32 REV. G. H. R. FISK ON THE HABITS OF SNAKES. [Feb. 6, 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE VII. 



Kg. 1. Tellina modesta, p. 31. 



2. • brazieri, p. 31. 



3. Lima goliath, p. 30. 



4. Pectunmdus robustus, p. 31. 



5. Thracia jacksonetisis, p. 30. 



February 6, 1883. 

 Prof. Flower, LL.D., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. 



The Secretary read the following report on the additions made to 

 the Society's Menagerie during the month of January 1883 : — 



The total number of registered additions to the Society's Mena- 

 gerie during the mouth of January was 79, of which 2 were by 

 birth, 38 by presentation, 37 by purchase, and 2 were received on 

 deposit. The total number of departures during the same period, 

 by death and removals, was 126. 



Amongst the additions during the month attention was called to 

 examples of two species of Passerine Birds from Japan new to the 

 collection — the Grey Thrush (Turdus cardis), and the Red-sided 

 Titmouse {Parus varius). 



The Secretary read an extract from a letter from Mr. F. C. Selous, 

 dated " Umklangen, Matabele Country, November 7, 1882," stating, 

 in reply to inquiries, that he was afraid that the chance of getting a 

 living White Rhinoceros (^Rhinoceros simus) was now very small. 

 The very few of these animals that still survived were almost 

 entirely restricted to the "fly "-infested districts. Mr. Selous 

 had been trying to get an adult male specimen of this animal for 

 the British Museum for a whole year, and had not succeeded, not 

 having seen one at all, but intended to try again this year on the 

 river Sabi. As to other animals, he could get living specimens 

 of the Sable and Roan Antelopes, Blue Wildebeest, Tsessebe Ante- 

 lope, and Eland. The Elands of the Mashuna country were of the 

 striped variety {Oreas livingstoni). They were most of them very 

 plainly striped, and had black patches on the inside of the forearm. 

 Another animal Mr. Selous could get specimens of was the Wart- 

 hog, and also the beautifully striped northern variety of Burchell's 

 Zebra {Equus chapmani of Baines). 



The Secretary read the following extracts from a letter received 

 from the Rev. G. H. R. Fisk, C.M.Z.S., dated "Capetown, Nov. 28, 

 1882":— 



"The following notes were made by me as the events took place ; 

 and I think they tend to show two ways, amongst many, in which the 

 naturally large and rapid increase of Snakes is kept within compa- 

 ratively moderate limits. 



