530 LETTER FROM MR. R. SWINHOE. [NoV. 1 2, 



for the augmentation of their Hving collection. Amongst these 

 were a Pampas Cat {Felis pajeros) from La Plata, four specimens 

 of Cuming's Octodon {Octodon cumingii), a Patagonian Parrot {Co- 

 nurus patagonicus), and a young Darwin's Rhea (Rhea darwini) 

 from Chili. The three first-mentioned species were novelties to the 

 Society's collection. Of the Darwin's Rhea only one specimen had 

 been previously exhibited in the Society's Menagerie. 



11. Two Black- billed Sheath-bills (Chionis minor, Hartl.) from 

 the Crozette Islands, presented by E. L. Layard, Esq., F.Z.S., on 

 the 26th of October. 



12. A fine specimen of the Aard Wolf of the Cape of Good Hope 

 (Proteles lalandii), purchased by the Society, October 26th, of Capt. 

 W. R. Dixon, of the Cape Mail Company's service, and believed to 

 be the first example of this rare mammal ever brought to Europe 

 alive. 



13. An example of the Tuatera Lizard of New Zealand {Hatteria 

 punctata), deposited in the Gardens by Sir George Grey, K.C.B., 

 F.Z.S., October 28th. Two living specimens of this most singular 

 of existing Saurians, which had been believed to be nearly extinct*, 

 had been obtained in the province of Wellington by Dr. Hector, 

 F.R.S., C.M.Z.S., and delivered to Sir George Grey for transmission 

 to this country. One of these had arrived alive, and appeared to be 

 doing well, feeding readily on meal-worms and insect food. 



Letters were read, addressed to the Secretary by H.E. Sir Ruther- 

 ford Alcock, C.M.Z.S., H.B.M. Minister at Pekin, giving an ac- 

 count of the progress made in his endeavours to obtain for the Society 

 living specimens of Elaphurus davidianus. Two pairs of young ones 

 had been obtained from one of the ministers of Yamen, who was the 

 chief custodian of the parks ; but, in spite of the care lavished upon 

 them by Mr. R. Swinhoe, three of these had been already lost. Sir 

 Rutherford was now endeavouring to get older animals to replace 

 them. 



Letters were also read, addressed to the Secretary by Mr. R. 

 Swinhoe, now temporarily attached to the embassy at Pekin, upon 

 the same subject. Mr. Swinhoe stated : — 



" The Elaphurus is known only from the Nan-hai-tsze, a large 

 hunting-park belonging to the Emperor about two miles south of 

 Pekin. They run wild there, and are said to be numerous. No one 

 is allowed to enter the park. The Chinese call this animal the 

 Sze-poo-seang, i. e. ' like none of the four ' — to wit, the Horse, the 

 Cow, the Deer, and the Goat." 



Mr. Swinhoe likewise spoke of a journey he had recently made to 

 the little-known island of Hainan, where he had got together a con- 

 siderable zoological collection. No Pheasant was met with in the 

 island, but only a Jungle-fowl, which, however, was quite new to 

 him. He had also seen there in confinement the Black-winged Pea- 

 * Cf. Giinther, Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. vol. clvii. p. 595. 



