G07icolor, liaud erosa, concinne ind%da ; spira omnino occlusa ; anfr. 2 ? regulariter oblique, conspicue, late sulcatis, sulcis rotundatis, loevib. ; aperturoj polita, ampla, expansa, semilunaris luteo-aurantiacea, cceruleo-alba anguste marginata ; area columellaris p-lanata, intense cceruleo- atrata, ad apiceni conspicue, lateque callosa ; peristoma acuiuvi, Jabro superne canaliculato, retroque curvato ; labia acuto, dentibus parvis, inconspicuis, numerosis m^unitis. Operculum testaceum, olivaceum, politum, Iceve, vel tenuissime striatum, fasciis intensiorbus spiraliter ornatum ; apice postico, marginali. ■ Maj. diam. 24-30, min. 18-24, alt. 11-15, millim.
Shell cup -shaped, thick, a little oblique, tumid, broader towards the margin, neatly covered by an olive, slightly shining, periostraca, which is not eroded ; spire altogether hidden ; whorls two, regularly, obliquely broadly sulcate ; sulci rounded, smooth ; aperture polished, ample, expanded semilunar, yellowish orange, narrowly margined with blueish white ; columellar area flattened, of an intense blue-black, with a conspicuous broad callosity behind ; peristome sharp ; labrum channelled above and curved back, lip sharp with many fine small teeth. Operculum testaceous, olive, shining, smooth, or very finely striate, and ornamented with dark bands ; apex posterior and marginal.
This shell is a variety of N. pmlligera, Linnseus, but the difierences are that our shell is yellow, not purple in the throat ; the aliform prolongation of the labrum is much less marked, in
4 THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
fact is scarcely perceptible, and the shell is smaller. It must be admitted that these features are not more than slight, and from the fact that the fluviatile shells of Australia have a very wide range this may be a local variety. I have not, however, distinguished it as a species, and for those who think the characters sufficient it can stand as N. ptdligera var. sulcata, N. pulligera is common in the Molluccas, Philippine Islands, and has been found in the Pacific Ocean, New Caledonia (?). There is a specimen in the Sydney Museum marked as from Guadalcanor. This variety is also closely allied to N. petitti, Recluz, to which it approaches in size, though it is smaller. The lip and columella differ in color and shape. In N. 'petitii it is of rich reddish brown, darker at the margins, but in this species it is light orange, &c., as described. There are four Neritince described from Australia, viz., N. tritonensis, Le Gillon, densely reticulated ; N. auricidata, Lam. (as from New Holland), broadly auriculate at each side of the aperture ; N. haconi, Reeve, from Swan River, lineated or flexuously reticulated with black lines ; N.'dringii, Recluz, spirally branded with yellow. All the above are smaller than the present species or variety.
N. pidligera was described by LinnaBus as a " smooth coarse shell with an excavated eye-like small spire ; inner lip smooth crenated." With the above named author it was a Merita and came under his section 0, meant for a division with imperforate shells and toothed lips. According to him it appears to have been figured by our countryman Lister ftab. 143) by Seba (Mus. 3. t. 41, figs. 23-26) by Rumphius {^Mus. tab. 22). Grmelin gives other references, notably to Born in his Catalogue of the Museum of the Empress of Austria in volume of plates. No. 17, figs. 9 and 10, and Chemnitz vol. 9, plate 124, figs. 1078, 1079. Gmelin also says that it inhabits the rivers of India and is from 14 to 16 lines long. He adds " shell hard, very finely striate transversly, pellucid black or brownish or reddish {sic in Turton's edit.) ; whorls two, one very large and terminating in an acute tooth ; throat glabrous, polished, with a fine blue or whitish bottom, near the margin a broad fulvous band ; inner lip ascending, glossy."
OF NEW SOUTH WALES.
Bluraenbach {Nat Hist. p. 265) states that N. pulligera matui es its offspring within the shell and carries them about with it, from which circumstance the name '^ pulUgera^^ has been given. Miiller (Verm. Terr, et Fluv. vol. 2, page 196), says that " the yellowish white granules which frequently occupy the back of the shell are the young of the Nerite as Rumphius shows. I have counted 235 in one specimen. But for the authority of Rumphius I should have taken them to be the ovules of some wandering anamal- cule." The following is the passage in full : — " Grana quce dor- sum cochlece frequenter occupant^ esse ipsius Neritce puUos, Rumphius docet ; horum ducenta triginta quinque in uno specAmine numeraviy ovaliuj convexa, extus luteo alhida, intus alba, moleculis referta, cor- puscula hcec scejoe ahsterguntur, remanente in testa circulo ovali alho' Nisi obstaret auctoritas exactissimi Rumphii ovtda peregrini anim- alcuU putarem."
Melania oncoides. n. s. M. t. fusiformi turrita spira elata, decollata, periostraca palli- dissima lutea aliquando induta, lineis rufis, imdulosis longitudina- liter insignita ; anfr. 6, convexis, declivibus, liris spiralibus quatuor regulariter cinctis, in spira liris nodosis et oblique subplicaiis, sutura bene itnpressa ; apertura oblong o-ovata, antice effusa, labro acuto, labio calcareo.
Long. 20, lat. 10, long, aperfc. 9, lat. 7. Common in the creeks near Bourke, Darling River. James Ramsay.
Shell fusiformly turretted, spire produced, decollate, sometimes covered with a very pale yellow periostraca, marked longitudinally with red undulating lines ; whorls 6, convex sloping, regularly spirally girdled with four lira3 ; in the spire the liras are distinctly nodose and obliquely subplicate, suture well impressed, aperture, oblong ovate anteriorly effuse, labrum acute, lip chalky.
This Melania comes very close in form and coloring to M. onca, Angas, which is found in the fresh water streams about Port Darwin, N. Australia. The difference in this species are:- 1. It is much smaller. 2. Conspicuously Urate. 3. The plaits are almost obsolete and rarely seen, except on the upper whorls.
6 THE PEOCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
As, however, all our freshwater shells have a very wide range, this may be a variety, and the observed differences are due to climate. The lat. of Bourke is about 30°, or nearly 600 miles N. W. of Sydney. The habitat of M. onca is from 14° to 12° S. of the Equator. I should mention, also, that the tropical species is covered with a dark olive periostraca, while M. oncoides has scarcely any, and of a light straw color.
EXHIBITS.
Mr. Ramsay exhibited two species of Pigeon, Clirysoena victor (Gould), and Lamprolia victorice (F. & H.), from Fiji. Also various Crotons, showing remarkable variations in foliage and color, from Duke of York Island, and two specimens of Hybrid Coleus, a leafy arborescent Euphorhia^ and a remarkable example of Aralia filiclfolia (?) from the same locality.
MONDAY, 25th FEBRUARY, 1878.
W. J. Stephens, Esq., M.A., President, in the Chair.
DONATIONS,
The Secretary reported receipts from the Hamburg Society of Natural History of their " Verhandlungen des Veriens fur Natururissenschaftenliche Unterhaltung in Hamburg, for 1871-74 and 1875."
PAPERS READ.
On a new genus of Milleporid^.
By the Rev. J. E. Tenison- Woods, F.G.S., F.L.S., Cor. Mem.
Lin. Soc, N.S.W., &c.
The family of MillejporidcB were formerly included by zoologists amongst the Zoantharia in an entirely different class from the
OP NEW SOUTH WALES. 7
Acalephs, to which they are now referred. They arc soHd and stony corals, as much so in fact as any of the reef-building class. They generally have a smooth surface, and are always without any prominent calices, there being only very minute rounded punctures over the surface from which the animals show them- selves. Some of the principal reefs on the Carribean Sea are mainly composed of Millepore corals. The cells in the zoothome are divided parallel to the surface by very thin plates or tables, as in the PocilUporce and Favosites, and they were formerly classed therefore with the other tabulate corals. The following was the arrangement proposed by Messrs. Edwards and Haime.
Madreporaria tabulata.
Corallum essentially composed of a highly developed mural system, and having the visceral chambers divided into a series of stages by a complete diaphragm or transverse dissepiment. Septa rudimentary, either uniting or at most represented by processes extending more or less into the visceral chamber. There are four families in this section. A. ccenenchyma abundant. 1. Cellules or tubulee foliaceous or massive Milleporidce. 2. Seriatoporidcs : compact in arborescent tufts. B. Little or no ccenenchyma, the walls uniting with one another. 1. Favositidce : walls lamellar. 2. Thecida : wall thick and compact.
1st Family Milleporidj).
Corallum composed of an abundant tubular or cellular ccenen- chyma, distinct from the walls of the corallites. Septa, few ; dessepiments well developed and numerous.
M. Agasiz has proved that these animals are not corals, properly speaking, but an intermediate form of Acalephs between the embryo and adult state of Medusas. The Millepores afford, therefore, examples of coral-making by species of the class Acalephs. The corals are solid and stony, with a smooth surface without any prominent calices, there being only very minute rounded punctures over the surface from which the animals show themselves. They have no resemblance to true
8 THE PKOCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
polyps. There is simply a fleshy tube with a mouth at the top, and a few small rounded prominences in place of tentacles, four of them sometimes the largest.
Arachnopora. New Genus. Zoothome parasitic spreading like a small thin web over other
corals.
Arachnopora argentea. n. s.
Zoothome spreading in a small extremely thin web, silvery white, and in parts quite transparent, which are sparsely covered with small silvery granules. The calices are all small very slightly raised, rounded, on which septa protrude as three or six broadly triangular teeth ; calices irregular, but with a tendency to a quincuncial arrangement. Length of zoothome 7, breadth 3 mil. Calices like minute dots, barely discernable to the unassisted eye.
In this species the substance of the zoothome seems a quite transparent membrance, on which there is generally a very close arrangement of small silvery granules. It occurs parasitic on corals, filling up half of the calice and spreading from opposite septa just like a spider's web. It also spreads over the sides of the costee, where it appears just like a snail's track on which some very fine white dust had been sparsely scattered. There are no calices on the outside.
On a New Species op Psammoseris.
By the Rev. J. E. Tenison- Woods, F.G.S., F.L.S., Corr. Mem.
Linn. Soc. N. S. W.
Plate I.
In 1848, Messrs. M. Edwards and J. Haime published in the Annates des Sciences Naturelles a definition of a new genus named Ileterocijathus, which was referred to the second section of the Turbinolian family of corals. The genus thus established was meant to include simple cylindrical corals with a broad attachment always to shells which the base often enclosed, with
OF NEW SOUTH WALES.
conspicuous ribs, circular calico, an essential columella, exserfc thick granular septa, and lobed pali. There were only two species in this genus, and one dependant upon a single specimen. They were always fixed upon a trochoid shell, which the tissue of the coral almost completely closed round in the course of its growth, and the only sign of its presence was the circular aperture which was always left for the mollusc thus imprisoned. Subse- quently Mens. M. Edwards discovered that one of the species, in spite of its pali and sub-entire septa which closely resembled the type of the genus in which it was placed, possessed synap- ticulse, and should be separated, and placed in a distant family, the FungidcB. Here, however, it was also out of place, because no other genns of the family possesses pali. But the pali them- selves are doubtful. They are lobed, and so are the septa, and indeed hardly distinguishable from them. In 18-50 Mr. J. E. Gray added what he considered a third species to the genus. This was Heterocyathus hemisphericus, described in the Annals of Nat. Hist for 1850 (Second Series, Vol. 5, p. 410.) It was brought from the China Seas, and was thus described : — Corallum extremely short, four complete cycles ; septa unequal, primaries very thick, especially near the columella, the next in extent are the fourth order, then the secondaries, then the fifth order then the tertiaries, which are smaller than all the others, all very close, but little raised, and the border feebly arched. The two latter species have been erected into two genera. One Psammoseris, which is thus characterised : Corallum of trifling height, fixed on a shell which it completely encloses, except at the peristome ; wall thick, bare, strongly granular, and scarcely striate beneath ; columella papillary, septa scarcely prominent, thickly covered with very projecting granules, penultimate cycle more developed than the last, and approaching each other before the last. I confess that this description does not appear very clear. The words in French are as follows : — " Celles (doisons) de Vavant dernier cycle heaucoup plus developpSes que celles du dernier et rapprochees entre elles au-deva7it de ces dernieres.^ It would seem as if the third cycle was larger than
10 THE PEOCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
the fourth, but this is exactly contrary to the description of the type species, Gray's Heterocyathus hemisphericus, of which it is especially stated that the tertiaries are the smallest. If the orders were meant the description would be still more obscure-
The species I have to bring before the notice of the Society appears to me to be one that should be referred to Psammoseris. It is, however, very peculiarly distinguished by having the union of the fourth and fifth orders in front of the third, and the thickened lobate mass thus resulting unites again on each side in front of the secondaries. It also has pseudo-pali in the lobes, which spring from the septa, but they are many in number, and in fact the septa alone would incline one to refer the species to the Astrangiacece. The union between the septa is effected by small processes like synapticulae, but the granules themselves on the faces of the septa never seem to unite. The mode of junction and the inclination of the septa recalls Eupsaw.midce, but the wall is quite imperforate. There does not appear to be any other resemblance except the junction of the septa. There is the greatest difference between the various specimens in the thickness and granulation of the septa. Some are so thick and close that the granules almost touch, making the calicular fossa seem like a regularly paved cavity ; others are thin, wavy, and scarcely granular, having the rough fossa very conspicuously uneven from the lobes of the septa.
Psammoseris cylicioides. n. s.
Corallum in general fastened to the mouth of a turriculate shell (Mitra amanda, Reeve, M, hehes 8fc., an unknown Terehra, and some shells, which are quite covered except at the aperture), base wider than calice, and more or less constricted between, and all the exterior irregularly covered with fine granules ; calice irregularly circular, fossa deep and wide ; septa exsert, in six systems of four cycles ; primaries with the two fourth orders and secondaries with the two fifth projecting above the edge in closely adpressed sets of three septa, the higher orders diverge from the first and second to meet before the third, and the
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 11
resulting tissue unites at once to the second, whicb forms thence a confused mass, sending up almost perpendicular lobes like pali, which are very granular ; columella only a few inconspicuous papilla) at the base of the fossa ; laminre of nearly equal thick- ness, the primaries being free throughout, and only slightly thicker; costa3 conspicuous and distinct, corresponding to the septa, and about equal for the three first orders, the fourth and fifth being equal, small, and in some specimens only represented by a line of granules ; intercostal spaces about equal, rather deep and smooth.
Alt. 5, diam. 7. Princess Charlotte's Bay. There is a remarkable peculiarity in these corals, which is, that the granulations which cover the ribs sometimes extend a long way upon the spire of the shell on which they grow even far beyond other traces of the basal tissue.
Explanation of Plate I. Fig. ] . Corallum attached to shell, magnified 2 diameters. „ 2. Corallum covering attached shell, magnified 2 diam. „ 3. Calice of fig. 1 ; 3 diam. ,, 4. One system of costse ; 4 diam. „ 5. One system of septa ; 4 diam.
EXHIBITS.
E. P. Ramsay, Esq., exhibited a very fine specimen of Osteoglossum Leicliardtii (Barramundi), from the Dawson River, Queensland.
MONDAY, 25th MAECH, 1878.
W. J. Stephens, Esq., M.A., President, in the Chair.
The Chairman introduced Captain Hutton, of the Otago Museum, New Zealand, to the meeting.
MEMBERS ELECTED.
E. Meyrick, Esq.; and C. Lentzner, Esq.
12 THE PEOCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
DONATIONS.
From the Hon. W. H. Sat tor, Minister for Mines : Maps of the Hartley Coal Fields, prepared by C. S. Wilkinson, Esq., F.G.S.
From the Melbourne University, Calendar for 1877-78.
From the Societe Entomologique de Belgique, Compte Rendu, Part 45 of Serie II.
From Captain Hutton — Geology of Otago, by Hutton and Ulrich, and the following by the Donor : — Nest and Eggs of some New Zealand Birds ; Structure of Leaf of Phormium Tenax ; New Zealand Flax and its manufacture ; Mechanical Principles involved in the flight of the Albatross ; Sailing Flight of the Albatross — Reply to J. S. Webb ; Modifications of the Capsules of Mosses ; Moa Remains from the Knobby Ranges ; Geographical Relations of New Zealand Fauna ; New Zealand Sertularians ; Relation between the Pareora and Ahuriri Formations ; Contributions to the Ichthyology of New Zealand ; New Zealand Delphinidee ; Cause of the former great extension of the Glacier in New Zealand ; New Starfishes ; Birds inhabiting the Southern Ocean ; Zoology ; New Genus of Rallidae ; New Tertiary Shells in the Otago Museum ; Geological Structure of the Thames Gold Field ; New Species of New Zealand Myriopoda ; Peripatus Nov83 Zealandige ; Younger Formations of New Zealand ; Date of the last Great Glacier Period in New Zealand.
PAPERS READ.
Description of a species of Myiolestes, from Fiji.
By E. P. Ramsay, F.L.S.
Myiolestes nigrogulaeis. *
Adult male. Crown of the head, mantle, and chest, ashy
greyish-brown ; back, wings, and all the upper surface of the
* Since the above has been in type I have ascertained that this Mi/iolcstcs has been previously described by Mr. E. L. Layard, under the name of Lalaije nigrogularix. I am sure ornithologists will excuse me for not anticipating that Mr. Layard's " Lalayn," of which 1 had not at that time seen a description, would prove to be a typical Myiolestes ! I leave the description as it may be of use to ornithologists who may have been similarly misled ; Mr. Layard's name of nigrogularis must, of course, stand.
