J, /&r^/:t,o^ ANNALS OF NATURAL HISTORY? OE, MAGAZINE OF ZOOLOGY, BOTANY, AND GEOLOGY, (being a continuation of the 'magazine of zoology and botany,' and SIR w» J. hooker's ' botanical companion.') CONDUCTED BY Sir W. JARDINE, Bart.— P. J. SELBY, Esq., Dr. JOHNSTON, DAVID DON, Esq., Prof. Bot. King's Coll. Lond., AND RICHARD TAYLOR, F.L.S. VOL. V. LONDON: PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY R. AND J. E. TAYLOR. SOLD BY S. HIGHLEY; SIMPKIN AND MARSHALL ; SHERWOOD AND CO.: W. WOOD, TAVISTOCK STREET , BAILLIERE, REGENT STREET, AND PARIS : LIZARS, AND MACLACHLAN AND STEWART, EDINBURGH : CURRY, DUBLIN : AND ASHER, BERLIN. 1840. " Ornnes res creatse sunt divinse sapientiae et potentiae testes, divitize felicitatis hunianae : ex harum usu honitas Creatoris ; ex pulchritudine sapientia Domini ; ex oeconomia in conservatione, proportione, renovatione, potentia majestatis elucet. Earumitaque indagatio ab hominibus sibi relictis semper sestimata; avere eruditid et sapientibus semper exculta ; male doctis et barbaris semper inimica fuiL" — Linn. ^£> 9 -// J' CONTENTS OF VOL. V. NUMBER XXVIII. Page I. On Scrophularia aquatica of Linnaeus and Ehvliart. By Chari,es Abbot Stevens, Esq., B.A., F.B.S.E. (With a Plate.) page 1 II. Catalogue of the Species of Fungi obtained in the North of Ire- land, by John Templeton, Esq., of Cranmore, Belfast. By Thomas Taylor, M.D., M.R.I.A., F.L.S. ^v....v, 3 III. Additions to the Fauna of Ireland. By W. Thompson, Esq., Vice-Pres. of the Natural History Society of Belfast 6 IV. Nonnullorum Cerambycitum novorufn, Novam Hollandiam et Insulam Van Diemen habitantium, characteres. By Edward Newman, F.L.S., &c 14 «. V. Description of Limneus involutus, Harvey, MS. By W. Thomp- son, Vice-President of the Natural History Society of Belfast; — with ■an account of the Anatomy of the Animal. By John Goodsir, Esq. {With a Plate) , „ 22 VI. On certain characters in the Crania and Dentition of Carnivora which may serve to distinguish the subdivisions of that Order. By G. R. Waterhouse, Esq. *. ,., 25 VII. Summary Description of Four new Species of Otter. By B. H. Hodgson, Resident at Catmandu, Nepal 27 VIII. Information respecting Botanical Travellers; — Mr. Schom- burgk's Narrative of his recent Expedition in Guiana 29 New Books: — A History of British Ferns, by Edward Newman, F.L.S. — Iter Hispaniense, or a Synopsis of Plants <;ollect«d in the South- ern Provinces of Spain and Portugal, by Philip Barker Webb — Otia Hispanica, seu Delectus Plan tarum rariorum aut nondum rite notarum per Hispanias sponte nascentium, Auctore P. B.Webb. — On theOrgans of Secretion in Plants, by Dr. F. J. F. Meyen, — De- scription of a new Genus of Plants of th« Family Legwninoste, by Guglielmo Gasparini.— Observations on the duration and germina- tion of Grammitis, by Guglielmo Gasparini 36 — 43 Proceedings of the Liniwean Society ; Zoological Society; Microscopical Society; Royal Irish Academy 44 — 67 On Datisca Cannahina and Impregnation ; On a new Genus of Cepha- lopoda ; Derivation of the TefT and the Tocusso, two Species of IV CONTENTS. Abyssinian Grasses; The Snake Nut; M. von Humboldt on Mr. Darwin's Voyage of the Beagle, and on Mr. Schomburgk's Expedition; Meteorological Observations and Table page 69—72 NUMBER XXIX. IX. On the Structure of the Cellular Membrane in Mosses and He- paticae. By Dr. M. J. Schleiden 73 X. On a minute Alga which colours Ballydrain Lake, in the county of Antrim. By Wm. Thompson, Esq., Vice-Pres. Nat. Hist. Society of Belfast 75 XI. Contributions towards a knowledge of the Mollusca Nudi- branchia and Mollusca J'unicata of Ireland, with Descriptions of some apparently new Species of Invertebrata. By Wm. Thompson, Esq., Vice-Pres. Nat. Hist. Society of Belfast. (With a Plate) 84 XII. On some New and Rare British Mollusca. By Edward Forbes, M.W.S., For. Sec. B.S., &c. (With a Plate) 102 XIII. Catalogue of the Species of Reptiles collected in Cuba by W. S. MacLeay, Esq. ; — with some Notes of their Habits extracted from his MS. By J. E. Gray, Esq., F.R.S. 108 XIV. Characters of Five new Species of Orchidaceous Plants from Dominica. By Prof. Lindley 115 XV. Information respecting Zoological and Botanical Travellers : — Mr. Gould's Expedition to examine the Zoology of Australia 116 Mr. Griffith's Journal of the Mission to Bootan 119 New BooTcs: — Observations on the Blood Corpuscles, or Red Particles, of the Mammiferous Animals, by George Gulliver, F.R.S. , F.Z.S. — Genera et Species Staphylinorum Insectorum Coleopterorum fa- miliae : auctore Guil. F. Erichson, &c. &c. — The Petrified Insects of Solenhofen, described by Professor Germar of Halle. — Transac- tions of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club.. 125 — 129 Proceedings of the Linnaean Society ; Tweedside Physical and Anti- quarian Society ; Orkney Natural History Society ; Microscopical Society of London ; Zoological Society 130 — 139 Hirundo purpurea, Purple Marten of America ; Notice respecting Am- phipeplea glutmosa\ On Pinus pitmilio, Hk^ by Professor Goep- pert; On the Nests of the Fifteen-spined Stickleback, or Gaste- rosteus spinachia of Linnaeus ; On Vespertilio tsdilis, Jenyns ; A new Marsupial Animal ; A new Species of Fossil Dolphin ; On the Mineral called Dysodil as a product from the Shells of Infusoria, by C. G. Ehrenberg; Meteorological Observations and Table 146 — 152 NUMBER XXX. XVI. On the Irregular Form of the Flower of the PapiUonacece. By H. Walpers, from the Linneea, vol. xiii 153 CONTENTS. V XVII. On the StmctniG of the Ovule in Plants. By M. J. Sciileiden, M.D., Proffessor of Botany in the University of Jena page 162 XVIII. On the Bone of an unknown Struthious Bird of large size from New Zealand. By Richard Owen, Esq., F.R.S IGG XIX. Miscellanea Zoologica. By George Johnston, M.D., Fel- low of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh 168 XX. On the British Actiniadce. By Edward Forbes, Esq. (With aPlate.) 180 XXI. A short Outline of a Fauna for Part of Herefordshire. By R. M. LiNGwooD, Esq., F.L.S , 184 XXII. Monograph of the Dorylidcs, a Family of the Hymenoptera Heterogyna, By W. E. Shuckard, Esq 188 XXIII. Description of the Snake-nut Tree of Guiana. By Robert H. ScHOMBURGK, CM., R.G.S. (With a Plate.) 202 XXIV. Information respecting Botanical Travellers : — Mr. Griffith's Journal of the Mission to Bootan 205 New BooJcs : — A Report on the Progress of Vegetable Physiology du- ring the year 1837, by F. J. F. Meyen, M.D., Professor of Botany in the University of Berlin. Translated from the German, by William Francis, A.L.S. — A list of the Genera of Birds, with an indication of the Typical Species of each Genus, by George Robert Gray 211—214 Proceedings of the Zoological' Society 215 Botanical Information : — "Unio Itineraria;" Note on Argulus folia- ceus, Juvine, by Wm. Thompson, Esq. ; Infusorial Animalcules in Red Snow ; Meteorological Observations and Table 219 — 224 NUMBER XXXI. XXV. On the recent Doctrines of Vegetable Embryology. By Herbert Giraud, Member of the Council of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh. (With a Plate.) 225 XXVI. Observations on the Family Helicidcs, and description of a new Genus. By Dr. L. Pfeiffer of Cassel 238 XXVII. Some Remarks on the foregoing Paper of Dr. L. Pfeiffer, especially on the Clausium of Clausilia. By John Edward Gray, F.R.S., Keeper of the Zoological Collection in the British Museum ... 243 XXVIII. Additions to the Fauna of Ireland, By Wm. Thompson, Esq., Vice-Pres. Nat. Hist. Society of Belfast 245 XXIX. On the " Freshwater Carriers," or Thelidomus oi Mr. Swain- son • 257 XXX. Monograph of the Dorylida;, a Family of the Hymenoptera Heterogyna. By W. E. Shuckard, Esq 258 VI CONTENTS. XXXI. Miscellanea Zoologica. By George Johnston, Esq., M.D., &c. — Beania mirabilis, a new Genus of Zoophyte page 272 XXXII. Descriptions, &c. of some rare or interesting Indigenous Insects. By John Curtis, Esq., F.L.S., &c 274 XXXIII. Information respecting Botanical and Zoological Travellers : — Mr. Schomburgk's recent Expedition in Guiana : — Otters of Guiana 282 New Booh : — A Manual of the Land and Freshwater Shells of the British Islands, with Figures of each of the kinds, by William Tur- ton, M.D. A new Edition, by John Edward Gray, F.R.S 288 Proceedings of the Wernerian Natural History Society : Microscopical ^ Society 290, 291 On a Torpedo taken on the Irish Coast, by Wm. Thompson^ Esq. ; Meteorological Observations and Table 292 — 296 NUMBER XXXII. XXXIV. Notes on some Viviparous Plants. By George Dickie, Esq., A.L.S., Lecturer on Botany in Marischal College, Aberdeen ... 297 XXXV. On Ulex. By Charles C. Babington, M.A., F.L.S., F.G.S., &c. (With Wood Engravings.) 300 XXXVI. Miscellanea Zoologica. By George Johnston. M.D., Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh : — Irish Anne- iides. (With a Plate.) 305 XXXVII. On the Corymorpha nutans of Sars, a remarkable Hy- droid Polype. By Edward Forbes, Esq., and John Goodsir, Esq.... 309 XXXVIII. Monograph of the DorylidcB, a Family of the Hyme- noptera Heterogyna. By W. E. Shuckard, Esq. (Concluded.) 315 XXXIX. Description of a new Species of the genus Lophotus, from the collection of Charles Darwin, Esq. By G. R. Waterhouse, Esq., Curator to the Museum of the Zoological Society, &c. &c 329 XL. Description of a new Species of Balanus, from the Cabinet of Samuel Wright, Esq., of Cork. By the Rev. W. Hincks, F.L.S 333 XLI. On the Effects produced upon Animal and Vegetable Life by the Winter of 1838. By P. J. Selby, of Twizel House 331 XLII. Information respecting Botanical and Zoological Travellers : — Dr. Parnell, Mr. Jerdon, Mr. Cuming, Dr. Krauss, and Mr. Schomburgk 340 Proceedings of the Zoological Society ; Botanical Society of London ; Royal Irish Academy; Orkney Natural History Society 348 — 360 Prize Question in Vegetable Physiology; Bottle-nosed Whale; Re- markable change of Habit in the Hare ; Note on Animalcules, CONTENTS. Vll by E. Forbes, Esq. ; Mr. Thompson's Notes on Irish Birds ; New Species oi Agrilus; The Rev. Mr. Hincks on Mr. Gray's edition of Turton's Manual of Shells ; Meteorological Observations and Table page 361—368 NUMBER XXXIII. XLIII. Remarks on Du Petit Thouars's Theory of the Origin of Wood. By Edwin Lankester, M.D., F.L.S., &c 369 XLIV. On the Teuerium regium of Schreber. By Charles C. Ba- BiNGTON, M.A., F.L.S., F.G.S., &c 375 XLV. On the Strength of the Vital Principle in Intestinal Worms. By Dr. C. E. Mi ram, Teacher of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy in the Academy of Wilna 377 XLVI. Excerpta Botanica, or abridged Extracts translated from the Foreign Journals, illustrative of, or connected with, the Botany of Great Britain. By W. A. Leighton, Esq., B.A., F.B.S.E., &c 380 M. Brongniart on the Functions of the Hairs on the Stigma in the Fecundation of the Campanulacese. XLVII. Sketch of the Natural History of Leeds and its Vicinity for Twenty Miles. By Henry Denny, Esq 382 XL VIII. i^ppendix to Mr. Shuckard's Monograph of the Dorylidee, containing a Description of two new Species oi Lahidus 396 XLIX. Information respecting Botanical and Zoological Travellers : — M. Tschudy 398 Mr. Schomburgk 399 Mr. Griffith 405 New Books : — A History of the Fossil Fruits and Seeds of the London Clay, by James Scott Bowerbank, F.G.S., &c. — British Entomo- logy ; being Illustrations and Descriptions of the Genera of Insects found in Great Britain and Ireland : containing coloured Figures from Nature of the most rare and beautiful species, and in many instances of the Plants upon which they are found, by John Curtis, Esq., F.L.S., &c 410—415 Proceedings of the Microscopical Society of London ; Zoological So- ciety ; American Philosophical Society 415 — 421 On the Flower or Fruit of Ferns ; Potamogeton pralongus ; The Cocos de Mer; Propagation by Hybrids; Meteorological Observa- tions and Table 421—426 Index 427 PLATES IN VOL. V. Plate L Limneus involutus. — Scrophularia Ehrharti. II. British Mollusca. III. Iluanthus Scoticus. — Snake-nut. IV. Vegetable Embryology. V. Polynoe scolopendrina. *IV. Nipadites Parkinsonis. * This Plate retains the Number (IV.) which it holds in Mr. Bowerbank' Work. ERRATA. Page 76, line 8 from bottom : for latter read last. — 315, — 14 : /or noticed rearf naked. — 363, — 8 from bottom : for isolating one specimen to a drop of, &c,, read isolating one specimen. To a drop of, &c. y^/C/t-J^tZil/l-St .Vol .^ J^i//z^isi/s invol^vti/,? Scro/iA/v/yyyV-a. A'/irA^.rli ANNALS OF NATURAL HISTORY. I. — On Scrophularia aquatica of Linnaeus and Ehrhart. By Charles Abbot Stevens, Esq., B.A., F.B.S.E.* [With a Plate.] An examination, through the kindness of Professor Don, of the specimens of Scrophularim in the Linnaean and Smithian Her- baria has confirmed a suspicion I have for some time had, that under the name of S, aquatica two distinct species have been confounded by botanists : one, the original S, aquatica of Lin- naeus ; the other the S. aquatica of Ehrhart^s ^ Plantae Offici- nales/ Thus in his ' English Flora,' Sir J. E. Smith has com- bined the characters of the two under that name ; his diagnosis, which is merely a translation from that in Linn. ^ Sp. PL', be- longing to the former plant, while to the latter his description principally refers, — not entirely, as some of the characters of S. aquatica, Linn, are mixed up in it. The fact of there being a specimen of each of the two species on the same paper in his Herbarium will account for the description having been thus drawn up from their combined characters, as he evidently considered the two as one species, and identical with S, aqua- tica, Linn. By several German authors the plant of Ehrhart is described under the name of /S. aquatica, while the true >S^. aquatica, Linn, is described as another species under the name of S, Balbisii, It seems not improbable that the combination into one of the two species by the late possessor of the Linnaean Herbarium may, for the very reason of that possession, have been the cause of their mistake. The inspection during the last season of a great number of specimens, amounting to not less than several hundred, of S. aquatica, Linn, afforded me no instance of any variation in the integrity of the staminodium ; nor have I ever seen any specimen at all approaching ;S^. aquatica, Ehrh. in the inflo- rescence or in general habit. There can, I imagine, be na * Read to the Botanical Society of Edinburgh, Feb. 13, 1840. Ann, Nat, Hist, Vol. 5. No. 38. March 1840. b 2 Mr. C. A. Stevens on Scrophularia aquatica. doubt of their distinctness. Roots are, I understand, in the possession of an eminent British botanist, who, by cultivation thereof, will doubtless be enabled shortly to determine the point beyond dispute. In the mean time it may be useful to give the respective characters of the two plants. They are as follow : 1. S. aquatica, Linn. Foliis cordato-ovatis rotundato-obtusis cre- nato-serratis, inferioribus auriculatis, caule petiolisque alatis, panicula terminali, cymis lateralibus corymbosis multi-(8 — 15)- floris, laciniis calycinis subrotundis margine late scariosis, sta- minodio subrotundo-reniformi integro, capsula ovata subacuta. Betonica aquatica, Dalech. Hist. 1356. Ger. Em. 715. f. S. radice fibrosa, Moris. Oxon. ii. 482. s. 5. t. 8. f. 4. S. aquatica major, Raii Hist. 764. S. foliis conjugatis, &c.. Hall. Helv. 618. Boehm. Lips. QQ. n. 150. S. aquatica, Linn. Herb. Sp. PL 864". Curt. Fl. Lond, v. t. 44. Engl. Bot. t. 854. Krock. Fl. Siles. ii. 393. Sibth. Fl. Oxon. 196. Sm. Fl. Brit. 663. Hook. Fl. Scot. 189. Grev. Fl.Edin. 137. Sm. E. Fl. iii. 139. (diagn. only). Sm.Herb. n. 2. With Bot. Arr. (ed. 7.) iii. 738. Hook. Br. Fl. (ed. 4.) 239. *Sebast, et Mauri Fl. Rom. 205. *PollinusFl. Veron. 325. S. scorodonia (aquatica ? Sm. not.) Linn. Herb, (without ref. to Sp.Pl.) S. Balbisii, "Hornem. FL Hafn. ii. 577." Bluff et Fingerh. (ed. 2.) i. p. 2. 389. Koch. Syn. 515. ''Guss. Fl. Sic. Prodr. ii. 172. Hab. Cambridgeshire, very common, Mr. H. Baber. Shropshire, common, Mr. W. A. Leighton. Very common in ditches and damp places in Kent, and probably general throughout England. Perennial, July — September. Root fibrous. Stem erect, from 2 — 8 feet high, branched below, mostly simple above, square, winged at the angles. Leaves ovate-oblong or elliptical, cordate at the base, very ob- tuse, uppermost occasionally subacute, the lower ones with one or a pair of variously shaped stalked or sessile accessorial leaflets, smooth or downy beneath, doubly-, the upper ones most simply-, crenate. Petioles winged, channelled, decurrent. Panicle of many distant, mostly opposite, dichotomous, many flowered, compact, corymbose cymes. Peduncles and pedicels glandulose. Bracts linear obtuse, rarely (as in the specimen in the Linnaean Herbarium, which is, however, apparently * For these references I am indebted to Mr. C. C. Babington. Mr. Templeton on the Fungi of the^Nort/i 0/ Ireland, 3 of garden growth), developed into lanceolate acute leaves. Sterile filament rotundato-reniform, entire. Sepals with a broad membranous margin, torn at the edges. Capsules ovate, more or less acute. 2. S. Ehrharti. Foliis ovato-lanceolatisve basi subcordatis acutis serratis, caule petiolisque alatis, panicula terminali, cymis late- ralibus laxis pauci-(4 — 6)-floris, laciniis calycinis subrotundis margine late scariosis, staminodio bifido laciniis divaricatis, cap- sula globosa obtusissima. S. aquatica, Ehrh. PL Off. n. 156. Sm. Herh. n. 1. FL Dan. t. 507. Kunthy FL BeroL ii. 60. Bluff et Fingerh. 1. c. Rchb, FL excurs. Ti. 2^Q2. Koch, Syn. 515. "^Peterm.FL Lips. 459. *Host. FL Austr. ii. 203. *Wimm. et Grab. FL Siles. ii. 226. Hab. Edinburgh, Mr. W. H. Campbell-, Cramond Woods, West Lothian, Dr. A. Hunter. It has also, I believe, been found near Primrose Hill by Mr. J. D. C. Sowerby. Perennial Root fibrous. Stem erect, 2 — ? feet high,^ simple, square, winged at the angles. Leaves ovate, ovate-oblong or lanceolate, slightly cordate at the base, acute, simply and finely serrate. Panicle of many, mostly alternate, dichotomous few-flowered cymes. Peduncles and pedicels divaricating, slightly glandu- lose. Bracts foliaceous lanceolate acute, simple or tripartite, in which latter case the segments are lanceolate. Sterile fila- ment obreniform, bifid, the lobes divaricating. Sepals with a broad torn membranous margin. Capsule globose, very obtuse. REFERENCES TO PLATE I. fig. L a a. Single cymes of the two Plants. b b. Staminodia of ditto. c c. Margins of leaves of ditto. II. — Catalogue of the Species of Fungi obtained in the North of Ireland, by John Templeton, Esq., of Cranmore, Belfast. By Thomas Taylor, M.D., M.R.I.A., F.L.S. Dunkerron, Kenmare, 12th March 1839. The following Catalogue of Fungi collected by the late Mr. John Templeton in the vicinity of Belfast, is drawn up from drawings and specimens left by him, and which Mrs. Templeton placed in my hands, with a desire that I should carefully ascertain the species and their modern names with a view to * For these references I am indebted to Mr. C. C. Babington. b2 4 Dr. T. Taylor on the Fungi collected publication. I have bestowed upon them my best attention ; and yet the list is deficient by a few of the drawings whose counterparts I have not yet met with in nature, and by a very few of the specimens from whose imperfect state no satisfac- tory conclusions could be drawn. Still I cannot but admire the industry and talents of one who, at least equally successful in all the other departments of zoology and of botany, dis- played so intimate a knowledge of plants difficult of investi- gation, at least before the termination of the last century, when the greater part of his collection was already made. Thos. Taylor. collinitus, Sow. fastibilis, Pers. flavidus, Schcsff. scaber, Mull. geophyllus, Bull. tener, Schoeff. involuttis, Batsch. variabilis, Pers. Georgii, With. campestris, L. semiglobatus, Batsch, 1. Agaricus, Linn. vaginatus, Batsch. muscarius, L. clypeolarius, Bull. cristatus, Bolt. eburneus, Bull. rutilans, Schoeff. multiformis, Schoeff. personatus, Fr. "• alutaceus, Pers. emeticus, Schoeff. cilicioides, Fr. zonarius, With. giganteus, Sow. nebularis, Batsch. pratensis, Pers. puniceus, Fr. coccineus, Wulf. laccatus. Scop. pelianthinus, Fr. butyraceus, Bull. compressus, Sow. confluens, Pers. Clavus, Bull. Rotula, Scop. androsaceus, L. caulicinalis, Bull. galericuiatus, Scop. purus, Pers. corticola. Bull. stellatus, Fr. umbelliferus, L. fragrans, Sow. flabelliformis. Bolt. applicatus, Batsch. fertilis, Pers. pascuus, Pers. evernius, Fr. gentilis, Fr. $ublanatus, Sow. bulbosus. Sow. scamrus, Fr. aureus, Bull. squarrosus, Miill. mutabilis, Schoeff. 5. Boletus, Dill. luteus, L. bovinus, L. piperatus, Bull. subtomentosus, L. edulis, Bull. fascicularis, Huds. semiovatus, Sow. Boltoni, Pers. disseminatus, Pers. atramentarius, Bull. micaceus, Bull. cinnamomeus, L. personatus, Fr. fragilis, Batsch. dilutus, Pers. cohaerens, Pers. cyathiformis, Bull. chalybeus, Pers. Bulliardii, Temp. 2. Canthakellus, ^'mans, Wulf. 4. PoLYPORUS, ilficA. lentus. Berk. squamosus, Huds. perennis, L. giganteus, Pers. versicolor, L. pallescens, Fr. radiatus. Sow. medulla panis, Jacq. ferruginosus, Schrad. 6. FiSTULlNA, hepatica. With. 7. Hydnum, Linn. repandum, L. 8. Thelephora, Ehrh. epidermea, Pers. ccerulea, Schrad. aurantiaca. Sow. calcea, Pers. purpurea, Pers. rubiginosa, Schrad. hirsuta, Willd. laciniata, Pers. 9. Clavaria, VaiU. coralloides, L. rugosa. Bull. pistillaris, L, vermicularis. Sow. tuberosa, Sow. cornea, Batsch. insequalis, Miill. pratensis, Pers. 10. Geoglossum, Pers. glabrum, Pers. 11. Mitrula, Fr. paludosa, Fr. 12. Typhula, Fr. erythropus, Fr. 13. PiSTILLARIA, Fr. puberula. Berk. in the K of Ireland by Mr, Templeton. 14. HELVELiiA, Linn. lacunosa, Afz. 15. Leotia, Hill. lubrica, Scop. 16. Peziza, Dill vesiculosa, BulL humosa, Fr. coccinea, Jacq, brunnea, Aib. &[ Schw. scutellata, L. stercorea, Pers. virginea, Batsch. calycina, Schum, inflexa, Bolt. Calycvdus, Sow. citrina, Hedw. lenticularis, Bull. cinerea, Batsch. acicularis, Bull. aurantia, Pers. aquatica, DeCand. cochleata, Bull. lycoperdioides, DeCand. nivea, Hedw.fil. villosa, Pers. papillata, Pers. 17. Bulgaria, Fr. sarcoides, Jacq. 18. Tremella, Dill. mesenterica, Retz. albida, Smith. sarcoides, With. difFormis, With. 19. Dacrymycks, Nees. stillatus, Nees. 20. ScLEROTiuM, Tode. complanatum, Tode. durum, Pers. 21. NiDULARIA, Bull. Crucibulum, Pers. 22. Sph^robolus, Tode. stellatus, Tode. 23. PiLOBOLus, Tode. crystallinus, Tode. 24. Sph^ria, Hall. militaris, L. Hypoxyloii, L. carpophila, Pers. fragiformis, Pers. fusca, Pers. stigma, Hoffm. disciformis, Hoffm. flavo-virens, Hoffm. coccinea, Pers. aurantia, Pers. byssiseda, Tode. moriformis, Tode. Pulvis pyrius, Pers. ocellata, Fr. Tiliae, Pers. Gnomon, Tode. punctiformis, Pers. iEgopodii, Pers. Vaccinii, Sow. Taxi, Sow. rimosa, Sow. Ilicis, Schleich. lanciformis, Fr. spermoides, Hoffm. acuta, Hoffm. serpens, Pers. 25. DoTHiDEA, Fr. typhina, Pers. Geranii, Fr. 26. Rhytisma, Fr. Acerinum, Pers. 27. Phacidium, Fr. 28. Hysterium, Tode. pulicare, Pers. Fraxini, Pers. eonigenum, Mong. et N. Rubi, Pers. Pinastri, Schrad. Juniperi, Grev. 29. BovisTA, Dill. nigrescens, Pers. 30« Lycoperdon, Toum. cselatum, Bull. 31. Elaphomyces, Nees. granulatus, Alb. et Schw. 32. iETHALiUM, LinJk. septicum, L. 33. Spumaria, Pers. alba, Bull. 34. DiDYMiuM, Schrad. physaroides, Pers. 35. Physarum, Pers. sinuosum, BtiU. 36 Craterium, Trent epohl minutum, Leers. 37. Stemonitis, Oled. fusca, Roth. ovata, Pers. typhina, Pers. 38. DiCTYDiUM, Schrad. umbilicatum. 39. Arcyria, Hill. incarnata, Pers. iiutans, Bull. 40. Trichia, Hatt. chrysosperma, DeCand. varia, Pers. 41. Perichjena, Fr. populina, Fr. 42. LiCEA, Schrad. cylindrica, Fr. fragariformis, Nees. 43. Onygena, Pers. equina, Pers. 44. Stilbum, Tode. vulgare, Tode. bicolor, Pers. 45. MucoR, Mich. caninus, Pers. Mucedo, L. 46. EuROTiUM, Link. Herbariorum, Lk. 47. Cladosporium, Z/i/i/f. Herbarura, LL 48. Dematium, Pers. ciliare, Pers. 49. Aspergillus, Mich. glaucus, L&. 50. Stachyhdium, Li. diffusum, Fr. 51. Ceratium, Alb, et S, hydnoides. Alb. et S. 52. BoTRYTis, Mich. vera, Fr, 53, MoNTLiA, Hill. racemosa, Pers. 54. FusARiUM, Lk. tremelloides, Grev. 55. Aregma, Fr. bulbosum, Fr. mucronatum, Fr. 56. PODISOMA, Lk. Juniperi Sabinae, Pr. Mr. W. Thompson on the Fauna of Ireland. 57. PucciNiA, Pers. Gramitiis, Pers. Epilobii, DeCand. 58. iEciDiuM, Pers. Grossulariae, DeCand. 59. HiMANTiA, Pers. Candida, Pers. 60. Ukedo, Pers. Segetum, Pers. Caries, DeCand. Labiatarum, DeCand. Senecionis, Schlecht. Violarum, DeCand. Rubonun, DeCand. Leguminosarum, Lk. Candida, Pers. Lini, DeCand. Rubigo, DeCand. III. — Additions to the Fauna of Ireland, By W. Thompson, Esq., V. Pres. of the Natural History Society of Belfast. Mammalia. Delphinus melas, Traill. This species is stated by Robert Ball, Esq. of Dublin, to be occasionally driven ashore in large herds on the southern coast of Ireland, and to be of frequent occurrence in the month of June at Youghal. Here a herd of seventy-five came ashore a few years ago, of which the average size was from 11 to 1 8 feet, but one individual had attained to 22 feet in length. When visiting the South Islands of Arran (off the coast of Clare) in June 1834, accompanied by Mr. Ball, a portion of the skeleton of a D, melas was found by us on the beach. On this gentleman revisiting the same islands in the following summer, he saw the remains of a herd of these animals lying where they had perished : the inhabit- ants speak of them as common. AVES. SoMATERiA sPECTABiLis, Lcach. King-Eider. A female speci- men of this rare British bird was shot in Kingstown harbour near Dublin about the 1st of Oct. 1837, and a few hours afterwards came into the possession of Mr. R. Ball. When first seen it was accom- panied by two others. Lestris Richardsonii, Swains. Richardson's Skua. An adult Lestris shot at Malahide, county of Dublin, in September 1837, and in the collection of Dr. Farren of Feltrim, exhibits characters much in unison with what are considered to be two species, the Lest. Richardsonii, and the Stercorarius cepphus, Leach, (Fauna Bor.-Amer. vol. ii. p. 432.) agreeing with the latter in dimensions, and with the former in colouring. At the same time it in size approaches the X. Richardsonii as described by Jenyns (Man. Brit. Vert. Anim. p. 282.) as nearly as his does the original description in the ' Fauna Bor.-Amer.' (vol. ii. p. 433). The following table contains the com- parative measurements :— Mr. W. Thompson on the Fauna of Ireland, 7 Lesi.Richardsonu, L. Richardsonii, Stercorarius cepphus, Lestris, Irish. Swainson. Jenyns. Leach. specimen, in. lin. in. lin. in. lin. in. lin. Length, total 22 8 21 19 19 9 l^IlSittrT:} >5 « '« 1« IS ' ofwing 13 6 13 13 12 6 ofbillabove 1 1 1 2^ 1 2 1 3* of billto rictus . 110 1 9i 2 110 of tarsus 1 10 1 9 1 8 1 9 "^dlr!'.'!!.!!!} > '4 » «* • « » n Two longest tail feathers very much acuminated, the others in- creasing gradually in length from sides to centre, those next in length to the two central ones exceeding the outer feathers by one inch; breadth of bill at base 6 lines. Top of head, back, upper surface of wings and tail blackish brown, varying in some places to blackish ; entire under surface likewise dark- coloured, except the tail feathers which show a little white beneath ; patch from the eye downwards pale straw colour. This colouring is in accordance with that of the L. Richardsonii of Fauna B. A. Mr. Jenyns remarks that the species is subject to consider- able variation of colour in the adult state : — his description of its plumage accords tolerably well with that of S. cepphus. I should have set down the Irish Lestris simply as a small indi- vidual of L. Richardsonii, had not its general accordance with S, cep- phus at the same time suggested whether it might not as well be considered this bird, and consequently whether these terms apply to two really distinct species. An examination of specimens would at once decide the question f. Anser ferus, Steph. Wild Goose. In the collection of R. Ball, Esq. there is a specimen of this goose purchased by him in Dublin market early in the winter of 1 837, and which was stated to have been shot in this country ; two others of this species were exposed for sale at the same time. Judging from its small size, the specimen is a fe- male : it displays the blackish markings disposed irregularly over the lower part of the breast and the belly, which Temminck consi- ders indicative of very old individuals of both sexes (Man. d'Orn. I'Eur. t. 2. p. 819.). These markings have generally been unnoticed * Following the curve ; the others may have been measured in a straight line. t Since the above was written the 4th part of Temminck's * Manuel' has been published, and here -5*. cepphus appears as a synonym of L. parasiticus (p. 502.). The description ot' S. cepphus would indeed seem about equally applicable to a small L. Richardsonii or a large L. parasiticus. 8 Mr. W. Thompson on the Fauna of Ireland. in the descriptions of the species. This is the first Irish specimen of the true Wild Goose or Grey Lag, that I have seen, the Bean Goose being in this country, as in England and Scotland, the common spe- cies, and with the White-fronted, to be seen in our markets every winter. Anserferus is the scientific appellation bestowed on the wild-goose noticed in some of our county histories, but as it there appears to the exclusion of the two more common species just named and has not a place in Mr. Templeton's catalogue of Irish Birds, I introduce it here. At the same time there is little doubt that the true A.ferus is the species alluded to in Rutty's * Natural History of Dublin' as the "larger sort which stays and breeds here, particu- larly in the bog of Allen," vol. i. p. 333 ; similar allusions to it ap- pear in one or two other county histories. Mr. Jenyns considers it " highly improbable" that the domestic goose has been derived from this species. (Manual, p. 222.) After a careful comparison of the individual under consideration with the domestic species, I cannot perceive any difference except in the su- perior size of the latter, the result I presume of domestication. The form of the bill in the A.ferus is quite identical with that of the tame goose, and at once distinguishes it from A. segetum and A. al- bifrons*. Reptilia. Chelonia Caouana, Schweigger. Testudo caretta, Linn. Loggerhead Turtle, Shaw, Gen. Zool. vol. iii. p. 85, pi. 23. To the kindness of H. H. Dombrain, Esq. of Dublin, I owe the op- portunity of examining a turtle of this species hitherto unnoticed on the British shores, which was obtained on the coast of Donegal in May 1838, and soon afterwards came into his possession. The spe- cimen, about a foot in length, was taken by a man engaged in col- lecting sea- weed for manure, and who finding the hook at the end of the long pole used for " hauling in the rack," had caught in some- thing, carefully drew it towards him, when the captive proved to be a living turtle whose eye the hook had entered. Mr. R. Ball in- forms me that a turtle of this species in his collection was taken alive in the sea near Youghal, but he has been inclined to regard it merely * Totanus Glareola, Temm. Mr. R. Ball has described to me a species of Totanus which he saw for several years about the month of June fre- quenting a stream in Glenbower Wood near Youghal, and believed to be this bird. In the late Mr. Templeton's MS. a sandpiper considered to be of this species is noticed as having been seien in the neiglibourhood of Belfast, but as in the previous instance in terms which do not warrant its introduction Jto the Fauna with certainty. Mr. W. Thompson on the Fauna of Ireland. 9 as an individual washed oiF the deck of a vessel, or one that had escaped from the cord which was intended to secure it, when (as is a common custom on board ship) it may have been committed to the sea for the benefit of a swim. However, as both the specimens which have been procured on the Irish coast are of the same species, and one which according to Dumeril and Bibron is very common in the Mediterranean, and of occasional occurrence in the Atlantic Ocean, they may by the natural influence of winds and waves have been car- ried to our shores. This remark would from the circumstance of its frequenting the same seas likewise apply to the much rarer species, the Leathery Turtle, Sphargis coriacea, which has been taken on the English coast. The Hawks-bill Turtle, Chelonia imbricata, now in- cluded in the British Fauna, may more probably than the other two species, have been washed off the decks of vessels or outlived their wreck, its native abode being so far remote from the British seas as the West Indies and the Indian Ocean*. Pisces. Scomber Thtnnus, Linn. Tunny. Dr. Jacob (Professor of Ana- tomy in the Royal College of Surgeons) of Dublin, informs me, that during the herring season about twelve years ago he purchased a specimen of this fish about 2 feet in length, (and evidently a recent capture,) from a fisherman who supplied him with the rare species he procured, and whose ordinary fishing-ground was off Dublin Bay, within forty miles of the metropolis. GoBius UNipUNCTATus, Pamell. One- spotted Goby. ' Wem. Mem.' vol. vii. p. 83, pi. 29. I have obtained this on the north-east coast of Ireland ; and in Mr. R. Ball's collection there is a specimen, 3 inches in length, which was procured at Glendore (county Cork) by Mr. Geo. J. AUman. Although well-marked individuals of G. unipunctatus may appear specifically different from G. gracilis and G. minutus, yet from having remarked some specimens intermediate in character between the two first mentioned, I am led to doubt whether in these days of refinement the old Gobius minutus has not been multiplied into too many species. Cyclopterus goronatus, Couch. Coronated Lump-fish. ' Cornish Fauna/ p. 47. ' Annals Niit. Hist.' vol. ii. p. 382. Of this fish, considered by Mr. Couch distinct from the C. lumpus, I procured two specimens, rather exceeding 10 Unes in length, by dredging in * All the localities noted by Dumeril and Bibron, except Havanna, are within, or bordering on the Indian Ocean. — Erpetologie Generale, tome ii, p. 551. 10 Mr. W. Thompson on the Fauna of Ireland, Strangford lough on the 1st of Oct. ; the particular date is men- tioned in reference to the question whether the C. coronatus may no be the young of C. lumpus. Without offering any opinion on this point, it seems to me proper to notice the capture of this minute fish elsewhere than on the coast of Cornwall, where one individual only has been observed. MOLLUSCA*. ** Nautilus calcar\, Mont. Miltown Malbay (co. Clare), in sand." W. H. Harvey, Esq. " lavigatulus, Mont. Ditto." Ditto. *• Vermiculum intortum, Mont. On a sponge from Strangford.** Templeton's MS. '* Lagenula (Flem.) striata, Mont. Among sand at the Whitehouse Point [Belfast bay], Oct. 1810." Temp. MS. *• — globosa, Mont. Among Conferva pennata, Belfast Bay." Temp. MS. «« . Icevis, Walk. M. Malbay, rare — in sand." W. H. Harvey. ** Orthocera glabra. Flem. Ditto." Ditto. — trachea. Flem. Ditto. Ditto. Miliola ovata. Crouch, lUust. Lamarck, p. 40. pi. 20. f. 11. Com- mon on the north, east, and south coast. *' Loligo medial. Specimens occasionally received from Dublin har- bour, Strangford lough, and other inlets." Temp. MS. ** Octopus vulgaris, Lam. Not uncommon." Temp. MS. " Arion ater, var. rufus, var. marginatus. Common." Temp. MS. * These having been mostly communicated to me (in 1835) in the order and under the names in which they appear in Fleming's 'British Animals,' are chiefly so arranged, and thus some genera, &c. on which new light has been thrown, still appear under their old appellations. The multiplication of ha- bitats has not been thought of in an article like the present, in which I am particular only about noting the place (in so far as I am informed) where the species occurred to those who in this country first studied and deter- mined them. Notices of Irish mollusca are so widely scattered, that I may, after having taken considerable care, still be in error respecting the introduction of some species as " additions " to the Fauna. f Spirula australis, published many years ago as found by Mr. O'Kelly on the coast of Kerry, is mentioned in the late Mr. Templeton's MS. as havingbeen obtained " near Whitehouse," Belfast Bay ; and at Portrush near the Giant's Causeway, by Mrs. Clewlow. Mr. R. Ball has procured it near Youghal, as Mr. W. H. Harvey once did on the coast of Clare. X This is indicated as Irish in the abstract of a paper by Mr. R. Ball just published in the Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy : with this expla- nation the species is here retained in consequence of the late Mr. Temple- ton's note on it. Mr. W. Thompson on the Fauna of Ireland. 11 *' Avion hortensis, Fer. Common at Cranmore [Belfast]." Temp. MS. Coloured drawings of the var. of this species named A. circumscriptus by Dr. Johnston were made by Mr. Templeton in 1808. ** Limax agrestis, Gmel. Common.'* Temp. MS. variegatus, Fer. (Hist, de Moll. p. 71. pi. 5. f. 1 — 6.) Youghal in Mr. Ball's collection. Helix concinna, Jeff. Common in Ireland, especially in the north. Succinea gracilis, Alder. Widely diffused in Ireland. Mr. Alder, I believe, now rather considers this to be a variety of S. amphibia. Limneus lacustris. Gulnaria lacustris, Leach. Found in Lough Neagh and lakes generally. Lottia ? pulchella, Forbes. ' Malac. Monensis,' p. 35. * Mag. Nat. Hist.' viii. p. 691. f. 61. In Mr. Hyndman's collection (Belfast) are a few small specimens of this shell — the first obtained on the shore of Belfast Bay by Mrs. M'Gee, the others found by Mr. H. adhering to oysters in Belfast market in 1831. Patella ? Forbesii, -^mith., ' Wern. Mem.' vol. viii. p. 107. pi. 2. One of this species was found by Miss M. Ball several years ago in company with Orbicula Norvegica, Lam. on a stone dredged in very deep water at Youghal. ? ancyloides, Forbes, MS. Obtained by Mr. Hyndman many years ago on oysters from Strangford lough. Length 3 lines, breadth 2|, height 1|. The great resemblance this shell bears to the Ancylus fluviatilis is not confined to external appearance, but internally it exhibits the same blueish cast. ** Dentalium striatulum. Found in sand near Cove." Mr. John Humphreys. Portmarnock, Mr. Warren. '* Chiton ruber, Linn. Among oysters from Killinchy, Down." Temp. MS. Found by Mr. Hyndman and myself in different localities on the north-east coast. albus, Mont. As last. fuscatus. Brown. Ditto. Aplysia depilans, Linn. Youghal and Dublin, R. Ball, Esq. M. Mal- bay, W. H. Harvey, Esq. Obtained by dredging in Belfast and Strangford loughs by Mr. Hyndman and myself. " punctata, Cuv. Dublin." R. Ball, Esq. " Bulla catena, Mont. M. Malbay, rare. A beautiful little species about a line in length marked with elegant chain-like bands." W. H. Harvey, Esq. r- — striata. Brown, Illust. pi. 38. f. 41, 42. Bangor, co. Down. Mr. Hyndman. 