18G8.] DR. J. MURIE ON THE WALRUS. 67 



4. Oil the Morbid Appearances observed in the Walrus lately 

 living in the Society's Gai'dens. By James Murie, 

 M.D., Prosector to the Zoological Society. With a 

 Description of a New Species of Ascaris found in the 

 Stomach; by Dr. Baird, F.L.S. 



lu 1853 the Society obtained a \ery young Walrus (Trichechus 

 rosmarus, Linn.), which specimen unfortunately only lived some few 

 days after its arrival. From that time up to the 1st of November 

 last (1867) no opportunity has offered of adding another example 

 of this exceedingly interesting animal to the collection. When, 

 therefore, a tolerably well-developed, although still young, male Sea- 

 Horse was reported to have arrived safely in the Gardens, the curio- 

 sity of the Members of the Society and the public generally natu- 

 rally was aroused. Notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather, 

 the number of visitors was great. 



The proper food of the Walrus in a state of nature has been vari- 

 ously stated by different naturalists. Some assert it to be a vegetable- 

 eater ; others believe it to be entirely carnivorous ; while a third 

 notion has gained ground, that it may occasionally partake of food 

 of the one kind or the other. 



Our Superintendent, therefore, under these circumstances felt a 

 difficulty in deciding what might be the best food to give the crea- 

 ture so as to retain it in as good health as possible. The results of 

 his experiments concerning suitable diet he has himself laid before 

 the Society's Meetings on a previous occasion. I shall just reiterate 

 his conclusions, namely : — It refused every kind of seaweed offered, 

 but it greedily gulped up the soft bodies of Mya truncata and M. 

 arenaria, which were its principal food, besides quantities of whelks, 

 mussels, fish cut up in small strips, and the viscera of fish, these 

 last, however, having previously been well washed and cleaned. 



It may be remarked that the young Walrus dissected by Prof. 

 Owen in 185.S had been fed during its captivity on oatmeal, milk, 

 and water. The specimen at present under consideration, when first 

 captured, and on shipboard, had also received a certain allowance of 

 the above, along with strips of fat pork. 



I have taken notice of the animal's food for the purpose of direct- 

 ing attention to the question. Whence were the ova of the Entozoa 

 obtained that ultimately led to the Walrus's death? 



At the period of arrival in the Gardens the Walrus looked thin 

 and lean ; there was an amount of loose skin, however, which indi- 

 cated that better regimen than that which he had lately been under 

 would soon render the body plump and comparatively free from the 

 very numerous skin-folds. These wrinkles, it may be observed, in 

 several places met each other, so as to form a series of elongated 

 diamond-shaped enclosures. 



It was early noticed that the conjunctivae were suffused and in- 

 jected with blood; this gave the eyes a disagreeable appearance. 