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 13
body and tail, brown, of an olive brown on the outer webs of wings and tail, and slightly tinged with olive on the rump and upper tail-coverts ; under surface of the wing and tail-quills brown, the shafts of the feathers white ; the inner webs of the primaries and secondaries on the under side narrowly margined with pale reddish brown, lesser under wing-coverts and margins of the shoulder below black, axilliaries whitish grey ; ear- coverts slightly produced silky white ; lores, sides of the face and the whole of the chin and throat extending to the chest and to behind the white ear-coverts, jet black ; the black over the eye extends on the sides of the neck and sometimes across the nape, quite encircling the ashy grey of the crown of the head ; chest, breast, and abdomen, ashy grey ; flanks and under tail-coverts washed with olive or rufous brown ; the tips of all the tail feathers slightly, and the two outer more distinctly tinged with fulvous ; bill bluish horn color above and below, the inner margins white to the tip.
Immature males have the throat and sides of head and the chest ashy white, a black line behind the ear-coverts in some joins a black superciliary stripe extending from the black lores ; the throat is mottled white and black. It is only in the fully adult ( c? ?) that the black extends across the nape.
Total length 8*3 in., wing 4 in., tail 3*5, tarsus r05, bill from forehead 1"2 in, from gape 1'3, height 0'4.
Measurements of immature species, all marked as males : —
Inches.
|
Total length ... . |
. 8-5 |
8-4 . |
.. 8-1 |
|
Wing |
.. 4 |
4 |
.. 4 |
|
Tail |
. 37 |
3-9 . |
. 3-6 |
|
Tarsus |
. 0-9 |
1 |
.. 1 |
|
Bill from forehead . |
. 1-1 |
1-15 . |
. 12 |
|
» gape |
. 1-2 |
1 |
.. 1-25 |
|
„ „ nostril |
. 0-7 |
0-7 . |
.. 0-8 |
|
„ in height ... |
. 0-4 |
0-4 . |
.. 0-4 |
I am by no means certain that the young of this species may not prove identical with Mr. E. L. Layard's Mi/iolesfes maxima, but as
14 THE PROCEEDINGS OF TTTE LTNNEAN SOCIETY
ihc only fipccimen obtained by Pearce was purchaserl from liirn without his knowledge while he was at Levuka, I have, consequently, no means of ascertaining whether they are distinct or not. The yrmnfj of this species would answer well with Mr. Layard's description of M. w/ixiw/i as far as it ffoes, but Mr. Layard distinctly states his specimen to be a male ; now even the young males in M. nigrogularis show black on the throat, which is not mentioned in the description of M. maxima.
VlTIA RUFICAPILLA, JiO/msatJ.
In the same collection from which I obtained the above described MijioUstes I also found fine specimens of Vitiu rufica/piUaj which T observe has been inadvertently re-described by Dr. Finsch, under the name Drijmochaira. badiceps.
EXHIBITS.
Mr. Masters exhibited albino specimens of the Common Magpie, Gyrrtnorhina tibicen, Tropidorhyncus bucermdes, Climacterifs scandeuH, and Orallina picata, all differing very remarkably in |)lnmage from the typical forms.
MONDAY, Al/KIb 20tji, 1878.
W. J. Stephens Esq., M.A., President, in the Chair.
JjONATIONS. From La Societe Entomologique de Belgique : Comptc Rendu
Seric fl, Nos. 40 and 47 ; also, The Annals of the Society
for 1877. From Baron F. Von Mueller : Vol. X. Fragmenta Phytographia
Australia). From the Royal Society, Edinburgh: Proceedings 1S75-7G and
1870-77. From La Soci<ite flollandaise des Sciences a, Haarlem : Archives
Noerlandaises des Sciences Exactes et Naturelles. From the Auckland Institute, New Zealand : Report for 1877.
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 15
From the Rev. J. B. Tenison- Woods, F.G.S., etc. : On some Australian Tertiary Corals ; Paleontological evidence of Australian Tertiary Formation; Tertiary Deposits of Austra- lia ; Some new Australian Polyzoa ; Census — with brief descriptions of Marine Shells, etc.
From J. Brazier, Esq. : List of Land Shells — Fitzroy Island.
From J. W. Taylor, Esq. (the Editor), per Mr. J. Brazier : English Quarterly Journal of Conchology.
PAPERS READ.
Note on a species of Therapon found in a dam near Warialda. By William Macleay, F.L.S.
A few days ago I received from W. R. Campbell, Esq., of Trigamon Station, near Warialda, three specimens of a Percoid Fish of the genus Therapon.
Mr. Campbell states that they were taken from a dam a long way back from the river, quite unconnected with any water- course, and which had been dry a few months back, and he asks very naturall}'' how did they get there. Instances of a similar kind are not uncommon. I recollect many years ago when the Merool Creek was first occupied by Squatters, that fishes of con- siderable size were found in newly formed dams and in ponds which had been dry for years previously. These reservoirs were, however, all in old watercourses, which had been at a former period well supplied with fish, as the remains of Aboriginal ovens testified, and it was thought probable that the fish so suddenly appearing in these newly formed and filled reservoirs, might have been preserved alive in the moist sand of the bed of the Creek. This supposition might no doubt be correct as far as Merool Creek is concerned, but it certainly cannot account for the fish found in the Warialda Dam, for it is not near a watercourse, and moreover the fish found in it are not of a kind capable of living in moist sand.
I see no difficulty myself in the far more likely hypothesis that the Ova of the fish are conveyed from one place to another by adhering to the feathers of ducks or other aquatic birds. The
16 THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LTNNEAN SOCIETY
spawn of some fish float on the surface of the water, and the viscous matter in which the ova are enveloped would in that case inevitably cause some of them to adhere to the feathers of a bird swimming on the surface. I have observed too that after a heavy fall of rain following a dry season, wild ducks of all kinds will in one night entirely desert the rivers and lagoons to which they have been for months confined, and seek " fresh fields and pastures new" in the newly filled ponds, dams, and lakes of the back country. It is a matter of almost certainty then, that, if it be the spawning season of any species of fish whose spawn floats on the surface of the water, ducks or other waterfowl will carry the ova with them, and if the distance be not too great the transfer will take place without desiccation or destruction of vitality.
The three specimens sent me by Mr. Campbell are evidently young fish (about 4 inches long), and are I have no doubt of the same species as is found in the waters of the Gwydir, and of several others of the northern rivers of New South Wales, and of southern Queensland — Therapon unicolor Gunther, Catalogue of Fishes, Brit. Mus., Vol I., page 277.
The Rev. J. B. Tenison- Woods observed that the sudden appear- ance of fish in surface water derived from rain was a matter well worth the attention of naturalists. In the south eastern district of S. Australia there is a small fish named lap-lap by the natives, which does not appear to have been described. It abounds in the swamps of that extensive district, where there are no watercourses properly speaking, but where the swamps drain from one to another in very wet seasons as the country is a dead level and in no place more than 300 feet above the sea. In this district there are extensive tracts of desert, with here and there grassy patches and swamps of water to which the sheep are taken to depasture in the winter. In summer these swamps are dried and ihe sheep are withdrawn to the home stations often 20 to 40 miles away. Tie remembered in 1861 having crossed one of the desert places with a companion at the close of summer. They had ventured to make a short cut overland by the aid of some very heavy rains which had fallen during the same week. In crossing by an
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 17
abandoned hut where there was an extensive system of troughs by the side of a swamp, they found the troughs one-third full and literally swarming with lap-lap fish about an inch or an inch and a half in length. The troughs had not probably been used for two or three months previously, and they could hardly doubt that they had been filled by the rain for there were no traces of any sheep having been there recently or of any visitors at all. He supposed that the ova of this fish would bear desiccation without perishing and that they had remained in the troughs until hatched by the rain. He had often observed also that when the immense flats of the Mosquito Plains, and the Muddy Creek heaths were inun- dated in winter, that dray tracks or any little indentation of the surface would become a channel along which the water slowly ran. These were always stocked with lap-lap, though in this case of course the ova or fry may have come from the swamps. He had come to the conclusion that the ova of these fishes would bear desiccation without perishing, and that they were often blown about and carried considerable distances by the wind, in dust storms, &c.
On a new species of Desmophyllum (D. quinarium) and
a young stage of Ctcloseeis sinensis. By Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, F.L.S., F.G.S., Cor. Memb.
Linn. Soc.
Desmophyllum is a genus of Turbinolinas, which is specially distinguished by the presence of an epitheca and the absence of a columella ; the corallum is simple, generally fixed by a large base ; the fosette is very deep, and the septa are very much exserted, and stretch out like huge wings ; the last cycle is more developed than that which precedes, and are often united to their neighbours, of the higher orders, from which they slightly diverge as they approach the centre ; the wall is bare, smooth below, and presents some little crests in the neighbourhood of the calice. The genus was originally established by Ehrenberg for a species
18 THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
of Madrepora of Esper. There are six species enumerated by- Messrs. Ed. and Haime, viz., D. cristagalli, Ehenb., D. Gumingi, E. and H., D. costatum, D. diantlius^ Esper., D ? StoJcesii, E. and H., and D. taurinense, Michelin. The latter is fossil. Prof. Duncan has reduced the four first to mere varieties of one species, for which he retains the name of B. cristagalli, though it seems as if Esper's name (D. dianthus) should be the one selected, as it has long priority (1797). The same author regards D. Stolcesii as an immature form of the other varieties. He says (Madre- poraria of the deep sea; Trans. Zool. Soc. vol. 8, 1873, p. 321). " If the variations of the typical form of this species are studied, it will be noticed that there are great difference in the position, size, and continuance of the costae, in the exsertness and granula- tion of the septa, in the height, compressedness, and size of the base of the corallum, and in the granular ornamentation of the outside of the wall in different specimens. The size, costal developement and granular condition of the ornamentation of the septa, and outside of the corallum, depend upon the age and nutrition of the specimen. Very thin septa are not so granular superiorly as those of corals, which have very thick walls, and dense septa, and the costse of the latter kind are usually most prominent. At great depths, and where the Madreporaria appear to be very abundant, the specimens of Desmophyllum are usually very granular externally, moreover they become attached to compound forms of corals, and both have the same ornamentation, so that it is difiicult not to believe in the Desmophyllum being part and parcel of th^ growing mass. One specimen is attached partly to broken specimens of dwarfed variety, with a small calice, and without cost^. Other forms are finely pedunculate " {loc. cit).
I bring this character of variability prominently forward, so that it may be seen what claims the present species has to be regarded as distinct.
Desmophyllum quinarium, n.s. Corallum much depressed, narrowed very slightly at the base, and twisted ; epitheca, coarse and irregular, with the costse
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 19
appearing like somewhat sharp keels or ridges ; but in the only specimen seen by me, the base is so incrusted with calareous algse in thin lamellae, that very little can be seen below the edge of the calicular margin; calice, subpentagonal, but irregular; septa, very high and falcate, concentrically undulately striate, in five systems of three cycles, with the rudiments of a fourth ; secondaries, thin in long arched lobes, which very much overhang the edge of the calice ; primaries, tall and straight, not exsert, but reaching more towards the centre of the fossa than any others ; tertiaries, small, thin, nearly as much exsert as the secondaries, and inclined or curved towards each other outside the wall ; fourth order present in two systems only as thin short exsert lamellas ; tubercles representing a fifth order in one system ; fossa deep and narrow ; wall thick and indented inwards by the side of the primaries. Alt. 10, width from the extreme ends of the secondary septal lobes 15 mill. Fiji 20 fathoms, from a bay near Levuka, Dr. Rayner. In the Macleayan Museum.
From the incomplete character of the septa, on which few or no granules are visible, it is evident that this is only a young specimen. There is, however, nothing in the coral to give rise to the suspicion that the quinary arrangement is due to abortion. The form is peculiar and exceedingly interesting, and no doubt when other specimens are found, the characters of the adult will modify some of the characters which are now described. Family Fdngid^, Sub. Fam. Lophoserin^. Genus Ctcloseris.
This genus, which in addition to living species, extends as far as the cretaceous rocks as a fossil, is represented at present by G. cyclolites, and G. hexagonalis, and G. sine^isis on the Barrier reef of north eastern Australia. Only the first has hitherto been regarded as Australian. They are small corals, like mushrooms, distinguished from Fungia by the wall being neither perforate nor hispid. In Gycloseris there is no epitheca. In G. cyclolites the disk is very high in proportion to its diameter ; in 0. hexagonalis it is extremely thin, larger than the last, and hexagonal in the young stage. G. sinensis is three times as^thick as the last, though nearly as large. I doubt very much whether the two species can be separated. They have both from 7 to 8
20 THE PEOCEEDINGS OF TSE LINNEAN SOCIETY
cycles, and are common on the coral rocks, and in sandy places at from 10 to 20 fathoms. So little is known of the young stages of any of these corals that I think it worth the notice of naturalists to describe a young 0. sinensis.
Corallum very small, quite circular, somewhat raised or thick, base not quite flat but sloping very slightly to a circular Qattened disk, about half the diameter of the whole ; costae very distinct, prominent, in cycles corresponding to the septa, and agreeing in point of size, all very granular, and becoming a mere set of detached granules in the central disk ; septa rather thick, projecting beyond the margin, increasing in height to the edge of the fossa, all closely and very prominently granular, and the edges dentate in six systems otfive cyles ; primaries free to the fossa, and much thicker than the others ; tertiaries united to the secondaries at the fossa ; fourth and fifth order uniting with the tertiaries about half way ; all the orders of the fifth cycle present, but the two last much smaller, and all much serrated at the edge ; fossa small, columella represented by a few papillae. Diam. 6, alt. 2 mil. Princess Charlotte's Bay, 10 to 20 fathoms Chevert Expedition.
The flattened disk at the base of the corallum would seem almost like a point of attachment. If the young stage of 0. sinensis is pedicellate, it hardly leaves any traces of its existence in the adult state. The specimens under notice were found free, so that the fixed state must belong to a still earlier stage.
Gycloseris sinensis is said by Messrs. Ed. and H. to be a native of the Chinese seas, and there is no mention made of any central disk, which however is found on the lower part of every Australian specimen. I have not been able to compare with any type specimen, so that our Australian examples may after all be a difierent species. But the similarity is so close in every other respect that I can hardly think this is the case.
EXHIBITS.
The Rev. J. E. Tenison- Woods, F.L.S,, etc., exhibited seeds of various kinds of Eucalyptus, and directed attention to the fact
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 21
that Encalypfns seed had frequently loeen sold under fictitious names, the seeds of common and inferior kinds having been substituted for the more valuable descriptions.
Mr. Brazier exhibited a collection of sternums of Fowls dis- playing the effect of different kinds of perches in modifying the shape and curvature of the ridge. Mr. Brazier showed that where the fowls roosted on a round perch the breast bone was normal ; but those that roosted on flat battens had the breast bone distorted.
Mr. Masters exhibited a Majaqueus Tarkinsoni or New Zealand Petrel shot near Sydney Heads, and remarked that it was the first recorded instance of this bird visiting the Australian Coast.
MONDAY, MAY 27th, 1878.
W. J. Stephens, Esq., President, in the Chair,
MEMBERS ELECTED.
Charles Jenkins, Esq., L.S., Yass, and T. Tenison- Woods, Esq.,
Sydney.
donations.
From La Societe Entomologique de Belgique : Compte Rendu,
Series II., No. 49.
PAPERS READ.
ON THE GEOLOGY OF YASS PLAINS.
By Charles Jenkins, Esq., L.S., Yass. Flate VL In offering an account of some years' labor in the fossiliferous strata around Yass, I must apologize for not giving at present all the detail that may be desired. I find it impossible to accompany this paper with the necessary plans and sections, the result of surveys I have made, without which minute description would be unsatisfactory. I hope, however, in a future paper to supply the information I am now compelled to omit, accompanied by draw- ings of as many of the principal fossils as possible.
22 THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
It is chiefly of the beds exposed for three or four miles along the course of the Yass river after it reaches the town of Yass that I shall at present treat.
The Yass river enters the town of Yass on the east, then makes generally a westerly direction flowing alike over hard and soft rock, porphyry and shale, just as the dislocation of the strata had marked out for it a course, which it has deepened and widened as best it could.
Very interesting are the cliff's on each side. Now we have two hills of porphyry of very different composition, facing each other — the junction of the two porphyries being the bed of the river — then seventy feet of shale and limestone, every vertical foot of which will yield a rich harvest to the geologist. A little further and we have the section of a hill in which the strata broken off" on each side are bent in towards the centre, making there almost as acute an angle as the letter V. Again, a little further, and the strata are reversed, vertical, then contorted in the most varied curves, and the former impure limestone changed into marble, marked with pink and other colored stains in patterns of the sections of the shells and corals it formerly contained.
The main course of the valleys on either side show a somewhat different origin to that of the river. They are formed chiefly by the scooping out of the softer strata, leaving ridges on each side capped by the more indestructible rock. As the direction of the dip of the strata is from 20° to 40° south of west, these ridges that flank the valleys present to view in many places as you turn east steep encarpments, and gentle slopes as you look west. They bend round the igneous rock to the west of Yass, forming part of a great curve, not, however, by an uniform sweep, but by jumps, wrenched aside with a sudden twist and interrupted by faults. These faults and twists have given rise to smaller valleys and water-courses, which, in general, mark the limit of the broken and intruded strata.
Wonderful things are those hard rocks that cap the Humewood and Belle Vale ridges. In one place we have an ancient Coral Reef, rich in the most varied Palaeozoic forms,
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 23
and differing, I imagine, from the Coral Reefs now forming, only as Palaeozoic differs from recent Coral. A little further, and if you are fortunate in cleaving the stone you will have a surface presenting a strange confusion, on which it will be difficult to find a spot not occupied by one of the fossil forms of the varied Ufe of the old seas. Another will yield hardly anything but Trilobites, jammed together heads and tails so thickly as to render it difficult to procure a perfect specimen.
