3958 The Zoologist— April, 1874. 



Zoological Society of London. 



Feb. 17, 1874. — George Busk, Esq., F.R.S., Vice-President, iu the chair. 



Mr. Busk exhibited some slvulls of the tiger and leopard from China, 

 procured by Mr. R. Swinhoe, and showed that those from the Northern and 

 Southern provinces did not appear to be specifically distinct. 



A communication was read from Mr. L. Taczauowski, Conservator of the 

 Museum of Warsaw, containing the descriptions of twenty-four new birds, 

 obtained by Mr. Constantine Jelski in Central Peru. Amongst these was 

 a new Cotingine form, proposed to be called Dolyornis Sclateri, and four 

 new humming-birds, named respectively Metallura Hedvigoe, Helianthea 

 dichroura, Eriocnemis sapphiropygia and Lamprastera Branickii. 



A communication was read from Sir Victor Brooke, Bart., describing a 

 new species of gazelle, founded on two specimens living iu the Society's 

 menagerie, which he proposed to call Gazella muscatensis. 



A communication was read from Dr.T. Schomburgli, Director of the Botauic 

 Gardens, Adelaide, containing an account of the habits of the Australian 

 coote (Fulica austmlis) as observed in tlie Gardens under his charge. 



Mr. E. Ward exhibited the head of a supposed new species of wild sheep, 

 from Ladak, which he proposed to name Ovis Brookei, after Sir V. Brooke. 



Dr. J. E. Gray communicated some notes on the crocodile of Madagascar, 

 which he proposed to distinguish from Crocodilus vulgaris of Continental 

 Africa, and to call Crocodilus madagascariensis. 



A communication was read from ]\Ir. W. N. Lockiugton, of Humboldt 

 County, California, containing some notes on the mammals and birds met 

 with in that part of the State of California. 



March 3, 1874. — Dr. E. Hamilton, Vice-President, in the chair. 



The Secretary read a report on the additions that had been made to the 

 Society's menagerie during the month of February, 1874, and called special 

 attention to a Malayan hornbill [Buceros malaijamis) new to the Society's 

 collection, acquired by purchase; a python, presented by Mr. J. C. Noble, 

 of Hong Kong, having been captured in his garden on the Chinese Mainland, 

 and a young male of an undescribed species of deer from Northern China. 



A letter was read from Sir Henry Barkly, Governor of the Cape Colony, 

 announcing that he had obtained a pair of young eared seals {Otaria jnisilla) 

 for the Society's collection. 



A communication was read from Mr. W. H. Hudson, of Buenos Ayres, 

 describing the parasitical habits of the three species of Melothrus, found in 

 Buenos Ayres, namely, M. bonariensis, M. badius and M. rufo-axillaris. 



Mr. Sclater read an account of a small collection of birds, obtauied by 

 Sir Graham Briggs in the island of Barbadoes, West Indies. 



A second paper by Mr. Sclater contained the description of an apparently 



