328 ON THE HKART IN ORNITHORHYNCHUS ETC. [Apr. 21, 



partly forced its way out of the body of its enemy, making its escape 

 three inches from the mouth. 



The Amphisbaenoid was besides interesting for the anomalous 

 scutellation of the upper surface of the head, the sutures between 

 the ocular, supraocular, and one of the temporals on each side, 

 which were normally distinct in L. polystegum, being obliterated, as 

 was shown in the accompanying sketch (p. 327), ; the frontal shield 

 was also remarkably small. 



Mr. Seebohm exhibited specimens of a Cormorant from Japan 

 believed to be Phalacrocorax capillatus (Temm. et Schl.) and to be 

 quite distinct from Ph. carbo. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. On the Structure o£ the Heart in Ornithorhynchus and 

 Apteryx. By Sir Richard Owen, K.C.B.j F.R.S., 

 F.Z.S., &c. 



[Eeceived March 11, 1885.] 



The ' Note ' communicated by Prof. Ray Lankester to the 

 Scientific Meeting of the Zoological Society, March 3rd, refers to 

 the description and figures of the heart of the Apteryx in the 

 " Anatomy " of that bird recorded in vol. ii. of the ' Transactions ' 

 of the Societ_y, 1836, pp. 271, 273; plate vi. figures la, 2, and 3. 

 These were taken in the dissection of the trunk and viscera of a male 

 bird transmitted from New Zealand, in spirit, and well preserved for 

 anatomical investigation {op. cit. p. 258). 



Figure 1, of pi. vi., shows the pericardium containing the 

 heart, in situ, showing the apex protruding through the diaphragm 

 into the abdomen ; figure 2, ib., shows the outer form and avian 

 symmetrical disposition of the bifurcate ascending aorta; figure 3 

 shows the internal structure ot the right " auricle and ventricle." The 

 principal deviation from the ornithic type of "the heart's structure 

 is presented by the valve at the entry into the right ventricle," 

 whereon I remark : — " We perceive in this mode of connection an 

 approach, in the present wingless bird, to the mamnuiliau type of 

 valve, analogous to that which the Ornilhorhynchus offers, iu the 

 structure of the same part, to the class of birds ; for the right auriculo- 

 ventricular valve in the Ornithorhynchus is partly fleshy, partly 

 membranous " {op. cit. p. 273). 



I heard, with pleasure, the confirmation by Prof. Ray Lankester, 

 in his earlier 'Paper' (P. Z. S. 1882, p. 549), of the discovery 

 recorded by me in Trans. Zool. Soc. vol. ii. p. 273. Before sending 

 the account of it to press, I had the opportunity myself of con- 

 firming it, by receiving a third specimen of Apteryx sent to me 

 for dissection. In this well-preserved specimen I found the same 

 approach to the monotrematous type of heart ; it yielded confir- 

 mation of the previous dissection of tl;e bird, and the additional 

 materials Qom. cit, p. 258), recorded in Trans. ZlioI. Soc. vol. iii. 



