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Show 1875.] MR. P. L. SCLATER O N CERVUS CHILENSIS. 47 nized from Western Peru, it is probably a valid species, of which we may hope to obtain perfect specimens. " Mr. Whitely sends m e the following note on this species :-** The small red Deer which Dr. Gray has had the kindness to name after me is found in the hot valleys ; and I can tell nothing about its habits, as it rarely comes out into the clearing, but keeps in the depths of the forests ; and if seen it is only for a moment, for its movements are very rapid, and it is quickly lost to sight amongst the dense underwood.' "CERVUS PERUVIANUS. "Furcifer antisiensis, Gray, Ann. N. H. xii. p. 162 (1873); id. Hand-1. of Edent. &c. p. 159, pl. xxxv. fig. 1. " Cervus (Coassus) peruvianus, Gray, Ann. N . H . xiii. p. 332 (1874). " This species is also based upon a single specimen of a female animal obtained in the Andes of Cuzco by Mr. Whitely, and now in the British Museum. Dr. Gray at first referred it to the Cervus antisiensis oi D'Orbigny, and subsequently to the subgenus Coassus. It has, however, I believe I m a y safely say, on the authority of Sir Victor Brooke, as little to do with the one as with the other, but belongs, so far as can be told from the single skull, apparently to one of the southern diminutives of either C. virginianus or C. columbianus. " Mr. Whitely speaks of this Deer as the ' Venado' of the natives, and says that it goes in pairs or small troops at a lower elevation than C. antisiensis ; the horns have also a greater number of prongs. "Whether the second skull (of a male with partly grown irregular horns) which has been referred to this species in the 'Hand-list,' and is there figured (pl. xxxv. fig. 2), really belongs to C. peruvianus is very doubtful. It is an old specimen received from this Society's former collection; and its locality is unknown. " Finally, therefore, we may say that there is evidence of the existence of three Deer in Western Peru-namely C. (Furcifer) antisiensis, C. (Coassus) whitelyi, and 0. (Cariacus 1) peruvianus. In Chili two species only are known, C. (Furcifer) chilensis and C. (Pudua) humilis." Dr. E . Hamilton exhibited and made remarks on some deformed sterna of the C o m m o n Fowl, produced by the variety called the " Creve-cceur," and which had been persistent for six years in a farm in France. The following papers were read:- |
