No. 142. 



ABSTRACT OF THE PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 



March 23rd, 1915. 



R. H. Burne, Esq., M.A., Vice-President, 

 in the Chair. 



The Minutes of the last Scientific Meeting were confirmed. 



Sir Edmund G. Loder, Bt., F.Z.S., exhibited a tanned Pig-skin 

 and, for comparison, the skin of a Capybara. 



Mr. W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, F.Z.S., exhibited a series of 

 specimens of Partridges, and drew attention to two extremely 

 remarkable colour- variations of the Red-legged Partridge (Caccabis 

 rufa). As most people are aware this species is not indigenous 

 to this country, having been introduced about 1770, and since 

 spread over a large part of England, being especially numerous 

 from Lincoln to Essex and in the Home Counties. This 

 remarkable variation has the head, eyebrow-stripes, cheeks, and 

 throat black, and the rest of the plumage dull vinaceous-red with 

 a patch of white feathers in the middle of the belly, forming an 

 irregular horseshoe mark. The bird was killed at Braintree, 

 Essex, on October 20th, 1908, by Mr. A. W. Ruggles-Brise, and 

 presented by him to the Natural History Museum. On October 

 20th, 1914, an almost precisely similar specimen was killed at 

 Higham, Kent, by Mr. H. M. Cobb, sent by him to the ' Field ' 

 office, and subsequently presented by Dr. H. Hammond Smith to 

 the Museum. Higham is about 30 miles, as the crow flies, from 

 Braintree, and it seems a remarkable coincidence that a second 

 specimen of this quite unique variation of the Red-leg should 

 have been killed exactly six years after the first, and in nearly 

 the same locality. 



* This Abstract is published by the Society at its offices, Zoological Gardens, 

 Regent's Park, N.W., on the Tuesday following the date of Meeting to which 

 it refers. It will be issued, along with the 'Proceedings,' free of extra charge, 

 to all Fellows who subscribe to the Publications ; but it may be obtained on the 

 day of publication at the price of Sixpence, or, if desired, sent post-free for 

 the sum of Six Shillings per annum, payable in advance. 



