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V. On the j^fcaricies difcovered in the Pelecanus Carbo and P. criflalus. 

 By Richard Pulteney, M. D. F. R. S. and L. S. 



Read November 6, 1 798. 



THE liberty I now take of troubling the Society, with what 

 may appear to many a trifling objeft, is, however, one among 

 many other proofs of the utility of its inftitution ; as a-ffbrding a 

 repofitory, or centre of communication, always open for the recep- 

 tion of detached trafts in Natural Hiftory ; which, if deemed of fmall 

 importance in fuch inftances as the prefent, is more than balanced 

 by the utility of others that might be entirely burled in oblivion, 

 for want of a ready and convenient mode of introdu6lion to the 

 public, without the obligation of writing a formal diflertation 

 which perhaps neither time, nor want of proper aid by accefs to 

 books, may allow. — In that fituation I now wifh to be regarded, and 

 indulged, by this Society. 



Having lately heard a gentleman, remarkable for his (kill as u 

 fportfman, and not lefs curious in his obfervations, relate that he 

 had more than once, on opening the crop of the Corvorant (Pek- 

 canus Carbo, Linn.), found a large quantity of worms in it, I en- 

 gaged him to fend me a few. He informed me, that they lay coiled 

 together into a ball or congeries (as 1 believe is ufuallythe cafe) of 

 a large fize, in fome equal to that of an egg. It was not, however, 

 from the Corvorant onlj', but from the Shag alfo, that thefe worms 

 were taken. They were promifcuoufly put into a phial, and do not 



7 appear 



