29 



4. Prosector's Department. 



Mr. F. E. Beddard, the Prosector to the Society^ reports 

 that the number of deaths during the year amounted 

 to 990, being a decrease of 112 as compared with the 

 previous year. 



The only two deaths of importance were the Sondaic Rhi- 

 noceros, and one of the two Sumatran Rhinoceroses that 

 were purchased by the Society on April 1st, 1885. 



The Sondaic Rhinoceros died on June 23rd, the appa- 

 rent cause of death being an inflammation of the stomach. 

 The animal was dissected by the Prosector and Mr. Frede- 

 rick Treves, F.R.C.S., and an account of its anatomy will 

 appear in the 'Transactions.^ 



The Sumatran Rhinoceros died on May 22nd quite 

 suddenly ; the cause of death was found to be a rupture of 

 the caecum. By the kindness of the authorities at the 

 London Hospital, a tank in their dead-house was allowed to 

 be used for the body of the Rhinoceros ; and it has there- 

 fore been possible to preserve the animal for a considerable 

 period, and to study the myology. It is proposed to 

 offer to the Society a detailed account of the muscular 

 anatomy of this Rhinoceros : this will form a supplement 

 to the paper on the Javan Rhinoceros, which dealt ex- 

 clusively with the visceral anatomy. 



Material from this Department has been supplied, for 

 the purposes of research, to Mr. Treves, Dr. Hoggan, Dr. 

 Beevor, and Prof. Windle ; for museum purposes, to the 

 Royal College of Surgeons, the Natural- History Museum, 

 Prof. d'Arcy Thompson, Prof. G. B. Howes, and University 

 College, London. 



Mr. Treves has continued his investigations into the 

 mammalian alimentary tract and mesenteries, and has put 

 forward his results in a series of lectures on that subject, 

 delivered in the College of Surgeons. 



Mr. J. B. Sutton has utilized most of the pathological 

 material, and his results have been published in the So- 

 ciety's ' Proceedings ' and elsewhere. 



The Prosector has read and published the following 

 papers during the year 1885 :— " On the Structure of the 

 Cuckoos " ; " On ihe Heart of Apteryx "; " Notes on the 

 Visceral Anatomy of Birds." 



