1897.] ON THE rossiii vertebkata of south ameeioa. 311 



March 16, 1897. 

 Dr. W. T. Blanfoed, F.E.S., V.P., in the Chair. 



The Secretary read the following report on the additions to the 

 Society's Menagerie during the month of Tebruary 1897 : — 



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

 gerie during the month of February was 87, of which 32 were 

 acquired by presentation, 5 by birth, 40 by purchase, 8 were 

 received on deposit, and 2 in exchange. The total number of 

 departures during the same period, by death and removals, was 74. 



Amongst the additions, attention may be called to a young 

 female African Monkey of the genus Cercopithecus, from the 

 Upper Benue Eiver, obtained by purchase on Feb. 2nd, which 

 seems to be referable to C. tantalus, Ogilby, described in the 

 Society's ' Proceedings ' for 1841 (p. 33) : also to 



Two TJvpean Parrakeets {Nymphicus uvo'ensis), from the Island 

 of Uvea, Loyalty Group, obtained by puix-hase Feb. 16th (see 

 ■ P. Z. S. 1882, p. 408, pi. xxvi.) : and to 



A second female hybrid Antelope, bred between Trarjelaphus 

 grains S and T. speMi $ , born Feb. 28th. The former hybrid 

 between the same animals was born Feb. 12th, 1896 (see P. Z. S. 

 1896, p. 304). The period of gestation of the Antelope was 

 ascertained to be eight calendar montlis. 



I take this opportunity of calling the attention of the Meeting 

 to two Otters received by the Society on the 27th August last year 

 (having been purchased of Mr. James Silcock, of Drummatti- 

 connor Mills, Listdoor, Co. Down, Ireland), and now thriving 

 and very tame in our Gardens. The Irish Otter was separated 

 specifically from the English Otter (Liitra vulgaris) by Ogilby as 

 long ago as 1834 (see P. Z. S. 1834, p. Ill) under the title of Lut7-a 

 roensis, and I am not aware that the subject has been alluded to since 

 except in reference to his observations (see Bell's ' British Quadru- 

 peds,' p. 138, 1837). But it must be allowed that the Irish Otters 

 which we now have seem to be rather different from the ordinary 

 form, having the tail more flattened, a longer head, a more dis- 

 tinctly white under-lip, and a generally darker colour of the fur. 

 It appears to me, therefore, that the matter is worthy of further 

 investigation. If the Irish "Weasel is specifically different from 

 the British species, as believed by Mr. Thomas and other good 

 authorities, why should not the Irish Otter.be also distinct? It 

 would be well, therefore, that a series of the two forms should be 

 carefully compared together. 



Mr. A. Smith Woodward, F.Z.S., gave an account of his recent 

 visit to South America for the purpose of examining the Fossil 

 Vertebrata of that country, and exhibited a series of photographs 

 and fish-remains. His main object was to see the Museums and 

 collections in the Argentine Eepublic, but on the way he was also 



