destination; nor do they remain here on their return northward in the spring to their breeding haunts, a few at distant periods, but with no certainty, alighting in our pools and wet marshes.-Edward Hearle Rodd; Penzance, March 14, 1874.

Note on the Changes of Plumage in Guillemots and Razorbills. - In Baron von Hügel's interesting paper on birds observed in Torbay (Zool. S. S. 3906), a suggestion is made that the changes of plumage in the razorbill and foolish guillemot are not due to season, but to age. Having given in previous years some attention to this subject, I venture to state my belief that these changes are seasonal, but that they are more irregular, and, for the most part, commence much earlier than in other birds. A similar phenomenon occurs in the divers, and in the case of the great northern diver, it may, I think, be proved to be seasonal, as the lower mandible of this species becomes more gibbous when the bird is old than when it is young, and specimens are to be seen which, from this form of the bill, are evidently quite old birds in full winter dress. Some misapprehension also occasionally arises from the common use of the term "summer plumage" for that which is essentially the breeding dress, and would therefore be more appropriately termed the "spring plumage." I may add that I observe, by a mistake of the printer, Baron von Hügel's note on the scoter, in the paper above alluded to, has been erroneously divided into two paragraphs, the one headed "black ducks," the other headed "scoters."—J. H. Gurney; March 2, 1874.

Pairing of Birds.-It is well known that birds of some species pair for life; the raven, we know, is constant, and the rook, too, I have little doubt, having frequently observed them, even in mid-winter, flying in pairs and sitting side by side in their nesting-trees and about the old nests; but it is not generally supposed that many species do so, and it is a difficult point to decide, though I have been long of opinion that with several of our common birds the partnership is not invariably dissolved, of which I have had proof this winter, having seen many in pairs; for instance, the starling, blackbird, missel thrush, hedgesparrow, stonechat, wren, robin, &c. The cheering notes of many of our songsters were heard throughout the winter. January was quite spring-like; thermometer seldom below 50°, and on the 15th was up to 56° in the shade.-Henry Hadfield.

Economic Value of Alligators.-Perhaps many of your readers may not be aware that those large animals, the alligators, which infest every tropical river in America are now being applied to man's use. Bales of their skins are imported into France and Hamburg for the manufacture of large over-all boots.-J. G. Mitchell; Southampton, February 23, 1873.

Astroides calicularis of Milne-Edwards.-An extraordinary mass of this beautiful zoophyte has been received at the Crystal Palace Aquarium: the individual polypes are of a most brilliant orange colour, approaching vermilion they were received from Naples.-Edward Newman.

Conclusion of the Entomologist's Annual.'-I feel sure that I am only giving expression to the opinion and sentiments of the universal "British entomologist," when I say that the announcement in the preface of the Entomologist's Annual for 1874' has filled me with grief and regret; its most worthy and able proprietor and editor asks why, as the Annual' must sooner or later come to an end, that end should not come now? Let me give, as an answer, this our reason that its editor is, as I am glad to believe, still able to continue to the entomological world that which has been its annual boon for so many years; why, in full life and health and vigour, should the Annual' be put to death? I am no advocate for the dragging on of a weary and painful existence, a misery to self and a burden to one's friends. No! in such a case I would welcome the friendly fiat of annihilation; but surely the Annual's' existence is too full of life, and too dear to its friends either to merit or to welcome such a fiat. Surely the contemplated felo-de-se must be prevented. But perhaps Mr. Stainton only contemplates bringing forth the Annual' in a new shape? He possibly designs to rise Phoenix-like from his own ashes in a new and more resplendent form. I am supported in this idea by the mention in the preface of the word "series." "As this volume is the twentieth of its series, it seems a fitting opportunity to bring that series to its close." Good! we have had a most excellent and most successful series of twenty volumes; and to them, all golden and gay as they shine before me on my bookshelf, may there be added another, a "second series," of twenty more! But shall I deny it? there was an element of weakness in the constitution of the late 'Entomologist's Annual' that might well have brought about its decease at an even earlier date than the present. "De mortuis nil nisi bonum!" Still might not its decease have been averted if it had but admitted spiders into its pages? who can tell? We are told that rookeries will not flourish without an annual decimation by powder and shot; and so possibly the flies might have lived longer had the spiders come in to the rescue. Well, I can only say that in the event of a second series of the 'Entomologist's Annual,' the spiders shall not be wanting, as far as I may be able and permitted to furnish them. Joking apart, I trust that from all sides it will be impressed upon our excellent and able friend H. T. Stainton that the "British entomologist" expects him to do his duty, and to give us still yearly one of those welcome little volumes, which, though very neatly bound in shining golden cover, has by no means yet fallen into the sere and yellow leaf."-O. P. Cambridge; Bloxworth, February 19, 1874.

