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Show 482 MR. P. L. SCLATER ON AMERICAN FOXES. [June 7, June 7, 1887. E. W. H. Hcldsworth, Esq., in the Chair The Secretary read the following report on the additions to the Society's Menagerie during the month of M a y 1887 : - The total number of registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during the month of May was 90. Of these 10 were by birth, 53 by presentation, 18 by purchase, 4 by exchange, and 5 were received on deposit. The total number of departures during the same period, by death and removals, was 77. The most noticeable additions during the month were :- 1. A Tooth-billed Pigeon (Didunculus strigirostris), hrought home from the Samoan Islands and presented to the Society by Mr. Wilfred Powell, C.M.Z.S., H.B.M.'s Consul for those Islands. But three specimens of this rare and now nearly extinct Pigeon have previously reached the Society's collection. 2. Two Red-spotted Lizards (Eremias rubro-punctata), obtained at Moses's Well, in the Peninsula of Sinai, and presented to the Society by Mr. G. Wigan, 17th May, being the first examples of this Lizard that we have as yet received. 3. An example of a small scarlet Tree-Frog (Dendrobates typo-graphus), from Costa Rica, presented by Mr. C. H. Blomefield. Mr. Boulenger, who kindly undertakes the determination of the Reptiles received by the Society, tells us that this beautiful little Frog, which is of a nearly pure scarlet colour, is a rare species, of which there are no examples in the National Collection. (See Cat. of Batrachia Salientia, 2nd ed. p. 143.) Mr. Sclater called attention to two North-American Foxes now living in the Society's Gardens, in adjacent cages, which had given him some trouble in determination. One of these, received in exchange January 18th, 1885, and stated to come from Dakota, had been entered in the Register as the Virginian Fox, Canis virginianus (see P. Z. S. 1885, p. 934), but was certainly, as it now appeared, a Kit Fox (Canis velox). The second, received in exchange October 23rd, 1886, was the true Virginian Fox (Canis virginianus). Mr. Sclater exhibited furriers' skins of these two Foxes, which had heen kindly sent to him by Mr. Henry Poland, F.Z.S., and pointed out their differences. The following papers were read :- |