loo MR. R. I. POriOOK OS THE \YORK OF 



'The VViiite Marmoset. — This little animal never refuses an 

 inse'it, l)at tliere was some hesitation a,bout atta.eking these foul- 

 smelling l)eetles. However, its love of insect-foorl overcame 

 everything else, and after much sniffiug and spitting two were 

 devoured. 



The Meercats. — Smelt, but would not touch, either species. 

 I often feed these animals with such species as Dytiscus mar- 

 ghialis, Cairibas violaosus, and Gi-iotrapes si/Ivattcas. 



Oipuchin Monkeys, — These animals seizerl both species reaxlily. 

 One female monkey satisfied herself with eating some of the 

 numerous parasitic inites from the body of the beetle. A male 

 monkey ate three l)eetles, and then stole and devoured the one 

 held bv the female. 



Marcli eth, 1917. 



Dr. 8. F. Harmer, Sc.D., F.R.S., Vice-President, 

 in the Chair. 



Worl: of the Beavers in the Societj/s Gardens. 



Mr. li. I. PococK, F.R.S., F.Z.S., Curator of Mammals, gave 

 an exhibition illustrated by lantern-slides to show the work of tlie 

 Beavers in* the old enclosure in the Gardens, and remarked : — 



"Until the middle of 1913 the pair of Canadian Beavers had 

 shown no special activities of any kind, apart from felling in 

 characteristic manner the tree-trunks erected for that purpose. 

 In the summer of 1913, however, a, shallow pool appeared in the 

 surface-clay of their enclosure. This they proceeded to deepen and 

 widen by digging out the bottom and sides. They carried away 

 the excavated clay and plastered it in difierent places, especially 

 up against the fence. From the enlarged pool they drove an open 

 channel through the soil for about a couple of yards; but this 

 they soon I'oofed over with small logs and straw plastered with 

 mud, so that their subsequent operations were concealed from 

 view. But from the end of the channel and continuous with it, 

 as it afterwards transpired, they dug out a burrow nearly three 

 yards in length and passing under the root of a witch elm. The 

 first intimation we had of this was the appearance of a hole, 

 smaller than a i-abbit's burrow, close to the fence on the side 

 remote from the pool where the channel started. This hole they 

 built up with tufts of straw and a small log or two, possibly to 

 prQvent the clay falling in. 



When I opened the burrow to satisfy myself that it was not 

 lieing carried beneath the fence, it appeai'ed to me that the hole 



