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marks on the peritoneal coat, opposite the disease in the internal surface. These black marks, of which the annexed is a representation, arise from a species of disorganisation, which is, I believe, peculiar to serous membranes, as I have never observed them in other structures; and, on that part of the intestinal tube being immersed in water a few hours, they disappear, and leave corresponding semiperforations. I have remarked the same appearance in the human intestines, accompanied with a softening and abrasion of the mucous tunic, and a general disease of a specific character affecting the whole serous covering of the abdominal viscera. The other morbid phenomena consist of a softening, erosion, and partial destruction of the spinal marrow, immediately adjoining the medulla oblongata, accompanied with a considerable effusion of bloody serum, and preternatural vascularity of the adjacent parts.

The extravasation of air is probably produced by the rupture of one of the axillary or thoracic air cells into which the animal has the power of inflating air from the lungs by means of numerous large tubes resembling the respiratory organs of insects. I am disposed to believe that there exists in these cases a direct communication between the cellular membrane infiltrated with air and the lungs; because, whenever I have punctured the integuments, and produced perfect collapse, the swelling and crackling have been speedily and repeatedly restored. I have not been able to trace the exact source from which the air proceeds, as the cells, even in large birds, are of delicate structure, and, in some, extend from the axilla under the skin along the neck; and, in young poultry, they are still more delicate. I hope to be able to ascertain this point, and to direct my enquiries more particularly to the state of the trachea and inferior larynx.

The morbid condition of the spinal medulla and the adjoining medullary structure is sufficient to account for the paralytic and convulsive affections of the upper extremities; but whether this state may be primary or secondary, appears to me at present uncertain. As I am engaged in the investigation of some diseases of the nervous system, which has led me to take advantage of comparative physiology and pathology, I decline at present entering any farther into this important subject.

Bridgnorth, Oct. 15. 1834.

[IN V. 207, 208. are figures and particulars of a species of intestinal worm, of which numerous individuals had been found

attached to the inner surface of the trachea (windpipe) of a number of pheasants that had died. In II. 300, 301., are particulars on the conditions of the death of a hen, which had died of strangulation from a lump of cellular substance which had been formed around the trachea immediately above its entrance under the breastbone. In I. 300., and II. 288., are remarks relative to the rearing of young pheasants; and, in the remarks in I. 300., it is noticed that certain young pheasants had died "very suddenly, as they " were "throwing out their crop and tail feathers." The late Rev. L. Guilding had made this note on that fact: "The destruction of the young pheasants may have proceeded from parasitic lice and acari. In the West Indies, these creatures are fatal; and a single acarus will sometimes kill a full-grown fowl. An account of these pests was sent [by me], with a drawing, to the conductors of the Zoological Journal, several years ago, who have not yet been able to insert it.-L. Guilding. St. Vincent, May 1. 1830."

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ART. III. Information on the Habits of a Species of Caprimulgus (or of some closely allied Genus) which inhabits the Neighbourhood of Lima. By Mr. ANDREW MATHEWS, A.L.S., Travelling Collector of Natural Productions in South America.

THE specimen sent is one of the male of a species which is common in the vicinity of Lima. It visits this neighbourhood in about the end of October or beginning of November. The female lays her egg (I have not seen more than one) upon the bare ground, without the least sign or preparation of a nest, and at a distance from any vegetation. One which I had watched daily, this last summer, until the young bird had become hatched from it, was laid on a "huaca" (a large heap of stones) planted around the base with grape vines; so that, had the bird preferred privacy, she might have placed her egg where it would have been more secret. The egg is of about the size of a blackbird's egg, of a dirty white or stone colour, mottled with olive and brownish green of different shades. The young is, at first, covered with a greyish down: as its feathers appear, it assumes the colour and markings of the parent. The female parent, during the period of incubation, is remarkably fearless, and will even suffer the hand to be brought within 2 ft. of her before she will quit her charge. Her colour is so much that of the ground and stones, that she, when sitting, is not readily observed. When she does quit her charge, it is only for the distance of a few yards;

and if she observes you touch or examine the egg, becomes restless, keeping her wings in motion, and uttering a low twitter of uneasiness. The male sits upon the ground during the day, beneath the branches of the vines, and usually commences his evening flight about five or six o'clock. Whilst the bird has been on the wing, I have frequently observed a sudden twist or bend of the head; but, from the quickness of its flight, and from its usually flying high, I cannot confirm or contradict what is advanced in III. 32, 33. [By Mr. Dillon, on the use of the pectinated claw of the nightjar. See also III. 188. 296. 449; IV. 275. 425.] That the South American species have the serrated claw may be seen by the specimen I send. In its stomach I found, on dissection, a quantity of mosquitoes and some coleopterous insects [this is the instance referred to in p. 560.], which were taken, probably, while it was on the wing. I do not think the bill suited to taking beetles upon the ground. These birds leave the neighbourhood of Lima in April or May. The specimen I send was shot at Lurin, about twenty miles from Lima, in the end of July: the species is called "durmidero" by the natives. As I am not well supplied with ornithological books, I shall feel obliged for information whether it be a described species, and, if it be, what it is called. I wish the specimen to be presented to the Linnæan Society for their collection.

So.

Lima, August 22. 1832.

