11 



December 14, 1830. 

 G. B. Greenough, Esq. in the Chair. 



A letter was read from Dr. Andrew Smith, addressed to N. A. 

 Vigors, Esq. The following are extracts : 



" Cape Town, 8th Sept. 1830. 



" I am sure you will be pleased to learn that I have disco- 

 vered another species of Mucroscelides, as well as a new one 

 of Erinaceus ; and three species of the genus Otis, together with 

 one of Brachypteryx. The descriptions of these I hope to be 

 able to forward to you in the course of three weeks or a month. 

 The first is designated in our Museum, Macroscelides rvpestris ; 

 the second, Erinaceus Capensis ; the third, fourth, and fifth, 

 Otis Vigorsii, Ot. ferox, and Ot. Afrao'ides ; the sixth, Bra- 

 chypteryx Horsfieldii. The first was found by myself on the 

 mountains near to the mouth of the Orange river, and the circum- 

 stance of its always residing among rocks, together with the differ- 

 ence in its colouring, readily pointed it out as being of a distinct 

 species. As to the colour, the most marked distinction consists in 

 the Cape species having a large tawny rufous or chestnut blotch 

 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 considered 

 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 

 present of sixteen specimens of fishes, obtained in the neighbour- 

 hood 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, Agriopus torvus, 



