808 REPORT — 1893. 



6. On the Penguins of the Antarctic Ocean. By C. W. Donald, M.B. 



The penguin is one of the most interesting' of living birds. Its shape, erect 

 posture, rigid flippers, its feathers, anatomy, and habits are all characteristic. The 

 most common form in this region is the black-throated species — Dasyrhamphus 

 adelias (H. & J.). A large rookery of this species, situated on the south shore of 

 JoinviUe Island, was visited. On one occasion they were seen in large schools, 

 each directed by an individual of larger species — probably an Emperor. On the 

 ice he usually progresses in the erect posture. In the water he generally proceeds 

 like a porpoise — in a prolonged dive broken at intervals of about thirty yards as 

 he rises for breath — leaping clean out of the water, and immediately disappearing 

 with scarcely a ripple, after clearing a space of two to two and a half feet. Ex- 

 perimenting on them, one was found to survive being held under water for six 

 minutes. Their food consists chiefly of a large shrimp-like crustacean of the genus 

 Euphausia. Their stomachs generally contain a number of angular pebbles. Large 

 flocks of a white-throated penguin of the type described as D. Herculis (Finsch) 

 were seen in February. I am of opinion that these are the young of D. adelice. 

 The Emperor Vengum — Aiitenodijtes Fosteri — was met with on several occasions. 

 One of these — of great size and beautiful plumage — was 4 feet 10 inches from tip of 

 beak to extremity of tail. It weighed 74 lb. One specimen of the Kinged Penguin 

 — Pygosculis antarctica — was obtained. A rookery occupied by the white-headed 

 penguin — Pygosculis papua — was visited. The nests here were lined by feathers 

 from the parents' breasts. I saw no crested penguins nor any specimen of the 

 King — Ajitenodytes longirostris. "What I believe to be a new species of crested 

 penguin was seen on the S. Orkneys by Captain Sarsen. 



7. On the Development of the Molar Teeth of the Elephant, with BemarJcs on 

 Dental Series. By Professor J. Cleland, F.E.S. 



A specimen was exhibited from the lower jaw of an Indian elephant of a molar 

 tooth enclosed in its sac, and consisting of a series of seventeen transverse laminae,, 

 each surmounted by comparatively elongated cusps. As yet only the cusps of 

 the hindermost lamina were covered with caps of dentine, and the laminae were 

 separated one from another by projections of the saccular wall. It was pointed 

 out that the cusps became afterwards less distinct by the growth of enamel taking 

 place on the surface, and that the laminae by remaining uncovered with dentine for 

 a considerable period were enabled to enlarge to three or four times the breadth 

 that they exhibited in the specimen. The elephant's molars may be said to be 

 doubly compound ; the cusps, originally sepai-ate, being united by the laminae on 

 which they are placed, and the laminae being joined together afterwards by a com- 

 mon base on which the dentine is at a later period continued down, to be prolonged 

 finally into fangs. It is doubtful if any hard distinction can be drawn between a 

 transverse row of cusps conjoined together and a transverse series of separate teeth. 

 Teeth ought to be recognised as occurring in the jaws in longitudinal and 

 transverse series. The temporary and permanent teeth of mammals are in point 

 of fact derived from papillae forming respectively an outer and an inner range, 

 while the additional teeth occurring occasionally in the human subject are 

 instances of a third papilla being developed internal to the inner range; just as in 

 sharks many teeth may lie in one transverse line. But this arrangement is disguised 

 by each tooth being temporarily included in a sac, and has escaped notice. 



The specimen has been presented to the British Museum. 



