lebrooke, Buchanan, Trail,
and others, who I fancy got confused, and mixed up the animals. The
local name for the Central Indian ox is over a large tract of country
the gayal, or gyll; and this, being the animal with the peculiar
frontal development, was most probably named bos, or _Gavaeus
frontalis_, whilst the mithun, or Eastern Bengal animal, was the gaur.
It seems to me, therefore, that the names should be transposed. Will
Mr. Sterndale consider this, if he has not already done so; and, if
I am wrong, tell me why the animal with peculiar frontal development,
and called the gayal locally, should not have been named _frontalis_,
whilst the animal called mithun, with nothing peculiar in his frontal
development, is so called?

"Orissa, _April 15th, 1882_.
"CHAMPSE.

"P.S.--Do any of the Eastern Bengal races call this mithun gayal?"

I think Hodgson's name _Bibos cavifrons_ is a sufficient proof that
_Gavaeus gaurus_ is applicable to the animal with the high frontal
crest, which is the species inhabiting the Himalayan Terai, and is
locally known as the _gaur_, or _gauri-gai_. It is known as _gayal_
in some parts of India, but, where the people are familiar with the
_mithun_, the _gaur_ is called _asl'gayal_, from whence Horsfield's
name _Bibos asseel_. Probably the _mithun_ was called _frontalis_,
under ignorance of a species with a still greater frontal
development.

_Gavaeus frontalis_ interbreeds freely with domesticated cattle of
all kinds. In the Society's Gardens are several hybrids between this
and _Bos Indicus_, one of which hybrids again interbred with American
bison (_Bison Americanus_), the progeny being one-half bison, and
one-quarter each _frontalis_ and _Indicus_.

APPENDIX D.

As many specimens are spoilt by either insufficient curing, or curing
by wrong methods, I have asked Mr. Geo. F. Butt, F.Z.S., who was for
many years manager to Edwin Ward, whom he has now succeeded, to give
me a page or two of useful hints on the preservation of skins. The
following notes are what he has kindly placed at my disposal. I know
of no one I can more strongly recommend for good work than Mr. Butt.
Some of his groups are works of art, with most lifelike finish. I
have just seen a bear set up by him which seems almost to breathe.

NOTES ON SKINNING THE MAMMALIA AND THE PRESERVATION OF SKINS. By GEO.
F. BUTT, F.Z.S., Naturalist to the Royal Family, 49, Wigmore Street,
London, W.

The quadruped killed,