OCR Text |
Show 1892.] ON THE BODY-CAVITY IN SNAKES. 477 Mr. H. H . Johnston, C.B., F.Z.S., dated the Residency, Zomba, British Central Africa, March 27th, 1892, announcing the despatch of a large consignment of Natural History specimens illustrative of the Fauna and Flora of the Shire Highlands, a good proportion of which were from altitudes of from 4000 to 8000 feet on Mount Zomba and Mount Milanji. Mr. Johnston requested Mr. Sclater to place these specimens in the hands of competent naturalists for examination. Mr. Sclater stated that one box containing 150 bird-skins and 6 mammal-skins had already arrived, and that he proposed to ask Mr. Oldfield Thomas to undertake the examination of the latter and Captain Shelley to determine the birds. The first complete set of everything was to be deposited in the British Museum. Mr. W. Saville Kent, F.Z.S., exhibited and made remarks on some photographs of a species of the genus Podargus (P. strigoides), showing the strange attitudes of these birds in a living state. Mr. J. W . Gregory, F.Z.S., gave an account of his researches on the British Paleogene Bryozoa, of which he recognized 30 species, represented in the National Collection by about 750 specimens. This paper will be published entire in the Society's' Transactions.' The following papers were read:- 1. On the Subdivision of the Body-cavity in Snakes. By GERARD W. BUTLER, B.A., F.Z.S. [Eeceived May 14, 1892.] (Plate XXVIII.) CONTENTS. p I, Introductory 478 II. Bibliography 478 III. List of Snakes examined 481 IV. On the Subdivision of the Body-cavity in the Adult Snake. (0) Preliminary, and as to certain extra-peritoneal lymph-spaces 482 (i.) The single posterior peritoneal space 483 (ii.) The unpaired gastric peritoneal space of the left side ... 486 (iii.) The paired peritoneal foyer-sacs 487 (iv.) The unpaired " omental" or " lesser peritoneal" space of the right side 487 V. Explanation of the List of Snakes in § III 489 VI. The Developmental History of the Pleuroperitoneal Cavity of Snakes 490 (i.) Early embryos of Tropidonotus, &c 490 (ii.) Embryos of Elaphis 11 cm. long 491 (iii.) Embryo of Elaphis 15 cm. long 492 VII. The Subdivisions of the Body-cavity of Snakes compared with those of other Sauropsida 494 VIII. Conclusions 490 IX. Explanation of Plate XXVIII 497 PROC ZOOL. Soc-1892, No. XXXIII. 33 |