Bemarks on Torn-off Digits in Man. 27 
bird the ovary showed at the lower part, eggs the size of 
rapeseed, but a considerable part of the organ was darker 
in colour than usual, and harder in texture, apparently from 
disease. 
I am not aware of any instance of the female capercailzie 
assuming the plumage of the male having previously been 
recorded as occurring in Britain. 
Wednesday, January 28, 1863. — David Page, Esq., President, in tiie 
Chair. 
Alexander Edmonston, Esq., publisher, and John Sadler, Esq., were 
elected members of the Society. 
The following donations to the library were laid on the table, ano. 
thanks voted to the donors : — 
1. Transactions of the Zoological Society of London. Vol. IV., Part 
1861. 2, Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1861, 
Part 2, March, June. — From the Society. 3. The Canadian Naturalist 
and Geologist, and Proceedings of the Natural History Society of Mon- 
treal. Vol. VII., Nos. 2, 3, 4, April, June, August, 1862.— Frooji 
the Society. 4. (1.) Memorias de la Real Academia de Ciencias de 
Madrid. Tomo III., Ciencias Fisicas, 1859. Tomo IV. Ciencias Natii- 
rales, 1859. Tomo V., Ciencias Naturales, 1861. (2.) Resuraen de 
las Actas de Li Real Academia Ciencias de Madrid, 1853, 1854, 1855, 
1856, 1857, 1858, 1859.— From the Royal Academy of Sciences of 
Madrid. 
The following Communications were read :• — 
I. RemarTcs on Torn-off Digits in Man, with Reference to Analogous 
Injuries in the Lower Animals. By A. M'K. Edwards, Esq., 
F.R.C.S.E. (Specimens were exhibited.) 
The subject I am about to bring before you, though perhaps 
an unusual one for the Eoyal Physical Society, is, I think, 
an interesting one. Perhaps those members acquainted 
with the accidents which happen to wild animals may give 
us some information which may throw light on that very 
curious class of injuries, — the tearing away of limbs or 
portions of limbs. I intend confining myself to the tearing 
away of digits (and would first of all lay before the Society 
this specimen, No. 1). 
This subject was brought before the notice of the French 
Academy so long ago as 1753, when a large number of cases 
were published in the Memoirs of that society. 
