129 



In the description of the organs of generation ; the cavity in the 

 head containing the spermaceti ; and some more of the soft parts, 

 Mr. Bennett's observations coincide with those of Hunter and other 

 comparative anatomists. 



A foetus apparently of mature growth, taken from the abdomen of 

 a Sperm Whale, measured 14 feet in length and 6 in girth; its 

 position in the uterus was that of a bent bow. 



Mr. Reid brousht before the notice of the Meeting a new species 

 of the genus Perameles, and read a paper giving some account of its 

 habits, and pointing out its distinguishing characters. 



The author states that he was indebted to William Holmes, Esq.. 

 of Lyon's Inn, for the ojjportunity of exhibiting this specimen, which 

 was brought from Van Diemen's Land, where these animals are said 

 to be common. The same species is also found in Western Australia, 

 and is there called by the natives Dalgheit, and by the colonists the 

 Rabbit, under which name it is mentioned by Cunningham in his 

 work on New South Wales. Widdowson, in his account of Van 

 Diemen's Land, notices it ; but neither of these writers has given 

 any description of the animal. From its resemblance to the Rabbit, 

 Mr. Reid proposes for it the specific name of Lagotis. 



Perameles Lagotis. Per. griseus, capite, nuchd, et dorso, castaneo 

 lavatis ; buccis, lateribus colli, scapulis, lateribus, femoribus extus, 

 cauddque ad basin, pallide castaneis ; mento, guld, pectore, abdo- 

 mine, extremitatibus intus anticeque, antibrachiis postice, pedi- 

 busque suprcl albidis ; antibrachiis externe pallide griseis, femo- 

 ribus extus posticeque saturate plumbeis ; caudd, pilis longis albes- 

 centibus ad partem basalem, indutd, dein pilis nigris tectd, parte 

 apicali albd, pilis longis supra ornatd. Vellere longo molli. 

 Cauda pilis nidis vestitd ; pilis ad pedes brevissimis. Labia su- 

 periore, buccisque, mystacibus longis sparsis. Auriculis longis, 

 ovatis, intus nudis, extus pilis brevissimis brunneis, ad mai-ginem, 

 ulbescentibus indutis, pilis ad bases eos plumbeis, apicibus albis 

 aut castaneis, illis in abdomine omnino albis. Marsupio ventrali 

 magna, mammis novem, in faciem posticam ; quorum una centra- 

 lis est, reliquis circumdata, intervallis aqualibus, gyrumque faci- 

 entibus, transversim ttnciam cum quadrante reddentem. 



poll. lin. 

 Long, capitis 3 3 



corporis 13 



caudae 10 



auriculae 3 10 



antibrachii 4 U 



pedis antici 1 ^ 



tibise 3 9 



pedis postici 4 6 



ab auriculae basi usque ad oculum . . 2 



ab oculo usque ad nasum 2 8 



Latitude auriculae 1 9 



Hab. In Australia Occidentali et in Terr^ Van Diemen. 