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WE are sorry that we have so long withheld Mr. Mathews's communication, and present to him our apology for doing Our motive for the delay has been the wish to get the species identified with some one already described, or get it clearly distinguished as an undescribed one. We have not, even now, succeeded in attaining either object. One ornithologist, to whom we had submitted the specimen and account of it, has replied, - "I have searched the different ornithological works to which I have access, but without finding Mr. Mathews's goatsucker. It is probably undescribed." Another naturalist, versed in ornithology, to whom we had sent the specimen and account, has remarked in reply: — “I have here no means of ascertaining its systematic name; but can nevertheless assure you that it is a species very well known, so that a technical description of it would be unnecessary. It is one of those curious species with pectinated claws, but without any vibrissæ on the rictus, the absence of which has occasioned many naturalists to doubt that the former

structure is ever used to clear from the mouth the hooked claws of coleoptera, &c.; but, I think, without sufficient reason, for the beetles might hitch to the rictus as easily as to the vibrissæ, and more so. Mr. Mathews's account of its habits is interesting, and in these it resembles very closely the common species of this country; but one curious circumstance is mentioned, that of its laying but one egg, which, should it prove to be invariably the case, would be a remarkable anomaly in the genus. I wish that its note had been described."

To complete our account of the specimen of Caprimulgus sent by Mr. Mathews, we add a technical description of it, which the ornithologist first alluded to above has supplied.

Length, from the point of the beak to the end of the tail, 8 in.; from the point of the beak to the gape (rictus), seven eighths of an inch; width of mouth across, 1 in. The whole of the upper surface of the back, a speckled ash grey, marked on the top of the head with dashes of black and streaks of the same colour on the back. The general colour of the upper surface of the wings rather lighter than that of the back, beautifully mottled, and various feathers distinctly marked with black at their bases, and yellow at their points. The primaries black, dusky towards the tips, with a minute edging of white. The bird was a male; and the first four primaries are marked with an oval spot of white which pervades both webs. The wing, from the point of the shoulder to the end of the second primary, which is the longest, measures 6 in. The two centre tail feathers are of the same speckled ash-grey colour as the back, but are barred obliquely with black; and, when the tail was closed, these two feathers hid all the others: the outer, four on each side, are mottled over their proximal half [the half nearer the body] with black and white; the distal half [the half farther from the body, black, with the sexual white spot in the centre of the black, extending over both webs. The chin freckled with reddish brown and black. The throat white; this colour extending on both sides to the space behind the opening of the ear. The whole of the under surface of the body and the wings pale rufous brown, transversely barred with dusky black. The under surface of the tail primaries alternately barred with black and white. The bird, in smallness of size, as well as in the want of vibrissæ on each side of the beak, resembles the swallows; but in every other respect is a perfect Caprimulgus, and has the middle toes nearly as long again as the outer ones, with the claw broad and strongly pectinated.

To keep our clew of the notices in this Magazine on certain Caprimulgidæ, mostly the Caprimulgus europæ`us, wound up, we now add V. 726.; VII. 156. 347. and note *, 511. 559, 560. 633., to the references given in V. 674.

In IV. 424., V. 241., VII. 511. 559., objections are expressed to the application of the names goatsucker, Caprimúlgus, and Nyctichelìdon, to the species of birds to which they are applied, as not any species of them either sucks a goat; milks a goat, which deed the word Caprimulgus imputes; or is a night-swallow, strictly speaking, which the word Nyctichelidon, taken literally, implies it to be. O. has remarked, in VII. 511., that a species which visits Lower Canada is called by the inhabitants "the mosquito hawk;" and he has added, that this is " a more appropriate name, as relates to the habits of the bird, than goatsucker." Mr. Mathews has informed us above, that the species which is the subject of his notice had fed on mosquitoes and coleopterous insects. In relation to the name of the species which visits Britain, a correspondent has recently asked as follows:"Would not the name Nyctivociferàtor europæ us be preferable to Caprimulgus europæ us L., or to Nyctichelìdon europæ`us Rennie? All the kinds of the genus Caprimúlgus' are addicted to screeching: some in the night.-W. H. Y. Sept. 10. 1834." As we suspect that our correspondent's proposed generic name of seven syllables, the first two Greek, the rest Latin, will scarcely be well received, we may state that he had previously proposed, in a communication, dated July 5., "Vociferator europæ`us," as the name of the nightjar which visits Britain. "Vociferator," as a generic name, is free from the literary objections to which "Nyctivociferàtor" is subject. All these words about names, which we have for once indulged in, may serve to instance reasons, however humble ones, for the opinion on generic names which Dr. Lindley has expressed, and other naturalists have concurred in. (See VI. 232.) His opinion is this:-" So impossible is it to construct generic names that will express the peculiarities of the species they represent, that I quite agree with those who think a good unmeaning name by far the best that can be contrived.”

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Previous contributions by Mr. Mathews will be found in II. 67. and III. 431. In VI. 314–319. are figures and descriptions of some marine animals which Mr. Mathews had discovered, and a notice of the fact of his having collected many species of plants in South America, some of them not previously discovered ones, and of Dr. Hooker's having named a South American plant, Mathéwsia foliòsa, in honour of him. Besides Mr. Mathews's attention to, and acquisition of, objects

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