556 DR. R. W. SHUPELDT ON VIRGINIA OPOSSUMS. 



Gold Coast, new to the Collection, presented by Dr. H. G. 

 F. Spurrell, F.Z.S., on Februaiy 12th. 



1 White-capped Redstart (Ohimay'i-hornis leucocephalus), from 

 the Himalayas, presented by Alfred Ezra, Esq., F.Z.S., on 

 February 29th. 



March. 



The registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during 

 the month of March were 110 in number. Of these 45 were 

 acquired by presentation, 32 by purchase, 21 were received on 

 deposit, 8 in exchange, and 4 were born in the Gardens. 



The number of departures during the same period, by death 

 and removals, was 192. 



Amongst the additions special attention may be directed to : — 



1 Wallich's Tfeev (Oervus wcdUchii) c? , new to the Collection, 

 1 Burrhel (Ovis htirrhel) S , 1 Tahr {Hemitragus jemlaicus) $ , 

 and 6 Tibetan Mastiffs [Canis familiar is), from Nepal, presented 

 by H.M. the King on March 18th and 25th. 



1 Alpaca {Lama pacos) J, from Peru, received in exchange on 

 March 5th. 



1 Racket-tailed Drongo {Bissemurus paradiseus), from India, 

 presented by Alfred Ezra, Esq., F.Z.S., on March 14th. 



1 African Tantalus (Psetidotantalits ibis), from Southern 

 Nigeria, presented by Sir Walter Egerton, K.C.M.G., F.Z.S., on 

 March 15th. 



1 Ashy-headed Goose {Chloephaga poliocephala) bred in 

 Holland, received in exchange on March 22nd. 



3 Prairie-hens {Tympanuclius americaniis), from North America, 

 received in exchange on March 21st. 



Mr. R. I. PococK, F.R.S., F.L.S., F.Z.S., Superintendent of 

 the Gardens, exhibited a lantern-slide of two Polar Bear cubs 

 {Ursus maritimus) born in the Gardens in November 1911, and 

 made some remarks upon the causes of the difficulty expei-ienced 

 in Zoological Gardens in rearing the oflfspring of this species. 



Mr. C. Tate Regan, M.A., F.Z.S., exhibited some lantern- 

 slides, prepared fi'om photographs taken by Dr. F. B. Sumner, of 

 a Mediterranean Flatfish {Platophrys podas) on sand, gravel, and 

 various artificial backgrounds, showing its power of changing its 

 colour and markings to resemble the ground on which it lies. 



Dr. R. W. Shufeldt, C.M.Z.S., sent for exhibition the skins 

 of two young Virginia Opossums {Didelphis virginiana). These 

 specimens were each about ten weeks old and belonged to the 

 same litter. 



The bones of the entire skeleton at this age were quite 



