1871.] LETTER FROM DR. BURMEISTER. 701 



3. Two Grey Seals (Halichcerus grypus) purchased November 

 1 1th, through the kind agency of Mr. Samuel Williams of St. Davids, 

 Pembrokeshire. Though the Grey Seal is said to be not uncommon 

 on some parts of the British coast, we have never previously suc- 

 ceeded in obtaining living specimens of it. 



From what Professor Flower informs me, I am now induced to 

 believe that all the Seals of the genus Phoca (except the Greenland 

 Seals, Phoca grcenlandica) hitherto received alive by the Society 

 have been referable to the Phoca vitulina, the specimens to which 

 we have applied the name of Phoca fcetida, as in the ' Catalogue of 

 Vertebrates,' 4th edit. p. 27, having been simply large specimens of 

 the former species. 



4. A fine young male Soemmerring's Antelope (Gazella scem- 

 merringii), presented by Charles M'lver, jun., Esq., on the 29th of 

 November. 



Mr. M'lver informs me that the animal was obtained in the 

 desert about 100 miles south of Suez. 



Mr. Sclater read the following extracts from a letter addressed to 

 him by Dr. Burmeister, F.M.Z.S. (dated Buenos Ayres, Oct. 10, 

 1871), containing some remarks on Messrs. Sclater and Salvin's 

 Synopsis of the Cracidse (P. Z. S. 1870, p. 504) : — 



1. Mitua tuberosa, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 520. — We have a magni- 

 ficent male of this species from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, in Bolivia, 

 where a collector from Buenos Ayres has lived some years, and made 

 a valuable collection. My specimen is beautiful, 31 inches long, and 

 of very splendid colours. 



2. Crax sclateri, ibid. p. 515. — We have a beautiful female of 

 this Crax, also from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and another young 

 female from Paraguay, the latter being somewhat smaller, and not so 

 strongly coloured ; but the differences are not of importance. 



3. Pipile cumanensis, ibid. p. 529. — We have two specimens of 

 this species, also from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, both excellent skins 

 and entirely perfect. The white pileus advances to the beak, and 

 is divided on the neck into two stripes, one on each side, descending 

 nearly to the end of the neck. In all other respects it agrees with 

 your description. 



4. Penelope boliviana, ibid. p. 526. — Of this species also two spe- 

 cimens are in our collection from the same locality, agreeing with 

 your definition, but larger, of 30 inches total length, and the feathers 

 of the pileus all bordered with whitish, like those of the neck and 

 back. The underside is obscure castaneous down to the beginning 

 of the breast, but here mixed with greenish brown, like the back *. 



5. Ortalida guttata, ibid. p. 536. — This bird we possess from the 

 same locality, entirely corresponding with your definition. 



6. Ortalida canicollis, ibid. p. 534. — This is the ouly species 

 of the Penelopine group occurring in the interior of this country, 



* It seems more probable that this may be Penelope sclateri, G. K. Gray. — 

 P. L. S. 



