308 



Indian Zoology. 



[June, 



of the latter genus. It is found close to the permanent snows, among rocks and 

 low brushwood, and sustains itself upon aromatic buds, leaves, and small insects. 

 It is characterized as follows: 



Perdix Lerwa. Perd. nigra, albo castaneoqve. transversim lineata ; pectore 



Irunneo ; tarsis ultra calcar plumosis , remige 2dd longiore. 

 The great comparative expanse of the wing ; the diminution of its rounded form 

 by the second quill feather being the longest ; the increased length and strength 

 of the tail ; and the extent of the feathering of the tarsi, are very remarkable 

 characters, which give to this species a peculiar interest. Its dimensions, as com- 

 pared with several allied birds, are given by Mr. Hodgson in the following table : 



Perd. Perd. Perd. Perd. 



Lerwa. Chukar. Gularis. Francolinus. 



1-2| I'll 1-2J 1-2 



1 1| 1 I t \ 



Length, from the tip of the bill 



to that of the tail 



Length of the bill 



Basal height of ditto 



Basal breadth of ditto 



Length of the tail 



Expanse of the wings 



Length of the tarsi 



Length of the central toe and nail 

 Weight 



H 



1-8 

 o 



~\? 

 2-?. 



" 1 6 



1 lb. 2 oz. 



'9 



I 6 



in 



2f 



2\ 



1 lb. 2 



oz. 



31 

 1-8 



2-'- 



If 



lb. 



41 

 l-lii 



H 

 i« 



1 lb. 8 2 oz. 



September 24, 1833. 



A collection of skins of Birds, sixty-four in number, formed in the Himalayan 

 Mountains, and presented to the Society by Lddy William Bentinck, was ex- 

 hibited. It included several species apparently new to science, and was particularly 

 rich in the interesting Pheasants of the Himalaya. The collection was remarka- 

 ble on account of the fine condition of the specimens, which generally surpassed 

 in beauty those previously contained in the Society's Museum. 



A series of eighty skins of Birds, selected from a collection formed in India by 

 H. B. Hillier, Esq., and presented by that gentleman to the Society, was exhibit- 

 ed. It comprised specimens of many species in fine or interesting plumage. 



[This day's proceedings also contains a note of Mr. Hodgson's papers on the 

 Chira antelope and the wild dog of Nepal, published in the Gleanings and Asiatic 

 Researches.] 



October 8, 1833. 



A letter was read, addressed to the Secretaryby W. A. Wooler, Esq., and giv- 

 ing an account of a wild Dog from the Mahabal^shwar Hills, now known as 

 Malcolm's Pate, in the Presidency of Bombay : its local name is Dhale. The ha- 

 bits of this Dog, in a state of nature, are described by Mr. Wooler : they accord 

 with those of the Biidnsu of Nepal, as detailed by Mr. Hodgson in a paper read 

 at the previous Meeting of the Society. 



Miscellaneous. 



1. — On Spherical Mirrors. 

 It would appear from the undermentioned paragraphs, which have been extracted 

 from Hutton's Mathematical Recreations, vol. ii. p. 201, that opticians have not 

 yet determined the reason why objects on being reflected from convex and concave 

 mirrors appear of less magnitude in the former, and of greater in the latter ; than 

 they really are. Now, nothing appears to me to be more easy of demonstration, for 

 let us suppose a cylinder having its outer surface so polished as to reflect distinctly 