I will now go back to our former starting point, and take the Yass beds in the order of their deposition. Standing at the edge of the igneous rock (a kind of syeuetic porphyry) where the river enters the town on the east side, and turning westward, you will look straight across the fossiliferous strata, which here, with intervening Porphyry and altered rock, have a breadth of from four to six miles. The view across the strata is interrupted by the range west of the town. The mass of this range is Porphyry. This Porphyry naturally divides the sedimentary rocks into two parts — that portion to the east of the Porphyry bending in one direction to the south-east over the Yass Plains, and in the other marked by the course of part of the Bango and Fairy-hole Creeks, I propose to call the Yass Beds. That portion to the west of the Porphyry, and bending to the south- east over the Yass Plains, and in the opposite direction, west of north, along a course marked by part of the Derringullen and Limestone creeks, to about a mile above the junction of these two creeks, I propose to call the Hume Beds — these beds being so largely developed on the property that belonged to the late Hamilton Hume, Esq., our great explorer.
Starting then on the edge of the Yass Beds, following the river, we have first a few feet of altered strata, a thin layer of limestone, then two feet of fossil bearing strata. Of species obtained hence there are four Brachiopods, including a small Lingula and an Atrypa ; three Gasteropods, including one very like Bellerophon acutus ; an impression of a rather large Orthoceras, and a number of very small things not made out.
Then follows some black, slaty-looking shale, cleaving readily in the direction of the bed. These beds gradually become more
24 THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
micaceous and gritty, with an occasional thin band of limestone until they pass into hard compact grit, at a thickness of about 500 feet from the Porphyry. The upper and lower beds of grit are separated by strata of greenish shale ; the lower grit is ia some parts thin, flaggy, and easily disintegrated, in others compact and rudely jointed.
The lower portion of the grit is in some places full of cubical crystals of oxide of iron. Some of the upper grit has been quarried for building. It exhibits, in many places, distinct ripple marks. The top course is, however, very hard, siliceous, coarse- grained, and sometimes almost conglomerate, with signs of altered condition. I have obtained no fossils from the grit.
The top of this upper bed affords a convenient means of dividing the Yass Beds into two parts, giving to the lower portions a thickness of about 700 feet.
The next division, the especially fossil bearing half, is best studied by starting from the rock just described at a point where it crosses the river, about a quarter of a mile further down. The strata, after some thin, not very coherent, gritty beds, gradually become calcareous, until they pass into a compact flaggy limestone, just above the Spirifer Beds. The fossils found lowest in this division were a Lingula and a Troclius, succeeded occasionally by an Ortlionotus, and some ribbed Spirifers, until at a thickness of about 185 feet we have a small band of black impure limestone, nine inches thick, loaded with fossils.
This band at first contains chiefly several species of Murcliisonia and some of Loxonema, succeeded by a layer of Spirifers, and these by a thin mass of Pterinea and Modiolopsis. Among the Spirifers we find here, however, there is no Spirifer Yassensis. That Spirifer cannot be obtained nearer than the Devonian of the Murrambidgee, in which strata, at a distance of about twelve miles from Yass, it abounds. A Retzia, Orthis, and Orthoceras, were also found here.
I will now pass over some flaggy limestone ; two beds, from 3 to 4 feet thick, of compact sub-crystalline limestone, the latter though full of fossils, yielding little ; and some Calcareous gritty beds, to an impure limestone, from which many species have been obtained.
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 25
The chief fossils obtained from this rock were several species of Spirifer and Atrypa, including Atrypa reticularis, and A. aspera — a Stroplior}iena (dorsal valve convex), a Bellerophon, Eimema, Bcculiompliulus, Maclurea, and a large Helix-like Trochus. Among the Conchifers, a large Area-like species is the most conspicuoas. Of Trilobites ; Phacops, and Gromus. This limestone, at Mylora, is overlay ed by a flaggy unfossiliferous limestone. The whole thickness of the Yass Beds, near Yass, is about 1,000 feet. Dip from 30° to 40° lower division. Dip from 18° to 40° upper division.
We will now stop in our progress across the strata, and turn aside a little to the south. Near one of the lower limestone courses, beyond the town, I have obtained some very small fossils that help to connect together the different parts of the Yass Beds, and the Yass with the Hume Beds. A head of a small sized Bronteus was found here. Peculiar to this spot is a small, spherical, tuberculated Glabella, having a very Devonian aspect.
Hume Beds.
Crossing now the Porphyry, separating the Yass and Hume Beds, and starting from where the latter cross the Yass River, and following the westward course of the river to a steep cliff, then continuing in nearly the same direction across the beds, we shall take the strata as before in the order in which they were laid down.
These beds are naturally divided into four parts, which division will answer our present purpose well enough. The first, from the Porphyry to the river at the base of the cliff, near the junction of Boonu Ponds with the Yass River ; the second, from the river to the top of the Coral Reef; the third, from the Coral Reef to the Trilobite Limestone ; in the fourth, I have not as yet found any fossils. We have first some laminated Porphyry, in which are various fossils, among others encrinital stems of a Lower Silurian type ; then a limestone, more developed and richer in fossils, at the Derringullen and Limestone Creeks ; then a mass of sub-crystalline altered rock, traversed in one place by igneous
26 THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
rock ; then a limestone, composed of thin courses of hard sab-crystalline nodales, weathering yellow, set in a blackish, less pure limestone ; then alternations of shale and limestone to the river. From this portion I have obtained the following fossils : — Trilobites : Cheirurus (PI. VI, figs. 5, 6 and 7) ; Galymene (PI. YI, fig. 4) ; Spherexochus (PI. Yl, fig. 2) ; Homalonoius, Acidaspis, Gromus, and Encrinurus. Brachiopods ; Pentanierus, including (especially to be remarked) P. obJongus, (PI. VI, fig, 3), Ainjpa, Uhynclionellay Spirifera, Orthis, Lingula, and Discina. Grasteropods ; Murchisonia, Euowplialus, and Sellerophon. Conchifers ; OrtJionotus, Modiolopsisy and Ftermea.
The Perdamerus ohlongus is confined to about the lower two thirds of this division. Cheirurus becomes rare in the upper part ; Oalceola is found all through. Especially remarkable is it that near the top of this division are two bands of limestone of from six to nine inches thick, containing fucoids. Crossing the river at the bottom of a steep cliS", we have thin courses of nodules and flags of limestone, often concretionary, alternating with shale, which frequently shews the same concretionary structure, gradually becoming more calcareous until it passes into an absolute Coral Reef.
The shale of this division is the richest of any in variety of species. The lower part especially abounds in Pentameri ; Atri/pa is scarcely less abundant ; Atrypa desquamata especially plentiful. Spirifera and Galceola are equally characteristic of this zone. Some of the Spirifers have a very sub-carboniferous look and are like Spirifer glaber. Orthis elegantula, and canali- culata, and a large Strophomena are only found here. The StropJiomena, like most of those in the Yass Beds, has the Dorsal valve convex in the manner of StropJiomena euglypha. Cup corals are everywhere here. Of the wonders of the Coral Reef at the top of this cliff*, what shall I say ? I have not yet made out one tenth of the species. Among others there are, however, Favosites Gothlandica^ F. aspera, and Heliolites Inter- stinctus ; all Silurian species.
The next division is characterised especially by the Trilobites of the genera Jhonteus, Calymerie, and Spherexochus^ together
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 27
wit,h a large Trilobite closely allied if not identical with Phacops longi caudatus which occurs in the top beds. One Galymene is undoubtedly Galymene duplicata. The Spherexochus is almost identical with Spherexochus mirus as figured by Murchison.
Size of largest Galymene 2J inches in length.
Size of largest Spherexochus 2 inches in length.
The Trilobite in the upper bed (PI. YI, fig. 1), which is an impure limestone, is chiefly associated with a Petraia Some parts of this limestone literally swarra with segments of this Trilobite. I have, however, obtained one cast, rather mutilated, of the whole body, and another whole Trilobite doubled up. The head segment of this Trilobite is very like that of Dalmania pleuroptyx as figured by Dana, both in its general proportions and the direction of the facial suture ; the furrows on the Griabella are straighter in Dana's figure than on any specimen I have. D. pleuroptyx is a Silurian species, though, like Phacops, Dalmania is both a Devonian and Silurian genus.
These Trilobites attained a size of 5 inches in length exclusive of the spinose caudal appendage.
As I have obtained no fossils in the next division and as after attaining a thickness altogether of 2,000 feet these beds by folds and fauUs repeat themselves until they reach the Igneous Rocks, I shall not at present trace them farther.
In comparing the results obtained from the Yass and Hume beds, I think that there is sufficient evidence in the similarity of the fossils to shew that they must both be classed in one formation.
I cannot speak of the exact number common to both, but there are certainly among the Brachiopods — two species of Atrypa, including Atrypa reticularis — several of the genus Spirifera, including two plaited Spirifers, two of Strophomena, and one of Betzia. Of Couchifers I believe several, including an Orthon- otus and a Pterinea ; a Murchisonia among the Gasteropods ; of the Trilobites Bronteus and Gromus. There is no doubt about the Gromus ; the Bronteus is, however, in the Yass beds so small, and the markings so indistinct, that it is not possible to speak with certainty, but what can be seen makes it probable that it is identical with that found in the Hume beds.
28 THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAX SOCIETY
In contrasting these beds lifchologically, the large proportion of grit dividing the Yass beds into such unequal halves, and the absence of those large limestone masses which form so prominent a feature in the Hume beds, are the first things to attract atten- tion. Then we have in the Hume beds an almost entire absence of that somewhat symmetrically transverse jointed structure ex- hibited in most of the Yass grit and limestone, and instead, a preponderance of concretionary structure in limestone and shale.
Then as to the fossils — the absence in the Yass beds of large corals generally, and especially of those masses which are so remarkable in the Hume beds is also to be observed. The fossils of the Hume beds are further distinguished by the number of individuals, large size and variety of species and genera of Trilobites, the number and variety of Pentameri, and by the presence especially of Pentamerus ohlongus ; by the number and variety of the genus Orthisj and by two layers of limestone containing Fucoids ; also by their being distributed with an approach to uniformity through a great thickness of strata, whereas in the Yass beds all the fossils are collected in bands which, if taken altogether, would not be more than from 10 to 20 feet thick.
The character imparted to fossils of the Yass beds is due to the great number and variety of plaited Spirifers, and the number of Murcliisonia, Bellerophon and Pterinea. Peculiar to these beds is also a Maclurea, a large Helix-like Troclius, an EcculioniphaluSf and a small Trilobite, with a nearly globular glabella covered with tubercles.
These differences of the fossils of the two series of beds cannot however, as I think, be considered as altogether marking the characteristics of the different geological periods. The local conditions under which these deposits have been formed have undoubtedly done much to produce the results we now see. When the Yass beds were being laid down, there must have been at least four principal changes of level, two of elevation and two of depression, as evidenced by the double series of bands of grit beds, separated by intervening shale. The waters were tolerably troubled too during the deposition of some of these beds, for some
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 29
of the upper limestone is full of lumps of shale. These con- siderations may account for the absence of the larger corals, and together with the fact 'that many recent species of Trochus, Avicula and Geplialoijoda are found between low water and 50 fathoms may explain why the first remains of the fauna of the seas that succeeded the sinking of the old shore — now represented by the grit with its ripple marks — should be such a group as we there find of Modioloijsis, Avicula, MurcMsonia, and Orthoceras. That the sinking was interrupted by periods of upheaval, seems probable from the thin layer of sandstone covered with AvicuUdce that occurs above the strata of Spirifers and Pterinea. This thin layer seems to e!xplain a rather notable thing connected with this Spirifer bed. Evidently, to my mind, these Spirifers were not buried in the order their fossil shells now lie. From a foot below the Spirifers to this sandstone layer everything appears sorted. First we have a layer of irregular lumps, then one of smaller lumps, often containing a MurcMsonia, a Loxonema, and an occasional Spirifer ; then a layer of almost nothing but Spirifers as close together as possible, but scarcely an inch thick ; then Pterinea two or three deep, but not making a thickness of half an inch; then smaller AvicuUdce and sandstone. Does it not seem probable that the temporary rising of the sea bed brought the burial place of these mollusca within the action of the tide, whose ebbing and flowing has sorted them in a manner that no other agent but running water, as far as I know, ever does.
Now AS TO THE Age.
It cannot be expected to establish in Australian geology the minute subdivisions it has been found necessary to make in the geology of other distant countries ; very unlikely, for instance, that the same breaks should occur here as in England and America. The division of upper and lower Silurian not arising from local arrangements has been made out in all countries where the Silurian system is at all developed. I therefore consider the terms upper and lower Silurian can be used here. The Yass Period, or the period of the deposition of the Yass and Hume
30 THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
beds, I believe to be essentially upper Silurian, and one portion at least to represent the equivalent to the lower part of the upper Silurian of other countries.
No fish bones have yet been discovered, so that at present the Yass Period satisfies the requirements of the Silurian formula : a Fauna represented by invertebrates, of which the Articulata are chiefly Trilobites ; and a Flora by Fucoids. To the Trilobites, however, we must look for the most decisive testimony. The fact of Calymene ranging all through the fossiliferous portion of the Hume beds, and Glieirurus and SjpJierexoclius ranging nearly through — these being exclusively Silurian genera, is almost sufficient evidence in itself from which to class these beds as not newer than the upper Silurian ; while the absence of any Trilobites of exclusively lower Silurian genera afibrds a presumption that they are not older, which presumption is strengthened by the presence of 0. reticularis and Pentameri. The presence of the large Triiobite closely allied, if not identical with Phacops caudatus and having no resemblance to the Devonian species of Phacops — and of the Homalonotus which is not of the characteristic Devonian type, all add force to the evidence afibrded by the frequent occurrence of the other Trilobites. The only part of a Triiobite with a Devonian aspect I have found in the Yass beds is the Globular Glabella. The variety of Orthidce, of Silurian species, as OrtJiis elegantula, helps to stamp these beds Silurian. While the abundance of Pentameri, especially the presence of Pentamerus ohlongus, support the inference that part of these beds may rightly be considered to represent the lower part of the upper Silurian. The presence of a Maclurea must not be forgotten.
Pentamerus ohlongus is especially relied upon by Sir R/oderick Murchison as determining the strata in which it occurs, in Europe and America, to be the equivalent of the Llandovery of the British Siluria. The Cheirurus found in these beds is Cheirurus insignis, a Llandovery species. (Recherches, sur les fossiles, Paleozoiques de la Nouvelle Galle De Sud, par L. C. De Koninck). f
t The following is a list of fossils, which, in Professor Koninck's work already quoted, are classed as Devonian, and said to be found in the
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 31
Among the corals we have unquestionable Silurian species, Favosites Gothlanclica, F. asper, Heliolites inter stmctus.
The occurrence of hollow encrinital stems, a lower Silurian type, gives additional weight to evidence in favour of one portion at least being the equivalent of the lower portion of the upper Silurian. .
The presence of Galceola and Atrypa desquamata cannot be considered to outweigh the evidence drawn from the mass of Silurian species among which they are found. Their presence there is not so remarkable as was the finding, in Bphemia, in the midst of Silurian species, of large-sized Goniatites, supposed before to be no older than Devonian.
To these reasons I will add, that in the limestone of the Murrumbidgee, which in places is crowded with many plaited broad winged Spirifers, I have found Spirifer Yassensis, Leptoena suhaequicostata, Loxonema anglicum, Niso Darwinii, species determined by Professor Koninck from specimens forwarded to him by the Rev. W. B. Clarke, to be established Devoniam fossils ; but I have not found a sign of a trilobite nor one shell common to both the Murrumbidgee limestone, and to the Yass and Hume beds. I will not conclude without some reference to the igneous rocks. They are all chiefly Porphyry, some very like Syenite, and presenting on the hill tops a very granitic arrangement of boulders. Other varieties are numerous, some with a pink felspathic base, and several with rather large crystals of felspar
neighbourhood of Yass, but which are certainly not to be found in the Yass or Hume beds. They will all, I have no doubt, be found where I found those marked with an asterisk (*), that is on the Murrumbidgee, in beds overlying uncomformably the Yass and Hume series.
Disc'ma Alleglianla OrtJioceras suhdiminuatum i
Chonetes Hardrensis Murclusonia Turris
Leptcena nohilis Murchisonia VernuUana
Rhynchonella Pleurodoii Murchisonia Grani/era Spiri/er multipUcatus Bellerophon convolutus
Spirifer Cabedensis Pleurotomaria Suhconica
Spirifer Lalisinuatus * Leptcena Suhcequicostata
Mitchella Striatula * Spirifer Yassensis
Nutica Cirriformis * Loxonema anglicum
Cystoceras Woodsii * Niso Darwinii.
32 THE PEOCEteDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
and Hornblende, and probably Pyroxene. That some of these rocks are newer than the sedimentary beds is evident by the altered conditions of some of the strata in contact with them.
Some may be of the same age, for in several places we have the Porphyry enveloping fossils, while in others it is studded with casts, which it has beautifully preserved, while it has destroyed the shells.
Of metals I will merely mention the fact that Galena has been obtained in the Hume beds at Limestone Creek, near its junction with the Derringullen, and near the Derringullen Creek, about three miles from its junction with the Yass River.
In comparing the fossils of these beds with those of the upper Silurian of other countries, the absence of Graptolites is a marked peculiarity. There are, however, abundance of Bryozoan and probably Sertularian forms. It will also be noticed that there are wanting those large forms of Cephalopoda which are usually found in some of the beds of that age.
This last fact seems of itself to point out how small a portion the Yass Period represents of the Silurian of New South Wales, and how impossible it would be to attempt to fix the exact position of these beds in the Silurian series, until other beds of the like age have been examined as carefully as these have been.
Explanation of Plate VI.
No. 1. — Phacops from the Limestone (Belle Vale Limestone),
upper bed of 3 division Hume bed. ,, 2. — Sprenochus from the Hume beds. „ 3. — Fentamerus ohlongus. Hume beds, lower portion. „ 4. — Galymene VuiMcata. Hume beds. (Lower Silurian,
Europe). „ 5 to 6. — Oheirurus. Hume Beds. „ 7. — Oheirurus Insignis. Hume Beds.
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 33
Descriptions of some new Fishes from Port Jackson and King
George's Sound.
By William Macleay, Esq., F.L.S.
Plates II, III, lY, V.
