^6 Linncpan Society. 



health ? Is it in consequence of a small worm that is found in 

 them ? If soj of what species is it, and whereabouts most easily 

 detected ? Are oysters subject to it only at certain seasons ? Has 

 the venom of ovsters any analogy with that which sometimes 

 renders muscles poisonous and unwholesome ? What disorders do 

 such oysters and muscles cause ? and what are the most effica- 

 cious remedies either for averting the evil or for removing it ?" 



" Why are shrimps sometimes pernicious ? How are such as 

 are so to be distinguished ? What disorders do they occasion, 

 and what are the best remedies r" 



The prize for the best answer to any of these questions is a 

 gold medal, or 150 florins, at the option of the author. 



LINNVE-AN SOCIETY. 



Jan. 16. — A. B. Lambert, Es(|. in the Chair. Continuation 

 of the descriptive Catalogue, by Sir T. S. Raffles, was read, of a 

 Zoological Collection made for the East India Company in Su- 

 matra and its vicinity. 



Ursa. Maluyanus. This bear was caught young, and brought 

 up in the nursery among the children. It appears to be a variety 

 of the common bear, and bear of India. It was perfectly tame, 

 and in its habits exceedingly playful. Sir T. mentions, that 

 it was also a brute of taste, which it displayed at the dinner 

 table, where it was a frequent visitor, by refusing to eat any fruit 

 but Mango-steens, or to drink any wine but Champngne ! ! The 

 only instance in which it was ever seen angry was when there 

 was none of the latter at the dessert ! It commonly messed in 

 peace with a dog, a cat, and a lorv. The dog was its favourite, 

 and suffered to worry and tease without offence or resentment. 

 The strength of the animal when full grown was, nevertheless, 

 very great; and it could tear up by the roots from the garden a 

 plantain tree of such size as to be almost too laige for its em- 

 brace ! 



Moschiis, var.) called by the natives Kauchll. This little 

 squirrel-like creature is so proverbially cunning, that a Malay, 

 speaking of a clever rogue, says, " lie is as sly as a kauchil." 

 Examples are mentioned which show that tlie comparison is not 

 unfounded. The kauchil, when caught in a trap, pretends to be 

 dead ; but should the springe be incautiously loosened, he leaps 

 up and bounds out of sight in an instant! If hunted and sore 

 pressed, he will jump into the branch of a tree, and hang by his 

 teeth, which he thrusts into the wood, while his pursuers run 

 beneath and lose the scent. This cheating character authorizes 

 the proverb, 



XI. In- 



