608 TUB SKCnBTAUT ON ADBITIONS TO TUB MENAaEMl. [June 2, 



description oi Mus aquilus : this is a smaller animal, freckled with 

 light tips to the hairs, and is otherwise very distinct from the 

 animal now under notice, but shows that Mr. True's specimen was 

 about full-grown, and that the tail was not materially shortened by 

 the injury mentioned. 



Dr. Ansorge has been hitherto known in connection with 

 zoology as a collector of insects, but he gives me an interesting 

 account of the accident which put him in possession of this collec- 

 tion of mammals. The site of a long disused village had been 

 purchased for the purpose of bnilding the new Government 

 Medical Hospital, and in clearing the long grass and scrub in the 

 usual manner of surrounding it and burning towards the centre, 

 as the circle narrowed it was discovered that there were a large 

 number of small mammals enclosed. It being observed that there 

 were " rats of all colours," a selection of pairs of diiferent sorts was 

 made, with the result that some ten or a dozen specimens were 

 obtained. Dr. Ansorge describes the Rhizomys heaving up the 

 ground like giant moles ; many of the new Lophuromys, quite 

 twenty, were left on the ground. 



The tvi'o specimens agree in every particular and are said to be 

 male and female, but are not labelled. 



The other species represented in the collection are Ehizomys 

 splendevs, Eiipp., Gerlilhis cifer. Gray, Mus (Isomys) alyssinicus, 

 Kiipp., and AIus (Leyyada) mimttoideSjYeteia. 



June 2, 1896. 

 F. DuCawe Godmaw, Esq., E.E.S., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The Secretary read the following report on the additions to tho 

 Society's Menagerie during the month of May : — 



The registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during the 

 month of May were 154 in number. Of these 52 were acquired by 

 presentation, 62 by purchase, 14 by exchange, 4 were born in the 

 Gardens, and 22 were received on deposit. The total number of 

 departures during the same period, by death and removals, was 86. 



Amongst the additions the following are worthy of special 

 notice ; — 



1. A Eed-naped Fruit-Bat (Pteropus funereus), purchased May 

 1st. This Australian animal is new to the Society's list. 



2. Four examples of a Tortoise belonging to the group of 

 Gigantic Tortoises, deposited by the Hon . Wal ter Rothschild , F.Z.S. , 

 May 26th. These Tortoises are believed to be referable to 

 Daudin's Tortoise (Testudo daudini), from the Aldabra Islands, 

 which is a species peculiar for the form of its carapace, the two 

 antei'ior and the two posterior marginal plates being strongly 

 reverted (see Giinther, ' Gigantic Land-Tortoises,' p. 33, pi. 5). 



