WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 
“ Dr. Murie’s report was as follows : — 
“ ‘ On examination of the specimen, I found, as was at first 
suggested in joke, that the bag did absolutely consist of nothing 
else than the thickened semichondrified lining membrane of the 
gizzard. All the puckerings and indentations were more or 
less exactly represented, though less sharp in outline than is 
ordinarily the case. The mucous surface of the inner wall of 
the bag was slimy, otherwise perfectly identical with the same 
structure in a healthy bird. The surface outside, on that which 
might be said to be the sub-mucous tissue, was moist, com- 
paratively uninjured, and free from any effusion or disease. 
The rim of the mouth of the bag was irregular and shreddy, 
and thinned away at its free edge. 
“ ‘The soft egg-like bodies contained within this (so to speak) 
cast-up sac proved to be seven or eight discoloured grapes ; or 
they might be, so far as appearance went, raisins. None of 
these had undergone the process of digestion, but from their 
sodden aspect, I believe had been slightly acted on by the 
gastric juice. 
“‘Positive of the nature of this queer rejected pellet, there 
follows the still more extraordinary circumstance that the 
hornbill should live and feed afterwards, seemingly not much 
afiected by the loss of the inner coat of its stomach. Had I not 
myself seen and examined the objects, I would scarcely have 
credited the facts.’ 
“Having placed the specimen in what I believed to be safe 
custody, I kept a strict watch over my suspected hornbill, and 
a day or two afterwards was rewarded by a second and very 
perfect specimen of tliis extraordinary package of fruit. This 
I at once, after carefully examining the outside only, placed 
in spirits, and am now able to bring before the meeting. Since 
I obtained tliese two specimens I have seen others, all from the 
same individual bird ; but, as the lyre-bird and others were in 
the same aviary, these were mutilated and destroyed before I 
could save them. 
“Now, notwithstanding all that has been advanced by my 
friend Dr. Murie, I beg leave to differ from him entirely : and 
instead of this most wonderful body being tlie result of indi- 
gestion, disease, or derangement of any kind, I have no doubt 
it is the natural secretion that is provided for this bird during 
the breeding-season, and that it is the means by which the male 
hornbill supplies the female bird with food during the time she 
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