.51 



part of tlie collection of Mr. Gould. This gigantic species of Buslard, 

 the largest yet knosvn of its genus, measures upvvards of five feet in 

 lieight. No figure of it has yet appeared, nov is it desciibed in any 

 of thegeneral vvorks on ornithology ; but its characters vvill be found, 

 together witli some other particulais respecting it, in Mr. Burchell's 

 Travels in Southern Africa, vol. i. p. 393. 



The folio wing notes on the anatomy of a m^Ie Suricate were read 

 by Mr. Owen : — 



" Since I had the honour to lay before the Committee an account 

 of the anatorny of the female Suricate, her malė companion, the only 

 surviving .specimen vvhich the Society possessed of this interesting 

 species, has also died. This circųmstance, othervvise to be regretted, 

 has enabled me to add the follovving particulars to that account. 



" The riigce of the cesophagus are longitudinal throughout the 

 whole length of the tube ; — in the Lion, and some others of thefeline 

 genus, the rugče are transverse at the lo\ver or terminai half of the 

 asophagus; — thecuticular lining is continued about tvvo lines into the 

 cavity of the stomach, vvhere it terminates by a well-defined edge. 

 This viscus, whicli was found moderately distended, presented no 

 rūgte on the inner aspect, but was lined by a simply villous membrane, 

 to which layers of coagulated mucus adhered very firmly. The mus- 

 cular coat was thicker, as is usual, at the pyloms: this aperture was 

 very smali, not more than a line in diameter. An inch beyond this 

 part the biliary and hepatic ducts entered by a common orifice. 

 The interior of the small intestines presented a finely villous surface; 

 and in the ileum were five patches of glandulce aggregatce, about half 

 an inch in diameter, vvith intervals of four or five inches : the largest 

 of these patches was situated at the termination of the ileum. The 

 apex of the aecum vvas occupied by a similar glandular structure. 

 The terminai orifice of the ileum vvas of a circular form, about tvvo 

 lines in diameter, with a tumid margin, but unprovided vvith a val- 

 vular structure. In the lining niembrane of the short tract of'large 

 intestines, villi were not perceptible to the naked eye. The verge of 

 the artus vvas covered by the apertures of numerous foUicular glands. 



" The disposition and admeasurements of the alimentary canal 

 corresponded vvith those of the female previously given. The spleen 

 was one-third smaller ; the pancreas had the šame peculiar form, re- 

 sembling the neutral symbol of the entomoiogistC. Theliver had the 

 šame minutely mottled aspect vvhich vvas observed in the female ; but 

 on employing the tęst of injection, the vascularity of the small bodies, 

 Mvhich might have been mistaken for tubercles, became immediately 

 evident, proving them to be the acini of the liver, remarkably dis- 

 tinct in this animal. The inner surface of the.gall-bladder and its 

 duct vvas villous, but vvithout rugce or valvular structure. The tubu- 

 lar structure of the kidneys terminates in a single pointed papiliu : 

 the nreters communicate, and end by a common orifice at the middle 

 of the posterior surface of the bladder. 



" The iesles vvere about the size of horse-beans, and lay upon the 

 pubes ; the inlegument covering them had not any distinct appcarance 



