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Show 1897.] ON THE EXISTING FORMS OF GIRAFFE. 273 made by Garrett from a specimen 3 ft. long, obtained in the South Pacific, 300 miles north of the Hervey Islands. The differences observable on comparing this figure with that of Solander are probably due to the imperfection of the drawing. D. 25 + 10 + VIII; A. 11 +VIII. The synonymy of Acanthocybium solandri would therefore be as follows : - 1831. Cybium solandri, Cuv. & Val. Hist. Poiss. viii. p. 192. 1839. Cybium sara, Benn. in Beechey, Voy.' Blossom,' Zool. p. 63, pl. xx. fig. 2. 1860. Cyhlum petus, Poey, M e m . Cuba, ii. p. 234, pl. xvi. fig. 1. 1868. Acanthocybium petus, Poey, Bepert. lis. Cuba, ii. p. 363. 1872. Cybium verany, Doderl. Giorn. Sc. Palermo, viii. p. 125, pl. iv. fig. 2. 1876. Cybium solandri, Giinth. Fische d. Sudsee, p. 153, pl. xciv. 1879. Acanthocybiumpeto, Poey, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. i. p. 5. 1880. Acanthocybium solandri, Liitk. Spol. Atlant. i. pp. 71 & 189. 1884. Acanthocybium solandri, Jordan, Proc. LT. S. Nat. Mus. vii. p. 119. 1885. Cybium sara, Vaill. Bull. Soc. Philom. (7) ix. p. 21. I append a short description of the specimen, preserved as a skin 3^ ft. long, obtained at Muscat by Mr. Jayakar. D. 25 + 13 + IX; A. 11 4-IX; P. 25; Y. 6. Depth of body 7 times in total length, length of head 4-| times. Eye 8 times in length of head, 4 times in length of snout, twice in interorbital width; prasmaxdlary extending to below anterior border of eye, with about 50 teeth on each side, its beak-like anterior portion equalling its distance from the eye ; chin pointed, slightly projecting. First dorsal a little longer than second, originating above base of pectoral; spines subequal, | length of head, a little longer than longest rays of second dorsal, from which it is separated by a space equal to 4 length of head ; second dorsal a little in advance of anal. Pectoral not quite half length of head ; ventral 4 length of pectoral. Lateral line descending in a curve below the second third of the anterior dorsal, terminating on the tail in a strong keel which is as long as the postorbital part of the head. Uniform dark olive above, pale golden on the sides and below. 3. Remarks on the Existing Forms of Giraffe. By W . E. DE WINTON, F.Z.S. [Received January 30, 1897.] There seems to be some doubt among naturalists in regard to the specific relations of the Giraffes of Nubia and the adjacent countries to those of Africa south of the Equator; the almost total absence of wild-killed specimens of the northern form during the last half-century until within the last year or two is no doubt P R O C . ZOOL. Soc-1897, No. XVIII. 18 |
