76 MR. p. L. SCLATER ON GEOPHAPS SCRIPTA. [Feb. 2, 



P. dorialis is one of the few species of the group that is quite 

 distinct from all its neighbours, and presents therefore but little 

 difficulty as to its determination. Its long shaggy fur, peculiar 

 coloration, and proportionately large head and small body distinguish 

 it at once from all its allies. Dr. Jentink's Hyrax stampfiii presented 

 a remarkable degree of variation in the shape of its lower jaw, and 

 in other characters — variations so great that without a very large 

 sereis of specimens he naturally considered them to be of specific 

 value. Other specimens, however, since obtained both in Liberia and 

 elsewhere prove the essential identity of H. stampjlii with dorsalis. 



February 2, 1892. 

 W. T. Blanford, Esq., F.R.S., F.Z.S., in the Chair. 



The Secretary read the following report on the additions to the 

 Society's Menagerie during the month of January 1892 : — 



The total number of registered additions to the Society's Mena- 

 gerie during the month of Jamiary 1892 was 56, of which 29 were 

 acquired by presentation, 7 by birth, 6 by purchase, 8 were received 

 in exchange, and 6 on deposit. The total number of departures during 

 the same period, by death and removals, was 71. 



Mr. W. Bateson, F.Z.S., exhibited some Crab's limbs bearing 

 supernumerary claws. It was shown that these extra parts are 

 really a complementary (right and left) pair of indices or pollices, 

 according to their position of origin, and not repetitions of the two 

 pincers of the claw, as was commonly stated. 



A letter was read from Prof. R. Ramsay Wright, F.Z.S., of 

 the University of Toronto, enclosing and calling attention to some 

 photographs of the heaps of skulls of the American Bison {Bison 

 atnericanus\ which are commonly collected on the plains of the 

 Saskatchewan, and are piled up on the sidings of the Canadian 

 Pacific Railway awaiting transport, and which testify to the enormous 

 number of these animals recently exterminated in this district. 



Mr. Sclater laid on the table two specimens, in spirit, of chicks 

 of the Partridge Bronze-wing Pigeon {Qeophafs scriptd) which had 

 been hatched in the Society's Gardens on the 7th of June last; also 

 an egg of the same species of bird, laid in the Gardens, and made 

 the following remarks : — 



1 cannot at all agree with Dr. Bowdler Sharpe in his recent 

 proposal to divide the very natural order " Columbse " into two 

 portions, and to associate the Geophabes or Ground-Pigeons with 

 the Gallinaceous birds \ 



According to the observations we have made from time to time in 



1 See ' Review of Recent Attempts to Classify Birds,' pp. 69, 70.— N.B. The 

 correct plural of Geophai^s is Geojphabes, from ddi//, gen. <paj3ds. 



