13 



to distinguish two Himalayan species, which presented a somewhat 

 different form of horn from the rest of the genus ; one, the Ovis Na- 

 hoor, Hodgson, of superior size, and general pale colour, which he 

 believed did not inhabit so high ; the other he termed 0. Burrhel, 

 which was of a very dark colour, and presented numerous other spe- 

 cific distinctions, being an inhabitant also of more elevated regions. 

 The Ovis aries he considered a species per se, and not descended 

 from the Moufflon ; and the 0. musimon was treated of in detail under 

 its two alleged varieties, specimens of which, however, had never 

 been compared together. The Ixalus prohaton, Ogilby, was deemed 

 to belong strictly to the genus Ovis, and Mr. Blyth suggested, that 

 as the abnormal growth of its hoof indicated that it had long lived 

 in captivity, it was not unlikely that castration at an early age may 

 have obstructed the developement of its horns, the rudiments of 

 which exactly resembled those found upon many breeds of true 

 sheep, and upon the lambs of all horned breeds of a certain age. 

 The last animal included was the Ovis tragelaphus, Auctorum, of 

 which the 0. ornata, GeofFroy, appeared to be merely a dwarfish in- 

 dividual : the characters of this species were treated of at consider- 

 able length, and it was proposed to elevate it to the rank of a sub- 

 genus of Ovis, for which the name Ammotragus was suggested. 

 The paper was illustrated by numerous elaborate drawings of the 

 horns, &c., and by a pictorial group, containing the principal species, 

 the relative sizes of which were thus rendered obvious to the eye. 



Mr. Strickland, at the request of the chairman, exhibited some 

 Birds selected from his collection, several of which he thought were 

 undescribed, and would interest the members present. 



Mr. G. T. Lay read the following account of the habits of a Bird 

 of Paradise, Paradisea apoda, Linn. : — 



" This bird has been in the possession of Mr. Beale upwards of 

 fourteen years, and seemed when I left China at the commencement 

 of the past year to be in full health and vigour. It is fed mainly 

 upon boiled, rice, with a few grasshoppers, as meat with its vege- 

 tables. These it eats whole when small, but pulls off the legs and 

 wings when large. The tip of the abdomen, with the lower intes- 

 tine, are rejected, while the rest of the viscera are devoured as a sort 

 of choice morsel. It seizes the insect near its head with so firm a 

 gripe, that life is soon extinct, which answers the double purpose of 

 securing its prey and of shortening the dying throes of the poor vic- 

 tim. It is very careful to cleanse its bill after every such operation, 

 wiping it upon the perch, and shaking it with a peculiar jerk. I 

 have heard one remark that it is not a clean feeder, but this is true 

 only of the mode of eating, which is gross and eager, as the largeness 

 of the mouthful is incompatible with much grace or nicety in con- 

 veying the food to the place of its destination. 



" The voice is loud and sonorous when he calls in a rapid suc- 

 cession of notes. This is probably the strain in \vhich he answers 

 his fellows in the wild state, and may be heard, from its clearness, a 

 great distance, where walls and dwellings do not interfere with the 



