May 25, 1841. 
William Yarrell, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 
A letter was read from the Society’s Corresponding Member, J. 
M‘Clelland, Esq. It states that several Birds and Quadrupeds had 
been forwarded from India for the Society’s Menagerie, and likewise 
that Mr. M‘Clelland had sent a collection of the rarer Indian fresh- 
water fishes for the Museum. 
Some notes, from Sir Robert Heron, Bart., were next read. These 
notes relate to the breeding of Gold-fishes in the author’s menagerie. 
Sir R. Heron observes, that about two out of five of the specimens 
hatched are deficient of the dorsal fin, and about two in a hundred, 
or rather more, have a triple tail-fin, and as many have the anal fin 
double. All the deformed fishes are separated from the others and 
placed in a pond by themselves, but they do not produce a greater 
proportion of deformed offspring than the perfect fishes. 
The following paper, by George Gulliver, Esq., F.R.S., entitled 
“ Observations on the Blood-corpuscles of the order Fer@,” was then 
read. 
“It appears to me that a systematic and comprehensive set of ob- 
servations is yet wanting on the blood-corpuscles of the different 
orders of the class Mammalia, for the subject is interesting in con- 
nexion with physiological questions now perpetually arising, and 
which may be expected to multiply as inquiries in minute anatomy 
are extended. 
“In the order Fere the result of my observations will show that 
the size of the blood-discs has a general relation to the different 
families. Although some exceptions may appear, these will probably 
fall into order as our knowledge of the subject becomes more com- 
plete ; and it must be recollected that zoologists differ as to the exact 
affinities of a few of the animals in question. 
“In the Insectivora the size of the corpuscles is considerably 
smaller than in the Plantigrada. The corpuscles of this latter fa- 
mily are very uniform in size, and, as far as I have at present ob- 
served, larger than those of the other species of the Fer@, with the 
exceptions afforded by the genera Canis, Lycaon, Hyena, Lutra, and 
Phoca. The corpuscles of the common species of the two latter, and 
of the Dog, are the largest I have yet found in the order. The most 
minute corpuscles of the Fere were also found in the family Carni- 
vora. In the Viverride and Felide the corpuscles appear to be very 
small, as compared with those of the Phocide and Canide; and in 
the genera Paradoxurus and Herpestes the corpuscles are, for the 
most part, remarkably so, especially in the Paradovurus Bondar*, in 
* In the Menagerie of the Zoological Society this animal is called Para- 
