152 LETTER FROM SIR HENRY DARKLY. [Mar. 3, 



above and below. The horns were four-pronged, slender, and short 

 in spaces between snags. The general coat was dark brown, with a 

 darker line down back terminating in a white patch on rump and a 

 white tail. The tarsal patch was large, and consisted of close short 

 hair. A black spot occurred below each lower lip, uniting by a 

 central line with a similar spot on the chin. The animal had a wiry 

 active look, and, I was told, was a fine runner and jumper when out 

 of the enclosure. 



" I was convinced it was a new species, and sent home a descrip- 

 tion of it to the Secretary of this Society, in company with that of 

 Cervus kopschi from Kiukiang. Meanwhile, on learning the name of 

 the gentleman who was said to have procured it at Newchwang, I 

 sent to ascertain whether such an animal had been noticed at that 

 port. No one knew any thing about it ; and the gentleman himself 

 declared that he did not recollect the purchase. I feared then that 

 there might be some mistake, and that this specimen was merely an 

 individual variety of C. sika. I wrote this to the Secretary, and 

 begged him for the present to cancel my species. 



" The other day I heard from my friend Mr. A. Michie, at 

 Shanghai, that he had been so fortunate as to procure two bucks of 

 the same Deer, which had just arrived in a ship from Tientsin, and 

 that he had at once shipped them for England in the steamer 

 • Deucalion.' One died on the passage ; the other arrived safe and 

 well, and has been acquired by the Society, in whose Gardens it is 

 now to be seen." 



4. Two males of the beautiful Falcated Teal (Querquedula/alcata), 

 which arrived along with the Deer above mentioned, and are, I 

 believe, quite new to European collections. 



A letter was read from Sir Henry Barkly, Corresponding Member, 

 dated Government House, Cape Town, January 26, 1874, stating 

 that he had obtained from Robben Island, in Mossel Bay, a pair of 

 young Eared Seals, Otaria pusilla, and proposed to send them to 

 the Society by the next Union Company's steamer. 



Sir Henry was also hoping to get an Elephant Seal {Morunga 

 proboscidea) from the Crozettes, having arranged with Professor 

 Wyville Thomson, who had proceeded there with the * Challenger ' 

 Expedition, to endeavour to procure one, and send it up either alive 

 or dead. 



As regards the White Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros simus), concerning 

 which the Secretary had been in correspondence with him, Sir Henry 

 almost despaired of getting one, on account of the vast distance in 

 the interior from which such an animal could now only be procured. 



The following papers were read 



