56 MR. W. T. BLANFORD ON HIMALAYAN BIRDS. [Feb. 19. 



of the trees, letting them hang down as nooses, in the course the 

 animal was following. In a short time their labour was rewarded, as it 

 ran its head first into one noose, and then into another, tearing them 

 away, however, from the trees, and, in its excitement, rushing out on 

 to the open slope leading to the village, dragging the ropes after it. 

 By this time it was somewhat exhausted, for it fell in a muddy 

 hollow, where it was immediately surrounded, secured by ropes, and 

 ultimately dragged into the village. Three days afterwards, tbe 

 male made its appearance from the same teelah, but unfortunately 

 an effort made to ca{)ture it did not prove successful. The female 

 rapidly became tame and tractalde, and was introduced into the 

 Zenana, where it soon established itself as a favourite, more especially 

 with the children, who used to ride as safely on its back as the 

 London children did on Jumbo. Begum Latifa Khatum, when she 

 became aware that the Committee for the management of the Calcutta 

 Gardens were in quest of Rhinoceroses, with very great self-denial, 

 public spirit, and liberality made up her mind to part with the 

 favourite of the Zenana, and telegraphed to the Committee that it 

 was her intention to present this Rhinoceros to the Gardens." 



Mr. Sclater observed that this animal was of special interest to the 

 Society, because the only previously known example of this Rhino- 

 ceros, upon which the species had been based, was the specimen ob- 

 tained in 1869, also from Chittagong, and still Hving in the Society's 

 Gardens ^ 



Mr. W. T. Blanford, F.R.S., F.Z.S., read the following Report 

 on the Collection of Drawings of Himalayan Birds lately presented 

 to the Society's Library by Mr. Brian H. Hodgson, F.Z.S. : — 



"The collection of drawings of birds presented to the Society by 

 Mr. Hodgson, and recently received from Mr. Hume, is of very great 

 value and importance, and the Society is under deep obligations to the 

 liberal donor for this magnificent addition to its library. The whole 

 series comprises 1104 sheets of drawings, on some of which single 

 birds are represented, on others several. Nearly all the drawings are 

 coloured ; all, with very few exceptions, are good ; many are excellent. 

 In addition to the coloured figures of the birds themselves, many 

 illustrations of nests, eggs, and young are added, together with, in 

 many cases, details of structure and anatomy ; the feet, tongues, 

 gizzards, and sterna of very many species being represented. The 

 sheets, too, are in most cases covered with MS. notes on the birds 

 depicted. In all respects the drawings are similar to those of Hima- 

 layan Mammalia, already presented by Mr. Hodgson to the Society's 

 library. 



" These drawings are the originals from which the copies in the 

 British Museum were taken, and, together with the MS. notes on 

 the same sheets, form the record of Mr. Hodgson's wonderfully com- 

 prehensive observations during his long residence in Nipal and 

 Sikkin;. Those countries, when Mr. Hodgson commenced his studies, 



^ Cf. List of .inimals (,1883), p. 126. 



