2a 



February 25, 1840. 



Prof. Ilymer Jones, in the Chair. 



A letter from the Society's Corresponding Member, R. J. Bour- 

 chier, Esq., was read. It is dated JMalta, February 4, 1840, and 

 relates to some living quadrupeds and birds which had been for- 

 warded to that place by Sir Thomas Reade. for the Society's mena- 

 gerie. These animals, Mr. Bourchier states, notwithstanding the 

 greatest possible care had been taken, have all died, with the excep- 

 tion of one Crane. They originally consisted of three Cranes, a 

 Wild Cat, and a Cervine Antelope, or Bubalus. 



A letter from Petty Vaughan, Esq., was also read : it accompanied 

 two specimens (male and female) of a species of Icterus, and tlieir 

 nest, which he begged to present to the Society in the name of Mrs. 

 Vredenburg. These specimens, the letter states, were sent from 

 Para by the lady of the British Consul. 



The Secretary called the attention of the meeting to some speci- 

 mens of Quadrui)eds, Birds, Reptiles, and Fishes, which were upon 

 the table. These specimens were presented to the Society by P. L. 

 Strachan, Esq., who procured some of them at Sierra Leone, and 

 others at the Gambia. The collection consists of forty specimens of 

 Birds and six Quadrupeds, together with some specimens of Reptiles, 

 Fishes, and Crustacea, preserved in spirit. 



Mr. Ogilby more particularly drew attention to a fine female spe- 

 cimen of the Colobus Temminckli, procured by Mr. Strachan at the 

 Gambia, which differs somewhat in its colouring from the mounted 

 specimen in the Society's museum ; the tint of the upper parts of 

 the body being darker, and the rusty hue on the limbs much richer. 



Mr. Ogilby next drew attention to a prepared specimen and skull 

 of a Gibbon, which had recently died at the Society's menagerie. 

 The precise locality from which this animal was jjrocured had not 

 been ascertained ; it was presented by John Abel Smith, Esq., and 

 after living some months in the menagerie, fell a victim to the same 

 complaint which carried olF so many of the Quadrumana during the 

 past winter. 



The whole body is of an uniform deep black colour, except the 

 throat and cheeks, which are covered with long white hair, forming 

 a broad band which extends from ear to ear. This circumstance 

 induced Mr. Ogilby to propose the name of Hylobates leucogenys for 

 this species. There is no white mark over the eyes, as in the Hoo- 

 lock, and the chin and under jaw are black, like the rest of the body. 

 The head is remariiable for its pyramidal elevation, as contrasted 

 with the flattened form of the same part in the Hoolock. Mr. 

 Ogilby stated, that the only doubt he had with respect to the spe- 



