104 EIGHTH REPORT — 1838. 



tection of the owners of Chillinghani, they had escaped the general 

 destruction consequent on the advancement of civilization, in the 

 country. 



On a rare Animal from South America. By Lieut.-Colonel S'Vkes, 

 F.R.S. 



The animal in question ^vas described by Azara as Cants jubatus ; 

 but the description given by Azara himself led the author to suppose 

 it ought not to be placed in that genus. It differed from the dog tribe 

 in its nocturnal and solitary habits : it had a long mane, its tail was 

 thicker and more bushy, the head flatter, the eyes smaller, the nose 

 sharper, and the M'hole animal more bulky than the dog tiibe. If it 

 differed from the dog, it differed more from the fox and wolf; and he pro- 

 posed to refer it to the genus hyaena, or, if this could not be admitted, he 

 would make it a distinct genus, which would then be the representative 

 of the hyeena tribe in America, which we must suppose possessed some 

 analogue of that tribe in the old world. Colonel Sykes also exhibited 

 the skin of a European Felis, which Temminck naiiies Felis pardina, 

 and states is known as the lynx of Portugal : it is not, however, known 

 by this name amongst London furriers. 



On certain Species of Sorex. By Rev. L. Jenyns, F.L.S. 



TheRev.L. Jenyns exhibited a series of specimens of the square-tailed 

 shrew {Sorex tetragonurus, Herm.) and i)ointed out the disthiguishing 

 characters betv.een it and the common shrew (-S. ruslicus, Jen.). He 

 also exhibited a specimen of the chestnut shrew (6'. castaneus, Jen.) 

 which he had formerly considered as a mere variety of the S. tetrago- 

 nuriiSy but of Avhich he had now seen three individuals, and which he 

 was satisfied deserved to rank as a distinct species. It is principally 

 characterized by the bright chestnut colour of the upper parts, though 

 there are other differences in the tail and in the form of the cranium. 

 It was observed generally that the characters of the cranium were 

 found of great assistance in determining the several species of this ge- 

 nus. — Mr. Jenyns also exhibited two undescribed species of the genus 

 Cimex as restricted by entomologists of the present day. One of these, 

 which has been alluded to by Latreille, though never characterized, 

 Avas found inhabiting in great numbers the nests of the common house 

 martin. The other Avas taken from a Pipistrelle Bat. It Avas proposed 

 to call these tAvo species C Idrundinis and Cpipislrelli. At the same 

 time the peculiar characters Avere pointed out, by Avhich eacli Avas di- 

 stinguished from the other, asAvell as from the C.lcctidarius of authors, 

 or common Bed-hug. 



