374 DR. p. L. SCLATER ON NEW AND INTERESTING [NoV. 10, 



unless some very good opportuuity occurs in the mean time, which 

 is not probable. Our Acclimatization Society of New South Wales 

 are desirous of purchasing one or both, and to send them to your 

 Gardens in their name ; and I have, at all events, secured them for 

 myself at present, but will let you know how they are progressing 

 every mail. I hope these valuable birds will reach you alive ; but 

 should they die, 1 shall arrange to have them preserved in spirits, as 

 the bodies, from their rarity, are also, I am aware, very valuable. 



" We purchased last mouth a fine specimen of the ' Lyre-bird ' 

 (Menura superba), intending to send it to the Zoological Society. 

 It was captured in the lUawarra district, and was a male ; and the 

 beautiful 'lyre'-shaped tail was fully developed, and the whole of 

 the plumage in excellent condition. It only survived a few days, 

 showing how difficult it is to keep these birds in captivity." 



The following papers were read : — 



1. On some New and Interesting Animals recently ac- 

 auiRED FOR the Society's Menagerie. By P. L. Sclater, 

 M.A., Ph.D., F.R.S., Secretary to the Society. 



(Plates XXXI.-XXXIV.) 



During the course of the past summer several new or otherwise 

 interesting Vertebrates have been obtained for the Society's Mena- 

 gerie. Mr. Wolf's ready pencil has transferred to the stone some 

 spirited drawings of some of these species, which I now exhibit, and 

 at the same time beg to oifer some few remarks on these and other 

 species now or recently living in the Society's collection. 



Mammalia. 



1. Lagothrix humboldtii. (PI. XXXI, ) 



(Simia laffotricha, Humb. Lagothrix humboldtii auct.) 



Two fine examples of this rather rare American Monkey were 

 purchased from a Liverpool dealer on the 2nd of October last. I 

 am not aware that the species, though frequently kept tame on the 

 Amazons, has been brought alive to this country since 1850, when 

 the Society had a specimen for a short time. These Monkeys seem 

 dull and quiet in confinement, and have certainly none of the liveli- 

 ness that distinguishes the Spider Monkeys {Ateles). 



The true habitat of this INIonkey, as we are informed by Mr. 

 Wallace, is " the district south-west of the Rio Negro, towards the 

 Andes"*. Humboldt, its original discoverer, obtained it on the 

 Guaviare, a branch of the Orinoco, where it is called " Caparro"t. 



2. Mycetes seniculus (Linn.). 



We are indebted to the persevering efforts of our Corresponding 



* See P.Z.S. 1852, p. 108. 

 t Obs. (le Zool. i. p. 321. 



