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Show 1871.] LETTER FROM DR. BURMEISTER. 701 3. Two Grey Seals (Halichcerus grypus) purchased November 11th, through the kind agency of Mr. Samuel Williams of St. Davids, Pembrokeshire. Though the Grey Seal is said to be not uncommon on some parts of the British coast, we have never previously succeeded in obtaining living specimens of it. From what Professor Flower informs me, I am now induced to believe that all the Seals of the genus Phoca (except the Greenland Seals, Phoca grcenlandica) hitherto received alive by the Society have been referable to the Phoca vitulina, the specimens to which we have applied the name of Phoca fcetida, as in the * Catalogue of Vertebrates,' 4th edit. p. 27, having been simply large specimens of the former species. 4. A fine young male Scemmerring's Antelope (Gazella scemmerringii), presented by Charles MTver, jun., Esq., on the 29th of November. Mr. MTver informs me that the animal was obtained in the desert about 100 miles south of Suez. Mr. Sclater read the following extracts from a letter addressed to him by Dr. Burmeister, F.M.Z.S. (dated Buenos Ayres, Oct. 10, 1871), containing some remarks on Messrs. Sclater and Salvin's Synopsis of the Cracidae (P. Z. S. 1870, p. 504) :- 1. Mitua tuberosa, P.Z.S. 1870, p. 520.-We have a magnificent male of this species from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, in Bolivia, where a collector from Buenos Ayres has lived some years, and made a valuable collection. M y specimen is beautiful, 31 inches long, and of very splendid colours. 2. Crax sclateri, ibid. p. 515.-We have a beautiful female of this Crax, also from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and another young female from Paraguay, the latter being somewhat smaller, and not so strongly coloured; but the differences are not of importance. 3. Pipile cumanensis, ibid. p. 529.-We have two specimens of this species, also from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, both excellent skins and entirely perfect. The white pileus advances to the beak, and is divided on the neck into two stripes, one on each side, descending nearlv to the end of the neck. In all other respects it agrees with your description. 4. Penelope boliviano, ibid. p. 526.-Of this species also two specimens are in our collection from the same locality, agreeing with your definition, but larger, of 30 inches total length, and the feathers of the pileus all bordered with whitish, like those of the neck and back. The underside is obscure castaneous down to the beginning of the breast, but here mixed with greenish brown, like the back *. 5. Ortalida guttata, ibid. p. 536.-This bird we possess from the same locality, entirely corresponding with your definition. 6. Ortalida canicollis, ibid. p. 534.-This is the only species of the Penelopine group occurring in the interior of this country, * It seems more probable that this may be Penelope sclateri, G. E. Gray.- P. L. S. |