OCR Text |
Show 1867.] MR. BLYTH ON AUSTRALIAN CROWS. 565 the anterior one on the front surface of the snout just internal to the root of the maxillary cirrus, divided from the posterior by the nasal cirrus ; the posterior nostril rather more than one diameter from the median line of the skull. Nasal cirri thin, extending to opposite the posterior margin of the orbit; the maxillary reaching to the commencement of the base of the anal fin; the two pairs of labial cirri arise close together, the root of the internal one slightly in front of that of the external one, and both nearly under the symphysis, whilst they reach to the first third of the pectoral fin. Teeth in both jaws in numerous fine rows; those in the vomer and palatine bones separated by a very short interspace in the central line, and each of these again divided into two separate patches of an almost oval form, so that their inner margin has three emarginations. Fins. Dorsal commences opposite the centre of the pectoral. Ventral under the posterior third of the dorsal. Adipose dorsal over about the thirty-second anal ray. First dorsal pointed; its spine sharp, strong, rugose anteriorly, and serrated posteriorly in its upper two-thirds, whilst it has a soft termination. Pectoral spine strong, finely serrated internally, whilst it is one-fourth longer than the dorsal spine. Ventral small, and extending as far as the anus. Caudal deeply forked, with pointed lobes. Lateral line nearly straight, dividing into two at the root of the caudal fin. Air-bladder large, simple. Colours. Silvery, with a gloss of green along the back and head. Caudal stained rather darkish. All the other fins diaphanous. Grows to upwards of 1| foot in length, and is good eating. Hab. Kurnool and the rivers of the Deccan. May 23, 1867- Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., V.P., in the Chair. Mr. E. Blyth, C.M.Z.S., exhibited a series of drawings of the horns of various Indo-Chinese species of Deer (Cervus duvauceli, C. schomburgki, &c). Mr. Blyth also exhibited two specimens of Crows from a collection of skins sent from Australia, evidently of two different species, one being considerably larger than the other, and differing in some other particulars. The smaller kind was stated to be that figured in Mr. Gould's ' Birds of Australia,' vol. iv. pl. 18, as C. coronoides, Gould, where the figure is stated to be of the natural size ; but the specimen exhibited had a longer wing, measuring 12 inches from the carpus, and the lanceolate feathers of the front of the neck were considerably less strongly developed than in Mr. Gould's representation of the species. |