Family PERCID^. 1. — Serranus guttulatus. pi. II.
D. 11/15, A. f, L. lat. 96.
Body compressed ; the height one-third of the total length, the length of the head the same, profile slightly concave ; eyes, one and a half diameter apart, the same distance from the snout, and seven times in the length of the head ; maxillary bone reaching to the vertical from the posterior margin of the eye ; prasoperculum serrated on the posterior edge, and produced and strongly toothed at the angle ; opercular spines flat, the upper longest ; the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth dorsal spines longest, the third anal spine longest, the second thickest.
The general colour is a pale yellow, with numerous small pale red spots ; these spots are distinct on the head, but on the body they are so thickly placed as to give the appearance of continuous lines ; there are some whitish bars about the mouth and chin ; the caudal fin is rounded and of a yellowish black hue, as are also the ventrals ; the spinous dorsal is blackish ; the soft dorsal and anal fins are also dark coloured with a broad yellow edge ; the pectorals are yellow, and reach almost to the anus.
Length 14 inches.
A specimen of this handsome fish, the first I have seen, was taken by the hook in Port Jackson, a few days ago. It seems to have some resemblance in colouring to Serranus Awoara of Temm. and Schleg., a Japanese fish ; but the formula of fins is very diSerent.
2. — CHiETODON OCKLLIPINNIS. PI. Ill, fig. 1.
D. 10/23, A. 3/19, L. lat. 50.
Height of body one-half the total length ; snout shorter than the diameter of the orbit ; mouth small ; praeoperculum strongly serrated ; the fourth, fifth, and sixth dorsal spines longest, and
34 THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
nearly as long as the head ; soft dorsal and anal fins rounded behind ; tail long and forked. Colour pale brown with six black vertical bands, the first through the eye, the second behind the operculum to the ventral fin, the third from the spinous dorsal to the vent, the fourth from the beginning of the soft dorsal to the anal, the fifth near the tail, and the sixth on the tail ; under and a little in advance of the pectoral fin there is a large whitish patch ; and on the soft dorsal and anal a large black whiteedged ocellus, that on the dorsal extending from the third to the eighth ray, and on the anal from the second to the fifth. Length of specimen 3 inches, 4 lines. From King George's Sound.
Family TRACHINID^. isosillago. n. gen.
Body elongate, rather compressed ; cleft of mouth small ; eye lateral; scales very small; spinous dorsal with 13 spines, con- tinuous with soft dorsal ; ventrals thoracic ; lower pectoral rays branched ; teeth on the vomer and palatine bones ; preeoperculum denticulated ; bones of the head with the muciferous system well developed ; 7 branchiostegals, Pseudobranchiae.
This genus differs from Sillago in the continuous dorsal fin, smaller scales, and in having 7 branchiostegals.
3. — ISOSILLAGO MACULATA. PI. lY, fig. 3.
D. 13/20, A. 2/21, L. lat. 125, L. transv. 11/34.
Height of body eight times in the total length ; length of head nearly one- fourth of same ; head rather convex in front of the eye ; snout more than twice the diameter of the orbit from the eye ; dorsal spines feeble, the second, third, and fourth longest, the thirteenth short ; tail emarginate ; coloration pale yellowish red with numerous black spots above the lateral line, and with a few spots and a spotted interrupted black line below it ; fins spotless. Total length nine inches.
From King George's Sound.
Family BLENNIIDyE. 4. — Tripterygium marmoratum. pi. Ill, fig. 2. D. 3/14/12, A. 22, L, lat, about 85.
OF NEW .SOUTH WALES. 35
Height of body one-tenth of the total length ; head large and nearly vertical in front ; teeth in front of lower jaw longer than the others ; eyes close together with a deep groove between exten- ding to the snout ; the first dorsal fin commences over the praeo- perculum ; the pectorals extend to the sixth anal ray, lateral line not continued to the tail ; caudal a little rounded ; colour yellowish, much mottled with black, particularly on and above the lateral line ; dorsal, pectoral and caudal fins with small brown spots disposed in rows. Length 4 inches.
Three specimens, King George's Sound.
Family LABRID^.
6. — Labrichthys nigromarginatus. pi. Ill, fig. 3.
D. 9/11, A. 3/9, L. lat. 27.
A posterior canine tooth ; height of body one-third of the total length ; head rounded between the eyes, slightly concave on the snout, and covered with granules, with a very narrow line of scales a little behind the eye, and a few large ones on the extremity of the operculum.
The color in spirits is a greenish yellow, with, the fins yellow, the dorsal and anal narrowly edged with black, the pectorals broadly tipped with black, and the three first rays of the ventrals of the same hue. Length of specimen 11 inches.
Taken in Port Jackson.
6. — Trochocopus rufus. pi. V, fig. 3.
D. 12/10, A. 3/11, L. lat. 45.
Height of body one-third of the total length without caudal fin ; all the teeth conical and strong ; head convex above and below ; the eyes more than their diameter distant from one another, and from the snout ; prasoperculum finely serrated behind and clothed with small scales excepting a narrow posterior margin, and a broad inferior one ; dorsal spines short, strong, and equal, shorter than the rays ; caudal fin truncate ; colour greenish brown on the head, and bright red on the body and tail ; the other fins reddish yellow ; the first three spines of the dorsal fin with their membranes, and the tips of the other spines black. Length 14 inches.
Two specimens from King George's Sound.
36 THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
In the serration of the prseoperculum, and the number of the anal rays, this fish differs from the generic characters given of the genus Trochocopus by Dr. Gunther, but in other respects it so closely answers to it that I have not thought it necessary to form a new genus for its reception.
7. — Olistherops brunneus. pi. V, fig. 1.
D 17/10, A 11, L. lat. about 56.
Head entirely naked, the operculum terminating over the pectoral fin in a triangular skinny flap ; second ray of pectorals reaching as far as the sixth dorsal spine ; tail crescent shaped, the two outer rays elongate ; height of the body one fifth of the total length ; length of the head the same ; broad and flat between the eyes ; colour almost uniform olive brown. Length 13 inches.
Found in Port Jackson.
8. — Heteroscarus castelnaui. pi. V, fig. 2.
D 14/9, A 3/11, L. lat. 36.
Height of body one-third of total length ; head scaleless, pitted, covered with small pores, and roundly pointed at the snout ; a few large scales on the posterior part of the operculum ; upper jaw protuding over the lower ; praeoperculum finely serrated ; the first four dorsal spines longest, and terminating in a filament, but not so long as in Heteroscarus filamentosus Casteln ; soft dorsal and anal fins, enveloped at their base in a scaley sheath ; tail slightly emarginate ; colour in spirits yellowish with some brownish patches; there are three narrow blue lines on the head — one from the back of the eye to the angle of the operculum, another below the eye in the same direction, and the third from the mouth to the angle of the praeoperculum ; the soft dorsal and anal fins are spotted. Length 8 inches.
Taken in Port Jackson.
I have named this species after the founder of the genus, and the most distinguished of our naturalists — the Count de Castelnau.
Family CLUPEIDvE. 9. — Etkumeus Jacksoniensis. PI. IV. fig. 1. B. 15, D. 16, A. 13.
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 37
Height of body one-sixth of the total length ; mouth small snout rather pointed and not the length of the diameter of the eye, which is one-third of the length of the head ; a thin membrane entirely covers the eyes ; head with abroad depression, and with a central carina extending from the occiput to the mouth; anal fin very low, caudal forked, pectorals situated well behind the vertical from the dorsal ; back dark coloured ; sides and belly silvery. Length 6 inches- Caught by the hook in Port Jackson a few days ago.
I regard this fish as distinct from the Japanese species Etrumeus tnicropus. They differ inter alia in the number of the dorsal and anal rays.
Family SCLERODERMI.
10. — MONACANTHUS GtJTTULATUS. PI. IV, fig. 2.
D. 32, A. 30.
Skin very finely granular ; greatest height of body about one- third of the total length ; eye nearly six diameters from the snout ; profile straight ; lower jaw protuding beyond the upper ; dorsal spine above the middle of the eye, with four series of nearly equal barbs ; pectoral fin situated beneath the anterior margin of the orbit ; ventral spine very small ; tail rounded with four acute rather small spines pointing backwards on each side of the root — the spines yellow and placed on yellow spots ; the colour in spirits is of a yellowish olive, densely marked all over with small blue spots ; the mouth is black, and there are numerous blue streaks on the fore part of the body — somewhat vertical on the head, and horizontal on the thorax ; a raised black line near the base of the dorsal and anal fins, and on the base a black scaley sheath, with a yellow membranous line beyond. Length 1 0 inches. One specimen from King George's Sound. In some respects this species seems to resemble Monacanthus Yagoi of Castelnau.
38 THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
Notes on " List of Australian Birds,"
By E. P. Kamsat, F.L.S., &c.
Anas gibberifrons, Mull.
Since offering some remarks on this species in my list of Australian Birds, published in a former number of these *' Proceedings " (see Vol. 11, pt. 2, p. 209), I have, through the kindness of Captain Hutton, Curator of the Otago Museum, N.Z., been enabled to examine a specimen of Aqius gibberifrons (Mull.), shot in the WeUington district, in JSTew Zealand.
At first sight there appears no appreciable difference between the New Zealand Bird, and the female or young male of oar N. S. W. Anas castanea (A. ^punctata, Gould. Bds. Aust., Vol. VII, pi. 11) ; in fact the birds might readily pass for one and the same species. On close examination, however, I find that the feet are smaller, the length of the toes being less ; the shield or flattened portion of the bill at the forehead is also smaller, narrower, and its lateral margins meet the culmen sooner, or at a greater angle, in the New Zealand Bird than in the Australian A. castanea. The width of the shield in A. gibberifrons is 0*3, width of culmen between nostrils 0'15 ; the shield in A. castanea is 0"43 in width, and the culmen between the nostrils 0"22. In A. castanea the tarsus is 1*65, and the middle toe 1*85 ; in A. gibberifrons the tarsus is 1'25, and the middle toe 1*7. These proportions will of course vary in different individuals and sexes, and are therefore, on the whole, of little importance.
The only other difference I notice is the width of the white or buff margin of the secondaries, which is wider in the Australian than in the New Zealand species.
Perhaps when a large series of the New Zealand birds be examined these differences may be found to be constant, if not, then I am afraid the Anas gibberifrons of Muller and A. castanea, Eyton, are one and the same species. It is stated that the adult males of A. gibberifrons resemble the females in plumage, but so few have fallen into the hands of naturalists that this point has by no means, been satisfactorily determined. Although it is rare, even in districts frequented by our Australian Teal, to obtain
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 39
adult males in full plumage, yet when the breeding places, and strongholds of the New Zealand bird be found, adult males in the summer plumage, resembling that dress of the N. S. W. birds, may nevertheless be procured. I trust some of our New Zealand ornithologists will give this matter the attention it deserves, for it will be important to note the form of the sternum and trachea, with its htdla ossea, both in the male and female. In Anas castanea the hulla ossea is said to be found in both sexes. (See F.Z.S., 1871, p. 649).
Gerygone flavida, Bamsay. P.L.8., N.S.W., Vol. II., p. 53.
I have lately seen specimens of a Gerygone from the North East Coast, which seem to indicate that my Gerygone flavida is only the female of Mr. Gould's Gerygone personata ; but notwith- standing the great similarity in size and plumage, further proof will be necessary, as we have lately received the adults, male and female, of G. flavida, shot on taking their nest and eggs, and three males examined are exactly alike in plumage to the female ; but it is not improbable that the young males of G. jpersonata resemble the females in plumage, and breed before attaining the adult male livery. No specimens, however, in the plumage of the adult (^ of G. loersonata have been obtained yet from E-ockingham Bay.
Additional New Species, d;c. Habitat.
Ceacticus spaldingi, Masters., P.L.S.,
N.S.W., Vol. II., p. 271 Port Darwin
EopsALTRiA NANA, Ramsay., P.L.S., N.S.W.,
Vol. II., p. 373 Rockingham Bay
Ptilotis GERMAN a, Ramsay, P.L.S., N.S.W.,
Vol. III., p. 2 Islands of Torres Straits and
S. Coast of New Guinea
Majaqueus parkinsoni, Gray., Voy. Ereb.
and Terr East Coast of Australia
ZosTEROPS WESTERNENSis, Quoy et Galni. Voy,
Astrol. , PI. 1 1, fig. 4, Zool. Ois., p. 215 ... West Australia
= ? Zosterops gouldii, from same Habitat
40 the proceedings of the linnean society
Corrigenda. No, 190 for E. griseogularis, Oould* read E. gularis, Quoy et Gaimard. 191 ,, E. gularis, Quoy et Gaim., read E. georgiana,+ Quoy et Oaim. 565 ,, "oPTHALMicus," reacZ ophthalmicus. 577 ,, " MONARCHUS, " reac? monachus. 658 Foot Note * For P.Z.S., 1871, p. 65, read p. 649. 703 for " ACQUiLUS, " reoc? aquilus.
Memoranda. No. 588 = Tringa crassirostris, Tern. & Schleg. ,, 595 = R. NOV-^-HOLLANDi^, VieUlot, N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. III.,
p. 103 (1816). ^^ 606 = Falcinellus igneus, Lath. J J 607 = Carphibis spinicollis, Jameson. ^j 608 = Ibis ^theopicus. Lath.
,, 638 = Hypot^nidia australis, A. von. Pelzeln, Ibis, 1873, pp. 1^2, 43. = H. philippensis, Bp. = Rallus pectoralis ; Gould, Bds. Aust. VI, 2^1. 76. „ 668 See Coues, Proc. Nat. Hist. Phil, 1872. ,, 685 == ? S. paradisea, Brunn. = ? No. 681 (S. dougaUi.J , 704 == ? M. equinoctialis, Linn.
EXHIBITS.
Drawing of Trilobites, from Yass Plains, by C. Jenkins, Esq.
Photographs of Brachiopods, exhibited by Rev. J. E. Tenison- Woods, F.a.S.
Lithographs of Fishes described by the Hon. W. Macleaj'-, F.L.S.
Painting of Monacanthus granulosus by the Hon. W. Macleay, F.L.S.
Specimens of Anas gihherifrons, by E. P. Ramsay, Esq., F.L.S.
Mr. Macleay drew attention to a Paper read lately before the Linnean Society of London, by Dr. Manson, " On the Mosquito considered as a Nurse," in which it is shown that disease caused by a Filaria, not uncommon in hot climates, results from drinking
* Gould, P.Z.S., V, p. 144 (1837).
+ Q. et Gaim., Voy. L'Astrol. ZooL, p. 175 (1830).
OF NEW SOUTH WALES.
41
water containing the excreta of Blood-sucking flies ; and that one portion of the Life History of the Filaria is passed in the body of the fly from which, by one means or another, it makes its re-entrance into the human body.
MONDAY, JUNE 24th, 1878.
The Hon. W. Macleat, F.L.S., in the Chaii%^ ,
MEMBER ELECTED.
Mr. French, of the Botanic Gardens, Melbourne.
Donations.
From the Royal Society of N. S. W. : Journal and Proceedings
for 1877. From the New Zealand Institute : Transactions and Proceedings
for 1877. From Harward College, U. S. : Bulletin of the Museum of
Practical Zoology. From Dr. Schomburgh : Catalogue of the Plants in the Botanic
Gardens, Adelaide ; Report of the Botanic Gardens, Adelaide. From La Societe Entomologique de Belgique : Compte Rendu
Serie II, No. 50. Phylloxera Vastatrix, by K. I. Staiger, F.L.S., Brisbane. Pituri and Duboisia, by Dr. Bancroft. By the authors.
PAPERS READ.
Notes on the Fishes of the Norman River. By Count F. de Castelnau.
The Norman River flows into the Gulf of Carpentaria, and a small settlement has of late years been formed on its banks, about twenty miles from its mouth.
y
42 THE PEOCEEDINGS OF THE LTNNEAN SOCIETY
Mr. Gulliver, who has resided two years in this settlement, and has done much for the zoology of that remote part of Queens- land, has sent me two collections of fishes from this river, and Mr. Staiger, the curator of the Brisbane Museum, has placed in my hands a collection he had also received from the same collector. I have thus been able to determine twenty-five sorts, the greater part of which appears to me to be new. They are as follows : —
Lates calcarifer, Bloch.
Pseudoamhassis Macleayi, Cast. „ elongatus, Cast.
Accantlioperca gulliveri, Cast.
GulUveria fusca, Cast. ,, fasciata, Cast.
Therajoon fasciatus, Cast. „ terrce-regince, Cast. „ caudovittatus ? Richard.
Gorvina albida, Cuv. Val.
Scatophagus mullifasciatus, Rich.
Toxotes carpentariensis, Cast.
Kurtus gulliveri, Cast.
Periophthalmus australis, Cast.
Gobius sauroides, Cast.
Eleotris simplex, Cast. „ planiceps, Cast.
Mugil dohula, Gunther. „ compressus, Gunther.
Arius australis, Gunther.
Plotosus elongatus, Cast.
Belone hrefftii, Gunther.
Engraulis dasutus. Cast.
ChatcEssus erebi, Gunther.
Leuciscus australis, Cast,
Lates calcarifer. • Lates calcarifer, Bloch., pi. 244 Lates nobilis, Cuv. Val., vol. II, p. 96, pi. 13. Holocentrus Jieptodactijlus, Lacep., vol. IV, p. 391.
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 43
The prasopercle presents at its angles a strong acute spine and three others rather smaller below this ; this fish has been known for many years, from the mouths of the great Indian rivers, but it is only lately that it has been discovered in some of the Queensland rivers. * It is found in the Fitzroy river, and is known at Rock- hampton under the name of Burrumundi, which name also has been erroneously applied to the Geratodus of the Burnett river. It attains enormous proportions and is second in size to none of the Australian fresh water fishes except perhaps to the Murray cod (OUgorus macquariensis) .
Mr. Gulliver has discovered this sort in the Norman river, and has sent a large specimen to the Brisbane Museum.
