sent unique, and the skull and teeth cannot easily be examined without risk of deterioration, I can make no remarks on those organs. I have only to add, then, that the specimen is a skin of a female, apparently adult, and, like most if not all of the skins obtained during the expedition, very beautifully prepared. PETROGALE ASSIMILIS, SP. NOV. Adult female. Fur thick and close set, of medium length; general color of a dark ashy grey above, mingled with a few rusty hairs on the rump and hinder part of thighs, sides a little lighter, under surface lightest, inclining to white ashy grey; lips, chin and chest ashy white; tail of medium length, black, the hairs harsh, a little long at the tip, where they form an inconspicuous tuft; base of the tail rusty, paler on the sides and darkest above, the under part being ashy brown; hind feet brownish, becoming blackish on the toes where the hairs are a little longer, but do not conceal the nails, which are short; forelegs greyish, inclining to rusty in front, dark chocolate brown on the inner side, hands dark chocolate brown, hairs short, nails long, slender; head greyish brown, cheek mark faint, of an ashy tinge, also a faint light ashy mark over the eye in front; cheek stripe indistinct, extending from the lips to the base of the ears; hair on the margin and inside of the ears and the apex of a light cream colour, externally dark ashy brown. The hair radiating from behind the ears on the nape of the neck is directed forwards and downwards towards the cheek; between the ears it forms a ridge which extends forwards to opposite the eyes, the tips of the hairs here forming a black line. The basal portion of the fur of the back is of a dark blackish brown, with a chocolate tinge, the upper portion ashy, with the tips blackish; the hairs are a little longer on the sides, but few have the blackish tips; a small patch on the inner side of the forearm of a uniform dark chocolate brown. The ears are small and rather elongated; the hind limbs and tail rather short; the fore limbs long, slender-nails long, pointed, weak; the tarsi and hands clothed with short hair. Total length, three feet; tail, 16 inches; hind limbs about 12 inches; the foot, 5.3; longest toe, 21, its nail, 0.3; fore limbs about 7.7 inches; longest finger, 11 in., its nail, 05; length of head, 4-2 in.; width across forehead, 2 inches; from snout to centre of orbit 21; to base of ear, 37; ears, length, 2 in. x 1. This species is more closely allied to Petrogale penicillata (Gray) than to any other that I know of; but may be easily distinguished from that animal in being much smaller, in having a shorter tail, more slender fore limbs, shorter fur, and by the absence of the side stripe; the ears also are smaller and comparatively narrow; the tail and feet are not clothed with the long harsh hairs so conspicuous in P. penicillata; nor is there any rufous on the under surface. I do not find, either, any indication of a curled patch of hair on the nape or shoulders of any specimens of Petrogale penicillata that I have examined; nor of the ridge of hair on the head. The present species was obtained on the Palm Island, on the North-east coast, near Cleveland Bay, during the voyage of the Chevert, and was, I believe, the only specimen obtained; sex, female. Mr. MASTERS exhibited nests of Geobasileus reguloides, and chrysorrhous, with specimens of the birds and eggs of each species. The nests were dome-shaped, with the openings on one side, and each with an additional open nest on the top. Mr. Masters stated that Mr. Gould had noticed this peculiarity in one of the species (chryssorhous), but without having any suspicion of the use for which it was intended. He said that he was now in a position to explain the use of this double nest. During this spring, a brood had been actually brought out from one of the nests exhibited (that of G. reguloides), at Mr. Shepherd's nursery, at Chatsworth, Rope Creek. The nest was in an orange tree, close to a shed where the men were constantly at work, and it was generally