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Show 700 THE SECRETARY ON ADDITIONS TO THE MENAGERIE. [Dec. 5, former occasions, from Mr. Weisshaupt) on October 4th. This consisted of the following animals :- 2 Andean Geese, Bernicla melanoptera. 2 Magellanic Geese, Chloephaga magellanica. 1 Chiloe Wigeon, Mareca chiloensis, 2 Chilian Teal, Querquedula creccoides. 9 Pampas Cats, Felis passerum*. 1 Spectacled Bear, Ursus ornatus. Of these, the Chilian Teal and the Spectacled Bear (which has been deposited with the Society for safe custody since the 16th May, 1871) are new to the Society's collection. 2. A Cape Eared Seal (Otaria pusilla), presented by H.E. Sir Henry Barkly, C.M.Z.S., October 5th. Sir Henry Barkly, having obtained three living examples of this species at Cape Town, sent them home to the Society by the steamship * Norseman,' under the kind care of Capt. Coxwell. Sir Henry, in a letter, dated Government House, Cape Town, September 17, states that the animals sent were all young females, from six to eight months old, the males captured on the same occasion having either died or escaped. Of the three examples transmitted, only one survived to reach the gardens, where it is doing very well, being fed principally upon sprats and other small fishes. This Otaria, in general form and shape, as will be seen by the sketch exhibited, is not very different from our female Otaria jubata. It is, however, of very much smaller dimensions, measuring only about 2 feet 6 inches in length. Perhaps the most noticeable external point of difference is the large size of the external ears, which measure about 1\ inch in length. The front flippers appear also to be proportionally shorter than in O. jubata. The total number of registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during November was 49, of which 1 was by birth, 34 by presentation, 9 by purchase, 3 by exchange, and 2 were received on deposit. The total number of departures during the same period by death and removals was 121. The most noticeable additions were as follows :- 1. Maleo bird, Megacephalon maleo, presented by Capt. Parish, R.N., November 6th. Capt. Parish informs me he obtained this rare Celebean bird in St. Helena out of a vessel coming from Java. Only upon one previous occasion, I believe, has the species been before exhibited in the Society's Gardens; and that was many years ago. 2. A male Chinese Pucras, Pucrasia xanthospila, presented by the Duke of Wellington, K.G., November 10th. A few days subsequently, a female of the same species, which had been placed in the gardens on deposit, was purchased ; so that the Society is now, for the first time, in possession of a pair of this fine Pheasant, which it is hoped will breed next season. * I propose thus to write the specific name instead of the Spanish "pajeros," which is neither " Latin " nor " like Latin."-P. L. S. |