OCR Text |
Show 1877.] MR. D. G. ELLIOT ON THE IBIDIN^E. 477 very small, those of the vomer limited to the anterior extremity of the bone, a band of villiform teeth along the middle of the hyoid. Prseoperculum with the angle much rounded, and without a distinct lower limb ; suboperculum more than twice as long as deep. The gill-cover shows scarcely a trace of the radiating and concentric striae by which Salmo nitidus is characterized. Pectoral shorter than, or equal in length to, the head without snout; and at least one half or more than one half of the distance of its root from the ventral. Ventral fins terminating at a considerable distance from the vent. D. 13 ; the largest ray scarcely longer than the distance of the eye from the end of the operculum. A. 11. Caudal deeply excised, its middle rays not quite half as long as the outer ones. Scales minute. Bran-chiostegals 11. Pyloric appendages 42. Vertebrse 65. Upper parts light greenish olive, passing into the silvery coloration of the sides. Lower part of a deep reddish-pink colour. Sides with very small red spots. Dorsal and upper part of the caudal of the colour of the back. Paired fins and anal and lower part of caudal deep red, with yellowish white margins. Several specimens were obtained in a freshwater lake near to the winter-quarters of the 'Discovery,' in a depth of from 10-15 fathoms. This is a small species, the largest example measuring 10 inches, all the others, males and females, being only 8 inches long. Yet the sexual organs were fully developed, and the ova ready for exclusion. By associating the name of Sir George Nares with one of the novelties brought home by the Arctic Expedition, I pay only a small tribute of the esteem in which all zoologists hold the leader of the ' Challenger' and Arctic Expeditions. d. Review of the Ibidince, or Subfamily of the Ibises. By D. G. ELLIOT, F.R.S.E., F.L.S., &c. &c [Received May 22, 1877.] (Plate LI.) The materials by means of which the present paper has been written are contained in the Museum of Paris and in the collections of Messrs. Salvin and Godman, aud Captain G. E. Shelley. The collection of the Paris Museum is very rich in these birds, and contains several of the types of older writers, as Cuvier &c.; and I have to acknowledge my indebtedness to Prof. A. Milne- Edwards and M. Oustalet for the facility afforded me in making m y investigations. In the following paper I have given the literature of the subfamily, classification, genera, and geographical distribution, together wilh the synonymy for each species as I have been able to determine it. |