Zoological Society. 137 



An extract, forwarded by Mr. Bicheno, copied from the journal of 

 Lieut. Thomas Smith, was also read, in which, after describing the 

 great difficulty he found in reaching the district frequented by the 

 Burrhal, he proceeds : 



" I was at last repaid by seeing nine of them at about 600 yards, 

 and they saw us. I attempted to get near ; but no ! they are with- 

 out exception the most difficult animals in the world to get near ; and 

 the air being so rarified I could hardly breathe, my Paharrees con- 

 stantly falling and declaring they would die, and begging me to re- 

 turn. 



" About four o'clock, as I was just giving it up in despair, I suddenly 

 came round a peak of snow, and found the large Ram at about 300 

 yards looking at me : despairing of ever getting nearer, and knowing 

 my rifle would do it if only held straight, I beat a place in the snow 

 and laid it along, taking a steady aim, pulled, and to my delight saw 

 him fall on his side and kick. He recovered himself and crawled 

 into some frightful rock, and there stood showing me his horns." 



The animal was not eventually captured until it had received a 

 large number of balls. " Thus I killed," says Lieut. Smith, " the 

 first Burrhal ever killed by European or native that I can learn." 



Mr. Ogilby observed, that the present animal, although extremely 

 rare and valuable, had been for some time known to naturalists, by a 

 specimen in the collection of the Linnean Society, and by the re- 

 searches of Mr. Hodgson, who had described two species of sheep 

 inhabiting the Himalayan range. Recently, however, Mr. Hodgson 

 had changed his opinion with respect to the existence of two di- 

 stinct species, referring them both to his Ovis Nahoor; but Mr. Ogilby 

 believed that another species did inhabit the Himalaya Mountains 

 decidedly distinct from the present, and the horns of which are so 

 capacious, that the young Foxes are said to nestle in such as are 

 found unattached to the animals. 



A paper was then read, entitled, " Observations on Marine Ser- 

 pents." By Dr. Cantor. 



This communication embodies the results of Dr. Cantor's obser- 

 vations upon the habits and general conformation of the Marine 

 Ophidians, a group of Vertebrata to which but little attention has 

 hitherto been given, from the circumstance of the danger attending 

 their examination in the living state, and also from their geogra- 

 phical distribution being entirely confined to the tropical seas. The 

 author being stationed, in the East India Company's service, on the 

 Delta of the Ganges, had, during a considerable period, most favour- 

 able opportunities for studying these serpents, many of which were 



Ann. Nat. Hist. Vol. 3. No. 15. April 1839. l 



