Obs. This very handsome Paradise bird is one of the most valuable and interesting of the many contributions to the collection of this Academy, made by Mr. Edward Wilson, of Lydstip house, Pembrokeshire, to whom I have taken the liberty of dedicating it, as a slight acknowledgment of his valuable services to the cause of the zoological sciences in this country. This species is a congener of Paradisea magnifica, Lath., but does not resemble that, nor any other known species to an extent sufficient to render special designation necessary. All the species are in the collection of the Academy. The specimen now described was obtained by Mr. Wilson in England, but bears no label indicating locality. It is probably not fully adult. Pastor nigrocinctus, nobis. Form.-Specimen now about to be described much mutilated, cranium destroyed and skin of the head much injured, nearly the whole of the wing feathers and legs wanting. Feathers of the hind head somewhat elongated, exposed portion of the plumage of the rump and tail coverts filiform, tail feathers broad, rather abruptly terminated and slightly acuminated. Aberrant, possibly a Gracula. Dimensions.-Total length of skin from tip of bill to end of tail about 8 inches, tail 3 inches. Colors.-Head (entirely ?), broad band completely encircling the middle of the body; (wings?) and tail black with a greenish metallic lustre. Broad band encircling the anterior third portion of the body, including breast and neck above and below, and another broad band encircling the posterior third portion of the body including abdomen, rump, aud tail coverts, saffron yellow, paler on the under tail coverts. Bill yellow. Hab.-New Guinea ? Obs. I have seen two specimens only of this bird, one of which is in a museum at Albany; the other is the property of the Academy, and is the specimen now before me. Both were imported by Mr. J. G. Bell, of New York, deservedly well known as a naturalist and taxidermist, by whom the species was first pointed out to me as probably undescribed, and who has also had the kindness to inform me that he received them with skins of Paradise birds. They are mutilated in the same manner as those usually are, and have been subjected to similar methods of preservation; from which facts I have inferred that they may be from New Guinea. 3. Buceros Fistulator, nobis. Form. Very similar to that of Buceros Buccinator, Temm., but is much smaller. Specimen now described probably not fully adult, bill nearly simple. Colors. Very similar to those of Buceros Buccinator, Temm. Lower medial part of breast, abdomen, thighs, under tail coverts, inferior wing coverts, tips of secondary and tertiary quills, and tips of external tail feathers, white, all other parts black with a greenish lustre. Hab.-Western Africa. Obs. Two specimens of the bird now described are in the collection, one of which presented by Mr. Edward Verreaux, of Paris, has the plumage of an adult bird, though its bill is without appendages. In all other respects both specimens are very similar to B. Buccinator, Temm., Pl. Col. 276, but are so much smaller that I cannot think it possible they are young birds of that species. 4. Alcyone Lessonii, nobis. "Ceyx azurea, Less." "Alcedo azurea, Lath." Lesson, Voy. Coquille, I. p. 690. Form.-Much resembling that of Alcyone azurea, (Lath.) Gould B. of Aust. II, pl. 25, but is larger; the bill is much thicker and wider. Dimensions.-Total length of skin from tip of bill to end of tail about 63 inches, wing 34, tail 1 inches. Colors. Generally resembling those of A. azurea, but upon the upper surface of the body are of a deeper and more uniform blue. Entire plumage above deep azure blue, which color extends somewhat upon the sides of the breast. Quills and tail beneath brownish black, the former narrowly edged exteriorly with blue. Small narine spots and another large spot on each side of the neck, yellowish white. Throat nearly white, all the other under parts of the body deep fawn yellow inclining to reddish on the sides. Hab.