I860.] Zoology and Animal Physiology. 505 



of temporary structure for the nourishment and respiration of the 

 foetus prior to birth — the size, condition, and powers of the young at 

 the time of exclusion, — the period during which it requires lacteal 

 nourishment, — and the age at which the animal attains full size. 



The Eev. Dr. Haughton, of Dublin, has carefully dissected the leg 

 of the ostrich, with a view to determine the peculiar muscular me- 

 chanism by which the limb, which may be regarded as a long rod bent 

 at four distinct points, attains its greatest amount of shortening or 

 bending at the moment the foot touches the ground, and is suddenly 

 straightened or elongated by the simultaneous contraction of all the 

 muscles; the effect of which is to throw the whole body of the bird 

 forward from the point of support of the foot as if from a catapult. It 

 is the two-bellied rectus muscle of the thigh which is the key to this 

 remarkable action, which muscle binds down the patellae, straps up the 

 heel, and brings the whole machine into harmony at the moment that 

 the spring is about to take place. The movements of the ostrich are 

 described by eye-witnesses as admirable, the bird springing from foot 

 to foot in rapid motion, bending with the rapidity of lightning the foot 

 as it left the ground, avoiding skilfully and without apparent effort the 

 dangers of the rough soil. It is said that it almost touches the ground 

 with its body alternately on each side in every successive spring, and 

 leaps with ease over rocks and shrubs of moderate dimensions that lay 

 in its path. The force expended in propelling the body of the ostrich 

 forward is calculated by Dr. Haughton to be ten times the force em- 

 ployed in restoring the legs of the animal preparatory to its next 

 spring, and the question how this force is to be applied suddenly with- 

 out breaking or dislocating the leg is answered by the remarkable 

 structure of the rectus, which, instead of terminating in the patellae, 

 passes by a tendon in a groove over and between them, and turning 

 outwards and backwards into the calf of the leg becomes provided 

 with a second muscular belly, which forms one of the portions of the 

 flexor magnus digitorum, the conjoined tendon of which passes under 

 the heel and terminates in the plantar surface of the toe. 



Among the curiosities of the Zoological Gardens of late has been a 

 King Penguin (Aptenodytes Pennantii), a bird which, though very 

 common and abundant in its haunts, and very easily caught, has 

 never before been brought alive into Europe. The reason of this 

 appears to be that though they are frequently kept for a time on board 

 ship, they invariably die for want of food, which it seems they gene- 

 rally refuse to take. The present bird was brought on board at the 

 Falkland Islands, with a dozen others, all of which died from re- 

 fusing food. This one being fatter than his companions survived 

 longer, and being petted and played with by the sailors, was at length 

 induced by them to swallow some fat and fish, and from that time 

 was carefully fed, and brought home in pretty good condition. For 

 some unknown reason, the bird continued to refuse to eat unless the 

 food was actually placed in its mouth by the keeper, when it bolted it 

 voraciously, and by unmistakable gestures asked for more. If a fish 

 were placed on a chair close to its beak, the creature refused to notice 

 it, but followed the keeper's hand with open mouth for another to be 



