886 REV. H.B.TRISTRAM ON NEW SOUTH-AFRICAN BIRDS. [NoV. 1-1, 



intermaxilla. It remains cartilaginous until it reaches iiS" adult size, 

 and then becomes ossified, forming a thick bony erect plate. 



In the younger skull the cartilaginous septum is produced nearly 

 to the root of the cutting-teeth ; but in the older skull, where the 

 septum has become ossified, the front parts of the intermaxilla are 

 produced, and the septum ends over the root of the canines. The 

 shortness of the nasal cavity and the sharp-edged crest of the 

 maxillae distinguishes the skull from those of the Tapirs in all ages. 



The sides of the face of the skull are flattened ; the zygomatic 

 arch and the front of the orbit over the preorbital foramen is ex- 

 panded, flattened, and compressing the foramen into an oblong erect 

 shape ; the upper edge of the orbit is narrow and flat, not produced 

 into lobes as in the American Tapir ; the nasal bones are narrow, 

 longer than broad at the base, with an oblong deep concavity on 

 each side of their base, which is continued upwards behind it, so 

 as to be only separated by a small central ridge ; the hinder pala- 

 tine nasal opening varies in size in the two sexes, or it becomes much 

 wider and broader in front as the animal increases in age. In the 

 skull with the cartilaginous internasal septum, and only four grinders 

 in each side, the concavity containing the internal nostrils is narrow 

 and oblong. In the older skull with the septum entirely bony, and 

 with seven grinders in each side, the concavity containing the inter- 

 nal nostrils is much broader, being nearly as wide as long, and the 

 vault is more evenly rounded. 



The voung animal, like the young of the Brazilian and other Tapirs, 

 is spotted and striped with white. Mr. Sclater has kindly lent me 

 a photograph of a young Panama Tapir, which is on its way to the 

 Society's Gardens ; and a coi)y of the photograph has been added to 

 Mr. Wolff"s figure (PI. XLIL) of the half-grown animal, which Mr. 

 Salvin has obtained for the Biitish Museum. 



Tlie young animal is described by Mr. Verrill as above quoted ; 

 and the description is printed in the 'Annals and Magazine of Natural 

 History' for 1867, XX. p. 232. 



The animal is similar to the Brazilian Tapir externally ; indeed 

 all the naturahsts and zoologists who have observed it at Costa Rica 

 regarded it as the same as that species until the skull was examined; 

 and it is said that one was exliibited alive in the Jardin d'Acclimata- 

 tion at Paris for some time as a Brazilian Ta|)ir ; but it is easily 

 distinguishable by the bay cheek and white chest. 



10. On New Species of Birds from South Africa. 

 By Rev. H. B. Tristram, M.A., F.L.S., C.M.Z.S. 



Among a collection of birds recently sent to me from the Cape 

 Colony by Mr. E. L. Layard I find two specimens of a Swift labelled 

 by Mr. Layard Ct/psehis melba. 



These birds are clearly distinct from C. melba. In size and form 

 there is no difference, excepting that the wing of the South-African 



