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Show 56 MR. W. T. BLANFORD ON HIMALAYAN BIRDS. [Feb. 19. of the trees, letting them hang down as nooses, in the course the animal was following. In a short time their labour was rewarded, as it ran its head first into one noose, and then into another, tearing them away, however, from the trees, and, in its excitement, rushing out on to the open slope leading to the village, dragging the ropes after it. By this time it was somewhat exhausted, for it fell in a muddy hollow, where it was immediately surrounded, secured by ropes, and ultimately dragged into the village. Three days afterwards, the male made its appearance from the same teelah, but unfortunately an effort made to capture it did not prove successful. The female rapidly became tame and tractable, and was introduced into the Zenana, where it soon established itself as a favourite, more especially with the children, who used to ride as safely on its back as the London children did on Jumbo. Begum Latifa Khatum, when she became aware that the Committee for the management of the Calcutta Gardens were in quest of Rhinoceroses, with very great self-denial, public spirit, and liberality made up her mind to part with the favourite of the Zenana, and telegraphed to the Committee that it was her intention to present this Rhinoceros to the Gardens." Mr. Sclater observed that this animal was of special interest to the Society, because the only previously known example of this Rhinoceros, upon which the species had been based, was the specimen obtained in 1869, also from Chittagong, and still living in the Society's Gardens1. Mr. W . T. Blanford, F.R.S., F.Z.S., read the following Report on the Collection of Drawings of Himalayan Birds lately presented to the Society's Library by Mr. Brian H. Hodgson, F.Z.S.:- "The collection of drawings of birds presented to tbe Society by Mr. Hodgson, and recently received from Mr. Hume, is of very great value and importance, and the Society is under deep obligations to the liberal donor for this magnificent addition to its library. The whole series comprises 1104 sheets of drawings, on some of which single birds are represented, on others several. Nearly all the drawings are coloured; all, with very few exceptions, are good ; many are excellent. In addition to the coloured figures of the birds themselves, many illustrations of nests, eggs, and young are added, together with, in many cases, details of structure and anatomy ; the feet, tongues, gizzards, and sterna of very many species being represented. The sheets, too, are in most cases covered with M S . notes on the birds depicted. In all respects the drawings are similar to those of Himalayan Mammalia, already presented by Mr. Hodgson to the Society's library. " These drawings are the originals from which the copies in the British Museum were taken, and, together with the M S . notes on the same sheets, form the record of Mr. Hodgson's wonderfully comprehensive observations duiing his long residence in Nipal and Sikkim. Those countries, when Mr. Hodgson commenced his studies, 1 Cf. List of Animals (1883), p. 126. |
