206 REPORT — 1844. 



treated of by M. Cuvier (Ann. Se. Nat. 1832) and by M.L'Herrainier (Ann. 

 Sc. Nat. and Comptes Rendus, 1836-37). These essays involved theoretical 

 views which gave rise to controversies in which MM. Serres and Geoffrey 

 St. Hilaire also took part. The structure of the pelvis and hinder extremities 

 was described by M. Bourjot St. Hilaire in a memoir read to the Academie 

 des Sciences, 1834. 



The osteology of the feet of birds is treated of by M. Kessler in the ' Bul- 

 letin de la Soc. de Naturalistes de Moscou,' l&il. 



The internal temperature of various species and groups of birds is treated 

 of in a general memoir on the subject of Animal Heat, by M. Berger, in the 

 ' Memoires de la Societe de Physique de Geneve,' 1836. Dr. Richard King 

 has also published some observations on this subject. 



Mr. Eyton has contributed some interesting information on the anatomy 

 of 3Ienura, Biziura, Merops, Psophodes and Cracticus, which throw much 

 light on the affinities and classification of those genera (Annals of Natural 

 History, vol. vii. et seq.). 



Amidst the numerous profound researches of Prof. Owen on the compara- 

 tive anatomy of various portions of the animal kingdom are many original 

 investigations into the structure of such rare birds as have fallen under his 

 scalpel. In the 'Transactions of the Zoological Society' he has described the 

 anatomy of Buceros cavatus, showing the points of affinity which the Buce- 

 rotidce bear towards the RJiumphastida: on the one hand, and the Corvidce on 

 the other. He has also suggested that the probable design of the gigantic 

 beak in the Hornbills and Toucans is to protect the eyes and head while 

 penetrating dense thickets in quest of the nestling birds on which they feed. 

 Another memoir, of still greater importance, is the elaborate description of 

 the anatomy of the Apte.i-yx (Trans. Zool. Soc, vol. ii.), for which our suc- 

 cessors even more than ourselves will be grateful to Prof. Owen, seeing that 

 but few years will probably elapse before that rare and extraordinary species 

 will be erased fi'om the list of animated beings. He has also contributed to 

 the 'Proceedings of the Zoological Society ' excellent anatomical monographs 

 of the genera Sula, Phcenicopterus, Corythaix, Pelecanus, Cathartes, and Tale- 

 galla. The invaluable descriptive catalogues of the Museum of the Royal 

 College of Surgeons, wliich are in great measure the work of Prof. Owen, 

 contain a mine of information on the anatomy of every class, and not least 

 on that of birds. The volume which relates to the Fossil Mammalia and Birds 

 is now in the press. 



We are indebted to Mr. Yarrell for several accurate notices on the more 

 remarkable structures of certain birds, among which are papers on the ana-- 

 tomy of the Raptores, on the xiphoid bone and its muscles in Phalctcrocorax, 

 and on the muscles of the beak in Loxia, published in the ' Zoological Jour- 

 nal ;' memoirs on the convolutions and structure of the trachea in Numida, 

 the Gruidce, and the Anatidce, which will be found in the ' Linnaean Trans- 

 actions ;' and notices on the anatomy of Cereopsis, Ciax, Ourax, Penelope, 

 Atiihropoides and Plectropteriis, in the ' Proceedings of the Zoological So- 

 ciety.' 



A very elaborate account of the anatomy of Aptenodytes patachonica, by 

 Mr. Reid, is published in the 'Proceedings of the Zoological Society,' 1835, 

 and we may regret that this gentleman has not made more such contributions 

 to anatomical science. 



There are some very interesting remarks by Mr. Blyth on the osteology of 

 Alca impennis, in the 'Proceedings of the Zoological Society,' 1837, showing 

 that in this bird (which is wholly unable to fly) the bones of the extremities 

 are nearly solid and filled with marrow, while in the volatile species of .4/ciV/<B 



