746 DR. G. HARTLAUB ON NEW SAXICOLZ. [Dec. 12, 
6. Nore vpon THE ABNORMALITY OF A TAIL-FEATHER IN A 
MALE SaMMERING’s PHEeasANtT. By James Muriz, M.D., 
PRosECTOR TO THE SOCIETY. 
An adult male Scemmering’s Pheasant (Phasianus semmeringit, 
Temm.) which died and was examined by me on the 29th of Novem- 
ber last, presented the following irregularity :—— 
The middle and longest tail-feather of the bird was completely 
turned upside down. The groove of the shaft was uppermost ; the 
outer edge of the vane of the feather and the down at the base of 
the shaft were curled upwards. The brilliant colour of the reversed 
upper side was in no way affected by its unusual position or partial 
want of light. At the posterior third of the feather there com- 
menced to be a twist, which as it reached the pointed extremity, was 
seen to have made a half turn of a circle, bringing what was the 
uppermost side at the root of the feather to be the undermost at the 
tip; in other words, the feather at its posterior third seemed to 
endeavour to right itself to its normal condition. At the root it was 
firmly attached to the skin, proving it not to have been the result of 
mere accident. 
On first consideration it may be supposed that this feather had 
grown from the first in an inverted manner, but the spiral form, I 
am inclined to believe, demonstrates that when young it must have 
shot forth in the normal manner, and that the turn took place sub- 
sequently during the process of growth. 
The feathers of birds, I understand, are occasionally found some- 
what twisted at the base of the wing; and the Friesland Fowl is 
remarkable for the frizzly appearance of its plumage. But several 
gentlemen, who have had much practical experience with birds, tell 
me they have never met with a case wherein tail-feathers were so 
placed as I have related, for which reason I have thought it worthy 
of being mentioned. 
oo 
7. On Two New Species or SoutH AFRICAN SAxIcoLez, 
By Dr. G. Hautiaus, For. Memes. Zoot. Soc. 
In a small collection of birds from different parts of the Cape 
Colony recently submitted to my examination by Mr. E. L. Layard 
I find two apparently new species, which I describe as follows :— 
search after truth, I conclude by pointing out that my more detailed comparison 
of the skull of Presbytes albigena with the true Indian Semnopitheci endorses 
the opinion of Dr. Pucheran and the correctness of the present name attached to 
the cranium in the National Collection. 
With regard to the complicated stomach of the genus Colobus, I have further 
to add the testimony of Mr. Flower, that the C. vellerosus dissected by him, 
besides those examined by Professor Owen and the C. guereza described in this 
paper, all point to the certainty of this feature being common to the genus ; and 
therefore, besides the analogy of the cranial character, this undoubtedly marks 
the Colobi and Semnopitheci as being but individual members of one group. 
