Zoological Notes from Aneileum. 7133 



what the animal could be, and found that it was the duyong, which 

 came to feed on the vegetable matter found about the rocks, as well as 

 to bask and sleep in the morning sun (!). Forbes, in his ' Oriental 

 Memoirs,' gives an account of these so-called seals as " abounding in 

 the salt-waters of Travancore ;" but his description of them is either 

 inaccurate, or it must refer to some other animal (which is exceedingly 

 unlikely). He says, " The Travancore seal has a round head, short 

 ears, thick neck, tapering body, and flat tail, like a fish ; it is web- 

 footed, and the skin covered with a soft oily hair. Seals," he adds, 

 " vary in size and appearance in different countries ; at Anjingo they 

 seldom exceed 4 feet [!] in length. They are gregarious and sociable ; 

 form parties on the banks of the rivers, but always plunge in at the 

 approach of a stranger." * 



In our Andaman specimen of a lower jaw the first molar has a minute 

 forked crown, and proportionally very large root. Then follow three 

 deciduary pre-molars, ground to a perfectly flat surface ; and behind 

 these a tuberculated permanent molar, which had nearly pierced the 

 gum when the animal came by its death. 



A complete skeleton of an adult duyong would be extremely accept- 

 able for the Society's Museum ; no matter how roughly prepared, pro- 

 vided no bones are wanting. Skulls, also, of adults of both sexes are 

 desirable. 



Edward Blyth. 



Zoological Notes from Aneiteum, New Hebrides. 

 By John MacGillivray, Esq. 



Description of Procellaria torquata, a new Species of Petrel. — 

 Above light gray, especially on the back, shoulders and upper tail- 

 covers ; the feathers in the two first situations often margined with 

 white. Crown, back of head and neck and auriculars sooty brown, 

 which colour behind gradually blends with the gray of the back, and 

 in front extends across the breast from each side to form an indistinct 

 band. Wings projecting an inch beyond the tail, dark sooty brown ; the 

 secondaries tinged with gray. Tail very evenly graduated, of twelve 

 feathers, grayish brown. Face, cheeks, chin and throat white ; on the 

 sides and firont of the head the white merely tips the feathers, the base 

 and centre of each being dark, giving a speckled appearance to 

 the rest of that region. Lower surface white, except the undefined 

 pectoral band ; and on the sides, flanks and under tail-covers the 

 * Forbes' • Oriental Memoirs,' 2nd edition, vol. i. p. 227. 



