8 
The Thibet Hare, compared with most other species of the genus, is 
most remarkable for its pale grayish colouring, and the almost total 
absence of brown or yellow tints in its fur. On the upper parts of 
the body the fur is of a pale gray hue next the skin; the hairs are 
blackish beyond the middle, and at the point, and broadly annulated 
with white or cream colour near the point; but interspersed with the 
ordinary fur on this part of the body are numerous hairs which 
are white at the base, though annulated like the others on the apical 
portion. The fur on the chest is also pale gray at the base, but ex- 
ternally it has a faint fulvous hue, though it might almost be de- 
scribed as dirty white, and the occiput and back of the neck are of 
the same hue. On the belly the fur is white, even next the skin: 
The legs and feet are almost white; a slight ashy tint is observable 
on the outer side of the hinder pair; they are rather densely clothed 
with fur, and that on the under side is of a yellowish-brown hue, but 
not very dark. The ears are very large, and well clothed with hairs ; 
on the outer part, in front, these hairs have the same colouring as 
those on the back of the animal, but on the hinder part they are 
white, or nearly so, and the apical portion of the ear is broadly mar- 
gined with black. 
The skull, compared with that of the common Hare, differs, in 
being much smaller, and proportionally narrower; the upper in- 
cisors have the groove rather more near the middle of the tooth. 
Following are the principal dimensions of the skull :— 
in. lin. 
AOtal 1608th 8 cas coe tae 3.4 
Wien Sic... eee he 1 72 
Width between orbits ...... Dall 
Length of nasal bones ...... ee > 
Width af base (ioe, oe 0 8 
Length of bony palate ...... Loe 
Mr. Gould exhibited and characterized a new species of Himan- 
topus, which he had received from New Zealand. 
Himantorus Nova Zetanpiz. Him. fuliginoso-niger, dorso, alis 
cauddque nitore virescente tinctis. Exempla, fronte, loris, mento, 
collo antice, et ad latera, sic et pectore crissoque albis, nonnunquam 
obveniunt. 
The whole of the plumage sooty black, with the exception of the 
back, wings and tail, which are glossed with green : examples some- 
times occur with the forehead, lores, chin, front and sides of the 
neck, chest, and under tail-coverts white ; bill black ; feet pink-red. 
Total length, 16 inches; bill, 3; wing, 93; tail, 33; tarsi, 34. 
This bird is interesting, not so much for its beauty, but as adding 
another species to the very limited genus Himantopus, of which, 
until lately, only one was known. Mr. Gould regretted that no other 
information accompanied the specimens than that they were killed 
at Port Nicholson. From the great difference in their colouring it 
might be supposed that they are distinct, but he inclines to believe 
that they are either the result of age or season; in all probability 
the black plumage is that of summer. 