ESEUDOAMBASSIS. I propose this name for some small fishes closely allied to Amhassisj but having no recumbent spine in front of the dorsal. They seem to be rather numerous in the northern parts of Australia.
1.— PSEUDOAMBASSIS MACLEAYI. Sjp. nOV.
Upper profile high, and convex in front of the dorsal ; the two limbs of the praeopercle strongly serrated ; the upper one on the angle (three or four spines) and on the lower edge ; the lower one on all its length ; the spines of the inferior edge the largest, and directed backwards ; the lower edge of the opercle also lined with similar spines ; two lines of scales on the cheeks ; the height of the body more than one half the total length without the caudal fin ; scales large, numbering about thirty on the longitudi- nal line, and sixteen on the transverse one ; first dorsal with seven spines ; the first of which is very short, the second the longest, and nearly as long as the head ; the second dorsal with a very long and straight spine and ten rays ; caudal very strongly bifurcated, with the ends pointed ; anal with three strong spines, of which the third is rather the longest, and ten rays ; the colour, after having been in spirits, is of a uniform light brown, with the fins yellow.
Numerous specimens, the largest being under two inches^and a half long.
*^P. Z. S., 1870, p. 824.
44 THE PEOCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
I have much pleasure in naming this sort after Mr. W. Macleay, who bearing the name of one of the most illustrious naturalists of the century, has himself done so much for the zoology of Australia, and who most nobly devotes a large fortune to promote the knowledge of the productions of his adopted country.
2. — PSEUDOAMBASSIS ELONGATUS.* sp. nOV.
Form elongated; upper profile little convex ; two lines of scales on the cheeks ; upper limb of the praeopercle very finely serrated on the corner (four or five) and on the lower edge ; the lower limb only serrated on its lower edge ; the caudal strongly bifurcated with the ends pointed ; the general colour is grey without any yellow tinge.
Several specimens not much over one inch long.
ACANTHOPERCA. nov. gen.
One dorsal formed of two equal parts and received in a scaley sheath on the back ; scales rather large ; opercle ending in an acute angle over the base of the pectorals ; prgeopercle having two ridges ; the upper one having two blunt spines at its lower angle, and the lower one being straight at its posterior edge, but strongly serrated at its angle and on its lower edge ; praeorbital strongly serrated ; teeth villiform in both rows, and a few very fine ones on the palatine bones ; mouth rather extensile ; max- illaries extending as far as the anterior third of the eye ; lateral line continuous extending on the base of the tail ; dorsal having its two portions about equal ; the spinous formed of seven strong spines, the first being very short, the second very long contained only about twice in the height of the body, the others going shorter ; the soft portion begins by a long, straight spine, nearly two-thirds as long as the second of the spinous part ; the rays number ten, and go on decreasing in height as they extend backwards ; caudal strongly bifurcated ; anal with three spines, the first of which is short, the second very large, flat, sword-like
* The Amhassis jmpuensis, Macleay Pi'oc. Lin. Soc. of New South Wales, Vol. I, p. 226, pi. V, fig. 4, forms a third sort of this genus. It is very much like viy first sort but quite distinct. The profile is less elevated ; there is only one line of scales on the cheeks ; the praeopercle has only one strong spine at its angle ; tlie lobes of tlic tail arc rounded ; it has a general orange tint on the dried specimen.
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 46
and very pointed ; the third more slender and shorter ; the rays number nine ; the ventrals have a very strong sword-like spine ; the pectorals are rather long.
This genus has much the form of Amhassisj but there is only one dorsal.
ACANTHOPERCA GULLIVERI. S]p. nOV.
Form compressed, high, strongly arched on the upper profile behind the head ; the lower jaw longer than the upper one ; eye large, contained three times and a half in the total length of the head ; height of body twice in the total length without the tail ; lateral line arched and extending on the base of the tail, covering about forty scales, the transverse line of about twenty scales. The specimens are in a dry state, and I can say nothing of the colours except that there are on the back traces of longitudinal black lines.
My largest specimen is about eight inches long.
GULLIVERIA. 7iov. gen.
Teeth on both jaws very numerous, short, conical, pointed, swollen and rounded at the base, placed irregularlyandcrowded; no canines ; tongue smooth ; an angular line of teeth on the palate ; praeopercle either without any denticulations or with very feeble ones ; opercle with aflat soft spine ; two dorsals ; the first with six spines, the second with a long spine ; anal with two spines ; general form oval, compressed ; scales moderate or rather large ; lateral line continuous, not extending on the caudal ; maxillaries extending to the posterior edge of the eye ; opening at the mouth rather oblique.
This genus belongs to the Percid2E.
1. — Gulliveria fusca. sp. nov. Body oval, rather elongate ; contained nearly three times in the total length without the caudal fin ; head twice and three quarters in the same length ; eye three times and three quarters in the head ; snout as long as the diameter of the eye, obliquely truncated in front, shorter than the lower jaw ; upper part of the head with strong and deep impressions ; all parts of the head
46 THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
covered with scales ; lateral line running over about forty scales ; these rather large and ciliated on their edges ; first dorsal placed over the middle of the length of the body, having six strong spines of which the first alone is very short, and the second the lono-est ; the secDud dorsal is well separated from the first ; it is formed of one slender spine and ten rays; the caudal is rather long and truncated ; the anal has two spines, one very short, and one long and slender, and nine rays ; the ventrals have a strong spine and are situated below or a little in front of the pectorals ; colour entirely brown. Leugth a little over four inches,
2. — GULLIYERIA FASCIATA. sp. nov.
Body a little more elongate than in G. fusca ; lower limb of the prseopercle distinctly serrated ; back of a light brown colour, lower parts of silvery ; four black transverse bands extend from the back to the side ; one below the first dorsal, one below the second, another on the middle of the tail, and the last on the end of this organ. Length a little over three inches.
Thbrapon fasciatus, Gast.
Therapon fasciatus, Cast. Researches on Fishes of Australia, 1876, page 11 .
I described this species from a specimen from the Swan river, buti find several in Mr. Gulliver's collection from the Norman river; these are preserved in spirits and in a much better state than those I had seen previously. I find that the dorsal has, apart from the twelve spines of its first portion, a long straight one belonging to the soft part ; the caudal has its lower edge black and three very faint transverse bands. The transverse bands of the body extend to about two thirds of its height.
Therapon terr^-regin^, Cast.
Therapon terrce-regmoe, Cast. Proc. Lin. Soc. N. S. W., vol. II, page 227.
The specimen on which I formed this species is not now in my possession having been returned to the Brisbane Museum, so I cannot compare the specimens that I have from the Norman river with the type ; but 1 have very little doubt that they belong to the
OF NBW SOUTH WALES. 47
same species ; the soft dorsal seems to be subject to considerable variation in the number of its rays, as in a large specimen I find ten, in others nine, and in one only eight.
This species is nearly allied to Therapon argenteus of Cuvier, on which this naturalist formed the genus Datnia.
Therapon caudovittatus. There is a rather large specimen dried and in a very bad state that seems to belong to this species.
CORVINA ALBIDA, Guv.
Corvina alhida, Cuv. Yal. vol. V, page 93. „ „ Gunther Cat. vol. II, page 309.
I was much surprised to find this Indian and Chinese species in a river of northern Australia. It attains a considerable size but this specimen is only twenty inches long. It is remarkable for the very large, sword-like spine of its anal fin.
SCATOPHAGDS MULTIFASCIATUS, Bich.
ScatopTiagus muUifasciatus, Richard. Ereb. and Terr, or, p. 57, pi. 35.
In the specimens from the Norman river the spines of the first dorsal are alternately very broad or slender. I had for some time thought these formed a distinct species, but this fact is observable in several other fishes of the same family. If this distinction proves to be constant I propose to distinguish this sort under the name of S. altermans.
TOXOTES CARPENTARIENSIS. sp. nov.
Resembles very much T. jaculator, and still more T. microlepisj but the dorsal is a little more forward, as by a perpendicular drawn from its base, the pectoral would be cut at more than one-fourth of its length ; this dorsal is much lower, the longer spines being contained three times and three-fourths in the height of the body ; these spines number six, all slender ; the third and fourth being the longest ; the rays number twelve ; the caudal is forked ; the anal has three feeble spines and sixteen rays ; the length of the snout considerably less (two thirds) than the space between the
48 THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
orbits, or very little more than the diameter of the orbit. Having seen only one specimen nine inches long, preserved in salt, I can say nothing of the colours.
Note. — There are in the collection two very young specimens, about an inch long, that I believe to belong to this sort ; they are preserved in spirits and show distinctly four broad
transverse dark bands on the bod)'.
KuKTUs GTJLLivERi, Cast.
Kurtus gulliveri, Cast. Proc. Lin. Soc. of N. S. W., vol. II, p. 233. This curious fish was found by Mr. Grulliver in a fresh water pond near the Norman river.
Periophthalmus adstralis, Oast.
Feriojplitlialmus australis, Cast. Researches Austr. Fishes, p. 22. Several small specimens about two inches long ; having been in spirits, the colour is slatey gray, with the belly white.
GOBIDS ? SAUROIDES. sp. nov.
It is with some doubt that I place this fish in the genus Gohius. It has the form, and nearly the dentition of a Saurus. The body is elongate, its height being contained five times in the total length, without the caudal ; the head is three times and a half in the same ; the eyes are small and directed upwards ; the lower jaw is considerably longer than the upper one ; on this there are two lines of sharp, elongate, conical teeth, the inner one directed backwards, and the outer one formed of rather strong canines placed at some distance from one another ; on the lower jaw there is in front, a line of large, strong, curved canines, and on the sides a double line of them ; numerous depressions cover the upper side of the head, which is entirely naked, except on the upper part behind the eyes where the scales are small ; on the body there are thirty seven series of scales on the longitudinal line ; these are large, angular, ciliated, and covered with strife ; and also several series of small ones at the end of the tail ; first dorsal with six spines, second with eight rays ; anal with ten ; the second dorsal and the anal have their last rays prolonged ; caudal rather long, pointed ; the ventrals separate except at the base and placed on a disk ; pectorals extending to the twelfth line of scales ; the scales on the lower side in front of the ventrals
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 49
are very small. The colour, after having been preserved in spirits, is of a light yellow brown, darker on the upper surface ; the fins except the ventrals and pectorals^ have lines of small dark spots. The specimen is seven inches long.
EliEOTRIS SIMPLEX. sp. UOV.
Enters in Gunther's division, characterised by scales rather large ; snout short, depressed ; general form a very long oval ; snout flat on its upper surface, shorter than the diameter of the eye ; aperture of the mouth rather oblique ; maxillaries much shorter than the anterior edge of the eye; head entirely scaley except on the snout ; height of body contained four times in total length (without the caudal) and equal to the length of the head ; body scales large, about twenty-eight on the longitudinal line; they are finely striated on their surface and ciliated on their edges ; first dorsal of six rays or soft spines ; second of one spine and ten rays ; the last of these are high, and extend considerably further than the base of the caudal, which fin is pointed ; anal having the same form as the second dorsal with one feeble spine and ten rays.
The only specimen is preserved in liquor ; it appears to have been yellow with the dorsal, caudal and anal marbled with brown. Three inches long.
ElEOTRIS PLANICEPS. Sf. UOV.
Belongs to the division characterised by scales large, snout broad and flat ; eight series of scales between the origin of the first dorsal and the anal ; height of body contained three times and two-thirds in the total length without the caudal ; head very flat, covered, except on the snout with minute scales ; the eye is small and contained nearly six times in the length of the head ; the lower jaw is rather prominent ; the maxillary extends to nearly the verticle from the posterior margin of the eye ; teeth villiform in broad bands on both jaws ; body covered with large scales, numbering thirty three on the longitudinal line ; the body is very convex with the tail long ; first dorsal low, of six rays ; the second dorsal higher of nine rays ; the caudal long and pointed ;
50 THE PROCEEDINaS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
anal with one spine and eight rays ; pectorals extending to the base of the anal ; preserved in liquor the fish appears black with the fins lightly marbled with yellow.
The specimen is three and a half inches long.
MUGIL DOBULA, Guntll.
Mugil dobula, Gunth. Cat. vol. Ill, page 420.
Head moderately broad ; body of a long oval ; pectorals not extending to the perpendicular drawn from the base of the dorsal ; an adipose eyelid. This species has been observed in several rivers in New South Wales.
Mugil compressus, Gunth.
Mugil compressus, Gunth. Cat. vol. Ill, page 49. Body very much compressed, very high at the base of the first dorsal ; head nearly pointed ; no adipose eyelid. Inhabits also the rivers of New South Wales.
Arius australis, Gunth.
Arius australis, Gunther Proceedings of the Zool. Soc. 1867, page 103.
The largest specimen is about seven inches long ; the caudal is very strongly forked ; general colour silvery ; the upper parts scaley.
Note.— The specimen described by Dr. Gunther was much larger, and came from the Hunter river.
Plotosus elongatus, Cast.
Plotosus elongatus, Cast. Proceedings Lin. Soc. of N. S. W., vol. 11, page 237.
Two specimens about eight inches long ; colour of a dark brown with the lower parts silvery.
Note. — There are also several very young and immature specimens of a Siluroid belonging, I believe, to the genus Plotosus but having the end of the caudal slightly rounded and not prolonged as in the preceding species.
Belone krefftii, Gunth.
Belone Jcrefftii, Gunth. Cat. vol. VI, page 250.
A very large sort, remarkable for its compressed tail ; the head is contained twice and a half only, in the total length without the caudal fin. The largest specimen is over 22 inches long.
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 61
Engraulis nasutus. sp. nov. Height of the body contained rather more than three times in total length without caudal ; the head four times and a half in the same length ; snout obtuse produced projecting considerably beyond the lower jaw ;* teeth very fine on both jaws ; maxillary considerably prolonged ; origin of the dorsal fin at the centre of the body without the caudal ; this fin is strongly forked ; there are twelve rays at the dorsal ; anal long, formed of 32 rays, extending considerably behind the dorsal ; abdomen compressed and entirely spiney ; I can say but little of the colours of this species, of which I have only seen one adult specimen seven inches long, but I have a small specimen preserved in spirits, which is silvery with the upper parts of a light brown, fins yellow.
Chatossus erebi.
Chatossus erebi, Gunth. Cat. vol. YII, page 207.
„ Come, Richard. Ereb. and Terr. p. 61, pi. 38. Found in the Brisbane river and also in the rivers of northern Australia.
Leuciscus ? australis. sp. nov.
Body elongate, very compressed ; its height contained four times in the total length without the caudal ; head nearly five times in the same length ; lower jaw longer than the upper one ; no teeth on the jaws nor on the palate ; eye rather large, contained three times and a half in the length of the head ; maxillary ex- tending to the exterior third of the eye ; lateral line continuous on the upper third of the body ; scales of moderate size ; dorsal fin placed in front of the middle of the length of the body of fourteen rays ; caudal bifurcated ; anal fin inserted a little behind the end of the dorsal, of eighteen rays ; the ventrals a little in front of the dorsal ; pectorals inserted below the opercle. The fish is of an orange colour becoming yellow on the belly ; the head is silvery no definite band on the side ; length of the type specimen about one inch and a half.
Note. — The specimen is very small and not in a very good state, and I may be mistaken about the palatine teeth ; all I can say is that I can see none.
On the upper surface of the head extends a strong longitudinal ridge.
52 THE PEOCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
On a new species of Hoplocephalus, from Sutton Forest, By William Magleay, F.L.S.
I am indebted to C S. Bransby, Esq., of Moss Yale, for a species of Hoplocephalus, lately captured by him somewhere in the Sutton Forest country.
I find it to be quite distinct from any of the species hitherto known or described.
I subjoin a somewhat detailed description of the snake, which I propose to name in honour of its discoverer.
Hoplocephalus Bransbti.
General form rather robust and cylindrical, the tail tapering to a very fine point. Head scarcely broader than the neck, rather flat and short, and rounded at the muzzle ; vertical shield twice as long as wide and six-sided, the two anterior facing the posterior frontals, and nearly in a straight line ; the two posterior converging to a rather rounded angle, and those abutting on the parietal shields parallel. The posterior frontals are large, five- sided, and separated from the second upper labial by the nasal and anterior oculars, the side abutting on the nasal being very short. The anterior frontals are short (one third the length of posterior), form a very straight suture with the posterior frontals, and are prolonged into an acute angle between them and the nasals. Nasal shield twice as long as high, with the nostril small and in the middle, and the angle formed by the rostral and anterior frontals very acute. Rostral shield low, not reaching the dorsal surface of the head. The anterior ocular shield pentagonal and emarginate in front ; both posterior oculars small, the inferior oue largest. The superciliary shields are nearly as broad as the vertical ; the occipitals are large and divergent behind. The fourth lower labial very large. All the head shields more or less covered with minute granules. The eyes are moderately large, pupils round. The scales of the back are in 15 rows before the middle of the body, and in 17 rows behind, and are all of elongate form with the apex a little rounded, except the two outer lateral rows which are broad and
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 63
much rounded at the tip. The abdominal plates are large and number 150. The anal plate is single ; the siibcaudals number 47. The colour on the upper surface is olive brown, with a narrow reddish yellow band rounded anteriorly behind the head, preceded by a still narrower blackish band, and a black vertebral line one scale wide along the whole length of the body from the neck. The under surface is yellow, each abdominal plate having a blackish margin, and the whole becoming darker towards the tail. The scales of the outer or lateral row are yellow, with a black mark on each side, forming two black stripes extending to the tail ; the scales of the next row have each a reddish spot near the base. The head is entirely yellow below the mouth, above only the labial shields and small portions of the anterior ocalar and other plates are yellowish. The total length is 17 inches.
