62 Zoological Society. 



on the nape and back of the neck. The second, Erinaceus Ca- 

 pensis, exhibits considerable affinity to the European species, yet 

 betrays such marked peculiarities as to warrant its being consi- 

 dered as really different from it. The third, Otis Vigorsii, inhabits 

 the most dry and barren situations in the south of Africa, and is 

 known among the colonists by the name of Karor Koran. The 

 prevailing colour above is a light tawny or reddish yellow, and below 

 tawny gray, passing into dirty white on the belly. The back is 

 variegated by numerous violet blotches or reflections, as well as by 

 whitish spots, and the under parts by transverse narrow zigzag 

 black lines. The fourth is above principally tawny yellow, and 

 below dull blueish gray : it is found in the country toward Latakoo. 

 The fifth is met with on the flats near the Orange river, and is 

 called the Bushman Koran. With the exception of a great portion 

 of the quill feathers being white, it resembles much the common 

 Koran of the colony, the Otis Afra. The sixth is met with in 

 high rocky situations, and agrees in most respects with the generic 

 character of Brachypteryx, as described by Dr. Horsfield." 



With the above letter Dr. Smith transmitted to the Society a 



E resent of sixteen specimens of fishes, obtained in the neighbour- 

 ood of the Cape of Good Hope, " the details relative to which," 

 he states, " will be forwarded as soon as possible." The specimens 

 were exhibited, and Mr. Bennett laid on the table a list in which 

 they were enumerated as the Sebastes Capensis f Agriopus torvus, 

 Sci&na hololepidota, Otolithus tzquidens, Chrysophris globiceps, 

 Chr. gibbiceps, and Pagrus laniarius, of MM. Cuvier and Valen- 

 ciennes ; an undetermined species of Dentex ; a fish allied to 

 Oblada, Cuv., and apparently the type of a new genus; a new spe- 

 cies of Scomber, Cuv. ; a Lichia ? ; two species of Clinus, Cuv., 

 one of which is probably the Clinus Capensis ; an undescribed spe- 

 cies of Bagrus, Cuv., of the section distinguished in the " Regne 

 Animal ", by having six cirri and a rounded and smooth head ; a 

 species of Scyliium, Cuv., probably new to science ; and a second 

 species of the genus R/iina, Schn., which deviates from the type 

 by a slight production of the front of the head, and thus makes an 

 approach to Rhinobates, Schn. 



Mr. Vigors exhibited several species of Humming-birds from 

 the collection of Mr. John Gould, one of which, previously unde- 

 scribed, had been dedicated to Mr. George Loddiges, F.L.S., &c. 

 It approaches most nearly to the Trochilus Lalandei,Viei\\. but may 

 be distinguished from that bird (in which the crest is brilliantly 

 green and the throat and breast rich blue,) by the following cha- 

 racters : 



TROCHILUS LODDIGESII, Gould. Troch. crista elongata, purpu- 

 reo-lilacind ; guld crissoque saturate cinereis ; pectore abdomine- 

 que nigris. 



This species is from Rio Grande. 



Mr. Loddiges stated that both species belonged to a genus which 

 he had distinguished among the Trochilida by the name of Cephal- 

 lepis; and promised to bring before the Committee, at an early 

 meeting, the results of his researches on the Trochilidce generally. 



At 



