15 
A fine Siren (Siren laGertina)^ was placed in the increasing 
collection of the North American Batrachia, by the kind 
efforts of Dr. Manigault, of South Carolina, who has since 
forwarded another unusually large member of the same 
species. These animals are difficult to procure, but once being 
obtained, are kept alive with little trouble. 
Two Tortoises from Guiana (Testudo tabulata); a species 
resembling, except in size, the enormous Tortoise of the Gal- 
pagos, and the White-eared Parrot (Conurus leucotis)^ from 
the same region, were also received in June. 
Fifteen Common Seals (Phoca vitulina), reached the garden 
early in July. It is always a matter of much difficulty to 
induce these animals, when young, to feed on anything but 
live fish — a diet which is altogether too costly to indulge them 
with. Out of the whole number received, but two became 
accustomed to eating dead fish, and these are now in excel- 
lent condition. 
Several collections of Reptiles were received from Florida, 
among which were the Chameleon (Anolis principalis) ; the 
Striped Lizard (Cnemidophorus sex-lineatus) ; the Grey Liz- 
ard (Soeloporus undulatus) ; the Brown Lizard (Eumeces fas- 
ciatus) ; the Chicken Terrapin ( Chrysemys reticulata) and a 
number of one of the most venomous of the North American 
Serpents, the Water Moccasin (Ancistrodon piscivoims). A 
White Ibis (Ibis alba)j from the same locality was also re- 
ceived. 
On the 7th of July, an unusual occurence took place in 
the breeding of three Brown Coatis (Nasua narica), which 
have been successfully raised. This is remarkable, as the 
Coati, with the other plantigrades, more or less allied to the 
bears, rarely breeds in captivity. 
^TJC3-TJST. 
A young Crocodile from the Lake of Maracaibo, was re- 
ceived and identified as Crocodilus americanus ; this was 
shortly followed by a Cuban Tree Boa (Epicrates angulifer), 
and a Six-banded Armadillo (Dasypus sex-cinctus), from Bra- 
zil, which was for the first time placed in the collection. 
The two Gillespie^s Hair Seals (Zalophus gillespii), having 
died on the 21st of June, negotiations were at once entered 
into with a view to replacing them. A new lot was finally 
