n 



A specimen was exliibite(l of the Birgus Latro, Leacli, wliich Iiad 

 recently becn presented to the Society by Mr. J. P. Vaughan ; and 

 Mr. Owen referred to the curious statement made by Herbst, that 

 this Crab climbs trees for the purnose of stealing cocoa-nuls ; a 

 statement partially confiimed by the fact recorded by MM. Quoy 

 and Gaimard, that individuals of this species were fed by them for 

 many months on cocoa-nuts alone. A more ample confirmation, he 

 remarked, was furnished by some observations communicated to 

 him bv Mr. Cuming, whose fine collection of Crustacea contained 

 several specin>ens obtained in the islands of the South Pacific. 

 " They climb," Mr. Cuming statės, "a species of Pahn, {Panda- 

 nus odorutissimus,) and eat a small kind of cocoa-nut that grows 

 thereon. They live at the roots of trees, and not in holes in the 

 rocks ; and are a favourite food of the nativcs." 



Mr. Ovven subsequently reported the morbid appearances ob- 

 eerved on the post mortem CKamination of the Mandrill, Cynoce- 

 phalus Maimon, which recently died at the Society's Gardens. 



The animai was convulsed at diiFerent periods before death, and 

 was in the act of acquiring its permanent teeth,- a critical period 

 to the Q,uadrumana, and especiaily to those in which the laniary 

 teeth are large. The follovving was the statė of its dentition. In 

 the upper javv, the four permanent incisors were acquired, or had 

 passed through the gum ; the point of the left laniary had also ap- 

 peared, but the right was still concealed, though it had protruded 

 from thQ jaw: both the temporary incisors and laniaries in this jaw 

 Iiad been shed. In the lovver javv, the four permanent incisors had 

 also been acquired, and close to them were the teraporary laniaries, 

 not yet shed : half an inch behind these vvere the permanent laniaries 

 about one third advanced through the gums, and their points worn 

 or broken. 



There existed no inflammation or disease in the brain or its mem- 

 branes. 



In the abdomen there was a slight inflammation or congestion in 

 the first part of the small intestines. The mesenteric glands were 

 not diseased, but a small scrofulous cyst was found in the omenlum. 



In the chest, the right lung \vas healthy ; the left gorged with 

 bloody serum, partially hepatized, and having a large scrofulous 

 vomica at the lovver part. The whole of this lung was firmly adhe- 

 rent to the parietės of the chest, except at the upper part; vvhere 

 there was more recently eft'used lymph. The heart and pericar- 

 dium were firmly adherent, and there vvas much recently effused 

 lymph about the great vessels. Near the base of the right ventricle 

 aud on its external surface there vvas a small ulcer. The kidneys 

 were not diseased, but appeared to be unusually loaded vvith blood, 

 their tubularpart being of a dark venous hue. It seeraed therefore 

 probable, that on account of the impeded respiration and the checked 

 cutaneous exhalation the actions of these glands had increased. The 

 bladder vvas much distended. 



