119 



November22, 1831. 

 Dr. Horsfield iri the Chair. 



A ietter from Sir R. Ker Porter, Corr. Memb. Z. S., dated City of 

 Caracas, Sept. 10, 1831, was read. It contained a detailed descrip- 

 tion of the Mijrmecophaga jubata, Linn., under the name of Orso Hor- 

 meguero or Anl-Bear, together \vith an account of the habits of that 

 animal ; and was accompanied by a drawing of the fully grown indi- 

 vidiuil from which the description was taken. Sir R. Ker Porter was 

 particulariy struck with the difference in structure which exists be- 

 tween the fore and the hinder feet, and vvith the curious disposition 

 of the parts of the forraer in the act of progression, vvhich has been 

 slightly referred to by D'Azara. In the figure (in vvhich the animal 

 is represented in a standing position) the cla\vs of the fore feet do not 

 project in front, but are doubled backvvards under the wristj eviden- 

 cing a mode of progression in the MyrmecnphagcE similar to that 

 recently described by Col. Sykes as exi.sting in the species of Manis. 

 "To receive the additional length and point of the middle toe," ob- 

 serves Sir R. Ker Porter, " a protruding mass of hard flesh stood out 

 from the wrLst, uherein \va.s a cavity destined for the reccption of the 

 ungulated elongation when the animal \vas in a standing position." 

 He adds, " From the awkward formation of the fore feet, ąuickness 

 of motion becomes impossible ; hence they may be caught in the 

 smallest open space (when seen) with little diffirulty." 



Sir R. Ker Porter adds a list of the Mammalia known to exist in 

 the Province of Caracas, and describes the arrangements which he has 

 made for preserving such of them as he may succeed in proeuring for 

 the Society until an opportunity occurs of transmitting them to En- 

 gland. He also refers to several Birds vvhich he hopes to procure, 

 including the common and galeated Curassotvs. 



The skins were exhibited of two animals forraing part of a small 

 collection of Mammalia and Birds brought from the neighbourhood 

 of Swan River by Lieut.Matthew Friend, R. N., Corr. Memb. Z. S., 

 and presented by him to the Society. Mr. Ogilby expressed his 

 belief that both these animals had been hitherto unnoticed b}' 

 systematic vvriters, and read the follovving descriptions of them. 



Hypsiprymnus setosus. Hyps. pilis supra setosis, Jiisco-cine- 

 reis, infra canescentibus : auriculis latis, nudis, nigris; cauda mc- 

 diocri, gracili, sguamata, pilis brevissimis rigidis vestita. 



" Of the different species of Hypsiprymni inhabiting the continent 

 and dependencies of Australia, and of vvhich the characters are 

 but little knovvn, many have been hitherto confounded vvith the 

 Kangaroos. That to vvhich I have given the name of Hyps. setosus 

 is knovvn in the colony of Nevv South Wales by the native name of 

 Bettong Kangaroo. The specimen now described is believed to 

 [No. XIII.] Zooi., Soc. Proceedinos of the Comm. of Science. 



