186 MR. W. K. PARKER ON CROCODILXJS PALUSTRIS. [Mar. 16, 



March 16, 1880. 

 Dr. A. Giinther, F.R.S., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The Secretary made the following report on the additions to the 

 Society's Menagerie during February 1880 : — 



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

 gerie during the month of February was 102, of which 14 were by 

 birth, 37 by presentation, 42 by purchase, and 9 on deposit. Tlie 

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

 removal, was 75. 



The most noticeable additions during the month were : — 



1. Two female Thars {Capra jemlaicd), mother and young, pre- 

 sented by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales on the 5th February, 1880. 

 The mother is the same animal that was brought home by the Prince 

 of Wales on his return from India in 1876, and was deposited for 

 some time in the Society's Gardens'. The young female was born 

 whilst the mother was in the Society's Gardens. The jnale, which 

 arrived at the same time, is unfortunately dead ; so that another 

 m.ale of this species would be a very desirable acquisition to the 

 Society's Menagerie. 



2. Two Burrhel Wild Sheep {Ocis burrhel), purchased February 

 19th, being the first examples of this fine Himalayan Sheep that 

 have been acquired by the Society. 



Mr. W. K. Parker exhibited the eggs and embryos of son)e 

 Crocodiles {Crocodilus palustris) obtained in Ceylon by Dr. W. R. 

 Kynsey, Principal Medical Officer of Colombo, and kindly placed at 

 Mr. Parker's disposal for embryological investigations by Sir Joseph 

 Fayrer, F.Z.S. Mr. Parker read the following notes on the breeding 

 of this Crocodile by S. Waytialiugam, the native Assistant at 

 the Civil Hospital, who had formed the collection: — 



" 13th September, 1879. 



" I have been giving my close attention for the last two months to 

 the eggs of Crocodiles. I find they commence to lay eggs in the 

 months of June, July, and August, particularly in the former two 

 months. They do not lay in muddy places, but always select sandy 

 soil. They go far from the embankments of the tanks or pools iu 

 which they live in search of such suitable soils ; and I have seen 

 places where they have laid eggs at distances of from a quarter to 

 half a mile from their water-places, where they live in holes made 

 for themselves for the time being. 



" They always try, if possible, to secure a part of the jungle un- 

 frequented either by men or cattle. 



"They make, first, a large hole for themselves to live in during 

 the day in order to watch their eggs, and then make a small hole 

 near and sometimes at the very mouth of the previous one, and lay the 



' See P. Z. S. 1876, p. 464. 



