60 



Zoological Society. 



escaped the observation of ornithologists. It has recently been 

 acquired for the Society's collection. 



The female rather exceeds the male in all her proportions. Her 

 biil is black instead of yellow: her crest is shorter, and has bronzy 

 reflections. The whole of the under surface is of a brownish grey, 

 with the exception of the under tail coverts, which are scarlet. 

 The outer tail feathers, which in the male are white with black 

 shafts, are in the female barred, except at the base, where they are 

 dull black. The colours of the upper surface are similar in both 

 sexes ; but the plumes which spring from the rump, and which in 

 the male attain so remarkable a length, scarcely extend in the fe- 

 male beyond the tip of the tail. 



A "Description of Perdix Lerixia," by B. H. Hodgson, Esq., Corr. 

 Memb. Z. S., was read. It was accompanied by a coloured draw- 

 ing of the bird, which inhabits the northern region of Nepal, and 

 forms, by its half-plumed tarsi, a sort of link between the Partridges 

 and the Grouse. Its habits assimilate with those of the latter genus. 

 It is found close to the permanent snows, among rocks and low 

 brushwood, and sustains itself upon aromatic buds, leaves, and small 

 insects. It is characterized as Perdix Lerwa. 



The great comparative expanse of the wing; the diminution of 

 its rounded form by the second quill feather being the longest ; the 

 increased length and strength of the tail; and the extent of the 

 feathering of the tarsi, are very remarkable characters, which give 

 to this species a peculiar interest. Its dimensions, as compared with 

 several allied birds, are given by Mr. Hodgson in the following table: 



Peri. 



Francvlimu. 



12 



It 



1-8 



o i 

 Trr 



I,i 



lib. 



Length, from the tip of the bill to 



that of the tail 



Length of the bill 



Basal height of ditto 



Basal breadth of ditto 



Length of the tail 



Expanse of the wings 



Length of the tarsi 



Length of the central toe and nail 

 Weight 



A paper "On the Anatomy of the Cheetah, Felis jubata, Schreb.," 

 was read by Mr. Owen. It commenced by remarking on Felis as a 

 truly natural genus, and by observing that the anatomical structure 

 of the animals composing it offers even fewer differences than their 

 outward forms. The principal deviation from the common type is 

 that which obtains in the organs of voice of the Lion (and, as Mr. 

 Martin has observed, in those of the Jaguar also), where the larynx 

 is situated at a considerable distance from the posterior margin of 

 the bony palate, the soft palate and the tongue being proportionally 

 increased in length, and thus a gradually expanding passage is 

 formed, which leads from the glottis, where the air is rendered so- 

 norous, to the mouth. This .structure may contribute, in the Lion, 

 to produce the peculiar roar of that animal. 



