S80 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [July, 



As for the affinities of these little Antelopes, they are nearly allied to the 

 Tragelaphi, Ham. Smith, of Africa (or the Boschbok, Utub or Harnessed 

 Antelope, and their congeners) ; and the former bear exactly the same rela- 

 tion to the Nilghai of India, which the latter do to the Koodoos (Strepsi- 

 cerosj of Africa. The ringed markings of the feet occur throughout the whole 

 series, more or less distinctly : and the posterior horns of Tetraceros resem- 

 ble those of Portax, or the Nilghai ; and, as in the latter, frequently recline 

 backward in captive-reared individuals, instead of taking the normal curve 

 upward. The females of all are hornless : and I even doubt if there be any 

 good generic character to distinguish the females of Tetraceros from those of 

 Tragelaphus j though the latter are somewhat heavier and more Hog Deer 

 like in form, especially the Boschbok of the Cape. Both groups are mona- 

 gamous ; and they closely resemble in habits, manners, and gait. 



Aug. 10, 1847.* E. Blyth. 



Note. — In p. 7/9 ante, I referred the Fringilla petronia, Lin., to Mr. 

 Hodgson's genus Gymnoris : but I find that the latter is synonymous with 

 Petronia, (Ray) Bonap. ; and the species is designated P. rapes tris by the 

 Prince of Canino. Gmelin, however, had previously designated it Fringilla 

 stulta, as shown by Mr. H. E. Strickland ; and the latter name will accord- 

 ingly stand as the specific appellation. The group differs from the closely 

 allied genus Passer in having a non-bulging, perfectly conical, bill, more or 

 less thick ; also in coloration, which in both sexes approaches that of the 

 females of Passer, with constantly a yellow spot in front of the neck, weaker 

 in the females : and, I much suspect, in their exclusively arboreal habits ; 

 whereas all the true Sparrows resort (more or less) to buildings. — The species 

 known to me are 1, P. stulta, (Gm.) — 2, P. superciliaris, A. Hay, nobis, 

 XIV, 553 — and 3, P.flavicollis, (Franklin.) The second is nearly allied to 

 the first, but with the more slender bill of the third. 



With respect to Passer hispaniolensis and Sturnus unicolor, two species 

 common to Afghanistan and N. Africa (p. 779 ante), it is remarkable that 

 both likewise inhabit Sardinia. This island has long been known as a loca- 

 lity for the latter species ; and Bonelli states that the former is the only 

 Sparrow found in Sardinia. According to Capt. Widdrington, neither P. hispa- 

 niolensis nor P. cisalpivius inhabits Spain. The former was, I believe, named 

 from a caged specimen obtained at Gibraltar. 



To the synonymes of Pteromys+albiventer, p. 865 ante, add Pt. inornatus, 

 Is. Geoff., figured in Jacquemont's Atlas. — E. B. 



Report of the Curator Museum of Economic Geology for the months of June 



and July, 1847. 



Economic Geology. — We have to report for these months several useful 

 additions to our Museum which are — 



12 large specimens of Marble from Mr. Weaver, &nd 10 smaller ones 

 from Messrs. Currie and Co. 



Also a specimen of marble from the new Christian Church at Alexandria. 



Dr. Dodd of the H. C. Mint has favoured us with 20 specimens, some of 

 which are rare, others will fill up blanks in our Mineralogical Series, and 

 some, though duplicates, are much finer specimens than we possess. We 

 shall I trust be able on our side to add to Dr. Dodd's collections in exchange 

 for some of these. 



Our active contributor Captain Sherwill, of the Dinapore Survey, sent down 

 to me some specimens for identification, which I examined and replied to him. 



