15 



February 14th, 1837. 

 William Brown Scott, Esq., in the Chair. 



A letter was read from M. Julien Desjardins, a corresponding 

 member of the Zoological Society, dated from the Mauritius, 15th 

 July, 1836. The letter was accompanied by two copies of a memoir 

 on the late Charles Telfair, Esq., President and Founder of the 

 Natural History Society of that island. The memoir was written 

 by M. Desjardins. 



A letter dated Capetown, July 5th, 1836, from the Rev. James 

 Adamson, a corresponding member, was read ; the letter acknow- 

 ledged the receipt of the printed Proceedings and Transactions of 

 the Society, with thanks from the South African Literary and Scien- 

 tific Institution. 



A letter was also read from C. R. Read, Esq., a corresponding 

 member, dated Singapore, September 2nd, 1836, announcing a pre- 

 sent of 56 skins of birds, and the skin of an alligator of large size, 

 which have been received. 



At the request of the Chairman, Mr. Waterhouse brought under 

 the notice of the Meeting numerous species of the genus Mus, form- 

 ing part of the collection presented to this Society by Charles Dar- 

 win, Esq., a Corresponding Member. The specimens placed on the 

 table had been collected at various parts of the Southern Coast of 

 South America, viz. Coquimbo, Valparaiso, Port Desire, Maldonado, 

 Bahia Blanca, &c. 



Most of these numerous species were considered by Mr. Water- 

 house as hitherto undescribed, and drawings were exhibited by him 

 illustrative of the modifications observable in their dentition. 



The specific characters of the species above referred to are as 

 follows : 



Mus TUMiDus. M. brunneus, nigro lavatus, rostro ad apicem, 

 labiis, menfo, guld, pectore, abdomineque albis, naso supra ni- 

 grescente; mystacibus atris; capite magno ; auribus mediocribus 

 rotundatis, pilis nigris et griseis intermixtis, vestitis ; corpore 

 crasso ; cavdd capite corporeque breviore, pilis nigricantibus, 

 subtits albesce7itibtis prope basin, vestitd ; artubus pedibusque 

 grisescentibus ; vellere longo, molli ; pilis dorsi ochraceo annu- 

 latis apicibus nigris ; pilis laterum apicibusfuscescenti-griseis; 

 pilis omnibus ad basin plumbeis ; unguibus longis. 



unc. lin. 



Longitude ab apice rostri ad caudae basin. ... 69 



caudce 5 4 



ab apice rostri ad marginem oculi 9 



ab apice rostri ad basin auris .... 1 8 



tarsi digitorumque 1 6 



auris 7 



Hah. Maldonado. 

 No, L. and LI. — Proceedings of the Zoological Society. 



