OCR Text |
Show 18/6.] MR. P. L. SCLATER ON CORIPHILUS KUHLI. 421 the bone-breccia of the Lebanon caves, viz. the Ibex, Elk, Red Deer, and Bison. All doubts on this subject are now solved by the fact of Dr. Conder, R.E., having obtained on Mount Carmel a specimen, which has been sent to Cambridge, and pronounced by Prof. Newton to be the true Cervus capreolus. Dr. Conder states that this Deer inhabits the thickets on the sides of Carmel, and is also met with further south, in the wooded country round Sheikh Iskander, where it gives its name to one of the principal valleys, Wady Yahmur. Special interest attaches to the discovery from the fact of its being known to the Arabs as Yahmur, identical with the Hebrew (*SpDrV), translated "fallow deer" in our version, and never before identified with any ruminant known to exist in Palestine. Palestine is by far the most south-easterly region where the Roebuck has yet been found either living or among recent remains. Pallas gives Cervus pygargus as the Roebuck of Northern Asia, which, though identified with our Roebuck by Giebel, is generally considered to be distinct. May 16, 1876. Dr. A. Giinther, F.R.S., V.P., in the Chair. Mr. Sclater exhibited a skin of a rare Pacific Parrot, Coriphilus kuhli *, which had been sent to him for examination by Dr. Elliott Coues, C.M.Z.S. This specimen had been obtained by Dr. T. Hale Streets, U.S. Navy, at Washington Island of the Palmyra group, as indicated in the following remarks :- "Washington, or N e w York, Island, the habitat of this Parrot, is situated in latitude 4° 41' 10i" north, and longitude 160° 18' 0*5" west. It was discovered in 1/98 by Captain Edmund Fanning, an American; but he did not land upon it. The United-States Exploring Expedition under the command of Captain Wilkes passed it by in 1840, and reported no anchorage. The island is an obliterated atoll, and is densely covered with vegetation, the cocoa-nut palm predominating. " It is evident from the following untechnical description taken from ' Fanning's Voyages,' that this bird existed on Fanning Island when it was first discovered. 'Amongst the birds was one species about the size of our Robin (Turdus migratorius), with a breast of scarlet-coloured feathers, the under portion of the body being finished off with bright red, the neck of a golden colour, back a lively green with a yellow beak, except the very points, which were of a light dun colour, the wings and tail being both of a jet-black, and the last tipped off with white ; it was a most beautiful and lovely bird, with its brilliant and richly variegated plumage. W e were much chagrined, while observing these, to see a Man-of-war Hawk flying by with one in his mouth, apparently having just caught it.' * Domicella kuhli, Finsch, Papag. ii. p. 749. |