Specimens and drawings of details were exhibited in illustration of the paper.
Mr. P.L. Sclater read some further remarks on Fuligula Nationi, a species of duck from Western Peru, of which he had lately received a nearly adult male from Prof. Nation, the discoverer of the species.
Mr. A.G. Butler read the descriptions of a small collection of Lepidoptera made at Kingston, Jamaica, by Mr. James J. Bowry.
Mr. Edgar A. Smith read a paper containing the description of three new land shells from Jamaica and Borneo.
A communication was read from Mr. D.G. Elliot, containing a memoir on the Fruit Pigeons of the genus Ptilopus. Mr. Elliot recognised seventy- one species of this genus.
May 21, 1878.— F.D. Godman, Esq., F.Z.S., in the chair.
A communication was read from Lieut.-Col. R. H. Beddome, containing the description of a new genus and species of Snakes, of the family of Calamariidæ, from Southern India, proposed to be called Xylophis indicus.
Mr. P.L. Sclater read the tenth of a series of reports on the collection of birds made during the voyage of H.M.S. Challenger, containing an account of the birds of the Atlantic Islands and of Kerguelen's Land; and of the miscellaneous collections made by the Expedition.
Mr. J. Wood-Mason described several new or little known Mantidæ from India, Australia, and other localities.
Mr. H.W. Bates read a paper containing the description of new genera and species of geodephagous Coleoptera from Central America, belonging to the families Cicindelidæ and Carabidæ.
Mr. G. French Angas read the description of a new species of Tudicula, which he proposed to name T. inermis.
A communication was read from the Marquis of Tweeddale, being the ninth of his contributions to the Ornithology of the Philippines. The present paper gave an account of the collection made by Mr. A. H. Everett in the Island of Palawan, and contained the descriptions of nine new species, namely, Tiga Everetti, Dicrurus palawanensis, Broderipus palawanensis, Trichostoma rujifrons, Drymocataplms cinereiceps, Brachypus cinereifrons, Criniger palawanensis, Cyrtostomus aurora, and Corvus pusillus. The collection likewise contained three examples of the remarkable Polyplectron emphanes, of which the locality was previously unknown and specimens were excessively rare.
Prof. A.H. Garrod read a paper, in which he gave a description of the tracheæ of Tantalus loculator and of Vanellus cayennensis.
A second paper, by Professor Garrod, contained some notes on the anatomy of the Great-headed Maleo (Megacephalon maleo). — P.L. Sclater, Secretary.
