298 Report on a Memoir of M. Delaroche, 



physis, the orphius ct esox htlovus, aiul lastly in the ccl and 

 the conger. 



We have verified that part of the descriptions which re- 

 fers to the species with which we are Faniihar, orconld pro- 

 cure, and have found them generally correct. 



It appears to us, however, that M. Delaroche grants too 

 great a homogeneity to the inner texture of these bodies. 

 One of our number, who, along with M. Duvtrnov, re- 

 cently made some inquiries in order to verify this point of 

 anatomy, found these bodies in the larger fishes formed of 

 lobes flattened like ribands, placed almosi parallel on each 

 other, very distinct from one another by clearly marked in- 

 tervals, and proceeding obliquely in various directions from 

 the proper membrane to the internal menibrane of the 

 bladder. 



The distribution given by M. Delaroche of the vessels 

 which issue from the red bodies of the eel, and from those 

 which return to it, has also been verified, and found cor- 

 rect ; but he passes rather too hastily over the red body it- 

 self, which is also divided into flakes, separated by intervals, 

 which are frequently found filled with blood. 



In short, Messrs. Cuvier and Duvernoy think they have 

 found strongly marked relations in the red bodies of fishes 

 wi;h the cavernous bodies ; but their inquiries posterior ti> 

 the memoir of M. Delaroche, are only brought forward 

 here that the Institute may not be ignorant of what has 

 been done on this interesting subject. A full account of 

 their experiments will shortly appear. 



The author of the present iMenu)ir speaks only from the 

 lectures in comnaraiive anatomy as to certain branching 

 air-bladders, entirely peculiar to one species of fish. 

 M. Cuvier, who had described them w hen on the sea coast, 

 where he had no books from which to determine the spe- 

 oies of the fish, thought it was \hc pcrca lalrax; but other 

 naturalists, besides himself, have since sought for it in 

 vain in the fish so called in tljc systems (jf ichlh\<)l()gy. 

 By unexpected good fortune, the true fish \\hieh was the 

 subject of ol>!fervation was broucht to Paris son)e time 

 ago, and proved to bel(;ng to die rare species denominated 

 by M. Lacepede cheilodipitra, or sea eaulet, but which ought 

 to he placed among the centroponjmcs, beside the lalrax* 



The bladder of this fish, unique of its kind, will be pre- 

 sented to the Institute alnr.g with a description by M. I^u- 

 vernoy, and which will be njore n)inute tiian any Intherto 

 given under less advantageous circuuistanccs. 



In \\\s analysis of the air coniaincd iu the bladder, M» 



Delaroche 



