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Show 1875.] THE SECRETARY ON ADDITIONS TO THE MENAGERIE. 81 February 16, 1875. George Busk, Esq., F.R.S., V.P., in the Chair. The Secretary read the following report on the additions to the Society's Menagerie during the month of January 1875. The total number of registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during the month of January was 75, of which 34 were by presentation, 33 by purchase, 1 by exchange, 2 by birth, and 5 were received on deposit. The total number of departures during the same period, by death and removals, was 74. The most noticeable additions during the month of January were as follows:- 1. A Silver-backed Jackal (Canis chama, Smith), presented by Mr. H. B. N . Good on the 6th of January. Mr. Good informs me that he obtained the animal at the diamond-fields in Griqualand West, from a Dutch Boer, in November 1874. It had been caught near the Boer's farm some time previously ; and Mr. Good has seen others of the same species in the same district. This species of Canis appears to be very little known. It was described in 1835 by Sir Andrew Smith (South-African Quart. Journ. ii. p. 89*). I have never seen a living example of this species before, and am only acquainted with the specimen in the British Museum, which is one of the types received from Sir A. Smith. It is remarkable for its large pointed ears, resembling those of the Fennec (Canis cerdo) and Syrian Fennec (Canis famelicus), of which we have also living specimens in the Gardens. It is also in other respects a strongly marked and very distinct species, as will be seen by the drawing (Plate XVII.) of tbe present specimen, made by Mr. Smit. * This work is so very scarce that I think it may be useful to reprint the original description. " Canis chama, Smith (The Asse). Muzzle, centre of face, and top of head yellowish brown, variegated by an intermixture of bristly hairs annulated black and white; sides of head a uniform whitish yellow; upper lip, towards angles of mouth, lower lip, and chin blackish brown; whiskers and edges of eyelids black; ears large, outer surfaces yellowish red, inner margined with white hairs, elsewhere bare. Woolly hairs of neck and body abundant, their tips reddish white or yellowish white, elsewhere a dull smoke-colour; bristly hairs abundant on back of neck and centre of back, on sides, shoulders, and outsides of thighs less numerous, all anuulated black and white, the tips black. Extremities yellowish white, inclined to white on their anterior surfaces ; a large brownish-black blotch on the posterior surface of each hinder extremity, about halfway between the feet and base of tail. Underparts of neck and body whitish yellow. Tail very bushy, the prevailing colour yellowish white, the upper surface towards base variegated with bristly hairs annulated black and white ; the black, about three inches from the root, is so disposed as to give an appearance of one or two waved transverse black stripes ; from thence to the point the bristly hairs are all tipped with black, and at the very extremity of the tail they are almost entirely of that colour, so that it appears perfectly black. Length. from nose to base of tail, 23 inches; length of tail 13 inches; height at shoulder 12 inches, at r u m p 13 inches. , Inhabits Namaqualand and the country on both sides of the Orange river. PROC. ZOOL. Soc-1875, No. VI. 6 |