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Show 718 DK. BAUER ON PTYCHOZOON HOMALOCEPHALUM. [Nov. 3, The total number of registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during the month of August was 121 ; of these 65 were acquired by presentation, 2 by purchase, 27 by birth, 13 were received on deposit, and 3 in exchange. Eleven young Pheasants, received during the month, were bred from eggs laid in the Society s. Gardens, and sent into the country to be hatched. The total number of departures during the same period by death and removals was 98. The collection of Javan animals, presented by Dr. F. H. Bauer, of Buitenzorg, Java, C.M.Z.S,, is important, as containing examples of an Owl (Bubo orientalis) and of three Reptiles and a Batrachian, all new to the Society's series. The total number of registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during the month of September was 141 ; of these 77 were acquired by presentation, 15 by purchase, 42 were bred in the Gardens, and 7 were received on deposit. The total number of departures during the same period by death and removals was 89. Mr. Sclater placed on the table the skull of the Tapir received by the Society, May 25th, 1878, and described and figured by him (P.Z.S. 1878, p. 632, plate xxxix.) as Tapirus roulini. The animal had died on the 2nd June, 1884. It was of the male sex, and had bred with the female Tapirus americanus received Jan. 16th, 1873. Now, however, that the skull could be examined, it was evident that the supposed Tapirus roulini was not of that species, but merely a dark variety of Tapirus americanus. After such evidence of variation, Mr. Sclater had come to the conclusion that the Tapir from Venezuela, presented by Fritz Zurcher, Esq., August 13th, 1881 (see P.Z.S. 1882, p. 391, plate xxiii.), which he had referred with some doubt to Tapirus doivii, was also, probably, merely a form of the variable species Tapirus americanus. In future editions of the 'List of Vertebrate Animals,' Mr. Sclater proposed to refer all these individuals to Tapirus americanus, and much regretted that the difficulty of determining living animals with correctness had led him into these serious errors. The following extract was read from a letter addressed to the Secretary by Dr. F. H. Bauer, C.M.Z.S., dated Buitenzorg, July 16th, 1885:- " I have tried to get some more specimens of the Ptychozoon homa-locephalum \ but am sorry to say I have not succeeded. Last November I obtained one, but in the cold season it was impossible to despatch it. " It appeared to be a female, for only a few days after its capture it laid two eggs in the box in which it was kept. After several months the eggs were still in statu quo, and I believed them to be 1 See P. Z. S. 1872, p. 589. |
