Zoological Club. 553 



coald not have been lately in a domesticated state ; neither could 

 it have regained its perfect plumage after having formerly escaped 

 from confinement, as it appeared to be a young bird of last year. 

 There appeared every reason to suppose that the individual was 

 an accidental visitor of this country, driven over here by the late 

 severe weather, and consequently that it had a claim, like other 

 occasional visitors of these Islands, to a place in the British 

 Fauna. 



Mr. Vigors read a continuation of the " Catalogue of the New 

 Holland Birds in the Linnean Society's collection," by Dr. Hors- 

 field and himself. 



February 14. — Mr. Vigors read some extracts from a letter 

 which he received from W. S. MacLeay, Esq. F.L.S., dated from 

 the Havannah, December 27tb, 1825. The extracts consisted of 

 Ornithological observations made by that gentleman, during his 

 voyage from England to the Island of Cuba, in the months of 

 October, November, and December, 1825; including remarks on 

 the Ornithology of the Islands of Madeira, Teneriffe, and St. Jago; 

 as also a few cursory observations made at Barbadoes, Martinique, 

 and off the coast of St. Domingo, on the same subject. 



Mr. Vigors entered into an explanation of the natural affinities 

 that connect the tribe of Tenuirostres in Ornithology ; pointing 

 out the different subdivisions or families into which it is separated, 

 and illustrating the chief character of each by a reference to the 

 typical species, which he exhibited to the Club. He dwelt chiefly 

 on the family of Trochilidce, most of the leading forms of which 

 he produced before the meeting ; and he signified his intention of 

 continuing the subject at a subsequent meeting of the Club. 



February IS. — Dr. Horsfield exhibited a specimen of a Mam- 

 miferous Animal, lately described by M. F. Cuvier under the 

 name of Ailurus fulgens, which had been procured in Nepal, 

 and subsequently presented to the Liiniean Society by Major 

 General Hardwicke. Dr. Horsfield pointed out to the meeting 

 the distinguishing characters of this animal, and entered into an 

 explanation of the station which it appears to hold in a natural 

 arrangement of the Mammalia. The specimen from which M, 

 F. Cuvier drew his description being defective, particularly with 



