1910.] MR. R. H. BURXE OX THE VEIXS OF A SEAL. 385 



March 1, 1910. 



Dr. A. Smith Woodward. F.R.S., Vice-President, 

 in the Chair. 



The Secretary exhibited photographs of a Thylacine {Tliyla- 

 cinus cynocephalus) and three cubs which had been sent him by 

 Mrs. Mary G. Roberts, O.M.Z.S., of Hobart, Tasmania. Mrs. 

 Roberts had informed him by letter that the Thylacines had been 

 in. her possession for about eight months, and were tame and 

 playful, and that the mother had nursed them until they were 

 nearly as large as herself, although throughout that time they had 

 also taken raw meat. Mrs. Roberts added that the Thylacine had 

 extremely strong maternal instincts and that these animals, in her 

 opinion, were not of low intelligence. 



The Secretary called attention to the recently published 

 ' Camera Adventures in the African Wilds,' by A. Radclyfte 

 Dugmore, remarking on the great additions to knowledge of wild 

 animals that were being obtained by this new form of sport. He 

 directed special attention to the photographs of Grevy's Zebra, 

 obtained near the Guaso Nyiro River, not far from Mt. Kenia, as 

 evidence of the range of that species, and to an extremely interest- 

 ing photograph of the Giant Bush-Pig (Hylochcerus meinertz- 

 hageni) taken in the same locality. 



Mr. R. H. Burne, M.A., F.Z.S., exhibited a preparation * of 

 the vena cava inferior, diaphragm, and liver of a Seal (Phoca 

 vitulina) that had lately been living in the Society's Gardens. 

 The specimen showed a strong sphincter band of muscle (Sph. V.C.) 

 surrounding the lower end of the thoracic vena cava similar to 

 that which was figured in the case of a Walrus in a note in the 

 ' Proceedings' last year (p. 733). But this preparation showed in 

 addition the continuity of some few of the muscle-fibres of the 

 sphincter vena? cavse with those of the diaphragm towards the left 

 ventral side and the innervation of the sphincter by a branch of 

 the phrenic nerve (Ph.N.). The vena cava was injected so that 

 the enormous size of the venous reservoir ( V.S.) formed by the 

 dilatation of the vena cava and hepatic veins in the upper part of 

 the liver could be clearly seen. Some reference was made to 

 speculations on the physiological significance of these structures t 

 in relation to the special needs of an aquatic life. 



* R. College of Surgeons Museum, Physical Series, No. 980 E a a (prepared by the 

 Prosector, Mr. W. Pearson). 



t Gratiolet, ' Anatomie de l'Hippopotame,' p. 370. Burne, P. Z. S. 1909, p. 734. 

 Paramore, ' Lancet,' 1910, May 28th. 



Proc. Zool. Soc— 1910, No. XXV. 25 



