74 Zoological Society : — '• 



and any thick, sweet, glutinous fluid, rejecting meal-worms, grass- 

 hoppers, the larvae of wasps, and all similar objects. Consequently 

 I am inclined to think that this animal is not insectivorous. Its large 

 and powerful teeth lead me to infer that it may possibly wound trees, 

 and cause them to discharge their juices into the cavity made by its 

 teeth ; and that upon this fluid it probably feeds. This appears to 

 me the more likely, as I observe that our specimen returns frequently 

 to the same spot on the tree which she had previously injured. I am 

 also strengthened in my opinion by noticing the little attention paid 

 by the animal to its food. It does not watch or look after it ; for I 

 have on several occasions removed the vessel containing its food du- 

 ring the time the animal was feeding, and the creature continued to 

 thrust its hand forward, as before, upon the same spot — though 

 after a while, finding no more food, she discontinued, and moved off 

 to search for more elsewhere. This apparently stupid act is so unlike 

 the habits of an animal intended to capture or feed on living crea- 

 tures that I am inchned to believe that the Aye-aye feeds upon in- 

 animate substances. I have frequently seen it eat a portion of the 

 bark and wood after taking a quantity of the fluid food. 



The excrement of this animal much resembles the dung of small 

 rabbits, being in separate nearly round balls. 



On a New Bird from the Island of Madagascar. 

 By Dr. G. Hartlaub, For. Memb. 

 CucuLTJS RoCHii, sp. nov. Supra ardesiacus ; guttxire pallidius 

 cinereo ; pectore et abdomine infundo albo-Jlavicantibus, fasciis 

 rarioribus angustis nigricantibus ; subalaribus flavescenti-albi- 

 dis, tenuissime ardesiaco fasciolatis ; subcaudalibus ochraceis, 

 maculis nonnullis nigris ; rectricibus nigris, maculis rarioribus 

 minutis albis prope scapam notatis, omnium apicibus albis ; ala 

 extus unicolore, nigricante, remigum pogoniis internis alba 

 fasciatis vel postice transversim maculatis ; maxilla nigricante ; 

 mandibula flava, apice obscura ; pedibus flavis. 

 Long. 10-11"; rostr. a fr. 8'"; al. 5" 11'"; caud. 5" 7-8"'. _ 

 Syn. " Cuculus canorus, L., common at Madagascar," Desjardins, 

 P. Z. S. 1832, p. 111. C. tenuirostris, Jules Verreaux, MS. (olim). 

 Nearly allied to certain Indian species, but in all probabihty di- 

 stinct. In an old MS. of my friend Jules Verreaux I find an accu- 

 rate description of this species, under the often misused name of 

 Cucidus tenuirostris. 



Named after Dr. S. Roch, who accompanied the mission sent last 

 year by the Government of Mauritius to that of Madagascar. 



Nov. 25, 1862.— E. W. H. Holdsworth, Esq,, F.Z.S., in the Chair. 



Notice of two New Species of Batagur in the Collection 

 OF THE British Museum. By Dr. J. E. Gray. 

 Dr. Giinther, who is re-examining the Indian Tortoises in the Bri- 

 tish Museum, has drawn my attention to two young specimens of 



