Like old Turks, a male dominates over a harem of a dozen or fifteen females, which he guards with jealous care, for two months or more never stirring from the spot, and meantime fights terrific battles for its maintenance. A neutral zone exists to the rear of the breeding-grounds, where the enforced bachelors and adolescent young of both sexes repair. These come and go continuously, passing to and fro through free lanes of passage. Others of these animals delight in dashing among the breakers on the surf, or in droves frolic and play on the sand and grassy dunes adjoining the more rocky ground of the "rookery." The method of shaving the fleshy side of the skin, thus cutting loose the roots of the long coarse hairs, and retaining the superficial fine fur of commerce, was explained, as also other interesting points in the economy and natural history of those animals. The value of the stuffed specimens of Otaria ursina which were exhibited may be inferred from the fact that that they are the only good examples of the species in any accessible Museum in Europe. The British Museum possesses only an old battered skin, while in St. Petersburg—rather an out-of-the-way spot for easy reference to naturalists—two specimens are said to exist.
In the absence of the author, the Secretary read the main points of a communication, by Mr. Benjamin Clarke, on "A New Arrangement of the Classes of Zoology," founded on the position of the oviducts, or, when these are absent, on the position of the ovaries, including a new mode of arranging the Mammalia. The principle of arrangement adopted is said to be in harmony with a system of classification of the phanerogamous plants previously proposed by the author. His present zoological arrangement he submits in a tabular form, adding a commentary on the various grouping adopted.
April 4, 1878.—W. Carruthers, Esq., F.R.S., Vice-President, in the chair.
The following gentlemen were balloted for and elected Fellows of the Society:—Frederick Manson Bailey, Esq., of Brisbane, Queensland; Dr. Archibald Hewan, Chester Square, S.W.; George Payne, jun., Esq., Sittingbourne; and James Robert Reid (Bengal Civil Service), Edinburgh.
The only zoological paper read at this meeting was "On some minute Hymenopterous Insects," by Prof. J.O. Westwood. He describes the following new forms:—Mymar Taprobanicus, M, Wollastonii, Alaptus excisus, Oligosita subfasciata, O. Staniforthii, O. nodicornis, and Trichogramma (Aprobosca) erosicornis. These singular insects, although of microscopic minuteness, possess considerable interest, not only from their peculiar structure, but also from their curious habits,—J. Murie.
