64 Zoological Society : — 



on the surface of the ossicles, which at these places are more or 

 less confused together. 



The centre of the upper part of the smaller end of the specimen 

 is marked with scattered concavities, which appear as if formed by 

 its having been attached to some shell or other more or less convex 

 surface. These concavities are produced by the flattening of the 

 surface of the ossicles of the part. They may have been produced by 

 parasites which have affixed themselves to the surface of the speci- 

 men, or by the specimen itself having been attached by the end of 

 this part of the body to some fixed body. The pores on the back 

 are more symmetrical and equal near the end of the arm, and those 



Magnified figure of the under surface, showing the large pores placed in hexagons. 



in each series are generally opposite to each other ; but there are 

 many exceptions to this arrangement and symmetry. 



The Myriosteon can have no affinity to the Polyzoa, for there 

 are no cells for the reception of the animal. The celebrated French 

 zoologist who suggested that it might possibly belong to that order 

 compared it with Eschara, the cells of which are obliterated by age ; 

 but then the cells are always well developed in the younger part of 

 the coral. 



The specimen under examination is clearly not a coral gradually 

 increasing in size by the development of new cells, but a definitely - 

 shaped part of some regularly formed body ; so that the idea of its 

 being a Polyzoon is scarcely worthy of as much consideration as I 

 have given to it. 



April 26, 1864.— John Gould, Esq., F.R.S., in the Chair. 



Note on the Bonnet of the Right Whale. 

 By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., F.L.S. 



Mr. Holdsworth has presented to the British Museum a specimen 

 which had been received from an American whaler, as " the Bonnet 

 of Balcena mysticetus, obtained at the Sandwich Islands." 



I have shown the specimen to Professor Owen. He states that a 

 similar specimen is in the Museum of the College of Surgeons, and 

 that he considers it as " a diseased action or tumour of the outer 

 layers of integument." 



The specimen is oblong, 1 1 inches long, and 8 inches wide, very 

 irregular in the outline, with a very rough pitted surface, four of the 



