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Show 1885.] THE SECRETARY ON ADDITIONS TO THE MENAGERIE. 245 strayed so far southwards, the African Lion being frequently found with a very dark dorsal region and with the long hairs of a more or less intense black ; also the bright tawny ground-colour of the shoulder in our specimen is very Lion-like. But it would be extremely hazardous to found an opinion on such slight grounds, the more so as we cannot find any trace of structural leonine characters. The hairs consist of a soft underfur of fine wool-hairs, mixed with stouter hairs; the latter cannot be distinguished microscopically from those of the ordinary Leopard ; and both are almost identical with, perhaps a little more slender than, those of the Lion. It is a well-known fact that the Asiatic Leopard exhibits a decided tendency to melanism ; and it is stated that the black Leopards are found chiefly in forest-districts of considerable elevation. So far the conditions under which melanism appears in the Asiatic Leopard seem to be similar to those under which our specimen was reared. On the other hand, the abnormal coloration affects the ornamental pattern of the Asiatic Leopard in a different fashion from that observable in our specimen. In the former the black colour is equally diffused over the whole body, the rosettes retaining their shape and number, and shining with a more intense black through the ground-colour. This is a very different pattern from that of our specimen. Nevertheless, considering all circumstances, I have no better opinion to offer than this, that the specimen is an instance of incipient melanism-the first appearance of the melanotic tendency which is so strongly developed in Asiatic individuals of this widely spread species. March 17, 1885. Prof. Flower, LL.D., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. The Secretary read the following report on the additions to the Society's Menagerie during the month of February 1885 :- The total number of registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during the month of February was 48, of which 20 were by presentation, 14 by purchase, 7 by birth, 2 were received in exchange, and 5 on deposit. The total number of departures during the same period, by death and removals, was 105. The most noticeable additions during the month of February were as follows:- 1. A Viverrine Phalanger (Phalangista viverrina) from Australia, purchased February 10th, being of a species new to the Society's Menagerie. 2. A n Isabelline Lynx (Felis isabellina), received in exchange from the Zoological Gardens, Calcutta, February 27th. This animal has been placed in company with the example of the same species presented in 1882 by Capt. Baldock (see P. Z. S. 1882, p. 720), with which it seems to agree in every respect. 3. Two young examples of the American Brown Pelican (Pelecanus P R O C ZOOL. S O C - 1 8 8 5 , NO. XVII. 17 |