1878.] THE SECRETARY ON ADDITIONS TO THE MENAGERIE. 780 



Tlie registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during the 

 month of July were 154 in number ; of these 68 were acquired by 

 presentation, 45 by purchase, 7 by exchange, IS were bred in the 

 Gardens, and 1 6 were received on deposit. The total number of 

 departures during the same period by death and removals was 108. 



The most noticeable additions during the month were: — 



1. A male Beatrix Antelope (Oryx beatrix), presented 10t.h July, 

 187S, by Commander F. M. Burke, of B. I. S. N. SS. 'Arcot.' 



Capt. Burke writes me that he obtained this animal at Jeddah 

 from a friend of his, who received it as a present from the Sbereff 

 of Mecca. It had been originally captured in the neighbourhood of 

 Tyeff or Tayf, some 150 miles E.S.E. from the Red Sea, in the 

 Hedjaz passes. 



I am sorry to have to add that this interesting animal (so far as 

 I know, the third ' specimen of its species known) reached the Gar- 

 dens in a very poor state of health, and died shortly afterwards. 



2. A fine young female Orang (Simla satyrus) received in ex- 

 change from the Zoological Gardens of Calcutta, July 27th. 



The registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during the 

 month of August were 117 in number. Of these 40 were acquired 

 by presentation, 12 by purchase, 13 were bred in the gardens, 14" 

 were obtained by exchange, and 38 were received on deposit. The 

 total number of departures during the same period, by death and 

 removals, was 116. 



The most noticeable additions during the month were : — 



1. One Spanish Blue Magpie (Cyanopolius coo/ci), presented 

 August 2nd, by Lord Lilford, F.Z.S. 



2. A young example of the Prairie-Wolf of North America 

 (Canis latrans), preseuted by Prof. C. M. Vincent, F.G.S., F.R.G.S., 

 August 21st. 



Both these species are new to the Society's collection. 



3. Three hybrid Boas, bred between a male of Chilobothrus inor- 

 natus and a female Epicrates angulifer, and born on the 30th of 

 August. 



There can be no question about the paternity of these curious 

 hybrids, as there is no male Epicrates in the collection, and the 

 Chilobothrus was observed in copula with her in March or April last. 



The three young ones were brought forth alive on the 30th of 

 August ; and six eggs, more or less decomposed, came away subse- 

 quently. 



So far as I know, hybridism among the Ophidians in captivity has 

 not yet been recorded, and in this instance is the more singular as 

 occurring between species of different genera. 



The total number of registered additions to the Society's Mena- 

 gerie during the month of September were 85 in number ; of these, 

 43 were acquired by presentation, 4 by purchase, 13 by birth, and 



1 For a notice of two previous specimens, see P. Z. S. 1857, p. 158, Mamm., 

 pi. h ., and P. Z. S. 1872, p. 603. 



Proc. Zool. Soc— 1878, No. LII. 52 



