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On the Infraorbital Cavities in Deers and Antelopes , called 
Larmiers by the older French Naturalists. By A. Jacob, 
M.D., Professor of Anatomy to the Royal College of Sur¬ 
geons in Ireland. 
In compliance with the recommendation of the Committee of 
the Zoological Section of the Association made at the meeting 
in Cambridge in 1833, I have availed myself of such opportu¬ 
nities as have been afforded me for investigating the nature, 
structure, and uses of these remarkable parts. To those alto¬ 
gether unacquainted with the subject, it is necessary to state 
that they consist of two oval depressions about an inch and a 
half long, half an inch wide, and more than three quarters of an 
inch deep, in the majority of instances; situated on the side of 
the face, and so near to the inner angle of the eye that they 
create a very reasonable suspicion that they are connected 
with that organ, and hence the term larmier applied to them. 
The bottom of the depression is in most cases naked, but in 
some it is covered with the hair; consequently it is composed 
of the skin formed, into an open sac accommodated in a cor¬ 
responding depression in the bones of the face. In many ani¬ 
mals provided with this organ a gutter, formed by folds of 
skin, leads so directly to it from the surface of the eye, that the 
passage of the tears from the one place to the other appears in¬ 
evitable, viiile in others this communication is so imperfect 
that a doubt is at once raised as to its destination to such a pur¬ 
pose. If the part in question be not a cavity, as suggested by 
some, in .which the overflowing secretions from the surface of 
the eye are disposed of by evaporation, another reason for its 
existence must be assigned. The arguments which may be 
urged against the supposition that it is destined to receive the 
tears are, first, that it exists in the antelopes and deers only, and 
is even absent or merely rudimental in many of these, while in 
animals said to be destitute of the usual canals for carrying off 
the tears to the nose, as the elephant and hippopotamus, it is 
absent; secondly, that the solid concretion generally found in 
it is not composed of such ingredients as the tears and other 
secretions from the surface of the eye should afford. 
If the conclusion that these are cavities for the reception of 
tears be discarded, their identity of nature and character with 
the numerous provisions for the secretion of peculiar or odori¬ 
ferous materials suggests itself. In many instances, especially 
