No. 125. 



ABSTRACT OF THE PROCEEDIXaS 



OF THE 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 



November llth, 1913. 

 Dr. S. F. Harmer, M.A., F.R.S., F.Z.S., in the Ohair. 



The Minutes of the last Scientific Meeting were confirmed. 



Mr. R. I. PococK, F.R.S., F.Z.S., Curator of Mammals, ex- 

 hibited a newly-born example of the Hairy Armadillo {Eiq^hractua 

 villosus) and the dried shell of a Six-banded Armadillo (^E. sex^ 

 cinctus), showing the presence of a series of from two to four 

 small orifices in the middle line of the pelvic shield ; and explained 

 that the orifices are the apertures of shallow invaginations of the 

 epidermis dipping down into the dermis, which is specially 

 thickened and glandular immediately beneath them. In the 

 living animal drops of malodorous fluid can be squeezed fi'om the 

 orifices of these glands. 



Mr. D. Seth-Smith, F.Z.S., Cm-ator of Birds, exhibited a re- 

 markable hybrid between a Black-winged Peacock and a domestic 

 hen (cross-bred game and Leghoi-n) which had been bred by 

 Mr. R. P. Yv'^headon of Ilminster in 1911. This bird was be- 

 lieved to be only the second example of this hybrid ever produced, 

 although a hybrid between a peafowl and a guinea-fowl had been 

 recorded (Hocker, J. f. 0. 1870, p. 152). 



The hybrid was mostly white in colour, splashed, especially on 

 the neck, with reddish brown, a colour deiived from the domestic 

 hen, its mother. It showed clearly the characters of both 

 parents, 



Mr. Seth-Smith also showed photographs of a hybrid Pheasant 

 between Ccdophasis mikado and G. ellioti, and of a Jungle-fowl 

 between Gcdlus varius and G. gallus. The latter bird, which had 

 been bred in the Society's Gardens, cori-esponded to the description 

 of the bird described by Temminck as Gallus asneus. 



* Tliis Abstract is published by the Society at its ofBces, Zoological Gardens, 

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

 it defers. 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 pi'ice of Sixpence, or, if desired, sent post-free for 

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



