| OCR Text |
Show 630 THE SECRETARY ON ADDITIONS TO THE MENAGERIE. [Nov. 14, November 14, 1882. Prof. Flower, LL.D., F.R-.S., President, in the Chair. The Secretary read the following reports on the additions made to the Society's Menagerie during the months of June, July, August, September, and October, 1882:- The total number of registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during the month of June was 114, of which 40 were by birth, 52 by presentation, 8 by purchase, 2 by exchange, and 12 were received on deposit. The total number of departures during the same period by death and removals was 93. Amongst these I beg leave to call attention to the New-Caledonian Parrakeet received from Mr. E. L. Layard, June 28th, of which I exhibit a drawing by Mr. Smit (Plate XLVI.). Dr. Finsch (Papag. ii. p. 274) has united this New-Caledonian species (described by Verreaux and Des Murs, Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1860, p. 387, under the name Cyanorhamphus saisseti) with C. nova zelandia. I agree, however, with Canon Tristram *• that the New-Caledonian species is distinct. It differs from its New-Zealand representative in its larger size, and in the yellow colouring of the under surface, and when the two birds are exhibited side by side, as they now are in our Parrot-house, seems to be very easily recognizable. The registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during the month of July were 282 in number ; of these 198 were acquired by presentation, 57 by purchase, 1 by exchange, 21 by birth, and 5 were received on deposit. The total number of departures during the same period by death and removals was 114. The most noticeable additions during the month were:- 1. A young male African Elephant (Elephas africanus), purchased July 8th. This animal is supposed to be from three to four years old. At the time of purchase it was about 4 ft. 2 in. in height, and weighed 788 pounds. 2. A Kolbe's Vulture ( Gyps kolbii) from South Africa, purchased July 1 5th, being the first example of this species of Vulture that we have received. 3. A Heloderm Lizard (Heloderma suspectum) from Arizona, presented by Sir John Lubbock, Bart., M.P., F.R.S., F.Z.S., July 16th. This Lizard, which is new to the Collection, is remarkable as belonging to the only positively known venomous form of the Lacertian Order. It has been ascertained by actual experiment that its bite is fatal to small mammals (see below, p. 631). The total number of registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during the month of August was 160; of these 97 were ac- 1 ' Ibis,' 1882, p. 525. |
