43 



to designate it as the Sepiola stenodactyla, regarding it as the type of 

 a new species distinguished from the single species previously kiiown 

 not merely by the important structural character just noticed, but 

 also by the greater number of pedunculated suckers on its tentacula, 

 and by the markings of the tentacula which are transversdy banded, 

 those of the European species having round spots. 



Dr. Grant described the animal in detail, and exhibited a drawing 

 in illustration of his description. 



Dr. Grant subseąuently gavę a demonstration of the structure of the 

 heart and of the distribution of the blood-vessels of the large Indian 

 Tortoise.Testudo Indica, Linn., whichdied lately at the Society's Gar- 

 dens. He pointed out the manner in which the quadrangular fold lying 

 over the openings of the two auricles serves as a valve to these auricles 

 during the conbraction of the ventricle, and to direct the currents of 

 venous and arterial blood to opposite sides of the ventricle during its 

 dilatation. The remarkable spongy texture of the left chamber of 

 the ventricle, formed by innumerable minute and separate fleshy co- 

 lumns Avhich traverse it in every direction, to mingle thoroughly the 

 tvvo kinds of blood to be sent through the systemic arteries, \vas 

 finely displayed in this large animal. The fleshy fold bounding the 

 right chamber of the ventricle, ingeniously compared by M. Meckel 

 (Vergleich. Anat. 1831, p. 223,) to the fleshy tricuspid valve oiBirds, 

 was also found largely developed, and might well assist in the sepa- 

 ration of the venous blood of the right auricle, and in its propulsion 

 through the bulbus arteriosus and pulmonary arteries. The two sy- 

 stemic aortee Vi^ere distinctly seen to commence by separate orifices 

 from the ventricle, as in the aquatic Chelonia, and not by a single 

 orifice as stated by Cuvier to occur in the land Tortoises (Lecons, iv. 

 p. 221). Ali the orifices of the ventricle are provided with two valves 

 of a semilunar form; even the auriculo-ventricular orifices are each 

 provided \vith a semilunar valve besides the continuous fold extended 

 over both their orifices. No trace of valves could be observed on the 

 entrance of the pulmonary veins into the left auricle ; but two very 

 large semilunar folds protect the entrance of the systemic veins into 

 the right auricle. The partitions of the interior of the ventricle are 

 here but imperfectly developed, compared with those of the aąuatic 

 Chelonia. 



He directed the attention of the Members to the size and eondition 

 of the two duetus arteriosi, one leading from each pulmonary artery 

 to the descending aorta of the corresponding side, which in this adult 

 animal vi^ere stUl obvious and strong cords, though with their canals 

 almost obliterated. He observed that the Chelonia here exhibited as 

 a pennanent character what is found in Birds only at an early period 

 of their life ; the duetus arteriosus being double in birds in their foetal 

 statė, and the one on the right side disappearing before that on the 

 left, while in Mammalia the left only is present in the embryo. 



The distribution of the great trunk sent to the upper parts of the 

 body, the smallness of the communicating branch between the two 