12 Mr. W. Thompson on the Fauna of Ireland. Littorina saxatilis. Bean, MS. Northern and eastern coasts: common. Eulima Donovani, Forbes. ' Mai. Mon.' p. 15. Youghal and Dubhn, R. Ball, Esq. Dredged off Dundrum, co. Down, by Mr. Hynd- man and myself. Jeffreysu. Dublin coast, Mr. Ball and Mr. Warren. bilineata, Jeff. A Eulima so named by Mr. Jeffreys is in the collection of Mr. Warren, who found it at Portmarnock. *' Rissoa striatula. Turbo monilis, Turton. M. Malbay, rare." W. H. Harvey, Esq. alba, var. Brown. Youghal, Miss M. Ball. Odostomia unidentata, Flem. Youghal, R. Ball, Esq. ; M. Malbay, not rare ; W. H. Harvey, Esq. Natica Alderi, Forbes, ' Mai. Mon.' p. 31. Of frequent occurrence in north, east, and south of Ireland, and hitherto passing under the name of N. canrena. Marginella valuta. M. Malbay, rare; W. H. Harvey; Macgilligan (co. L. Derry) and Belfast Bay, G. C. Hyndman ; South Islands of Arran, R. Ball. Auricula bidentata, Fer. Youghal and Portmarnock, R. Ball. ** Buccinum ovum. [Turt. ' Zool. Joum.' vol. ii. p. 366. pi. 13. f. 9.J Found in the intestines of a Red Gurnard brought to Cork market." Mr. John Humphreys. ** Cerithium tubercularis. {Murex tubercularis, Mont.) M. Malbay, common . ' * W . H . Harvey, Esq . Cerithium Pennantii, mihi. Turbo tuberculata, Penn. * Brit. Zool.* vol. iv. p. 129. pi. 82. f. 111. Terebra fuscata, Flem. * Brit. Anim.* Cerithium fuscatum, Brown, ' lUust. Conch.' p. 9. pi. 5. f. 67. Of this shell there is a specimen from Youghal in Miss M. Ball's collection, agreeing with the descriptions of Fleming and Brovm, but only tolerably represented in the above-quoted figures. Mr. E. Forbes having informed me that the Turbo tu- berculata of Linn, is a different shell, and that the Cerithium to which Costa applied the name of C. fuscatum is likewise distinct, I have considered it necessary to bestow a new name on the present species. •* Fusus gyrinus. Clare and Youghal." R. Ball, Esq. Lamellaria tentaculata, Mont. 'Linn. Trans.' xi. 186. pi. 12. f. 5, 6. Johnston, * Mag. Nat. Hist.' ix. 229. f. 25. In January 1835 two small individuals, about 4 lines in length, of this rare species were dredged in Strangford lough by Mr. Hyndman and myself. '• Pecten glaber. Found in the intestines of a Haddock bought in Cork market." Mr. John Humphreys. Mr. W. Thompson on the Fauna of Ireland, 13 " Anomia punctata. Youghal." R. Ball, Esq. " Hyalea trespinosa, GrifF. Cuvier, Moll. pi. 3. f. 7." An individual of this species and the first Pteropode I believe that has occurred on the British shores, was found by Mr. R. Ball on the coast near Youghal some years ago. At the same time Spirula and /a»- ihincB occurred, but none of them in a living state. *' Arcafusca. Coast of Galway." R. Ball, Esq., who considers its rank as a species doubtful. Nucula tenuis. Found at Portmarnock by T. W. Warren, Esq. nitida, Sowerby. Coast of Dublin. Pinna fragilis, ^ Turt. Bivalves. The three first named noted by papyracea, I Mr. John Humphreys as found at Cove ; the two pectinata, first and P. muricata by Mr. R. Ball as obtained muricata, J from the same locality. As species they are looked upon with much doubt. Cardium nodosum"^, Mont. North and east coasts. This shell is noticed by Mr. Smith as found in the newer pliocene deposits in Ireland. * Wern. Mem.' vol. viii. part 1. Anodon intermedius. Lam. I have found this in the rejectamenta of the river Lagan near Belfast. cellensis, Pfeif. River Shannon and Grand Canal. The An. anatinus and An. cygneus have been recorded as Irish. Although enumerating these, I am not disposed to take the views of au- thors who make so many species in this genus. " Amphidesma distortum. Youghal." R. Ball, Esq. " Donax complanata. Bantry Bay, rare." Mr. J. Humphreys. " Tellina similis. Dublin." R. Ball. " bimaculata. Bantry." R. Ball. This species is given doubtfully as Irish in Mr. O'Kelly's catalogue. Tellimya ovata, Brown's * lUust. Brit. Conch.' pi. 14. f. 20, 21. Spe- cimens of this shell from the southern coast are in Mr. Hynd- man's cabinet. Myrtea spinifera, Turt. Bantry Bay. Miss M. Ball. Marked with doubt by Mr. O'Kelly as a Portmarnock shell. It has been in- dicated as an Irish species by Mr. Jeffreys when noticing the moUusca he obtained at Oban in Argyleshire : he remarks that • Mytilus edulis, Linn. The variety? M. suhsaxatilis^Vf{\]\a.m%or\f 'Mag. Nat. Hist.' vii. 353. has been found at Youghal by Miss M. Ball. The var. M. incurvatus monopolizes, almost to the exclusion of the other forms of this species, the shores of Ireland that are exposed to the swell of the ocean. Venus virginea, Linn. The var. V. Sarniensis, Turt. dredged on the Dub- lin coast by Dr. Lloyd of Malahide. 14 Mr. E. Newman on Australasian Longicorns, the individuals here procured were " only half the size of the Irish specimens." Sowerby's * Malac. and Conch. Mag.' No. 2. p. 43. •* Cyprina minima. M. Malbay, rare." W. H. Harvey. Bantry Bay. Mr. J. Humphreys. Pisidium obtusale, Pfeif. .'' Jenyns, I have collected in a few locali- ties in the north-east of Ireland. cinereum, Alder. As last. La Bergerie, Queen's county. Rev. B. J. Clarke. " Teredo bipennata. From the mast of avessel cast ashore at Youghal." R. Ball. M. Malbay, W. H. Harvey. *' Xylophaga dorsalis. In rotten wood at Ringsend, Dublin." W. H. Harvey*. Montacuta purpurea. My a purpurea, Mont. Abundant on the north- east coast. It was this species and not Kellia rubra that was found in the stomach of mullet as noticed in ' Annals Nat. Hist.' vol. i. p. 354. K. rubra also occurs on the Irish shores. Pandora obtusa, Leach, Lam. Penn. ' Brit. Zool.' vol. iv. pi. 64. (three lowest figures) ed. 1777 : same work, ed. 1812. Solen pinna, vol. iv. p. 175. pi. 67. f. 3. Dredged off Carrickfergus Sept. 1835, Mr. Hyndman ; subsequently by Mr. H. and myself in Strangford lough. [To be continued.] IV. — Nonnullorum Cerambycitum novorum, NovamHollandiam et Insulam Van Diemen habitantium characteres. By Ed- ward Newman, F.L.S., &c.t Genus. Sceleocantha, Newman. Prioni facies : prothorax utrinque spina recurva laterali armatus ; pone spinam excavatione semicirculari incisus, postice bisinuatus : tibiae sulcatse, carinatse, extus spinosae. * Pholas papyraceus, Solander. Turt. Brit. Biv. Mr. Harvey has shown me a specimen which he found in 1826 in a fishing-boat in Dublin Bay ; but as Torbay boats occasionally visit this place, and in one of them it may pos- sibly have occurred, the species cannot be announced as Irish. f At the particular request of Mr. Davis, now settled at Adelaide, in South Australia, I have written characters for some of the fine Coleoptera which he has sent to this country : that portion of the list containing the Longi- corns being ready, I have added a few more descriptions from specimens in the collection of Mr. Children, to which he has most obligingly allowed Mr. E. Newman on Australasian Longicorns. 15 Sp. 1 . S. glahricollis. Piceus, prothorax glaberrimus : elytra profunde puncta, punctis humeralibus rarioribus, discoidalibus majoribus, apicalibus cre- brioribus. Corp. long. 1-5 unc, lat. -66 line. Exemp. unic. in Mus. D. Children. Habitat. Insula Van Diemen. Sp. 2. S. pilosicollis. Prionus pilosicollis, Hope, Trans. Ent. Soc. torn. i. p. 16. Exemp. unic. in Mus. Soc. Ent. " Habitat. Nova Hollandia apud Swan River." Genus. Toxeutes, Newman. Mallodonis fere fades : prothorax utrinque spinis recurvis, lateralibus, acutissimis armatus ; spina antica ad marginem anticum sita, valde arcuata ; spina 2^* mediana minus arcuata : tibiae inermes. Sp. 1. T. arcuatus. Prionus arcuatus, Fabricius, Syst. Eleu. torn. ii. p. 259. Exemp. In Mus. Brit, &c. Habitat. Insula Van Diemen. Genus. Mallodon, Serville. Sp. M. stigmosum. Piceum : prothorax parallelipipedus, marginibus late- ralibus crenatis, angulis posticis acutis, disco minutissime puncto, ob- scuro, spatiis 2 glabris fere trigonis exceptis : elytra rugosa : abdominis segmenta stigraate magno utrinque impressa. Corp. long. 1*5 unc, lat. "6 unc. Exemp. unic. in Mus. D. Children. Habitat. Nova Hollandia. Genus. Dorx, Newman. Dorci facies ; caput porrectum, medio longitudinaliter sulcatum, mandibulse validse, extus et intus arcuatse, apice bidentatse, intus inermes : labi- et maxipalpi elongati, longitudine fere sequales, arti- culo apicali incrassato ; antennae corporis dimidio longiores, 11-ar- ticulatae, articulus 2"^ brevissimus, ceteri subaequales, compressae oculos haud attingentes ; prothorax longitudine pauUo latior ; margo anticus postico latior ; margines laterales pauUo sinuatae ; elytra linearia, prothorace pauUo angustiora, disco convexo, apice rotundata : tibiae angulares, pedetentim incrassatae, apice spinis 2 acutis, halteribus 2 obtusis armatae : tarsi manifesto 5-articulati: articulus 4"® brevis at satis notabilis. me free access, and from some others in the British Museum. These hasty notes will, I trust, not merely serve to secure me priority in nomenclature, but will, on account of the extreme singularity of some of the forms described, afford considerable interest to our scientific entomologists. 16 Mr. E. Newman on Australasian Longicorns. S^. Dorx pentamera. Nigra: elytris punctis, spina apicali suturali bre vis* sima armatis : pedes picei. Corp. long. 14 unc, lat. '5 unc. Exemp. unic. in Mus. D. Children. Habitat. Nova HoUandia. Genus. Pithanotes, Newman. Prioni fades : Caput porrectum : mandibulae validae, extus arcuatae, intus dentibus duobus minutis armatis, apice acutissimse : labi- et maxipalpi brev.es articulo apicali cylindrico : antennae corporis di- midio longiores, 1 1 -articulatse, articulus 2'" brevis, 3^^ 4""* cum 5° longitudine sequans : prothorax brevis, angulis rectangulis, utrin- que spina acuta mediana laterali armatus : tibiae fere pracedentis. Sp. Pith, falsus. Niger : prothorax tuberibus nonnuUis, quaruift 4 seriem transversam constituunt, armatus : elytra ad humeros verrucosa, apici- bus rotundatis, spina nulla suturali armata. (Corp. long. 1*25 unc, lat. •55 unc. Exemp. unic. in Mus. D. Children. Habitat. Nova Hollandia. Genus. Brachytria, Newman. Caput in prothorace receptum : oculi fere reniformes : mandibulae et palpi brevissima : antennae dimidio corporis longiores, 1 1 -articulatae ; articulus P^ latitudine duplo longior, curvatus ; 2"^ 3"^ et 4"^ bre- vissimi ; caeteri longitudine subaequales, vix elongati : prothorax capite latior, subglobosus, angulis posticis late excavatus : scu- tellum elongatum, apice rotundatum : elytra prothorace latiora, fere parallela, dorso complanata, apice rotundata, inermia : pedes breves, femoribus pedetentim tumentibus. Sp. B. gulosa. Fusca ; facie, gula, capitis parte postica, prosterni parte antica croceis : elytrorum margo costalis, macula mediana albida sig- natus : caput rugose punctatum : prothorax rugosus punctis magnis confluentibus impressus : elytra 3-carinata, utriusque carinas duae di- stinctae fere ad apicem desinienes, 3"* subsuturalis indistincta longe ante apicem desinens. Corp. long. "7 unc, lat. •] 75 unc. Exemp. 1. in Mus. Brit, ex dono Rev. August! Beaufort. Habitat Insula Van Diemen. Genus. Necydalis, Linnaus. Caput exsertum : antennarum articulus 4"^ sequentibus manifesto brevior ; femora apice pedetentim tumida, metatarsi manifesto di- latati. Sp. N. auricomus. Niger ; capite croceo, antennis oculisque nigris ; pro- thorax nigerrimus, opacus : elytra semipellucida, pallida, apicibus ni- Mr. E. Newman on Australasian Longicorns. 1/ gricantibus : pectus et abdomen lanugine aui*ea vestita. (Corp. long. •4 unc, lat. '075 imc.) Exemp. 1 . in Mus. D. Turner. Habitat. Nova Hollandia. *' Exemp. unic. prope Adelaide lectum tan- tum vidi." A. H. Davis. Genus. Hesthesis, Newman. Caput pronura, in prothorace ad oculos reconditum : antennae maris corpore longiores r2-articulat8e,/(?mm« corpore breviores 11-arti- culatae apice paullo crassiores, articulus 4"^ ^^ et sequentibus vix brevior: prothorax valde convexus capite manifesto latior vix lon- gior lateribus medio vix productis : elytra abbreviata, quadrata : cor- pus obesum lanuginosum : pedes compressi, femoribus vix tumidis; protarsi paullo dilatati meso- et metatarsi nuUomodo dilatati. Sp. 1. H. varieyntus. Molorchus variegatus, Fah. Syst. Eleu. torn. ii. p. 375, Exemp. in Mus. Ent. Club, Habitat. Nova Hollandia. Sp. 2. H. ferrvglneus. Molorchus ferrugineus, MacLeay ? Boisduval, Faune de VOceanief p. 487. Exemp. in Mus. Ent. Club. Habitat. Nova Hollandia. Sp. 3. //. ciiigulatus. Molorchus cingulatus, Kirhy, Trans. Linn. Soc, vol. xii. p. 470. Exemp. in Mus. Ent. Club. Habitat. Nova Hollandia. Sp. 4. H. hlzonatus. Abdominis zonulas 2 ; prothoracis margo anticus tenue flavus; antennae basi graciles ferruginese ; apice crassiores fuscae : pedes ferruginei, femoribus apice nigris profemora fere tota nigra. Corp. long. '7 unc, lat. '175. Exemp. 1. in Mus. Soc. Zool. Lon, Habitat. Nova Hollandia. Genus. Heliomanes, Newman. Caput pronum vix exsertum ; antennarum gracilium articulus 4"^ se- quentibus baud manifesto brevior ; elytra oblonga apice rotunda ta : corpus gracile : femora apice repente et manifesto tumida ; tarsi mediocres simplices. Sp. 1. H. Sidus. Fiiscus; antennae corpore breviores: prothorax elongatus medio longitudinaliter impressus, utrinque pone medium dente laterali armatus : elytra extus curvata, fusca, fasciis albidis undulatis duobus. (Corp. long. '3 unc, lat. "075 unc.) In Mus. D. Children et D. Hope. Habitat. Nova Hollandia. Ann. Nat, Hist, Vol.5. No. 28. March 1840. c 18 Mr. E. Newman on Aastralusian Lonyicorm, Genus. Callidium, Fabricius. Sp. C. Fabe-^. Fuscum, nitidum : elytra puncta, utriusque discus macula magna testacea signatus : femora pallida, tumida : tibiee tarsique sutu- ratiora. Corp. long. -325 imc, lat. -1 unc. Exemp. 2. in Mus. D. Turner, Habitat. Nova HoUandia. "Exemp. 2, prope Adelaide lecta." A. H. Davis. Genus. Coptomma, Newman. Caput in prothorace fere ad oculos reconditum, porrectum, protlio- race angustius ; oculi arcuati, medio ad antennarum basin profunde emarginati, fere divisi : antennae glabrae, maris valde, femmce. vix corpore longiores, ll-articulatse, articuli e quarto compress! : elytra basi prothorace latiora apice angustiora, rotundata, inermia, femmce hand abdomen tegentia : femora pedetentim tumida inermia. Sp. 1. C. virgatum, Atrum, fulgore chalybao nitens : antennarum apicibus albidis : caput albido 4 lineatum ; linese 2 verticis inter antennas desi- nunt, 2 laterales oculos secant et in faciem adjunguntur : prothorax al- bido 4 lineatus, linese lineis capitis continuse : elytrorum lanugo lutea maculam basalem obliquam, alteram medianam transversam, nuiltasque minores irroratas format : metafemora macula mediana albida signata, (Corp. long. '8 unc, lat. '3 unc.) ^ Exemp. 2. in Mus. D. Children. Habitat. Nova Hollandia. Sp. 2. C.textorium. Testaceum, fulgore cbalybeo nitens; lineis 2 capiti,. prothoraci, elytrisque communibus albidis : linese elytrorum medio lon- gitudinaliter hiantes. (Corp. long. '6 unc, lat. -2 unc.) Exemp. 1 . in Mus. D. Children. Habitat. Nova Hollandia. Genus. Ischnotes, Neivmaji. Caput pronum in prothorace ad oculos reconditum ; oculi magni, sphseroides, vix emarginati ; antennae prothorace duplo longiores, filiformes, 11-articulatse ; articulus 1*^^ tumidus, 2 minimus, se- quentes graciles elongati : prothorax absolute cylindraceus, capite quintuplo longior, ad marginem posticum pedes brevissimos ferens : elytra linearia, prothorace vix latiora at manifesto longiora, apice rotundata inermia ; pedes simplices. Sp. I. cylindraceus. Nigra, opaca : inter oculos linea longitudinalis vix ele- vata : prothorax subtilissime punctus, sed ad marginem posticum serie transversalipunctorum profundorum impressus: elytra profunde puncta : pedes brevissimi. (Corp. long. '525 unc, lat. '05 unc.) Exemp. 1. in Mus. D. Turner. Habitat. Nova Hollandia. " Exemp. 1. prope Adelaide leotum." A. II. Davis. Mr. E. Newman on Australasian Longicorns, 19 Genus. Xystrocera, Serville. Sp. X. virescens, Fusca, splendore virescenti Iccta: prothorax et elytra puncta, punctis plus ininusve confliientibus: elytra 3-lineata, lineis baud promi- nentibus, apice rotundata. (Corp, long. 1*2 iinc, lat. '3 unc.) Excmp. 1. in Mus. Brit. D. Hardwicke legato. Habitat. Nova Hollandia. Genus. Phoracantha, Newman, Hujus generis species sub genere " Stenocorus'' celeberrimi Geof- froyi collocant MacLeay, Hope et Boisduval : autem Stenocorus cum genere " Rhagium" distincte est synonymus, scilicet Sp. 1 . Ste. bifasciatus Rhagium bifasciatum certe est ; iterumque Sp. 2. Ste. Inquisitor Rha. Inquisitor sine dubio. Audinet Serville (nisi sub nomine " Mallocera" insectorum Americse Me- ridionalis genus) species haud collocat. Generis typus Cerambyx semipunctatus Donovani. Antennarum articuli plus minusve apice-1 spinosi : prothorax utrinque medio 1-spinosus, spina plus minusve prominens : elytra apice truncata plus minusve bispinosa : descriptionem fusiorem haud requirat genus percognitum. Novam Hollandiam species omnes incolant. Sp. 1. P. Synont/ma. Stenocorus punctatus. Kirby * Transactions of the Linnsean Society/ xii. 471. '* AntennEB breviores rufo-picese articulis 5 intevmediis, extus apice spina armatus, &c." Sp. 2. P. tricuspiSf ined.* Sp. 3. P. quinaria, ined. Sp. 4. P. punctata. Stenocorus punctatus, Donovan, * Epitome of the Insects of New Holland.' Sp. 5. P. ohscura. Stenocorus obscurus, Donovan, Id. Sp. 6. P. semipunctata. Stenocorus semipunctatus, Oliv. 69, tab. ii. fig. 19. Stenocorus semipunctatus, Fab. Syst. Eleu. ii. 306. Stenocorus semipunctatus, Dono- van, Epitome, &c. Sp. 7. P. curvispina, ined. Sp. 8. P. riibripes. Stenochorus rubripes, Boisduval, ' Faune de I'Oceanie,* p. 477. Sp. 9. P. dorsalis. Stenochorus dorsalis, MacLcay, * Appendix to King's Voyage,' ii, 451. Sp. 10. P. aherrans, ined. Sp. 11. P. ventralis, ined. Sp. 12. P. higuttata. Stenocorus biguttatus, Donovan. ________ tessellatus, Latreille. Sp. 13. P. senio, ined. * I was on my way to the printers, with the MS. of these notes in my pocket, when accidentally meeting Mr. Westwood, I learned that the Rev. F. W. Hope was about to publish figures and descriptions of several new species of this genus : I have therefore withdrawn the descriptions I had written, lest my new species should clash with Mr. Hope's. c 2 20 Mr. E. Newman on Australasian Longicorns. Genus. Didymocantha, Newman, Caput exsertum, vix pronum ; oculi magni, reniformes, antennas fere amplectentes ; antennae corpore manifesto longiores 11-articu- latse ; articulus l"^paullo tumidus, 2"^ minutissimus ; 3"^, 4*°paullo longior, 5"^, 3**° vel 4^ pauUo longior, caeteri ad apicem praece- dentibus longiores, compressi ; prothorax capite longior et angus- tior, lateribus spinis, 2^^^ armatis et inter spinas dente obtuso in- structis : elytra prothorace latiora parellela apice rotundata iner- mia : femora pedetentim vix tumescentia. Sp. D.ohliqua. Antennarum articuli 1"* et 2"* nign, 3"' 4"* et5"' lutei apice nigri, casteri fusel : scutellum albidum : elytra sordide testacea fasciis binis abnormibus nigris. Corp. long. -525 unc., lat. -175 unc. Exemp. 1 . in Mus. D. Children. Habitat. Nova Hollandia. Genus. PnLYCTieNODEs, Newman. Caput exsertum, vix pronum ; maxipalpi mandibulis valde longiores ; antennae 11-articulatse, articulus 1"* pauUo tumidus, 2^*^ subglo- bosus ; caeteri longitudine fere aequales, ultimo breviori : protho- rax dorse 4-spinosus, spinis 2 anticis acutis pauUo retrorsum curvatis; 2 posticis vix acutis nullo modo curvatis; lateribus 1 -spinosus ; spina mediana, acuta retrorsum curvata : elytra pa- rallela prothorace latiora, apice obtusa inermia ; femora pedetentim tumida. Sp. P, pustulosa. Fusco-niger concolor ; caput, prothorax et elytra pus- tulis — basi majoribus apice minutissimis — crebre tecta. (Corp. long. 1*2 unc, lat. '3 unc.) Exemp. 1. in Mus. D. Children. Habitat. Nova Hollandia. Genus. Tessaromma, Newman. Caput exsertum, porrectum ; antennae graciles, corpore vix breviores, 11-articulatae; articulus 1"^ pyriformis, basi constrictus, apice tumidus ; 2"' brevis obconicus ; ceteri fere lineares ; 3"® 2^° pauUo longior, 5"^ et sequentes 3*^^ paullo longiores : oculi 4, anteriores majores : prothorax capite angustior elongatus, dorso gibber spinis 2, lateribus spina mediana armatus : elytra prothorace quadruple longiora vix duplo latiora, parellela apice extreme oblique abscissa, femora apice repente tumentia. Sp. T. undatum. Testaceum, fnsco variegatum lanugine serica splendidum ; antennae et pedes testacea : femora et tibiae fusco cincta (Corp. long. •8 unc, lat. -15 unc.) Exemp. unic in Mus. D. Turner. Habitat, Nova Hollandia. '* Exemp. unic. prope Adelaide, sub cortice. Mr. E. Newman on Australasian Longicorns, 21 mense Junio lectum ; vivens formosissimus coloreque fulgoreque." A. H. Davis. Genus. Rhagiomorpha, Newman. Caput exsertum porrectum ; antennse liliformes longitudine corpus aequantes, ll-articulatae; articulus 1"^ elongatus, arcuatus, apice tumidus ; 2^^ minutus ; czeteri graciles, longitudine fere sequales : prothorax capite haud latior dorso tuberis 4 fere confluentibus in- structus, lateribus medio gibberis in spinam obtusam productis : elytra prothorace latiom linearia apicibus rotundatis : femora ma- nifesto ac pedetentim tumida. * Species normales. Sp. 1. R. Leptiiroides. Stenocortus Lepturoides, Boisduval, Faune de I'Oceanie. p. 479. Exemp. in Mus. D. Gory, Dupont, et Buquet. Habitat. Nova Hollandia. Apud Port Jackson lectum. Sp. 2. R, concolor. Stenoderus concolor, MacLeay. Appendix to King's Voyage, vol. ii. p. 45 1 . Exemp. unic. in Mus. D. Children. Descriptio vix distincta. Habitat. Nova Hollandia. Sp. 3. R. sordida. Fusca, lunugine argenteo sparsim vestita ; caput inter antennas excavatum, punctum : prothoracis dorsum longitudinaliter impressum : singuli elytri linese vix elevatae 3 : femora basi pallidiorrt. (Corp. long. '5 unc. lat. '1 unc.) antennae desunt. Exemp. unic. in Mus. D, Turner. Habitat. Nova Hollandia. " Exemp. 1. prope Adelaide lectum." A. H. Davis. ** Species aberrantes. Sp. 4. R. oculifera. Caput exsertum linea longitudinali impressum ; an- tennarum articuli 1 et 2 nigri; 3"* hirsutie exteriori rufa ornatus; 4"* et sequentes picei : prothorax lateribus lanugine aurea vestitus ; elytra quasi reticulata, 4 carinata, carina prima macula rotimda lanur ginosa aurea interrupta est et ante apicem desinet; 2"' !<> longior fere ad apicem desinens ; inter l"« et 2"" linea aurea, lanuginosa, basalis apparet ; 3"' ad humerum oritur et longe ante praecedentes desinet ; 4"* infra humerum oritur et ante apicem 2° conjungitur : mesoster- num utrinque linea lanuginosa argentea signatum. (Corp. long. '7 unci lat. •! unc.) Exemp. 2. in Mus. Brit. Habitat. Nova Hollandia. Genus. Stenoderus, Dejean. Sp. grammicus. Fallide ferrugineus : oculi nigri : prothoracis latera fusca : singuli elytri margo suturalis lineasque tres elevatae albida, linea prima ad marginem suturalem, secunda ad lateralem,. in medio tendit. Corp. long. -425 unc, lat. -075 unc. Exemp. 3. in Mus. D. Turner. Habitat.Nova Hollandia. "Exemp. 3, prope Adelaide ledum." A. fl. Davis. 22 Mr. Goodsir on the Anatomy of the Limneus itivolutus. V. — Description of Limneus involutus^ Harvey^ MS. By W. Thompson, Vice-President of the Natural History So- ciety of Belfast ; — with an account of the Anatomy of the Animal. By John Goodsir, Esq. [With a Plate.] Limneus involutus^ 1 tt T»m Amphipeplea involuta,j ^' Spec. Char. Spire sunk within the outer whorl ; aperture very large, extending to the apex. The finest specimen I have examined is 5| lines in length, and 3^ in breadth ; volutions four, the largest enveloping the other three, of which none are visible in the profile of the shell ; aperture very large, wide at the base (exposing the co- lumella throughout its entire length) and extending to the apex of the shell, margin reflected only where it joins the pil- lar. Shell polished, of a pale amber colour, extremely thin, with coarse longitudinal striae. This species approaches the L. glutinosus more nearly than any other native Limneus, but from the circumstance of the aperture extending to the apex, has at a cursory view as great a resemblance to the Bulla Akera, Mont., as to any other Bri- tish shell ; a coincidence which is rendered still more remark- able by the columella presenting the same appearance in the L. involutus as it does in that species. The discovery of this new and beautiful mollusk is due to my friend Wm. H. Harvey, Esq. (well known for his botanical investigations) who obtained a few specimens in a small alpine lake on Cromaylaun mountain, near the celebrated lakes of Killarney, in the month of April 1832. The above account was read to the Linnaean Society of Lon- don in April 1834. To the present time (Sept. 1839), I have not heard of the occurrence of the species in any other locality in Ireland. The original station was visited by Mr. R. Ball and myself in June 1834, when we procured only a few small specimens. The time was however unfavourable for seeing these mollusks to any advantage, being at a very early hour in the morning, before the warmth of the sun had tempted them to leave the bottom of the lake or adjoining rivulet. This shell, from partaking more of the form of the marine Mr. Goodsir on the Anatomy of the luimnens Involutus. 23 genus Bulla than of the other Limnei, seemed so highly in- teresting, that I conceived that the mere description of it would be of comparatively little value without that of the ani- mal. Its dissection was most kindly undertaken by Mr. Good- sir, to whom I am indebted for the following description, and the admirable drawing which illustrates it. -7 ^^ In structure the Limnceus involutus resembles the other ' species of the genus. When its organs are compared with those of the L. stagnalis as described and figured by Cuvier, they are found, with the exception of the nervous collar, and the reproductive organs, to be nearly identical in arrange- ment and structure (Plate I. fig. 2.). ^^ In his memoir on the Limnceus and Planorbis, Cuvier de- scribes the supra-oesophageal portion of the nei'vous collar as consisting on each side of three small globules, connected mesially by a narrow portion ; of an infra-cesophageal gan- glion composed of three masses, and of a small ganglion at the junction of the buccal apparatus and gullet. In the L. invo- lutus the nervous collar presents the following arrangement (fig. 3.). On each side of the gullet and buccal mass, there are two fusiform ganglia {a a), connected superiorly by a straight narrow commissure {b), and inferiorly by four small lateral {c c c c) and two large median gangha {d d). Ante- rior to these and concealed by the buccal mass are two large ganglia (e e), connected mesially to one another, and laterally to the middle of the lateral ganglia {a a), having no connexion with the six posterior ganglia. The masses {a a) give off* near their anterior extremities two nerves, which run forward along the inferior surface of the buccal apparatus, and terminate in two small ganglia iff), which are connected by a filament, and distribute nerves to the buccal mass and oesophagus. The lateral ganglia therefore have one superior commissure, con- sisting of a simple cord, and two inferior commissures, the pos- terior containing six ganglia, the anterior two. The lateral and the six posterior ganglia give off* all the nerves described by Cuvier ; the two anterior connecting masses supply the m cular bundles in their neighbourhood. " The arrangement of gangUa described above is not peculiar 24 Mr. Goodsir on the Anatomy of the Limneus involutus. to this species^ as it exists also in the L. Feregev\ and one si- milar but more complex has been described and figured in the ^ Annales des Sciences Naturelles^ for 1837^ page 112, by Van- beneden as existing in the L.glutinosus. Vanbeneden describes a median between the two large anterior ganglia, and an- other between the two small stomato-gastric ganglia. *^ Cuvier in his memoirs on the Limnaus and on the other gasteropod moUusks, mistook the testicle for the ovary, and consequently reversed certain of the other reproductive or- gans. Prevost of Geneva, in a paper published in the Trans- actions of the Physical and Natural History Society of that place for 1828, and in another contained in the ^Annales des Sciences Naturelles' for 1833, pointed out this error, and de- scribed the very beautiful structure, by means of which the seminal fluid is conveyed along the cavity containing the eggs, without coming in contact with them. This structure may be distinctly seen in the Helix aspersa, in which it consists of a groove, wdth the orifice of the duct at both extremities, run- ning along the inner surface of the oviduct. When the fluid is passing from the testicle this groove is converted into a temporary tube by the close apposition of its lips ; a structure similar to the groove in the true ruminating stomach. The arrangement of the reproductive organs in L. involutus, al- though different from that described by Cuvier in the L. stag- nalis, is yet similar to that given by Prevost. The testicle, «, fig. 2. which is situated in the extreme whorls of the shell, sends off a duct, which has attached to it in the middle of its course, small follicles {b) of the same diameter as itself, which appear, if carelessly examined, like duplications of the tube. The duct then becomes closely connected with the point of junction of the ovary and oviduct, runs along the latter for a short di- stance, and opens into the acute extremity of an oblong sac (c), which is closely but not intimately adherent to the oviduct. This sac appears granular from the follicular arrangement of its inner surface ; it is bulbous at its anterior extremity, near which it sends off the second division of the seminal duct {d), which running along the terminal extremity of the oviduct, at length leaves it, and dives under the transverse muscles (e) of the foot, as described by Cuvier in L. stagnalis, again Mr.Waterhouse or. 28 Mr. B. H. Hodgson on Four new Species of Otter, — which may be slain and their osteological as well as other charac_ ters thus accurately examined — the discrimination of specific differ- ences is a work of extreme labour and delay. Many years ago I announced to Mr. Bennett, the late Secretary of the London Zoolo- gical Society, the fact that there are several species of Lutra in Nepal, and before he died he was nearly convinced of the correct- ness of the statement, though I could not then, nor can now, give a full exposition of even those with which I am best acquainted. Waiting, however, for the perfect knowledge when the materials of it are not under command, is, I find, like waiting on the river's side for a dry passage after the waters have flowed past ; and 1 shall therefore offer no apology for briefly characterizing those four of the seven Nepalese species of Otter of which I have considerable cer- tainty, leaving the remaining three to some future occasion. Genus LUIRA. \st Species — Tarayensis nobis. Size, medial. Structure, typical. Scull and head much depressed. Lower incisors ranged nearly in line. Tail equal to two-thirds the length of the animal, and much depressed. Form robust. Nails compressed, exserted from the finger ends, and acute. Fur short and smooth. Colour — above, clear umber; below, and the hands and feet, pure yellowish white; the yellow tint deepest on the limbs; the pale colour on the head and neck extending upwards to the line of the ears — ^less so on the body ; and the distinction of dark and pale hues very decidedly marked. Tail above and below, dark. 2wc? Species — Monticolus nobis. Sizcy large. Structure, upon the whole similar to the above. Tail equal to more than two-thirds of the animal, and less depressed. Scull and head less depressed. Intermediate incisors of lower jaw ranged entirely within or behind the line of the rest. Colour — -above, deeper than the above, or bistre brown ; below, sordid hoary, vaguely defined, except on the edge of the lips and chin ; limbs nearly as dark as the body. Fur longer and rough, or porrect from the skin in a considerable degree. Zrd Species — Indigitatus nobis. General form and proportions of Leptonyx, to which it is affined. Habit of body more vermiform than in the above. Tail but half the length of the animal. Toes very short, and more than half buried in the palmary mass. Nails short and worn., but not depressed nor Information respecting Botanical Travellers. 29 truncated, as in Leptonyx. Size, medial. Colour — same as in the last, but deeper still, or dusky bistre ; paler and ruddier on the body- below, and "albescent on the head below ; but the colours not well defined, and only really distinct (except in shade) on the inferior surface of the head. Character of the fur as in the last, and indeed in all the mountain species. 4th Species — Auko-brunneus nobis. Size, small. Habit of body still more vermiform. Tail less than two-thirds of the length of the body. Toes and nails fully developed. Fur longish and rough, as before. Colour — rich chestnut brown (the fruit) above ; and golden red below and on the extremities. Remarks. — The three last species are confined to the mountains, as is the first species to the plains at their foot. The dimensions in inches, and the weight of the four species are as follow : — 1 2 3 4 Tip of snout to j 26 to 28 30 to 32 22 to 24 20 to 22 base or tail . J Tail 16 20 10| 12 to 13 Weight . 