43 



Mr. Gould then exhibited a new species of the genus Podar- 

 gus, from Java, which he proposes to name P. stellatus. 



PoDARGUs Stellatus. 



Podarg. corporis plumis, alis, cauddque crehre guttulis, notisque irre- 

 gulariter interruptis, his pallide brunneis, illisfuscis, ornatis, colli 

 plumis lined angustd nigrd fasciatis ad apicem latis, et albescenti- 

 bus luntdam facientibus ; post oculos plumis pilosis elongatis ori- 

 entihus, et postice directis tectricibus alarum ad apicem margi' 

 nis interioris notd albescente, nigra postice cinctd, ornatis scapu- 

 laribus inferioribus palUdiorihus ; pectoris plumis nonnullis fiaves- 

 centi albo guttatis ; rostro pedibusque pallide fuscis. 



Long. tot. S unc. ; rostri, 1,}; a/a?, 4 ; tarsi, |. 



Hab. Java. 



Some observations on the Physalia, by George Bennett, Esq., 

 F.L.S., Superintendant of the Australian Museum at Sydney, and 

 Corresponding Member of the Zoological Society, were then read. 



Some specimens of Physalia pelagica having been captured by 

 Mr. Bennett while on his voyage to Sydney, he had an opportunity 

 of observing the action of the numerous filamentary bodies attached 

 to the air-bladder of this animal. 



The longest of these appendages are used by the Physalia for the 

 capture of its prey, and are capable of being coiled up within half 

 an inch of the air bladder, and then darted out with astonishing 

 rapidity to the distance of 1 2 or 1 8 feet, twining round and paraly- 

 zing by means of an acid secretion any small fish within that di- 

 stance. The food thus seized by the tentacula is rapidly conveyed to 

 the short appendages or tubes, which are furnished with mouths for 

 its reception. These tubes appear to constitute the stomach of the 

 animal, for upon a careful dissection nothing like a common recept- 

 acle for food could be observed, nor could Mr. Bennett detect any 

 communications between them and the air-bladder, to the inferior 

 portion of which they are attached by means of a dense muscular 

 band. After an examination of an immense number of specimens, 

 Mr. Bennett was unable to discover the orifice usually stated to 

 exist at the pointed end of the bladder, nor could he ever succeed 

 in expelling any portion of the contained air without a puncture 

 being previously made. This organ consists of two coats, the outer 

 of which is dense and muscular, readily separating from the inner, 

 which resembles a cellular membrane. 



The partial escape of air from the bladder did not at all affect the 

 buoyancy, or appear in any way to incommode the Physalia ; and 

 even when it had completely collapsed, the animal still floated on 

 the surface ; upon removing the bladder entirely, the mass of ten- 

 tacula sank to the bottom of the vessel, and though their vitality re- 

 mained, all power of action was entirely destroyed. 