-Havre de Dorey, New Guniea. Obs. This species is described by Mons. Lesson, as above, but is quite different from the A. azurea or either of the other nearly allied Australian species, being decidedly larger and in all respects more robustly organized. It is not figured in Voy. Coquille, though a complete description is given. One specimen only is in the collection of the Academy, which is another of the valuable acquisitions made in Paris by Mr. Edward Wilson. 5. Hirundo Gouldii, nobis. Hirundo frontalis, Gould. Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1837, p. 22, and Voy. Beagle, Birds, p. 40, (1841.) Obs. I propose to apply this name, Hirundo Gouldii, to the species described by Mr. Gould as above in 1837; the name given by him, Hirundo frontalis, having been previously applied to another species by Quoy and Gaimard, Voy. Astro labe, Zoologie I, p. 204, (1830.) Several specimens of both species are in the collection of the Academy. The Committee to which was referred a paper by Drs. D. D. Owen, and B. F. Shumard, describing new species of Crinoidea from the subcarboniferous limestone of Iowa, &c., reported in favor of publication in the Journal. A letter was read from Dr. J. H. Troschel, Professor of Zoology in the University of Bonn, and present editor of the Archiv. für Naturgeschichte, announcing the transmission to the Academy of recent numbers of that work, and expressing his desire to exchange for the publications of the Academy, and requesting permission to make translations of papers from the latter for insertion in his work. Whereupon it was on motion ordered, that the Editor of the "Archiv. für Naturgeschichte" be placed upon the exchange list of the Journal. Dr. Morton announced the late decease of Prof. Gerard Troost, at Nashville, Tenn., at a very advanced age. The deceased was the first elected President of this Institution. DONATIONS TO MUSEUM IN JULY AND AUGUST, 1850. July 16th. Lepidodendrum obovatum, from Sharp Mountain, Stony Creek, Penn.; Sigillaria -, from do.; Phosphate of Lead, Sulphuret of Silver, Fluor spar on Quartz, and Antimonial Silver ore, from Saxony; Pyruite, Tungstate of Iron, and Oxide of Tin, from Bohemia; Blende and Boracite, from Hungary; magnetic Oxide of Iron, from Saxony; Arragonite and Albin, from Bohemia; Carbonate with Sulphuret of Iron, from Bavaria; Sulphate of Barytes, and red Hæmatite of Iron, from Saxony. Presented by Mr. Theo. F. Moss. A collection of minerals from the Plumbago mine, near Feasterville, Bucks co., Penn. From Mr. Joseph M. Cardeza, of Philadelphia. July 23d. A small collection of Lepidoptera, from California. From Dr. A. L. Heerman. A collection of four hundred and fifty specimens of European and South American Lepidoptera. From Mr. Becker, of Paris, in exchange. August 6th. Fine specimes of Phosphate of Lead, and of Carbonate of Lead, from Phoenixville, Chester co., Penn. From Mr. J. Christman. A skeleton of Gallus communis, of remarkably large size. From Mr. John Lambert. One Mormon fratercula, young, Europe: two Hybrids of Canary and European Goldfinch; two Eggs of Hematopus palliatus, United States; four of Fringilla maritima, do.; one of Sterna stolida, do.; three of Sterna acuflavida, do.; four of Corydalina bicolor, do. From Dr. A. L. Heerman. Picus querulus, (mounted) near Philadelphia; Picus erythrocephalus, do. From Mr. W. Wood. Five specimens of Echinus, one of Sabellaria, and fifty-seven specimens of British shells of the following genera, Solen, Anomia, Mactra, Cardium, Lucina, Anatifa, Anodonta, Chiton, Murex, Balanus; three bottles containing Mollusca, Crustacea, and Echinodermata, in Goadby's solution; all from Pembrokeshire. From Messrs. Edward