14 



There was no cause of death apparent. About four dozen speci- 

 mens we r e then placed in a coffin-shaped box pierced with holes, 

 which was towed slowly up the river after the fishing- boat. This 

 attempt also failed : all the fish were dead when the vessel had 

 reached Greenwich. 



" I was told by two Whitebait fishermen that they had several 

 times placed these fishes in the wells of their boats, but they inva- 

 riably died when brought high up the river. The fishermen believe 

 a portion of sea water to be absolutely necessary to the existence of 

 this species, and all the circumstances attending this particular fishery 

 appear to prove their opinion to be correct." 



A report by Mr. Yarrell on the morbid appearances observed in 

 the examination of the Society's Reindeer, was read. It is as 

 follows : 



" On opening the body and removing the viscera, the lungs ap- 

 peared highly inflamed, of a dark purple colour; and on cutting into 

 their substance, the cells contained matter. The small intestines 

 also bore marks of inflammation, but in a much less degree : the 

 mesenteric glands were diseased, but not to the extent that might 

 have been expected in an animal that had been many years in an 

 artificial state. The external surface of the neck and head exhi- 

 bited a high degree of vascularity, and the animal appeared to have 

 been under the influence of that periodical determination of blood 

 to the head, which is known to occur in all deer at the annual pro- 

 duction of new horns. As far as the brain could be examined by 

 the occipital foramen, both the substance and its investing mem- 

 branes were also inflamed ; but I have no doubt the primary cause 

 of death was the inflammation of the lungs." 



Several new species of birds belonging to the collection brought 

 home from the Straits of Magellan by Captain King were exhibited. 

 In the absence of that gentleman, the following species were pointed 

 out by Mr. Vigors, which are thus characterized in Captain King's 

 MSS. 



Turdus Magellanicus. Turd, corpore supra grisescenti-olivaceo, 

 subtus pallide rufescenti ; capite supra, remigibus, cauddque fusco- 

 atris ; guld albd, fusco-atro lineatd. 

 Habitat in Fretu Magellanico. 



Psittacara leptorh yncha. Psitt. viridis ; fronte, strigd per 

 oculos, cauddque rufis ; capite nigro, abdomine imo rufo, varie- 

 gatis ; mandibuld superior! elongatd, gracillimd. 

 Statura Psitt. Lichtensteinii aequalis. 

 Habitat in insula Chiloe. 



Picus melanocephalus. Pic. capite corporcque supra nigris, 

 hoc albo maculato ; pectore abdomineque albis, Mo albo lineato, 

 hoc albo fasciato. 

 Longitudo 6 vel 7 uncias circiter. 

 Habitat in Fretu Magellanico et insula Chiloe. 



