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Show 608 THE SECRETARY ON ADDITIONS TO THE MENAGERIE. [June 2, description of Mus aquilus : this is a smaller animal, freckled light tips to the hairs, and is otherwise very distinct from the animal now under notice, but shows that Mr. True's specimen was about full-grown, and that the tail was not materially shortened by the injury mentioned. Dr. Ansorge has been hitherto known in connection with zoology as a collector of insects, but he gives me an interesting account of the accident which put him in possession of this collection of mammals. The site of a long disused village had been purchased for the purpose of building the new Government Medical Hospital, and in clearing the long grass and scrub in the usual manner of surrounding it and burning towards the centre, as the circle narrowed it was discovered that there were a large number of small mammals enclosed. It being observed that there were "• rats of all colours," a selection of pairs of different sorts was made, with the result that some ten or a dozen specimens were obtained. Dr. Ansorge describes the Bhizomys heaving up tbe ground like giant moles ; many of the new Lophuromys, quite twenty, were left on the ground. The two specimens agree in every particular and are said to be male and female, but are not labelled. The other species represented in the collection are Bhizomys splendens, Biipp., Gerbillus afer, Gray, Mus (Isomys) abyssinicus, Eiipp., and Mus (Leggada) minutoides,Peters. June 2, 1896. F. DUCANE GODMAN, Esq., F.E.S,, Vice-President, in the Chair. The Secretary read the following report on the additions to the Society's Menagerie during the month of May :- The registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during the month of May were 154 in number. Of these 52 were acquired by presentation, 62 by purchase, 14 by exchange, 4 were born in the Gardens, and 22 were received on deposit. The total number of departures during the same period, by death and removals, was 86. Amongst the additions the following are worthy of special notice:- 1. A Eed-naped Fruit-Bat (Ptercpus funereus), purchased May 1st. This Australian animal is new to the Society's list. 2. Four examples of a Tortoise belonging to the group of Gigantic Tortoises, deposited by the Hon. Walter Rothschild, F.Z.S., May 26th. These Tortoises are believed to be referable to Daudin's Tortoise (Testudo daudini), from the Aldabra Islands, which is a species peculiar for the form of its carapace, the two anterior and the two posterior marginal plates being strongly reverted (see Giinther, ' Gigantic Land-Tortoises,' p. 33, pl. 5). |