105 



\vhicli produce the yello\v tiiit, being replaOed by brounisli wliiteor 

 pale bro\vn." 



Mr.Ogilby pointed out the characterš of a new species of Muntjac 

 Deer, which lately died at tlie Gardens. This species is about the šame 

 size as the common Indian Muntjac, but has a longer head and tail; 

 has less red, and more blue in the geneial shade of the colouring, 

 and is readily dlstinguished by the want of the vvhite over the hoofs, 

 which is so apparent in its congener. The specimen, a malė, was 

 broughtfrom China by J. R. Reeves, Esq., to whom the Society is 

 aiready indebted for many i'are and valuable animals, and to whom 

 Mr. Ogilby proposed to dedicate the present species by applying the 

 name of Cervus Reevesi. A female specimen whicli accompanied 

 that here described, is still living and has lately produced a fawn, 

 which is interesting from exhibiting the spotted character common to 

 the generality of the young in this extensive group. 



Mr. \Vaterhouse then directed the attention of the Meeting to an 

 interesting series of skins of Marsupial animals, brought from Van 

 Diemen's Land by George Everett, Esq.,andpresented by that gen- 

 tleman to the Society ; the coUection includes a specimen of the 

 Thylacinus, two species of Kangaroo, and two of the genus Perameles, 

 besides others of more common occurrence. 



Mr. 0\ven concluded his memoir on the anatomy of the Apteryx 

 by a description of the general structure and peculiarities of its os- 

 seous system. 



The bones of the Apteryz are not perforated for the admission of 

 air, nor do they exhibit the pure white colour which characterizes the 

 skeleton in other birds ; their tough and somevvhat coarse texture 

 resembles rather that of the bones of the lizard tribe. 



The spinal column \vas found to consist of 15 cervical and 9 dorsal 

 vertebrce, and 22 in the lumbar, sacral, and caudal regions. The third 

 to the sixth, inclusive, of the dorsal vertebree, are slightly anchylosed 

 together by the contiguous edges of their spinous processes; but Mr. 

 Owensupposesthatnotwithstandingthis anchylosis, ayielding, elastic 

 movement may still take place between these vertebree. A short ob- 

 tuse process is sent ofF obliąuely forvvards, from the inferior surface 

 of the body of the first four dorsal vertebree ; the articulation between 

 the bodies is by the adaptation of a surface, slightly concave in the ver- 

 tical, and convex in the transverse direction, at the posterior end of 

 one vertebra to opposite cun^es at the anterior end of the succeeding 

 one ; close to the anterior surface on each side there is a hemisphe- 

 rical pit for the reception of the round head of the rib ; the trans- 

 verse processes are broad, flat, and square-shaped, \vith the anterior 

 angle obliąuely cnt ofF to receive the abutment of the tubercle of the 

 rib ; they are not connected together by extended bony splints, but are 

 quite detached, as in struthious birds. The spinous process arises from 

 the ■whole length of the arch of each vertebra ; it is truncate above, 

 and with the excei)tion of the first, is of the šame breadth through- 

 cut : all the dorsal tipines are much comprcssed, the middle ones being 



