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Show 1870.] MR. R. SWINHOE ON AMHERST'S PHEASANTS. Ill libero, late expanso, umbilicum falsum formante; rostro bre-viusculo, recurvato, canali aperto, sinuoso. Long. 130, diam. 60 mill. Hab. L'Agulhas Bank, Cape of Good Hope. This species of the genus Fusus is remarkable from its ventricose form, recurved rostrum, and from the columellar lip being much expanded at the fore part of the aperture, thus giving it the appearance of being umbilicated. It was dredged on the L'Agulhas Bank, off the Cape of Good Hope, and has been placed in m y hands for description by Mr. Cutter, of Great Russell Street. One specimen only was obtained. February 24, 1870. Dr. E. Hamilton, V.P., in the Chair. A communication was read from Mr. R. Swinhoe, F.Z.S., stating that when at Hankow last summer he had ascertained from H.M. Consul in that city that some living Amherst's Pheasants (Thaumalea amherstice) which had passed that way to England had been received from a French priest, Monseigneur Chauveau, Bishop of Sebastopolis, who was stationed at Ta-tsien-leou, on the Tibetan frontier. Mr. Swinhoe had been permitted to take a copy of M. Chauveau's letter upon the subject, which ran as follows:- " You may possibly at this moment wait for a letter about the Lady Amherst's Pheasants. Our exertions have been successful enough; and we have to-day in m y little mountain-home (so well known to Mr. Cooper) nine Lady Amherst's Pheasants, some of them in a perfectly good state, some in a less suitable condition. These birds are exceedingly common in our hills, but exceedingly cunning likewise. When they perceive, say the natives, in any corner of the hill a small handful of Indian corn or rice, suspecting a snare they do not approach easily, but. endeavour with their long tails to sweep away some of the corn in order to eat it without danger. Unfortunately we cannot, at any rate or by any means whatever, save the old ones; they refuse every kind of food. If you present them any thing they will never eat, but they peck your fingers and wound you cruelly; their captivity irritates them, say our good Chinamen. The young ones, on the contrary, appear to be very gentle birds, eating corn or rice in your hand without fear. They have magnificent tails, 24 inches in length generally." In reference to this communication, Mr. Sclater remarked that there could be no doubt that these birds were those subsequently received by Mr. Stone, and for some time deposited in the Society's Gardens*; and pointed out the position of Ta-tsien-leou on the slope * See P. Z. S. 1869, p. 468. |