17 



A specimen was exhibited of the Birgus Latro, Leach, which had 

 recently been presented to the Society by Mr. J. P. Vaughan ; and 

 Mr. Owen referred to the curious statement made by Herbst, that 

 this Crab climbs trees for the purpose of stealing cocoa- nuls ; a 

 statement partially confirmed by the fact recorded by MM. Quoy 

 and Gaimard, that individuals of this species were fed by them for 

 many months on cocoa-nuts alone. A more ample confirmation, he 

 remarked, was furnished by some observations communicated to 

 him by Mr. Cuming, whose fine collection of Crustacea contained 

 several specimens obtained in the islands of the South Pacific. 

 f* They climb," Mr. Cuming states, "a species of Palm, (Panda- 

 nus odoratis$imus 9 ) and eat a small kind of cocoa-nut that grows 

 thereon. They live at the roots of trees, and not in holes in the 

 rocks; and are a favourite food of the natives." 



Mr. Owen subsequently reported the morbid appearances ob- 

 served on the post mortem examination of the Mandrill, Cynoce- 

 phalus Maimon, which recently died at the Society's Gardens. 



The animal was convulsed at different periods before death, and 

 was in the act of acquiring its permanent teeth,- a critical period 

 to the Quadrumana, and especially to those in which the laniary 

 teeth are large. The following was the state of its dentition. In 

 the upper jaw, the four permanent incisors were acquired, or had 

 passed through the gum ; the point of the left laniary had also ap- 

 peared, but the right was still concealed, though it had protruded 

 from tliq jaw: both the temporary incisors and laniaries in this jaw 

 had been shed. In the lower jaw, the four permanent incisors had 

 also been acquired, and close to them were the temporary laniaries, 

 not yet shed : half an inch behind these were the permanent laniaries 

 about one third advanced through the gums, and their points worn 

 or broken. 



There existed no inflammation or disease in the brain or its mem- 

 branes. 



In the abdomen there was a slight inflammation or congestion in 

 the first part of the small intestines. The mesenteric glands were 

 not diseased, but a small scrofulous cyst was found in the omentum. 



In the chest, the right lung was healthy ; the left gorged with 

 bloody serum, partially hepatized, and having a large scrofulous 

 vomica at the lower part. The whole of this lung was firmly adhe- 

 rent to the parietes of the chest, except at the upper part; where 

 there was more recently effused lymph. The heart and pericar- 

 dium were firmly adherent, and there was much recently effused 

 lymph about the great vessels. Near the base of the right ventricle 

 and on its external surface there was a small ulcer. The kidneys 

 were not diseased, but appeared to be unusually loaded with blood, 

 their tubular part being of a dark venous hue. It seemed therefore 

 probable, that on account of the impeded respiration and the checked 

 cutaneous exhalation the actions of these glands had increased. The 

 bladder was much distended. 



