Zoological Society, 445 



9th. The shell of the Argonaut does not present any distinctly 

 defined nucleus. 



Mr. Owen finally proceeded to consider the validity of the best 

 and latest arguments advanced in favour of the parasitism of the 

 Cephalopod of the Argonaut. 



Finally, Mr. Owen proceeded to state in detail the points which 

 still remained to be elucidated in the natural history of this most in- 

 teresting Mollusk. Among other experiments he suggested that 

 the young Argonaut should be deprived of one of the velated arms, 

 and preserved in a marine vivarium, with the view to determine the 

 influence which such mutilation might have on the future growth of 

 the shell : but in proposing further experiments, and while admitting 

 that the period of the first formation of the shell yet remained to be 

 determined, Mr. Owen stated that he regarded the facts already as- 

 certained to be decisive in proof that the Cephalopod of the Argonaut 

 was the true fabricator of its shell. 



March 12 The notice of M. Temminck's letter, and the second 

 part of Dr. Cantor's paper, read this day, have been inserted above, 

 pp.273. 341. 



April 9, 1839.— The Rev. F. W. Hope, in the Chair. 



A collection of beautifully finished drawings of Tasmanian Fishes 

 was exhibited to the Members present, these drawings having been 

 sent to the Society by Dr. Lhotsky for that purpose. In a letter 

 accompanying these drawings, Dr. Lhotsky stated that they had all 

 been executed, under his own superintendence, from fresh specimens. 



A new species of Hamster was exhibited by Mr. Waterhouse, and 

 characterized as follows : 



Cricetus auratus. Cri. aureo-fuscescens, subtus albidus : pills 

 mollissimis , supra ad basin plumbeis, subtus ad basin cinereis : 

 auribus mediocribus, rotundis : caudd brevissimd pilis albis obsitd. 



unc. lin. 

 Longitudo ab apice rostri ad caudse basin . . 7 6 



caudte 5 



ab apice rostri ad basin auris .... 1 6 



tarsi digitorumque 10 



auris 7 



Hab. Aleppo. 



" This species is less than the common Hamster {Cricetus vul- 

 garis), and is remarkable for its deep golden yellow colouring. The 

 fur is moderately long and very soft, and has a silk-like gloss : the 

 deep golden yellow colouring extends over the upper parts and sides 

 of the head and body, and also over the outer side of the limbs : on 

 the back, the hairs are brownish at the tip, hence in this part the 

 fur assumes a deeper hue than on the sides of the body : the sides 



