1842.] Asiatic Society. 103 



species has been described by Dr. Pearson from the northern hills, which would 

 scarcely seem to be either a true Lepus, or a Lagomys. " Its hair is harsh and 

 bristly; ears very short, not projecting beyond the fur ; length 18 inches, and colour 

 more dusky grey than that of the [Gangetic] Hare. Inhabits Assam, especially 

 the northern parts of the valley along the base of the Bootan mountains" (McClelland, 

 in Proc. Zool. Soc. 1839, 152). Dr. McClelland adds, "lam indebted to Lieut. 

 Vetch of Assam for the skin of this animal, but unfortunately the skull is wanting ; 

 but according to Mr. Pearson it is the same as the skull of the common Hare." 

 Were it not for the last statement, I should have conjectured the animal to have been 

 a true Marmot. Dr. Pearson names it L, hispidus. 



Fossil Mammalia. 



In this interesting department, I have the pleasure to record the acquisition of 

 another tine head, at least the greater portion of one, of Mastodon Elephantoides, 

 which was purchased for the Society by Mr. Piddington. It was imbedded in a very 

 hard grey limestone, apparently the same as, or differing very little from, the matrix 

 of some of the Sivalik fossils, whence it is probable that it was derived from the same 

 Sub -Himalayan formation. 



I have also been so fortunate as to discover, among the numerous valuable reliques 

 from the Sivalik ranges, which were presented to the Society by Col. Colvin (vide 

 Jour. As. Soc. v. 183), part of the head and bony cores of the horns of a large species of 

 Ovis, nearly allied to, if not absolutely identical with, the O. Ammon of Siberia (vel ? 

 Hodgsonii, Nobis, seu Ammonoides, Hodgson, of the Himalaya); and a correspond- 

 ing portion of a true Ibex, to all appearance identical with the species (Capra Sakeen, 

 Nobis,) which still inhabits the loftiest Himalayan crags. It is unnecessary to dwell 

 here upon the conclusive proof afforded by the occurrence of these highly interesting 

 remains of the existence of lofty, and even snow-clad, mountain heights in the imme- 

 diate vicinity of the region then tenanted by the Sivatherium and its extinct contem- 

 poraries; but 1 shall avail myself of the earliest opportunity to draw up a memoir on 

 the subject, illustrated by figures of the splendid fossils which there cannot be the 

 slightest hesitation in identifying (generically) as aforesaid. 



In the same collection of remains, is the frontlet* with portions of the cores of the 

 horns of a remarkable large species of ruminant, which being neither referrible to the 

 Oxen, Sheep, nor Goats, has (as is customary in such cases) been assigned to the general 

 receptacle for such non-conformists — the vast pseudo-genus Antilope ; but it is as distinct 

 from any of the living forms hitherto discovered and ranged in that empyrical assem- 

 blage, as many of the latter are from each other. At present, I hesitate as to which of 

 them it even most approximates. 



Aves. 



In the class of Birds, our acquisitions, since the last Meeting, have been so very 

 considerable, that I can only notice a few of the more interesting, either as being 

 apparently new, or rare, or for the purpose of elucidating their synonymy. From 

 R. W. G. Frith, Esq. the Society has received a donation of 165 specimens of skins, 



