OCR Text |
Show 666 EXHIBITION OF RUPICAPRA TRAGUS. [Nov. 18, an animal which is not included in Blyth's posthumous fauna of that country1. On exhibiting a specimen of Paradoxurus musanga (Raffles), Mr. Alston observed that the P. fasciatus of Gray2 proved to be a synonym of that well-known species, and had nothing whatever in common with the Viverra fasciata of either Gmelin* or Desmarest4. Mr. Wardlaw Ramsay intended to present these specimens to the British Museum. Mr. Alston also exhibited one of the typical skulls of Tapirus dowi (Gill) 5, which had been intrusted to him by the authorities of the United-States National Museum, and pointed out the osteological characters which distinguish it from T. bairdi (Gill)6. Mr. Alston hoped to be able to fully describe and figure the skull of T. dowi in a future part of Messrs. Godman and Salvin's ' Biologia Centrali-Americana,' but wished now to place on record the fact that the young Tapir from Corinto, which lived in the Society's Gardens under the name of T. bairdi7, was really referable to T. dowi, as was also a skull from Volcan Viejo, presented by Mr. Sclater to the British Museum8. Mr. Alston further remarked that Dr. Gill had been misinformed as to the young of T. dowi not being spotted, but thought it probable that the adult would prove to want the rufous colour on the cheeks which is characteristic of Baird's Tapir. The range of the two species required further investigation ; but T. dowi might prove to be confined to the Pacific slopes of Guatemala and Nicaragua. The following extract was read from a letter addressed to the Secretary by Dr. A. B. Meyer, C.M.Z.S.:- " Concerning tbe locality of Cervus alfredi, I wrote to m y friend Mr. Oscar Bruger, who lived five years in Cebu, and who told me a short time ago, on his return to Europe, that he knew the habitat of this Deer; and I received this answer:- " 'An Indian friend of mine in Cebu, who lived formerly for years in Samao and Leyte, visited these islands again, and brought an example of this Deer back from there, and presented it to Mr. Bruger.' " The Secretary exhibited on behalf of Mr. Rowland Ward a head of a Chamois (Rupicapra tragus) with two pairs of horns, the hinder pair being the smaller. The specimen in question had been purchased by Captain Towneley Parker at Nuremberg. 1 Journ. As. Soc, Beng. (n. s.) vol. xliii. pt. 2. 2 P. Z. S. 1864, p. 536 ; Oat. Oarn. &c. M a m m . Brit. Mus. p. 68. 8 Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 92 (1788, ex Sonnerat). 4 Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. vii. p. 169 (1817, descr. orig.). 6 Elasmognathus dowii, Gill, Amer. Journ. Sc. 1. p. 142 (1870, descr. orig.). 6 Elasmognathus bairdii, Gill, Proc. Acad. Philad. 1865, p. 183 (descr. orig.). i Sclater, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 635, pi. Ii.; List Vert. An. Zool. Soc. (1879) p. 115, no. 399 b. Cf. P. Z. S. 1867, p. 473. |