16 to 20 lbs. 20 to 24 11 to 13 9 to 11 I am. Sir, Your obedient servant, Nepal, May, 1839. B. H. HODGSON. VI I L — Information respecting Botanical Travellers. Mr. Schomburglis recent Expedition in Guiana. [Continued from p. 434 of vol. iv.] The Yamanack of the Creoles, or Wawula of the Arawaaks, may be considered the representative of the Madagascarian Lemur in Guiana. It is the Potos caudivolvulus of Desm., or Cercoleptes cau- divolvulus of lUiger. Its general appearance is so much like a Lemur that it has been classed under that family. In its sanguinary disposition, its teeth, and feet, it resembles the feline race, from which it diflfers however in its slightly prehensile tail, which is con- siderably longer than the body. The hind legs are a little longer than the fore, and they walk altogether on the soles and palms. They carry their food with the fore paw to the mouth, and are ex- pert climbers. Their prehensile tail is of great advantage in cHmb- ing trees when in search of honey, their fur and skin being appa- rently impervious to the sting of bees. They feed likewise upon young birds, eggs, and mice ; they pass the day in hollow trees and 30 Information respecting Botanical Travellers. stir out only by night. The glare of the day appears painful to their eyes ; those which in a tamed state are exposed to it, appear uncomfortable and slow in their movements, while in the dark they are all dexterity. I have seen several in a tamed state, which when awakened in the day seemed uncomfortable and rolled themselves up again to sleep. Its tongue is long ; this organ is therefore ad- mirably qualified for sucking honey. When tamed it appears partial to syrups or any other sweets, but indeed nothing comes amiss to it, and it feeds as well on meat, yams, &c. as on fish. They are more common at the sea coast, but inhabit likewise the Savannahs. The Macusi Indians of the Savannahs call it Yawari, the Warraus at the sea-coast Uvari. Those coppices of wood, which rise from amidst the Savannahs like verdant isles from the bosom of a lake, are the favourite abode of an animal, which, if we except its plantigrade feet, approaches in its habits and appearance our martens. It is the Gulo of authors. We observed two species in Guiana, the larger of which may be identified with the Gulo barharus. The size of the individual from which the following description is taken, was two feet from the tijD of the nose to the insertion of the tail, the latter being eleven inches. The head was broad and compact, the ears short and round, the back arched, the tail low and bushy, the legs thick and strong, especially the fore feet, which were somewhat shorter than the hinder. The head is gray, the fur above deep brown tipped with white ; all the rest of the body is of a deep shining black, with the exception of a large whitish-yellow spot on the breast, which contrasts strongly with the other colours. It possesses the peculiarity of being able to erect all the hair of its bushy tail at pleasure. The whole appearance of these animals bespeaks strength, and their toes being armed with crooked nails, they have every requisite for indulging in their sanguinary habits. Their principal food are small animals, as mice, rats, birds, and insects, but they also feed on fruit and are partial to honey. As they are expert climbers, they plunder the nests of the wild bees, and like the Coati or Nasua, are able to run down a tree which grows perpendicular, head foremost. They feed by day, and generally betake themselves to a hollow tree for their night quarters. Here they likewise seek refuge when hunted. They are found more commonly on Savannahs than else- where, and only occasionally in the forest ; they never seek their food near human habitations. They are sometimes tamed, and are then gentle and playful ; but they are easily excited, and when pre- paring for defence or war they erect the hair of their tail. They Information respecting Botanical Traveller's, 31 possess the skill of cats in spying out and destroying rats and mice, which from their long slender shape, they are able to follow better to their retreat than the former. Two glands which are situated near the anus contain a fluid which possesses a disagreeable odour. The animal is called by the Arawaak Indians Hacca, by the Macusi Maikang. The Orisons have been divided from the true Wolverines (Gulo), and Mr. Bell has formed the genus Galicfis, Guiana possesses two species, namely Galictis vittata and G. Allamandi of Bell. The Ga- lictis vittata or Petit Frurat of Azara, inhabits the mountainous di- stricts where the Essequibo has its sources. I saw the first in a tame state at a Woyawai settlement in the Acarai mountains. It mea- sured about 16 inches from the tip of the nose to the insertion of the tail, the latter being 6 inches long. Its colour is of a light- brown on the back, but near the head it is of a pale -gray colour, mixed with black ; the muzzle, throat, chest, and body underneath are of a shining black. The claws are strong and sharp, and the toes are half connected by a membrane. In its tamed state it lived on boiled fish, meat, fruits, yams, &c., but in the forests it subsists on birds, reptiles, and small game. It feeds during day, and selects the hollow of a tree for its abode during night. The second species, Galictis Allamandi, Bell*, is equally scarce in Guiana ; but it is occasionally met with near the sea coast in Demerara. It is somewhat larger than the Galictis vittata ; its total length is about 2^ to 3 feet, and although it exhi- bits the same general character, it differs widely in its colouring. The fur on its back is at the base of a deep black, and the points are white ; the muzzle, lower jaw, throat, and part of the belly are of a shining black. A whitish line extends from between the eyes over the ears to the sides of the neck. In a state of nature it is said to be ferocious, and it is more difificult to tame it even when taken in a young state than the Gulo barbarus. I have been told of one which was kept on board of a colony schooner ; this is however the only instance which came to my knowledge where it had been reconciled to a domesticated state. The specimen which I possess in my collection appears to be the young of Galictis Allamandi ; the hairs on its back are more of a silvery gray than in the adult, but there are no specific diff^erences. Both species are alike in their habits ; and, aware of their inca- • Vide Mr. T. Bell on the genus Galictis. Trans, Zool. Soc. vol. ii. Ft. 3, p. 201. .32 Infbrmation respecting Botanical Travellers. pacity to overtake their prey by swiftness, they resort to stratagem. When pressed by hunger they do not despise carrion. The Gulo barharus and Galictis vittata which I have seen in a tame state, had the greatest aversion for water. I recollect the boys at the Woya- wai settlement amused themselves with carrying the tame Galictis vittata to the banks of the brook ; it availed itself of the first oppor- tunity to escape, and if it had wet its feet, it used the same manoeu- vres as a cat to get rid of any moisture which might have remained on it. The Gulo harharus is equally fearful of the water. If, there- fore, naturalists have observed any resemblances between the Grison and the Otter, this does not refer to their habits. It may resemble the bear in its gait and semi-plantigrade feet, but there exists no further affinity ; while at the first glance, its slender body, the short- ness of its legs, the softness of its fur, its dentition and sanguinary habits, and not least, the strong odour, point to the typical Mustelidce with regard to the position which the Grison ought to occupy. Our tents were pitched on the 9th October, 1838, at the foot of a hillock, the summit of which was crowned by a remarkable natural column, known to the Macusi Indians under the name of Pourae Piapa, or the felled tree, from the resemblance which it bears to a trunk of a tree deprived of its leafy crown. While we were ascend- ing the hill for a nearer inspection of this wonderful freak of nature, the Indians had set the Savannahs on fire. A general bustle of those who had remained in the camp attracted my attention. I saw the men armed with bows and arrows, and accompanied by their dogs under full cry in pursuit of some game. The chase was of short duration, and when reaching the spot where the pursuers had come to a stand, I found that an Armadillo of gigantic size, which no doubt had been chased by the flames from its retreat, had caused the com- motion. It was lying there a round misshapen mass, its head partly buried under its armour, the feet drawn together, and its body pierced by numerous arrows. Ever and anon the barking dogs in- flicted new wounds, or another iron-headed arrow was sent through its shell into the flesh of the poor animal, which off'ered not the slightest resistance to its tormenters ; and I do not know how long they would have continued to inflict new tortures, if I had not de- sired them to end its suff*erings by the heavy stroke of a club. I continued my visit to the Pourae piapa with the intention of ta- king the dimensions of the Armadillo after my return to the camp ; in this I was however disappointed ; when I arrived there it was cut Information respecting Botanical Travellers. 33 up, and parts of it were already boiling in the pots of the Indians, not for the purpose of eating it, as the Macusi abhors the flesh of this species of Armadillo, but for the sake of extracting its fat or oily substance. T estimated its weight from 110 to 120 lbs.*, its height about 3 feet, its length 5 J feet. Its tail was about 14 to 16 inches in length, and its root nearly as thick as a man's thigh, tapering very abruptly. The fore foot had five toes, the middle one of which was 7^ inches in length. These are the only details which I can offer of a species which in its size surpasses the largest giant Armadillo known {Dasypus giganteus, Desm.). As far as I recollect, the head was comj^aratively small ; but as I intended to have it inspected more closely on my return, T have mentioned only such circumstances as have fixed themselves in my memory, and which I wrote down after my intentions were frustrated by the Indians. I cannot pretend to as- sert that it is a different species from Dasypus giganteus, but its enormous size will attract the attention of naturalists and geologists to the fossil genera, which if compared with the existing species will not offer so great a difference in size. The Macusi Indians in our train named it Maouraima, the Wapisianas Marura, the War- raus Okaiye, the Arawaaks Iassi o hara. I possess from Mr. Vieth, the following note of a species which 1 do not doubt was the Dasypus giganteus. " I stuffed at Devonshire Castle Plantation in Demerara, an Armadillo which weighed 701bs., but I did not take its dimensions ; and eight years having since elapsed, the present description is entirely from memory. The shell may have been 2 feet to 2^ feet long, and its total length about 5 feet, of which the tail was about 2 feet. The shell was very thick and hard, covered with scales of different shape. On the belly and those parts where it was without scales, were a few scattered hairs ; the claws on the fore feet were very long and strong. The tail, which was covered with the same kind of coat of mail as the back, was about 3 inches in diameter, at the root gradually tapering to a point. The back and all those parts which had the scaly covering were of a horn colour ; the under part, which was without scales, whitish. As it was killed by Negroes near the coast I could not procure the Indian name." The third species in size is the Dasypus encoubert, Desm. with six or seven bands. It appears to be very common at the savannahs which extend between the rivers Berbice and Demerara. • Two men were requu-ed to carry it when they took it to our halting place. Ann, Nat. Hist, Vol.5. No. 28. March IS40, d 34 Information respecting Botanical Travellers. The fourth species with which I am acquainted is the Dasypus Peba, Pesm. with from seven to nine bands. It is the most common in Guiana, and found as well at the coast region as in the interior. Its length is about 18 inches, and the tail is as much more. The head, back, and tail is covered with scaly armour like its congeners. The belly, under part of the head and throat, legs and thighs, are covered with a whitish skin, set with a few scattered hairs. The claws are strong, and these animals can dig with so much ease that there is little hope of taking them without great exertions by dig- ging after them*. They bear eight or nine young at a time, which follow the mother like young pigs. The young are blind at their birth. The principal feeding time is in the night, but they go sometimes abroad in the day. Their food consists generally of worms and in- sects. In a tame state they readily eat farinaceous food and also roots. They are called by the Arawaaks Iassi, which is the general name of the Armadillo. The Savannah Armadillo is Desmarest's Dasypus villosus ; and, as we were assured by the Indians, it inhabits only the plains, and is never to be met with in the forest. The Indians accuse it of feed- ing occasionally on carrionf. It is distinguished by its being more flat in shape than the others, and by the numerous hairs which cover as well the shell as the body. Among my collection is a specimen of the Dasypus tatouay of Desmarest, which was procured at the coast regions at Demerara. Its claws, of which there are five on the fore feet, are very large in proportion. It has from 12 to 13 moveable bands; the tail is round, short, and covered with a few tubercles. Its ears are large and erect. The head resembles D. Peba, The Iassi Baracatta of the Arawaaks is the smallest Armadillo in Guiana {Dasypus minutus, Desm.); its body is about 10 inches, and covered with numerous brown hairs. Its geographical distribution extends over the southern half of South America. * Mr. Waterton, in his amusing Wanderings, p. 166, tells us " that the Indian, to prevent disappointment when discovering a hole where he sup- poses an Armadillo to have taken up its abode, carefully examines the mouth of the hole, and puts a short stick down it. Now if on introducing the stick a number of musquitos come out, the Indians know to a certainty that the Armadillo is in it ; wherever there are no musquitos in the hole, there is no Armadillo." f The Indians on the Rio Branco gave us the same information, and at their dances they sing to that effect, that when once dead their relations should only throw them on the savannahs, where the Armadillo would bury them. Information respecting Botanical Travellers. 35 I have enumerated seven species of Armadillos which I know to inhabit Guiana. They resemble each other in their habits and ap- pearance ; and their form, number of claws, and dentition give to the naturalist the specific difference. The number of bands of which their armour consists is so variable in difterent individuals of the same species, that the systematic naturalist should not attach the slightest value to it. They all burrow, and their general food appears to be worms and insects ; they sometimes commit depredations in the provision grounds, and the giant and savannah Armadillo are said to feed on carrion. All Indians agree in this assertion. When about to bring forth, the mother is said to make a nest in the burrow, and gives birth to from seven to nine young, which are blind. They afterwards follow the mother, who, whilst the young ones are still helpless, never ventures to leave their hole by day. They feed generally by night, but from the circumstance that we have secured several in the daytime which we found walking, it may be concluded that hunger forces them sometimes to go in search of food during the day. Their walk is swift, but they can neither run, leap, nor climb. If pursued, therefore, without being able to reach their hole, they roll themselves more or less up, and submit to their fate without defence. The smaller species are eaten by all the Indians and are consi- dered a delicacy. The Arawaak Indians are the only tribe whom I have ascertained to eat the giant Armadillo. The Dasypus Peba, or common Armadillo, is even esteemed by many Creoles, and its flesh is white and tastes somewhat like rabbit ; we may therefore sup- pose that they receive no mercy. As they are seldom found from their retreat, nor stir out except by night, the pursuit of them re- quires some skill and patience. I myself have seen that when pursued and they are far from their retreat, they begin digging a fresh burrow, and when half buried and laid hold of by the tail, it is so difficult to pull them backwards that they often make their escape with the loss of their tail. Their pursuers, sensible of this, avoid dragging the tail vdth all their force, while another tickles it behind with a small stick, upon which they relinquish their hold and are secured. [To be continued.] d2 36 Bibliographical Notices. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. A History of British Ferns. By Edward Newman, F.L.S. London, Van Voorst. 8vo. We rejoice to find that Mr. Van Voorst is not confining the valuable series of Natural History works which is issuing from his establishment to zoology, and beg to congratulate him upon the beauty of the first botanical portion of the collection. The ferns have long attracted the attention not only of botanists but of all admirers of nature by their great elegance, and indeed we know of nothing more worthy of admiration than a lofty hedge bank, such as may be often seen in the western parts of England, covered by these beautiful plants of numerous species, of all sizes and in different stages of growth. We have often been asked to point out some work which, combining a popular account, with scientific descriptions and characteristic figures, should be equally fitted for the drawing-room or the study, for the amateur or the bo- tanist, and have been compelled to acknowledge that no such book existed. These requisites are at length answered by the work before us, which we are quite convinced cannot be surpassed in the ele- gance of its numerous figures, equally deserving of praise for their beauty and correctness, and claiming our admiration by the com- ])leteness of its account of each species, and the philosophical views and pure love of science displayed in it. Agreeing as we do with the author in most of his conclusions, we think it right to state a few points in which, in our opinion, the work admits of improvement. We consider the want of any distinct specific characters as a great imperfection; for although the distinct- ive points are fully stated in the account of each species, yet much difficulty is thereby introduced into the determination of the several plants. More exact references to the works of authors quoted, and the introduction of authorities for those localities in which the author has not himself seen the plants growing, even though he may have had specimens before him, would have been desirable. A large portion of the introduction is occupied by an account of Mr. Ward's plan for growing plants in closed cases ; a plan deser- ving of much greater attention than it has yet received, from its value in causing the healthy growth of ferns, heaths, saxifrages, and other plants in the centre of the smoky atmosphere of London, its use in promoting the successful transport of plants by sea, and its elegance when employed as an ornament of the drawing-room. Great stress is laid upon the venation as affording the best ge- Bibliographical Notices. 37 neric characters for ferns, and it cannot be denied, that the form, situation, &c. of the veins assist greatly in distinguishing allied ge- nera; but yet we must express our dissent from the author's opinion, when he says that he "is inclined to believe, that henceforth in the veins* of a new fern will be sought the characters which shall decide its genus," and on this subject we cannot do better than quote an observation of the younger Agardh, contained in his recently pub- lished Recensio specierum generis Pteridis. He says, *' Ex una enim facile altera oritur venarum configuratio, ita ut per seriem specierum maxime affinium, a simplicissima ad compositam structuram ssepe progrediunt venae, unde species saepe maxime affines in diversa genera divellerentur ;" and afterwards he adds, '* Ubi itaque appa- renter ex una altera oritur venarum configuratio, hoc charactere tan- tum innisa genera, summa injuria me judice conduntur. Ad divi- siones vero generum exstruendas, venarum decursus et distributio, meojudicio optime adhibentur." Numerous changes have been made in the nomenclature of the plants, but in all cases the oldest name has been adopted and no new ones are introduced; the localities of each species are given in sufficient detail, and the illustrations are remarkably numerous. In the genus Woodsia the species are combined, nor do we know of any certain character by which to distinguish them. In Cystopteris also we quite agree in reducing the native plants to one species, a. careful study of them in a wild state having convinced us that they can only rank as varieties. C. regia, Smith, we consider as distinct,, but as not having a valid claim to be included in the British lists. We now come to Polysticum (Aspidium, Sm.) lobatum, aculeatum, and angulare, and here again we agree in most points, but differ from Mr. Newman in believing that the Linnsean P. Lonchitis is really the same as the Irish and Scotch plant known by that name, and probably distinct from the protean P. aculeatum. Aspidium di- latatum, spinulosum, and dumetorum of Smith are, we think, rightly combined, although several of our most eminent botanists consider them as truly distinct, depending chiefly upon the form and direc- tion of the frond, the position of the upper surface of the pinnae (either in the same plane with the rachis or in different ones,) and upon the much more deeply impressed veins upon the upper surface of the plant usually denominated A. spinulosum. See Hooker's Brit. Fl. ed. 4. p. 386, note. Mr. Newman combines Polypodium * This subject has been recently investigated by Mr. Smith of Kew, in a paper read before the Linnaean Society, of which we hope to give an abs.- tract in our next Number. 38 Bibliographicah Notices, dryopteris and calcareum; but to this we must object, as the character taken from the presence of glandular pubescence in the latter may, we think, be always depended upon. We have examined numerous specimens since the publication of Mr. Newman's work, and find it constantly present in P. calcareum, and always wanting in P. dry- opteris. In conclusion, we beg strongly to recommend this volume to the notice of our readers, as we are convinced that it is only by an ex- tensive sale that it can ever repay the expense attending its publi- cation. Iter Hispaniense, or a Synopsis of Plants collected in the Southern Pro- vinces of Spain and Portugal, with Geographical Remarks and Ob- servations on rare and undescrihed Species. By Philip Barker Webb. 8vo. Paris, Bethune and Plon; London, Coxhead, 1838. Otia Hispanica, seu delectus plantarum rariorum aut nondum rite no- tarum per Hispanias sponte nascentium. Auctore P. B. Webb. Pentas I. Fol. Paris, Brockhaus et Avenarius ; London, Cox- head, 1839. We crave pardon of our subscribers and of the author for not ha- ving sooner noticed these two works, the former of which has peculiar interest from its supplying us with a catalogue of the native plants of a region which has received but little attention from naturalists, and which we fear, from the disturbed state of Spain, must long con- tinue to be of difficult access to the student of the peaceful science of botany ; and the latter is highly deserving of attention from its splendour and scientific value. The Iter Hispaniense exactly meets our views of the best form in which a local Flora can be presented to the public, that is, that it should be for the most part a mere catalogue of names and localities, referring to the large descriptive works for the specific characters and the greater number of synonyms, but that descriptive critical and geographical observations should be introduced in those cases in which the author supposes that he is possessed of new or little known and valuable information. Several such works have been pub- lished of late both in this country and on the continent, and we re- ceive this addition to their number with great satisfaction. The author is well known by the great work which he is publishing in conjunction with M. Sabin-Bertholot under the title of * Histoire Naturelle des lies Canaries,' — a work which we fear has not received that attention from the scientific men of Britain of which it is so highly deserving. The plants are arranged according to the natural Bibliographical Notices, 3^ system, commencing, as is now becoming the more frequent plan, with the less perfect plants. We had intended to have given the specific characters of all the new species contained in this book, but find them to be so numerous that space will not allow us to do so : we must therefore refer to the work itself, which will no doubt soon, if indeed it is not already, be in the hands of all those who are interested in the plants of the South of Europe, only noticing here a few of the more interesting points. Narcissus juncifolius, LaGasc. Foliis filiformibus, rigidis, acutis convolutis, scapo gracili, subbifloro, brevioribus ; petalis ovato- lanceolatis mucronulatis. — N. juncifolius alter. Clus. Hisp. 250. JV. Jonquilla, Linn. Foliis angustis, carnosis, angulosis, obtusiiis- culis, scapo 2 — 6-floro longioribus ; petalis lanceolatis acutis. — N . juncifolius prior . Clus. Hisp. 250. The latter of these plants, which is the Jonquil of the gardens, has not been noticed in its native locality since its first introduction into cultivation by Clusius 250 years since. Mr. Webb finds it upon the grassy slopes upon either side of the long range of the Sierra Morena, to which range of mountains it appears to be entirely con- fined. It is possible however, as suggested by Mr. Webb, that it may be found hereafter on the chain of Atlas in the northern part of Africa. The former species originally and correctly separated from the Jonquil by Clusius inhabits the warmer and drier parts of the coasts of the Mediterranean. Pages 11 to 15 are occupied by a very valuable catalogue, with extended observations, and in several cases amended specific charac- ters of all the species of Quercus (oaks) noticed by the author in Spain and Mauritania, consisting of 11 species, the last of which, the Q. pseudo-corcifera, Labill., but not of Desf. is considered as a new species, and named Q. Calliprinos, Webb. Anthemis fuscata, Brot. is formed into a new genus, with the fol- lowing characters and name (page 37.) PERiDER^A,Webb. Involucrum discoideum, imbricatum. Flosculi radii ligulati, disci 5-dentati, superiores steriles. Receptaculum conicum, foveolatum, paleaceum, paleis ad basin latis, fusco- marginatis, tubo coroUse sequalibus, persistentibus, superioribus brevibus, scariosis, caducis. Stylis disci ramis f .^appendiculatis. Achsenium exalatum, subquadrangulare, glabriiin striatum, cal- vum, areola terminali indistincta. Herba littorum maris interni, annua, inodora, glabra, prsecox, facie Chamaemeli. Rami foliosi, apice monocephali. Radius albus, repandus. Folia bipinnatifida, lobis incisis. Discus fructu 40 Bibliographical Notices, mature superne nudus, basi collari seu irepi^epaiu palearum per- sistentium cinctus. Sp. 1. P.fuscata, Webb. Anthemis fuscata, Brot. At page 48 the Uleoe provincialis, Loisel, is referred to U. australis Clemente, as in the opinion of our author the plants are identical, and therefore the older, although neglected name conferred by Don Simon Clemente must be employed. We now come to the magnificent work placed second at the head of this article, of which we believe that the first part alone has as yet been published. It is in folio, and is intended to form a volume con- taining between 50 and 60 uncoloured plates, with accompanying descriptive letter-press. The present number contains 8 pages of letter- press and 5 plates, representing Holcus coespitosus, Boiss. ; Artemisia Granatensis, Boiss. ; Cytisus tribracteolatus,Wehh; Adeno- carpus Boissieri, Webb ; and Salsola genistoides, Poir. The latter is a very remarkable plant, having all the appearance in habit, &c. of a Genista combined with the characters of a Salsola. The plates appear to us to be of the highest character, being clearly and beautifully executed with very numerous illustrative dissections, and (as far as we can judge without having the plants before us) they are highly characteristic. We hope to have an opportunity of noticing the successive numbers of this work as they appear, and cannot but recommend it strongly to our botanical readers. Ow the Organs of Secretion in Plants. A prize question crowned in 1836, by the Royal Society of Sciences of Gottingen. By Dr. F. J. F. Meyen. With Nine Plates. Berlin, 1837. This Memoir contains a vast number of excellent observations on those organs in plants which possess the property of secreting any substance : a number of admirable drawings illustrate the text. The Royal Society of Gottingen required '*an accurate representa- tion of the secreting organs in vegetables with reference to the structure of the secreting parts, and of the effects which secretion in general produces on the process of vegetation." The organs which have the power of secreting have been arranged according to the secretions produced ; and the author commences with those which secrete air ; he distinguishes between the cavities originating from laceration ; and those air cavities or canals formed by the sepa- ration of the rows of cells, which may be regarded as widened intercellular passages, frequently have septa consisting of a stellate cellular tissue, and allow therefore of free transmission. He then Bibliographical Notices, 41 passes on to the consideration of the vesicles (Blasen) in Utricularia^ the structure of which is accurately expounded. They are at first filled with a slimy liquid, the place of which is subsequently occu- pied by air. Then follow the ascidia of Nepenthes, which like- wise, when young, contain air only. The secretion of water at the apices and margins of the leaves of many plants is not considered to be a secretion, nor could the author find the apertures described by Schmidt, which produce this. In the second chapter those organs are treated of which secrete within the cellular tissue mucus, gum, oil, balsam, and resin. The author regards the resin-canals as widened intercellular passages, having no epidermis, and whose con- tents are formed by the immediately adjacent cells. In Rhus typhina there is no latical sap (Milchsaft) nor vessels, but passages with a liquid resin containing much turpentine. In the Umhellatce there is also evident in summer a formation of passages containing an oily li- quid. The oil vessels in the seminal envelopes of the Umbellatie ^o^sess the same structure, but are smaller than the former. The mucus and gum passages are of similar origin, but are shorter and without laevigated walls. They occur of a very large size in the Cactece, Malvaceae, and Zamice. The glands are treated of in the third chapter, in which Guettard's observations are maintained against the views of De Candolle. The author divides the glands into ex- ternal and internal, the former again into simple and compound. The simple are petiolated or nonpetiolated, in the first case similar to glandular hairs ; here the formation of hairs is shortly touched upon. The petiolated glands of a number of plants are described and in part figured ; they are claimed for the Chenopodece, where they are said to form respiratory and secreting parts, and the glandular cell to be formed last on the hair ; even when a compound gland exists on the hair, it is formed last. The simple nonpetiolated glands comprise the glandes miliaires of Guettard, or stomata ; the author at present confesses that they possess apertures, but that the two cells act like a kind of sphincter (Schliessmuskel) , and at the same time have the function of glands. Of the compound glands several are accurately represented, among others those oiDictamnus, which more- over have a cavity for the secreted matter ; those of the hop, the globules contained in which on their exit into the water present an extremely lively and free movement ; those of Ribes, Galium, &c. The organs secreting a caustic substance in Urtica, Jatropha, and Loasa, and the rotation of the cellular sap in the two latter, are then described, after which follow the compound internal glands without cavities of secretion ; when the cells contain small drops of oil or 42 Bibliographical Notices, resin the author terms them Pearl glands, (Perldrusen) ; these occur in Cecropia, Begonia, Piper, Bauhinia, Urtica, and many other plants. Remarkable is the ascent (Jiinantreten) of a spiral vessel up to the gland in the marginal glands of Drosera ; in this case likewise the cellular sap globules possess motion. The consideration of the nec- taries, with some reference to Kurr's memoir on this subject, forms the conclusion. The second section treats of the internal glands ; they are described and figured from Dictamnus, Ruta, Melaleuca, Citrus, Hypericum, Gossypium, &c. The so-called glands of the LahiatcB are treated of in supplementary notes. The fourth chapter relates to the secretion of peculiar substances by individual cells in the interior of the cellular tissue. It is a well-known fact, observes the author, that individual cells at times contain a colouring sub- stance which the adjacent cells do not exhibit ; the formation of chlorophylle must also be regarded as a product of secretion. In the Lysimachiee, it is in some single large cells that the red resinous pigment is situated, which appears to be composed of a number of minute bars (Stcibchen). These resinous secretions are exceedingly remarkable in the elongated cells of the parenchyma near the spiral tubes in species of Aloe, where at first brown resinous globules occur along with green globules, gradually increase in number, and at last fill in a mass the entire cell. In the roots of the Valeriana there are also found, in the outer layers, resinous globules in the cells ; a similar occurrence is also described in Amomum, Curcuma, and other ScitamineaB. The fifth chapter is devoted to the consi- deration of the vital sap or milksap vessels (vasa laticis) ; the author here endeavours to maintain and confirm his opinion that they pos- sess walls, and are therefore true vessels ; he also endeavours to de- monstrate the motion of the sap in them, although he is not able to establish any result founded on direct observation respecting the terminal extremities and the mode in which the current is carried through the entire plant ; he lastly treats of the external structure of the milk sap and its globules, as also of the chemical characters it presents. The sixth chapter contains some concluding remarks ; the author enlarges on the phsenomena in relation to which substances are secreted externally without the existence of any peculiar appa- ratus ; as in the scales of buds, in the aerial roots of Ma:is, in the occurrence of tragacanth, in the efl[lorescence of sugar on Algee, of waxy substances on fruits and leaves, &c. In this memoir, which contains so great and valuable a mass of information, we are glad to find that the author does not give way to a polemical spirit. — Linncea, Part III. 1839. Bibliographical Notices. 43 Descrizione di un nuovo Genere di Piante della Famiglia delle Le- guminose, di Guglielmo Gasparini. Description of a new Genus of Plants of the Family LcguminoscB, by Guglielmo Gasparini. Sign. Gasparini has given in a short memoir, published separately, a full description of the Acacia Farnesiana, of which it appeared necessary to form a new genus, from its holding an intermediate place between the genera Lagonychium and Acacia, and forming the transition from the MimoscE to the Acacia. He terms it Farnesia, and thus characterizes it : — Flores hermaphroditi. Cal. minimus tubulosus 5-dentatus. Cor. gamopetala, minima 5-dentata calyce inserta ac cum ipso coa- lita. Stam. numerosa exserta, omnino soluta, antheris mini- mis rotundatis. Pist. corollee subsequale, ovario oblongo, stylo filiformi, stigmate oculo nudo inconspicuo. Legumen inde- hiscens, subteres, subfusiforme, torulosum s. seminibus abortis hinc inde constrictum, sessile, primo pulpa spongiosa farctum deinde cellulosum, nempe ex endocarpio semina involvente ac in sepimenta producto in plures cellulas divisum. Semina nuda. — F. odor a. The plant is described at length, and the flowers and fruit deline- ated on an annexed plate. This small tree is cultivated in Sicily to decorate the garden, under the names of Gaggia or Cassia : its flowers are odorous, but the roots have a bad smell, which is also imparted to the spittle when the seeds have been chewed. It how- ever, in this case, proceeds solely from the radicular end of the embryo. — Linrnea, Part III. 1839. Osservazioni intorno la Durata ed il Germogliamento della Grammite, fatte da Guglielmo Gasparini. Observations on the duration and germination of Grammitis, by Guglielmo Gasparini. The Grammitis leptophylla, one of the most frequent ferns occur- ring on the coast districts of Naples, dies annually towards the end of spring, and shoots forth again in autumn and winter from the spores. The author describes the plant at length, and the process of its germination and development, which, together with the per- fect plant, are figured on the first plate. The second plate con- tains the first stage of development of Adiantum Capillus Veneris, Scolopendrium officinarum, Asplenium Adiantum nigrum, and Aspidium hastulatum . — Ibid. 44 Linnaan Society. PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. LINNiEAN SOCIETY. December 17. — Mr. Forster, V.P., in the Chair. Specimens of the Lagurus ovatus collected last summer at Sewer's End, two miles from SaiFron Walden, were presented by Mr. Gum- ming, who discovered the plant about three years ago in that locality, which is its only actual English station. Read, " Description of the Curata, a plant of the tribe of Bamhusece, of the culm of which the Indians of Guiana prepare their Sarbacans or Blow-pipes." By Robert H. Schomburgk, Esq., communicated by the Secretary. Referring to a passage in Baron Humboldt's " Personal Narra- tive" of his Travels in America, in which the learned author de- scribes the reeds of which the Indian Blow-pipes are made, and re- grets his inability to determine from what plant they were obtained, Mr. Schomburgk states it to have been a point of the greatest in- terest with him in his recent journeys in the interior of Guiana to ascertain this fact. He found that the Macusi tribe of Indians ob- tained these remarkable reeds by barter from the Arecunas, w^ho again made journeys of several months' duration to the westward to procure them from the Maiongcong and Guinan Indians, to whose country they are restricted, and who have thence acquired among the other natives the appellation of the Curata people. The Are- cuna thus becomes the medium of the barter carried on of blow- pipes on the one hand for Urari poison on the other, the latter being found in the district inhabited by the Macusi, and exchanged by them for the tube through which the arrows impregnated with it are discharged with such deadly effect. It was at a settlement of Maiong- cong Indians near the river Emaruni that Mr. Schomburgk at last succeeded in obtaining positive information of the locality of these reeds, which he was informed were found on two lofty mountains, named by the Indians Mashiatti and Marawacca, the former of which was pointed out to him at the distance of about 20 miles. The latter however lying more directly on his route was visited by him in pre- ference ; it is seated at a day's journey from a Maiongcong settle- ment on the banks of the Cuyaca, from whence the natives showed the beaten track. After having ascended the mountain to a height of about 3500 feet above the Indian village, the traveller followed the course of a small mountain stream, on the banks of which the Curas or Curatas, as these reeds are called by the Indians, grow in dense tufts. They form in general clusters of from forty to a hundred gtems, which are pushed forth, as in many other Bambusca, from a Linncsan Society, 45 strong jointed subterranean rootstock. The stem rises straight from the rhizoma, without knot or interruption, and preserving an equal thickness throughout, frequently to the height of 16 feet, be- fore the first dissepiment is stretched across the interior and the first branches are given off. The joints that folio w^ succeed each other at intervals of from 15 to 18 inches ; and the whole plant attains a height of from 40 to 50 feet. The stem when full-grown is at the base about an inch and a half in diameter, or nearly 5 inches in cir- cumference ; but Mr. Schomburgk mentions having seen young stems, which'at the height of 20 feet, and with a thickness of scarcely a quarter of an inch, offered no signs of articulation. The branches are only formed when the stem begins to increase in diameter. The full-grown stem is of a bright green colour, perfectly smooth and hollow within. The branches are verticillate, generally from 3 to 4 feet in length, very slender, terete and nodose ; the upper joints separated by an interval of from 2 to 3 inches, and clothed by the sheaths of the leaves, which are split at the apex, persistent, striate and somewhat scabrous. The leaves are linear-lanceolate, obliquely rounded at the base, acute, of a bright green above, glaucescent below, nervoso-striate, with the midrib prominent, and the margin scabrous, from 8 to 9 inches long, and 5 or 6 lines broad ; they are furnished with a short petiole, which is articulated to the vagina ; and a series of long setse occupy the place of the ligula. The inflo- rescence is in terminal spikes, with a flexuose rachis ; the locustae subsessile, lanceolate, lax, from li to 2 inches in length. The en- tire plant is from 40 to 50 feet in height ; but the weight of its in- numerable branches causes the slender stem to curve downwards so that the upper part generally describes an arch, which adds greatly to the gracefulness of its appearance. Leaving out of consideration the length of the first nodeless joint, it resembles in its general habit the Bambusa latifoUa of Humboldt, which Mr. Schomburgk was not unfrequently led into the mistake of confounding with it at a di- stance. He estimates the height at which it grew as 6000 feet above the level of the sea ; and its growth appears to be limited to the chain of sandstone mountains which extends between the second and fourth parallel, and forms the separation of waters between the rivers Parima, Merewari, Ventuari, Orinoco and Negro. The only ascertained localities were Mounts Mashiatti, Marawacca and Wanaya. Mr. Schomburgk describes at length the process by which the blow-pipes are prepared, and encased, for their better security in the hollowed trunk of a slender species of palm ; together with the mode in which other parts of the apparatus are supplied in order to render 4G Linncean Society, it available for its important uses, and the various modifications in its construction occurring among the different tribes. He adds also a particular description of the arrows and quivers in use among several of the native tribes. To this paper was appended the following note by John Joseph Bennett, Esq. F.L.S. ** Mr. Schomburgk having placed in my hands specimens of the grass which forms the subject of his communication, with a request that (if I should find it to be unpublished) I would describe it, I consulted the publications of Nees von Esenbeck and Kunth, and was at first strongly inclined to suspect that it was identical with the Arundinaria verticillata of those authors ; but a subsequent examination has satisfied me that it is a distinct species of that genus. I have had no opportunity of comparing it with specimens of ^. verticillata, but it differs from the descriptions of that species, given by the two eminent botanists above named, in the following particulars. Its leaves are linear, instead of lanceolate, and smooth on both surfaces, instead of scabrous ; the mouth of their sheaths is furnished on either side of the articulation of the leaf with a fringe of long rigid setae, which are not mentioned as occurring in A. verti- cillata ; its locustse are sessile, instead of being pedicelled ; and the hypogynous scales are lanceolate and acute, instead of obovate and obtuse. The following character will therefore serve to distinguish the species : — Arundinaria Schomhurgkn. A. foliis linearibus acuminatis Igevibus; vaginarum ore utrinque longe sietoso, spic^ simplici pauciflora, locustis sessilibus, squamulis hypogynis lanceolatis acutis." January 21, 1840.