EDITORIAL GLEANINGS.
At the Meeting of the Zoological Society, held on June 18th, the interesting mammalian discoveries recently made by Sir H.H. Johnston were discussed. A communication was read from Prof. Ray Lankester on the new African mammal lately discovered by Sir Harry Johnston in the forest on the borders of the Congo Free State, of which two skulls and a skin were exhibited. Prof. Lankester fully agreed with Sir Harry as to this mammal belonging to a quite new and most remarkable form allied to the Giraffes, but having some relations to the extinct Helladotherium, and proposed for it the generic name Okapia, from its native name "Okapi." The scientific name of this mammal would therefore be Okapia johnstoni, Mr. Sclater having already given it a specific name based on the pieces of its skin previously received. Sir Harry Johnston, who was himself present, gave an account of the facts connected with his discovery of this animal. Sir Harry also stated that during his last excursion to the north of Mount Elgon he had found large herds of a Giraffe in this country which appeared to be distinct from previously known forms of this mammal in having five bony protuberances on the head, four placed in pairs, and one anterior in the middle line. Four examples of this animal were now on their way home, and would soon be here to settle the validity of this presumed new species.
At a Meeting ot the Linnean Society of New South Wales, held on April 24th last, Mr. Coleman Phillips, a visitor, addressed the meeting on the subject of Rabbit extermination. The speaker, a resident of South Wairarapa, New Zealand, explained that in his district Rabbits are successfully kept in check by the operation of introduced natural enemies (Ferrets, Stoats, and Weasels), and the spread of diseases (bladder-worm, liver-rot, scab, and lice). Trapping, fumigation with bisulphide of carbon, and reliance solely upon poisoning or wire-netting, he considered to be methods altogether wrong in principle. He advocated in preference those which had been successfully tried in New Zealand; and at the same time he expressed his astonishment that in Australia anything like organized effort of the right kind in dealing with so important a matter seemed conspicuously absent.
