of Hamadayas, all differing more or less from species known to me, but all baving very much the general aspect of the Polynesian Fauna. One circumstance connected with this group is worth noticing. There are no specimens in the collection of Danais Erippus, Cram., an American species which a few years ago succeeded in crossing the Pacific Ocean, and establishsng itself in Australia. The absence of this insect from the New Ireland collection helps to indicate the route by which it passed the ocean. Two years before the first appearance of the butterfly on the east coast of Australia, I received numerous specimens from the New Hebrides and islands to the south of that latitude, so that there is reason to assume that the general course of the migration which seems to have occupied several years, was, as regards the western portion of the Pacific, far south of the equator.

The Lycaenidae number thirteen species, all, I believe, of the genus Cupido; among them the Cupido Cleo as, Guer., figured and described in the voyage of the Coquille. There are seven species of the Hesperidæ, all of well known genera.

In all there are sixty-three species of butterflies.
Among the day-flying moths there are some gems.

There are two species of Nyctalemon, one probably the N. Achillaria of New Georgia, the other quite new to me; one new and beautiful species of Agarista; Cleis posticulis, Guer., and another species of the same genus. Of Hypsa and Nyctemera there are several handsome species, as also of Eumelia, Micronia, Erebus, and Trigonotus.

The HEMIPTERA are neither numerous nor remarkable. A Scutellaria, a few species of Reduvius, and a few other common forms constitute the whole collection of this order.

The ORTHOPTERA seem to be of great size, and tolerably numerous. A large Eurycartha is the most formidable looking; the others are mostly insects of universal occurrence.

The HOMOPTERA consist only of two speciesof Cicada and a small tree-hopper.

The HYMENOPTERA of a Pompilus a Bembex, an Odynerus, and two Ichneumonide, one of them of a novel and very curious form.

The NEUROPTERA are represented by two species of Libellula. Of DIPTERA there are only a few species, but the paucity of number is compensated for by the extraordinary appearance of one species. The head is transverse, quite twice as broad as the body, and pointed at each end, having much the shape of the "eeliman" of the Australian aboriginal. The eyes occupy the pointed ends of this wonderfully-shaped head. This insect in no way resembles, and must not be confounded with the well known geuus Diopsis, which has its eyes on a long peduncle. It belongs to the genus Zygothrica, of Wiedemann, a genus of which very little seems to be known except that the curiously shaped head is an ornament of the males only, the head of the female being rounded.

This brief summary of the Entomological productions of New Ireland will give the naturalist a general idea of the character of its fauna. Mr. Cockerell made the collection which I have now summarised in the period of a few months, and from a very small portion of the island. What may we not expect from a thorough and complete search of that and the adjacent island of New Britain? New Ireland extends for nearly 150 miles from north to south; and New Britain, 350 miles from east to west, and both of these islands, with the small exceptions of the collections made at Port Praslin by the Coquille in 1823, and Mr. Cockerell in 1875-1876, present an untouched and certainly a very promising and rich field for the naturalist and collector.

Notes on Lævicardium Beechei - by JOHN BRAZIER, C.M.Z.S., Cor. Mem. Roy. Soc., Tas.

LEVICARDIUM BEECHEI.

Cardium Beechei, Adams and Reeve. Zool. Moll. Voyage of H.M.S. Samarang, 1850, p. 78, pl. 22, fig. 12.

Hab. Sooloo Sea, between the island of Borneo and Mindanoa, 40 fathoms; also, Yellow Sea at one of the islands of the Corean

Archipelago (Adams and Reeve). Percy Island, North-east Coast of Australia (Mr. F. Strange). Cape Grenville, north-east Australia, 25 fathoms, sandy mud bottom, one valve found (Brazier). Darnley Island, Torres Straits, 20-30 fathoms, sandy bottom, one valve found (Brazier). Bulari Passage, New Caledonia, fine living specimen found in the stomach of a Schnapper, Pagrus unicolor-by Monsieur Fabre, the pilot stationed there.