— Mr. Forster, V.P., in the Chair. Mr. Hewett Cottrell Watson, F.L.S. , exhibited specimens of Ca- rum Bulhocastanum discovered by Mr. W. H. Coleman, near Cherry Hinton, Cambridgeshire, and of Seseli Libanotis gathered by the same in a Dean west of the river Cuckmere, near Seaford, Sussex, being the first time it has been observed in that county. Mr. Solly, F.L.S., exhibited two splendid drawings executed by Mrs. Withers of a male plant of Encephalartos pungens, which flowered in the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew, in October last. Mr. Iliff, F.L.S., exhibited some urate of ammonia voided by the Boa Constrictor at the Surrey Zoological Gardens, in the midst of which were several larvae supposed by Mr. Curtis to be those of the Musca Canicularis of Linnaeus. Mr. Iliff is of opinion they were voided with the excrements of the Boa, and referred to a case in the LinncEan Society. 4? Memoirs of the Medical Society of London, where he believes si- milar larvae were voided from the intestines of a man. Specimens of the Lastrea rigida collected at Settle, Yorkshire, were presented by Mr. Daniel Cooper, A.L.S. Read " Observations on the Ergot." By Francis Bauer, Esq., F.R.S., and L.S. The author, as is well known, has made the ergot a subject of particular study, and about thirty years ago he undertook, at the suggestion of Sir Joseph Banks, a series of careful microscopical ob- servations, with a view to determine the nature and cause of that singular production, and the beautiful drawings prepared by him at that time, illustrative of the ergot in various stages of its develop- ment, form part of the Banksian collections now deposited in the British Museum. Mr. Bauer's investigation led him to determine the ergot to be a morbid condition of the seed, but he was unsuc- cessful in ascertaining the cause of the disease, which Messrs. Smith and Ouekett have satisfactorily shown to be occasioned by a mi- nute filamentous fungus, a fact already recorded at p. 1 & 4. After a long lapse of years Mr. Bauer was induced to resume the subject, and the result has been an additional drawing from his masterly pencil, displaying the minute fungus already noticed in different stages of its growth. The fungus has been named by Mr. Quekett Ergotatia abortifaciens. February 4. — Mr. Forster, V.P., in the Chair. Read, " On the Heliamphora nutans, a new Pitcher Plant from British Guiana." By George Bentham, Esq., F.L.S. The interesting subject of this communication was discovered by Mr. Schomburgk growing in a marshy savannah on the mountain of Roraima, on the borders of British Guiana, at an elevation of about 6000 feet above the level of the sea. It belongs to the Sarraceniacea, and constitutes a very distinct genus of that small but remarkable family of plants, hitherto exclusively confined to the United States. The genus is principally distinguished from Sarracenia by the entire absence of petals, small apterous stigma, and trilocular ovarium. The following are the characters of this new genus : HELIAMPHORA. Perigonii foliola 4, 5, (vel 6 ?) hypogyna, libera, aestivatione valde imbri- cata, subpetaloidea. Stamina numero indefinita, hypogyna. Anthercc oblongo-lineares, versatiles, biloculares, loculis oppositis iongitudinaliter dehiscentibus. Ovarium triloculare, ovulis numerosis anatropis pluri- serialiter placentae axili affixis. Stylus simplex, apice truncatus. Stigma parvum, obscure trilobum, minute ciliatum. " Capsula trilocularis, trivalvis, polysperma" {Schomh.). Seynina obovata, compressa, testa 48 Linneean Society. fusca laxiuscula, vix rugosa, in alam fusco-membranaceum semen cingentem expansa. Embryo parvus, teres, rectus, prope basin albu- minis copiosi, radicula juxta hilum, cotyledonibus parvis. ^^Qx\i?i jterenms^ uliginosa. F oVia radicalia ; petiolus tuhuloso-amphor^- formis, ore obliquo margine subrevoluto. Scapus erectus, apice simpli- citer racemosus, glaber. Flores nutantes, albi v. pallide rosei. 1. H. nutans. Read a paper, entitled " On the Structure of the Tissues of Cij- cadea," By D. Don, Esq., Libr. L. S., Prof. Bot. King's College. In ConifercB the structure of the stem presents the ordinary appear- ance of dicotyledonous trees ; the annual layers are distinctly marked, and there is a regular bipartition of each into wood and bark (liber) ; but in Cycadece no bipartition takes place of the fibro-vascular bundles, which in that respect resemble those of monocotyledonous plants, and the differences otherwise are very striking, Cycas having, be- sides a large central pith, several thick concentric alternating layers of cellular and fibro-vascular tissue ; and in Zamia and Encephalartos, besides the pith, there are only two very thick layers, one of fibro- vascular, and the other, which is also the exterior one, of cellular tissue. The great peculiarity of the Coniferce, and which distin- guishes them as well from Cycadece as from every other family, is the remarkable uniformity of their woody tissue, which consists of slender tubes, furnished on the sides parallel to the medullary rays with one or more rows of circular or angular dots ; but in Cycadea no such uniformity is observable, their tissue, as in other phaenoga- mous plants, consisting of two kinds of vessels, namely of slender transparent tubes, without dots or markings, and of dotted, reticulated and spiral vessels, which are capable of being unrolled. The former are identical with the fibrous or woody tissue, whilst the latter, which form a part of each bundle, can only be compared to the strictly vascular tissue of other plants. These dotted vessels in Cycadece bear a con- siderable resemblance to the vessels of Coniferce, and especially to those of Dammara and Araucaria, from the dots being disposed in rows, and confined to the two vertical sides of the vessel only, and they are moreover alternate, as in the two genera just mentioned. In Cycadea, however, the dots present much less regularity in number and size than in Coniferce, not only in different vessels of the same bundle, but in different parts of the same vessel, forming one, two, three, four, and five rows ; and they are not always confined to the vertical sides, but appear in some cases to follow the entire circle of the vessel. Their form is oblong, or elliptical, in Cycas re- voluta, circinalis, glauca, and speciosa, Zamia furfur acea and pumila, as well as in Encephalartos horridus and spiralis; but they are sometimes longer, narrower and nearly linear, giving the vessel Linncean Society. 4.1 the appearance of being marked with transverse stripes. The vessels in all present so much similarity, that no generic distinction can be drawn from them. The dots are always arranged dia- gonally. The dotted vessels of Zamia furfuracea and pumila were observed to unroll spirally in the form of a band, pre- senting a striking resemblance to those of Ferns. The band was found to vary in breadth in different vessels, and was furnished with transverse rows, composed of two, three, or more dots. The coils followed the direction of the dots, and the unrolling was from right to left. In Cycas revoluta dotted vessels frequently occur with a single row of dots ; but, from the circumstance of the dots on both sides being in view at the same time, they are liable to be mistaken as having a double row on each side. Besides the dotted vessels, there occurs throughout Cycadece another variety, differing but little from the ordinary spiral vessel, except in the tendency of the coils to unite. In some vessels the coils are free, and the fibre ex- hibits frequently, at intervals, bifurcations or narrow loops ; in others the coils unite at one or both sides, in which case the vessel presents a series either of rings or bars ; the fibre then is with dififtculty un- rolled, and it often breaks off into rings, or the bars separate at the point where the coils unite, which is generally on the perpendicular sides of the vessel. In other cases the vessels are distinctly reticulated, and they then exhibit a striking analogy to the dotted cellules inCycas revoluta. All these modifications are frequently to be observed in the same vessel in Zamia furfuracea aiid pumila, a fact which affords conclusive evidence of the accuracy of the theory advanced by Meyen, which refers the spiral, annular, reticulated, and dotted vessels to a common type. The dots and stripes are evidently the thinnest portions of the tube, being most probably parts of the primitive membrane re- maining uncovered by the matter subsequently deposited on the walls. The cellular tissue of Cycadeee consists of tolerably regular paren- chyma, composed of prismatic, six-sided cellules. In the species of Zamia and Encephalartos, so often referred to, the walls of the cellules appear to be of a uniform thickness and transparency, and destitute both of dots or markings ; but in the adult fronds of Cycas revoluta a different structure presents itself, for the walls of the cellules are furnished with numerous elliptical, obliquely transverse dots or spaces, where the membrane is so exceedingly delicate and trans- parent as to give to the cellules the appearance of being perforated by holes, the intervening spaces being covered by incrustating matter, disposed in the form of confluent bands, which, when viewed under the microscope, resemble a kind of network. The Ann. Nat. Hist. Vol. 5. No. 28. March 1840. e 50 Linndean Society, dots or spaces uncovered by incrustating matter, are generally of a large size, and occur more particularly on the vertical sides of the cellules, a band usually running along the middle of the two opposite sides. The bands vary in breadth, as do the dots, and they not unfrequently exhibit minute transparent points or spaces where the solid matter forming the band shows a tend- ency to separate. The extreme delicacy and transparency of the dots or spaces of whatever size, appear fully to prove that they are parts of the primitive membrane of the cellule, which are un- covered by the incrustating matter. A solution of iodine will be found of great service in determining the actual existence of the membrane at those parts ; for although it does not materially alter its colour, it tends very much to diminish its transparency and ren- ders it distinctly visible, so as to leave no doubt that the spaces are not openings. The bands are evidently the result of a partial ligni- fication ; and indeed no better example can be offered than Cycas revoluta to illustrate and confirm the correctness of the views ad- vanced by Schleiden as to the origin of the bands and fibres in the cellules and vessels of plants. Being anxious to ascer- tain whether the bands exist at an early period, the author had recourse to the examination of a young undeveloped frond, about two weeks old, and he was much gratified by finding his previous suspicions fully confirmed ; the cellules then being of a uniform transparency, presenting neither bands nor dots, but furnished with a distinct cytoblast or nucleus, which was found to have entirely dis- appeared from those cellules in which the incrustating matter was visible, proving that the incrustating matter is formed at the expense of the nucleus. The matter forming the bands is continuous, and is evidently not formed by a coalescing of spiral fibres, as some might suppose ; for it is perfectly solid, and shows no disposition to un- roll or to break up into fibres. The bands most probably originated from the shrinking up of the incrustating substance, which at first was equally diffused in a fluid state over the walls, and which, from the mere effects of consolidation, aided by the distention, and per- haps enlargement of the cellule, would naturally leave portions of the primitive membrane uncovered. That the dotted and reticulated vessels in Cycadea are of the same nature, and originate in a similar way as the cellules just described, there seems no reasonable ground to doubt. The parenchymatous cellules in Cycas circinalis, glauca, and speciosa resemble those of Zamia and Encephalartos in having their walls of a nearly uniform thickness and transparency, being but rarely furnished with a few elliptical obliquely transverse spaces Zoological Society. 51 or dots. The cellules in Cycas revoluta vary both in size and structure, some being three or four times longer, whilst others are still longer and narrower, and furnished with more numerous and much smaller dots, which are not confined to the sides, but are disposed around the tube. These last, which have been observed also in Cycas glauca and circinalis, present an evident transition to the dotted vessels. The whole of the Cycadea are supplied with numerous gummife- rous canals, often of great length, and uniformly furnished with distinct cellular walls of considerable thickness, and which have been accurately described and figured by Professor Morren in a recent memoir. Notwithstanding the analogies presented by their reproductive organs, the author considers the Cycadea as related to Conifercs only in a remote degree, and that they constitute the remains of a class of plants which belonged to a former vegetation. ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. June 25, 1839. — Dr. Bostockinthe Chair. A paper by T. C. Eyton, Esq., entitled " Catalogue of a Collection of Birds from Malaya, with descriptions of the new species," was read. " The collection of Birds, of which the following is a catalogue, are in the possession of Mr. Evans, of the Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury, having been collected by his brother in the above-mentioned coun- try. This collection is particularly interesting when taken in con- junction with that of the neighbouring islands of Sumatra and Java, an account of which is published in the Transactions of the Linnsean Society, vol. xiii., by Sir T. Stamford Raffles and Dr. Horsfield. •' The zoology of Malaya is altogether highly deserving of the at- tention of the naturalist, presenting as it does a connecting link be- tween those families of which Australia is the metropolis, and the forms of the Old World. The ornithology of Australia is distin- guished by the number of species belonging to the family Melipha- gidce which it produces, and we find from the present catalogue and that above-mentioned, that the Indian islands and the Malay penin- sula also possess a greater number of species belonging to this family than any other portion of the world excepting Australia. This trans- ition may also be traced through the marsupial animals, and man, the Malay variety of the human species approaching nearer to the Australian than any other in the form of the cranium. " The present collection contains eighty-nine species, of which se- veral are new to science ; there are also some entirely new genera ; E 2 52 Zoological Society, it is singularly deficient in Raptorial and Natatorial birds, not pos- sessing one of either order ; but this perhaps may be owing to the col- lection having been made chiefly in the interior." Podargus Javanicus, Horsf. Native name, Burong Saiang. Harpactes Duvaucelii, Gould. Native name, Burong Mass. Harpactes Diardii, Gould. Native name same as preceding. Eurystomus cyanocolUs, Vieill. Native name, Tihong Lampay. The collection contains both male and female ; the latter is merely distinguished from the former by its more obscure colouring. Eurylaimus Cory don, Temm. Cymbyrhynchus cucullatus. Eurylaimus cucullatus, Temm. Native name, Tamplana Lilin. Cymbyrhynchus nasutus, Vig. Native name, Burong Ujuu. Halcyon Capensis, Sw. Native name, Burong Kaha. Halcyon varia. H. pectore, guld, ventre, strigdque oculos cin- gente ferrugineis ; capite, nuchd, et strigd a mandibuld inferiore ad capistrum brunneis, singulis pennis tceniis cceruleis ornatis : primariis, dorso, scapularibusque, brunneis, his externe flavo mar- ginatis, illis maculatis ; rostro jlavo, culmine obscuro. Long. tot. 8 J unc; rostri, 1-l-f unc; tai^si, 1-tV. Native name, Kaing Kaing, Halcyon pulchella. Dacelo pulchella, Horsf. Native name, Kaing Kaing Kimba. Alcedo Smyrnensis, Lath. See Kaing Kaing. Alcedo ccerulea, Linn. Native name. Raja Ulang. Nyctiornis amictus, Sw. Merops amictus, Temm. Native name, Kay Chua. Merops Javanicus, Horsf. Native name, Berray Berray. Cinnyris Javanicus, Steph. Native name, Clichap. Cinnyris affinis, Horsf. Native name. Major. Calyptomena viridis. Raff. Native name, Siebo. Chloropsis Malabaricus, Jard. and Selby . Native name, Burong daou. The female differs from the male in having the markings less distinct. Chloropsis Sonneratii, Jard. and Selby. Native name, Mirbadaon. The female and young are destitute of the black throat, a straw- coloured mark being sometimes substituted for it. Irena puella, Horsf. Native name, Krouing. Muscipeta paradisea, Le Vaill. Native name, Mirajabone. MusciPETA ATROCAUDATA. Mus. toto corpore purpureo-atro, sed pectore imo abdomineque albis. Long. tot. 9 unc. : rostri, 1 unc. ; tarsi, -^ unc. Native name, Murrajabone. Zoological Society. 53 Genus Mickotarsus, n. g. Rostrum fer6 capiti sequale, altius quam latum, ad apicem incisum, ultraque nares compressum, ad basim setis armatum; nares mem- branacese, parvse, rotundatse. Tarsi brevissimi, superiore parte plumati ; digit i debiles, externi vix longiores quam interni ; posteriores medios sequantes ; ungues com- press!, posteriores longissimi ; scuta tarsi indivisa. Alee mediocres rotundatse, prima pennarum spuria, secunda breviore tertia, tertia duabusque proximis inter se sequalibus. Cauda rotundata tectricibus superioribus mollibus et longis. Obs. The above genus is closely allied to Micropus of Swainson. MiCROTARsus MKLANOLEUcos. Micr. tttev, tectricibus primariis apicibus albis ; rostro pedibusque atris. Long. tot. 6^ unc. ; rostri, ^ unc. ; tarsi, 6J unc. Native name, Mirba tando. Genus Malacopteron, n. g. Rostrum fere capiti sequale, altius quam latum, ad apicem incisum, ultraque nares compressum, ad basim setis armatum ; mandibuli inferiore ad basim tumida. Tarsi mediocres ; digiti externi vix longiores qukm interni, poste- riores medios sequantes ; ungues compressi posteriores longissimi ; scuta tarsi vix divisa. Alcehreves, rotundatse ; pennis secondariis primarias fer^ sequantibus; prima pennarum spuria, secunda breviore tertia, quae longissima est. Cauda paucarum pennarum composita, rotundata ; tectricibus supe- rioribus mollibus et longis. Obs. This genus is allied to Microtarsus in some particulars and to Brachypus in others : it agrees with both in the soft and downy- nature of the tail coverts. Malacopteron magnum. Mal.fronte cauddque ferrugineis, nuchd atrd, dorse strigdque transversd pectore, cinereis, alis brunneis, rostro fiavo. Long, tot., 6 unc; rostri, -rV unc; tarsi, ^V unc Fem. mare minor, capite nuchaque ferrugineo et atro maculatis. Native name, Burong Map. Malacopteron cinereus. Mal.feminaspecieipracedentis similis sed magnitudine multiim inferior. Long. tot. 5i unc. ; rostri, 5 lin. ; tarsi, 8 lin. Brachypus entylotus, Jard. and Selb. Native name, Merfa. Brachypteryx nigrocapitata. Bra. vertice atro, genis cinereis, guld albd, dor so cauddque brunneis, pectore abdomineque ferru- gineis h6c obscurissimo ; rostri mandibuld superiore fuliginosd, in- feriore flavd, tarsis pedibusque brunneis. ' Long. tot. 6J unc. ; rostri, \ unc ; tarsi, l-rV i^iic. Dicrurus Malabaricus, Steph. Native name, Chanwee. Obs. Die. ceratus of Stephens is the female of this species. Lanius virgatus, Temm. Native name, Burong Tana. 54 Zoological Society. Lanius strigatus. Lan. dorso, caudd alisque ferrugineis, illo atro strigato ; paucis pennis tertiarum etjiexurcc alarum lined atris ; ca- pite cinereo, sparso et strigato atro ; corpore subtHs obscure albo ; lateribus pectoreque parce atro strigatis ; rostro apice atro, basi albd ; tarsis pedibusque brunneis. Long. tot. 6| unc. ; rostri, 4-r ^iic. ; tarsi, xV unc. Obs. This is probably a young bird. Lamprotornis chalybeus. Turdus chalybeus, Horsf. Native name, Terling. Turdus Mindanensis, Gmel. Native name, Murray. Kittacincla macrourus, Gould. Turdus macrourus, Gmel. Native name, Mura but a. Turdus modestus. Tur. dorso, tectricibus alarum, verticeque oli- vaceO'brunneis ; paucis tectricum primarium praepilatis albo ; pri- mariis cauddque brunneis ; guld, strigd oculari abdomineque albis. Hid maculis cinereis sparsd ; lateribus capitis, et pectore inferiore cinereis ; lateribus pectoreque superiore ferrugineis ; mandibuld superiore pedibusque brunneis, inferiore flavd. Long. tot. 8J unc. ; rostri, -iV ^nc. ; tarsi, \-^ unc. Native name, Kwaran. Pastor Malayensis. P. dorso, caudd alisque viridi-ceneis ; tec- tricibus tertiariis abdomineque albis ; vertice nuchdque pennis elon- gatis, cinereis ; paucis pennis viridi circumclusis ; mento albo ; cor- pore subtus cinereo. Long. tot. 6;| unc. ; rostri, \ unc. ; tarsi, 1 unc. Fern, dorso brunneo ; reliquis coloribus obscuris. Native name. Brass Brass. lor a scapularis, Horsf. Native name, Durong Capas. Genus Crataionyx, n. g. Rostrum forte ; mandibuld superiore arcuata, mediocri ; nares rotun- datse, basales, setis brevibus tectse. Pedes validi syndactyli ; digitis medio posteriori inter se sequantibus, exterioribus interioribus vix longioribus. Tarsi validi elongati ; ungues validi, posteriores maximi. Alcd remigibua primariis spuriis, secundis vix brevioribus tertiis ; 4tis^ 5tis, 6*^^^"^ inter se sequalibus. Cauda longa rotundata. Crataionyx flava. Crat. ater vertice cristato ; abdomine pecto- reque inferiore flavis ; tarsis pedibusque flavis. Long. tot. 7 unc. ; rostri, \ unc. ; tarsi, ^^ unc. Native name, Seray Seray. Crataionyx ater. Crat. cenea, vertice cristato ; abdomine pecto- reque inferiore, fiavis ; tarsis pedibusque flavis. Long. tot. 7 unc. ; rostri, ^ unc. ; tarsi, -{-1 unc. Oriolus xanthonotus, Horsf. Native name, Simpelong Rait. Oriolus Sinensis, Linn. Native name, Kapindary. Zoological Society. 55 Gr acuta retigiosa, Auct. Native name, Tchong. Ptatytophus gatericulatus, Temm. Native name, see Jerray, Pitta hrachyura, Auct. Native name, Mortua Plando. Pitta coccinea, P. occipite, nuchd, corporeque suhtiis coccineis ; alls, dorsOy caudd, strigdque utrinque nucJicB, cyaneis; gutture ferrugineis ; laterihus capitis, pedibus, rostroque atris. Long. Corp. 8 unc. ; rostrum, J unc. ; tarsi, 1^ unc. Native name, same as the last. BucERos BicoLOR. Buc. atcr, rectricibus tertiis lateralihus caudce- que apicibus albis ; rostro albo, strigd cingente basim atrd ; casside medio cri carinatd d dimidio capitis ad bis trientis rostri tendente. Long. corp. 33^ unc. ; rostri, 6 unc. ; carina cassidis, 5 unc. ; tarsi, 2^ unc. Jun. casside non perfecta et atrd. Native name, Kay Kay. Euplectes Phitippinensis. Lowia Phitippinensis , Linn. Native name, Tampua. Anthus Malayensis. An. dorso brunneo, marginibus pennarum saturatioribus ; corpore subtus ferrugineo teviter tincto ; duabus rectricibus exterioribus cauda atbis ; pectore macutis brunneis adsperso ; primoribus marginibus exterioribus flavis . Long. tot. 6J unc. ; rostri, i unc. ; tarsi, \^ unc. ; ung. post. •J unc. Native name, Lanchar. The present species, vi^hich is the An. pratensis of Raffles, and of which the collection possesses two specimens, is nearly allied to An- thus trivialis, but differs in being of a larger size. Dicceum cantiltans, Ste. Dicceum saccharina. Certhia saccJiarina, Lath. Nat. name, Netta. Dicceum cruentata, Horsf. Dictum ignicapilla. Die. dorso, caudd, tectricibus alarum, primariis externis partibus, lateribusque capitis obscure azureis ; strigd oculari atrd; guld corporeque subtiis aurantiacis ; maculd pectorali verticeque rubris. Long. tot. 31 unc. ; rostri, -/-,- unc. ; tarsi, \ unc. Native name, Nalloo. Fem. superne cinerea subtiHsque flava irregulariter cinereo-maculata ; rubro cristata. Anthreptes flavigaster. An. capite, dorso, pectore colloque cinereo-viridibus ; corpore subtus flavo; alis, caudd tectricibusque alarum, brunneis; rostri mandibuld superiore atrd, inferiors jiavd ; pedibus brunneis. Long. tot. 8 unc. ; rostri, l^ unc. ; tarsi, -f^ unc. Native name, Chichap Rimba. Anthreptes modesta. An. vertice, dorso, alis, cauddque viridi-olivaceis hdc singulis pennis mediis brunneis, ilia prcepi- latd atro ; corpore subtus viridi, singulis pennis in mediis obscuris ; rostro pedibusque brunneis. Long. tot. 6J unc. ; rostri, l^ unc. ; tarsi, | unc. Native name, Chichap Nio. 56 Zoological Society. Phoenicophaus tricolor, Steph. Native name, Kado hesar. Phvenicophaus chlorocephalus . Cuculus chlorocephalus , Raffles. Native name, see Lahia. Phoenicophaus Crawfurdii, Gray. Native name, Kada Kachie. Phoenicophaus Javanicus, Horsf. Native name, Kada Apie. Phcenicophaus viridirostris. Phcen. alls dorse cauddque castanets ; primariis apicibus brunneis ; rectricibus candce api- cibus albis, pone strigd atrd ornatis ; capite, collo, pectoreque superior e cinereis, corpore subtus ferrugineo. Long. tot. 13 unc. ; rostri, 1 unc. ; tarsi, 1 unc. Native name, see Lahia Psittacula Malaccensis, Kuhl. Native name. Tana. Bucco trimaculata, Gray. Native name, Tanda. Bucco versicolor, RafF. Native name, Tahoor. Bucco QUADRicoLOR. Buc. viridis ; primariis brunneis ; rec" tricibus catidm inferioribus partibus azureis ; fronte aureo, ma- cula coccined posteriore utrinque ad latus locatd ; strigd per- oculari atrd, hdc antice maculd coccined, infra azured ornatd ; guld coccined; pectore super iore cceruleo maculis coccineis ornato ; maculd jlavd ad angulum inferius rostri ; rostro, tarsis, pedi- busque atris. Long. tot. 8|- unc. ; rostri, \^ unc. ; tarsi, \^ unc. Native name, Tahoor Capata Cuning. Genus Megalorhynchus. n. g. Rostrum validum culminatum, carina basali vix ad apicem aduncd ; altius quam latum ; nares magnse, basales, rotundatae ; setis tectae. Pedes scansorii ; digiti bini locati ; exteriores singulis partibus aequales et longiores quam interiores; posteriores et exteriores brevissimi. Alee primis pennarum spuriis, secundis brevibus, tertiis, 4*'^, 5*'^, 6*", inter se sequalibus. Tarsi mediocres. Cauda rotundata, mediocris. Megalorhynchus spinosus. Meg. superioribus partibus brun- neis ; pe7inis prcepilatis olece colore, vertice pennis mediis spino- sis, oculis spatiis nudis et rubris circumdatis ; guld obscure ferrugined ; corpore subtus sordide albo. Long. tot. 6i unc. ; rostri, \^ ; tarsi, -f^ unc. Native name, Ariko Berine. Chrysonotus Tig a. Picus Tig a, Horsf. Native name, Glato. Chrysonotus miniatus. Picus miniatus, Gmel, Native name, Glato. Picus validus, Temm. Native name, Glato. Hemicircus badius, Picus badius, RafF. Hemicircus brunneus. Hem. brunneus transversim ferrugvieo Zoological Society. 5f strigatus ; guld strigis minutis ; vertice genisque hrunneis et nan strigatis ; macula oblongd ad latera cervicis jiavo-ferrugi- ned ; notd ah angulo inferiore rostri utrinque ad gulam ten- dente coccined. Long. tot. 7 j unc. ; rostri, 1 unc. ; tarsi, | unc. Hemicircus tristis. Picus tristis, Horsf. Picus poicilolophus, Temra. Native name, Glato. Polyplectron Chinquis, Temm. Nycthemerus erythrophthalmus. Phasianus erythrophthalmus. Raffles. Native name, Pagas. Cryptonyx coronatus, Temm. Native name, Bestum. Perdix ^ruginosus. Perd. ceruginosus ; tertiariis transverstm strigatis atro; abdomine guldque saturatioribus ; nulla calcare; r astro tarsisque atris, illoforti. Long. tot. 10 unc. ; rostri, | unc. ; tarsi, 1| unc. Native name, see Hole. Hemipodius Taigour, Sykes. Native name, Pochio. Hemipodius atrogularis. Hem, guld pectoreque superiore atris ; pennis ad latera colli albis atro prcepilatis ; illis verticis etfrontis atris, albo prcepilatis ; dor so brunneo, singulis pennis transverstm strigatis atro, et maculis parvis albis sparsis ; tec- tricibus atro prcepilatis, et transverstm late strigatis flavo-ferru- gineo ; iectricibus caudce ferrugineis, et super caudam tendenti- bus ; laterihus atris ; rostro aurantiaco pedibus, tarsisque hrun- neis. Long. tot. 6| unc. ; rostri, 7 lin. ; tarsi, 1 unc. Native name, Pochio. Coturnix Sinensis, Temm. Native name, Pechan. Columba Javanica, Gmel. Native name, Paonay Crochi. Columba jambu, Gmel. Native name, Paonay Gadang. Vinago vernans. Columba vernans, Linn. Native name, Paonay Crochi. Vinago Olax. Columba Olax, Temm. Native name, Semboan. Rallus gularis, Horsf. Native name, Rentar. Gallinula phcenicura. Lath. Native name, Roa Roa. Porphyrio Indicus, Horsf. Native name, Burong Tedone. Charadrius Virginianus, Bostik. Native name, Kangbang Saut. Totanus Damacensis, Horsf. Native name, Kadidie. Scolopax heterura, Hodgs. Native name, Reshail. Mr- Waterhouse read a paper on a new species of Rodent which had been sent from the island of Luzon, one of the Philippines, by Hugh Cuming, Esq., Corresponding Member. In general appearance this Rodent might be^mistaken for a species of Capromys) in size it is about equal to the C. Fournieri-, the gene- 58 Zoological Society, ral characters of the skull and dentition, however, indicate that its affinity is with the Muridce. " The skull, compared with that of the common Rat, differs in being of a more ovate form, the occipital portion being somewhat elongated, and considerably contracted; the width between the or- bits is comparatively great ; and behind the orbits the frontal bones are expanded, and join with the temporal to form a distinct post- orbital process. The interparietal bone, instead of being transverse, is almost circular. The auditory bulla? are very small. The inter- dental portion of the palate is slightly contracted in front, so that the molares diverge posteriorly ; the rami of the lower jaw are less deeply emarginated behind, the coronoid portion is smaller, and the descending ramus is broader and rounded ; the symphysis menti is of considerable extent. The incisor teeth are less compressed and less deep from front to back. The molar teeth are of a more simple structure ; the anterior molar of the upper jaw consists of three transverse lobes, and the second and third consist each of two transverse lobes. In the lower jaw the anterior molar consists of four lobes, a small rounded lobe in front, followed by two transverse lobes, of which the anterior one is the smaller, and finally a small transverse posterior lobe ; the second molar consists of two equal transverse lobes, and a small lobe behind them ; the last molar con- sists of two simple transverse lobes." On account of the differences observable in the structure of the teeth, and form of the skull, combined with the hairy nature of the tail and ears, Mr. Waterhouse regarded this animal as constituting a sub-genus, and proposed for it the name of Phlceomys, this name being suggested by the habit of the animal, which Mr. Cuming (after whom the species is named) states, feeds chiefly on the bark of trees. It may be thus characterized : Mus (Phlceomys) Cumingi. M.vellere setose, suberectOy pilis la- nuginosis intermixtis ; aurihus mediocribus extus pilis longis obsitis ; mystacibus crebris et perlongis ; pedibus permagnis et latis, subtus nudis ; caudd mediocriy pilis rigidis et longis {ad Murem Rattum ratione habitd) crebre obsitd : colore nigrescenti- fusco sordidefiavo lavato, subtus pallidiore ; caudd nigrescente; pilis longioribus in capite et dorso nigris, unc. lin. Longitudo capitis corporisque 19 Cauda 13 antepedis {unguihus exclusis) 1 8^ tarsi 2 10 auris 1 cranii ossei 2 4 Latitudo ejusdem 1 8^ Hub. apud insulam Luzon. Zoological Society, 59 July 9, 1839.— The Rev. J. Barlow in the Chair. A letter addressed to Col. Sykes by Sir John McNeill was read. It related to a Dog recently presented by that gentleman to the So- ciety. This kind of dog, Sir John McNeill states, is used by the wandering tribes in Persia to guard their flocks : it is a shaggy ani- mal, nearly as large as a Newfoundland, and very fierce and power- ful. The dam of the animal at the menagerie killed a full-grown wolf without assistance. A letter from Augustus Eliott Fuller, Esq., was read. In this letter, which is addressed to the Secretary, and is dated June 29, 1839, Mr. Fuller encloses an account from his head keeper, Henry Cheal, respecting two broods of Woodcocks (Scolopax rusticola), which were bred in the woods of Mr. Fuller's estate at Rose Hill in Sussex. The two broods referred to consisted each of four birds, and when first observed, about the second week in April, they could but just run ; as they grew very fast, however, they were soon able to fly. Mr. Fuller's keeper believes the young woodcock is able to run as soon as hatched, and states that, according to his own observation and the report of others, they always build in a small hole, which they make on the plain ground : they select a dry situation for the nest ; but this is placed near a moist soil, to which the old birds lead their young to procure food. Mr. Waterhouse pointed out the distinguishing characters of a new species of Toucan, which had been forwarded to the Society by the President, the Earl of Derby, for exhibition and description. This species of Toucan approaches most nearly in size and colour- ing to the Pteroglossus hypoglaucus of Mr. Gould's Monograph ; but the beak, which is totally black, is much smaller, and less arched ; the nostrils do not extend so far forwards, and are hidden by the feathers of the head, and there is no longitudinal groove in front of them, as in the species above named, and others of the genus ; the blue of the under parts of the body is of a much paler and purer tint, and the feathers on these parts are white at the base. It diff^ers, moreover, in having the throat and cheeks white, and the upper tail- coverts black. A totally black beak being an uncommon character in the species belonging to the subgenus Pteroglossus, Mr. Waterhouse proposed for this new species the name nigrirostris, and proceeded to charac- terize it as follows : Pteroglossus nigrirostris. Pt. rostro, capite summo, nuchdque nigris ; guld alba ; corpore supra olivaceo-fusco ; rectricibus se- condariis olivaceo-viridibus ; uropygio pallide sulphureo : caudd, 60 Zoological Society, tectricibus caiida, nigrescenti-viridibus, plumis quatuor intermediis ad apicem, femoribusque castanets : corpore subtiis pallid^ cyaneo, crisso coccineo, pedibus nigris. Long. tot. 20 unc. ; rostri, 3-^^ ; alee, 6f ; caudce, 7 ; tarsi, 14. Hab. } Mr. Fraser read his descriptions of two new species of Birds, from a collection made in the Island of Luzon, and recently forwarded to the Society by Hugh Cuming, Esq., 'Corresponding Member. The first of these belongs to the family Cuculidce, the genus Phceni- cophaus, and to Mr. Swainson's subdivision of that genus, to which he has applied the name Dasylophus. It may at once be distin- guished from all the known members of the family by the singular structure of the feathers of its crest and throat : the shafts of these feathers are expanded at their extremities into laminae, which may be compared to the shavings of whalebone ; and in this respect they resemble the feathers of the crest of the Toucan, to which Mr. Gould in his Monograph applies the name Pteroglossus ulocomus, which is the Pt. Beauharnesii of Wagler*, but are not curled as in that species. The feathers above the nostrils, of the crest and chin, and along the middle of the throat, are gray at the base ; have a decided white spot towards the middle, and are terminated by a broad expansion of the shaft, which is of a glossy black colour, and exhibits blue or greenish reflections. The external edge of this expanded portion of the shaft is minutely pectinated. The occiput and sides of the head are gray, passing into dirty white on the cheeks and sides of the throat : the hinder part and sides of the neck, and the breast, are of a deep chestnut colour ; the back, wings, and tail are of a deep shi- ning green colour ; all the tail-feathers are broadly tipped with white ; the vent, thighs, and under tail-coverts are dusky brown, tinged with green ; the bill is horn-colour, and the feet are olive. This beautiful and interesting species Mr. Fraser proposed to name after its discoverer Mr. Cuming. Its principal distinguishing cha- racters may be thus expressed : Phcenicophaus Cumingi. Ph. cristatus, plumis crista et gutturis laminis corneis ovalibus splendide nigris terminatis ; nuchd, et pectore castaneis ; facie pallide cinered ; alis et caudd metallice virescentibus, hdc ad apicem alba. Long. tot. 16 unc; rostri, 1^; alee, 6; caudce, 8; tarsi, }^. To the bird above described the following memorandum was at- tached : — " Ansic En Bicol, language of Albay. Eyes red, pupil * Oken's Isis for 1832, part iii. p. 279; also in the * Ausland/ 1830, No. 11 8, p. 470. Zoological Society. 