24 



whereas if the inferior portion liad represented a perfect mandlble 

 and the superior projecting process a horny excrescence, we ouglit 

 to have liad the nostrils s-ituated about 2 lines lower than they actually 

 are in the malforraed specimen. 



" The detached process extends nearly to the extremity of the 

 upper mandible, but is turned a little to the right side. lt appears 

 neither to be hurtful nor inconvenient to the bird, which uses its 

 beak in the ordinary vvay. 



" As this process is not liable to have its growth checked by at- 

 trition, I inquired if it ever attained inordinate grovvth, so as to 

 reąuire cutting, but vvas told tliat it had never grovvn beyond its 

 present size. 



"■ The bird which exhibits this singular lusus natūra is in the pos- 

 session of Captain Ovven, who brought it from Africa. Mrs. Owen, 

 to whose politeness Mr. Vigors and myself are indebted for an ex- 

 amination of the bird, inforraed us that the original vendor, a negro, 

 on being qiiestioned, denied that any artificial means had been em- 

 phiyed to produce the appearance. lt was at that time a young 

 bird, and is now six years oid. It possesses the usual good temper 

 and tractability of its species, which renders it such a general fa- 

 vourite araong the negroes and so much in reąuest in Europe. 



"Although this malformation is of a simple kind, being rather 

 per iitum mutatiim, than per excessum, yet there are not wanting in- 

 stances of a complete and well-formed upper mandible being super- 

 added and situated above the ordinary one, of which there is an 

 example in the head of a Vulture preserved in the Museura of the 

 Iloyal CoUege of Surgeons." 



At the reąuest of the Chairman, Mr. "VVilliam Daniell, R.A., ex- 

 hibited numerous dravvings of Antelopes made by his brother from 

 living animals in his different journeys in Africa. He added, that he 

 was induced to bring them before the Committee by his desire to 

 pubUsh engravings of tn'enty of the species under the patronage of 

 the Society ; and briefly explained the terms on which he proposed 

 to submit them to the public, commencing the work as soon as two 

 hundred copies shall have been subscribed for. Mr. Daniėll also 

 exhibited dravvings of the malė and (emdi\e Jire-backed Pheasant, 

 {Phasitmus ignitus, Lath.), which had been made by his brother 

 in the native place of tliese birds. The malė vvas observed to piossess 

 two elongated middle tail feathers, of a white colour vvith a black tip, 

 which had never been observed in the specimens received in this 

 country, nor noticed in the descriptions of the species, except by 

 Dr. Latham, who referred to these drawings of M r. Daniell. The 

 Committee considered this fact \vorthy of being recorded, in order 

 to draw the attention of the naturalists of India to the circum- 

 stance. 



