128 



ceeding with corresponding arteries to near the hearts, beyond which 

 he could not trace them. A single small gangUon is situated on the 

 opposite side of the cesophagus, but on a plane posterior to the pre- 

 cedingj this is probabJy the cerebral ga»^/io« for givingoff nervas to 

 the free spirai extremities of the arms, close to the base of\vhich it 

 is situated. 



Mr. Owen exhibited, in illustration of his paper, drawiDgs of the 

 Severai objects described in it. 



The follovving Notės relative to the period of Uterine Gestation 

 and the Conditiontof the new-born Fcetus in the Kangaroo, Macro- 

 pus major, Shaw, vvere read by Mr. Owen. 



" Perhaps there is no question in animal physiology that has 

 given rise to more numerous and contradictory theories, and ia 

 which fevver facts have been well ascertained, than that vvhich re- 

 lates to the generation of the Marsupial Animals. 



" In the present communication I propose to limit myself to the 

 narration of some of the circumstances that have occurred in eluci- 

 datioa of this subject during a series of observations vvhich have 

 been noade at the Gardens in Regent's Park during the past summer. 



" AU the Kangaroos at the Farm vvere for this purpose transferred 

 from the Farm to the Gardens at the latter end of June. The whole 

 stock consisted of tvvo malęs and six females, all fuliy grovvn. The 

 animals of different sexes vvere kept apart until they had become 

 in some measure accustomed to the gaze of visiters, and reconciled 

 to their new abode. 



" It was to be expected that some accidents vvould occur in ex- 

 posing so timid an animal, and one vvhose locomotion is of so violent 

 a kind, to this change; and shortly after their arrivai one of the fe- 

 males died in conseąuence of leaping against the vvire fence. It is, 

 hovvever, probable, from the appearances observed on the post mor- 

 tem examination of subsequent cases, that this, likę the other indi- 

 viduals, was rendered highly excitable by great determination of 

 blood to the brain. When the remainder had become more ha- 

 bituated to their new circumstances, the experiments were com- 

 menced, and the first step taken was to examine the pouches of all 

 the females. 



"The Ist female had previously been kept at the Gardens, and 

 had a young one, vvhich measured about 1 foot 2 inches from the 

 nose to the root of the tail: this, of course, had quitted the nipple 

 and the pouch, and novv only returned occasionally to suck. There 

 was no other young one in the pouch. The right superior nipple 

 was the one in usej it was nearly 2 inches long and 4rd of an inch 

 in diaraeter, the gland forming a large svvelling at the base. The 

 other three nipples vvere everted, and about 4- an inch in length. 



" A 2nd female, from the Farm, had a young one attached to the 

 lovver nipple on the right side. It measured about 7 inches from 

 the nose to the vent, vvas naked, with the skin of a bright pink 

 colour, being still, in the language of M. De Blainville, a mammary 

 fcetus. The nipple in use vvas H inch long from the gland to the 

 mouth of the fcetus ; the ręst vvere everted, and about the size of 

 those in the first-mentioned female. , 



