1901.] OX A NEW AFRICAN MAMMAL. 3 



himself been instrumental in purchasing many hundreds of volumes 

 dealing with systematic zoology, published before 1800, and these 

 were now in public libraries and therefore accessible to zoologists. 

 Instancing Buffon's ' Histoire Naturelle,' Mr. Sherborn said that 

 he had purchased no less than six editions, published before the 

 close of the eighteenth century, all of which included specific 

 names of importance to systematists, and none of which had 

 previously been seen in this country. These and many other 

 books were essential to proper work. 



A great deal of manuscript had been accumulated towards the 

 1S01-1900 portion of the Index, but as it was beyond the powers 

 of one man to deal with the vast literature of the last hundred 

 years, progress would necessarily be slow unless further assistance 

 were forthcoming. Mr. Sherborn hoped that the first volume 

 would be of service to zoologists, as that would no doubt be an 

 incentive to the further support desirable. This part 1, 1758- 

 1S00, had taken him over eight years to compile, arrange, and get 

 ready for press. 



Dr. W. G. Eidewood, F.Z.S., exhibited and made remarks on 

 a series of microscopic preparations of the hairs of Antelopes, 

 Giraffe, Zebra, and the so-called Equus johnstoni, pointing out 

 that the hairs of the last-named animal were similar to those of 

 the Giraffe as well as those of the Zebra, but differed from those 

 of the Antelopes. 



Mr. Sclater exhibited an original water-colour painting (Plate I.) 

 made by Sir Harry Johnston, K.C.B., P.Z.S., of the new Mammal \ 

 which he had discovered in the forest on the west side of the Semliki 

 River, on the south-western boundary of Uganda, and portions of 

 the skin of which had been already laid before the Societv (see 

 P. Z. S. 1900, pp. 774, 950 ; 1901, vol. i. p. 50). 



Mr. Sclater read the following extracts from a letter addressed 

 to him by Sir Harry Johnston on the subject, dated Eldama 

 Ravine, Uganda Protectorate, 31st March, 1901 : — 



" I am sending you by this mail a water-colour painting I have 

 made of the new animal. I have done this painting with the 

 utmost care from the skin while it was in a fresh condition. I 

 have used the skull to assist me in delineating the exact shape of 

 the head. I have also questioned various Congo natives who are 

 with me as to the shape and appearance of the animal, and the 

 result is this drawing, which I think will be found to be a fairly 

 faithful representation of this wonderful new creature. 



u I wish to impress on you this, that the colours in the drawing 

 are absolutely not exaggerated in anyway in brightness. 1 say 

 this, because the skin may have a dulled and faded appearance 

 when it reaches England. I scarcely remember ever coming 



1 Bee below (June L8tb) for t lie origin of the Rciontifie name now applied 



to tliis animal. — 1\ L. S. 



1* 



