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Show 1873.] THE SECRETARY ON ADDITIONS TO THE MENAGERIE. 761 December 2, 1873. Dr. A. Giinther, F.R.S., Vice-President, in the Chair. The Secretary read the following report on the additions to the Society's Menagerie during the months of October and November 1873:- The total number of registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during the month of October 1873 was 111, of which 3 were by birth, 45 by presentation, 25 by purchase, 21 by exchange, and 17 were received on deposit. The total number of departures during the same period by death and removals was 129. The most noticeable additions during the month of October were as follows:- 1. Two of the smaller variety of tbe Patagonian Conure, received in exchange Oct. 13th. This smaller and brighter form of this Parrot, found in Mendoza and other States of the Argentine Republic, would appear to be best entitled to the name patagonus, that name having been founded by Vieillot on Azara's description of specimens seen at Buenos Ayres. The larger form of Chili and the west coast may be called Conurus byroni (J. E. Gray), if, as proposed by Finsch, cyanolyseos of Molina be rejected as inadmissible. W e have examples of both forms now living in the Parrot-house. 2. Two Sand-badgers (Meles ankuma, Temm. Fauna Japon. M a m m . p. 30, pl. 6), presented by Lieut, the Hon. A. C. Littleton, of H.M.S. ' Salamis,' Oct. 26th. Mr. Littleton writes to m e that he procured these animals in the mountain-district of Japan, about 70 miles north of Jeddo. Of the two only specimens of this species already received by the Society in 1865 one is still living in the Society's Gardens. 3. A Collared Jay Thrush (Garrulaxpicticollis, Swinhoe, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 554), received from the Jardin d'Acclimatation of Paris, Oct. 30th. I have never seen a living example of this scarce and interesting species before. The total number of registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during November 1872 was 63, of which 3 were by birth, 35 by presentation, 15 by purchase, 4 by exchange, and 6 were received on deposit. The total number of departures during the same period by death and removals was 123. The most noticeable additions were as follows:- 1. Twelve Terrapins obtained at Bussorah, and presented Nov. 10th by Capt. Phillips, of the S.S. 'Mesopotamia.' These Terrapins belong undoubtedly to the species lately described and figured by Dr. Gunther in the Society's ' Proceedings' as Emys grayi* (P. Z. S. 1869, p. 504, pl. xxxviii.). But Mr. Blanford informs m e that he has lately identified this species as being the true Testudo caspica of Gmelin. It must therefore be called Clemmys caspica. -* The same specific title had been previously given by Straueh (Verth. d. Schildkr. p. 88) to the Batagur picta of Gray; and another Emys grayi has since been described by A. Dumeril and Bocourt in the 'Eeport of the French Scientific Commission in Mexico,' Kept, and Batrach. p. 13. |