1899,] MR. SCLATER ON OVIROS MOSCHATUS. 985' 



December 19, 1899. 

 Dr. Henry Woodavard, LL.D., 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 November 1899 ; — 



The I'egistered additions to the Society's Menagerie during the 

 month of November 1899 were 123 in number. Of these 35 were 

 acquired by presentation, 8 by purchase, and 1 in exchange, 78 were 

 received on deposit, and 1 was born in the Gardens. The total 

 number of departures during the same period, by death and re- 

 movals, was 110. 



Amongst the additions attention may be specially directed to the 

 two Snake-l'ishes (Polifpterus senegalus) from the Eiver Gambia, 

 obtained by Mr. J. S. Budgett, F.Z.S., during his recent expedition 

 to the Gambia, and presented by him on Nov. 22nd. These are 

 believed to be the first examples of this remarkable fish ever 

 brought alive to Europe. 



On behalf of Mr. G. S. Mackenzie, F.Z.S., a photograph was 

 exhibited of two remarkably large tusks of the African Elephant 

 {FAejiilias africanus) recently sold at Zanzibar, and stated to 

 have been obtained in the district of Kilimanjaro. They 

 each measured, on the outside curve, 10 feet 4 inches in length, 

 and weighed respectively 235 lbs. and 225 lbs. 



Mr. Sclater exhibited the hind portion of the skin of a Giraffe, 

 which had been shot on the east bank of the Great Loangwa 

 River, Northern Ehodesia, in latitude 13° South, and read the 

 following extract from a letter on the subject addressed to hitn 

 by Mr. Alfred Sharpe, dated Zomba, June 14th, 1899 : — 



" As you know, there have been from time to time reports of 

 Giraffes existing north of the Zambezi on the Loangua, but no one 

 has been able actually to verify this until now. This skin w-as 

 sent to Mpeseni's while I was there, the beast having been shot by 

 a prospector. He stated that they were not plentiful at all, 

 and were restricted in area, but that he had seen a herd of 35. The 

 skin was sent down to Capt. Chichester, and was not complete, 

 as it consisted of the hind-quarters only, but possibly this will be 

 sufficient for determination as to whether it belongs to a different 

 variety from the S. African Giraffe." 



Mr. W. E. de Winton, F.Z.S., who had examined this specimen, 

 was of opinion that it was decidedly referable to the Southern form 

 {Giraffa capensis). 



Mr. Sclater stated that during a recent visit to Woburn he had 

 had the pleasure of inspecting, under the guidance of the President, 

 two young male Musk-oxen (Ovibos moschatus) which had been 



