158 



December 13, 1831. 



The Honourable Tvviselton Fiennes in the Cliair. 



The Chairman exhibitecl a specimen of a hybrid Duck bred be- 

 tween a malė Pintail and a common Duck. It wa3 one of a brood 

 of six, Severai of which vvere subsequently confined vvith the mala 

 Pintail from which they sprung, and produced young. A specimen 

 of a female of this second brood was also exhibited. 



A specimen was exhibited of ayoung Puma, Felis concolor, Linn., 

 •which had recently been brought forth at the Societ)''s Gardens, 

 but had immediately died. Likę the young of the other species 

 of Felis it was variously spotted and striped, the deptii of its mark- 

 ings approaching nearly to black, and being more intense than that 

 observed in the Lion. The muzzie was nearly black, as was also the 

 greater part of the tail. The young specimen was strongly con- 

 trasted vvith a specimen of the adult, which vvas placed on the table 

 for comparison. 



Preparations vvere exhibited of the svvimming-bladder and of a 

 portion of the roe of a female Conger Eel of considerable size (Con- 

 ger vulgaris), presented to the Society by William Gladdish, Esq. j 

 and Mr. Yarreil read the follovving notes of bis examination of the 

 individual from vvhich the preparations were obtained. 



" The specimen, weighing 36lbs., was of the usual uniform hair 

 brown colour above, passing into dirty white beneath ; the dorsal 

 and anai fins uhite at the base and black on the edge throughout 

 their whole length ; the body distended by its contents; from the 

 anai aperture the tail tapered ofF rapidly, ending almost in a point. 

 It proved to be a female. 



"The abdomen, vvhen opened, was found to contain two very large 

 lobes of roe, extending the whole length of tlie body, and passing 

 Severai inches beyond the vent to the extreme end of the internal 

 cavity; these lobes vvere composed of ora of a size to be distinctly 

 apparent to the unassisted eye, particularly vvhen directed tovvards 

 the margins of the numerous laviincB. The liver vvas formed of one 

 single elongared lobe, vvhich vvas broadest at the upper part, and, 

 gradually diminishing both in vvidth and thickness, ended acutely ; 

 the gall-bladder vvas rounded in form, and filled vvith bile of a 

 fine olive-green colour, 



'• Behind its peritoneal covering the bright silver-coloured mem- 

 brane vvhich forms the elongated svvimming-bladder vvas beautifully 

 contrasted by the dark purplish-red colour of itsgland, vvhich in 

 two expanded portions occupied a lateral but centrai situation be- 

 tween the tvFO extremities; and from the swimming-bladder a canal 



