Zoological Society. 23 1 



rate success. In several instances they have been fatal to the zealous 

 individuals who have devoted themselves to the pursuit, the climate, 

 especially that of the coast, being generally ill suited to Euro- 

 peans. A new attempt is about to be made under the auspices of 

 Mr. Telfair and the Mauritius Natural History Society, from which 

 he anticipates considerable additions to science, the individual se- 

 lected being well adapted for the purpose by long practice in col- 

 lecting and preserving specimens, and by being thoroughly accli- 

 mated to Madagascar, in which he has on several occasions resided 

 for a considerable time. 



Mr. Owen, having had occasion to examine recently with Mr. 

 Yarrell the body of a Gannet, {Sula Bassana,)vih\ch. died at the So- 

 ciety's Garden, read his notes of the examination. They referred 

 chiefly to the situation and connections of the air-cells, and diifered 

 in some particulars from the observations recorded by Montagu, 

 who states in the ' Supplement to the Ornithological Dictionary' 

 [article Gannet'\, that "by reason of some valvular contrivance the 

 skin could not be artificially inflated through the lungs;" and adds, 

 " it is also clear that there is no direct communication between 

 the sides." 



" In the examination our attention was chiefly directed to the 

 air-cells, which in this bird, as in the Pelican, have a most extensive 

 distribution. We commenced by gentle but continued inflation 

 through the trachea, a pipe having been introduced into the upper 

 larynx : in a short time the integuments of the whole of the lateral 

 and inferior parts of the body rose, and the air-cells seemed com- 

 pletely filled, especially that which is situated in front of the os 

 Jiirciforme. Being thus satisfied that they all had a free commu- 

 nication with the chest, we next proceeded to see at what points 

 these communications took place, and in what degree the air-cells 

 communicated with each other. For that purpose the air-cells on 

 the left side of the body were laid open, and shortly after those of 

 the opposite side collapsed, indicating the existence of apertures of 

 communication, although the septum which ran along the middle 

 line of the body appeared at first sight imperforate. There was a 

 free communication between the lateral air-cells of the same side of 

 the body from the os Jurciforme to the side of \.he pelvis ; but the 

 air-cell in front of the os Jurciforme remained still tensely inflated. 

 The lateral air-cells had a free communication with the cavity of the 

 chest at the axilla, at which part the air had entered these cells 

 during the inflation. The pectoral muscles and those of the thigh 

 presented a singular appearance, being as it were cleanly dissected, 

 having the air-cells extended above and below them ; the axillary 

 vessels and nerves also passing bare and unsupported by any sur- 

 rounding substance through these cavities. We traced the air-cells 

 down the side of the humerus, ulna, and metacarpal bone, into all of 

 which the air entered, and even into the bone corresponding to the 

 first phalanx, which agrees with what Mr. Hunter has described 

 in the Pelican, ( Animal (Econ. p. 92.) 



" As none of these proceedings had any cflTect on the air-cell in 

 front of the oi yHrcj/c/rffje, which still continued distended, it was 



evident 



