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Show 1866.] M R . p. L. S C L A T E R O N A D D I T I O N S T O T H E M E N A G E R I E . 201 over with umber spots, amongst which others of a bluish tinge are mixed. 253. RHYNCHOPS MELANURA, SW. An. in Men. p. 340 ; Schomb. Guian. iii. p. 761. Hab. Lower Ucayali. Egg somewhat similar to the last, but paler, and the spots richer in colour, and larger and fewer in number. April 10, 1866. John Gould, Esq., F.R.S., V.P., in the Chair. Mr. P. L. Sclater, Secretary to the Society, called the attention of the Meeting to a pair of one of the most beautiful of all the Australian Parrakeets (Psephotus pulcherrbnus, Gould), recently added to the Aviaries for the first time. These birds had been brought over by Mr. N . Timmermann, Steward of the ship ' Nineveh,' on the 20th of March, and purchased of him for the collection. Another Australian species recently received for the first time was an Australian Bustard, Eupodotis australasiana (Gould). Mr. P. L. Sclater stated that the Society's active and obliging Corresponding Member, Mr. G. W . Latimer of Porto Rico, had forwarded a living Manatee (Manatus americanus) to the Society by the mail-steamer leaving St. John's on the 12th of March last. The \ animal had been transported to St. Thomas's, and the tank containing it safely transhipped into the ' Tasmanian' (Capt. Sawyer), but it had unfortunately died before reaching England. The Society were greatly indebted to Mr. Edward Greey, F.Z.S., of the same vessel, for the care he had taken in preserving the body of this animal, which, owing to the precautions adopted by Mr. Greey, had reached England in a very perfect state. The Society's Prosector was now engaged upon its anatomy, and the results of his investigations would shortly be brought before the Society. Mr. Tegetmeier exhibited and made some remarks upon a supposed original drawing of the Dodo (Didus ineptus), in which the colour of that extinct bird was represented as being nearly white. Mr. J. Gould exhibited specimens of the trachea of an Insessorial Bird from Cape York, Northern Australia (Manucodia gouldi, G. R. I»tr Gray), which was of very remarkable form and structure. The following paper was read : - PROC ZOOL. Soc-1866, No. XIV. |
