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Show 1877.] MR. A. H . G A R R O D O N T H E S U M A T R A N R H I N O C E R O S . 533 The Secretary read an extract from a letter addressed to him by Monsieur J. M . Comely, C.M.Z.S., dated Chateau Beaujardin, Tours, France, June 5th, stating that his female Hydropotes inermis, which had been impregnated by tbe Society's male, sent to Tours for that purpose, had just produced three young ones, one of which, however, had been born dead ; the dead one weighed 1175 grammes, and was about 45 centims. in length. Mr. J. E. Harting, F.Z.S., exhibited a variety of the Common Snipe, and made the following remarks :- The Snipe which I have the pleasure of exhibiting this evening is remarkable from the circumstance that the colour of the plumage is exactly intermediate between that of the Common Snipe and the so-called Sabine's Snipe. It seems, indeed, to form a connecting link, as is were, between the two, and to lead to the conclusion (already shared in by many ornithologists) that the so-called Sabine's Snipe is not a valid species, but a melanism of the C o m m o n Snipe. Some years ago, before I had examined as many specimens of Sabine's Snipe as I have since seen, I thought from various characters (such as the absence of the longitudinal half-lines on the dorsal plumage, and the ovate shape of the feathers generally) that Sabine's Snipe might be a good species ; but having now examined some fifteen or sixteen different specimens, I am inclined to believe that the ovate shape of the feathers is characteristic of age, and indicates a young bird, and that the so-called species ought to be regarded simply as a melanism of the common species. The specimen now exhibited was killed in Ireland last Christmas ; and a brief notice of it will be found in the ' Zoologist' for January last, pp. 24, 25. Mr. B. Tegetmeier, F.Z.S., exhibited a specimen of the sternum of the Tawny Owl (Syrnium aluco) which presented a curious malformation. There was a complete absence of ossification down the middle line, the moieties of the sternum, in contact superiorly, being widely divergent inferiorly, although each was quite of normal form. The furcula was not peculiar. Mr. John Murray, C.M.Z.S., Naturalist of the 'Challenger' Expedition, exhibited and made remarks on a series of Shark's teeth, Whale's ear-bones, and other specimens dredged up during the voyage of the 'Challenger.' Prof. Garrod, F.R.S., read a description of the brain of the Sumatran Rhinoceros. This paper will be published in the Society's ' Transactions.' The following papers were read :- reference to the black line below the eye in his F. jubata, I think it impossible to identify it with the present animal. |