No. 115. 



ABSTRACT OF THE PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON* 



February 4tli, 1913. 



Sir John Rose Bradford, K.C.M.G., F.R.S., 

 Vice-President, ii^ the Chair. 



The Minutes of the last Scientific Meeting were confirmed. 



Tlie Secretary read a Report on the Additions made to the 

 Society's Menagerie during the months of November and 

 December, 1912. 



Mr. D. Seth-Smith, F.Z.S., Curator of Birds, exhibited a 

 female Carolina Duck (Lampronessa sponsa) which had partially 

 assumed the male plumage. It had shown no sign of this con- 

 dition before the last moult. It now resembled the male in most 

 respects, although the colours were duller and the characteristic 

 markings less clearly defined, but it retained the brown colouring 

 of the eye and the yellow skin and white patch of feathers sur- 

 rounding it, which were characters of the female. 



Mr. E. G. Boulenger, F.Z.S., Curator of Reptiles, exhibited 

 a blue specimen of the Edible Frog {Rana esculetita) which he had 

 obtained from Tuscany. The blue colour was attributed to the 

 absence of yellow pigment, which is present in large quantities 

 in green frogs. According to Mr. G. A. Boulenger, this aberration 

 is not very unfrequent in the European Tree-Frog {B^la arborea), 



* This Abstract is published by the Society at its ofBces, Zoological GTartlens, 

 Regent's Park, N.W., on tlie 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 Slim of Six Shillings per annum, payable in advance. 