The number of species of this genus now known is about 25, varying in length from six feet to less than one foot, all highly venomous, and, as far as my experience goes, seeming to belong almost exclusively to the temperate regions of Australia. They are abundant in Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and New South Wales. Several species also are found in Queensland, but not, I believe, north of Port Denison, and I have never in the many collections of snakes I have had from the Endeavour River, Cape York, and Port Darwin, seen'a single example of the genus. It is stated, however, by Mr. Krefft, whose work on the Snakes of Australia cannot be too highly praised, that Hoplocejplmlus curtus has been found as far north as the Gulf of Carpentaria.
On the other hand the genera Diemenia and PseudecMs seem to get more numerous in the tropical parts of Australia. Of the four species of the latter genus described, three, P. australis, scutellatus, and Barwiniensis are intra-tropical, and I have a fourth species from Port Darwin of large size, over six feet long, with the vertical shield more elongate and triangular than in P. JDar- winiensis.
54 THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEA.N SOCIETY
I may mention here that I saw a few days ago a fine specimen of Vipsas fusca procured by Dr. J. C. Cox, from the Mudgee district, a very unlikely place one would suppose for a snake of its habits.
I take this opportunity also of correcting a mistake of mine in a previous paper. In page 221 of Vol. II. of our Proceedings, I gave the name of Elapocephalus to a new genus of snakes from Port Darwin. I find that Dr. Gunther had previously (Cat. Brit. Mus., Snakes, App. 2, p. 276) used the same name for a genus of South American Snakes of a very difierent family. I propose now to substitute the generic name Elajpocranium for the Port Darwin Snake.
On the power of locomotion in the Tunicata. By William Macleay, F.L.S.
A few weeks ago I found the sandy beach at Elizabeth Bay, strewn at low water, with a number of large Ascidian Mollusks. In this there is nothing remarkable, the severe storm of the 2nd of this month, having no doubt torn from their hold on the rocky or sandy bed of the sea, these helpless masses.
But I have observed with some astonishment that these masses are, or seem to be, capable of a certain amount of locomotion.
What I have observed is, that these large Ascidians do change their positions most undoubtedly ; that in doing so they leave upon the wet sand a distinct track in accordance with the weight and size of the mass ; and that these movements are not in any way attributable to winds or waves. I at first thought it possible that the movements might be due to the agency of some of the animals adhering to the outside of the mass, but I found that the only organic attachments, excepting a few small shells, were clusters of simple Ascidians, utterly incapable therefore of combined action, and much two small for their individual efibrts to produce any effect.
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 55
Notwithstanding, however, this apparently convincing evidence, I ana indisposed to believe it possible that an animal so completely shut up in a thick coriaceous unmuscular sac, can have any power of external movement, nor is it likely that such a power would be possessed by an animal whose whole life (except in infancy) has to be passed firmly rooted to the bottom of the sea. I hope that some one having the leisure and opportunity, will endeavour to solve this problem.
On some Australian Littorinid^.
By the Rev. J. E. Tenison- Woods, F.L.S., F.G.S., Corr. Memb. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., &c.
We have in Australia and Tasmania certain coast shells which are variously distributed in several genera by different authors. They all resemble each other in this, that they are found for the most part on rocks which are seldom covered by the tide. They are not nacreous. They have a horny operculum, with a marginal nucleus and few whorls, and the animal has a small round foot which has never tentacular filaments like the Turbo, Trochus, or Phasianella. They are generally widely distributed, subject to very much variation, according to the locality where they are found. This has led to the same shell being regarded in different places as a different species, and the varieties also have been regarded as different species. In order better to understand the present state of our knowledge of these marine mollusca, it may be as well to state the history of the genus, or rather its classification. To Linneeus all these shells were Turbos' and those which were known to Schrotter, Chemnitz, Gmelin, Favanne, Born, Humphrey, and Lamarck, came under the same generic appellation. In 1821 M. Baron Ferussac, in his large and expensive work on the fresh water shells of France (so large and so expensive that it was never finished), divided the genus Paludina into five sub-genera. He gave the fifth the name of Littorma (written also with one t, or two r's by various writers), and included in that the common perry-winkle Turbo UUoreus of
56 THE PEOCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN 30CIETT
Linnseas {Lit. vulgaris of Sowerby's Genera of shells). This division of M. de Ferussac was not well understood, nor was it generally adopted. M. de Blainville (in bis Hist Nat. de Vers testacees, Paris, 1822, vol. I, p. 347), made another distribution of the species indicated by his predecessor which he regarded as a section of his large genus Tarho. Latreille subsequently in his work on the animal kingdom {Families du Begne Animal, Paris, 8vo, 1825), only cites this genus and the relations given by its author, but ignores it in his classification. Although G. Cavier was very slow in adopting new genera, nevertheless he adopted that of Littorina in the second edition of his Animal Kingdom {Regne Animal par G. Baron Guvier, 10 vols., Paris, 1828). But in doino- this he hardly can be said to have understood the relations of the animals, for he placed the genus following the fresh-water genus Paludina and next to Monodo'nta. I am quoting Deshayes on this matter, who adds (Hist. Nat. des Animaux s. vertehres, 2 edit, par Deshayes and M. Edwards, vol. IX, p. 200, note), "Unfortunately when Ciivier published the second edition of this work science was not in possession of facts sufficiently numerous or well enough established on the general relations of Linnaeus' laro-e genera of TurTjo and Trochus, to decide on all the classification of those divisions which had been rightly or wrongly made. It is equally true that Lamarck allowing himself to be cruided by his extensive knowledge of the characters of shells was much more happy in the classification of these genera than the most part of other zoologists or than G. Cuvier himself." M. Deshayes then goes on to indicate the changes that were necessary in the classification of Lamarck, arising from the observations which he (M. Deshayes) had made upon molluscous animals. He then adds (page 201, note) " In this matter for the crenus with which we are now occupied, we have observed that the animal has characters which easily distinguish it from all known species, and which, while it removes them further from either the Turbo or the Trochus genus, places them closer to Scalaridoe. Thus the animal of Littorina crawls upon a small foot with thin edges, oval or sub-circular, and almost entirely
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 57
hidden by the shell. When the animal moves this foot bears on the upper part of the posterior side an operculum which is always horny, blackish, pauci-spiral and with a lateral nucleus. This operculum forms from two and a half to three whorls ; it is semi- circular, and has a straight internal edge like the same organ in the genus Natica. The foot is very slightly projecting in front, where it is rounded. The head is rather solid, prolongated into a conical muzzle and terminated by a longitudinal slit wherein is placed the mouth ; the head bears two long pointed conical ten- tacles behind, broad at the base and having at the external side of this base a rather salient, blunt, ocular tubercle. The shells of the genus Littorina are easily distinguished from either Turbo or Trochus because they are never nacreous, and besides the form of the aperture, the flattened and almost trenchant columella, they have peculiar characters of their own. The only difficulty there would be is in separating them from some species of the genus Phasianella, if one omits to observe at first that in the latter genus the shells are always very highly polished, and that the operculum is calcareous. Those Littorince which approach nearest to Phasianella have the columella almost straight and trenchant at its edge, which is never seen in the latter genus. Finally the animals are different ; the Phasianelloe in the ornaments of the head and the tentacles of the foot do not differ from the animal of Trochus, while the Littorince, as we have explained, have characters peculiar to themselves, and which approaches the animal of Scalaria. Between the opercula of the genus Littorina and Scalaria there is a good deal of analogy. The animal of Scalaria has the head probos- cidiform, the tentacles are more obtuse, shorter in proportion, and the ocular tubercles are a trifle more elevated."
Having premised these particulars, M. Deshayes defines his genus thus : — Gren. Littorina, Ferussac. General characters : Animal spiral, moving on a foot thin oval or sabcircular ; head proboscidiform, mouth terminal, anterior ; two conical tentacles, pointed, broad at the base ; eyes large, hardly projecting from the external base of the tentacles ; operculum horny, pauci-spiral
b
58 THE PEOCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
with lateral and siibmarginal nucleus. Shell turbinate, not nacreous, thick, solid, oval, or globular ; aperture entire, slightly oblique to the longitudinal axis, angular at the summit ; columella large, curved or almost straight, without inner lip, and, as it were, denuded, and almost trenchant at its internal edge.
He adds that the Littorince, as their name indicates, live almost always on the rocks which fringe the shore. They are almost always out of water, but they are placed so as to receive the surf which breaks over the rocks. They seem capable of resisting in their exposed position the burning heat of the sun, the torrents of fresh water from rivers, or the fury of the waves which break upon the rocks. I may add from my own observation that they are estuary shells, and flourish in brackish or almost fresh water. M. Deshayes remarks that two species of Lamarck's Monodonta, M. pagodus (Indian Ocean), and M. papillosa (Timor), should both be removed to Littorina ; also a few of the species of Lamarck's Phasianella. With regard to the M. pagodus, which was brought to Europe from Capt. Beechey's voyage, Mr. E. Gray made it the type of a new genus, Pagodus. The animal, however, as well as the operculum, are those of a true Littorina. M. Deshayes also removed into this genus three fossils of the Paris basin which he had formerly described as Phasianella, viz., P. tricostata, muUisulcata, and melanoides. He was of opinion also that some of the secondary fossils regarded as Turho and Trochus should be considered as Littorina, notably T. ornatus and carinatus of Sowerby's Mineral GoncJiology, p. 240.
To these particulars of Deshayes may be added the following facts : The odontophore or lingual ribbon is long and narrow in the case of the Australian species, and I believe I have observed that it is a tube. The greater part is rolled up in a spiral coil at the back of the mouth. It has three simple teeth at each side of the central tooth, which is small. The lateral ones are long, curved, and the two outer ones being tricuspid and the four inner ones bicuspid. The teeth, as well as the
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 59
membrane on which they are placed, are colorless, transparent, and glassy. No other molluscan animal, as far as I am aware, has the odontophore coiled up at the back of the mouth.
The shells of the Littorince are for the most part like the typical species, the common perry-winkle of Europe ; that is to say they are elongately turbinate with, rounded whorls almost destitute of ornament. But there are some with tubercles and granules upon the spire, and with flattened whorls and angular base. These have been erected into other genera by dijBferent authors, as I shall show presently, but at present I am regarding as one genus all those shells which would come under the definitions of Deshayes with regard to the shells and the animals.
There is one peculiarity in some members of the genus to which, as far as I am aware, attention has not been drawn by any naturalist, and it is so very common and so peculiar that it must have some relation to the animal economy. T refer to a spiral white or yellow line which lines the interior of the shell, and arises from the anterior aperture, or at the lower part of the labrum or outer lip. I find this peculiarity on the following members of the genus : — L. grandis (Sea of Ochotsk, Reeve), Middenof ; L Africana, Philippi, Algoa Bay ; L. ziczac, Chemnitz, Monte Christo, West Columbia, and South Australia (Kangaroo Island ?) ; L. cincta, Quoy & Gaimard ; L. luctuosa, Reeve, New Zealand ; L. neritoides, Mediterranean ; L. granularisy Gray, Hab. ? ; L. striata, King, Canary Islands, ita Reeve ; L. NovcB Zelandm, Reeve ; * L. Knysnoeensis, Krauss, Knysna River, Cape ; L. grano-costata, Reeve, Brisbane ; L. Feejeensis, Reeve, Feejee ; L. araucana, D'Orbigny, South America ; L. nuauritiana, Lamk, described as Phasianella (= L, loevis, Reeve ; L. diemanensis, Quoy & Gaimard, Chatham Islands ; L. unifasciata, Gray, Tasmania and S. Australia) ; L. melanostoma (Risella melanosto7na, Gmelin, nana Lamk. ; vittata and lutea aurata, plana, striolata).
I shall notice presently what I consider will throw some light upon this curious feature. I now pass on to the manner in which
* The name and the habitat are Reeve's, but no such shell is known in New Zealand, See Journal de Conchyliologie, 1878, p. 26 .
60 * THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
Littorina has been subdivided by different authors. There are about 200 species at present known. But many of these will need reduction. The following very complete and excellent notice of the family is from Woodward's Manual of the Mollusca (Tate's Edition).
Family Littorindj;. Shell turbinated or depressed, never pearly, aperture rounded, peristome entire ; operculum horny, pauci-spiral ; animal with a muzzle-shaped head and eyes sessile at the outer base of the tentacles ; tongue long and armed with a medium series of broad hooked teeth, and three oblong hooked uncini ; branchial plume single ; foot with a linear duplication in front and a groove along the sole ; mantle with a rudimentary siphonal canal ; operculum lobe appendaged. The species inhabit the sea or brackish water and are mostly littoral feeding on alg£e.
Littorina, Ferussac. Shell turbinated, thick, pointed, few whorled ; aperture rounded, outer lip acute, columella rather flattened, imperforate ; operculum pauci-spiral ; lingual teeth and trilobed uncini hooked and den- tated ; 131 species. He adds. " the perry-winkles are found on the seashore in all parts of the world ; in the Baltic they live within the influence of fresh water and frequently become dis- torted ; similar monstrosities are found in the Norwich Crag. The common species (L. littorea), is oviparous ; it inhabits the lowest zones of seaweed between tide marks. An allied species (L. Tudis), frequents a higher region where it is scarcely reached by the tide ; it is viviparous and the young have a hard shell before their birth, in consequence of which the species is not eaten. The tongue of the winkle is two inches long ; its foot is divided by a longitudinal line, and in walking the sides advance alternately. The perry-winkle and the trochus are the food of the thrush in the Hebrides during the winter. The lingual canal passes from the back of the mouth under the oesophagus for a short distance, then turns up the right side and terminates in a coil like spare rope resting on a plaited portion of the gullet. It is 2^ inches long and contains about 600 rows of teeth, the part
OF NEW SOUTH WALES 61
in use arming the tongue comprises about 24 rows." Mr. Wood- ward subdivides the family into 9 genera, viz. : — Littorina, Solarium, PJiorus, Lacuna, Litiopa, Rissoa, Skenea, Truncatella and Lithoglyphus. This is not a natural arrangement for many reasons which cannot be entered into here. He arranges the following as subgenera under Littorina : —
1. — Tectaria, Cuvier, 1827.* Shell muricated or granulated, sometimes with an umbilical fissure ; operculum with a broad membranous border.
2.— Modulus, Graij, 1840. Shell trochiform or naticoid ; porcellanous ; columella per- forated, inner lip worn or toothed ; operculum horny or few whorled.
3. — FossARUS, Philippi, 1841. Shell perforated, inner lip thin, operculum not spiral.
4. — RiSELLA, Gray, 1840.
Shell trochiform with a flat or convex base ; whorls keeled ; aperture rhombic, dark or variegated ; operculum pauci-spiral, 5. — CoNRADiA, Adams, and Couthotia, Adams.
The two latter from small species in the Japanese seas which it is not necessary to refer to now.
This arrangement is nearly that of Adams Brothers, in their genera of Mollusca, only that the subgenera are suppressed and the genera are placed as subgenera with Swainson's Echinella and Adams' Isapis excluded. Chenu, in his " Manual," follows the arrangement of Adams, but appears from the figures given to confound one genus with another, supposing him to accept the divisions given in the " Genera of Shells."
I do not pretend to pronounce an opinion upon some of these genera. I confine my attention in the first instance to those which have reference to species existing on the Australian coast. And first with reference to the genus Bisella. The history of the genus has already been given by me in vol. I, p. 242, of the
' There is a dispute about the priority of this name. Valenciennes is quoted by Adams, but his name was Tectarius, and Montfort's Tectus.
62 THE PEOCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
" Proceedings " of this Society. It was erected originally by Philippi for Lifctorinse with acute whorls, and those peculiarities which have already been referred to.
It was noticed by M, Crosse, in the Jour, de Conchyl. for 1865, that this diagnosis would hardly warrant a separation from Littorma, but he called attention to another feature that had escaped notice, that is to a basal thickening in a kind of thread about the middle of the aperture. He thought also that there were about nine species. In my paper I attempted to show that there is only one species, and since that time have made a careful comparison of an immense number of individuals from various parts of the coast, and having further observed that all the presumed species breed freely with one another, I make no doubt whatever that this genus, if it is to be preserved, can only be said to be represented by one species.* Now as to the basal funicular thickening we find that it does not hold good for all the individuals. It is present and absent on difiPerent specimens, but more frequently present on old shells. But it has not been remarked that always by the side of it there is a white or yellow spiral line on the outer and anterior angle of the aperture. This white spiral line or groove, for it is both, corresponds with the line I have called attention to in the turbinate Littorince, and I find that it is a groove along which the organs of reproduction are always exserted, whether they be male or female. I have before shown that this ofiice is variously assumed by different shells. It is not easy to explain why this portion of the shell is differently colored, unless it is in keeping with what is noticed in the coloring of certain flowers, butterflies, &c. The whole of the Littorince have the aperture of dark color, though highly enamelled, and this whitish line is a conspicuous diversity on the appearance, though it would be a very narrow view of the operations of nature to say that its only purpose was to attract. Round the mouth of most Bisellce, and close to this spiral line,
* In the Annals of Nat. Hist, for 1852, vol. II, p. 76, Mr. W. Thompson writes that he had observed several examples of small Littorina rudis in coitu with L. littoralis, and in every instance the male was L. rudis. He suggested that perhaps a hybrid resulted, and this was L. palliata, but that form did not frequent that part of the coast. The question has not, as far as I know, been followed. A few very simple observations in a small aquarium might lead to important discoveries in such matters.
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 63
there are generally a few diagonal yellow lines which make the spot still more conspicuous, especially as the enamel of the rest of the shell is such a thick glossy lining of intense brown, almost like the varnish known as Brunswick black.
The shape of the species and varieties is very uncertain. Sometimes the shell is almost turbinate, and the whorls rounded ; in others it is depressed, the whorls ovately angular, smooth, and flat ; others again are more depressed, and the whorls almost keeled with tubercular undulations on the edge, which become almost spinous. At times also the spire is ornamented with coarse nodular protruberances. Now, seeing all these variations we are bound to enquire on what is the generic distinction to rest. Not on the shape or ornamentation of the spire, nor on the depressed or angular sharpness of the whorls. Not on the funicular basal thickening, for that is uncertain too. In any case it would be a genus with one species, but a species which in no respect can be divided generically, from typical Littorince. The animal is the same ; the operculum is horny, pauci-spiral, with a marginal nucleus. The odontophore is the same, and curled in a coil at the back of the head ; there are no tentacular appendages. The shell is not nacreous, and the habits of the animal are in all respects those of Littorma. It lives almost always out of the water, on rocks exposed to the spray. It is found in brackish water, and can bear the extremes of heat and cold.
