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Show 1875.] THE SECRETARY ON AUDITIONS TO THE MENAGERIE. 529 (Calliste festiva and Euphonia pectoralis) new to the collection, and, so far as I know, never previously received alive. 4. A. very fine male Chimpanzee (Troglodytes niger), presented by Captain Lees, Governor of Lagos, July 19. The first set of teeth have been already shed, which is rarely the case in examples of tbe Chimpanzee brought to this country. 5. An Electric Silurus (Malapterurus beninensis) from West Africa, purchased July 21st, being the first example of this singular fish brought to our Gardens. On touching its belly with the finger a slight electric shock is at once given forth. The fish is about 5 inches long. 6. A young female Tora Antelope (Alcelaphus tora) from Upper Nubia, purchased July 22nd, being tbe first example of this eastern form of the Bubal which has reached us alive. The colour and shape of the body appear to be nearly identical with those of the Bubal; but the horns of the adult male (as I have shown, P. Z. S. 1873, p. 762) are very different. 7. A young male Wild Sheep, apparently Oris cycloceros, presented July 28th, by Commander Edmund St. J. Garforth, B.N. of H.M.S. 'Philomel,' who writes to me that he obtained it in Muscat, on the shores of the Persian Gulf, which I should not have supposed to be within the range of this species. -- # The total number of registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during the month of August was 94 ; of these, 52 were acquired by presentation, 12 by purchase, 13 by birth, 1 by exchange, and 16 received on deposit. The total number of departures during the same period by death and removals was 94. The most noticeable additions during the month were:- 1. A young female Manatee (Manatus americanus), deposited August 6th by Mr. R. Swain, of Demerara, and subsequently purchased for a6150. This animal was conveyed to England, on board the S.S. ' Blenheim,' Captain Robinson, in a large wooden tank slung upon a horizontal pole, and was fed during the voyage on the leaves of a large aquatic plant resembling the water-lily (Nymphcea), shipped for the purpose. It was about three weeks on the voyage. On its arrival in the Gardens, it was placed in one of the shallow concreted ponds near the Sea-lion's basin, and fed on lettuce and vegetable marrow. It lived in apparently good health until September 7th, when it died very suddenly. Mr. Garrod is preparing some notes upon this interesting animal, which is the first of the species that has actually reached us alive, although Mr. C. Bartlett nearly succeeded in bringing us one from Surinam in 1866*. 2. Two young Gannets, probably the young of the Brown Gannet or Booby (Sula fusca), but still partly in the down plumage, and therefore not certainly determinable. These birds were obtained from Port Lemon, Costa Rica, by J. C. Hussey, and presented by that gentleman August 16th. 3. A Woodford's Owl (Syrnium woodfordi) from Natal, presented * See Trans. Zool. Soc. viii. p. 192. 3 4* |
