Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London - University Library

O PROCEEDINGS OF THE
habitat, or colouring, collected by Dr. Gilchrist, F.L.S. (South
Africa), W. E. Forrest, Esq. (\Yest Indies), Dr. Cliarles Hose, D.Sc.
(Borneo), C. J. (Saunders, Esq. (Singapore), P. W. Bassett-Smith,
Esq., E.N. (Diego Garcia), W. Boyd, Esq., F.E.S.E., W. Bruce,
Esq., E. Mello Saunders, Esq. (Xorthern and Arctic localities), and
G. Eddison, Esq. (Nottinghamshire).
The specimens shown included many representative crabs,
delicate or massive, some with tall sponges growing on their backs,
some equipped for vigorous motion; a '•calling-crab" with one
arm abnormally large ; an old truculent-looking land-crab ; a new
stone-crab from the South Atlantic; a AVest Indian " hermit" of
exceptional size ; a " mother-lobster '' with its gastric apparatus
inverted ; several craAv-fishes ; the little red Cape lobster ; crayfishes
; a new African river-prawn of a beautiful blue colour ; the
gigantic South American prawn, Palcemon jamaicensis ; Squillidae,
Isopods, and Amphipods, with a thread-like Oaprellid from
Kerguelen among them. The series was intended to illustrate the
wonderful diversity of forms developed in the Malacostraca, all
traceable by modifications easily intelligible to a very simple
original.
Various crustacean parasites of northern and southern whales
were also exhibited, and a curious mimetic parasite from the sun-tish.
Lastly, Mr. Stebbing made an appeal for information in regard
to the distribution of the river (3rayfish in the Midland and
Northern counties of England.
A discussion followed, in which the Eev. J. Gerai'd, S.J.,
Mr. H. J. Elwes, the Treasurer, the President, and Mr. V. I.
Chamberlain took part, the Eev. T. E. E. Stebbing i*eplying.
Dr. Augustine Henrt then gave a discourse on " Botanical
Collecting," to which Prof. S. H. Vines, Mr. H. J. Elwes, and
Dr. Tempest Anderson (a visitor) couti'ibuted some remarks.
(See Abstract, p. 62.)
The follovi-ing paper was read :
" On the Cranial Osteology of the Families Osteoglossidae,
Pantodontidse, and Phractolsemidae." By Dr. W. G. Eidewood,
F.L.S.
—
February 2nd, 1905.
Prof. W. A. Hebdmaf, F.E.S., President, in the Chaii*.
The Minutes of the General Meeting of the 19th January were
read and confirmed.
Mr. Eardley Wilmot Blomfield Holt, Miss Emilia Frances Noel,
Miss Alice Laura Embleton, Mr. William James Tutcher, and
Mr. Stafford Edwin Chandler were admitted Fellows.