“ 
March 1, 1883] 
NATURE 
417 
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2c00 feet above the sea-level—and is capable of enduring 
great heat. : 
The Punjaub Sheep was introduced into the Zoological 
Society’s series nearly thirty years ago, and has frequently 
bred in their menagerie. The adults of both sexes and 
the lambs, of which two are generally produced at a 
birth, are correctly figured in Wolf and Sclater’s “Zoo- 
‘logical Sketches” from specimens living in the Society’s 
Gardens. 
The recent extension of British influence into Khelat 
and Afghanistan has led to our acquaintance with the 
Wild Sheep of the higher ranges of these territories, 
which, although closely allied to that of the Punjaub, is 
perhaps distinct and entitled to specific separation. Such 
at least is the opinion of the Indian naturalist, Mr. A. O. 
Hume, who in 1877 described and figured the horns of 
this form, from a specimen received from Major Sandi- 
man, under the name Ov7s dlanford?, in honour of Mr. 
W. T. Blanford, a well-known Indian zoologist and 
geologist. Mr. Hume’s example of Blanford’s Sheep was 
obtained in the hills above the Bolan Pass. The specimen 
from which our drawing has been prepared (Fig. 30) was 
captured in Afghanistan during the recent campaign in 
that country, and presented to the Zoological Society by 
Capt. W. Cotton in February, 1881. It is a young male 
animal with the horns not yet fully developed, and has 
been placed in company with a female of the better-known 
Sheep of the Punjaub hills, with which, there is no doubt, 
it will readily cross. 
31. THE UV#AN PARRAKEET (Vymphicus uv@ensis). 
—In the second volume of Capt. Cook’s “Voyage to- 
wards the South Pole and round the World’’ will be 
found (at*p. 110) a large, double, copper-plate engraving 
entitled a “ View in the Island of New Caledonia,” taken 
from a sketch prepared by Hodges, the artist of the 
expedition. The left-hand corner of this engraving con- 
tains a rude figure of a parrot with two feathers pro- 
jecting from the summit of its head. This is doubtless 
Fic. 31.—The Uvean Parrakeet. 
the first representation ever given of the celebrated , 
‘* Horned Parrot” of New Caledonia, of which a single | 
specimen was obtained by the great circumnavigator | 
when the island itself was first discovered (in September, | 
1774), and brought home for the collection of Sir 
Joseph Banks.* 
Since the time of Cook until recent days little more has 
been known of this singular parrot. In the posthumous 
works of Forster, who accompanied Cook as naturalist, 
it was described as ‘‘ Psittacus bisetzs,’ and Wagler, in 
1832, made it the type of a new genus “ Mymphicus.” 
But specimens remained very scarce, and Dr. Finsch in 
his excellent history of the Parrot-tribe, published in 
1868, tells us that it was then still one of the rarest of the 
whole family in the museums of Europe. 
In 1879 however two living examples of this parrot 
were brought to London in a vessel coming from Sydney, 
¥ See Latham’s “ Synopsis of Birds,” vol. i. p. 248. 
and secured by the Zoological Society for its parrot- 
house. There was thus for the first time for those who 
do not wish to make a voyage to New Caledonia, an 
opportunity of seeing this lovely species in its full 
beauty. What, however, followed was still more singular. 
In April, last year, while the two Horned Parrots were 
still alive, there arrived in the London market a second 
pair of birds of the same peculiar structure, but presenting 
ample distinctions for their recognition by naturalists as 
a distinct species. These birds, it need hardly be said, 
were quickly secured for the Zoologica] Society's Aviary, 
so that the two forms might be exhibited side by side. 
At the same time was received a communication from 
Mr. E. L. Layard, H.B.M. Consul at Nouméa, in New 
Caledonia, a Fellow of the Zoological Society, and a well- 
known naturalist, describing the new species under the 
| name Nymphicus wva@ensis (see P. Z. S., 1882, p. 408, 
Pl. XXVI.). 
