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Show 244 DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE " HWANG-YANG." [Feb. 28, The body was opened a few hours after death, when it was found that the stomach and intestines, especially the upper or duodenal and jejunal parts of the latter, were intensely congested, and bore all the aspect of acute inflammatory action. The piece of canvas evidently had caused a stoppage in the alimentary canal; and the secondary effects of this had been an enormous amount of secretion of bile, the gall-bladder being excessively distended with it, the vessels and ducts of the liver everywhere containing an unusual abundance of biliary fluid, of which also traces existed in the duodenum and stomach. No other foreign bodies were found in the intestinal tract. The lungs were very much congested, but all the other organs presented the appearance of health. Thus it would seem that the Sea-Bear had in some unknown manner obtained and swallowed the foreign bodies already spoken of, which produced a stoppage in the alimentary canal, and by their irritation brought on a bilious, or, as it is sometimes called, gastric fever, under which the poor creature succumbed. O n consideration, the symptoms bore out the post mortem examination. The reason of the chest or pneumonic symptoms may be best explained by the fact of the foreign body's lodgment in the first part of the intestines, which in this animal are protected by the posterior ribs ; and the unusual dulness on both sides of the inferior (or posterior) part of the thorax was due to the lobes of the liver occupying both the right and left hypochondriac regions. Tenderness of the abdomen was thus absent. The cutaneous coldness, no doubt, was produced by the biliousness. The laboured respiration occurred from the long congestion. In the present instance it m ay be said that a lesson ought to have been received from the circumstance that on a former occasion multitudes of fish-hooks were discovered in a Seal that had died in the Gardens. It may be answered that great care has always been taken on this score, every fish given to the Sea-Bear having been gutted. H o w the canvas and hook came to be swallowed is involved in mystery. 2. Note on the " Hwang-Yang," or Yellow Sheep of M o n golia. By Dr. J. E . G R A Y , F.R.S., V.P.Z.S., &c. The "Yellow Sheep," of which Dr. Lockhart has sent two skulls to the British Museum*, has been described by Pallas under the name " Feb. 16,1867. * " M Y D E A R SIR,-The horns I took to the Museum yesterday I brought with me from Pekin. The animal to which they belong is called Hwang-Yang, the Yellow or Imperial Sheep. It is brought into Peking from Mongolia in large numbers in a frozen state, and sold for food. The flesh is much esteemed for its fine flavour and tenderness, and is eagerly purchased both hv nativess and foreigners. '• The European gentlemen in Peking used to go into Mongolia on shooting-expeditions, for the purpose of hunting the Hwang- Yang. The animal, however, is very wary, and generally keeps a long way out of range, so that the hunters are not very successful. It is considered a great feat to kill one of them. " Yours very truly, " W. LOCKHART." |