15 



Majesty has honoured the Society, subsequent to the year 

 1845, are still conspicuous ornaments of the Collection. 



Her Majesty the Queen of Portugal honoured the Soci- 

 ety in September last, by the presentation of a Lioness from 

 Mozambique, which is one of the finest animals in the 

 Collection. The value of Her Most Faithful Majesty's 

 support is increased by the gracious terms in which her 

 desire to promote the success of the Society was expressed, 

 and this condescension on the part of Her Most Faithful 

 Majesty induces the Council to hope that they may now 

 obtain further illustrations of the zoology of that interesting 

 region of south-eastern Africa which is in possession of the 

 Government of Portugal. 



In point of instructive value, none of the acquisitions 

 since the last Anniversary are more deserving of notice in 

 this place than the pair of Thylacines presented by Mr. 

 Ronald Gunn and Dr. Grant of Van Dieraen's Land. The 

 extreme rarity of this animal, and the difficulties which 

 must intervene between its capture and arrival in this 

 country, have hitherto prevented even an attempt to obtain 

 it. Its peculiar relations to existing and extinct forms 

 render it equally interesting to the palaeontologist and zo- 

 ologist, and it is not too much to say that the zeal and 

 liberality of these gentlemen deserve the warmest thanks 

 which the Society can offer. 



Collections have been received from Ceylon through the 

 obliging care of Alexander Grace, Esq., late Deputy Queen's 

 Advocate in that island ; from Trinidad, by the gift of Lord 

 Harris ; from the Cape, by the gift of Lieutenant-General 

 Sir Harry Smith, Bart. ; and a most valuable collection 

 is now in transit from Singapore, for which the Society is 

 indebted to the liberality of Lieut. -Colonel Butterworth, 

 C.B, The admirable arrangements which this gentleman 

 has made to secure his gifts from the accidents of the 

 voyage, give every prospect for anticipating the safe arrival 

 of at least the greater part of it. 



The Council have great pleasure in adverting to the fact 

 that Lord Harris has again formed a very important and 

 extensive collection, illustrative of the zoology of Trinidad 

 and the adjacent portion of the continent of South America, 

 which he has presented to the Society, and which will be 

 conveyed to England in the Royal Mail steamers of May 

 and June next. 



