Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 6.djvu/290

284 284 DR. JOHN SCOULER. but it was cut up before I was aware of it. I was enabled, however, to make a few notes. The brain was similar in structure to that of the shark. The olfactory nerves were very large, & before entering the olfactory membrane they expanded into large ganglia. The iris is of a silvery lustre ; & the pupil of a deap blue colour. The sclerotis is very thin about the entrance of the optic nerve; but becomes more thick towards the circle of union with the cornea & iris. The whole membrane is of a very brittle texture. The corn.ea is flat, easily separated from the sclerotic, proving distinctly that these membranes are not continuous. The serous membrane which bounds the aqueous chamber I was able to detach, [?] though not in so complete a manner as the subject requires. The con- tinuation of the conjunctiva over the livid cornea was ex- ceedingly distinct, & I was able to trace it even to the centre of the cornea. The crystalline lens is far from being so spherical in most fishes. The interior portion is the section of a larger sphere, while the anterior part is smaller & rather flat; it has also two small lateral processes which adhere pretty firmly to the vitreous humour. 26. This morning we were becalmed about 30 miles of[f] Easter island & remained during the whole day in this situation, as there was not a breath of wind to disturb the smoothness of the ocean. 14 January. After loosing sight of Easter island we soon fell in with favourable western breezes, which carried us at the rate of 9 miles an hour. The albatrosses which were so abundant on our outward voyage have almost entirely disappeared, & it [is] only a few straggling indi- viduals we see in blowy weather. To-day we witnessed the agre[e]able novelty of another vessel. We could only learn, however, that she was the Swallow of White Haven bound for Valparaiso. It was a severe dissapointment to