68 DR. J. MURiE ON THE WALRUS. [Jan. 23, 



The animal also at times chattered or rattled his teeth together in a 

 very remarkable and noisy manner. This last habit, however, was 

 put down to temper, or as a sign of hunger ; the sanguineous effusion 

 to a cold received during transport. 



After the lapse of a few weeks it would seem that the body and 

 limbs acquired more vigour ; for the gait became altered, so that 

 in walking on all fours, Sea-Bear fashion, the abdomen and chest 

 were raised from the ground, whereas at first the animal rather 

 trailed or draggled along than walked. This showed that the animal 

 was growing stronger in body, an equivalent in some measure to 

 improvement in health. It was noticed all the while that it re- 

 mained emaciated, and did not increase in stoutness or otherwise 

 become fatter, although the quantity of food it consumed was enor- 

 mous. The ravenousness of its appetite was something extraordi- 

 nary, and many thought that the animal was underfed. 



The Walrus tlms was considered by every one who saw it to have 

 had apparently uninterrupted health till Monday the 16th December. 

 On that day the keeper first l)egan seriously to apprehend that the 

 animal was out of order — as he thought, constipated ; but mean- 

 while it did not refuse food. 



On Mr. Bartlett being consulted, he proposed to give it some oily 

 substance which might act as a purgative. One pound and a half 

 of horse-fat cut in strips was therefore given the afternoon following. 

 The next morning there were copious alvine evacuations. What 

 passed at first was hard, black, and fetid ; but the excretions became 

 moister, though still very dark-coloured. 



When this occurred it was thought relief was obtained and that 

 the animal would go on well. It did not seem, liowever, to rally, 

 but died rather suddenly on Thursday the 19th. 



The body was examined by me a day afterwards, and disclosed 

 unusual conditions. 



Not a particle of subcutaneous fat was present, and the mesentery 

 and other abdominal parts usually containing fatty substances were 

 equally destitute of such. 



The viscera of the thorax and abdomen, with the exception of the 

 interior of tlie stomacli, appeared quite sound. The brain was also 

 normal in structure*. 



* Wlieii the brain was taken out, its general appearance and firmness of tex- 

 ture, as implied above, was that of health. As it was desired for anatomical 

 investigation, it was not then cut into or interfered with further than cursory 

 examination permitted. At one point it was noticed that unusual vascularity 

 existed; but as the diseased condition of the stomach was thougiit sufficient of 

 itself to account for death, no great attention was then paid to this superficial 

 cerebellar congestion. Subsequent examination showed, however, that upon the 

 upper surface of the cerebellum (between the posterior cerebral lobes) and under- 

 neath the injected pia mater an al)scess had begun to be formed. Tlie brain- 

 substance immediately underneath was very sliglitly softened, but around it was 

 quite firm; the morbid deposit and infiltration had chiefly implicated the pia 

 mater over the superior vermiform process. Whether tliis lesion was the more 

 immediate cause ot death, and not the ulcerated condition of the stomach, is au 

 open question. Some of the symptoms during life might, indeed, be referred to it. 