66

Proceedings of Scientific Societies.

LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON.

Feb. 5, 1874.-GEORGE BENTHAM, Esq., F.R.S., President, in the chair. [No scientific business.]

February 19, 1874.-J. GWYN JEFFREYS, Esq., F.R.S., in the chair.
The following papers were read, viz. :—

1. "Systematic List of the Spiders at present known to inhabit Great Britain and Ireland." By the Rev. O. P. Cambridge. (Presented by Mr. H. T. Stainton.) During the last five years a constant communication and interchange of typical examples of spiders has been going on between Dr. T. Thorell, of Upsala, Dr. Koch, of Nürnberg, M. Eugène Simon, of Paris, the writer, and others, with a view to a determination of the synonymic identity of the species recorded as indigenous to Europe, but principally to Sweden, France, Germany and England. The results of this investigation have been published by Dr. Thorell in a most laborious and exhaustive work lately completed, On the Synonyms of European Spiders.' The effect of this work is to give priority to names of many British spiders described by Mr. Blackwall and the writer other than the names they bear in the works of those authors. The time therefore appears to have arrived when a list, complete to the present time, of the known spiders of Great Britain and Ireland under the names to which, according to the laws of priority, they appear to be entitled, seems to be a desideratum. Dr. Thorell, indeed (Syn. Eur. Spid. p. 471), gives a list of British spiders; but it is complete only to the date of Mr. Blackwall's work, Spiders of Great Britain and Ireland,' since the publication of which the number of known indigenous species has increased by nearly one-half. The systematic arrangement of Mr. Blackwall has not been adopted in this list, appearing, as it did, to be too artificial and based on insufficient (though in some respects convenient) characters, and, moreover, never to have found favour with other araneologists. The present arrangement (though it has no pretensions to finality) is the result of a long and tolerably careful study of spiders from many and widely different regions. of the world. It begins at the opposite end to that where Dr. Thorell and Dr. Koch begin their systematic arrangements; but it is, in the main, not very discordant with that of the former of these authors, as put forth in his valuable work On the Genera of European Spiders,' a work to which the writer is indebted for many most valuable hints on the classification of the Araneidea.

2. "Some Observations on the Vegetable Productions and Rural Economy of the Province of Baghdad." By W. H. Colvill, Surgeon-Major H.M. Indian Forces, Civil Service, Baghdad. (Communicated by Dr. Hooker.)