observed that during the process of incubation the male frequently A specimen in the Australian Museum, which may be referable to this species, has a short white patch running from behind the shoulder toward the abdomen. occupied the upper nest during the day, keeping up a constant warbling, and roosted there regularly at night. It appears now that both species have similar habits. Mr. MASTERS also exhibited a nest of Gerygone albogularis, containing two eggs of its own, and one of a bronze cuckoo (Lamprococcyx plagosus). He also exhibited a stuffed specimen of the cuckoo, to show how apparently impossible it is for a bird of that size to introduce its egg into a nest with such a small opening. He stated that the general opinion, though it was in no way proved, was that the bird used its beak for the purpose. MONDAY, 27TH DECEMBER, 1876. WILLIAM MACLEAY, F.L.S., President, in the chair. The Hon. Secretary exhibited some specimens of Fossil Bones of a species of Halmaturus, from Darling Downs, procured by F. H. Cockburn Hood, Esq., F.G.S. The following papers were read :- Continuation of the Mollusca of the Chevert Expedition. By J. BRAZIER, C.M.Z.S., Cor. Mem. Roy. Soc. Tas. FAMILY LITTORINIDE. 1.-LITTORINA PICTA. Littorina picta, Phillippi, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1845, p. 139. Reeve, Conch. Icon., pl. 15, Littorina, fig. 81. Hab. Mud Bay, Cape York; found during very low water, on the rocks. 2.-LITTORINA INTERMEDIA. Littorina intermedia, Philippi, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1845, p. 141. Reeve, Conch. Icon., pl. 15, sp. 101. Hab. Mud Bay, Cape York, North Australia; found with Littorina picta. 3.-LITTORINA UNDULATA. Littorina undulata, Gray, Zool. Beechey's Voyage, p. 140. Reeve, Conch. Icon., pl. 13, sp. 67, a, b, d. Hab. Darnley Island, Torres Straits; found on the reefs. 4.-LITTORINA NEBULOSA. Phasinella nebulosa, Lam. Anim. Sans. Vert., tome 7, p. 54. 6. LITTORINA MELANACME. Littorina melanacme, E. Smith, British Museum. Honduras, This species was described by Mr. Edgar Smith, of the British Museum, from specimens collected by me at Makeira Harbour, San Christoval Island, Solomon's Archipelago; found also at Fitzroy Island, North-east Australia, when in the Eclipse Expedition of 1871. Helix scabra, Linn. 7.-LITTORINA SCABRA. Littorina scabra, Reeve, Conch. Icon., pl. 5, sp. 21a. Hab. Mud Bay, Cape York, North-east Australia; Garden Island and Rushcutter Bay, Port Jackson. Found on Mangrove trees. 8. LITTORINA (TECTARIUS) MALACCANA. Littorina Malaccana, Philippi, Abbild. und Besch. Conch., vol. 3, p. 15, pl. 6, fig. 17. Hab. Darnley Island, Torres Straits; two specimens were found in the crevice of a block of coral. Fitzroy Island, Northeast Australia. At the north end of the above island I found this species very common in 1871, in regular clusters on the granite boulders. FAMILY PLANAXIDE. 9.—PLANAXIS SULCATA. Planaxis sulcata, Lam. Anim. Sans. Vert., tome 7, p. 51. sulcatus, Chenu. Manuel de Conch., part 1, p. 303, fig. 2143. Hab. Dungeness and Darnley Islands, Torres Straits. 10.-PLANAXIS ZONATA. Planaxis zonata, A. Adams, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1851, p. 271. Hab. Nepean Island, Torres Straits; found on the reef under coral. 11. QUOYI DECOLLATA. Planaxis decollatus, Quoy and Gaimard, Voy. d l'Astrolabe, vol. 2, pl. 33, fig. 33-34. Quoyi decollata, Chenu. Manuel de Conch, part 1, p. 304, fig. 2147. Hab. Darnley and Long Islands, Torres Straits. FAMILY RISSOIDE. 12.-RISSOINA CLATHARATA. Rissoina clatharata, A. Adams, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1851, p. 265. Hab. Darnley Island, Torres Straits; 15-20 fathoms, sandy bottom. Oualan, or Strong's Island; found on the reefs under coral. 13.-RISSOINA NODICINCTA. Rissoina nodicincta, A. Adams, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1851, p. 266. Hab. Albany Passage, Cape York, North Australia, 11 fathoms, sandy mud bottom. Darnley Island, Torres Straits, 25-30 fathoms, white sand bottom. Katow, New Guinea, 8 fathoms, sandy mud bottom. |