193 



December 11, 1832. 



William Yarrell, Esq., in the Chair. 



A specimen was exhibited of a Hedgehog from the interior of 

 South Africa, which formed part of a rich collection of preserved 

 animals, recently brought from that country by Mr. A. Steedman, 

 to whom the Committee was indebted for the exhibition. Mr. Ben- 

 nett pointed out various characters distinguishing it from the several 

 species of Erinaceus previously known, and proposed for it, on ac- 

 count of a remarkable band of long white hairs passing from below 

 and behind the ears across the forehead, the name of 



Erinaceus frontalis. Er. oblongo-ovatus ; spinis varie inter' 

 textis, ad basin albis in medio purpurascentibus , versus apicem 

 albidis brunneo apiculatis ; pilis brunneis, Jascice frontalis albce 

 rigidis, auriculas oblongas obtegentibus. 



Hab. in Africa Australi. 



Long, corporis, 5|, lat. 3 unc. ; long, auricula, 7 lin. j pedis pos- 

 tici cum unguibus, 1 unc. 5 lin. 



In form this new species approaches the European Hedgehog, 

 which it also resembles in its general colouring and in its concealed 

 ears ; but these organs, although not at first sight visible, are, in 

 the Cape Hedgehog, long, their auricle, which is rather narrow and 

 nearly oblong, being produced more than half an inch, while in the 

 Er. Europceus this part is not at all lengthened, but forms merely a 

 narrow margin surrounding the ears. In Er. auritus, and in the 

 two species from the Himalayan Mountains, recently described by 

 Mr. Bennett, (page 123,) the auricles are not only considerably 

 produced, but are quite uncovered, forming a striking part of the 

 physiognomy of these animals. 



Among the brown hairs which cover the under part of the sides, 

 and the belly and limbs, a few white bristles are intermixed ; and in 

 the individual exhibited, there is a white patch occupying the inside 

 and base of one of the fore legs, and a second, covering about one 

 half of the lower jaw on one side ; these marks Mr. Bennett regarded 

 as accidental. 



He stated that Mr. Steedman had informed him that he had pos- 

 sessed a second individual of the same species, which he had trans- 

 ferred to M. Verreaux. 



A specimen was exhibited of the Phasianus lineatus, Lath., ob- 

 tained from the Tennasserim coast by G. Swinton, Esq., Corr. 

 Memb. Z. S., by whom it was presented to the Society. The spe- 

 cies was characterized by Mr. Vigors in the First Part of the * Pro- 

 ceedings,' page 24?. 



