Zoological Societij. 65 



about half an inch across at the broader part. It is entirely sur- 

 rounded by jsenVowcM/Hj and lies very loose, being connected only 

 by a very small process of that membrane accompanjing the vessels 

 to the upper part of the duodenal fold. It is here, therefore, that 

 the structure most favourable for the detection ofan excretory duct 

 obtains, if the spleen really possessed such an appendage, its pas- 

 sage from the gland, in that case, being limii ed to a very small space, 

 and this space circumscribed by a diaphanous membrane. But it 

 was easy to see that this membrane contained only a small artery de- 

 rived from the branch that supplied the pancreas, (having none 

 analogous to the vasa brevia in man) ; a vein of disproportionate 

 size, which terminated in the venajiortce; two small nervous fila- 

 ments ; and a delicate connecting tissue. 



" There is a lacteal gland at the root of the mesentery as large 

 as the spleen." 



Mr. Owen stated his intention of bringing before the Committee 

 at an early meeting the remaining portion of his notes on this sub- 

 ject. 



Mr. Owen also read to the Meeting his Notes on the Anatomy 

 of the Nine-handed Armadillo, {Dasypus Peba, Desm.) 



This animal was the female specimen lately presented to the 

 Society, which died almost immediately after its arrival. Its ad- 

 measurements were as follows : 



ft. in. lines. 

 From the end of the nose to the setting on of the tail 110 

 From ditto to the vertex ..... "t 



From the vertex to the first band 4? 



From the last band to the skirt of the armour . . . 3 10 



Breadth of the head across the eyes 16 



November 8, 1831. — An extract of a letter from Captain Fayrer, 

 Corr. Memb. Z.S., was read. It was dated on board H. M.'s Packet 

 Arrow, Port Patrick, October 23, 1831, and referred to the mi- 

 grations of certain birds from that neighbourhood. That of the 

 Larks commenced about Oct. 12. " Their numbers," says Captain 

 Fayrer, " are beyond anything I would venture to state, but mil- 

 lions. They start at daylight, steer directly across to the Capelona 

 Islands off Belfast Loch ; and seem to prefer the wind directly 

 against them. Very large flocks of Starlings have arrived within 

 the last few days: they start before sun-rise, but steer to the 

 southward. The Lapwings have also arrived : but these birds do 

 not take their flight till day has set well in : they appear to go 

 directly across. I see all these birds at each end of their passage 

 (21 miles), and few, I think, perish." 



A letter was read from E. W. A. Drummond Hay, Esq. H.M.'s 

 Consul for Marocco, dated Tangier, Oct. 6, 1831. It accom- 

 panied a present to the Society from that gentleman, consisting of 

 two Ichneumons , ( Herpestes Pharaonis, Desm.,) and a pair of striped 

 Barbary Mice,{Miis liarbarus, Linn.) The former were caught in 

 the neighbourhood of Tangier, where they arc called by the na- 

 tives, in the dialect of the Arabic used there, Srrro. The M/tc 

 JV..S. \'ol. 11. No. (^l.,/ff?i. 1832. K arc 



