PROCEEDINGS 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 



January 14, 1845. 



William Yarrell, Esq., in the Chair. 



A letter was read from Dr. Cleirk of Cambridge, descrihing the 

 morbid appearances ^vhich presented themselves on the dissection of 

 a young Orang Outan vvhich died lately in the Gardens. 



Mr. Fraser exhibited specimens of two species of Birds from Chile, 

 procured by Mr. Thoinas Bridges, Corresponding Member. One 

 was the Sterna Inca, Less., which, according to Mr. Bridges, is called 

 " Moiija " by the natives. The other \vas a specimen of a Little 

 Bittern, Ardeola exilis, Bonap., called by the natives " Aspergala." 



Mr. Gould exhibited to the Meeting a number of Birds from China, 

 being the first collection forwarded from Amoy to this country. 

 He described the follouing ne\v species : — 



CoRvus PASTiNATOR. Cor . plutnls ptUose saturate purpurascente- 

 nigrd; caudd virescenti ; scapulariis tectricibusgue caudce maculd 

 semilunari nigrd ad apices ornatis ; rostro tarsisąue nigris. 



The entire plumage deep shining purplish black or plum-colour, 

 glossed w'ith a greenish hue on the tail-feathers; the scapularies and 

 upper tail-coverts \vith an obscure crescent-shaped mark of black at 

 the tip ; bill and feet shining black. 



Totai length 18 inches ; bill, 2| ; wing, 12 ; tail, 7 ; tarsi, 2i ; mid- 

 dle toe and claw, 2^. 



Hab. Chusan. 



Remark. — This species is closely allied to the Rook of Europe, but 

 difFers from it in the hue of the plumage, \vhich is of a beautiful pur- 

 ple or plum-colour vvhere the European bird is green ; the bill is also 

 straighter and the face much less denuded, the fleshy base of the 

 nostrils being the only part destitute of feathers ; the feet and claws 

 are also larger. 



Mergus Orientalis. Mer. (Foem.) capite cristd collogue rubi- 

 ginoso-rubris ; mento albo ; corpore superiore, caudd, alis, lateri- 

 Nos. CXLIII. & CXLIV.— Proceedings of the Zool. Soc. 