61 large and black, length from beak to tail, 8J inches, around the body 5 inches." Signed H. Cuming. The second bird characterized by Mr. Fraser is a new species of Duck {Anas), which is nearly allied to the Anas superciliosa, Gmel., but differs in being of a smaller size, in having the whole of the plu- mage much lighter in colour, and in the sides of the head and neck being rufous, instead of pale buff : it moreover has but one dark stripe on the side of the head, whereas Anas superciliosa has two. The middle of the forehead, crown of the head, and a line down the back of the neck, are dark brown ; from the bill to the eye, and thence to the occiput, is a brown line, which is separated from the crown of the head by a broad stripe, which is of a pale rufous tint ; the cheeks, sides of the neck, chin, and upper part of the throat, are of the same colour ; the whole of the body is brown, becoming gra- dually darker on the rump and tail feathers : all the feathers on the upper parts are edged with pale rufous ; the wing coverts are crossed by a narrow white band near their extremity, and terminate in a deep velvet-like blf^ck colour ; the speculum is deep glossy green, with purple reflections, and bounded behind by velvety black ; to this succeeds a narrow white line : the bill and feet are apparently dark olive. To this species Mr. Fraser applies the name Luzonica : it may be thus characterized : Anas Luzonica. An. supra cinereo-fusca, vertice nigrescenti-fusco ; strigd super oculari, genis, et gutture, pallide castaneis ; speculo alarum purpureo-virescente, antice et postice nigro marginato ; corpore subtus fuscescenti-cinereo. Long. tot. 21 unc. ; rostri, 2^; alee, 8| ; caudce, 41; tarsi, Ij. A collection of Birds from South Australia was exhibited. This collection, recently presented to the Society by the South Australian Company, contains the following species : — Falco melanogenys, Gould. Native name, Monkah. Falco Bei'igora, Vig. et Horsf. Native name, Car-cown, ya. Falco Cenchroides, Cenchris Cenchroides, Gould. Native name, Monne-monnie ; Golden Hawk. Athene fortis , Gould. Native name, Ounda-y-papa. jEgotheles lunulata, Jard. et Selb. Native name, Na-nie ; Night Hawk, or Eve-jar of the colonists, Dacelo gigantea. Leach. Native name, Cracow-Kata ; Laughing- Jackass of the colonists. Graucalus melanops, Vig. et Horsf. Native name. Or a. Cracticus hypoleucus, Gould. Native name, Corow-Raw ; Whis- tling Magpie of the colonists. Platycercus Pennantii, Vig. Native name, Na-kall-ya; Rosetta Parrot of the colonists. 62 Zoological Society, Nanodes undulatus, Vig. et Horsf. Native name, Tir-cou-ce ; Scalp Parrot of the colonists. Trichoglossus concinnus, Vig. et Horsf. Trichoglossus purpureus. Native name, Warrow-Ka. Meliphaga NovcE-Hollandice, Vig. et Horsf. Native name, Wandow. AnthochcBra rufogularis. Acanthegonys rufogularis, Gould. Sitella melanocephala, Gould. Native name, Coolta-tacoow. Coturnix Australis, Temm. Native name, Tou-ta-wa-tee. Coturnix pect oralis, Gould. Native name, Tou-ta-wa-tee. This is no doubt the male of the preceding species. Charadrius nigrifrons. ^gialitis nigrifrons, Gould. Rallus Philippinensis, Less. Native name, Eerncou ; Land-Rail of the colonists. Porphyrio melanotus, Temm. Native name, Cow-oue ; Bald Coot of the colonists. Nycticorax Caledonicvs, Less. Anas superciliosa, Gmel. Native name, Tow-an-da ? Rhynchaspis Rhyncotis, Steph. Cygnus atratus, Shaw. Phalacrocorax Carho'ides, Gould. Native name, Yal-tow ; Black Shag of the colonists. Mr. Fraser, w^ho brought these birds severally under the notice of the meeting, and who at the same time furnished the above list, ob- served that the chief interest attached to this collection consisted in the locality in which it was formed, as naturalists were no doubt anxious to learn the geographical ranges of the Australian birds. July 23, 1839. — WiUiam Yarrell, Esq., Vice-President in the Chair. A collection of 68 Bird-skins, made by Capt. Belcher on the west coast of South America, and presented to the Society by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, was exhibited, and commented on by Mr. Vigors. Among other observations, Mr. Vigors directed the attention of the Societ}'^ to typical or leading characters, of the various groups of which specimens were found in the collection ; and pointed out the relations which subsist between the great primary groups of his own system of ornithology, and the different situations they are fitted to occupy, — the earth, the water, the air, the forests, and the marshes. Mr. Vigors afterwards went over the collection in detail, and made many interesting observations respecting the habits and relations of the different species. Mr. Ogilby called attention to a new species of Squirrel sent from the west coast of South America, by Capt. Belcher, at the same time as the bird-skins noticed by Mr. Vigors. This species more nearly resembles the Coqualiin of Buffon (S'c. supru fulvo nigvoque variegatus ; subtus helvolus ; caudd longd, cylindricd, floccosd, canescente ; au- riculis imherbibus, subrufis, nigro marginatis. line. lin. Longitudo ab apice rostri ad caudse basin . . 10 Cauda 11 tarsi digitorumque 2 6 auris 9 ab apice rostri ad basin auris. ... 2 li A new species of Squirrel, sent by Hugh Cuming, J Esq., Corre- sponding Member, from one of the Philippine Islands, was thus cha- racterized by Mr. Waterhouse : SciURUS Philippinensts. Sc. supra intense fuscus, pilis nigri- rufescenti-flavo annulatis, subtils cinerescenti-albus, capita et anti- cis pedihus cinerescentihus ; auribus parvulis ; caudd mediocri. unc. Hn. Longitudo ab apice rostri ad caudse basin. ... 6 6 caud(E 6 3 ab apice rostri ad basin auris .... 1 6 tarsi digitorumque 1 9 autis 3| Hab. Mindanado. •* This species is rather larger than Sc. Palmarum, and less than Sc. bivittatus. The general hue of the upper parts, sides of the 64 Microscopical Society, body, and outer side of the hinder legs, is deep brown (a much richer and deeper colour than the same parts in Sc. bivittatus) : this tint is produced by the admixture of rust colour and black, the hairs being of the latter colour, and rather broadly annulated with rusty-red near the apex. The tail is not very bushy ; the hairs are black, with two bright rusty bars. The under parts of the body are grayish white, with a faint yellow tint : the head and fore legs are grayish, and the feet are black, slightly grizzled with rust colour." Mr. Waterhouse then proceeded to point out certain differences observable in the skulls of two species of Squirrels, which are usually confounded under the name Sciurus Palmarum, and the external characters of which he had pointed out in the " Magazine of Natural History" for September 1837, p. 496. The specific name tristriatus is there proposed for the new species. "The skull of Sciurus tristriatus," observes Mr. Waterhouse, " diiFers from that of Sc. Palmarum in being a little larger, consider- ably broader in proportion, and in having the upper surface less convex ; the post- orbital process is larger, the width between the orbits is greater, and the nasal portion is more suddenly contracted ; the nasal bones are larger, and narrower posteriorly. Following are the dimensions of the crania of these two species of Squirrel." Sc.Palmarum^ unc. lin. Total length 1 6 Width 104- between orbits 54 Length of nasal bones 5-^ From outer side of incisors (upper jaw) 1 to front molar tooth J Space occupied by the five molars on 1 „ , either side of upper jaw J "^ Length of palate 7-1- of ramus of lower jaw from! front to' posterior part of condyle . . j 10 Sc. tristriatus, unc. lin. lU 64- 6 54 4+ 9 Oi MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY. The Microscopical Society of London, held their first Meeting on Wednesday, January 29th, at the Horticultural Society's Rooms, No, 21, Regent Street. The meeting was attended by upwards of a hundred members and visitors. The President Professor Owen, announced that since the provi- sional meeting on the 20th of December, for the purpose of forming the Society, the number of members had increased to one hundred and ten, and a further addition of twenty- nine names was announced in the course of the evening, making a total of one hundred and Microscopical Society* 65 thirty-nine original members of the Society, it having been deter- mined that those who joined the Society on or before the first night of meeting should be considered original members. Mr. Owen communicated a paper on the application of Microsco- pic examinations of the structure of teeth to the determination of fossil remains. After alluding to the essential service rendered by the microscope to the chemist, mineralogist, and vegetable physio- logist, he proceeded to offer a few examples of the utility of the microscope to the geologist, when applied to the investigation of the structure of fossilized teeth. The first example adduced was that of the Saurocephalus, an American fossil animal which had been referred to the class of rep- tiles. After pointing out the destructive characters of the micro- scopic texture of the teeth in reptiles and fishes, it was shown that the Saurocephalus, according to this test, unquestionably belonged to the latter class, and that it most closely resembled Sphyraena among recent fishes in its dental structure. The second instance was the Basilosaurus of Dr. Harlan, which had been refeiTed to the class Reptilia ; and the double-fanged struc- ture of its teeth, had, on the strength of its supposed Saurian aflfi- nities, been adduced to weaken the arguments advanced in favour of the mammiferous nature of certain fossils from the Stonesfield oolite. Mr. Owen, after describing the microscopic character of the teeth of the Basilosaurus, showed that it deviated from the Saurian structure in this respect as widely as the Saurocephalus, but that the modifi- cation of its dental structure resembled most closely that of the cachalot and herbivorous Cetacea. Lastly, Mr, Owen alluded to the difference in the views entertained by Cuvier and M. de Blainville, as to the affinities of the megatherium, which was referred by the one to the family of the Sloths, and by the other to that of the Armadillos : after explaining the well-marked differences in the microscopic cha- racters of the dental structure in these two families of the so-called Edentata, Mr. Owen proceeded to describe the structure of the teeth of the megatherium, and to show that in its close resemblance to the dental structure of the sloths, it confirmed the views of the great founder of the science of fossil remains. This paper was ac- companied by a number of very beautiful illustrative drawings, ex- hibiting the minute structure of the teeth of the animals referred to. Mr. Jackson then read a short paper drawing the attention of the Society to a mode of mounting the compound microscope, which differs in some particulars from the methods generally adopted. The principal object to be kept in view in the construction of the Ann. Nat, Hist, Vol.5. No. 28. ikfarc^ 1840. f 66 Microscopical Society. instrument, is the prevention of those accidental vibrations which so much interfere with microscopic examinations, especially in the neighbourhood of crowded thoroughfares. This object is effected by connecting together the body and stage of the instrument in such a manner, that whatever vibrations are communicated to the one shall be equally communicated to the other. In the instrument of Mr. Jackson this principle has been carried further than has hitherto been effected ; and it also affords improved facilities for minute ad- justments, and the accurate admeasurement of microscopic objects. A discussion ensued on the subject of Mr. Jackson's paper, and also on the best methods of measuring microscopic objects, and the greater difficulties encountered in ascertaining the antero-posterior diameters of minute bodies, as compared with the facilities which we possess of obtaining lateral measurements. The meeting then resolved itself into a conversazione, during which a number of inter- esting objects were exhibited by individual members, many of whom had their microscopes upon the table. The meeting adjourned at 11 o'clock. Wednesday, February 19, 1840, R. H. Solly, Esq. in the Chair. A paper was read by Mr. Quekett, on the development of the vascular tissue of plants, in which it was shown that the membra- nous tube of vessels originated from a eytoblast in a manner similar to that described by Schleiden in the formation of cells*, from which at first it is difficult to recognise them ; but in a short time they assume a very elongated form, and the eytoblast disappears. Before the fibre is deposited, the contents, which are gelatinous, are crowded with numerous most minute granules, which possess the motion known as " active molecules," and after a short time when they have become a little enlarged, they adhere to the inner surface of the tube containing them in a different manner for each vessel, so that the several varieties of vascular tissue are not degenerations of each other, but are each constructed originally on the plan they are always observed to present to the eye. It had been conjectured by Schleiden that a current existed be- tween the gelatinous contents of the cell and its walls, which pre- ceded the formation of a fibre and gave the direction it afterwards took ; this was refuted by showing that the granules become sepa- rately attached to the inside of the vessel, a little distance from each other, beginning first at one end and proceeding to the opposite ; the fibre elongating like a root, by the materials of growth being * See Taylor's Scientific Memoirs, vol. ii. p. 281. Royal Irish Academy. 6? always added to the point. The granules so attached, becoming nourished by the contents of the vessel, and the spaces between them, are in a short time obliterated by the fibre acquiring a defined border which completes its development. This act is the one observed in the formation of the fi])re of all vessels, but the arrangement of the granules differs so as to consti- tute the several varieties. In the annular vessel the granules attach themselves horizontally, forming rings. In the spiral they become inclined, and by continuing this direction around the interior of the membranous tube, the peculiar character of the vessel is obtained. In the reticulated, each division or branch of the fibre or granule becomes enlarged in the line, and forms the starting-place for the fresh direction of the fibre. In the dotted and scalariform vessels, the fibres become so reticulated as to have portions of the outer membrane of the vessel without any deposit within ; and this spot, so left, constitutes the dot or linear marking seen in these vessels. This dot is plain in all such vessels, excepting those found in woody exogens, where it possesses (from a slight diff^erence in structure) a central mark analogous to that on the woody tissue of coniferous plants with which Mr. Quekett considers it identical, but only of a smaller size. The paper was illustrated with numerous diagrams, which gave representations of the successive stages of the minute process Mr. Quekett had observed. ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY. November 11, 1839. — Mr. Ball read a paper **on the Bolina Hihernica," by Robert Patterson, Esq., Member of the Natural History Society of Belfast. In a note appended to his paper on the Cydippe Pomi/ormis, (Trans. R. I. A., vol. xix., part 1, page 96,) the author had men- tioned the occurrence on the Irish coast of a species of ciliograde, which he had named provisionally Bolina Hibernica. A large num- ber hav.'ng been taken in the bay of Bangor, county of Down, on the 11th of July, 1839, the drawings now brought forward were executed from living specimens. The movement of this Beroe was stated to be less vivacious than that of the Cydippe Pomiformis, and it is much more susceptible of external injury. The long-continued action of certain portions of the cilia, after the animal was broken to pieces, was mentioned ; the variety of aspect presented by the tentacula described ; and the situation of certain whitish cords or vessels minutely detailed. The lobes of the mouth were shown by the figures not to occupy more p 2 68 Royal Irish Academy. than one- fifth of the entire length. The hody is transparent, and, when agitated in the dark, becomes highly luminous — a property not possessed after death. In conclusion, the author enumerated the localities in which it had been hitherto observed, and proposed some brief specific charac- ters by which it might be distinguished. November 30. — Mr. Ball read a paper " on a Species of Loligo, found on the Shore of Dublin Bay," about three years ago. Its dimensions are the following : — Extreme length, to the end of tentacula, 10*0 inches. Do. of the body or mantle, 3'1 „ Do. of the head, 1*6 „ Average length of arms, 2*8 ,, Length of tentacula, 6*0 „ Breadth of fin, S'O Length of fin, 1-3 „ Extreme breadth of body, I'T ,, Length of dorsal lamina, 3*5 ,, Extreme breadth of dorsal lamina, .... 0'2 ,, Breadth of largest horny hoops of ace- tabula about 0*2 „ It was thus shown to be of much shorter proportions than the Loligo vulgaris. Its body is urn-shaped. The large fin, which is somewhat inequilateral, approximates to an ellipse in form, and resembles, not a little the fin of Loligo Brongnartii, as figured by Ferussac, to which it also bears likeness, in the structure of its five-ribbed dorsal lamina ; but it differs from this animal in its general proportions, and in the horny hoops of its acetabula, which have in each of the twelve largest in the tentacula about thirty- six sharp and equal teeth. The general form of the whole animal much resembles Onychoteuthis Leachii — a cephalopod of a different genus, with which it may be confounded by a casual observer. Mr. Ball proposes to name the species Loligo Eblance*. In addition to the foregoing, the following species of Loligo have fallen under Mr. Ball's notice, as occurring in the Irish seas : — Soligo sagittata, var. differing in the shortness of its tentacula from the figure given by Ferussac. Several specimens were taken off the coast of Cork by George Allman, Esq. Loligo vulgaris. Loligo media. * The ancient name of Dublin. Miscellaneous. 69 Loligo media, var. — easily distinguished by its greater propor- tionate length of body, and by the shortness of its tentacula, from the true L. Media ; in the form of the fin ternating its mantle, it strongly resembles Loligo suhulata. A few specimens, obtained on the coast of Down by the late J. Montgomery, Esq., were submitted to Mr. Ball's inspection by W. Thompson, Esq.* December 9. — Mr. Lloyd exhibited a specimen of the Vege- table Flannel described in p. 359 of our 4th volume, brought by him from Berlin. He at the same time laid on the table of the Academy a specimen of a very similar substance, which he had re- ceived from Sir John Herschel, and which was found investing the rocks at the mouth of one of the rivers of Southern Africa. It re- sembles the other very much in external appearance, except that the fibres are coarser, and more compactly matted together. It appears to consist almost entirely of confervce, but apparently of a different species. MISCELLANEOUS. ON DATISCA CANNABINA AND IMPREGNATION. Dr. Fresenius has observed that in Datisca canndbina, when female plants remain isolated, they are able nevertheless to produce ripe fruit in abundance ; and he thinks he is justified in concluding that this and other purely female forms are, in the absence of male organs, endowed with the capability of developing, by a purely vegetative process, the highest vital product, the terminal bud. In the summer of 1837 a female specimen of the above plant in the Frankfort bota- nical garden, developed a stem from its root which now bears male flowers also. — Linncea, Part III. 1839. ON A NEW GENUS OF CEPHALOPODA. M. Eschricht has given in the Transactions of the Academy of Copenhagen a description of a highly remarkable Cephalopod from Jacobshavn, in Greenland, as a new genus, under the name Cirro- teuthis Mulleri, with the following character : ** Octopus suctoriis minimis unam seriem in quo vis brachio formantibus ; brachiis cir- * Since the foregoing was written, Mr. Ball was favoured with an in- spection of Cuttle-fish bones, found at different times on Magilligan Strand, county of Deny, by Mr. Hyndman, of Belfast. They seem to be those of Sepia rupellaria, figured in Ferussac's third plate of Sepia. His attention was also directed to beaks of Cuttle-fish, found in the stomachs of Delphi- nus melas and Hyperoodon bidens. They belonged to a species of Cepha- lopod he has not yet determined. As he purposes writing a monograph of the Cephalopoda of the Irish seas, he requests information on the subject from all who can afford it. 7-0 Miscellaneous, ratis et cum membrana natatoria vel cum plicis ejus pendulinis usque ad apicem fere connatis ; alis natatoriis duabus transversalibus, ver- tebrae cartilagineae corporis insertis. Suctoriis singulorum brachi- orum 30, cirris 32." Length of body 3 J" ; of the arms 4^". — Wiegmann's Archiv, Part V. 1839. Berlin, 1840. DERIVATION OF THE TEFF AND THE TOCUSSO, TWO SPECIES OF ABYSSINIAN GRASSES. The cultivation of the seed of the TefF, brought to Europe by Riippel, has shown that this grass is the Poa ahyssinica, .Tacq.* and that the drawing of Bruce, although somewhat rude, is also to be referred to the same plant. The Tocusso, which Bruce likewise mentions, is, according to the specimens cultivated from Ruppel's seed, an Eleusine, very similar to El. indica, but yet forming a new species, Eleusine Tocusso. This grass is principally cultivated on hills, for the brewing of beer. — Linnaa, Part III. 1839. THE SNAKE NUT. This extraordinary vegetable curiosity is a nut about the size of an ordinary walnut, nearly round, and of a fine brown hazel colour, and very light. When broken, the kernel is found to bear so stri- king a resemblance to a snake that it is always called the snake nut. It grows in the marshes of British Guiana. Had we only examined one specimen we should have taken it for a lusus naturcB,-^a. merely accidental resemblance to the snake, assumed by the kernel in slirinking ; but the gentleman who favoured us with a sight of it has several of the nuts, and they are all alike, which circumstance, together with the name which has been given to it in the country where it is produced, proves that it is not a mere freak of nature, but a regular natural production. We do not recollect ever having heard or read of the species of nut which we have here briefly de- scribed, and if any of our readers can, and will, throw some light on the subject, we shall be much obliged for the information. The specimens of the snake nut which we have seen were brought home by the Palmyra which arrived lately in this port from Demerara. — Liverpool Mercury, Jan. 17. The unknown Correspondent from whom we have received the above is informed that a Description and Drawing of the Snake Nut was commu- nicated by Mr. Schomburgk to the Linnaean Society, in June, 1837. * The identity of the plant produced from the seeds brought home by Bruce under the name of TV/, with the Poa Ahyssinica of Jacquin, was pointed out by Solander in 1789, in the first edition of " Hortus Kew- ensis," vol. 1, p. 100. But Bruce 's figure, making every allowance for its rudeness, cannot possibly be referred to the same grass. Meteorological Observations. *J\ M. VON HUMBOLDT ON DARWIN's VOYAGE, AND ON SCHOMBURGk's EXPEDITION. " The volume of Mr. Charles Darwin is an admirable Supplement to the voyage of the Beagle : it is one of the most remarkable works that, in the course of a long life, I have had the pleasure to see pub- lished. Mr. Darwin unites to sagacity for detailed observations en- larged views in general physics, I should rather say in natural phi- losophy — views which embrace at once geology, the geographical distribution of plants, and the influence of temperature on the organic types of the primitive world." " Mr. Schomburgk continues to explore with the same ardour. I hope that he will reach the Cerro Duida, the forest of Bertholletia, and the mission of Esmeralda, where I was almost devoured by mos- quitoes. May this excellent young man, my countryman, always en- joy the kindness of your illustrious Society!" — Letter of M, von Hum- boldt in the Transactions of the Geographical Society, vol. ix. p. 50. METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR JAN.j 1840. Chiswick. — Jan. 1. Overcast: fine. 2. Very fine. 3. Fine: slight rain. 4. Rain. 5. Cloudy and fine : frosty at night. 6. Frosty. 7. Clear and frosty : severe frost at night. 8. Severe frost. 9. Overcast: fine. 10. Overcast: frosty at night. 11. Sharp frost. 12. Frosty : fine. 13. Clear. 14. Hazy. 15. Drizzly. 16. Fine. 17. Foggy. J 8. Frosty and foggy : rain. 19. Boisterous, veith heavy rain. 20, Rain : fine: boisterous at night. 21. Very boisterous with rain. 22. Cloudy: clear at night. 23. Rain : windy at night. 24. Boisterous. 25. Overcast : rain : fine. 26. Stormy and wet. 27. Clear and cold. 28, Rain : boisterous. 29. Very fine. 30. Hazy. 31. Very fine. The frost was, for a short time, very intense between the 7th and 8th, being 20° below freezing. Boston. — Jan. 1. Cloudy. 2. Fine. 3, 4. Cloudy. 5. Fine. 6. Fine : little snow p.m. 7. Fine. 8, 9, 10. Cloudy. 11, 12, 13. Fine. 14, 15. Cloudy. 16. Fine. 17. Rain. 18. Cloudy. 19,20. Cloudy: stormy with rain p.m. 21. Stormy : thunder and forked lightning with rain a.m. 22. Cloudy. 23. Rain. 24. Stormy: rain p.m. 25. Fine : snow a.m. 26. Rain : rain early a.m. 27. Fine. 28,29. Rain. 30. Fine. 31. Cloudy: rain early a.m. Applegarlh Manse, Dumfries-shire, — Jan. 1. Fine morning: rain p.m. 2. Very wet A.M. : showery all day. 3. Quiet day with slight showers. 4. Fine day and fair : aurora borealis. 5. Clear day : hard frost. 6. Fine frosty day. 7. Dull and cloudy. 8. The same : thaw. 9. Frost again. 10. Still frosty but cloudy. 11. Wet and stormy. 12. The same all day. 13. Fair, but threatening rain. 14, 15, 16. Wet and boisterous, 17. Clear and tending to frost. 18. Rain again and wind. 19. Heavy rain a.m. : showery all day. 20. Frequent show- ers. 21. Wind very high. 22, 23, 24. Boisterous weather. 25. The same : slight showers. 26. Moderate but showery. 27. Succession of snow showers. 28. Frost A.M. : snow : thaw p.m. 29. Frost a.m. : fine winter day. 30. Frost early A.M. : change p.m. 31. Slight showers a.m. : fine day. Sun shone out 22 days. Rain fell 18 days. Snow 2 days. Frost 7 days. Wind north 1§ day. North-east 5\ days. East 1 day. South-east 5 days. South 3 days. South-west 9^ days. West 4 days. North-west 1^ day. Cajm 8 days. Moderate 5 days. Brisk 3 days. Strong breeze 9 days. Boisterous 5 days. Storm I day. Temperature of spring water, taken 3- times in the month, 43°'3. Mean temperature of the atmosphere 37*8. -OaS a •ajiqs -sajjjuina •uojsoa o : "^ • CI c o Is :S^: » > • z ^ w .a ^ fe ^ ^^s J s a a E s"a a a a a" ... . ... a .a- ^(SiJol "^ ^* ^* g ^* i w ^* ^* « <^ « - c^ ^" &• « ^* & ^* ^- ^* i i^ a i I w ^* ^* ^ =^ M ^* - '^ ^ ^ ^ " i ^* "' "" " " in m >■ > a? M ^ w & .• ^ •g «3 S i CO Tf -^ CO (N d— iC<*COCOCp ^I>.CO00O — !>•— tccoco*ooi'^t^^ ^o^oo to ^O t^-rt-^ tci'^'^cocococ* co^ocow CI coco"^Tfcoco'^"^u:>Tj<'^ioco-^cocococo-^ .5 HOONOO-^ONCIVOaNtot^CION— OO^OrfOO-^rOQO OM>.00 -^u^ d "O O ON gjTtcO-^COCI — ^CICI-<-*CICI-^COCOClTtTt'^'!*CO'^COCOCOCO'^dCOd C0O00Ot;*»p9f0j:)Om:^oooo co— < toc^t^c-^oo o on'-< qo o c^inm^r!-* locioo .n-rfioo CO'*a^QOQp•^O^OC^C^OQp ■^<0po^— r^— p'^d90N3pt>.ipt;^cp-7rcp^oocor^^-7itpioi^ OnONOiONOnO O O O O O O O OmOiOnOnONONONONOnONOnONQO ONONOnONON dddddCOCOC^COCOCOOCOddddddddddClddddddd s&- ""^r-iONtOOCCOCOONONOOC^ddOO'-'t^OOOt^dVOOO—Od'-OOt^Od;^ -^■^ONt^^tO— r-QOOOtOtOOit^CO. OitCOiON— dCO'^'OOO — lOdCO'OQO oiONONOiONd cpd <^'P'p<^'r< 9 •7' ^9P 9^^ ^C^f '^ "PS^^'C^'?'°P ?^f OiOiOiOiOiO O O C O O O O O O OmOnOiONOiOiONOiONONC^OnOnOiOiON dddddCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOdddddddddddddddd OO-CO— — iQOO'^'-- i-i-OONOOOd —d'^tOd .^ON'7"r^'^ON-*'OCOOQOCpp 0>iOnO ononO O O O C O O O OnO o^O^O^O^O^O^O^O^O^O^oo ononOiOnO ddCOddCOCOCOCOCOCOCOcodCOdddddddddddddddd ^ -IfNcoT^iovor^aoo^o — d'co'^tovd r^od c?i o — d* co rt 10 vo t^oo o> o -h ■Hc>irT5Tuj>fc.'i *''-'' ;:i^_^_^^_^_, qui se dissipe. 84 Mr. Thompson on the Mollusca of Ireland. Species unica. Aphanizomenon incurvum, Nobis, vid. tab. fig. 1 — 12. Lamella plana, alba-viridi, incurva, Jilis coadnatis, articulis 2 — 8 duplo longiorihus, discretis, cceruleo-viridibus . Habitat infossis et stagnis aquts dulcis in Flandria, mense Maio ad Julivm. " II est Evident que ce genre lie les conjugees vrais aux zy- gnemees, par un accouplement bien prononce chez ces derniers, mais devenant une simple soudure chez les aphanizomhnes, II met en rapport les conjugees avec les laminaires des eaux ma- rines, par la forme de la lamelle qui resulte de la soudure des filets. II etablit une analogic entre les oscillariees et les con- fervees, en demontrant qu'un mouvement de reptation, de na- tation ou d^oscillation, pent appartenir aussi bien a I'organi- sation des conferves qu'a celle des oscillatoires, dans lequels on croit reconnaitre les caracteres de Panimalite. Les vesi- cules renflees ramenent Vaphanizom^ne a la Conferva vesicata d'Agardh, et les articles, comme I'organisation des filets elle- meme, lui conservent avec les confervces vrais des rapports si clairs, qu^il serait Kors de propos de placer ailleurs que parmi elles ce genre nouveau." 1. Appearance of Anahaina spiralis under alow power of microscope. 2. Its appearance considerably magnified — when consisting of this number of spiral folds ^V <^f ^^ inch in length. 3. Different appearance of granules as noted in 3. description on Sept. 27. XI. — Contributions towards a knowledge of the Mollusca Nudibranchia and Mollusca Tunicata of Ireland, with De- scriptions of some apparently new Species of Invertebrata, By Wm. Thompson, Esq., V.P.N. Hist. Society of Belfast. [With a Plate.] Mollusca Nudibranchia, Cuv. Doris tuberculata, Cuv. Johnst. Ann. Nat. Hist. vol. i. p. 50. pi. 2. fig. 1. D, argo, Penn. In the late Mr. Templeton's Journal, " Doris argo, Penn., Brit. Zool. p. 22," is mentioned as twice found by him in t^ s ^ <- 5"c JtC Mr. Thompson on the MoUusca of Ireland, 85 ] 812, on the shore towards the entrance of Belfast Bay ; and Dr. J. L. Drummond informs me, that about the same time he procured a Doris here equalling a hen's egg in size, and which he considered to be of this species. At Youghal (county Cork,) it has been taken by Mr. R. Ball, and to this gentleman and myself has occurred at the island of Ireland's Eye, off the Dublin coast. Mr. Geo. J. Allman, of Bandon, has favoured me with specimens procured by him at Court- masherry harbour, county of Cork, where he states that the species is common. The Irish specimens I have seen were generally straw-coloured. In one of them the anterior por- tion of the foot was margined with a line or band of a fine blue colour. Doris affinis, mihi. Body elongated, equally rounded at both ends, depressed, above closely studded with stout prolonged tubercles, orifices of tentacula without sheaths ; branchial processes short, numerous, pinnate. Length 1^ inch, breadth equal to half the length ; of a very pale straw colour; tentacula without sheaths, short, lamellate, in all respects resembling those of D. tuberculata ; cloak covered with long stout tubercles varying in size, the largest along the sides, and I of a line in height, generally of equal breadth throughout, but occasionally expanding towards the end, which terminates in a mass or fasciculus of spicula, conspicuous under a low power of the lens, and giving to thsm the appearance of a spinous armature ; margin of the cloak moderately broad, its under surface granulated ; space between it and the foot, and also this latter smooth ; branchiae short, pectinate, about 18 in number, disposed in a broadly horse- shoe form as in D. bilamellata, and the space within them likewise covered with tubercles. This Doris approaches D. bilamellata more nearly than any other British species, and would perhaps be regarded by some authors as only a variety of it ; for this reason I have named it affinis, to mark that as a species it may be viewed w ith some suspicion. Compared with D. bilamellata, the D. affinis has more solidity, is somewhat more depressed, its outline of body less elegant, margin of the cloak narrower, tentacula and branchiae apparently* less developed, and instead of the • The specimens were not attended to when living, consequently we must remain in uncertainty about some characters. 86 Mr. Thompson on the Mollusca of Ireland, pretty rounded termination which the tubercles of D. hila- mellata generally present, are fasciculi of spicula, and these not so tastefully disposed over the surface of the cloak as in that species : in all respects it is a less attractive animal. In the month of December 1837, I obtained three speci- mens of this Doris from among oysters dredged at Green- castle, county of Londonderry. Doris bilarnellata, Linn. Johnst. Ann. Nat. Hist. vol. i. p. 53. pi. 2. fig. 8. D, verrucosa, Penn. I have obtained this between tide-marks, at the island of Lambay, off the Dublin coast, and by dredging in about ten fathom water, in Belfast Bay. A specimen which was particu- larly examined, was found to agree with Dr. Fleming's de- scription of D, verrucosa in the number of branchial processes, which are 24, and in their arrangement being somewhat ^^ se- micircular,'' in a broadly horse- shoe form, thus 0« In Dr. Johnston's specimens, the branchial processes seemed "not much to exceed twelve," and were disposed in an ^^ uninter- rupted circle." Annals, vol. i. p. 55. Although the precise number of these organs is of no specific value, the difference alluded to is so great as to be worthy of attention. In a specimen from Newhaven, near Edinburgh, favoured me by Mr. E. Forbes, these processes are twenty in number. Doris muricata, Mull. Zool. Dan. vol. iii. p. ?• tab. 85. f. 2—4. I have not unfrequently taken this minute species when (accompanied by Mr. Hyndman,) dredging in the loughs of Strangford and Belfast; it was generally adhering to the leaves of tangle {Laminaria digit ata), Muller describes it as 5 lines long by 3 broad : my specimens were all even under this size. The D. muricata has hitherto been unnoticed in the British seas. Doris pilosa, Mull. Zool. Dan. vol. iii. tab. 85. figs. 7 and 8. Johnst. in Ann. Nat. Hist. vol. i. p. 54. pi. 2. figs. 9 and 10. The first Irish specimen of this Doris that I have seen was found in Dublin Bay, by G. J. Allman, Esq., to whom I am ^;v.^-.A^ar..//^:sf:VolY.TlJL. 3 # M§mfh '^^ rs JJ/7J^l,?A A/r?///ysrY/ . A. /;-//--..■ r/r/.. ■ Z72 C., Sh »y/^/Jy /hi/^. Mr. Thompson on the Mollusca of Ireland. 