312 DR. MACDONALD ON TWO SHARKS. [Mar. 18, 



captured about six months ago about 30 miles from Cape-Coast 

 Town. 



Mr. Elliot* has lately proved, from a comparison of typical 

 specimens, that Temminck's name, Felis aurata, belongs to this 

 African species, and not to the Asiatic Golden Tiger cat, to which 

 it has been usually referred, but which, in accordance with this 

 view, has been named, in the Revised List of Vertebrates, Felis 

 moormensis (ibid. p. 39). 



Felis rutila is the name under which this African species is 

 generally known, being that given to it by Mr. Waterhouse before 

 this Society in 1842. 



The present specimen belongs to a rather dark variety with 

 beautiful rose-coloured spots, as will be seen from the accompanying 

 sketch by Mr. Keulemans (Plate XXVII.). 



3. Three female Scaup Ducks, presented by Mr. R. Swinhoe, 

 F.Z.S., H.B.M. Consul at Ningpo, and received February 22nd. 



Mr. Swinhoe has sent us an interesting notice of these Ducks, 

 which he is inclined to refer to Fuligula mariloides of Vigors. This 

 paper will be read at a subsequent meeting, when the skins of two of 

 them, which we have lost since their arrival, will also be exhibited. 



A communication was read from Dr. J. Macdonald, F.R.S., 

 Staff-Surgeon R.N., containing descriptions of two Sharks taken off 

 Flinders Island, Bass's Straits, during the voyage of H.M.S. 

 * Herald ' in the South Seas. 



During the voyage of this vessel systematic notes of the numerous 

 Sharks anil Rays obtained from time to time had been taken by the 

 late Mr. F. M. Rayner, the surgeon of the ship, whilst Dr. Macdonald 

 had made careful drawings of them for future reference. Mr. Rayner 

 had also preserved the jaws, pieces of the skin, and the intestinal 

 valve of every specimen. Indeed it had been fully intended to 

 arrange the whole into a system, making as near an approach to a 

 monograph of the cartilaginous fishes of the South-western Pacific 

 as would be possible, without introducing genera and species which 

 had not actually been seen. Circumstances, however, had interfered 

 with this project ; and Mr. Rayner's valuable preparations had been 

 deposited in the Museum of the Royal Naval Hospital at Haslar, 

 while the collection of drawings and the notes had been retained. 

 From this source had been derived a short paper on Galeocerdus 

 rayneri, and another on Heptranchus griseus, already published in 

 the 'Proceedings of the Zoological Society'-)-. The present paper 

 contained descriptions, 1st, of a specimen of Acanthias vulgaris with 

 a double-yelked ovum and two embryos, and of a species of Galeus, 

 both obtained off Flinders Island, Bass's Straits. 



The following papers weve read : — 



* P. Z. S. 1871, p. 759. 



t Sec P. Z. S. 1808. pp. 368 & 371. pis. xxxii. & sxxiii. 



