Abstract
LONDON Zoological Society, May 3.—Prof. W. H. Flower, LL,D., F.R.S., president, in the chair.—Prof. F. Jeffrey Bell, F.Z.S., read the first of a series of papers on the systematic arrangement of the Asteroidea. In the present communication the author directed attention to the large number—more than eighty—of described species of the genus Asterias, the subdivision of which had never yet been attempted. After a list of the species with reference to one description of each, and a list of the synonyms, he proceeded to describe and make use of certain characters as an aid in the classification of the species. the number of rays, of madreporiform plates, and of ambulacral spines forming the more important, and the form and character of the spines the less important points. The author then proposed a mode oi formulating results by the use of certain symbols, and concluded by describing five new species.—A communication was read from Dr. M. Watson, F.Z.S., containing some observations on the anatomy of the generative organs of the spotted hysena, in continuation of a previous paper on the same subject.—Mr. Oldfield Thomas, F.Z.S., read a memoir on the Indian species of the genus Mus. The present paper was an attempt to clear up the existing confusion in the synonymy of the Indian species of this genus, of which the author recognised about nineteen as valid.—A communication was read from Mr. Edgar A. Smith, containing remarks on some specimens of Cypræa decipiens, lately received by the British Museum.—A second paper by Mr. Smith contained the description of two new species of shells from Lake Tanganyika.—Capt. G. E. Shelley read a paper contai ning an account of seven collections of birds recently made by Dr. Kirk in the little explored regions of Eastern Africa. Two new species were proposed to be called Coccystes albonotatus and Urobrachya Zanzibarica.—Mr. Arthur G. Butler, F.Z.S., read a paper on a collection of Lepidoptera made in Western India, Beloochistan, and Afghanistan by Major Charles Swinhoe. The collection contained examples belonging to three new genera and fifteen new species.
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Societies and Academies . Nature 24, 46–48 (1881). https://doi.org/10.1038/024046a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/024046a0