Messrs. Adams reminds us in the Annals of Nat. Sist. that no harm is done to science by the addition of a new genus, and this is quite true as long as it is founded on well defined and permanent features. But if a genus is erected on characters that are slight and uncertain, and if, moreover, they vary and pass insensibly into others, then it is an injury to science and to the student, who will be bewildered in trying to recognise them ; an injury also to any sound system of classification. For these reasons, therefore, I think most scientific men will agree with me that the genus Risella ought to be suppressed. It has no permanent characters which can be relied upon to separate it
64 THE PEOCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
from lAttorina. It is simply one of our Australian Littorince, very determinate and characteristic, though within certain limits very variable. It seems that it has a very wide range, and though specimens from extreme portions of the continent would with difficulty be recognized as the same, yet they are all one species flourishing under different conditions. In thus suppress- ing the genus Risella we are really simplifying the science. I am aware that the principle of suppressing genera which graduate insensibly into one another must not be pressed too far. Thus it would be difficult to draw a distinct line between such apparently well established genera as Turbo and Trochus. M. Deshayes acknowledged this when he tried to distinguish them by the calcareous or horny operculum, or by their being nacreous or non-nacreous. But all these features are interchanged. A better distinction might be found to rest upon the odontophore or lingual ribbon, but even this is insufficient. But difficulties like these are not in question in the case of a genus with only one species, where the characters on which it is founded appear and disappear in different individuals. Littorina melanostoma is, however, a very good and interesting species, and may be taken as one of those forms which give a character to the Australian fauna. It is said to extend to New Zealand, at Auckland, though Oapt. Hutton says the locality is doubtful. This species has been re-described in the cruise of the Novara as B. Kielmanseggi. The following will be the synonomy of the species : — Trochus in fauce nigerrimus, Chemnitz, Conch. Cabinet, t. 5, p. 20, pi. 161, /. 1,526, a.b. (I cite this and the three following on the authority of Deshayes, in Lam. 2nd edit., though far from sure that they refer to the species, t) Trochus, Schrot, Einl. I. 1, p. 682, n. 12. Trochus melanostomus, Gmelin, p. 8,581, No. 90. Dillwyn Catalogue, b. I. 2, p. 797, No. 89. Deshayes Lamarh, Vol. 9, |:>. 157, No. 78. Trochus nanus, ibid., p. 150, No. 67. Littorina luteola, Quoy., Voy. de V Astro, torn. 2, p. 4i77, •pi. 33, /. 47. Bisella aurata, Quoy. ; Risella nana, Quoy. ; R.
* i Risella varia, Hutton, is given by him as Adeorbis in Jour, de Conch., 1878, p. 27, Vol. — . Marten considers it a Risella.
t It may be that the origin of the name is from Reeve, Proc. Zool. Soc., 1842, p. 185, as Trochus.
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 65
plana, Quoy. ; B. lutea, Quoy. ; B. Bruni, Crosse ; E. lutea, Pliilippi, Adams ; B. vittata, Philippi ; B. imbricata, Gray, Phil., Adams ; Bembicium nanum, Philippi ; B. pidum, ditto ; Littorina Australis, Gray ; Trochus cicatricosus, Jonas.
In addition to the above named Littorina we have the following cited by various authors as occurring in Australia and Tasmania : L, mauritiana, Reeve ; L. unifasciata, Gray, Appendix 1. 2 vol. of King's Yoy. in Australia, p. 483 ; L. paludinella, Reeve, Icon, pi. 16, fig. 84 ; L. Hisseyana, mihi, Proc. Roy. Soc, Tas., 1875 ; L. Philippi, Carpenter, Cat. Magallan Shells, p. 349 ; L. ziczac, Chemnitz, t. 5, p. 69, pi. 166, f. 1,600; L. diemanensis, Quoy. and Gaimard, Voy. de I'Astrol., t. 2, p. 479, pi, 33, f. 8-11; L. pyramidal is, Quoy. and Gaim., loc. cit. 6, p. 482, pi. 3, f. 12-15 ; L. undulata. Gray, loc. cit. ; L. Australis, Gray in King, loc. cit.
Some of these shells call for no remark, as they are either doubtful Liitorince, or too little is known about them. Littorina mauritiana is, however, one about which there is much to be said. It is a rather elongated turbinated shell, with rounded whorls, the last nearly as long as all the others combined. It is generally of a bluish color, but ranges from pale blue to the faintest bluish white. It is also sometimes spirally banded with faint blue or white lines, or it is longitudinally striated with zig-zag lines of dull green, or reddish lines. At the base of the last whorl there is a very obtuse angle, scarcely perceptible in some shells — very visible in others. Some of the shells are globose, with a very short and acute spire, while the last whorl is immensely dispro- portioned to the rest. This variety has often the zig-zag dull green lines. The shell varies in size from 5 mil. to 25 in height. The small sizes are young, and of a smalt blue. All these varieties may be obtained from the same patch of rock. It is common everywhere on rocks above high water mark. I have found no difference in its characteristics in Guichen Bay (S. A.), Port Jackson, and the extreme south of Tasmania. Perhaps the South Tasmanian specimens are a little smaller.
I cannot see any specific difference between this shell and L. Africana Philippi, and considering that our common shell is identified with the one that occurs at the Mauritius, it is easy to
66 THE PKOCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
believe that they are one and the same. Indeed, it is very easy to bridge over any interval when we find such a deep and open sea as that which intervenes between Australia and the Mauritius bridged over by the same species. I believe it to be also identical with Littorina cUemanensis, Quoy (Voy. de VAst. t. 2, p. 479, pi. 33,/. 8, llj. Of this species M. Deshayes says, after quoting the habitat of Quoy, which is simply Yan Dieman, " The Littorina of Dieman is absolutely the bluish Turbo of Lamarck," which is a Littorina, or as now known L. ccsrulescens. It is found, he adds, in the Mediterranean, and on the English Channel. The only slight difference that M. Deshayes could observe was the presence of certain strias which the European specimens have not, but I can answer that the Australian species are as often without them. " The individuals are in general larger (he is referring to the Australian shells.) Shell short, slightly swollen at the base, the spire is pointed. The color is sky blue, with an irregular band, rather darker in the last whorl. The aperture is rounded, a little angular, and of a sombre violet within. Its colors are much more brilliant under water than when exposed to the air. It is 11 millim. long, by 6 wide. So far with regard to the Tasmanian species. It is also said to occur in N. Zealand. Captain Hutton has sent me the shells which receive this name (L. diemanensis) . They came from Dunedin (nearly 46° S. lat.), a very cold station for a shell whose finest and largest examples are found at Port Jackson, or even as far north as lat. 30 S. Consequently, as we might expect, the Dunedin specimens are sordid and dwarfed. The bands of color are far more definite, and the blue, or rather neutral tint predominates over the white, while at Port Jackson the white predominates. The mouth is much darker in the Dunedin shells, and the angle less marked at the base of the last whorl. This is the rule, but intermediate examples can be found at both places. The Port Jackson shells have the last whorl larger than the spire, which is short and tumid. The spire is longer and not tumid at Dunedin, but with rounded whorls. It seems to me that the Dunedin shells may be taken as an intermediate stage to Littorina cincta, Quoy, which is the common form on the Dunedin coast, and at the Bluff, N.Z.,
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 67
and is synonymous with L. luctuosa, Reeve. The most important difference between L. diemanensis and L. cincta is in the oper- culum. This organ in the former animal is paucispiral with the nucleus marginal. The whorls also are not only few but oblong. The striae are fine, and the appearance delicate. In L. cincta the operculum is many whorled, but not so many as in TrocJwcochlea Australis. They are circular, rugged, irregular and coarse, and the nucleus is nearly central. In this respect L. diemanensis resembles it. In fact, L. cincta is only a large L. diemanensis dark and sombre in color, rugged and sordid in appearance. The operculum no doubt partakes of the rugged character of the shell. I do not say they are the same species, but I think it would not be difficult to find a series passing insensibly from one species to the other, and I strongly incline to the opinion that L. cincta is L. diemanensis in a very much colder climate, on an exposed and rocky coast.
But is L. diemanensis the proper name for our Australian specimen ? In a note on the Turbo coerulescens of Lamarck, Mr. Deshayes says (Lamarck, 2 edit.. Vol. 9, p. 217) — " This shell belongs to the genus Littorina. It is a species very common on the shores of the Mediterranean. It clings to rocks beaten by the sea, but above its level when calm. Naturalists must find it difficult to determine which is the Nerita littoralis of Linne. Those who consult the quoted reference in Lister's History of the Animals of England, p. 164, cannot fail to recognize the Turho ccerulescens of Lamarck, but those who only consult the figures named in the synonomy of Linne will see that Nerita littoralis is the same species as Turho neritoides. But the confusion increases when we read that it is very common and very variable in color on the rocks of the seas of Europe, and that a smaller variety frequents the fresh waters. It is evident that under the name of Nerita littoralis, Linne confused three species at the least ; Turbo carulescens and T. neritoides doing double duty and probably Neritina fluviatilis. Gmelin simplifies Linne inasmuch as he suppresses the reference to Lister, p. 154, and reduces the synonomy to the figures which represent Turbo neritoides. Con- sequently Gmelin's N. littoralis is a second employment of Turbo
68 THE PEOCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
neritoides. Dillwyn gives to the Turbo neritoides quite a different signification from even Linne. He only admits one of the references which is only Gualtieri, fig. F, plate 45. This figure would agree well enough with the Turho ccerulescens of Lamarck, but cannot in any way be referred to the Liunean species."
I have deemed it necessary to refer at length to this question of synonomy in case any of the older works on the citation of Linne should be consulted. Our L. dieinanensis should on M. Deshayes' authority be considered the same as X. ccerulescens. This also is the same as L. mauritiaina, unifasciata, Africana, and a host of others. If we believe that only one species ranges between the Cape of Good Hope and Australia then the synonomy will be something enormous.
But does it not seem strange that a shell should fringe our coasts on the Southern Hemisphere and be found quite as common on the north coasts of the Mediterranean, &c., while no sign of its existence can be traced in the intermediate regions. It does seem somewhat unusual and singular, but we have similar facts in Botany. Every one knows for instance the showy purple Loosestrife (Lytliris salicaria), which is such a conspicious object in marshy places in Europe. With its companion Lythris hyssopifolium it is widely distributed in Europe. Well, when R. Brown landed in Tasmania and began to explore where European feet had surely never trodden before, one of the first things he noticed in the marshy places was the purple Loosestrife of Europe. It was not long before he had found L. hyssopifolium, growing with its companion just under its well-known conditions. Such instances might be multiplied, and probably they hold good in the insect world, and in the higher order of animals. It seems as if each country or each province has its particular fauna which is peculiar in its resemblances as well as its differences, and besides all this has a certain amount of features which are the same for every portion of the earth's surface under similar conditions. And moreover it seems to me that the true clue to this fact is one which neither the evolution theory or the " station or dispersion " theory will completely explain. Our Newton of natural science is yet to come, the zoologist of the future, who
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 69
shall discern the law which pervades all nature and reads it so that the anomaly of to-day should be the confirmatory fact of to-morrow.
In keeping with the above fact we have lAttorina ziczac, which is a shell very much like our L. ccerulescens except that it is streaked with undulating red lines. This is a common form in some of the West Indian Islands, at Monte Christo in West Columbia, and is not uncommon on Kangaroo Island in South Australia, and on other parts of the South Australian coast. My own idea is that it is only a variety of L. ccerulescens. I do not assert this positively, but I am inclined to think it. The extraordinary variations to which shells are subject in the matter of color makes one prepared for anything. TroclwcocJilea australis is variegated light green and white, dark olive and yellow, reddish brown and yellow, and finally a uniform dull black or greenish black. T. constricta is dull white, dull yellow pale flesh color, or streaked a bright green and white, red and yellowish green, neutral tint and white, or black and white. Then the shape of these variegations are just as diverse. The streaks are sometimes three or four, or they are narrow pointed and numerous, or they are very fine zigzag lines, the angles of the zigzags being very acute and the lines long or few and obtuse, &c., &c. In fact, within given limits, there is no form or pattern of color that might not find representatives in these most variable shells. If color then be the only difference, I think we should claim L. ziczac too as a synonym for our Littorina, but the animals I have not examined and have only imperfectly examined the shell.
Next to L. ccerulescens, for such I shall always now designate our common coast perry winkle, we have a species called Littorina pyramidalis, by Quoy. (Voy. de V Astrolabe, vol. 2, p. 482, pi. 33, jig. 12-15). He states that " it was found in Jervis Bay, and is remarkable for its pyramidal form, with the last whorl much swollen, and seems a base from which the spire rises abruptly." It is rough girdled with a string of tubercles on the spire, and which is doubled on the summit of the last whorl. These tubercles are prominent, round and blunt. It shows some
70 THE PEOCEBDINaS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
irregular longitadinal folds on the outer edge of tlie lip. The aperture is small, round, but somewhat irregular ; is highly- enamelled, a deep purple brown color, and there are two spira 1 yellowish lines running up the throat, one at the base or anterior as already described in other Littorince, and the other between the sutare and the posterior line of tubercles, but just at the edge of the latter. The columella is very much depressed, sharp, as in all the genus, dilated and almost channelled at the anterior end. The color is a bluish grey, the tubercles white, and the spire reddish. In all matters of detail it is absolutely a Littorina. It is often spirally striated. The operculum is of four neat ovately rounded whorls, and not quite so marginal as in our other species, but still almost posterior, and at the columellar edge. The lingual ribbon lies in a coil at the back of the head. The coil is very conspicuous and round, whereas in L. ccBYulescens it is not so easily seen when the animal is drawn out of its shell, as the coils are fewer, oval, and the membrane which covers it is thicker. The teeth on the ribbon are like all the genus, but it seems to me that the radula itself is broader and longer. The organs of respiration and reproduction call for no especial notice, except that they are on the typical plan of Littorina littorea. The muscular tissue of the body is thin and transparent, and very favorable for microscopic examination. The nervous ganglia and the neural branches are very plainly visible by transmitted light with an inch objective.
With the exception of the shell there is nothing to separate the species from the typical Littorina. Messrs. Adams separates it, and probably also Gray, on the ground of the tuberculations on the shell. They notice other differences, such as a callosity on the anterior lip generally, and a few-whorled operculum which has also a broad membranaceous edge. Whether these particulars apply to all the members of the genus except this one I cannot say. They do not apply to this. The operculum has four whorls, but there is no membranaceous edge, such as is very visible in our Trochocochlea, and there is no callosity on the lip. And I respectfully submit that if they were there they are not sufficient as generic distinctions. They are at most sub-
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 71
generic, and considering how many are absent from our species I don't think we are justified in going further than Mr. Woodward proposes, that is writing this species in future thus — Littorina (Tectaria) pyramidalis, Quoy.
The following Littorince (Tectaria) are described in Reeve and Chenu possessing tubercles on the spire. The type is L. pagodus, which resembles our shell in the granules being disposed in a double line on the upper part of the body whorl, and in a single line on the spire. L. hicolor is another very similar ; L. hullata, Zanzibar, North Australia, and Reeve adds New Zealand, but this is an error ; L. coronaria, Phillip Islands ; L. tectum persicum, L. spinulosa, Singapore ; L. lemniscata, Cuba, but with L. malaccana, Pulo-Penang, so like our L. pyramidalis that the identity is strongly suspected by me. L. cumingii, Phillip Islands ; L. dilatata, Cuba ; L. suhnodosa, Red Sea ; L. rmiricata, West Africa, Cuba ; L. vilis, which Reeve gives as from New Zealand, but Capt. Hutton assures me there is nothing like it. It looks very much like a young specimen of our L. pyramidalis, and considering that Reeve misquotes Quoy, and gives New Zealand as the habitat of our shell instead of Van Dieman, we may certainly erase L. vilis from our lists. * L. feejeeusis (?) Feejee ; L. natalensis, Natal ; L. trochoides, hab. ? L. granosa, Guinea. To sum up the results of this paper my conclusions are : —
1. That the Littorinidce of Australia so closely resemble the genus Littorina of Europe that they cannot be generically separated from it.
2. That the genus Risella should be suppressed, as no perma- nent generic character can be defined in it, and there is only one species which is extremely variable.
3. That the species known to some authors as Tectaria pyramidalis is merely Littorina, with a double line of granules, which feature does not entitle it to generic distinction, since it shows it with many other species. If it be considered as belong- ing to the sub-genus, it should be remembered that it is destitute of many of the defined characters of Tectaria.
* There are many mistakes in the habitats of Reeve, which strongly dispose one to think that they arose from his regarding Van Dieman's Land as a part of New Zealand.
72 THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
4. That our Littorina mauritiana is probably identical with the Littorina cosrulescens of Europe, and that L. ziczae, unifasciata, and undulata are merely varieties.
5. That all of our species have in the anterior aperture a oTOOve or line, often conspicuously light in color, which is in some way connected with the organs of reproduction.
Descriptions of five species of new Birds, from Torres Straits and
New Guinea, &c.
By E. P. Ramsay, F.L.S.
On a supposed new species of Lory, allied to LoRius hyp(eno- CHROUS of Gray, from Cloudy Bay, South Coast, New Guinea.
Lorius hyposnochrous (G. R. Gray) var.
