1907.] mr. r. i. pocock ox a hybrid wild cat. 749 



October. 



The registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during the 

 month of October were 214 in number. Of these 107 were 

 acquired by presentation, 3 by purchase, 92 were received on 

 deposit, 10 by exchange, and 2 were born in the Gardens. The 

 total number of departures during the same period, by death and 

 removals, was 140. 



Amongst the additions special attention may be called to the 

 following : — 



Two Chinchillas {Chinchilla lanigera), presented by the Countess 

 de Grey on Oct. 4th. 



Five Viscachas (LagostOTnus trichodacti/hos), three presented by 

 the Countess de Grey on Oct. 4th, and two deposited on Oct. 26th. 



A Spotted Cuscus {Fhcdanger macidatus), new to the Collection, 

 purchased on Oct. 4th. 



A Naked-throated Bell-bird [Chasviorhi/nchus nudicollis), de- 

 posited on Oct. 16th. 



A Ground Hombill [Jjucorvus ahyssinicios), deposited on 

 Oct. 3rd. 



Two Arizona Heloderms [Heloderma suspectttm), deposited on 

 Oct. 10th. 



Mr. R. I. Pocock, F.L.S., the Superintendent of the Gardens, 

 exhibited two photographs of a kitten bred in the Gardens 

 between a male European Wild Cat {Felis sylvestris) and a female 

 African Wild Cat {Felis ocreata ugandce), and made the follow^ing 

 Temai'ks : — 



The kitten was one of a litter of three born on August 14th. 

 Two were eaten by the mother soon after birth, but the third 

 was safely reared by a foster-cat. The three kittens Avere alike in 

 pattern and resembled in all respects fairly typical domestic cats 

 of the striped-tabby bi-eed, as was shown by the photographs 

 taken on Sept. 4th and Oct. 22nd, when the survivor was 

 respectively about three and nine weeks old (text-figs. 194, 195, 

 p. 750). This experiment in cross-breeding, although throwing 

 no light upon the origin of the Blotched-tabby Domestic Cat, con- 

 firmed Mr. Pocock's opinion * that the Striped-tabby Domestic Cat 

 of Europe was descended from the European and African Wild 

 Cats {Felis sylvestris and Felis ocreata). 



Mr. P^. Lydekker, F.R.S., F.Z.S., exhibited, on behalf of the 

 Hon. Walter Rothschild, the skins and horns of a male and female 

 Takin from Bhutan, differing from the typical Mishmi form by 

 its much smaller horns. 



P. Z. S. 1907, pp. 143-166. 



51* 



