2130 Quadrupeds. 



tubes and polype cells are formed of a horny material, not soluble in weak acid, 

 strengthened in most parts by a deposit of calcareous matter. The cell contains an 

 ascidian polype, which has perhaps twelve tentacula and no gizzard. The muscular 

 fibres are of great proportional length, and are distinctly marked with transverse striae. 

 The striking resemblance of the terminal expanded part of the polype cell to the head 

 of a snake has led to its very appropriate generic name. The aperture is terminal, of 

 a crescentic form, the lower lip being composed of or strengthened by a horny half 

 ring, resembling a horse-shoe in shape, to which two pairs of muscles are attached, — 

 the one for the closure, the other for the opening, of the aperture. The paper con- 

 cluded with further remarks on the anatomical structure of this polype, and on the 

 consequent necessity of either removing it, together with Gemellaria loriculata and 

 Notamia Bursaria, from the family Eucratiada? of Dr. Johnson, or of modifying the 

 character of that family as far as respects the situation and construction of the aper- 

 ture of the cell. 



J. S. BOWERBANK. 



Child Suckled by a Periah Bitch. — When my father was with his regiment — the 

 8th Light Dragoons — in India, he witnessed a very remarkable fact relative to the 

 history of a dog, which, from its novelty, may prove interesting to you. A Periah 

 bitch, belonging to Lieut. Heyman, of the 8th Light Dragoons, at Cawnpore, brought 

 forth a litter of pups, which were destroyed a day or two afterwards. It was observed 

 that the bitch had induced a child, blind of the ophthalmia (the son of a matin or 

 sweeper) to suck her : how this was managed in the first instance there is no evidence 

 to prove ; but when it was discovered, a circumstance so unusual attracted many wit- 

 nesses, and was not immediately put a stop to. In a little time after this discovery, 

 Lieut. Heyman noticed that all the food given to the bitch was taken by her to the 

 boy, and that she would not touch it until the child had given it up. My father up- 

 on one occasion gave the leg of a fowl to the bitch, with which she made off to the 

 blind boy, and pushed it into his mouth : the boy ate part of the flesh and gave back 

 the bone, which the bitch greedily demolished. Lieut. Heyman frequently kept the bitch 

 two or three days without food, — an experiment made at the request of friends, who 

 contemplated seeing the bitch devour the food, — but, true to her general practice, she 

 made directly to the blind child and offered him the food, which she would not taste 

 until he had done with it. This extraordinary attachment and feeding the blind boy 

 continued until the regiment embarked for England, the lad being then ten years old. 

 The bitch had become very old, and was destroyed. — H. G. Harrington ; 1, William 

 Terrace, Turnham Green, March 11, 1848. 



Anecdote of a Terrier. — A fine terrier, in the possession of a surgeon at Whitehaven, 

 about three weeks ago, exhibited its sagacity in a rather amusing manner. It came 

 into the kitchen and began plucking the servant by the gown, and in spite of repeated 

 rebuffs it perseveringly continued in its purpose. The mistress of the house, hearing 

 a noise, came down to inquire the cause, when the animal treated her in a similar 

 manner. Being struck with the concern evinced by the creature, she quietly followed 

 it up stairs into a bed-room, whither it led her ; there it commenced barking, looking 

 undei the bed and then up in her face. Upon examination, a eat was discovered 



