1865.] DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE SPECIES OF CHRYSOCHLORIS. 679 
account of the brilliant colours which it exhibits when so preserved, 
and animals so preserved are sometimes taken out and stuffed. 
Specimens which have been so treated have a very different appear- 
ance from those which have been skinned fresh and the skins pre- 
served dry, the colour being more or less changed according to the 
strength of the spirits or the length of the time that the animal may 
have been kept in the fluid. 
I have carefully compared the series of skulls in the Museum, 
which have in most cases been extracted from the specimens which 
are preserved in the collection ; so that the results of this paper are 
founded on the comparison of the skulls as well as the skins in the 
Museum collection. 
The specimens and skulls in the British Museum appear to be all 
referable to the two following species, and most easily separated by 
the character of the fur. 
1. CHRYSOCHLORIS AURATA. 
Fur short, very dense, erect, with more or less metallic reflections, 
brown ; sides of the face whitish; the front claws subcylindrical. 
Hab. South Africa. : 
This species varies in the extent and pureness of the white colour 
on the sides of the face and crown, and in the presence or absence of 
the intensity of the blackness on the forehead. The fur is much 
more iridescent when the specimens are preserved in spirits. 
This species includes the Ch. aurata and Ch. rubra of Fischer, 
and the synonyma he attaches to these species; and I am also in- 
clined to refer to it Ch. hottentotta, A. Smith, Ch. holosericea, 
Licht., Ch. albirostris, Ch. rutilans, Wagner, and Ch. damariensis, 
Ogilby, which appear to have been bleached by exposure; nor do I 
see any distinction to induce me to separate from it Ch. obtusirostris, 
Peters. 
2. CurysocuLoris vititosa, A. Smith, South African Journal, 
ii. 33. 
The fur elongate, very thick, coarse, villose, brown, with an abun- 
dant under-fur ; lips, chin, and streak from the angle of the mouth 
white ; the outer front claw rather large, broad, high ; the hind claws 
large. 
Hab. South Africa: Natal. 
This is considerably larger than the former species. 
The examination of the skulls has helped me to this determina- 
tion. I find that it has been supposed by some zoologists that I 
undervalue the study of fossil bones, or Paleontology as it is called ; 
as if the study of fussil bones were distinct from the study of osteology 
in general. Nothing can be more contrary to my feelings; indeed 
I have been doing all I can for years to facilitate the study of fossils, 
as well as recent osteology, by ferming a large collection of wedl- 
determined skeletons of vertebrated animals for the purpose. What 
I do object to is, that persons who pretend to be scientific men 
