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Show 472 DR. J. ANDERSON ON SPALAX TYPHLTJS. [June 14, Mr. Sclater had also visited the private Menagerie of the Society's Corresponding Member, Mr. F. E. Blaauw, of Westerveld, s'Grave-land, Hilversum, and admired the beautiful herd of White-tailed Gnus, and the flocks of Rheas of both species (Rhea americana and R. darwini) and the fine series of Water-fowl to be seen there. A pair of Mantchurian Cranes (Grus viridirostris) were found engaged on the duties of incubation, and both Bernicla poliocephala and B. rubidiceps with young birds lately hatched1. A communication was read from Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell, F.Z.S., of the Institute of Jamaica, containing an account of the occurrence of a specimen of the Jacana (Jacana spinosa2, Cory, B. W . I. p. 252) in Jamaica. On April 20, 1892, Dr. Alex. G. McCatty, of Montego Bay, Jamaica, had sent a specimen of this bird to M r . F. Cundall, Secretary of the Jamaica Institute, stating that it was quite new to him and had been shot by his friend Mr. Dillon at Savanna-la-Mar, where it is known to the people as the " Banana or Plantain Coot." This was, so for as Mr. Cockerell knew, the first certain record of the Jacana in Jamaica. There was, however, in the Museum of the Institute of Jamaica, a skin of a Jacana presented by Mr. H . O. Vickers in 1886, which was said to have been shot by that gentleman in Westmoreland Parish, Jamaica. In a subsequent letter (dated M a y 14th) M r . Cockerell had written as follows :- " Since writing on this subject I have learned, from Mr. R. A. Walcott, Resident Magistrate for Westmoreland, that the Jacana is sertainly resident in Jamaica. It was first observed by a party of gentlemen, of w h o m Mr. Walcott was one, in 1874, on the Cabaritta River. Since then it has occurred regularly, being observed in the Meylersfield Morasses, between Savanna-la-Mar and Little London, along the banks of the Cabaritta, and at the ponds at Hodges, near Black River, in St. Elizabeth. Although there is no history of its importation, it seems probable that it must have been brought to Jamaica from the mainland about 1873, as the rather numerous sportsmen of Westmoreland and St. Elizabeth would surely have observed it, had it existed there earlier. Its arrival by natural means seems out of the question, as M r . Walcott informs m e that it cannot fly long distances." Dr. J. Anderson, F.R.S., F.Z.S., read the following notes on the occurrence of Spalax typhlus in Africa :- " Towards the end of last April, while in Lower Egypt, I found in the district of Mariut, to the west of the great lake of the same name, and about eight miles from Alexandria, the rodent exhibited to-night. " I may mention, in order to convey to you some idea of the character of the Egyptian habitat of this animal, that unlike the delta 1 For a report on Heer Blaauw's collection, see " Educations d'Animaux faites a s'Graveland (Hollande) en 1891," Rev. Sc. Nat. Appl. 1892, p. 449. 2 Melius Parra gymnostoma, Wagl. |