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Show 538 MR. p. L. S C L A T E R O N A N E W P A R R O T . [Dec. 7» suborder, but I venture at least to suggest that the genus may be regarded as the type of a new family ; and utilizing, as far as possible, the structural features that commonly enter into the diagnoses of zoologists who study living forms, it may be provisionally defined as follows. Order SELACHII. Suborder TECTOSPONDYLI. Family SQUALORAIIDJE. Body scarcely depressed, elongate. Head produced into along flat rostrum, without lateral teeth. Males with a prehensile spine on the upper part of the snout. Dentition sharply divided at the symphysis. Pectoral fins with small propterygium, free. EXPLANATION OF PLATE LV. Fig. 1. Skeleton of Squaloraja polyspondyla (male), dorsal aspect. [No. I.] a.v, situation of auditory openings ; b.s, basipterygium of pelvic fin ; ci (a and b), cirri; cl, clasper; cor, coracoid ; d, edge of skin ; hk, dermal booklets; hm, hyomandibular; il, iliac process; itr, intertrabecular rostrum; mtp, metapterygium ; oc.c, occipital condyle ; p.pb, prepubic process ; pa.tr, palato-trabecular region ; pms, preaxial basal cartilage of pectoral fin; pr.pa, prepalatine process ; pt.pa, postpalatine (antorbital) process ; pub, pubic cartilage; r, cartilaginous fin-rays ; r.s, rostral spine ; s.sc, suprascapula ; t, dentition ; v, vertebral column. 2. Skull of ditto (male), dorsal aspect. [No. IV.] Refs. as above. 3. Skull of ditto (young female), ventral aspect. [No. III.] c.f, carotid foramen (?); iv.m, investing mass ; n, notochordal sheath. 4. Dental plate of right mandibular ramus of ditto, twice nat. size. [No. III.] 5. Rostral spine of Squaloi-aja, sp., side view. [No. V.] h, booklets ; g, lateral groove. 6. Rostral spine of Squaloraja tenuispina, dorsal view. [No. VIIL] 7. Tail of Squaloraja polyspondyla (young female). [No. III.] 8. Section of vertebra of ditto. [No. II.] All the specimens are from the Lower Lias of L y m e Regis, and preserved in the British Museum. With the exception of fig. 4, the drawings are of the natural size. 3. On an apparently new Parrot of the Genus Conurus living in the Society's Gardens. By P. L. SCLATER, M.A., Ph.D., F.R.S., Secretary to the Society. [Received October 29, 1886.] (Plate LVI.) On the 29th of April last we purchased of Mr. Cross, of Liverpool, an example of a Parrot of the genus Conurus, which seems to be different from every other species of the genus yet described. The bird, which is still living in the Parrot-house, is at once distinguishable from its congeners by its red throat and collar, whence I propose to call it |
