Dr. J. E. Gray on t/te I'utamochoerus africanus. 441 



white oblong four-sidcil spot over the base of the caudal rnp;osity ; 

 isiibcaiulal scales lew, with a small black spot in the centre of each. 



HaO. ('eylon. 



Tiie form of the heatl agrees with the genus Rhinophis of "Wagler ; 

 but it (litlers from that genus in the shortness, and especially in the 

 structure, of the caudal shield, which, in that geaus, is formed of a 

 single horny conical plate. 



Notice of thk Boscii Vark (Potamochierus africanus), 



LIVING IN THK GARDENS OF THE SoCIETY. By Dr. J. E. 



Gray, F.R.S., V.P.Z.S., etc. 



It was with great pleasure I was able to examine a living specimen 

 of the Bosch J'ar/i from the Cape of Good IIo])e, as some zoologists 

 wlio had lived at the Caj)e had expressed to me a doubt as to the 

 distinctness of the Painted Pig of the Camaroons from the Bosch 

 Vark of the Cape, which they informed me is apt to vary in co- 

 louring, being sometimes fulvous. 



Any one who examines the two living animals as they are now 

 placed, in two paddocks side by side, in the Gardens, must at once 

 be satisfied of the distinctness of the species of the two animals, 

 quite independent of any variation that may occur in the ground 

 colour of the individuals, and at the same time be convinced of their 

 distinctness from the other Pigs and of their alliance to each other. 

 Their differences may be thus stated in parallel columns : — 



P. AFRICANUS, S. Africa. P. penicillatus, W. Africa. 



The hair very long, blackish. The hair short, adpressed, 



deep red. 



The nuchal crest very large. The nuchal crest small, low, 



bushy, and extending over the white, forming a narrow line, 

 shoulder. 



Tail slender, j)laccd rather high Tail very thick, placed very 



u}). high up in the haunches. 



The cars moderate, rather The ears large, elongate, nar- 



broad, with a small pencil at the row, with a large terminal pencil, 

 tip. 



These descriptions were taken at the same time of the year. 



The two sexes of the two species are similarly coloured and agree 

 in the above characters. There are also several other distinctive 

 characters not so easily described. 



February 9, 1858.— Dr. Gray, F.R.S., V.P., in the Chair. 



Mr. Gould exhibited to the Meeting British specimens of the 

 MotuciUa Jiava of Ray, which had been shot by Mr. Thirtle of 

 Lowestoft, to whom Mr. Gould was indebted for the following note 

 as to its occurrence in that part of England : — 



" In February 1855, at Lowestoft there were to be seen on a large 

 extent of waste grass land called the Denes, from 70 to 80 Yellow 



