516 



Zoological Society. 



considerably above twice and a half greater than their breadth ; while 

 in the Brown Owl the corpuscles are scarcely twice as long as they 

 are broad. 



" Now both the absolute size of the latter, as well as the relation 

 between their long and short diameters, approach very nearly to the 

 dimensions frequently presented by the corpuscles of various birds. 

 But in the Snowy Owl the corpuscles are not only peculiarly long, 

 in proportion to their breadth, but their absolute length is much 

 greater than is often to be found in the red particles of other birds, 

 whether belonging to the rapacious order or not. Indeed it is pro- 

 bable that the difference generally between the blood-disks of any 

 two orders of birds is not greater than that now indicated between 

 the disks of two species of one natural family, the Strigidce. 



" The corpuscles of the Snowy Owl, therefore, are very remark- 

 able and characteristic, as any one may immediately see who will 

 take the trouble to compare them with those of the Common Brown 

 Owl. I have examined the blood of several other species of this 

 family, and find the size and shape of the corpuscles of the Barn Owl 

 (Strix flammed) to tpproximate most nearly to those of the Snowy 

 Owl. 



" It will be seen that the nuclei of the blood particles of the 

 Snowy Owl, exposed by acetic acid, were fully three times the length 

 of their breadth ; and it may be noticed incidentally, that in most 

 birds the nuclei thus exhibited have a more elongated ellipse than the 

 outline of their envelopes*. 



" We might expect to find an exact resemblance between the ele- 

 mentary parts of such a truly natural family as the Columbidce, and 

 yet the observations show a striking difference between the blood 

 corpuscles of the Passenger and Russet Pigeons, the average long 

 diameter of the former being 1-1 909th, and the short diameter 

 l-4626th of an inch, while the latter are l-2314th of an inch long, 

 and l-3429th broad. Although I have examined the blood of many 

 different species of the Columbidce, in no instance did the corpuscles 

 agree in figure with those of the Passenger Pigeon ; in the Turtle 

 Dove (Columbia Turtur) the long diameter appeared to be nearly simi- 

 lar, but the short diameter agreed with that observed in the disks of 

 the Russet Pigeon. Hence there was a remarkable difference in 

 shape, and the corpuscles of the Passenger Pigeon, as far as I have 

 yet ascertained, are quite peculiar, since the singularly narrow ellipses 

 which they present have not hitherto been found in the red particles 

 of other species of the Columbid^. 



" It should be recollected, however, that the results of my obser- 

 vations may exhibit differences rather apparent than real, since our 

 knowledge of the blood corpuscles is at present so limited, that we 

 are not sure whether their size and shape may not be subject to some 

 variation in relation to season, to the habits, or to certain conditions 

 of the animal. In Man, and some of the other Mammalia, I have 

 seen remarkable changes in the appearance of the blood corpuscles, 



* See Dublin Medical Press, No. 59, March 4, 1840. 



