500 Zoological Society : 



keep the texture and surface of the shell in its pure and perfect con- 

 dition. To accomplish this object the eggs must be newly laid, or 

 nearly so, and the following is the best method of preserving them. 



Obtain the gut of any animal whose intestine is large enough to 

 admit the egg intended to be preserved, and, having carefully cleaned 

 the gut and rendered it free from fat, dry it as much as possible in 

 powdered chalk or other earthy matter. Pass the egg into the gut, 

 tying it close to the shell at both ends of the egg, and hang it up in 

 a cool, dry place until it is quite dry. Two, three, or more eggs can 

 be tied in the same gut like a string of beads, or they can be tied 

 separately. When thoroughly dry, they may be packed up in a box 

 with oats, wheat, or any other dry grain or seeds, until the box is 

 quite full. The object in having the box full is for the great con- 

 venience of turning the eggs. This is accomplished by turning the 

 box bottom upwards, which should be done occasionally. Thus the 

 whole of the eggs may be effectually turned with very little trouble. 

 The eggs thus packed must be kept in a dry, cool place, and ought 

 not to be taken out or unpacked before the means are at hand for 

 hatching them. Upon wishing to place them under a hen, or other- 

 wise, if the dry gut be cut with a sharp knife, it will peel off without 

 in any way injuring the shell of the egg. 



I was successful in hatching and rearing the young from some 

 eggs kept three months in this manner, and I have no doubt that 

 under favourable circumstances they may be kept for a longer period. 



December 13th. Dr. Gray, F.R.S., V.P., in the Chair. 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF SQUIRREL (SCIURUS SIA- 

 MENSIS) FROM Si AM, IN THE COLLECTION OF THE BRITISH 

 MUSEUM. BY DR. J. E. GRAY, F.R.S., V.P.Z.S. 



Among the animals lately sent by M. Mouhot from Siam are two 

 small Squirrels, which differ from any that we have hitherto received 

 from India or the neighbouring countries. 



I am aware that the Indian Squirrels, and indeed Squirrels gene- 

 rally, are very apt to vary ; and probably many more species are de- 

 scribed than exist in nature ; but I do not know any species of which 

 the one now described can with reason be considered as a variety ; 

 the two specimens in the Museum are very uniform in their general 

 appearance. 



It may be observed that some species, both of Mammalia and 

 Birds, are so much alike in external appearance, that, judging from 

 their skins alone, we might be inclined to doubt whether they were 

 more than slight varieties ; yet when their habits, modes of life, 

 food, and manners are known, they are far more distinct, as species, 

 than animals which are very different in their external appearance, 

 and marked with what might a priori be considered very striking 

 characters. 



SCIURUS SIAMENSIS, sp. nov. 



Bright red-brown, grizzled with elongate black tips to the longer 



