194 TlMEHRI. 
through Mr. Robert Mitchell ; and he promised to com- 
municate further on the subject when the crop was 
reaped, about September. 
The Secretary was directed to convey the thanks 
of the Society to Mr. Minty, for his attention. 
A letter was read from Mr. B. M. Whithard of Colon, 
asking for information as to the cost of fitting out a gold 
prospecting expedition, and various particulars as to the 
success and prospects of the gold industry in the colony. 
It was ordered that the letter be taken for notification, 
the Society not being in a position to supply the infor- 
mation asked for. 
A letter was read from Dr. W. Sieglin, Secretary to the 
Geographical Society of Leipsic, forwarding two copies of 
their Proceedings, and asking in exchange the Society's 
publication. 
The Secretary was directed to place the Geographical 
Society of Leipsic on the Timehri free list, and to convey 
the thanks of the Society for the Proceedings forwarded. 
Mr. J. J. Quelch, Curator, exhibited the following 
Museum specimens, and made descriptive and explana- 
tory remarks on them : — 
1. Specimens of native otters, and one European otter {Lutra vul- 
garis) for comparison with them. The native specimens were shown 
to belong to three different species, namely, Pteronura sandbachii, 
Lontra brasiliensis, and Lutra macrodus, the two latter species being 
also natives of Brazil. 
2. Specimens of the Pompadour Cotinga (Xipholena pompadora), the 
Purple-breasted Cotinga (Cotinga coeruleaj, and the Purple-throated 
Cotinga (Cotinga cayana), all from the Essequebo river. Two 
specimens of each were exhibited, one in natural plumage, while the 
other shewed the purple feathers changed into a lively red, as the result 
of the application of heat bv the bird-stuffer, who thus secures an 
apparently different bird of bright plumage. 
