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Show 1904.J ON THE ANTLERS OF THE ALTAI STAG. 179 ■davidianus), recently exhibited to the (Society (Proc.Zool. Soc. 1904, ii. p. 83). When this sketch was exhibited it was understood to have been drawn from a specimen in the possession of Mr. E. T. C. Werner, then British Consul at Hainan, and was thus taken (in spite of the addition by the artist of a pair of Peking-Deer antlers) -as evidence of the existence of Ulaphurus davidianus in Hainan. In a letter dated June 26, Mr. Werner states, however, that the ■artist drew the sketch from memory after the death of the animal, -and also that there was considerable doubt as to whether the latter really was Pere David's Deer (Tsu-pu-hsiang) at all. Nevertheless the writer expressed his belief that the species did exist in Hainan. On the other hand, in answer to further enquiries, Mr. Hughes, now Consul at Hainan, wrote that, so far as he could ascertain, Pere David's Deer was unknown in Hainan, and that the drawing in question must be regarded as a fancy sketch. Under these ■circumstances, despite the fact that the sketch undoubtedly portrayed that species, no credence could at present be given to the ^alleged occurrence of Pere David's Deer in Hainan. Mr. F. E. Beddard, F.R.S., called the attention of the meeting to a fact in the life-history of Kangaroos concerning which but little appeared to be known. An example of Macropus dorsalis, which died on the 4th Nov. last, was found to contain a young one in the pouch which had survived the death of the parent. The young kangaroo was 6 inches in length (to the root of the tail) and still perfectly naked. On being removed from the pouch, it moved its limbs vigorously and emitted a sound which was rather more voice-like than a hiss. It was difficult to describe the nature of the sound accurately. It was uttered at continuous intervals. The production of any sound in so imperfectly formed an animal was remarkable. Mr. Frederick Gillett, F.Z.S., exhibited some antlers of the Altai Stag (Cervus eustephanus), and made the following remarks ■on their growth based on his own observations in the Society's Gardens:- " An Altai Stag, purchased by the Society on Aug. 10th, 1897, although in poor condition and not expected to live, in the following year produced three sets of antlers and served two hinds, becoming the parent of a stag and a hind. The young stag shed his first pairs of antlers in a twelvemonth, and I am able to show these antlers to-night. This young stag grew very large, and when two years old bore antlers with twelve points. This stag was then sold to Hagenbeck. " The stag now in the Gardens shed a set of antlers on May 28th, 1902, having produced two sets in the year before ; and the three sets which I exhibit to-night were shed by it on the following ■dates Jan. 6th, 1903; June 10th, 1903; April 23rd, 1904." |