to the Secretary of the Admiralty. 143 



" I may here mention that we named the newly discovered ' 

 continent, to the soathward, ' Boothia/ as also the isthmus, the 

 peninsula to the north, and the eastern sea, after my worttiy 

 friend Felix Booth, Esq. the truly patriotic citizen of London, 

 who, in the most disinterested manner, enabled me to equip this 

 expedition in a superior style. 



" Commander Ross, Mv. Thom, and myself, have indeed 

 "been serving without pay ; but, in common with the crew, have 

 lost our all, which I regret the more, because it puts it totally ,' 

 out of my power adequately to remunerate my fellow-sufferers, 

 wl)ose case I cannot but recommend to their Lordships' con- . 

 sideration. We have, however, the consolation, that the results of this.!, 

 expedition have been conclusive, and to science highly important, and 

 may be briefly comprehended in the following words : — The discovery 

 of the Gulf of Boothia, the continent and isthmus of Boothia Felix, and 

 a vast number of islands, rivers, and lakes ; \.\^ undeniable establishment 

 that the north-east point of America extends to the 74th degree of north j 

 latitude ; valuable observations of every kind, but particularly on the 

 magnet ; and, to crovsrn all, have had the honour of placing the illustrious 

 name of our Most Gracious Sovereign William IV. on the ttue position 

 of the magnetic pole." 



SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTION. 



January 8, 1834. — Major Cloete placed upon the table, 

 as a present for the Museum, a collection of Mineralogical 

 Specimens from the Island of Tristan D'Acuna; and Mr. 

 HuTTON, through Mr. Ludwig, a small collection of Reptiles 

 from Java. Dr. Smith called the attention of the Members to 

 four South African Birds and to a Saurian Reptile from Swan 

 River, all of which he considered new to science, and named 

 and characterised as follows ; 



Trichophorus Jlaviventris. Upper parts of head, back, rump 

 and tail, olive-brown ; outer vanes of some of the quill feathers 

 slightly edged with green ; chin and throat pale straw-yellow, 

 bi-east and flanks greenish yellow, centre of belly and vent, 

 yellow ; bill, legs, and toes, a dark horn-colour. Length 

 from point of bill to tip of tail nine inches. / 



Inhabits the country near Port Natal. " 



' Halycon Swainsonii. Head, back and sides of neck and 

 interscapulars dull white, the first more or less tinted with 

 grey-brown, the last margined behind with a broad transverse 

 black baud ; back, middle of wings, and tail, blue with a green 

 gloss, particularly the two centre feathers of the latter ; 

 shoulders, scapulars, and points of quills, black, inner vanes of 

 several of the outermost wing feathers white towards quills ; 

 ,throat and centre of breast pure white, sides of breagt, belly. 



