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Show 666 LETTER FROM THE REV. S. J. WHITMEE. [Dec. 1, been based on an albino variety of tbe present animal, it would be altogether inappropriate to the normal form. I therefore propose for the present to call the West-Indian species Dasyprocta antillensis (Plate L X X X I L ) , -and hope to be able to give a more complete account of it on a future occasion. 8. An Orange-bellied Helictis (Helictis subaurantiaca, Swinh.), purchased of a dealer, November 26th. This little-known carnivore was described and figured by Mr. Swinhoe in our'Proceedings'in 1862 (P. Z. S. 1862, p. 355, pi. xliv.), from Formosan specimens. I have never before seen a living specimen of the form, which is obviously nearly allied to Arctonyx, and also somewhat resembles in external appearance Taxidea americana, of both of which we have living examples now in the Gardens. It seems to me questionable whether H. subaurantiaca is really specifically distinct from H. moschata, Gray* ; but if there are two Chinese species, ours belongs to the former. I may remark that I believe Helictis personata of Peguf, which is united to Helictis moschata by Dr. Gray (Cat. Cam. M a m m . p. 142), to be a very distinct species. The following extract was read from a letter addressed to the Secretary by the Rev. S. J. Whitmee, C.M.Z.S., dated Samoa, South Pacific, July 24th, 1874 :- " I am forwarding to Sydney, to the care of Dr. Bennett, a couple of Doves, Ptilonopus fasciatus and Phlegoenas stairi (?), and a pair of Fruit-bats of the species described by Mr. E. R. Alston, at the meeting of the Society on January 20th last, as Pteropus whitmeei. " These Dr. Bennett will forward to England for the Society should they survive the voyage. As the Bat appears to belong to a new species, you will doubtless be glad to have a pair in the Gardens. "This Pteropus is very common in Samoa. The usual native name for it is Pea' ( = Peha). But as Pea' is the name of some chiefs, this is often changed, according to the well-known Polynesian custom, into Manu lagi ( = Manu langi), which means the animal of the heavens. This name is given to it on account of its mode of flight over the tops of the trees at a considerable height. It is chiefly nocturnal in its habits, but may very frequently be seen even at midday in the bush gracefully sailing high in the heavens with a very slow and regular flap of the wings. "I once saw a number together which I estimated at over a thousand. I was visiting an extinct crater in the island of Savaii, the sides of which are perpendicular. The bottom of the crater is full of large trees, the tops of which are about 200 feet below its upper edge. These trees seem to be a favourite resort of the Bats ; and at the time of my visit, 5 o'clock P.M., they had come out to disport themselves in the cool of the evening. "The Pteropus is somewhat of a pest at the time of the bread-fruit * See Mr. Swinhoe's remarks, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 623. t Meloyalc personata, Geoffr. St.-Hilaire, Belanger's Voy. M a m m . pi. 4. |