T. Wilson, and Charles W. Wilson, Pembrokeshire. Fourteen specimens of Echinodermata, from New Zealand, of the genera Ophiura, Goniaster, Palmipes, Asterias, Scutella; one specimen of Coral from the Pacific Ocean. From Mr. Warwick, and Mr. Argent, of London. One specimen Salmo umbla, from Lake Windermere. From Mr. Eyton, of England. Two eggs of Coturnix excalfactoria, from N. S. Wales, two of Charadrius xanthochilus, do., two of Leucosarcia picata, do. From M. Jules P. Verreaux, of Paris. One sternum of Circus cyaneus, two sterna of Falco tinnunculus, one of Astur nisus, two of Buteo vulgaris var. albidus, one of Milvus regalis, one of Strix, one of Parus major, one of Parus cæruleus, one of Sylvia atricapilla, one of Turdus musicus, one of Turdus merula, one of Sylvia suecica, one of Loxia oxyzivora, one of Loxia coccothraustes, one of Vidua paradisea, one of Fringilla domestica, one of Fringilla cucullata, one of Euplectes ignicapilla, Africa, one of Upupa epops, one of Cuculus canorus, one of Picus tricolor Q, three of Psittacus, one of Petit perruche à ailes Bleus, one of Cacatoes, two of Ortyx virginianus, one of Pavo cristatus, two of Phasianus pictus, one of Phasianus colchicus var. white, one of Phasianus torquatus, one of Tetrao scoticus, one of Ardea cinerea, one of Anas boschas, one of Anas ferina, two of Anas tadorna, one of Anas crecca, one of Gallinula porzana, and five unnamed. From Mons. De la Berge. Skeleton of Turacus albocristatus; Eggs of Strix aluco, from Algiers, Aquila audax, Certhia familiaris, France, Certhia costa, Italy. Also skins of Vulpes velox, Lepus californicus, Mephitis marpurito? Sciurus Douglasii, Mus leucopus?; all from California. From Dr. Thomas B. Wilson. August 13th. Very beautiful specimen of Crystallized Sulphate of Barytes, from Eldridge mine, Buckingham county, Virginia. From Mr. J. Parker Norris, through J. Dickinson Sergeant, Esq. Specimen, in spirits, of Octopus Presented by Mr. Cassin. August 20th. Dr. Wilson presented seventeen cases containing 757 bottles of fishes and reptiles in spirits, 177 fishes in skin, nine Serpents, eight toads, ten tortoises, and one hundred Quadrupeds, in skin; being the types of the figures and descriptions in the Fauna Italica of Prince C. L. Bonaparte. A collection of minerals from St. Lawrence county, New York. From Franklin B. Hough, M. D., of Somerville, N. Y. DONATIONS TO LIBRARY IN JULY AND AUGUST, 1850. Notice of the Gypsum of Plaister Cove in the Strait of Canseau. By J. W. Dawson, Esq. From the author. A lexicon of 1erms used in Natural History. By W. S. W. Ruschenberger, M. D. 8vo. From the author. New species of Myliobates from the Eocene of South Carolina, with other genera not hitherto observed in the United States. By R. W. Gibbes, M. D. From the author. F. C. Haugsted, M. D. Thymi in homine ac per seriem animalium descriptio anatomica. 12mo. From Dr. Morton. Marcelli Malpighi de structura Viscerum. 12mo. From the same. the same. Halleri opuscula anatomica de respiratione, de Monstris, &c. the same. 12mo. From Benedicti Stilling disquisitiones de structura Protuberantiæ annularis vel Pontii Varolii. Folio. From the same. An illustrated system of Human Anatomy. By S. G: Morton, M. D. Royal From the same. 8vo. The following were presented by Dr. T. B. Wilson, on the usual condition :Narrative of a Whaling voyage round the World from 1833 to 1835. By F. D. Bennett, Esq. 2 vols. 8vo. A familiar introduction to the History of Insects. By Edward Newman. 8vo. Petralogy a treatise on Rocks. By J. Pinkerton. 2 vols. 8vo. A descriptive catalogue of the fossil organic remains of Scarborough and its vicinity. 8vo. Geological and mining report on the Leinster Coal District. By Richard Griffith, Jr., Esq. Svo. Geological and Mining Survey of the Connaught Coal District in Ireland. By R. Griffith, Jr.. Esq. 8vo. |