One specimen, slightly smaller than the European examples, and not so broadly banded with black in front and on the head. 81. GALLINULA RUFICRISSA, Gould. 82. PORPHYRIO MELANOPTERUS, Temm. 83. BUTOROIDES JAVANICA. 84. HERODIAS IMMACULATA, Gould. 85. TADORNA RAJAH, Less. 86. DENDROCYGNA GUTTULATA, Forster. 87. PLOTUS NOVE-HOLLANDIE. Differs but little from the New South Wales examples. In addition to the Birds obtained, Mr. GOLDIE brought with him a few Mammals and Reptiles, the most conspicuous of which are:— 1. MACROPUS (HALMATURUS?) CRASSIPES. Halmaturus crassipes, mihi, in Proc. Linn. Soc., N.S.W., part 2, page 162. A fine series of both adults and young. 2. BELIDEUS ARIEL. 3. PERAMELES. SP. ? Perameles Nova-Guinea. 4. CUSCUS CHRYSORRHOUS, Temm., var. Goldiei. Two very fine specimens, but, unfortunately, both females; the broad black band round the loins and bright rusty red rump and tail show very conspicuously. Nose and a stripe down the face rufous; orbit surrounded by a conspicuous black ring. Total length, without tail, 26 in.; tail, 17 in.; head, 4 in. This may eventually prove to be quite a distinct species; at present I prefer to place it merely as a large variety of C. chrysorrhos. 5. HYDROSAURUS. SP. A fine reptile, very similar to the one found in the Solomon Islands. Black above, thickly dotted with bright yellow; below yellowish. Length, 4 ft. 3 in., with the tail; tail, 2 ft. 3 in.; head, 3·5 in. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. MONDAY, 22ND JANUARY, 1876. WILLIAM MACLEAY, F.L.S., President, in the chair. The Minutes of the last Annual Meeting were read and confirmed. The PRESIDENT delivered the following address :— GENTLEMEN, When I addressed you on the occa ion of our last annual meeting, the Linnean Society of New South Wales was in its infancy, and its future, though hopeful, could not be confidently foretold. I then anticipated for it a successful and useful career, but I never expected that it would have made the wonderful progress which it is now my pleasing duty to record. On the score of pecuniary means I had no misgivings. The long list of members on the roll of the Society gave promise of sufficient funds for meeting all expenses incurred for rooms and printing, but I was not confident that the working members of the Society would persevere in the work which they had so well begun. My doubts on that ground have been signally dispelled. At every monthly meeting throughout the entire year, original papers have been read on various subjects connected with the science of Natural History, all of them of utility to the student of Nature, and some of them of considerable interest and merit. Three parts of the proceedings of the Society have been published during the year. The fourth part is in the hands of the printer, and, when published, will complete the first volume of the proceedings. These facts speak for themselves; they show that we have amongst us some earnest workers, and that the Council of the Society have done their duty in publishing the proceedings without delay, a matter of the utmost consequence in a society formed for original research. In my present address I shall give you, as well as my opportunities enable me, 1st. A list of the Papers and Publications on the Natural History of the whole of the Australian region which have been published or come to our knowledge during the year 1876. 2nd. A general survey of the progress of Natural Science during the same period; and 3rd. A few observations on the future of the Society, and on some subjects which it is desirable that observation should be directed to. As regards the first of these-the Natural History of the Australian region-I shall commence with our own proceedings, giving them without comment in the exact order in which the papers were read. Description of two species of Helix from Queensland. By Description of thirty-five new species of Land Shells col- Notes on a Collection of Geological Specimens from Torres List of Land Shells of the Chevert Expedition. By John Description of a new Ptilinopus from New Hebrides. By Description of a new Plover from North Australia. By E. Pierson Ramsay, F.L.S. Description of a species of Pupina from Barrow Island. By John Brazier, C.M.Z.S. The Araneides of the Chevert Expedition. By H. H. B. Bradley, Esq. The Pleurotomidae of the Chevert Expedition. By John Brazier, C.M.Z.S. On a new species of Kangaroo from New Guinea. By E. Pierson Ramsay, F.L.S. Notes on some New Guinea Coleoptera. Macleay, F.L.S. By William List of Marine Shells, with descriptions of the new species collected during the Chevert Expedition. By John Brazier, C.M.Z.S. List of Australian Game Birds and other species which should be protected by the " Game Preservation Act." By E. Pierson Ramsay, F.L.S., Curator of the Museum, Sydney. Remarks on a supposed new species of Poephila. Pierson Ramsay, F.L.S. By E. List of Shells collected during the Chevert Expedition. By John Brazier, C. M.Z.S. Remarks on the large number of Game Birds which have of List of Shells collected during the Chevert Expedition. By On a new genus of Arachnidæ. By H. H. B. Bradley, Esq. Observations on the genus Risella. By Rev. J. E. Tenison Woods, F. L.S., F.G.S., &c., &c. List of Shells collected during the Chevert Expedition, with descriptions of the new species. By John Brazier, C.M.Z.S. The Ichthyology of the Chevert Expedition. By Haynes Gibbes Alleyne, M.D., and William Macleay, F.L.S., (with plates). Note on Poephila Gouldiæ. By E. Pier on Ramsay, F.L.S. The Mollusca of the Chevert Expedition. By John Brazier, C.M.Z.S. Notes on the Entomological Fauna of New Ireland. William Macleay, F.L.S. By Remarks on Lavicardium Beecher. By John Brazier, C.M.Z.S. Descriptions of new species of Halmaturus and Parameles from New Ireland. By E. P. Ramsay, F.L.S., Curator of the Australian Museum. The Mollusca of the Chevert Expedition (continued). By John Brazier, C.M.Z.S. The Ichthyology of the Voyage of the Chevert. Part II. By H. G. Alleyne, M.D., and William Macleay, F.L.S. Notes on a new Wallaby from the Palm Islands. By E. Pierson Ramsay, F.L.S. Notes on some peculiarities in the Nidification of two species of Geobasileus. By George Masters. The Mollusca of the Chevert Expedition (continued). By John Brazier, C.M.Z.S. On the Vertebrate Fauna of New Britain, New Ireland, and the Duke of York Island. By E. Pierson Ramsay, F. L.S. Notes on some new Birds from the Norman River and the Gulf of Carpentaria. By E. Pierson Ramsay, F.L.S. Notes on a Collection of Birds made at Port Moresby by Mr. Goldie, and presented by him to the Australian Museum, with descriptions of new species. By E. Pierson Ramsay, F.L.S. |