153 



October 8, 1844. 

 Richard C. Griffith, Esq., in the Chair. 



Extract of a letter from Dr. E. D. Dickson, Corr. Memb., dated 

 Tripoli, 23rd of July, 1844 :— 



" I am at present engaged in collecting Bats for the Society, and 

 ■will endeavour to prepare a skeleton or two of the Cursorivs Isahel- 

 linus and Otis Houbara. I raay also perhaps obtain the egg of these 

 birds, since it has occasionally been met with by the natives. 



" There are no lions, deer, or wild boars in this part of Barbary, nor 

 have I ever heard of the ■wild hunting-dog. The only species of 

 dog indigenous in Tripoli is the Arab shepherd dog, of which I could 

 easily send you specimens, if desirable. Tunis is the proper place 

 for wild boars, where they are so plentiful that I am toid they consti- 

 tute the chief sport of its European residents." 



Various Skins of Mammalia from Chile were laid before the Meet- 

 ing, and Mr. "Waterhouse read some notas relating to them with 

 which he had been favoured, in a letter from Mr. Tliomas Bridges, 

 Corr. Memb., who had formed the coUection. 



" The specimens," Mr. Waterhouse observed, " contained two 

 species of foxes, both of which were quite distinct from the Canis 

 fulvipes from Chiloe. The one approaches most nearly to the Canis 

 Magellanicus, and might possibly be a variety of that animal, differ- 

 ing in having a more slender appearance ; but this ajises perhaps 

 entirely from its fur being shorter, a difFerence \vhich would probably 

 arise from dissimilarity of climate, the C. Magellanicus being from a 

 colder, and humid part of South America. The Chile animal, in 

 having a more slender appearance, approaches considerably to the 

 Canis Azarm; from this however it may be distinguished by the 

 absence of the black on the chin, in having the ears of a deeper and 

 richer rust-colour, and there is the šame diiFerence observable in the 

 colouring of the legs. The hind-legs want the black patch, which 

 is situated considerably above the heel, and is very consjjicuous iu 

 C. Azara. The tail is longer and of a brilliant rust-colour be- 

 neath ; in C. Azarce it is pale in the šame part. This, according to 

 Mr. Bridges, is the Culpeo of the natives, and is no doubt the animal 

 so called by Molina. 



"The second species of fox of the collection Mr. Waterhouse re- 

 gards as the Canis Azarcc. It is smaller, Mr. Bridges obser^'es, than 

 the Culpeo, and less common and mischievous ; more shy in its man- 

 ners, and, according to bis observations, confines itself more to the 

 lower parts of the country, inhabiting the provinces of Valparaiso, 

 Aconcagua, and Colchagua, where it is abundant. It is well kno\vn 

 to the natives under the name of ' Chilla.' 



Nos. CXL. CXLI. &CXLII. — Proceedings of the Zool. Soc. 