87 indebted for it ; subsequently two individuals were taken by Dr. J. L. Drummond^ when dredging in the month of June in Belfast Bay. Mr. E. Forbes now agrees with Dr. Johnston in considering D. Flemingii of his " Malacologia Monensis/' (D. nigricans, Flem.) a variety of D. pilosa. The Dublin Bay specimen is the var. : the others are of the ordinary form. Doris sublcBvis, mihi. PI. II. fig. 1. Z). convex, broadly ovate, smooth, basal sheaths to the tentacula, foot broad, branchial filaments 8, long and finely plumose. Length of specimen (from spirits) 7 lines, height equal to about half the length, breadth 41 lines, margin of cloak narrow, foot of nearly equal breadth throughout, tentacula long and acuminated. Colour white. In being smooth, this species agrees with the D. Icevis, Linn. Mull. Z. D. vol. ii. p. 9. tab. 47- figs. 3—5, but differs much in its convexity* and in the breadth of the foot, which is represented very narrow in that species. Dredged in Belfast Bay by Mr. Hyndman, September 1835. Doris Barvicensis, Johnst. Ann. Nat, Hist. vol. i. p. 55. pi. 2. fig. 11— 13. I have been favoured by G. J. Allman, Esq., with speci- mens of this Doris, of which he procured about a dozen in Courtmasherry harbour, in the months of August and Sep- tember, 1838. They were all found among the roots of Laminaria digitata cast ashore, and being alive, a minute de- scription of them, as observed in this state, was drawn up by Mr. Allman. In all details except the following, these individuals agreed with those described by Dr. Johnston in the Annals. Slightly elevated white tuberclesf^ chiefly disposed in straight lines, appeared on the sides of the body ; 9 branchial leaflets ; in the several specimens examined these do not encircle the vent, but are wanting for the space of \ of a circle posteriorly, two hinder leaflets shortest. On calling Mr. Allman^s attention to Dr. Johnston's description, he re- * a Doris ovalis alba corpore supra planiuscula Isevi," is Muller's dia- gnosis of D. IcEvis. f Mr. E. Forbes, to whom the species is well known, considers what are here called tubercles to have been only coloured spots having such an appearance. 88 Mr. Thompson on the Mollusca of Ireland. marked that the appearance described as an orifice behind the vent, " is merely formed by the partial apposition of the edges of a sht existing in the posterior margin of the mantle, and which approximation is dependent on the will of the animal/' In addition to these specimens, beautifully coloured figures, both of the natural size and magnified, drawn by Miss AUman from the living mollusk, illustrate the above points. Doris elongata, mihi. PI. II. fig. 7. Goniodoris^ do. do. D. elongated, narrow, a row of papillae on each side the back, branchial filaments about 10, plumose. Length of specimen (from spirits) 3 lines, breadth 1 line, height J line, breadth of body equal throughout. This species resembles in form the D. gracilis and D. pal- lens of Rapp. Nova Acta, vol. xiii. part 2. p. 522. tab. 27. figs. 9 and 10. I obtained this mollusk in June 1838, between tide-marks, at the island of Lambay, off the Dublin coast. Tritonia Hombergii, Cuv. Johnst. Ann. Nat. Hist. vol. i. p. 114. pi. 3. figs. 1 and 2. A specimen about 4 inches in length, with the examination of which I have been favoured by Mr. R. Ball, was dredged with oysters some years ago at Howth, county Dublin. Tritonia lactea, mihi. PI. II. fig. 3. T. of a milk-white colour, with 6 large branchial appendages on each side, bifid and ramosely pinnate ; mantle terminating anteriorly in 4 arborescent processes. Length of specimen (from spirits) 8 lines, sheaths of the tenta- cula deeply fimbriated. Colour milk-white, but with the aid of a lens a few very minute scarlet dots are seen scattered over parts of the body and the branchial appendages. The approximation of this species to the T. arborescens, Cuv. renders necessary some notice of the characters in which they correspond and differ from each other. The dia- • A new and well-marked genus constituted by Mr. Forbes. See present No. of Annals, p. 104. Mr. Thompson on the Mollusca of Ireland. 89 gnosis of T, arbor escens in Fleming's Brit. Anim. p. 284, — " branchiae 6 on each side, in the form of plumose tubercles/' applies equally to the T. lactea, as does the detailed descrip- tion in the following particulars — "foot narrow, sides com- pressed; cloak smooth, its margin above the mouth with 4 plumose appendages ; branchiae decreasing in size towards the tail," — this in T, lactea is very small. On comparing it with a specimen of T. arbor escens from St. Andrews, in Mr. E. Forbes's collection, the most striking diiFerence is in the shorter body of T, lactea, and consequently the nearer ap- proximation of the branchial filaments, which are considerably larger than in its congener, whilst the sheaths of the tenta- cula are somewhat less developed than in that species: the colour too is very different, T, arbor escens being of a rose-red, varied with darker spots and markings. The specimen occurred to me when dredging at the en- trance of Strangford lough, in the month of October, in com- pany with Mr. Hyndman. Eolidia papillosa, Johnst. Mag. Nat. Hist. 8. 376. fig. 35. Annals N. H. 1. 118. Of this fine species, three individuals were found by Dr. Lloyd (of Malahide) and myself, under stones at Lambay is- land, on the 1st of June; at the same time their spawn, just as described and figured by Dr. Johnston in Mag. N. H. as above-cited, was obtained. One of these animals examined critically had 25 lateral rows of branchial processes, and about 12 of these to each row. Eolidia Cuvierii, Johnst. Ann. Nat. Hist. 1. 120. pi. 3. fig. 9—11. Among the Nudibranchia which I owe to the kindness of Mr. Allman, was a small individual of this species, taken by him at Courtmasherry harbour, in the autumn of 1838. Eolidia rufibranchialis, Johnst. Mag. Nat. Hist. 5. 428. fig. 85. Annals N. H. 1. 121. The first specimen of this Eolidia that I am aware of being taken on the Irish coast, occurred to myself at Newcastle, county Down, in August, 1836, but besides its careful pre- Ann. Nat. Hist. Vol. 5. No. 29. April 1840. h 90 Mr. Thompson on the Mollusca of Ireland. servation in spirits, no attention was bestowed upon it. In June last, a considerable number of individuals of this species were taken in the dredge near Bangor, (county Down,) by Dr. J. L. Drummond, who being unacquainted with them, at once drew up a very minute and excellent description from the living animals, illustrating it at the same time with several sketches. Under the head of ^^ general observations,'^ it is remarked in Dr. Drummond's journal : " Animal either very active and coursing repeatedly round the basin, or hanging by its disk applied to the surface of the water. Touch very acute, the tentacula and cirri shrinking at the slightest ap- plication of a foreign body. On killing a specimen by keep- ing it some time in fresh-water, the cirri every one dropped off on the slightest touch*.'' Some of these specimens (from spirits) are of large size, several being 9| and 10 lines in length. In the disposition and length of the branchial fila- ments there is great diversity: in one individual these fila- ments are as long as its entire body, or 7 lines in length ; in another of equal size, they are half the length of its body ; in some they are conspicuously in fasciculi ; in others they ap- pear to be in a continuous row : none however exhibit fila- ments of a clavate form like those of the Doris pedata of Montagu (see Johnston in Annals above-cited) ; they are ge- nerally pointed f. To the kindness of Edmund Getty, Esq., I owe the results of a day's dredging in Belfast Bay, in October last, among which was a mollusk of this species. Euplocamus plumosuSy mihi. PI. II. fig. 4. E. with body elongated, tapering to the tail, 3 plumose branchial filaments. * Mr. R. Patterson, who accompanied Dr. Drummond on the occasion, favours me with the following note : "To avoid this, I took a number of living specimens, and by the successive addition of some table salt, con- verted the sea-water into pretty strong brine. While doing so the motions of the animal became gradually more feeble, and then ceased. The branchiae did not appear detached, and the specimens were placed in a bottle along with the brine in which they had been killed. The result was however the same ; they separated as much as if the shock from fresh-water had still been sustained, and the liquid became so foetid and discoloured (perhaps from the presence of too much animal matter,) that the entire contents of the bottle were thrown away." f Nevertheless I cannot but think that D. pedata is identical with the species under consideration. Mr. Thompson on the Molliisca of Ireland. 91 Length 10 lines, mouth "sub-inferior terminal;" frontal appen- dages 6, the two central very small, 3 beautifully plumose branchial filaments, situated at about two-thirds the length of the body from the head ; mantle separated from the disk by a deep channel ; edge of cloak thin and waved ; no eyes apparent ; lateral appendages 9 on each side, terminated by disks*. Colour — body white, tail orange, cla- vate, tips of the processes surrounding the body orange, as are those of the frontal appendages and tentacula ; branchial filaments orange ; on the back are a number of papillae of this colour, as is likewise a line of spots along each side between the cloak and foot. The gliding motion of this beautiful species along the bottom of the vessel in which it was placed for examination was regular and graceful. It Vi^as dredged in Strangford lough^ adhering to a Laminaria, by Mr. Hyndman and my- self, in January, 1835. The description and figure were taken from the living animal. Of the genus Euplocamus I know^ but five species, three of which, described by Philippif:, have been found in the Me- diterranean alone; these differ so much from the northern species as to render comparison unnecessary. The E.plumosus in general appearance much resembles the E. clavigera of MuUer, but differs from it in having only 3 instead of 4 branchial filaments, and in these being plumose — in this cha- racter too, it differs from the E. pulcherX of Dr. Johnston, although the number of these filaments is the same in both; besides, its body and lateral appendages are more elongated ; altogether it is a much more graceful animal than the last mentioned. * Mr. Forbes suggests that these may possibly be suctorial. t E, croceus, Phil. Enum. Moll. Siciiiae, p. 103. tab. 7. fig. 1. E.fron- dosus and E. cirriger. Ann. Nat. Hist. vol. iv. pp. 88 and 89. pi. iii. fig. 1 and 2. — translated from Wiegmann's A.rchiv. X Dr. Johnston first described this species under the name of Tergipes pulcher, and subsequently constituted a new genus, IViopa, for its reception. Ann. Nat. Hist. i. 124. He was unaware at the time that the same judicious view had previously been taken by Philippi, who founded his genus Euplo- camus on an allied species. This latter name, in right of priority, must be retained. Mr. Forbes has taken the E. pulcher at the Isle of Man and at Shetland ; and joining him, as I do, in the opinion that it is distinct from E. clavigera, 1 have ventured to restore the original specific name. The genus Triopa will still rank under its banner the anomalous T. nothus of Dr. Johnston. H 2 92 Mr. Thompson on the MoUusca of Ireland, " Polycera quadrilineata,^' var. nonlineata, PI. II. fig. C*. Doris quadrilineata, Mull. Zool. Dan. vol. 1. p. 18. tab. 17» fig. 4—6. Frontal processes of the mantle 4, angles of the foot produced ; pair of branchial lobes rather small. Length of specimen (from spirits) 3 lines ; body broadly truncate anteriorly, tapering to the tail ; tentacula lamellated ; 3 branchial filaments ; eyes two, at the inner side of the posterior base of the tentacula. Colour — whitish, with the frontal processes of an orange- yellow ; a few scattered dots of this colour on the mantle. Although the four black lines described by MuUer as ex- tending in an interrupted manner along the body of P. qua- drilineata, are entirely wanting in my specimens, I cannot, possessing as they do every other character in common with it, regard them as of a different species. They are at the same time quite distinct from the supposed varieties of P. quadri- lineata figured in table 138 of the ^Zoologia Danica.' Three individuals of this species occurred to us on the same occasion as the Tritonia lactea, when dredging at the entrance of Strangford lough ; they were adhering to Laminaria digi- lata. When placed in a phial of sea-water, they were generally to be seen suspended by their threads from the surface, the body at the same time moving freely about with much grace. This species has hitherto been unnoticed in the British seas. Polycera typica^ mihi. Plate II. fig. 5. P. with 4 frontal appendages, tapering towards the point ; tenta- cula lamellate ; branchial lobes very large. Length 5 lines, body narrow, tail tapering ; branchial filaments elongated, in a tuft anterior to the lobes ; disk thin and flexible at the edges. Colour — whitish, tentacula and branchial lobes tipped with yellow ; back and sides thinly studded with tubercles (spots ?) of a yellow colour, three of which are in the middle of the back, and six or seven close to the tuft of branchial filaments ; the intestines (seen through the skin) of a dark colour. Of this well-marked species, two individuals were dredged in Strangford lough, by Mr. Hyndman and myself, in * The figure is necessarily stiff, having been drawn from a dead specimen. Muiler's was done from the living animal. Mr. Thompson on the Mollusca of Ireland, 93 January, 1835, at the same time with Euplocamus plumosus. They seemed partial to coming to the surface of the water in which they were for some time kept, and to moving along with the foot upwards. From the P. quadrilineata and P. cornuta (vol. 4. p. 29. tab. 145. fig. 1 — 3.) of the ^Zoologia Danica% the P. flava of Montagu (Linn. Trans, vol. vii. p. 84, pi. 70 and the P. li- neatus of Risso, (Hist. Nat. PEur. Merid. iv. pi. 1. fig. 5.) all the species of Polycera that I have seen described and figured, the P. typica differs remarkably in the development of the branchial lobes. The P. capensisy Freycinet, is known to me by name only. All the Mollusca Nudibranchia treated of in this commu- nication are for the first time recorded as Irish species. Mollusca Tunicata. The Mollusca Tunicata have in Ireland as in other coun- tries engaged very little attention ; yet if mere outward beauty be any attraction to the naturalist, where wiU he behold it more surpassing than in the compound species of this portion of the animal kingdom ? Of every hue — arrayed in purple and gold — will he find them even in this " cold and cloudy clime.^' The species of the British seas are now, I rejoice to state, about to be investigated by naturalists highly qualified for the task. This I learned when about to attempt entering oa the study of our native species; and communicating my spe- cimens to the parties alluded to, that in connexion with their own they might be properly elucidated, I at once ceased from my incipient investigation. For this reason, the follow- ing species, belonging to the first division, "Ascidies Simples,^' are placed, without regard to systematic arrangement, merely under the name used by the author in whose work I found them described. Small as is the number, the species are one- half more numerous than those published in 1828 in Fleming's British Animals. "^Ascidia venosa, Mull. Zool. Dan. vol. i. p. 25. tab. 25. * This mark before the species denotes those which I have not seen re- corded as British — the others are new only to the Irish Fauna. 94 Mr. Thompson on the Mollusca of Ireland. Obtained by dredging in the loughs of Strangford and Belfast ; first distinguished as an Irish species by Dr. J. L. Drummond. It is remarked by Muller to be common about Christiansand. Ascidia prunum, Mull. Z. D. vol. i. p. 42. tab. 34. fig. 1 — 3. Procured in the same localities as last. "^Ascidia aspersa, Mull. Z. D. vol. ii. p. 32. tab. 65. fig. 2. As last. "^Ascidia scabra, Mull. Z. D. vol. ii. p. 33. tab. 65. fig. 3. As last. Possibly not distinct from it. Ascidia rustica, Linn. Mull. Z. D. vol. i. p. 14. tab. 15. Commonly investing the larger marine plants — found on shells, stones, &c. This species is much less common on our shores in the adult than in the young state, when assuming a flattish oval form, and coloured like red cornelian, it is seen beautifully studding our larger Fuci. Lamarck strangely considered that the A. scabra, Mull, might be identical with this — they certainly have no relation to each other. Nor can I believe with him that the A. patula and A. aspersa, Mull, have any connexion with A. rustica, Anim. sans Vert. t. 3. p. 123.. "^Ascidia par allelogramma, Mull. Z. D. vol. ii. p. 11. tab. 49. I have taken this beautiful species (which is admirably re- presented in the work just cited,) on different occasions when dredging in Strangford lough ; it was attached to Algae. Ascidia echinata, Linn. Mull. Z. D. vol. iv. p. 10. tab. 130. fig. 1. Of this well-marked and pretty species, I obtained an in- dividual parasitic on one of the larger Ascidice dredged in Strang-ford lough. "^Ascidia orbicularis, Mull. Z. D. vol. ii. p. 53. tab. 79. f. 1,2. Obtained on Zoster a marina in Strangford lough. "^Ascidia mammillaris, Delle Chiaie, vol. iii. p. 187, 197. tav. 45. fig. 14. Found attached to Laminaria digitata^ &c. in Belfast and Strangford loughs. The spinous tubercles in my specimens Mr. Thompson on the Mollusca of Ireland, 95 are not so regularly disposed over the body as represented in Chiaie^s work ; they are most developed about the orifices. ^Cynthia claudicans, Sav. Mem. p. 150. pi. 2. fig. 1. Not uncommon on oysters and other shell-fish taken in the north-east of Ireland. Savigny describes it as common on the oysters brought to Paris. Phallusia intestinalis, Sav. Mem. p. 169. pi. 11. fig. 1. Obtained in Strangford lough. Clavelina lepadiformis, Sav. p. 110, 174. Ascidia lepadiformis, Mull. Z. D. vol. ii. p. 119. tab. 79. f. 5. As last. ^Distoma rubrum, Sav. Mem. p. 177- pl* 3. fig. 1. and pi. 13. On Laminaria digitata, dredged in Belfast Bay, by Edm, Getty, Esq., and kindly sent me. This species was communi- cated by Leach to Savigny, who notices it simply as inhabiting the European seas. My specimens were not of so lively a colour as represented in Savigny^s work. Distoma variolosum, Gaert. Sav. Mem. p. 38 and 178.? A Distoma apparently from description (I have not seen any figure) of this species has occurred to me investing Fucus serratus in Belfast Bay; the colour was always whitish- yellow. Gaertner announced the D. variolosum to be found enveloping Fucus palmatus, on the coast of England. Botryllus Leachii, Sav. Mem. p. 199. pi. 4. f. 6. and pi. 20. f. 4. Delle Chiaie, vol. iii. p. 94. tav. 36. f. 14—16. North-east of Ireland, occasionally investing the roots of Laminaria digitata, &c. ; when dried it has somewhat the appearance of a sponge. This species was sent by Leach to Savigny, who marks it with doubt as from the English coast. On the shores of Naples it has been found by Delle Chiaie as above cited. Botryllus Schlosseri. Phil. Trans, vol. 49. p. 449. pi. 14. I have occasionally obtained this on Algae, in the loughs of Strangford and Belfast, and have found it attached to stones at the island of Lambay, Dublin coast. ^Botryllus polycyclus, Sav. Mem. p. 47. pi. 4. fig. 5. J5o- tryllus Renieri. Delle Chiaie, vol. iii. p. 93. 96 Mr. Thompson on the Mollusca of Ireland. This very beautiful species, which is admirably described by Savigny, I have found much more common in the north of Ireland than the B. Schlosseri ; it occurs chiefly on the leaves of Laminaria digitata. The Adriatic Sea and the Manche are the localities whence Savigny procured it. What Delle Chiaie figures as a variety of this species, tab. 36, fig. 9, has occurred to me as commonly as the ordinary state. Sydneum turbinatum, Sav. Mem. p. 239. I once procured this in Strangford lough ; and by Dr. J. L. Drummond it has since been found in Belfast Bay. In the Magazine of Nat. Hist., vol. vii. p. 129, et seq., two Ascidice are figured and described as new by " C. M.,^^ — a signature adopted by my friend Robert Templeton, Esq., Roy. Art., in this and another communication in the same vol. p. 10. To the first, Asc. gemina, no habitat is given, but the entrance to Strangford lough may be mentioned as one, as I have found the species there, adhering to the sub- merged rocks. The Asc, ancejps is perhaps not distinct from Asc. prunum, INVERTEBRATA MISCELLANEA. Mollusca. lanthina nitens, Menke.? Philippi Enum. Moll. Siciliae,p. 164. tab. 9. fig. 16. ? /. pallida, Harvey MS. PL II. fig. 2. This lanthina, of which a number of specimens were found some years ago by my friend W. H. Harvey, Esq. (the well- known botanist) at Miltown Malbay on the coast of Clare, is very distinct from the two known British species, I.fra- gilis and /. exigua, and was named I, pallida by Mr. Harvey; whether it be really a nondescript species is difficult to be determined. The nearest approach I find to it is the /. ni- tens, Menke, as described and figured by Philippi in his excellent ^ Enumeratio MoUuscorum Siciliae,^ but from this it differs in the columella being curved so as to present a somewhat rounded appearance, instead of being straight ; the lanthincc, however, are subject to considerable variety. With the exception of this character, it agrees w^ell in form with the /. prolongata, Blain., figured in Payraudeau's ^ Moll, de Corse j' but the colour of this, (dark blue,) is very different Mr. Thompson on the Mollusca of Ireland. 97 from mine. Philippi at the same time quotes the /. prolon- gata in Payraudeau as identical with his, which in colour, " pallide violacea/^ is similar to the Irish specimens, hence named pallida. This author again refers to what Blainville figures as one of the forms of I.fragilis (Malac. tab. 37 bis. fig. 1.) for a representation of his /. nitens. Philippics dia- gnosis of this species is, "Testa ovata, obtusa, anfractibus omnibus valde rotundatis, sutura profunda divisis, apertura semiovata. labro profunde exciso angulo columellae cum labro acuto." Habitat, Sicily. Size of Irish specimens, 11 lines long, 8| broad. The genus lanthina is in much confusion, which the pre- sent notes tend in no way to clear up : they are only intended to introduce a third species of this attractive genus to the British Fauna. Rissoa Harveyiy mihi. Cingula sculpta, Harvey^s MS. PI. II. fig. 11. This species — two lines in length — is most nearly allied to the 7?. excavata, Philippi, (Enum. Moll. Sicil.,p. 154. tab. 10. fig. 6), the following description of which, with the mere sub- stitution of the numbers between the brackets, is equally applicable to R, Harveyi, " Rissoa excavata, mihi, tab. x. fig. 6. " R. testa oblonga, obtusa, alba, anfractibus supeme angulatis, medio concavis, longitudinaliter costatis, ultimo inferne cingulis tribus transversis elevatis instructo, apertura ovata simplici [costse circiter 12 (24) in quovis anfractu* supeme et inferne angulatse.] " Testa rainuta, 1'" longa (2), oblonga, anfractibus 4 — 5 (6), apice obtuso ; apertura ovalis superne vix angulata, labrum simplex." Mouth not so large as inR. excavata. This shell was discovered at Miltown Malbay (county of Clare), by Mr. W. H. Harvey, some years ago, and charac- teristically named by him C. sculpta-, the term insculpta being applied to a species of the allied genus Odostomia, has induced me, perhaps unnecessarily, to change the name. The species is dedicated to its discoverer, who had success- * My species shows the necessity of making this part of the diagnosis : tlie words used are Philippi's, and taken from his general description. 98 Mr. Thompson on the Mollusca of Ireland. fully studied our native Mollusca before his attention was directed to botany, in which department his labours have now long been known and appreciated. Rissoa tristriata, mihi. PI. II. fig. 10. R. conic, volutions 5|, rounded, smooth, with spiral rows of tawny spots, first whorl very large, aperture roundish oval, umbi- licus none, 3 striae winding round the summit of each whorl. Length 1^ line. A connecting link between R. semistriata and R. interrupta. Found at Youghal by Miss M. Ball. Rissoa Ballice, mihi. PI. II. fig. 9. R. elongated, white, apex obtuse, 5 slightly rounded whorls, deeply marked longitudinally with somewhat distant striae, aperture ovate, margin of the mouth thin, lower portion of the first whorl spirally striated. Length 1 j line. Although of a more slender form, this species, in sculpture, &c., somewhat resembles Odostomia spiralis, but is a true Rissoa. Found at Youghal by Miss M. Ball, after whom it is named, though a very trivial compliment to her acquirements in different departments of the Invertebrata of Ireland. ^ Turritella fulvocincta, mihi. T. with about 1 1 whorls, transversely ribbed, spirally striated, whitish, with a single fulvous band winding round the volutions. Length 3 J lines. Found at Portmarnock, near Dublin; and communicated to me by Miss M. Ball. ^^ Cerithium reticulatum, var. /3.^^ Harvey's MS. PL II. fig. 8. Whorls 9 or 10, with three spiral ridges, the uppermost very pro- minent and forming a keel round the suture, ridges crossed by some- what distant longitudinal furrows. Length 3^ lines, breadth 1^ ; colour purplish brown. This shell differs from C. reticulatum in the prominent keel bounding the whorls on the upper side, and in the spiral furrows being much deeper than the longitudinal, and these rather less marked than in that species. Mr. Thompson on the Mollusca of Irelund, 99 As one individual only has been obtained, I named it, doubtfully as new, C carinatum\ but according to the better judgment of Mr. Harvey, it is only a variety of C reticulatum', the shell was found by this gentleman at Miltown Malbay. Naiica, A shell belonging to this genus, obtained at Youghal by Miss M. Ball, presents the following characters. It is in length 12, in breadth 9 lines, of a tawny colour, without bands or markings of any kind ; in form it is similar to N. Alderi, but is a larger species ; umbilicus divided by a spiral ridge. To my friend Mr. E. Forbes, who has attentively studied the British Naticcs, I submitted this shell, but he had not seen any like it. Until more specimens are examined, (more, I understand, have been procured,) I am unwilling to desig- nate it as a new species ; but should it prove to be so, I would propose N.fulva as an appropriate name. The N, castanea, Lam., is stated by M. Reclus, who has examined the original specimens, to be identical with iV". monilifera. Lam. t. viii. p. 625, 2nd edit. M. Deshayes sets it down as the young of this species. Id. p. 639*. ECHINODERMATA. Ophiocoma Ballii, mihi. Disk round or pentangular, covered with imbricated scales, two diverging broadly wedge-shaped scales at the base of each ray. Largest specimen — disk 2| lines broad, rays in length nearly equal to four times its breadth ; rays above with fan- shaped scales, beneath with rudely heart-shaped plates; spines four in each row, rough, as long or longer than the breadth of ray. Colour pink. * In a MS. sent me by my friend Robert Templeton, Esq., Roy. Art., before his departure for Ceylon, are the following descriptions of what he considered to be two new species : *' Nautilus pulchella, mihi. Size xV inch, opake white, exteriorly cre- nated, becoming toothed towards the inner volutions; chambers about 20, marked externally by a depression, adjoining which the shell is minutely tuberculated, or crenato-tuberculated. " Among some minute shells from Bangor, county Down, presented me by Mr. G. C. Hyndman. Nautilus dentatus, mihi. Size^Jj inch, opake white, chambers of the last whorl about 12, broad, crenato-tuberculate exteriorly, the margin toothed, the teeth less acute towards the mouth. With last." 100 Mr. Thompson on the Mollusca of Ireland, Several specimens of different size dredged some years ago in Dalkey Sounds on the coast of Dublin^ by R. Ball^ Esq. The species is named after my friend^ than whom no one in Ireland does more to advance the science of natural history. Holothuria Drummondii, mihi. H. of an olivaceous and white colour, with light brown suckers, which are very numerous on the angles, from 6 to 1 2 in each trans- verse irregular row ; when contracted, tentacula long, pedicled, trifid, plumose, purple. Lengtli 10 inches. After having been kept in spirits for a short time, it ap- pears angular, corrugated, the corrugations smooth; a few suckers between them. The specimen was dredged in Belfast Bay, in the month of June, by Dr. J. L. Drummond, who drew up the following description from the living animal : "Bangor, June 27, 1839. Holothuria dredged yesterday of an olivaceous and white colour; at first, the shape of a lemon, and nearly as large as a middle-sized one ; today, ten inches long, contracting itself slowly in various places, but has not yet shown its tentacula. It has five broad longi- tudinal bands of tubercle-hke suckers running from end to end ; these have four in each transverse row ; suckers light brown ; down the middle of each of the five series a whitish band extends; spaces between the belts of suckers of a blueish-white, with numerous irregular narrow transverse whiter lines of various breadth.^^ Holothuria Hyndmaniy mihi. H. white, 5 -angled, skin smooth, a double close row of large (non-retractile.?) suckers on each angle; tentacula 10, sessile, white, plumose. Length 2 inches. Dredged in Belfast Bay, by my friend Mr. G. C. Hynd- man, a well-informed and zealous naturalist, to whom it is dedicated*. * " Holothuria hrunnea, Forbes MS. " H. brown, angulated, suckers 6 to 8 in each row, tentacula long, whitish, pinnated towards their extremities. Forbes." This minute HoIothuri;i, generally under an inch in length, is the most common species taken by dredging in the loughs of Strangford and Belfast. Mr. Thompson on the Mollusca of Ireland. 101 Sipunculus papillosus, mihi. S. vermiform, brownish white, skin striated concentrically and covered with brown papillae. This is a fine and large species; throughout the greater part of its length posteriorly^ the papillae are more numerous and larger on the two sides than on the dorsal and ventral surfaces^ and are particularly numerous at the posterior ex- tremity, which is pointed and not perforated. It does not appear to be parasitic. S[)ecimens have been obtained at Miltown Malbay by Mr. Harvey^ and at the south islands of Arran (an adjacent locality) by Mr. Ball. Mr. Harvey informs me that this species is not uncommon under stones in sand-covered rocks at Miltown Malbay. The last four species will be more fully treated of, and figured, by Mr. Forbes, in his forthcoming work on the British Echinodermata. ZOOPHYTA. Flustra stellata, Memhranipora stellata, mihi*. M, stellate, or of a sub-stellate outline, cells without hairs or setae. Polypidom of a light sandy colour, encrusting the larger marine Algae in somewhat of a stellate form ; a few inches in diameter ; aperture of the cells without hairs or bristles (like those of M, pilosa and M. spongiosa, Temp.f), but beset with spines or denticles, varying much in number, one at the base generally exceeding the others in magnitude. Along the cen- tre of each ray extends a series consisting of a few rows of oblong or roundish-oblong cells, on either side of w^hich are transverse rows of square and roundish cells considerably- larger than those w^hich constitute the central portion ; " pa- rietes of the cells prettily punctured J. ^^ This description apphes to the species in its most perfect state. When the * Considering all the generic characters of Flustra and Membranipora, the present species would seem to appertain about as niuch to the *• crus- taceous" division of the former as to the latter genus. t Brit. Zooph. p. 282. This is identical with Flustra? carnosa, Johnston. X A character that I had overlooked, but which was noticed by Dr. Johnston. 102 Mr. Forbes on new British Mollusca. stellate figures coalesce — which they rarely do — so as to cover the surface of the plant, the form and arrangement of the cells, as just mentioned, are generally preserved. When de- viations from this arrangement do occur, the general form of the zoophyte is the most obvious character. This species first occurred to me in Belfast Bay, in September, 1833, when a quantity of tangle^ Laminaria digitata, had been thrown ashore, on the broad leaves of which its stellate form at once arrested my attention. In Strangford lough I similarly found it afterwards; and more recently in Scotland, near Ballantrae (Ayrshire), on Fucus serratus, but not in perfection on this plant, whose leaves are too narrow to permit its per- fect growth : on the shore at Leith too I have gathered it ; and on a specimen of Nitophyllum Gmelini, from Sidmouth, favoured me by Dr. Greville, it appears. Its distribution would thus seem to be extensive. I lately ascertained that it had been found by Dr. Drum- mond, many, perhaps thirty, years ago, at Larne. In the Supplement to Dr. Johnston^s British Zoophytes the species will be figured. To my accomplished friend Edward Forbes, Esq., I am indebted for the figures which illustrate this paper ; without the aid too of his superior knowledge, a portion only of the species here introduced as new could, with any degree of certainty, have been announced as such. REFERENCES TO PLATE II. Fig. 1. Doris sublsevis. 2. lanthina nitens ? 3. Tritonia lactea, 4. Euplocamus plumosus. 5. Poly cera ty pica. 6. Poiycera quadrilineata, var. Fig. 7. Goniodoris elongata. 8. Cerithium reticulatura, var, 9. Rissoa Ballias. 10. Rissoa tristriata. 11. Rissoa Harvey i. XII. — On some New and Rare British Mollusca. By Ed- ward Forbes, M.W.S., For. Sec. B.S., &c. [With a Plate.] I. Doris Argo. Dr. Johnston pointed out some time ago that the Doris Argo of Pennant and British authors generally Mr. Forbes on new British Mollusca. 103 was not that species^ but the Doris tuberculata of Cuvier, and accordingly described it as such in the Zoological Jour- nal and in his valuable paper on Scottish Mollusca in the first volume of the Annals. During the last two years, however, I have dredged on the Manx coast two specimens of a Do7'is which may be considered as the true Argo, and as such is an addition to the British Fauna. This Doris is of an oval form, the largest 1 J inch in length, by rather more than f broad. It is of a most vivid orange-red colour with lighter specks on the back. The mantle is covered with very minute papillae, and round the base of each tentacle, which is formed as in other Dorides, there is a circle of papillae somewhat larger than those studding the back. The branchiae are ten in number, bipinnate, bright red edged with blackish green. The foot is smooth and red. It was dredged in about 20 fathoms water on the shell-bank off the coast of Ballaugh, Isle of Man. In its motions it is extremely sluggish, but from the beauty of its colouring is a most attractive spe- cies. The original Doris Argo is represented in Bohadsch, '^ De quibusdam Animalibus Marinis^^ tab. v. figs. 4 and 5. The animal there figured was 3 inches and 5 lines long, but the accompanying description well agrees with my specimens. In the figure it seems smooth, and as such it has generally been described, but from their minuteness the papillae might have easily been overlooked. Bohadsch^s description of the colour of its back, ^^ In parte prona seu dorso colore coccineo splendet'^ (p. ^^^ is most appropriate. The origin of the name "Argo^^ as applied to this species is singular. Bo- hadsch, observing the summits of the tentacula to be speckled with minute black specks, fancied them to be eyes, and ac- cordingly bestowed on his animal the name of Argo or Argus, as he said he could easily count a hundred or more of these eyes. This speckled appearance is seen on the tentacula of many Nudibranchiay and is merely a variation in the colour- ing of the animal. II. Doris Maura. Nov. Sp, Forbes. Plate II. fig. 17. D. elongata, dorso nigro cmruleo-maculato, tuberculis carneis 104 Mr. Forbes 07i new British Mollusca. obtecto^ tentaculis carneis bast tuber culatis^ branchiis albis, pede albo, Lon. 1^ unc. This beautiful addition to our Fauna was found in July last under a stone at low water at Devar Island, near Camp- beltown, Argyleshire. In form it is more elongated' than any other British species of its division. Its colouring is most remarkable : the ground colour of the mantle is jet black, dotted here and there with little round spots of the brightest cobalt blue, and covered at regular distances by ovate pink tubercles, which are larger around the roots of the large white plume-like branchia (six in number), and also around the bases of the tentacula. The tentacula are singular, on ac- count of being planted as it were on the summit of a tuber- cled pedicle, in shape resembling the stalk of a clove. This pedicle is pink, the tentacula darker, rather inclined to brown- ish ; some of the tubercles, especially those near the anus, are lobed. The foot is pinkish white, its anterior margins not produced into tentacula. The creature is rather sluggish in its motions, but noble in its aspect : its ornate mantle, its sceptre-like tentacula, and plume of snowy branchiae like ostrich feathers, dignifying it much above its British bre- thren. III. Nov, Gen. Goniodoris. Forbes, Body prismatic : mantle marginally reflected, abbreviated pos- teriorly : oral veil forming two sustentacula : posterior ex- tremity acute, caudiform : branchia dorsal, unprotected. Having to describe a new prismatic Doris, I avail myself of this opportunity to characterize the above genus; the establishment of which I consider absolutely necessary for the following reasons. The dorso-branchiated Nudibran- chia form a most natural family, consisting of the genera Doris, Goniodoris, Polycera, (Thecacera}), and Euploca- mus, which last genus conducts us to the next family, the Tritoniacece, On reviewing their characters, we find their generic distinctions to depend, 1st, on the form of the body; 2nd, on the form of the mantle ; 3rd, on the sustentacula ; 4th, on the posterior termination ; and 5th, on the position and protection of the breathing organs, which also afford Mr. Forbes on new British Mollusca. 