89 



June 23, 1835. 

 Dr. Horsfield in the Chair. 



A letter was read, addressed to the Secretary by Keith E. Abbott, 

 Esq., Corr. Memb. Z.S., dated Trebizond, February 14, 1835. It 

 referred principally to a collection of skins of Mammalia and Birds, 

 and of preserved Reptiles, Fishes, and Insects, formed chiefly in his 

 neighbourhood by the -writer, and presented by him to the Society. 

 It also referred to some living animals presented by him at the same 

 time. A portion of the collection was obtained by Mr. Keith Abbott 

 from the vicinity of Erzeroun, to which city he states his intention 

 of proceeding shortly with the view of talking up his residence there 

 for some time. 



The collection was exhibited. 



Among the Mammalia Mr. Bennett pointed out, as apparently 

 hitherto undescribed, a " field Rat", for which he proposed the 

 name of 



Mus LATiPES. Mus caudd corpore multo longiore ; supra plumbeo- 

 niger, suhtils pallidior ; pedibus cinereis. 



Long, corporis cum capite 54- unc. ; cauda, 8; auricula, 8 lin. ; 

 pedis postici cum unguibus, 1+ unc. 



He remarked that this new species appears to be most closely 

 allied to the Mus Alexandrinus, Geoff., with which it nearly agrees in 

 the comparatively great length of its tail. Its colouring is, however, 

 much darker than that of the species referred to. The hairs over the 

 whole of the body are very long and silky : the short rigid hairs on 

 the tail, as is stated to be the case also in Mus Alexandrinus, are 

 comparatively numerous. 



The other Mammalia comprised a Shrew, Sorex; a Hedgehog, 

 Erinacevs ; a Marten, Mvstela Foina, Linn. ; and a Badger, Meles 

 Taxus, Storr. The skin of the latter was remarked on as particu- 

 larly interesting, not only on account of its eastern locality, but also 

 for the softness and length of its comparatively dense fur ; for its 

 greater paleness, depending on the extent of the whitish or fulvous 

 tips of the separate hairs ; for the copiousness of the under soft 

 woolly coat of fur with which the animal is covered at the base of the 

 longer setaceous hairs ; and for the diminished breadth, as compared 

 with ordinary European specimens, of the black marking of the under 

 surface. 



A specimen of a Zorille, Mustela Zorilla, Desm., contained in 

 the collection, is apparently scarcely different, notwithstanding the 

 great difference of locality, from an individual obtained, by the kind- 

 ness of Sir Thomas Reade, from Northern Africa. Respecting this 

 animal Mr. Keith Abbott states, " It is called, in Turkish, Ghevrjen. 



