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Show 1902.] THE SECRETARY OX ADDITIONS TO THE MEXAGERIE. 317 5. Note on Alces bedfordicv. By Hon. W a l t e r R o t h s c h i l d , M.P., F.Z.S. [Received July 1, 1902.] At the scientific meeting of this Society on June 17th a communication was read from Mr. H. J. Elwes, taking to task Mr. Lydekker for describing a new Elk from insufficient material (see P. Z. S. 1902, vol. ii. p. 104). I wish to point out to the Society that the characters by which species and subspecies of vertebrate animals are distinguished are much more constant as a rule than those of the Invertebrata, the study of which probably induced Mr. Elwes to make this communication. Therefore Mr. Lydekker, to my mind, was justified in describing Alces bedfordice, though I personally would only have given the new form subspecific rank. In support of the validity of this new Elk, I may say I knew of its existence eight years before Mr. Lydekker described it. I have in the Tring Museum a good series of this form in addition to the two types. Mr. Carl Hagenbeck has received considerable numbers of these horns, and many pairs have passed through the London horn- and feather-merchants' hands, which, being of the same type, prove the recently described form to be fully worthy of a name. November 18, 1902. Prof. G. B. H o w e s , D.Sc., LL.D., F.R.S., Vice-President, in the Chair. The Secretary read the following report on the additions to the Society's Menagerie during the month of October 1902 :- The registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during the month of October were 169 in number. Of these 66 were acquired by presentation and 1 by purchase, 89 were received on deposit, and 13 in exchange. The total number of departures during the same period, by death and removals, was 140. Amongst these special attention may be drawn to 1. A specimen of the Galapagan Barn-Owl (,Strix punctcitissima), deposited Oct. 11th, probably the first example of this rare Owl that has reached Europe alive. 2. Seven living examples of the Galapagan Land-Iguana (Cono-lophus subcristatus) from Seymour Island, Galapagos, deposited Oct. 11th. The Barn-Owl and Iguanas were brought from the Galapagos along with a collection of Gigantic Tortoises, and deposited by the Hon. Walter Rothschild, M.P., F.Z.S. 3. A specimen of the Fringed Gecko ( Uroplates fombriatus) from Madagascar, deposited Oct. 25th by the Hon. Walter Rothschild, M.P., F.Z.S. |