244 DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE " HWANG- YANG." [Feb. 28, 



The body was opened a few hours after death, when it was found 

 that the stomach and intestines, especially the upper or duodenal 

 and jejunal parts of the latter, were intensely congested, and bore all 

 the aspect of acute inflammatory action. The piece of canvas evi- 

 dently had caused a stoppage in the alimentary canal ; and the 

 secondary effects of this had been an enormous amount of secretion 

 of bile, the gall-bladder being excessively distended with it, the 

 vessels and ducts of the liver everywhere containing an unusual abun- 

 dance of biliary fluid, of which also traces existed in the duodenum 

 and stomach. No other foreign bodies were found in the intes- 

 tinal tract. The lungs were very much congested, but all the other 

 organs presented the appearance of health. 



Thus it would seem that the Sea-Bear had in some unknown 

 manner obtained and swallowed the foreign bodies already spoken of, 

 which produced a stoppage in the alimentary canal, and by their ir- 

 ritation brought on a bilious, or, as it is sometimes called, gastric 

 fever, under which the poor creature succumbed. 



On consideration, the symptoms bore out the post mortem exami- 

 nation. The reason of the chest or pneumonic symptoms may be 

 best explained by the fact of the foreign body's lodgment in the first 

 part of the intestines, which in this animal are protected by the 

 posterior ribs ; and the unusual dulness on both sides of the infe- 

 rior (or posterior) part of the thorax was due to the lobes of the 

 liver occupying both the right and left hypochondriac regions. 



Tenderness of the abdomen was thus absent. The cutaneous 

 coldness, no doubt, was produced by the biliousness. The laboured 

 respiration occurred from the long congestion. 



In the present instance it may be said that a lesson ought to have 

 been received from the circumstance that on a former occasion multi- 

 tudes of fish-hooks were discovered in a Seal that had died in the 

 Gardens. It may be answered that great care has always been taken 

 on this score, every fish given to the Sea-Bear having been gutted. 

 How the canvas and hook came to be swallowed is involved in mystery. 



2. Note on the " Hwang- Yang/' or Yellow Sheep of Mon- 

 golia. By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., V.P.Z.S., &c. 



The "Yellow Sheep," of which Dr. Lockhart has sent two skulls 

 to the British Museum*, has been described by Pallas under the name 



"Feb. 16,1867. 

 * " My dear Sir, — The horns I took to the Museum yesterday I brought with 

 me from Pekin. The animal to which they belong is called Hwang-Yang, the 

 Yellow or Imperial Sheep. It is brought into Peking from Mongolia in large 

 numbers in a frozen state, and sold for food. The flesh is much esteemed for its fine 

 flavo'ir and tenderness, and is eagerly purchased both by nativess and foreigners. 

 ' The European gentlemen in Peking used to go into Mongolia on shooting- 

 expeditions, for the purpose of bunting the Hwang-Yang. The animal, however, 

 is very wary, and generally keeps a long way out of range, so that the hunters 

 are not very successful. It is considered a great feat to kill one of them. 



" Yours very truly, 



" W. Lockhart." 



