24 LETTER FROM PROF. OWEN. [Jan. 16, 



2. A Grey-winged Blackbird {Turdus pcecilopterus, Vigors), 

 brought from Cashmere, and presented to the Society by Mrs. W. 

 A. Ross, Dec. 21st, being, as I believe, the only example of this 

 excellent songster brought to Europe, except one previously received 

 by the Society in 1859*. 



3. A young female Prince-Alfred's Deer, born in the Gardens 

 Dec. 27th, having been bred between the male presented by the Duke 

 of Edinburgh May 5th, 1 870 f, and the female obtained in exchange 

 April 1st, 1871 J- The female was placed with the male on her 

 arrival, and copulation took place very soon afterwards. The fawn 

 resembles its mother, as regards marking, in every particular, and at 

 present shows every symptom of health and strength. 



The acquisition of both sexes of a Cervus previously unknown to 

 science, and its propagation in our Gardens, must be regarded as 

 occurrences of special interest. 



I may add that, since the return of the Duke of Edinburgh to 

 this country, I have ascertained that the male Cervus alfredi (of 

 the history of which we were previously unacquainted) was pre- 

 sented to His Royal Highness by a Spanish gentleman at Manilla ; 

 so that the supposed habitat of this species (indicated P. Z. S. 1871, 

 p. 478) is confirmed. 



The following letter was read from Prof. Owen, addressed to the 

 • ' " British Museum, 6th January, 1872. 



" My dear Sir, — In a letter from my esteemed correspondent, 

 Dr. Julius Haast, F.R.S. &c, dated 'Christchurch, New Zealand, 

 October 27th, 1871,' he informs me that ' Jptornis has been found in 

 the Glenmark swamp ; the Canterbury Museum possesses a femur 

 identical with that figured by you.' ' Cnemiomis does not occur in 

 the swamp' (at Glenmark) 'except very rarely, but is very frequent 

 in the stratified, postpliocene, peaty, alluvial beds below it, exposed 

 in the banks of a small creek. 



" ' I have no doubt that, on some of the large islands at the 

 south-western parts of this island, the Notornis is still comparatively 

 abundant ; but it is so very difficult to get there. It has always 

 been my wish to go there for a month or so, if I could only manage 

 to be landed by one of the steamers.' 



" It is, of course, gratifying to me to receive this confirmation of 

 the two generic types of large extinct Ralline birds in New Zealand, 

 as it must be to you to have this acknowledgment of the aid given 

 by the plates published in the Society's 'Transactions' in advancing 

 our knowledge of those rare species. 



" Believe me, truly yours, 



" Richard Owen." 

 " P. L. Sclater, Esq., F.R.S. , 



"Sec. Zuol. Soc. Lond." 



* See Cat. of Vert. 1st ed. p. 50. 

 t'SeeP.Z.S. 1870, p. 381. 

 t See P. Z. S. 1871, p. 478. 



