496 ON CONTINENTAL ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. [Nov. 3, 



have in England ; and these are my grounds for offering it to you. 

 After carrying away a rare species of" Stork, it was trapped by some 

 of my servants at Kinsembo, a place on the borders of Angola and 

 Congo, on the 15th of June last; and I have taken considerable 

 trouble and expense to keep it alive. It is of the same size and not 

 unlike a Serval ; long slender legs and tail ; the colour is a sort of 

 olive-yellow or sand-colour, spotted here and there with small irre- 

 gular spots, more particularly along its lower extremities and flanks ; 

 its ears are black and yellow (or white), like those of a Serval. It 

 by no means resembles a Tiger Cat, and it differs much from the 

 Serval, both of which beasts are common in Angola and Loango. It 

 is the true 'Bush-Cat' of the Negroes, and, I believe, is rare in 

 England." 



I exhibit a drawing by Mr. Smit representing this animal, which 

 will assist in its future recognition (see Plate LXIII.). The species 

 was established on a flat skin, which is now in the collection of the 

 British Museum, and is little known to naturalists. 



3. An interesting collection of animals from the Seychelles Islands, 

 presented, September 21 st, by the Hon. Sir Arthur Gordon, C.M.Z.S. 

 Amongst these are examples of the Red-crowned Pigeon (Erythrce- 

 nas pulcherrima), the Barkly Parrakeet (Coracopsis barklyi), and 

 examples of three species of Tortoises, concerning which Sir Arthur 

 writes to me as follows : — 



''Testudo indica. The only island on which I know this gigantic 

 Tortoise to exist now in a state of nature is Aldebra ; but there is 

 abundant evidence of their having been wild on most other islands of 

 the Seychelles at no very remote date. At present many are kept in 

 enclosures in the Seychelles and breed there in large numbers ; of 

 these some may have escaped into the bush, but I do not think any 

 now exist which are not descended from those brought from Aldebra. 



" Cinixys belli. These are only found in Mahe, and have evi- 

 dently been introduced — probably accidentally. 



" Sternothcerus subniyer. This Tortoise is found only in marshes 

 in the islands of La Digue and Silhouette, and perhaps Praslin. I 

 never heard of it at Mahe ; but very possibly it might be found in 

 the marshes up in the mountains." 



Mr. Sclater gave an account of the visits which he had made 

 during the summer to several Zoological Gardens and Museums in 

 France and Italy, and made remarks upon the principal objects 

 noticed therein. 



In the Jardin des Plantes at Paris a new and much improved 

 house for Reptiles and Batrachians had been erected, and had 

 deservedly attracted much public attention. Amongst the rarities 

 living in the Menagerie special attention was called to ( 1 ) the typical 

 specimens of Chceropotamus edwardsi* of Grandidier, (2) a fine 

 example of the Beisa Antelope {Oryx beisa) lately received from the 

 French Vice-Consul at Aden, (3) a beautiful specimen of Crypto- 

 procta ferox, and (4) the first living example yet brought to Europe 

 * Described Eev. et Mag. de Zool. 1867, p. 318. 