This interesting Cardium is, without exception, the most striking and distinct from any hitherto known that can well be imagined. In colour it is of a fine rose tint, with the following singular and peculiar soft velvety appearance, the effect of its being minutely decussated with concentric and radiating striæ, and covered with an exquisitely thin, shining, horny epidermis, disposed in fine concentric cords, abruptly terminating at the posterior area. The posterior portion, accordingly destitute of epidermis, is very thickly rayed with ribs of short compressed spines, as if the delicately-clad surface of the shell had been thus far ploughed up as it were into furrows; a little of the epidermis is removed by the action of being in the stomach of the Schnapper. The specimen I show to-night was sent to me for my inspection and nomenclature by my kinsman, Mr. R. C. Rossiter, who has the finest collection of New Caledonian shells.

There were two fine living specimens in the Australian Museum some years ago, dredged by the late Mr. F. Strange, at Percy Island; one specimen was purloined by a gentleman who at one time held an appointment in that institution.

Description of a New Species of Halmaturus, from New Ireland— by E. PIERSON RAMSAY, Curator of the Australian Museum, Sydney.

HALMATURUS BROWNII. NEW SPECIES.

THE whole of the upper surface, the chin and a stripe on either side from the angle of the mouth to the cheek, the outer portion

of the legs and arms, upper part of the tail at the base, of a rich, deep, dark, glossy brown. A whitish line extends from the snout along the margin of the upper lip, and widening out on the cheek, reaches to underneath the eye. The throat and whole of the under surface whitish, slightly tinged on the sides, and round the flanks and vent with yellowish, hair on the inside and margin of pouch, rufous yellow. The fur is fine, long, and silky, more so in the young animals than in the adult; that at the base of the ears long, on the occiput just behind the ears is a curled patch of hair radiating and exposing the skin in the centre. The hairs directed forward to between the ears meet those on the head directed backwards, and form just in front of the ears, two ridges meeting at an angle on the base of the forehead, and there forming a small pointed tuft; the hair at the base and on the margin of the ears in front and on the inside is of a light yellowish tint, or whitish. Ears long, somewhat pointed; fore limbs slender; hind limbs stouter, with the toes and nails strong, the latter triangular, conical and blunt. Tail cylindrical or but slightly tapering, basal third clothed with hair, dark brown above, whitish below, the remaining two-thirds sparingly clothed with hairs; the scales numerous and conspicuous, muffle naked; eyelash black; under surface of tail clothed with stiff hairs, the sides almost naked, scaly. Total length from tip of nose to tip of tail, 3 feet.

Head, 4 inches.

Tail, 14 inches.

Forefoot, 13; longest toe, 0-8; its nail, 0.45.

Hind foot, 43; longest toe, 1-5; its nail, 0.9.

Outer toe, 0.9; its nail, 0.7.

Inner conjoined toes, 0-65; nails, 0.35.

From tip of snout to centre of orbit, 2·1.

From tip of snout to ear, 3·4.

Total length of skull, 3·75, greatest width about centre of

zygo

matic arch, 1·9.

Height at base, 1 inch; width, 1.3.

Distance of space between third incisor and first premolar, 0-6. Dental series (the last molar just cutting) 13.

Width of palate across point of posterior palatial openings, 3·75; anterior openings large, oblong, 0-3 x 0.1; distance between the anterior and posterior openings, 1.05.

It will be seen from the following dental formula that the premolars have not yet been shed, and on examination I find the permanent premolar pushing through to be nearly 03 inch; distance between insertion of upper incisor and that of permanent premolar, 0.75.

The distance between the insertion of the lower incisor and that of the first premolar in the lower jaw is 0.4, to the end of permanent premolar still embedded in the jaw, 0·7; premolar, 0.25.

Present range of teeth in lower jaw, 13 with permanent premolars about 1.15 inch.

This very distinct and beautiful species, which I have named after its discoverer, was obtained in New Ireland by the Rev. George Brown, of the Wesleyan Mission Society, a gentleman to whom science is greatly indebted for many valuable discoveries in the natural history of those islands lying eastward of New Guinea.

The specimen here described was purchased, with other mammals, of Mr. James Cockerell, who accompanied the Rev. Mr. Brown as taxidermist, and to whose energy a large portion of the grand collection made during the voyage is due.

The largest specimen (a male) obtained by Mr. Brown, who has kindly permitted me to examine his collection, measured as follows:

Length from nose to root of tail, 2.17; tail, 16 inches; hind leg and foot, 18 inches; foot, 5 inches; nail, 1 inch; fore arm, 4 inches; hand, 1·1 inches; nail of longest toe, 0.6 inch.

Head, 4 inch; to ear from snout, 4 inches; from snout to centre of orbit, 2.6 inches.