105 family characters along with upper-tentacula, the structure of which is laminated throughout the tribe. GoNioDORis EMARGiNATA. Nov. Sp, Forbes. G. ovata, pallio postice emarginato dorso Icevi, sustentaculis ovatis, acutis. Lon. 21 lin. (Plate II. fig. 12.) The body of this species is quadrangularly ovate, the man- tle broad, turned up and waved at the margin : posteriorly it is deeply notched. The back is smooth. The branchiae are six in number ; the upper tentacula are rather long, the lower ovate, acute, and largely developed. The back is of a fawn colour, the branchiae and foot white, the border of the mantle yellow, and there is a yellow stripe on the tail. It was dredged in twenty fathoms water off the coast of Ballaugh, Isle of Man, in October, 1839. On the same coast also occurs at low water, in considerable abundance, the Doris nodosa of Montagu, another species of this genus. As it seems to have escaped British naturalists for many years, I add a description from my Manx speci- mens. In form it is quadrangularly oblong : the mantle is broad, turned up and waved at the margin, the back smooth, with a central carina and four equidistant papillae on each side. The lower or oral tentacula are lanceolate, acute and large; the upper or dorsal laminated. The branchiae are from 7 to 9 in number, plumose, narrow, arranged in a circle (sometimes interrupted), forming an erect cup. The scallops or wavings of the cloak are generally eight on each side, and the papillae appear to be mucronate. The colour of the back is white tinged with rose : the foot, tentacula, and branchiae are white, and there is a yellow stripe on the tail. This stripe is seen in several species of this genus. The Gonio- doris nodosa is nearly three-fourths of an inch in length. The Doris Barvicensis of Dr. Johnston (Annals Nat. Hist. V. i. p. 55., PL II. fig. 11-13) is a Goniodoris. In addition to the locality originally given, it was found by Mr. Goodsir and myself during the past summer under stones at low water in Bressay Sound, Shetland. The Doris pallens and Doris gracilis of Rapp (Nov. Acta Acad. Nat. Curios., torn, xiii. 2nd part), also belong to this genus. The sources of Ann. Nat. Hist, Vol.5. No. 29. 4/?ri/ 1840. i 106 Mr. Forbes on new British Mollusca. specific characters in this genus appear to be : 1st, the gene- ral form as regards elongation ; 2nd, the smoothness or rough- ness of the back, including the number of papillae, when pre- sent; and 3rd, the form of the oral or sustentacula. The genus ranges from the northern shores of Britain to the south of Italy. IV. MoNTAGUA viRiBis. Nov, Sp, Forbes, Plate II. fig. 18. M, elongata alba, branchiis elongatis viridibus apicibus albis, in seriebus quinque digestis : tentaculis superioribus longi- oribus, Lon. 0^ unc. The body of this very distinct new species is lanceolate, tapering gradually to the finely attenuate tail. On the back there are five transverse rows of long branchiae, seven or eight in the broadest> rows, which are those placed foremost. There appear to be no papillae on the sides as in the two other British Montaguce, The head is furnished with four long tentacula, the uppermost ones longest, and have two large black eyes at their bases. These tentacula do not appear to be ciliated : they are rugose, or wrinkled concentrically. In this respect they differ from the tentacula of such Eolidce as have their branchiae arranged in lateral tufts, which have the upper tentacula ringed and covered with vibratile cilia. Such cilia are seen also on the laminated tentacula of Doris: those on the upper tentacula of Goniodoris nodosa are larger than the branchial cilia in that species: the lower or oral tentacula are not so covered. The upper and lower tentacula among most of the Nudibranchia, perhaps in all, are evidently very different organs, the latter for touch, the former for some finer sense. The body and tentacula of Montagua viridis are white, saving a narrow greenish line down the back. The branchiae are green with white ocellated tips and sometimes a few scat- tered dark green spots. The green colour is caused by a cir- culating fluid, the particles of which may be seen rushing from the central vessel or dorsal stripe into the branchiae, where they remain for a short time, and then flow back. This pretty little species was found on a specimen of An- Mr. Forbes on new British Mollusca. lOjT tennularia indivisa, dredged in deep water off the coast of Ballaugh, Isle of Man, September 30, 1839. V. RissoA RUPESTRis. Nov, Sp, Fovbes. Plate II. fig. 13. R, testa oblongO'turritd, albd, anfractibus 7 planulatis, ultimo basi striato ; suturis marginatis ; labro simplici, Lon, Oy% unc. Shell translucent, white, with seven flat whorls, which are almost smooth ; round the summit of each runs a spiral stria, which gives a marginated appearance to the suture. The basal whorl is shghtly carinated and spirally striated below the carination; a few obsolete striae sometimes appear above : the mouth is pear-shaped, and has no rib thickening the outer lip ; the pillar lip is broad, and slightly folded back. Animal milk-white. This Rissoa is found in crevices of rocks at half-tide along with Rissoa cingilla (to which it is nearly allied), Kellia rubra, and Auricula alba, at Kirk Santon Head, Isle of Man. VI. Pleurotoma Smithii. Nov, Sp. Forbes. Plate II. fig. 14. P. testa fusiformi-turritd, sub lente tenuissime striata ; an- fractibus 8 convexiusculis, costatis, costis 12 ; aperturd ob- long o-lanceolatd, spird multb breviore, caudd brevi. Lon. 0/^ unc. This pretty species has the whorls slightly rounded, and ornamented with strong longitudinal ribs, which are not, however, continuous from whorl to whorl. The whorls are slightly angulated at their summits : the sutures are deep. Its colour is yellowish white, with numerous spiral bands of yellowish brown, which give it a very elegant appearance. The mouth is oblong, and the outer lip is thickened by a rib. The canal is short and slightly inclined to the left. I have dedicated it to James Smith, Esq., of Jordanhill, by whom it was dredged in July last in Lamlash Bay, Arran. VII. Pleurotoma coarctata. Nov. Sp. Forbes. Plate II. fig. 15. P. testa anguste fusiformi, striatd, anfractibus 7 convexiuscu- I 2 108 Mr. J. E. Gray on Reptiles lis, costatis, costis 7 ; aperturd anguste lanceolatd ; caudd mediocri, Lon. Oy*^ unc. The shell of this species is more attenuate than the last, and the mouth and beak longer and much narrower ; seven strong ribs proceed from base to apex in the manner of those on Pleurotoma septangularis, to which it is nearly allied, but differs, besides form, in being spirally striated : it is nearly as strong. Its colour is dusky white, with obscure rufous spiral bands. Several specimens were dredged at the same time and place with the last. VIII. Patella ? ancyloides. Nov, Sp. Forbes, Plate II. fig. 16. P, testa, tenuissimd, pellucidd, rotundatd, gibbd, albd, sub lente reticulatd, vertice versus marginem inflexo, Lon. 2 lin. Possibly a Lottia, A shell so nearly resembling an Ancy- lus, that had I not dredged it, I should have looked on it as such. The apex is more incurved than in any of our other species of smaller Patellae, and the shell much more conical. It was dredged along with the two last described species in Lamlash Bay, Arran. XIII. — Catalogue of the Species of Reptiles collected in Cuba by W. S. MacLeay, Esq. ; — with some Notes of their Habits extracted from his MS, By J. E. Gray, Esq., F.R.S. The Catalogue is a continuation of the former one of Mam- malia from the same island, published in a former Number of this work, vol. iv. p. 1. It is worthy of remark that all the species described in the former paper are different from any mentioned in the Fauna of Cuba now in course of publication by M. Sagra. Several of the reptiles contained in this list appear to have been also found by that naturalist ; but others which have been brought home by Mr. MacLeay we have reason to think have escaped his research. As the species of the genus Anolis are difficult to distinguish, and as there are several species in the British Museum which I cannot refer with any certainty to the species described by brought from CubaJby Mr. MacLeay. 109 Messrs. Dumeril and Bibron, I have added to the paper a description of them. REPTILIA. Cyclura. 1. Cyclura carinata, Harlan, Jour. Acad. Sci. Philad. iv. 242. 1. 15. Iguana Cyclura, Cuv. R.A.ii.45. Iguana (Cyclura) carinata. Gray, Griffith A. K. ix. 39. Cyclura Harlani,Coc^.//'2s?. Cub.Erp., t. 6. Dum. andBibr. iv.218. Young Lacerta nubila, E. W. Gray, MS. Brit. Mus. Cyclura nu- bila, Gray, Griffith A. K.ix. This is probably the Guana figured by Catesby in his Carolina, ii. 68. t. 64. ** Found in the Isle of Pines, where it occurs of a large size nearly 4 feet long, and In great numbers. It runs with extreme velocity : becomes easily domesticated. In confinement it would not eat any kind of meat, but was very fond of bread and biscuit." — W. S. M. Leiocephalus. 2. Leiocephalus carinatus, Gray, Phil. Mag. ii. 208. Synopsis of Griflith's A. K. ix. 42. Holotropis raicrolophus, ** Th. Cocteau in Sagra Hist. Cub. Rept. t. 5. ined." Dum. and Bibr. Hist. Rept. iv. 264. Roquet of Rochefort Hist. Nat. and Mor. des Antilles, 131. Bibron by mistake refers my Leiocephalus carinatus to his Hole- trophis Herminieri, which has according to his description and figures the ventral scales strongly keeled. He considers that this specimen is the same as Tropidurus Schreibersii of Fitzinger's Catalogue. The Cuban specimen agrees exactly with the specimens on which the species was established, except in being rather larger and in having one large in the place of 3 or 4 small plates in the centre of the muzzle behind the nose. A second younger specimen has the smaller frontal plates rather different from either of the other specimens, and the tail is regularly brown-banded. It has no anterior odd plates between the two an- terior pair. This animal is the Roquet described by Rochefort, and referred to by Mr. MacLeay in his paper on Urania and Mygale in the Transactions of the Zoological Society 1831, where he observes, '* It does not change its "colour ; nor, as far as I know, does it distend the throat like the genus Anolis, neither are the toes as in that genus supplied with oval discs for climbing, so that it is never seen on trees. Never- 110 Mr. J. E. Gray on Reptiles theless Cuvier gives the name of Roquet to a species of his genus AnoUs, which by the way is not the Anolis of Rochefort but his Gohe- mouche, so that the confusion is almost inextricable;" and he further observes, ** the under side of the belly and legs is of a dirty cream- colour, becoming yellowish towards the extremity of the tail. The underside of the head and breast is marbled gray, as is the upper side of the head, and about 26 or 28 transverse faint dorsal bands, which on the dirty cream-colour ground become more conspicuous as they approach the extremity of the tail ; its colouring in short is exactly that of the gray Madrepores which it haunts, and into the cavity of which it retires when alarmed. The largest I have seen have been more than a foot long." This description of the colouring shows how it diflfers when alive from the specimens we have to examine in spirits. They live on the sea-coast : for Mr. MacLeay, when speaking of the sandy shore behind the belt of coral reefs, observes, " Here gray lizards of different sizes with saffron bellies and tails curled in spiral, peep from under the dusky flat stones which are generally sea-broken and time-worn pieces of Madrepores." Tropidurus. 3. Tropidurus (Leiolamus), Cubensis, n. s. Head shields many, keeled and imbricate. Scales of the back and sides broad rhombic, keeled ; the keels forming oblique lines ; back and tail slightly crested. Ears moderate with 3 or 4 scales in front. Temples with small keeled scales (discoloured) blueish chin and throat blueish white spotted ; belly and underside of tail white. Two series of scales over the upper labial plates, the plate immediately under the eye of the upper series large, elongated. The underside of the toes with 3 or 4 keels. Anolius. The genus Anolius may be divided into genera and sections to faci- litate the distinction of the species ; and in making these divisions I have not adopted the characters used by MM. Dumeril and Bibron, as I found the table of the species given in their work of very little use to me for making out the species. Most of the specimens in our collection have the scales of the sides smaller than those of the back and belly, while these naturalists place only a single species as having this character. The genus may be thus divided : — I. XiPHosuRUs, Fitzinger. The penultimate joint of the toes dilated, the back and tail with a brought from Cuba by Mr. MacLeay. Ill fin-like crest. Nostrils above the keel on the muzzle, the ventral shields imbricate. 1. Xiphosurus velifer. Anolis velifer, Cuv. R. A. t. 5. f. 1. A. Cuvieri, Merrem. Sides M^ith a black spot. 2. Xiphosurus Ricordii, Anolis Ricordii, Dum. and Bihr. iv. 167. Sides with two broad black streaks. II. Dactyloa. The penultimate joint of the toes dilated, the back and tail with a crest formed of a series of compressed scales ; ventral scales flat, imbricate. * Scales small, granular, convex. 1. Dactyloa Edwardsii = Anolus Edwardsii, Merrem, Edwards Glean. Head flat, shields keeled, green with 4 or 5 pale cross bands. ** Scales large, flat, not imbricate. 2. Dactyloa equestris = Le grand Anolis a ^charpe, Cuv. R. A. ii. t. 5. f. 2. Lacerta major e viridi cinerea dorso crista breviore donata, Sloane Jam. 333. t. 232. f. 2. Anolius equestris, Merrem = A. Rhodolsemus, Bell Zool. Jour. ii. 285. t. 20. Supp. Head tu- bercular ; shields conical, green ; throat, pouch, and streak over the shoulder white. Inhab. Cuba. This species was first figured and described by Sloane in his Hi- story of Jamaica, and afterwards by Cuvier in his Animal Kingdom, and more lately Mr. Bell has described it as a new species under the name of A . Rhodolcemus. It appears to be common to several of the West Indian Islands as well as Cuba. Sloane's specimen was found in Jamaica. " Basks on the trunks of trees in the same way as the next, called the Qhamodeon, and may like it be made to live in confinement." — W. S. M. III. Cham^eleolis, Cocteau. The penultimate joint of the toes dilated, back and nape with a crest formed of a series of compressed scales. Ventral scales small, convex, granular. 1. Chamceleolis Fernandina, " Coct. H. Nat. Cub., t. 12."=Anolis Chamseleonides Dum. and Bibr. iv. 168. Inhab. Cuba. This species was first described by Messrs. Dumeril and Bibron from specimens sent from Cuba by M. Sagra. Like the Chameleons the chin and belly are crested beneath, but 112 Mr. J. E. Gray on Reptiles the crest consists of two series of elongate scales ; those on the chin are much larger than those on the belly. '• Found always basking on the trunks of trees in forests near the sea side on the north coast of Cuba. It generally basks with its head downwards and is exceedingly alert. It will live in confinement." — W. S. M. IV. Anolis. The penultimate joint of the toes dilated. Back and nape simple or with a low crest formed of two diverging series of short triangular scales. Ventral scales flat, imbricate. The specimens of this genus which we have in the British Museum may be thus divided into groups and described. A. Crest produced along the back. a. Tail much compressed, irregularly serrated above. Ventral scales square, smooth. 1 . Anolis maculatus. Scales of the back convex, of the sides smaller, granular ; blueish, black-spotted; lips, streak over ears and shoulders white ; and a streak from the back of the eyes, over the ears black. Inhab. . b. Tail compressed, regularly serrated above, and many keeled beneath. Ventral scales ovate, keeled. 2. Anolis occipitalis. Scales of the back many-sided, keeled, of the sides smaller, elongate ; brown, beneath blueish- white ; occipital pit large, rounded, toothed, head shields smooth. Inhab. West Indies. Presented by Thomas Bell, Esq. c. Tail sub compressed, slightly serrated above. Ventral scales square, smooth. 3. Anolis similis. Scales of the back rather convex, of the sides rather smaller ; olive green with a few black spots ; head shields rather convex. Inhab. . 4. Anolis Alligator (Dumeril and Bibron, iv. 134 ?). Scales of the back polygonal, nearly flat, of the sides smaller ; green scattered with white spots ; head shields flat with two series of large close transverse convex shields between the eyes. Inhab. . B. Crest only on the nape or wanting. a. The ventral scales ovate, keeled. * Tail roundish without any central crest. 6 . Anolis porcatus. Scales of the back moderate, hexangular, keeled, brought from Cuba by Mr, MacLeay. 113 of the tail large, keeled, keels forming continued ridges ; muzzle elongate with live very prominent keels ; brown or green with irre- gular black cross lines on the back, and a streak on the side of the neck, beneath (and sometimes the dorsal line) silvery. Inhab. Cuba and " Texas." " Found on the leaves of trees jumping from branch to branch after insects. It is also found on garden walls lying in wait for flies."— Mac Leay, MSS. ** Tail roundish with a slight central crest. 6. Anolis Richardii, Dum. andBibr. Herp. Scales of the middle of the back ovate, keeled, of the sides small, granular, of tail small, keeled ; nape slightly crested ; head short,, muzzle shelving with four slight crests ; blueish-grey, crown black, beneath whitish. Inhab. . *** Tail compressed, slightly crested. 7. Anolis punctatus. Scales of the back small, six-sided, keeled, of the sides rather smaller, similar ; of the base of the tail small keeled ; nape scarcely keeled ; head depressed ; head shields keeled ; blue, white- spotted, belly and hind limbs whitish. Inhab. . 8. Anolis nehulosa = Dactyloa we6M/o5a,Wiegmann, Herp. Mex. A. Sagrei, Coct. = Dum. and Bibr. Herp. iv. Scales of the back rather rhombic, keeled ; of the sides rather smaller, similar ; of the tail and limbs larger, keeled ; nape scarcely keeled ; head short, shelving, shields keeled ; pale brown (back of young with two series of tri- angular brown spots,); throat brown, lined. Inhab. Cuba and Texas. '* On garden walls seeking for flies." — W. S. MacLeay. 9. Anolis lineatopus. Scales of the centre of the back small, slightly keeled ; of the sides smaller, granular ; head elongate ; muzzle slightly four-keeled with strongly keeled scales ; pale brown with five longitudinal paler streaks ; sides of the tail varied with triangular spots ; throat brown, lined. Inhab. . Very like A. nebulosa, but the head is more depressed and with more keeled shields, and the scales are smaller. 10. Anolis maculatus. Gray. A. marmoratus. Gray MSS. not Dum. and Bibr. Scales of the middle of the back small, hexangular, keeled ; of the sides smaller ; of the tail and limbs larger, keeled ; nape slightly keeled ; head elongate ; muzzle shelving, slightly four- 114 Mr. J. E. Gray on Reptiles keeled ; shields elongate, keeled ; brown with transverse white spots or streaks ; head white spotted. Inhab. . b. Ventral scales keeled, square ; tail rather compressed, slightly crested. 11. Anolis stenodactylus. Scales of the middle of the back small, elongate, keeled ; of the sides granular : nape slightly double-ridged ; muzzle depressed, sHghtly four-keeled, shield irregular ; toes very slender ; blueish, beneath whitish. Inhab. Jamaica. c. Ventral scales smooth, suhovate ; tail rather compressed, slightly crested. 12. Anolis reticulatus. Scales of the middle of the back small, an- gular, keeled ; of the sides granular ; nape slightly 2-ridged ; ventral shields subovate ; muzzle depressed, slightly 4-keeled ; shields smooth ; blue, black spotted and varied ; throat brown, lined. Inhab. . d. Ventral scales smooth, four-sided; tail rather compressed, slightly crested. 13. Anolis aneus. Scales small, elongate, slightly keeled, rather smaller on the sides ; nape rounded ; muzzle depressed with a lozenge- shaped impression, shields smooth, flat ; shields between the eyes without any shields between them ; golden brown, black dotted, beneath yellowish, brown spotted. Inhab. . V. Draconura, Wagler. Penultimate joints of the toes slightly dilated ; back and nape not crested ; tail round. 1. Draconura nitens, Wagler. Anolis refulgens, Schn. Dum. and Bibr. iv. 91. Inhab. . VI. NoROPS, Wagler. Toes not dilated, the fourth longer than the third ; scales many, keeled, imbricate, of the sides smaller ; back and tail not crested. 1. Norops auratus, Wagler. Anolis auratus, Daud. iv. 69. Inhab. . Amieva. 8. Amieva trilineata. Abdominal plates ten- rowed ; olive brown with 3 very narrow distinct silvery lines, with a series of irregular black spots on the upper part of the sides, beneath silvery; a band of small granular scales between the lower labial and the gular shields. brought from Cuba by Mr. MacLeay. 115 Young with three distinct streaks on the back, the central one being rather the broadest ; the upper part of the sides with black net- work leaving a series of round olive spots. Inhab. Cuba. This species differs from all the other species of the genus we have in the British Museum in colour as well as in the peculiarity of the band of granular sides between the lateral and gular shields. *' Found under large stones in woods, and always on the ground looking for insects under the brushwood." — W. S. M. Alligator. 9. Alligator fissipes. Caiman fissipes, Spix. Braz.t.3. Champsa fissipes, Wagler Icon. t. 17. Alligator Sclerops, Br. Max. Abild. Braz. t. 69. Crocodilus Scle- rops, Schinz. Nal. Rept. t. 12. copied from Pr. Max. Alligator Cynocephalus, Dum. and Bibr. Rept. iii. 87. " Occurs sometimes 25 feet long." — W. S. M. Testudo. 10. Gopher Tortoise, Bartram. Testudo Polyphemus. Inhab. Cuba. Lives in domestication. Amphisbjena. 11. Amphisbana punctata. Bell Zool. Journ. iii. Inhab. Cuba. XIV. — Characters of Five new Species of OrchidsiceovLS Plants from Dominica. By Prof. Lindley. In a small but interesting collection of dried plants of Orchi- dacece, collected in the island of Dominica, for the possession of which I am indebted to Prof. Henslow, there are the fol- lowing new species. 1. Stelis scabrida; folio oblongo bidentato marginato basi cuneato caule longiore, racemo filiform! stricto folio lon- giore, bracteis ovatis amplexicaulibus acutissimis, petalis vertice scabridis labelloque laevi truncatis, anthera pube- scente. 2. Pleurothallis aristata"^ ; caespitosa, folio ovali acute * Since this was in type, I have foimd this plant described and figured, under the same name which had been given it by me, in the 2nd volume of this work, p. 329, t. 15, by Sir W. Hooker. There are however differences enough between the two definitions to induce me to let my own remain. 116 Prof. Lindley on new OrcJddacece from Dominica, apiculato basi anguatato caule longiore, racenio capillar! flexuoso erecto 4 — 6-floro folio ter longiore^ bracteis va- ginantibus cuspidatis, pedicellis elongatis, sepalis aristatis subciliatis lateralibus semiconnatis, petalis lanceolatis acuminatis semipinnatifidis duplo brevioribus, labello lineari glanduloso-hispido apice rotundato basi glabro utrinque auriculato.— Flowers purple, apparently streaked with yellow. 3. Camaridium inflexum ; caule elongato subramoso pseu- dobulbifero, foliis geminis inaequalibus coriaceis oblongis basi canaliculatis, floribus solitariis, sepalis petalisque ovatis acutis, labello concavo erecto trilobo : laciniis mem- branaceis lateralibus inflexis falcatis serrulatis intermedia subrotunda leviter emarginata basi tuberculata. — Leaves about 2 inches long. 4. RoDRiGUEZiA cochlearis ; pseudobulbis subrotundis com- pressis monophyllis caespitosis, foliis oblongis sessilibus horizontalibus racemo erecto radicali subcorymboso pau- cifloro duplo brevioribus, sepalo supremo cum petalis obtuso lateralibus acutis semiconnatis breviore, labello obovato cochleari obtuso basi crista hippocrepica utrin- que elongata bicarinato. — Flowers apparently yellow. 5. Pelexia bursaria ; caule elongato folioso, foliis ovato- lanceolatis petiolatis, petiolis basi vaginantibus, scapo rachi ovariisque pilosis, bracteis membranaceis acumi- natis pilosis ovarii longitudine, labello indiviso apice glanduloso, calcare inflato obtuso ovario paulo breviore. — A fine species with the habit of Goodyera procera. Stem from 1 — li^ feet high. XV. — Information respecting Botanical and Zoological Travellers. Mr. Gould's Expedition to examine the Zoology of Australia. We have received a letter from Mr. Gould written from the banks of the Hunter river; and having his permission to make such extracts from it as we may consider interesting to our readers, it gives us sincere pleasure to be able to state that the expedition of this orni- Information respecting Zoological Travellers, 117 thologist and naturalist has hitherto been attended with the most signal success ; and we have no doubt, if spared to complete his in- tended voyage to New Zealand, that the information and collections gained will be of the most important and valuable kind. His remarks on the habits of Menura and Cinclosoma will be read with much in- terest by the ornithologist. "Maitland, River Hunter, N. S. Wales, Sept. 28, 1839. *' You may readily imagine the extreme gratification I feel in vi- siting this fine country, teeming as it does with so many interesting and beautiful productions. My success up to the present time has been greater than I could have anticipated, both in obtain- ing much information that is entirely new, and in bringing to- gether one of the finest collections that has ever been formed. I have as a matter of course made a point of attending to those parti- culars which have hitherto been overlooked, not only by collecting the birds in their various changes of plumage, but by preserving all the principal forms for dissection, as well as by preparing skeletons of the same in the country. I have also made the quadrupeds a par- ticular object of my attention, and have extensive collections in this department; and I hope to possess myself of sufficient information before my return to enable me to clear up the confusion which exists with regard to the kangaroos, &c. " Six months ago I sent a short summary of my proceedings to the Zoological Society*, with the characters of some new species of birds, since which I have visited South Australia, a part that has afforded me more novelties than any other. This journey has also enabled me to draw some very important conclusions relative to the range of a number of species; the absence of those found on the sea side of the great ranges in New South Wales being particularly stri- king, while those which inhabit Liverpool plains are also found in South Australia. Out of two and a half months' visit to this part, I spent five weeks entirely in the bush in the interior, partly on the ranges and partly on the belts of the Murray. To give you a de- tailed account of all the new species I have discovered would occupy too much time at this moment : some of the more interesting are as follows : A new form of the gallinaceous birds nearly allied to Tm- namus, but scarcely larger than an English sparrow or half the size of a quail; it is in fact a diminutive bustard with a hind toe. A new and beautiful Cinclosoma, which I intend calling castanotus from a * This will be found among the Proceedings of the Society in our pre- sent Number, p. 139. 118 Information respecting Zoological Travellers, rich chestnut mark on the back and rump, in other respects very like my C. punctatum, and precisely of the same generic form. These birds differ more in habits and oeconomy from the true thrushes than their outward appearance indicates ; the C. punctatum gives preference to rich scrubby brushwood, depending for security more on the speed with which it runs than upon its powers of flight, which are limited ; its carelessly constructed nest is placed on the ground ; the eggs, two in number, are of a large size ; the young run immediately after they are hatched : all but the last fact I have myself verified, and I re- ceived it from such authority as leaves little doubt in my own mind upon the subject ; when flushed it makes the same burring noise as the quail and partridge, and has a whistling note somewhat resem- bling that of the former. What a beautiful analogy, you will say, does this bird present in its own circle to the Rasores ! Two species of Ptilotis ; a bird whose form approaches nearly to Orpheus ; two spe- cies of Sericornis, &c. "From the head of lake Alexandrina northwards, for the distance of nearly a hundred miles, and in breadth nearly thirty or forty, appears from the top of the range to be one flat or dead level covered with low shrub-like trees, of a character quite different from any I have seen elsewhere, particularly that portion which lies at the foot of the eastern range. They are of the most beautiful and singular forms that can be imagined ; this is succeeded by a belt of dense dwarf Eucalypti, through the centre of which the river Murray winds its course, the banks only being studded with Gums of another and larger species. *• Through the kindness of Col. Gawler, the Governor, and Capt. Sturt, whom I accompanied into the interior on an especial expedi- tion of survey, I was provided with horses, a cart, and a small com- pany, with the view of reaching the Murray. Having with difficulty crossed the range over an entire new country, and penetrated to the centre of the dense Eucalypti scrub alluded to, in which I spent a night and part of two days without water for my horses, I was com- pelled, much to my regret, to beat a retreat back to the ranges, in the o-uUies of which I even found a difficulty in obtaining water. During a week's stay under the ranges I made daily visits to this rich arboretum, which would have served me to investigate until this time without exhausting its treasures ; but, alas ! our provisions failing, we were obliged to retrace our steps, and after visiting Kangaroo Island I returned to New South Wales in order to carry out another expe- dition to the interior. Nearly a fortnight was occupied in Sydney in preparing for the journey. My men proceed with the drays to Information respecting Botanical Travellers, 119 the upper part of the Hunter, near the Liverpool range ; but this being Saturday I follow on Monday, and from the slow travelling shall soon overtake the party. I am sure you would be delighted to spend a week among the Menuras, as I hope to do, it being my in- tention to encamp near their haunts, in order if possible to obtain their eggs and learn something of their habits and nidification. I paid a short visit to Liverpool Range last winter, and obtained seven or eight specimens ; of two I made skeletons, and placed three entire bodies in pickle for dissection. In its oeconomy and structure the Menura bears little or no relation to the Gallinacese ; its sternum is quite plain with a small ridge ; it is a cheerful bird, singing and mocking all the birds of the forest ; and of all creatures I have en- countered it is the most shy and wary, and difficult to procure, inha- biting precipitous rocky gullies covered with climbing plants and dense vegetation. I find the natives very useful in assisting, being scarcely ever without a tribe or portion of a tribe with me when in their neighbourhood ; they are nearly all excellent and dead shots, and are excessively fond of shooting. I frequently give into their hands my best guns, and never find them in the slightest degree disposed to take advantage : I am of course not speaking of those far in the interior, where I shall require to be strictly on the alert." Mr. Gould also writes that he had sent his principal assistant to Swan River, and has already received from him a large and valuable collection. He expresses an intention of endeavouring to visit New Zealand before returning to Britain, and it will be satisfactory to all his friends and well-wishers to know that at the date of the above letter he and Mrs. Gould continued to enjoy uninterrupted good health. Extracts from a Journal of the Mission which visited Bootan, in 1837-38, under Captain'^. Boileau Pemberton. ByW. Grif- fith, Esq., Madras Medical Establishment. [Continued from vol. iv. p. 429.] Feb. \st. Our march commenced by descending, gradually at first and then very rapidly, to the Dumree Nuddee ; crossing this, which is of small size, at the junction of another torrent, we wound along the face of the mountain forming the right wall of the ravine, ascend- ing very gradually at the same time. The country throughout was of a most barren appearance, the vegetation consisting of coarse grasses, stunted shrubs, and an occasional long-leaved pine. Feb, oth. On leaving this place we descended by a precipitous 120 Information respecting Botanical Travellers, path to the Monass, which we crossed by a suspension bridge, the best and largest, I suspect, in Bootan. The bed of this river, which is of large size (the banks which are mostly precipitous being sixty or seventy yards asunder) and of great violence, is 1 300 feet below Benka. We then commenced ascending very gradually, following up the north side of the ravine, until we reached Nulka : the march was a very short one. The country was perhaps still more barren than any we had hitherto seen, scarcely any vegetation but coarse grasses occurring. Near Nulka the long-leaved pine recommenced. We passed two miserable villages scarcely exceeded by Nulka, in which we took up our abode. No cultivation was to be seen, with the exception of a small field of rice below Nulka. Feb. 6th. We descended to the Monass, above which Nulka is si- tuated 600 or 700 feet, and continued along its right bank for a con- siderable time, passing here and there some very romantic spots, and one or two very precipitous places. On reaching a large torrent, the KooUong, we left the Monass, and ascended the former for a short distance, when we crossed it by a wooden bridge. The remainder of the march consisted of an uninterrupted ascent up a most barren mountain, until we reached Kumna, a small and half-ruined village, 4300 feet above the sea. Little of interest occurred : we passed a small village consisting of two or three houses and a religious build- ing, and two decent patches of rice cultivation. The vegetation throughout was almost tropical, with the exception of the long- leaved fir, which descends frequently as low as 1800 or 2000 feet. I observed two wretched bits of cotton cultivation along the Monass, and some of an edible Labiata, one of the most numerous make- shifts ordinarily met with among Hill people. Feb. 7th. Left for PhuUung. We ascended at first a few hundred feet, and then continued winding along at a great height above the Koollong torrent, whose course we followed, ascending gradually at the same time, until we reached our halting-place. As high as 5000 feet the Kumna mountain retained its very barren appearance ; at that elevation stunted oaks and rhododendrons commenced, and at 5300 feet the country was well covered with these trees, and the vegetation became entirely northern. Feb. 8th and 9th. We were detained partly by snow, partly by the non-arrival of our baggage. On the 9th I ascended to a wood of Finns excelsa, the first one I had noticed, and which occurred about 1000 feet above PhuUung. The whole country at similar elevations was covered with snow, particularly the downs which we passed after leaving Bulphei. Tassgong was distinctly visible. The woods were Information respecting Botanical Travellers, 121 otherwise composed of oaks and rhododendrons. At Phullung they were endeavouring to keep alive the wild indigo of Assam ; a spe- cies of Ruellia, but its appearance showed that it was unsuited to the climate. The country about Tassangsee is picturesque, with large woods of Pinus excelsa, which here has much the habit of a larch ; a few villages are visible on the same side of the Koollong, and a little cultivation. The place is said to be famous for its copper manufac- tures, such for instance as copper caldrons of large dimensions ; but I saw nothing indicating the existence of manufactures, unless it were a small village below the castle, and on the same side of the Koollong, which looked for all the world like the habitation of char- coal burners. Snow was visible on the heights around, and espe- cially on a lofty ridge to the north . We found Tassangsee to be very cold, owing to the violent south or south-east winds ; the thermo- meter however did not fall below 34°. Its elevation is 5270 feet, the vegetation entirely northern, consisting of primroses, violets, willows, oaks, rhododendrons, and pines ; very fine specimens of weeping Cyprus occur near this place. Feb, \4ith. Snow became plentiful as we approached Sanah. This we found to be a ruined village, only containing one habitable house. It is situated on an open sward, surrounded with rich woods of oaks and rhododendrons, yews, bamboos, &c. Its elevation is very nearly 8000 feet. Feb. l^th. We started at the break of day, as we had been told that the march was a long and difficult one. We proceeded at first over undulating ground, either with swardy spots, or through ro- mantic lanes ; we then ascended an open grassy knoll, after passing which we came on rather deep snow. The ascent continued steep and uninterrupted until we reached the summit of a ridge 11,000 feet high. Although we had been told that each ascent was the last, we found that another ridge was still before us, still steeper than the preceding one, and it was late in the day before we reached its sum- mit, which was found to be nearly 12,500 feet. Above 9500 feet, the height of the summit of the grassy knoll before alluded to, the snow was deep ; above 10,000 feet all the trees were covered with hoar-frost, and icicles were by no means uncommon. The appear- ance of the black pines, which we always met with at great eleva- tions, was rendered very striking by the hoar-frost. Everything looked desolate, scarce a flower was to be seen, and the occasional fall of hail and sleet added to the universal gloom. The descent from the ridge was for the first 1500 feet or thereabout, most steep, chiefly down zigzag paths, that had been built up the faces of pre- Ann, Nat, Hist, Vol.5. No. 29. April 1840. ic 122 Information respecting Botanical Travellers, cipices ; and the ground was so slippery, the surface snow being frozen into ice, that falls were very frequent, but happily not at- tended with injury. It then became less steep, the path running along swardy ridges or through woods. In the evening I came on the coolies, who had halted at a place evidently often used for that purpose, and who positively refused to proceed a single step further. But as Captain Pemberton and Lieut. Blake had proceeded on, I de- termined on following them, hoping that my departure would sti- mulate the coolies to further exertions. After passing over about a mile of open swardy ground I found myself benighted on the bor- ders of a wood, into which I plunged in the hopes of meeting my companions ; after proceeding for about half an hour slipping, sli- ding, and falling in all imaginable directions, and obtaining no answers to my repeated halloos ; after having been plainly informed that I was a blockhead by a hurkarah, who as long as it was light pro- fessed to follow me to the death — *' Master go on, and I will follow thee to the last gasp with love and loyalty" — I thought it best to attempt returning, and after considerable difficulty succeeded in reaching the coolies at 8^ p.m., when I spread my bedding under a tree, too glad to find one source of comfort. I resumed the march early next morning, and overtook my companions about a mile be- yond the furthest point I had reached ; and as I expected, found that they had passed the night in great discomfort. We soon found how impossible it would have been for the coolies to have proceeded at night, as the ground was so excessively slippery from the half- melted snow and from its clayey nature, that it was as much as they could do to keep their legs in open day-light. We continued de- scending uninterruptedly, and almost entirely through the same wood, until we reached Sing6 at 9^^ a.m. The total distance of the march was 15 miles — the greatest amount of ascent was about 4500 feet, of descent 6100 feet. We remained at Singe up to the 18th, at which time some coolies still remained behind. On the night of the 17th snow fell all around, though not within 1000 feet of Sing^. The comparative mildness of the climate here was otherwise indi- cated by the abundance of rice cultivation about and below it. It stands on the border of the wooded and grassy tracts so well marked in the interior of Bootan, at least in this direction, and about mid- way on the left side of a very deep ravine, drained by the river Koosee. On both sides of this villages were plentiful ; on the oppo- site or western side alone 1 counted about twenty ; about all there is much cultivation of rice and wheat ; the surface of the earth where untilled being covered with grassy vegetation and low shrubs. Information respecting Botanical Travellers. 