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Show 86 THE SECRETARY ON ADDITIONS TO T H E MENAGERIE. [Feb. 10, The following is a description of the specimens :- Height of body considerably more than length of head, which is one-fifth of the total length without caudal. Head depressed ; its width is five-sixths of its length ; eye very small; interorbital space half the length of the head; width of mouth less than that of interorbital space ; labial disk well developed. Barbels four in number, the upper nearly double the diameter of the eye. Four and a half longitudinal series of scales between the lateral line and the root of the ventral. Pectoral as long as head, terminating at about its own length before root of ventral. Caudal deeply emarginate, lobes equal. Colour silvery, darker above,- a black spot behind upper end of gill-opening; tip of snout blackish; no lateral band; no darker spot at base of caudal. Length 5 inches. February 10, 1870. John Gould, Esq., F.R.S., V.P., in the Chair. The Secretary called the attention of the Meeting to the following additions to the Menagerie during the month of January :- 1. A specimen of the Great Northern Diver (Colymbus glacialis), captured in Cornwall, and presented to the Society by A. R. Hunt, Esq., January 6th. The bird, which was believed to be the first specimen of the species ever obtained by the Society alive, had been rather shy at first, but had been gradually induced to feed, and now seemed likely to do well. It appeared to be a bird of the year. 2. A small Armadillo, purchased January 15th of Mr. E. Paddi-son. This Armadillo, which Mr. Sclater referred with some doubt to the Little Armadillo (Dasypus minutus), was stated to have been captured on the eastern slope of the Andes of La Plata, at an elevation of 3000 feet, in 35° 15' S. lat. 3. Five Brown Tritons (Geotriton fuscus), from the vicinity of Spezia in Italy, purchased January 22nd, and believed to be the first specimens of this Batrachian exhibited in the Society's collection. 4. A female Potto (Perodicticuspotto), purchased January 24th, making a pair of this scarce Lemurine form now living in the Society's collection. The Secretary likewise reported that Mr. G. S. Rodon had presented to the Society the survivor of the two White-handed Gibbons (Hylobates lar) which he had deposited in the Society's Gardens on the 17th of November last-and that since the death of its fellow this animal had been placed in the same cage as the Hoolock Gibbon (Hylobates hoolock), presented by Mr. Grote, so that the two species might now be seen and compared together. A drawing (Plate V.) was exhibited, representing these two animals. |