3. "Note on the Bracts of Crucifers." By M. T. Masters, M.D. The subject was divided by the writer into two branches:-1. The absence of bracts in Crucifers. In the majority of cases this is so complete that even in the earliest stages of development observed by Payer no trace of bracts is seen. Different explanations of the phenomenon have been given by different morphologists. A. P. de Candolle attributes it to congenital suppression of the parts; Godron to pressure acting within outwards, resulting from the dense manner in which the young flowers are packed together; Norman and Eichler consider that the bracts are abortive, but potentially present, the latter writer combating Godron's view by the consideration that on the one hand the bracts are absent where the inflorescence is so loose that no pressure can be exerted, and, on the other hand, in some cases where the flowers are densely crowded the bracts nevertheless exist. 2. The occasional presence of bracts in Crucifers. About fifty illustrations of this were named. A few species, as Sisymbrium supinum and hirsutum, have normally bracts to every flower; in others their occurrence is only occasional; where the raceme shows a tendency to brauch into a panicle, they may often be found at the base of the secondary divisions of the inflorescence; in Arabis turrita the lowermost peduncles have bracts at their base, the intermediate ones have bracts springing from their outer surface above their base, while the uppermost have none at all. The writer then discussed the various theories which have been proposed to account for the variation in the position of the bracts when present, viz. at the base or on the side of the flower-stalk above the base. The causes assigned for the latter apparently anomalous position were stated by different botanists to be the following:-1. Partition or subdivision of the axis; 2. Congenital union, or lack of separation between the bract and the pedicel; 3. Upraising of the bud and its bract. Anatomy gives no evidence of partition; but it does afford in some cases the evidence of fusion, or rather of inseparation, as in some of the Cruciferæ examined by Dr. Masters; while in the case of Sedum, Solanum and Spiræa the peculiar arrangement of the bract seems to be owing to the third cause above mentioned.

Special General Meeting, March 5, 1874.-GEORGE BUSK, Esq., F.R.S., Vice-President, in the chair.

[No scientific business.]

Note. In the report of the discussion which followed the reading of Mr. Gwyn Jeffreys's paper on January 15th, Dr. Allman is stated to have said that all the Hydroids collected by Captain St. John belonged "to types hitherto considered extinct;" it should have been "to forms hitherto undescribed."

SECOND SERIES-VOL. IX.

X

ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.

Feb. 17, 1874.-GEORGE BUSK, Esq., F.R.S., Vice-President, in the chair. Mr. Busk exhibited some skulls of the tiger and leopard from China, procured by Mr. R. Swinhoe, and showed that those from the Northern and Southern provinces did not appear to be specifically distinct.

A communication was read from Mr. L. Taczanowski, Conservator of the Museum of Warsaw, containing the descriptions of twenty-four new birds, obtained by Mr. Constantine Jelski in Central Peru. Amongst these was a new Cotingine form, proposed to be called Dolyornis Sclateri, and four new humming-birds, named respectively Metallura Hedvigæ, Helianthea dichroura, Eriocnemis sapphiropygia and Lamprastera Branickii.

A communication was read from Sir Victor Brooke, Bart., describing a new species of gazelle, founded on two specimens living in the Society's menagerie, which he proposed to call Gazella muscatensis.

A communication was read from Dr.T. Schomburgh, Director of the Botanic Gardens, Adelaide, containing an account of the habits of the Australian coote (Fulica australis) as observed in the Gardens under his charge.

Mr. E. Ward exhibited the head of a supposed new species of wild sheep, from Ladak, which he proposed to name Ovis Brookei, after Sir V. Brooke.

Dr. J. E. Gray communicated some notes on the crocodile of Madagascar, which he proposed to distinguish from Crocodilus vulgaris of Continental Africa, and to call Crocodilus madagascariensis.

A communication was read from Mr. W. N. Lockington, of Humboldt County, California, containing some notes on the mammals and birds met with in that part of the State of California.

March 3, 1874.-Dr. E. HAMILTON, Vice-President, in the chair.

The Secretary read a report on the additions that had been made to the Society's menagerie during the month of February, 1874, and called special attention to a Malayan hornbill (Buceros malayanus) new to the Society's collection, acquired by purchase; a python, presented by Mr. J. C. Noble, of Hong Kong, having been captured in his garden on the Chinese Mainland, and a young male of an undescribed species of deer from Northern China.

A letter was read from Sir Henry Barkly, Governor of the Cape Colony, announcing that he had obtained a pair of young eared seals (Otaria pusilla) for the Society's collection.

A communication was read from Mr. W. H. Hudson, of Buenos Ayres, describing the parasitical habits of the three species of Melothrus, found in Buenos Ayres, namely, M. bonariensis, M. badius and M. rufo-axillaris.

Mr. Sclater read an account of a small collection of birds, obtained by Sir Graham Briggs in the island of Barbadoes, West Indies.

A second paper by Mr. Sclater contained the description of an apparently