18/2.] THE SECRETARY ON ADDITIONS TO THE MENAGERIE. 493 



March 19, 1872. 

 John Gould, Esq., F.R.S., V.P., in the Chair. 



The following report on the additions to the Society's Menagerie 

 during the month of February 1872 was read by the Secretary : — 



The total number of registered additions to the Society's Menagerie 

 during the month of February 1872 was 127, of which G were by 

 birth, 24 by presentation, 92 by purchase, 2 by exchange, and 3 were 

 received on deposit. The total number of departures during the same 

 period by death and removals was 121. 



The principal arrival during the month was that of the female 

 Hairy-eared Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros lasiotis), which was announced 

 to the Society at the last meeting*. 



This animal was captured in January 1868 near Chittagong, in the 

 manner described in the following extract from a Calcutta news- 

 paper : — 



" The quiet station of Chittagong has been lately enlivened by the 

 presence of a Rhinoceros. It appears that about a month ago some 

 natives came into Chittagong and stated that a Rhinoceros had been 

 found by them in a quicksand, and was quite exhausted with the 

 efforts to release herself. They had attached two ropes to the animal's 

 neck, and with the assistance of about 200 men dragged her out, and 

 keeping her taut between two ropes they eventually made her fast to 

 a tree. The next morning, however, they found the Rhinoceros so 

 refreshed and making such efforts to free herself that they were 

 frightened, and made application to the magistrate of Chittagong for 

 protection. The same evening Captain Hood and Mr. H. W. Wickes 

 started with eight Elephants to secure the prize, and after a march of 

 about sixteen hours to the south of Chittagong they came up with 

 the animal. She was then discovered to be a Sumatran Rhinoceros, 

 rather more than four feet in height, with a smooth hairy skin some- 

 what like that of a Pig, and with two horns (one up high, almost 

 between the eyes and small, the other rather larger and just above 

 the nose), and the upper lip almost coming to a point and protruding 

 a little. 



" The Elephants at the first sight of the Rhinoceros were very much 

 afraid and bolted one and all, but after some little exertion they were 

 brought back and made to stand by. A rope was now with some 

 trouble attached to the animal's hind leg and secured to an elephant ; 

 at this juncture the Rhinoceros roared, the Elephants again bolted ; 

 and had it not been for the rope slipping from the leg of the Rhino- 



* See antea, p. 185, where it is spoken of as B. sumatrcnsis. But an example 

 of the true B. sumatrensis from Malacca having been subsequently received 

 ( p. iiifr. V. Z. S. Nov. 1872), it became obvious that this Ehinoceros was quite 

 distinct ; and T have proposed to call it B. lasiotis. — P. L. S., Aug. 28, 1872. 



