394 MB. G. E. n. BAEUETT-HAMILTON ON [Mar. 3,' 



. Capt. Paget informs me that this animal was captured in tlie 

 Khor Abent, halfway between Suakin and Cassala. It is new to 

 the Collection. 



, 2. A Hybrid Antelope, bred between the male of Tragelaphus 

 cjratus (received from the Hamburg Gardens, July 21, 1894) and a 

 female Trayelaphus spekii, presented by James A. Nicholls, Esq., 

 F.Z.S., Oct. 14, 1890. 



This curious hybrid in general appearance appears to take after 

 the rufous colour of the female of 2\ gratus. It has a black 

 dorsal stripe and is spotted on the flanks. So far as we can tell, 

 the period of gestation in this instance was about seven months. 



Mr. G. E. H. Barrett-Hamilton, T.Z.S., exhibited several fresh- 

 looking skeletons of the Norway Lemming {Myodes lemmus), 

 obtained by Dr. II. Gadow in caves near Athouguia, in Poi'tugal, 

 and made the following remarks : — 



Early in the year 1895 Dr. H. Gadow handed me for examination 

 some skeletal remains of a species of small mammal, which, on 

 a first inspection, appeared to be tliose of some species of Vole — 

 Alicrotus. Thinking the remains were those of Voles I put them 

 aside for a time, but later on, when I had an opportunity of 

 examining them more carefully, I foimd, to my surprise, that they 

 consisted of some skeletons and detached bones of the Norway 

 Lemming, Myodes lemmus. When first received by me the 

 remains consisted of a good many fragments and single bones, and 

 of two almost complete skeletons. These latter were completely 

 enveloped in the original skin, which had become so dried and 

 hardened that in order to enable myself to examine the skeletons 

 I had to get it removed. The whole appearance of the specimens 

 was so fresh that, unaware as I was of their true cliaracter, I had 

 the dried skin, which enveloped them like mummies, removed, 

 so. that, I regret to say, not one of these most interesting 

 specimens has been preserved in the condition in which I received 

 it. Some of the vertebrae, however, are still connected together 

 by the dried remains of the ligaments. This, and the whiteness 

 and excellent preservation of the bones, will show how easy it was 

 to be deceived as to their nature, and to come to the belief that 

 they were of recent origin and perhaps unimportant. 



This discovery of Dr. Gadow's is of very great interest, as it 

 enormously increases our knowledge of the distribution of the 

 Norway Lemming in past times, and helps to throw light upon 

 the former climatic conditions of Portugal. 



According to Professor E. Collett ', (he most recent authority 

 on the Norway Lemming, this animal has its principal home in 

 Norway, where it inhabits all the mountain plateau from north to 

 south of the country, and in some localities is distributed down 

 to the sea-level. Its range includes also Swedish and Russian 

 Lapland, but ceases eastward on the western shores of the White 

 Sea, and, though the animal is spread over the greater part of the 



' ' Myodea lemmus, its Habits and Migrations in Norway.' Cln'istiania, 18'J5. 