Head and nape deep black, abdomen and a broken band across the interscapular region black, with a faint violet tinge ; a narrow line of crimson feathers round the back of the neck ; a black band across the interscapular region, the lower portion mottled with crimson feathers ; the back, rump, upper tail coverts, and the basal half of the tail feathers both above and below, the flanks, breast, chest, sides of the head and throat, and the under wing-coverts, rich crimson, the concealed parts of the breast and chest feathers becoming yellow near the base ; thighs and under tail-coverts deep violet blue, the apical half of the tail feathers olive yellow below, blackish violet-blue above. Wings above green, blackish on the margins of the shoulders ; the scapularus tinged with olive chiefly on their outer webs, the primaries and secondaries deep green on the outer webs, the former becoming blackish at the tips, the latter black on the tips of the inner web ; all the wing quills deep bright yellow on the inner webs from near the tip to the base, the yellow covering the whole of the under surface of the wing except at the end of the primaries. Fleshy skin saving the eye purple ; bare line at base of mandibles yellowish. Bill coral red, deepest at the base ; legs and feet black.
THE PBOCEEDINGS OF THE LTNNEAN SOCIETY 73
Total length, 10*4 in. ; wing, 6'7 ; tail, 4*5 ; tarsus, 0*9 ; bill from forehead, 1'2 ; Culmen, 1'3.
Hab., Cloudy Bay, South Coast, New Guinea.
This species of Lory comes very close to Dr. Gray's descrip- tion of Lorius hypoenochrouii, but differs in having the whole of the abdomen black, and a black band across the interscapular region, and in the color of the under tail-coverts ; also in the concealed yellow spot near the base of the breast and chest feathers ; but notwithstanding these differences this may however hereafter prove to be only a very old male of Lorius hypcenochrous ; should it, however, prove distinct, I am desirous it should bear the name of Lorius OuUelmi, in honor of S. B. Williams, Esq., of the Paradise and Victoria Nurseries, London, who has so liberally equipped Mr. Goldie for his botanical explo- rations in New Guinea, from whom I have received this specimen.
Pitta novce-hihernicoe. sp. nov.
From the Rev. George Brown's collection, obtained in New Ireland and the Duke of York Islands, the Museum purchased a Pitta, which, until lately, I considered to be a young female of Pitta macJcloti, of Temm. Signer D'Albertis, however, pointed out that this could not be the case, and showed me a fine series in his collection from the Fly River. I have also examined young of both sexes in the Dobroyde collection, and in that of the Australian Museum, where the young of P. macMoti distinctly show the black coloring on the throat and the black line which separates in the adult, the broad blue chest-band from the crimson of the breast and abdomen. The New Ireland bird, for which I propose the name of Pitta novce-hibernicce, resembles P. maclotii very closely, but the black on the throat, and the black band below the blue on the chest is not found ; the forehead and crown of the head are of a dull brown, washed with rust-red ; the occiput and nape are of a bright rust-red ; sides of the head and throat dull rusty-brown, ear-coverts and narrow line of feathers over the eye blue, like the chest ; all the under surface crimson, but of not quite so deep in tint as in P. mackloti; the back and remainder of the plumage, and the
or NEW SOOTH WALES. 74
white spots on shoulders and the primaries, the same as in that species. Bill, dark brown ; legs, brownish grey.
Total length, 6 inches ; wings, 3*2 ; tail, 1'5 ; tarsus, 1*55 ; bill from forehead, 1*05, from gape 1*15.
Hah., New Ireland.
Pachycephala fuliginata. sp. nov.
Adult male. The whole of the head, lores, ear-coverts, sides of the neck, and a broad band across the chest, sooty black ; the throat, breast, under wing-coverts, abdomen, flanks and under tail coverts, and a narrow line at the base of the tail feathers on the inner web, white ; tail above blackish brown ; the centre two tail feathers margined and tipped and the remainder slightly margined at the base on the outer web only with bluish ashy- like the back ; brown below ; very narrow blackish shaftlines down the feathers on the back. Wings blackish brown above, the margins of all the feathers on the outer webs bluish ashy- grey ; lower part of the hind neck, wing-coverts, shoulders, back rump and upper tail coverts bluish lead-grey ; the basal portion of the wing feathers on the under surface, margined with white on their inner webs ; bill, black ; legs and feet blackish lead color.
Total length, 6 inches ; wing, 3'5 ; tail, 2*7 ; tarsus, 0*73 ; bill from forehead, 0*7.
The black of the ear-coverts is joined to that of the chest by a broad black band down the side of the neck.
Hob. South-East coast of New Guinea.
This species is about the size of P. riifiventris, and resembles P. leucogastra of Salvadori and D'Albertis, but has no trans- verse vermiculations on the back.
Pachycephala collaris. sp. nov.
The whole of the head and nape black ; pectoral band black, narrow, joining the ear-coverts ; round the back of the neck from the breast a distinct deep yellow collar ; all the remainder of the upper surface olive; quills of the wing blackish brown, margined on the outer webs with ashy-grey, on the inner at the base with white ; wing-coverts above blackish, broadly margined
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 75
with olive-grey ; throat white, all the remainder of the under surface, and the under and tail and wing-coverts bright yellow ; tail olive-brown above, dull brown below ; bill black ; legs dark brown .
Total length, 6 inches ; wing, 3*7 ; tail, 2' 7 ; tarsus, 0*96 ; bill, 0-9.
Hab. Courtance Island, South -East coast, New Guinea.
Adult feinale. Crown, sides of the head, neck, and all the upper surface dull brown, of an earthy tint ; wings blackish brown, margined with lighter brown ; tail dull earthy-brown above, lighter below ; ear-coverts rich earthy-brown, which color becoming lighter extends to the sides of the chest, and forms an indistinct band across it ; throat to the chest white, breast and abdomen deep yellow ; under tail-coverts paler yellow, under wing-coverts white, washed, with yellow. Bill, black ; legs, lead-grey.
Total length, 6-3 in. ; wing, 8'5 ; tail, 2 6 ; tarsus, 1*1 ; bill, 0*9.
I have provisionally described this bird as the female of P. coUaris. It may hereafter prove to be a distinct species. Stigmatops alho-auricularis. sp. nov.
Adult male. All the upper surface of the body, head, wing and tail, dull brown, faintly, mesially shaded with darker tint ; the wing-quills above narrowly margined with olive, below the inner webs margined with white ; axilliaries white ; sides of the face, sides of the neck, chest, breast and upper part of abdomen, mottled with white and brown ; the feathers themselves brown, with white margins on either side, but give the appearance of a white ground with rows of triangular spots of brown ; under tail -coverts and flank-feathers whitish, mesially shaded with brown ; below the eye and the ear-coverts are covered with minute silvery- white feathers ; bill, black ; legs, lead-blue.
Total length to tip of bill, 5 inches; wing, 2*7; tail, 2'4 ; tarsus, 0'7 ; bill, 0-9.
This species comes near to Glyciphila Caledonica of B. R. Gray, but has no olive except on the wings ; the spots on the breast are continued on to the abdomen.
Hah. South-East coast of New Guinea.
76 THE PE0CEEDING8 OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
EXHIBITS.
Mr. Macleay exhibited a beaatiful coloured drawing by Mr. Murray, of a species of Medusa, which had been lately abundant in Port Jackson. He stated that he had never seen the animal before, and that none of the fishermen of the port remembered having seen it ; but that he had no doubt that it was the Pelagia pano- pyra of Lesson, a species abundant in the tropical Atlantic. He also remarked that the eight filaments attached to the outer rim of the umbrella were annulose, like an annelid, and capable of great extension and contraction. For some weeks they had been very numerous in all parts of the harbour, but had completely disappeared after the storm on the first and second of this month. Mr. Macleay also exhibited a specimen of Argonauta argo with the animal, caught in Port Jackson ; also drawings of TrilohiUs by Mr. C. Jenkins, from the Upper Silurian beds of Yass ; also coloured drawings of an Aplysia and two species of Monacanthus from Port Jackson.
Mr. Ramsay exhibited a few rare birds collected by the Museum Collector (Mr. Alexander Morton) who accompanied Mr. Goldie s expedition to the south coast of New Guinea ; also some birds which he had lately received from the north-west coast of New Guinea, including the following species : — Parotia sexpennis, Par- adisia raggiana, Loris hypmnochrous, (var.), Janthcenas Bawlin- soni, Ptilopus perlata, Ptilopus cornulatus, Tanysiptera Galatea^ T. GarolincB, Pitta macMoti, Pitta Novce-Hihernicce, Pitta Novce-Guinece, Campephaga melas, Pachycephala fuUginata, Pachycephala collaris, also a new species of tortoise and some birds, believed to be new, from Mr. Goldie's collection, which will be described hereafter.
Lin. Soc. vol. 3
Fi. 1
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Fj(V, 4 +8
Fio. 3 + 4
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Fig- 8 + 1
Fig. 6
+ 5
Lin. Soc, Vol. 3
PL 2
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OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 77
MONDAY, JULY 29th, 1878. The President, W. J. Stephens, Esq., M.A., in the Chair.
MEMBER ELECTED.
The Secretary announced that Baron N. de Miklucho-Maclay had been elected an Honorary Member of the Society.
DONATIONS.
From the Soci6t6 Entomologique de Belgique : Oompte Rendu
Serie II., No. 51. From Baron F. Yon Miiller : Organic Constituents of Plants, by
Dr. Willstein, translated by the Donor. From Dr. R. Schomburgk : Forest Tree Planting and its influence
on Climate, by the Donor. From Baron Miklucho-Maclay : Anthropoligische Bemerkungen ueber die Papuas der Maclay-Kuste in Neu-Guinea ; Ueber Brachyocephalitat bei den Papuas von Neu- Guinea ; Ethno- logische Bemerkungen ueber die Papuas der Maclay-Kuste in Neu-Guinea ; Do. do., Part II. ; Meine Zweite Excursion nach Neu- Guinea, 1874 ; Einiges iiber die Dialecte der Melanesischen Volkerothaften in der Malayischen Halbinsel ; Ethnologische Excursionen in der Malayischen Halbinsel, Nov., 1874— Oct., 1875., by the Donor. Baron Miklucho-Maclay advocated the establishment of a Zoological Station, near Sydney, and explained the benefits to scientific research afibrded by such institutions. The sug- gestion was warmly supported by the Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, F.G.S, &c., and other members of the society.
PAPERS read.
Descriptions of seven new species of Terrestial and Marine Shells from Australia. By John Brazier, C.M.Z.S., Corr. M. Roy. Soc. Tas., &c., &c.
78 THE PBOCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
* 1. Helix Bebias, new sp., pi. 8, fig. 1.
Shell umbilicated, depressly-globose, thin, obliquely finely granulated, fulvous, ornamented with one rather broad chestnut band on the centre contiguous to the suture, above the centre two thread like lines ; suture dark lined, crenulated ; spire sub-conoid, rather obtuse at the apex ; whorls 5 J, rather convex, the last slightly descending in front, rounded at the periphery, convex at the base, umbilicus small, dark broad chestnut band encircling it ; aperture nearly diagonal. Innately circular ; peri- stome bluish brown ; margins approximating, columellar margin broadly reflected concealing half of the umbilicus.
Diam. maj. 17 J, min. 18., alt. 10| lines.
Hab. — Garden Island, Rockingham Bay, Queensland. (Mr. G. E. Beddome.)
* 2. Helix Zebina, new sp. pi. 8, fig.2.
Shell imperforate, rather solid, somewhat globosely-conical, whole surface transversely granulated with lengthened grains (as seen under the lens), towards the apex they become finer, pale straw-yellow with numerous spiral chestnut lines and bands ; suture ornamented with a rather broad band ; spire rather large, broadly conical, obtuse ; whorls 5|, rather convex, last large, dilated and produced in front, deflected above ; aperture diagonal, ovately-lunate, whitish within ; peristome straight, expanded and slightly reflected ; margins approximating joined by a thin callus ; columellar light brown thickened and expanded covering the whole of the umbilicus.
Diam. maj. 19, min. 13., alt. 13| lines.
Hab. — Ranges about the Douglas River, Queensland. (Mr. C. E. Beddome.)
* 3. Helix Bala, new sp., pi. 8, fig. 4.
Shell umbilicated, conoidly semi-globose, moderately solid,
nearly smooth, bright chestnut ; spire conoidly-convex, above light
brown ; apex obtuse, suture slightly crenulated ; whorls 5, slowly
increasing, the last large, roundly convex, descending in front ;
* The species m?irked with an asterisk are in my collection.
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 79
flattish at the base, aperture nearly diagonal, roundly-lunate ; peristome moderately thickened and reflected, interior flesh tinged ; margins approximating ; columellar margin broadly expanded covering one half of the umbilicus and joined by a thin callus to the upper margin,
Diam. maj. 17, min. 13|., alt. 11 lines.
Hah. — Castle Hill, near Townsville, Cleveland Bay, Queens- land. Also, Magnetic Island. (^Mr. G. E. Beddome.)
* 4 Helix Mazee, new sp., pi. 8, fig. 5.
Shell with the umbilicus nearly covered, globosely turbinated, rather thick, minutely granulated, obliquely striated, ornamented with spiral chestnut lines and bands, darker and more rugose at the suture ; whorls 5|, slightly convex, last large and descending in front ; spire conical, apex obtuse ; aperture diagonal, ovately lunate ; peristome thickened and rather broadly reflected, interior of aperture blue black, margins approximating and joined by a thin callus, the right deflected above near the centre ; collumellar margin rounded and expanded into a broad plate partly over the umbilicus.
Diam. maj. 19, min. 14|., alt. 15 lines.
Hab. — Waterview Scrubs near Cardwell, Rockingham Bay, Herbert Riverj Queensland, (Mr. C. E. Beddome.)
The specimens of this species from the Herbert River run all very small ; those from the coast range scrubs are very large and conical, having very thick lips with dark chestnut behind.
* 5, Helix Nicomede, new sp,, pi. 8, fig. 6, Shell umbilicated, depressly globose, very thin, shining, distinctly obliquely striated and granulated throughout, light brown, encircled with one pale yellowish band just showing above the suture ; whorls 6, slowly increasing, moderately convex, scarcely descending in front ; periphery with faint keel, base convex, smoother than the upper surface, aperture diagonal, roundly lunate ; peristome white, simple, straight, margins scarcely approaching, expanded and reflected anteriorly, colu- mellar margin rather broadly reflected on to the body whorl. Diam. maj 18^, min. 15., alt. 12 lines.
80 THE PE0CEEDING8 OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
Rob. — Cardwell, Rockingham Bay, Queensland, Gould Island in Rockingham Bay. (Mr. G. E. Beddome.)
* Var. a. — Thinner, darker in color on the upper surface, gra-
nulation finer, light yellowish band following the suture spirally to the Apex. Diam. maj. 13, min. 10|., alt. 8 lines.
* Var. b. — Thicker, light straw yellow, upper surface granulated
obliquely rugosely striated, keel more distinctly seen on the periphery; peristome scarcely reflected at the columellar margin.
Diam. maj. 11 J, min. 9|., alt. 7 lines.
The two varieties come from Gould Island, and are much smaller than those from the Mainland.
* 6. Helix Beddome, new sp., pi. 8, fig. 7.
Shell umbilicated, globose, inflated, very thin, distinctly obliquely striated, granulated from left to right, taking somewhat of a zig-zag form, smoky yellow, with a chestnut band under the suture, having a faint broad one above, giving it a darker color ; body whorl from the periphery, dark chestnut ; spine somewhat globular, suture smooth ; whorls 5|, slightly convex, slowly increasing, the last roundly convex, descending a little in front ; aperture nearly diagonal, roundly lunate ; peristome below slightly raised somewhat in the form of a small obtuse callus like tooth, bluish white, very little expanded or reflected ; margins rather distant, joined by a thin bluish white callus ; columellar margin broadly expanded and reflected on the umbilicus.
Diam. maj. 23, min. 18, alt. 17 lines.
Hah. — 20 miles north-west of Cardwell, Rockingham Bay, Queensland, in the ranges at an altitude of 3,500 feet. (Mr. G. E, Beddome).
This beautiful shell is "very thin, the granulations on its surface are distinctly seen with the naked eye, some run straight, some oblique or zigzag ; the sculpture can only be compared to a fine double cross-cut file. The species is allied in color to Helix bipartita, Fer.
OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 81
7. VoLUTA Bednalli, new sp., pi. 8, fig. 3.
Shell ovately fusiform, longitudinally distinctly striated, white, with four reddish brown transverse bands, the upper just beneath the suture, one above being much finer ; spire rather elevated, apex obtuse ; ornamented with rather broad waved longitudinal reddish brown lines breaking off" in the centre in the form of blotches ; whorls 6, convex, the last forming nearly the whole of the shell, aperture narrow, white within ; columella straight, covered with a thin callus, furnished with four plaits, the two upper being nearly transverse, the lower two nearly oblique.
Length 39, diam. 15 lines.
Hai. — Port Darwin, north coast of Australia. (Mr. William Tompson BednalV).
Only a single specimen of this fine species has been obtained, its peculiar regular longitudinal thread-like strias, and transverse and longitudinally waved reddish brown bands breaking off into blotches in the centre on the dorsal surface, mark a species that will never get confused with such species as piperita, Macgillivrayi Buckeri, Kingi, Sclateri, Angasi, undulata, Turneri, volva, reticulata, Reevei, Lorcisi, and Ellioti.
I take great pleasure in naming this after its owner, Mr, W, Tompson Bednall, a zealous collector of shells from North and South Australia.
On Bulimus Dufresnii.
By the Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, F.G.S., F.L.S., Hon. Cor.
Mem. Linn. Soc, N.S.W., &c., &c.
Plate VII.
The process of describing and cataloguing various representa- tives of our Australian fauna has proceeded so far that I think the time has come when we can commence to call attention to the many variations to which species are subject, probably also, to reduce considerably the number of species and even genera. No one can question that a very great number of our species will have to be reduced as observations are extended ; and in no department will this be more necessary than in that of the land
82 THE PEOCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
shells. Yet it must not be imagined that this is due to a fault in the observers or to any recklessness in the multiplication of species. In some cases, it has been from the necessary difficulties attending scientific observations in a new country. I don't mean as to