123 Feb. 18M. After arriving at the Koosee the country became bar- ren, resembling much that about Tassgong, and the only cultivation we passed in this portion of the march was some rice along the bed of that river. The village itself is a poor one, most of the inhabi- tants being quartered in the castle. We had an interview with the Soobah in an open place close to the village : it was conducted with much less state than that at Tassgong. We found the Soobah to be very young, in fact almost a boy ; he behaved civilly and without any pretension. There is but little cultivation about this place, which is 4520 feet above the sea, and the surrounding mountains are very barren. About the village I noticed a few stunted sugar- canes, some peach and orange trees, the castor-oil plant, and a betel vine or two. The only fine trees near the place were weeping cy- presses; the simul also occurs. Feh. 23rc?. After the usual annoyances about coolies and ponies, we left Singlang without regret, for it was a most uninteresting place. We commenced by an ascent of about 1000 feet, and then continued following the course of the Koosee downwards. The road throughout was good and evidently well frequented. At an eleva- tion of about 6000 feet we came on open woods of somewhat stunted oaks and rhododendrons ; the only well-wooded parts we met with being such ravines as afforded exit to water-courses. We passed several villages in the latter part of the march, some containing 20 and 30 houses, and met with a good deal of cultivation as we tra- versed that tract, the improved appearance of which struck us so much from Singe, Tumashoo is an ordinary-sized village, about 5000 feet in elevation. We were lodged in the Dhoompa's house. Feb. 24th. Left for Oonjar, ascending at first over sward or through a fir wood for about 800 feet, when we crossed a ridge, and thence descended until we came to a small torrent which we crossed; thence we ascended gradually, until we surmounted a ridge 7300 feet high; descending thence very gradually until we came over Oonjar, to which place we descended by a steep by-path for a few hundred feet. The features of the country were precisely the same. At the elevation of 7300 feet the woods became finer, consisting of oaks and rhododendrons, rendered more picturesque from being co- vered with mosses, and a gray pendulous lichen, a sure indication of considerable elevation. Various temples and monumental walls were passed, and several average-sized villages seen in various directions. A fine field of peas in full blossom was noticed at 5500 feet, but otherwise little cultivation occurred. Oonjar is a small village at an elevation of 6370 feet. K 2 124 Information respecting Botanical Travellers, Feb, 25th. Leaving this place, we continued winding along nearly at the same altitude until we descended to the river Oonjar, which drains the ravine, on the right flank of which the village is situated. This river, which is of moderate size, is crossed twice within 200 yards. From the second bridge one of the greatest ascents we had yet encountered commenced ; it was excessively steep at first, but subsequently became more gradual. It only terminated with our ar- rival at the halting-place, which we denominated *' St. Gothard," but which is known by the name Peemee. Its elevation is about 9700 feet, and we had ascended from the bridge as much as 4350 feet. Snow commenced at 7500 feet, and became heavy at 8500 feet. Feb. 26M. We continued the ascent through heavy snow. For the first 1000 feet it was easy enough, but after that increased much in difliculty. Great part of the path was built up faces of sheer pre- cipices. The remainder of the ascent was very gradual, but con- tinued for about 1^ mile ; and I consider the actual pass from which we commenced descending to be at least 12,600 feet. The descent was at first very rapid, passing down the bold face of the mountain, which was covered entirely with stout shrubby rhododendrons. We then descended gradually through a line wood of the black fir. On recommencing the steep descent we passed over swardy patches sur- rounded by fiir woods, and we continued through similar tracts until within 1 000 feet of our halting- place, to which we descended over bare sward. From the summit of Rodoola a brief gleam of sun- shine gave us a bird's-eye view of equally lofty ridges running in every direction, all covered with heavy snow. The vegetation of the ascent was very varied, the woods consisting of oaks, rhododendrons, and bamboos, up to nearly 11,000 feet. Beyond this the chief tree was the black fir ; junipers, alpine polygonums, a species of rhubarb, and many other alpine forms presented themselves in the shape of the withered remains of the previous season of active vegetation. That on the descent was less varied, the trees being nearly limited to three species of pines, of which the black fir scarcely descended below 11,600 feet, when it was succeeded by a more elegant larch- like species, which I believe is Pinus Smithiajia ; this again ceased towards an altitude of 9500 feet, when its place was occupied by Pinus excelsa, now a familiar form. We found Bhoomlungtung to occupy a portion of rather a fine valley. The valley is for the most part occupied by wheat fields, but the prospect of a crop appeared to me very faint. Two or three villages occur close to Bhoomlung- tung. The tillage was better than any we had seen, the fields being Bibliogro/phical Notices, 1"25 kept clean, and actually treated with manure, albeit not of the bes quality ; in a few instances they were surrounded with stone walls, as were the court yards of all the houses, but more commonly the inroads of cattle were considered sufficiently prevented by strewing thorny branches here and there. With the exception of a sombre looking oak near Bhoomlungtung, and some weeping willows, the arboreous vegetation consists entirely of firs. The shrubby vegeta- tion is northern and so is the herbaceous, but the season for this had not yet arrived. It was here that I first met with the plant called after Mr. James Prinsep ; the compliment is not, in Bootan at least, enhanced by any utility possessed by the shrub, which is otherwise a thorny, dangerous looking species. Here too we first saw English looking magpies, larks, and red-legged crows. [To be continued.] BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. Observations on the Blood Corpuscles, or Red Particles, of the Mam- miferous Animals. By George Gulliver, F.R.S., F.Z.S., Assistant Surgeon to the Royal Regiment of Horse Guards. — Memoirs in the London and Edinburgh Philosophical Magazine for Jan. Feb. and March 1840. As we fully concur in the justice of the author's remark, that a complete history of the blood* corpuscles Would form a very accept- able addition to anatomical and zoological science, we proceed to give a short abstract of his observations, referring such of our readers as may be desirous of more complete information on the subject to his original memoirs. To persons who are but imperfectly acquainted with the blood corpuscles, it might appear that these bodies are mere microscopic curiosities, rather to be classed with some of the apocryphal " wonders of the microscope" than regarded as objects of sober philosophic research. However, some of the most distinguished philosophers of the present day have expressed their conviction of the importance of the red particles of the blood, and we conceive that this view derives additional force from the fact that these curious bodies have now been observed and found to possess regular and determinate forms in no less than 136 diiFerent species of the class mammalia alone, for such is the number in which Mr. Gulliver has already measured and examined the blood corpuscles. They had only been described in a few of the mammalia previously to the publication of his re- searches ; but as he promises to continue his observations, and Pro- fessor Wagner and M. Mandl, besides some other eminent physio- 126 Bibliographical Notices. logists, have been or still are engaged in a similar line of inquiry, we have good reason to hope that this interesting branch of compa- rative anatomy will soon receive much of the illustration of which it may be susceptible from the improved resources of modern science. Of the 136 species in which Mr. Gulliver has at present described the blood corpuscles in the class mammalia, the following table will exhibit at one view the number in each order. Quadrumana 31 Cheiroptera 1 Ferae 38 Marsupialia 6 Glires 19 Edentata 1 Pachydermata 9 Ruminantia 31 Total 136 1. Quadrumana. The corpuscles seem to differ but little from those of man. 2. Cheiroptera. In the bat the average diameter of the particles is about :^V(jth of an inch, a very common size it seems of the cor- puscles among the mammiferous animals generally. 3. Ferce. The average-sized corpuscles of this order appear to be generally between j oVc*^ ^^^ Wo o*^ ^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^° diameter. In the seal and dog they are a little larger ; and in the Javanese Ichneumon they seem to be as small as in any of the carnivora. In the larger species of the genus Felis, as the lion, tiger, and puma, the blood particles are very nearly alike in all respects ; and the corpuscles in the smaller species, as the cat, serval, &c. are much of the same diameter, the blood disks in the cat being very slightly smaller than those of the tiger. 4. Marsupialia. The blood corpuscles in the interesting animals of this order presented nothing peculiar. The average diameter ap- pears to be between :3, jVo^^ ^^^ ^^jVo^^ °^ ^^ inch. 5. Glires. The common-sized corpuscles appear to be compre- hended between ^j^jo^^ ^^^ TzV^^^ o^ ^^ ^^^ ^^ diameter. Of the nineteen species examined nothing remarkable was seen in the blood particles, except some of very small size, though of regular form, in certain species of the genus Sciurus. These little disks Mr. Gulliver thinks deserving of further attention. 6. Edentata. In the weasel- headed armadillo the blood corpuscles presented nothing unusual ; their most common diameter was from ^^th to 52-Voth o^ an inch. Bibliographical Notices, 127 7. Pachydermata. In the elephant the average- sized corpuscles appear to be gyW*^ ^^ ^'^ i'^^^ i^ diameter, which is larger than any at present known in the mammalia. But to show how little re- lation there is between the size of the animal and that of its blood disks, the author mentions that they are smaller in the horse than in the mouse ; and suggests that those who have the opportunity should examine the blood of the larger Cetacea, — a hint which we hope will not be lost to zoologists residing near the sea coast either at home or in the colonies. In the rhinoceros the blood corpuscles appear to be about ^Vo*^^ °^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^ diameter, and they are of much the same size in the pig and in the peccary. 8. Ruminantia, It is in this order that the most novel and inter- esting results were obtained. The blood corpuscles of the goat were the smallest known to physiologists before the publication of the author's observations ; but in the genus Moschus, as it appears from his examination of the blood of the Napu musk deer (see Dub- lin Medical Press, Nov. 183.9, and Annals of Natural History, Dec. 1839), the particles are singularly minute and yet very regular in size and definite in form. He fixes their most common diameter at TT^o 0^^ of an inch. In the Vicugna and Guanaco he shows that the blood disks have a very distinct oval shape, as M. Mandl had pre- viously observed in the dromedary and paco. In Reeves's Muntjac and some other species of the genus Cervus, besides many of the common circular disks, the author announces the existence of certain oblong corpuscles of very peculiar appearance and forms, generally lunated or crescentic, with acutely pointed ends, but altogether sin- gularly variable in shape. Genera et Species Staphylinorum Insectorum Coleopterorum families. Auctore Guil. F. Erichson, &c. &c. Pars prior, accedunt tab. sen. 3. pp. 400. 8vo. Berol. 1839. The above is the title of an elaborate work executed by Dr. Erich- son upon the obscure family of the Staphylini. We much rejoice that this difficult task has fallen into such able hands, the careful ac- curacy of his previous works being a sure guarantee for the successful accomplishment of the present. Since the publication of the mono- graphs of Gravenhorst at the commencement of this century, the most extensive discussion of the family is the abridgement of Mr. Kirby's incorporated by Mr. Stephens in his ' Illustrations of British Entomology,' and we much regret to observe that Dr. Erichson should not have sufficiently controlled national prejudices to do jus- tice to his British fellow-labourers, who notwithstanding the many imperfections of their work, certainly deserve more attention than 128 Bibliographical Notices. Dr. E. has chosen to bestow upon them. The consequence of this will be that very many of the names that Dr. E. has imposed must upon the further elaboration of the family fall into synonyms by those very laws of priority to which in some of his preceding works he has so inflexibly adhered by restoring Fabrician names, upon his consultation of the Fabrician cabinet, to insects which had been re- named subsequently by others owing to the imperfection of the ori- ginal Fabrician diagnostics. This manifestly evinces very unscientific caprice ; for surely the characters in Stephens's work are never less characteristic than those in Fabricius, and he therefore has an equal claim to the priority which his date of publication gives him. But time and common justice will set this affair to rights. We cannot here go into a detailed examination of the work before us. It will suffice to observe that a second part is to complete it, which was promised to have been published ere this, — and that it embraces all the Staphylini, exotic as well as European. The generic and specific characters are very carefully drawn, and the former aided by figures of the trophi, and in a few instances of the insects themselves. The work as far as yet published comprises an introductory generaliza- tion upon their natural characters, affinities, externdl structure, in- ternal structure, metamorphoses, habits of life, geographical distri- bution, history of their systematic arrangement, and this is followed by the author's distribution into eleven tribes, viz. 1 . Aleocharini ; 2. Tachyporini ; 3. Staphylinini ; 4. Paederini ; 5. Pinophilini ; 6. Stenini; 7. Oxytelini ; 8. Piestini ; 9. Phlseocharini ; 10. Omalini ; 11. Proteinini. A tabulation follows of the genera comprised in these tribes, and this is succeeded by the body of the work, and the por- tion now published includes the first two tribes and a part of the third : on its completion we shall enter more into detail upon the subject. The Petrified Insects of Solenhofen, described by Professor Germar of Halle, with Three Lithographic Plates, In the Nova Acta Physico- Medica Academiae Caes. Leopol. Carol. Naturae Curiosorum. Vol. XIX. Pt. I. The learned Professor, whose labours in entomology the lovers of sound science can well appreciate, gives us here an account of 18 insects discovered in the limestone formation of Solenhofen. He had previously described 25 from the lignite of Rod and Arzberg in the Seven Mountains on the Rhine and of Bayreuth. The paper is accompanied by twenty lithographic figures, which greatly assist the descriptions, and indeed without which the latter would be al- Bibliographical Notices. 129 most useless. We should much like, for the sake of our geological as well as entomological readers, to give a translation of his prefatory- observations, which contain a synopsis of all that is yet known of fossil entomology, and also many useful observations directing us in the determination of the existence of insects without their actual presence ; and in methods for facilitating the discovery of collateral evidence of the same fact : to this however we may possibly return, as it is a subject replete with interest. The application of trivial names to such mutilated remains is a vain and hopeless endeavour to enlarge our knowledge of species, and can scarcely answer any end, especially when we reflect what nice discrimination is frequently required to determine recent species, in the best state of preservation ; and in a fossil state the same individual species, from the variety of states of preservation in which it may come down to us, would be thus propagated into as many species, from their presenting no tan- gible means of identification. All therefore that we can reasonably hope for in fossil entomology is a knowledge of the genera peculiar to certain geological formations and their contemporaneous zoology and botany. Of course it will be understood that we exclude from this sweeping condemnation insects preserved in amber and copal, in which substances they usually retain their pristine perfection. We must however be thankful that this uninviting task has fallen into hands which can enliven with great interest a subject apparently so barren. Transactions of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club. The unassuming Transactions of this locally useful Club, printed for private circulation among its members and their friends, has been kindly forwarded to us. The exertions of the Club are continued, and we now have the result of their labours during 1839, commencing with the Annual Address of the President, the Rev. T. Knight, Vicar of Ford. — Next a " Notice regarding the Cessation of the Flow of the river Teviot" on 27th Nov. 1838 ; by Dr. Douglas of Kelso : which proves that it was occasioned by accumulation of ice. — " On the effects produced on Animal and Vegetable Life by the Winter of 1838 ;" by P. J. Selby, Esq. of Twizel House : a Paper very in- teresting to compare with the season in other parts of Britain and Ireland. — " Meteorological Observations made at the Abbey St. Ba- thon*s, Berwickshire." — " On the Metamorphosis of Balanus punc- tatus of Montague;" by the Rev. T. Riddel, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. — " A description of the Cephalopoda which inhabit the coast of Berwickshire ;" by Dr. Johnston. — " On the Nests of the Fifteen-spined Stickleback, or Gasterosteus spinachia of Linnaeus." — . 130 Linncean Society, " Notice of a curious Aquatic Larva found in a water-jug at Twizel ;** by P. J. Selby, Esq. — " Case of Andrew Mitchel, aged 10 years, from whose nose Larvae of a coleopterous Insect were discharged." — " Notice of the Myliohates Aquila of Cuvier, or Eagle Ray of Yarrell;" by Dr. Johnston : a specimen has been taken in Berwick Bay. — " Contributions to the Flora of Berwickshire ;" by Mr. James Hardy. We have been much interested by the narratives of the periodical excursions of the Members of the Club. They present to our view a most delightful means of instructive intercourse and pleasing re- creation, in which we see the clergy and members of the medical profession assisting their neighbours in the promotion of a love for the study of nature, and joining them in the investigation of the di- stricts in which it is their lot to reside. The example is well worthy of imitation. PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. LINN^AN SOCIETY. Feb. 18. — The Lord Bishop of Norwich, President, in the Chair. Mr. George T. Fox, F.L.S., exhibited a specimen of the Phryno- soma cornutum {Agama cornuta of Harlan) from Texas. Mr. Cameron, A.L.S., presented a specimen of a new fern (Cibo- tium Baromez, J. Sm.) which has lately borne fructification, for the first time in this country, in the garden of the Birmingham Horti- cultural Society. A description of the plant by Mr. Westcott ac- companied the specimen. The fern has been cultivated for some years in the gardens as the Agnus Scythicus or Vegetable Lamb (Polypodium Baromez, Linn.), but whether identical with the plant of Linnaeus is a question still undetermined, as there happens to be no specimen in his herbarium, and the description alone is too meagre to settle the point. Mr. Westcott is however in possession of a spe- cimen of a fern collected in Mexico by Mr. Ross, which closely re- sembles the plant of the gardens, and should they prove to be iden- tical, all doubt will be removed as to the claims of the present plant to be regarded as the Baromez of liinnaeus, which is a native of China. The following is Mr. Westcott's description of the species : Rhizoma densely clothed with yellow woolly articulated hairs. Stipes about 7 feet high, roundish, of a dark reddish brown colour, more or less covered with tufts of woolly hairs near the base, naked for about half its height : upper part flexuous from the point where the pinnae commence. Frond bipinnate ; pinna alternate, ovate-lan- ceolate, acuminate, smooth, under surface glaucous, upper surface Linncean Society. '"* 131 dark green ; those pinnae bearing the sori curved, the barren pinnse straight ; pinnula pinnatifid, alternate, linear -lanceolate, acuminate ; upper ones decurrent ; lower ones shortly petiolate ; lobes oblong, sharply serrated, more or less truncated, acute ; margins somewhat revolute, lobes in the upper row of each pinnula somewhat larger than those of the lower row, and those nearest to the rachis in the upper row the largest of all. Venation in the barren pinnae branched, in the fertile pinnae simple ; veins alternate. Indusia pouch-like, coriaceous sessile, situate on the apex of a vein at the margin, and near the base of the lobe of the pinnula : dehiscence by a transverse slit near the apex ; outer valve white, inner valve brown, and form- ing a persistent operculum or lid. Thecce roundish, stipitate, half surrounded by an articulated ring, Sporules numerous, angular. Read, " Observations on a certain Crystalline Matter found on the recently cut surfaces of the Wood of the Red Cedar." By Edwin J. Quekett, Esq., F.L.S. Mr. Quekett remarked, that on the recently cut surfaces of the wood of the Red Cedar {Juniperus virginiana) a crystalline matter is observed to form, which puts on the appearance of a mouldiness, but which, when viewed with a magnifying glass, is seen to consist of innumerable extremely minute crystals of an acicular form. The substance was observed to form on the duramen or heart wood only, and not universally, but in patches. It is easily volatilized by heat, and gives out the well-known odour of the wood. Mr. Quekett showed that the duramen of the red cedar contains an abundance of a concrete volatile oil, on which the peculiar odour depends, and that the crystalline substance is a compound formed between the air and the oil, for when the latter was obtained from the wood, and ex- posed to the action of the air, it was soon also found to be covered with the same acicular crystals. This substance, which possesses many of the properties of benzoic acid, Mr. Quekett considers new, and he proposed for it the name of Cedarine. March 3. — Mr. Brown, V.P., in the Chair. Mr. Ward, F.L.S., exhibited a specimen of the Agnus Scythicus, or Vegetable Lamb, from the collection of the Apothecaries' Com- pany. Read, " A Note on the Fern known as Aspidium Baromez." By Mr. John Smith, A.L.S. This plant, of which a description by Mr. Westcott was read at the preceding Meeting, and of which an abstract has been given^ was shown by Mr. Smith to be a legitimate species of the genus A 32 Linncean Society, Cibotium, with which it agrees in the venation of its frond, the dis- position of its sori, and in the structure and texture of its indusium. March 17.— Mr. Forster, V.P., in the Chair. Addresses of congratulation to Her Majesty and to His Royal Highness Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg and Gotha, on occasion of Her Majesty's marriage, were read from the Chair, and unanimously adopted by the Meeting. Read " On some new Brazilian Plants allied to the Natural Order Burmanniaceiis obiusioribus, capsule 6-costati apice dehiscenti. — Guiana. CYMBOCARPA. Perianthium tubulosum, ovario adnatum, supern^ liberum : limbo 6-fido, laciniis tribus alternis minoribus. Stamina omnino Dictyostegce. Stylus simplex. Stigmata 3-loba, lobis gibboso-rotundatis, cornubus 2 subulatis erectis instructis. Ovarium gibboso-3-gonum, 1-loculare, placentis 3 parietalibus. Capsula 1-locularis, latere unico angulo su- periore tantum dehiscens. Semina scobiformia, numerosissima, testa reticulata nucleo vix excedente. Plantae (brasilienses) rkizocarpece, radice fbrosd. Caulis simplex, sub- flexuosus, erectus, albescens. Folia sessilia, bracteiformia, erecta, aut adpressa. Inflorescentia dichotome spicata, paucifiora, floribus fla- vescenti-albidis, basi bracteatis, cum pedicellis brevissimis summo abrupte declinatis geniculatis. 1. Cymbocarpa refracta. — Monte Corcovado, Rio de Janeiro. 134 Linnaean Society. STEMOPTERA. Perianthium ovario adnatum, supra Hberum, subinfundibuliforme : fauce turgida sacculis 3 interioribus auct& : limbo 6-partito, laciniis acutis, aestivatione marginibus induplicatis, 3 alternis brevioribus. Stamina 3, fauci adnata : Jilamentis complanatis, e margine sacculorum orienti' bus bifurcatis, ramulo singulo antherifero alato. Ovarium turbinatum, 1-loculare, placentis 3 parietalibus. .S^^/ms longitudine staminum. Stig- mata 3, recurvata, apice glandulifera. Capsula 1-locularis, polysperma, subtrivalvis, apice 3-fisso dehiscens. Placenta 3, parietales. Semina numerosissima, scobiformia, test4 iiucleo vix excedente, reticulata, are- olis elongatis obliqu^ dispositis. Plantae (brasilienses) rhizocarpecBy radice Jibrosd. Caulis erectus, snhdi- chotome ramosus, ramis subflexuosis, pallidis, subpurpurascet/libus. Fo- lia pauca, sessilia, erecta, bracteiformia, pallida. Inflorescentia fermi- nalis, uniflora. Flores cceteris majores, ebracteati, purpurascentes, Ap- terioe Nutt. hand absimiles, 1 . Stemoptera lilacina. — In uliginosis ad Serra dos Orgaos Prov. Rio de Janeiro. All the species are described at length in the paper, and their cha- racters are further illustrated by drawings, with details of the parts of fructification. The author remarks that upon the same principle that Apostasiacea have been separated from OrchidecB, and Xyridecd from Restiacea, these plants ought to constitute an order distinct from Burmanniacene ; but the difference between the unilocular cap- sule with parietal placentation and the trilocular capsule with axile placentation, which at first sight seems to offer a wide and well- founded distinction, appears of less value when we consider that the extensive order Gentianece presents similar differences, toge- ther with every possible gradation of transition from one extreme to the other. He therefore inclines to the view of preserving all within the natural order Burmanniacea, dividing it into two sub- families, viz. 1. Burmanniece, which will contain only the single genus Burmannia (and perhaps the Gonyanlhes of Blume may be found to belong also to this section) ; 2. Dictyostegea, com- prising Dictyostega, Cymbocarpa, Stemoptera, Apteria, Gonyanthes, and Gymnosiphon. He then proceeds to show the close affinity which Burmanniacece bear to Orchide^e, which often also present nearly a naked stem, with imperfectly developed leaves, and instances are moreover known in which they exhibit three distinct stamens and three stigmata : they have also an unilocular ovarium, with parietal placentation ; there exists also a close resemblance in the structure of the walls of the capsule, and there is hardly any difference in the Linncean Society, 135 shape and structure of the seeds of Dictyostega and some species of Pleurothallis, which have both a transparent reticulated testa, show- ing distinctly the included nucleus suspended from the apex. The pollen of these plants also bears much resemblance to that of Or- chidece, in being inclosed in a peculiar anther-case, and consisting of coarse grains cohering in waxy masses. Dictyostega orobanchioides also offers a beautiful illustration of the emission of pollen tubes, which are seen penetrating the stigmata in crowded bundles of cot- tony filaments, each thread being clavately terminated by its respec- tive grain of pollen. There was also read a paper, entitled, " On the existence of Spiral Cells in the Seeds of Acanthacece." By Mr. Richard Kippist. Com- municated by Prof. Don, Libr. L.S. After briefly enumerating the other natural families in whose seeds spiral cells had been previously observed, the author proceeds to de- scribe those of a plant brought from Upper Egypt by Mr. Holroyd {Acanthodium spicatum, Delile), whose peculiar appearance when placed under the microscope, first led him to examine those of other Acanthacece, in which family the existence of spiral cells had not be- fore been noticed. The entire surface of the seed in Acanthodium is covered with whitish hairs, which are appressed, and adhere closely to it in the dry state, being apparently glued together at their ex- tremities. On being placed in water, these hairs are set free, and spread out on all sides, they are then seen to be clusters of from five to twenty spiral cells, which adhere firmly together in their lower portions while their upper parts are free, separating from the cluster at different heights, and expanding in all directions like plumes, forming a very beautiful microscopic object. The free portions of the cells readily unroll, exhibiting the spire formed of one, two, or occa- sionally of three fibres, which may sometimes be seen to branch, and not unfrequently break up into rings. Throughout the whole length of the cell the coils are nearly contiguous ; in the lower part they are united by connecting fibrils, aiid towards the base of the adherent portion become completely reticulated. The testa is a semitrans- parent membrane formed of nearly regular hexagonal cells, whose centre is occupied by an opake mafes of grumous matter. Those cells which surround the bases of the hairs are considerably elon- gated, and, gradually tapering into transparent tubes, appear to oc- cupy the interior of the spiral clusters. Some of these appearances were noticed by Delile, who described the Acanthodium in the splendid work on Egypt, published by the French Institute, where also a slightly magnified figure of the seed will be found, but with- 136 Thveedside Physical and Antiquarian Society, out representing the spiral cells, which Delile does not appear to have detected. Two species of Blepharii are mentioned as possessing a structure very similar to that of Acanthodium spicatum, differing chiefly in the smaller and more uniform diameter of the spiral cells, and in their thicker fibre, which is always single and loosely coiled. The seed of Ruellia formosa on being placed in water develops from every part of its surface single short thick tapering tubes, within which in some case a spiral fibre is loosely coiled ; whilst in others the place of the spiral fibre is supplied by distant rings. In the seeds of Ruellia littoralis, Phaylopsis glutinosa, and Barleria noctifiora, the whole surface becomes covered with separate tubes, very similar in form, but destitute of spiral fibre, and terminating in a minute pore, from which streams of mucilage are discharged. Those of several species of Barleria, Lepidagathis, &c. are entirely covered with long tapering simple hairs, which expand in water, and like the rest are enveloped in a thick coat of mucilage. In all the foregoing species the hairs occupy the entire surface of the seed, and are usually directed towards its apex, though they occur often most abundantly at the edges ; in others they are only found attached to a marginal ring of a different texture from the rest of the seed. This is the case in Strohilanthus lupuUna. The seeds of many plants of this family are wholly destitute both of spiral cells or of any other appendages possessing hygroscopic proper- ties, such for example as Acanthus mollis and ilicif alius, Dipteracan- thus erectus, Blechum Brownii, &c., Ruellia secunda, and several spe- cies of Justicia and Eranthemum. TWEEDSIDE PHYSICAL AND ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY. A Quarterly Meeting of the Tweedside Physical and Antiquarian Society was held at the apartments of the Institution, Kelso, Feb. 1 7th, when Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane, Bart., the Society's Presi- dent, occupied the chair. The attendance of Members was more than usually numerous. The donations which were announced as having been received by the Society, during the interval which had elapsed since the last Quarterly Meeting, were numerous, and many of them interesting and valuable. Among those in the department of Botany and Zoology, were a collection of British insects, of the orders Coleoptera and Lepidoptera, amounting to several hundred species, systematically arranged, being the first instalment of a general collection, illustrative of the ento- Ch'kney Natural History Society. 137 mology of Great Britain, from Prideaux John Selby, Esq. of Twizell. From Mr. Plummer Johnston, Sprouston. — 1st, specimen of Fe- male Pintail Duck {Anas acuta) ; 2nd, Ditto, of Female Oyster- Catcher (H^«ma^ojOM5 Ostralegus). From Mr. John Rutherford, Kelso. — Specimen of Common Bunt- ing (Emberiza miliaria). From Mr. Wilkie of Ladythorne. — Twenty-two skins of foreign birds, of beautiful plumage. From Mr. Murray, Corsbie. — White variety of Common Rook. Other specimens of birds, &c. for preservation, were also received from Mr. Eliott Lockhart of Borthwickbrae, Mr. Wilkie of Lady- thorne, Mr. D. M'Dougall, Cessford, &c. &c. From Miss Makdovigall, Makerstoun. — Specimens of a species of Pinna from Australia. From Dr. William Scott, Milsington. — Various skins of birds, &c. from Hindostan. The splendid contributions by Mr. Selby to the entomological col- lection of the Institution were also much admired, and warmly ac- knoM'ledged by the Members present. Dr. F. Douglas read to the Meeting a letter from Mr. Selby, con- taining the outline of a plan for sending abroad an experienced natu- ralist, with the view of making collections in the different depart- ments of Natural History, to be afterwards transmitted to this coun- try, and divided among a certain number of subscribers, who are to bear the expenses of the expedition ; and requesting the Society to join as one of the partners in the undertaking. The Meeting felt compelled to decline this proposal, on the plea of its being attended with an expense too heavy for the present state of the Society's funds, which, besides, they considered as properly devoted to ob- jects of a local nature merely ; upon which. Sir Thomas Brisbane, with that zeal for science by which he has always been characterized, declared his wish to become a subscriber to the scheme in behalf of the Society, to the Museum of which he would cause to be handed over such objects as might be obtained. The Meeting acknowledged, in the warmest manner, this new proof of the liberality of their Pre- sident ; and Dr. F. Douglas was desired to communicate with Mr. Selby on the subject. ORKNEY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. From accidental causes we have only just received the first An- nual Report of this Society (instituted on the 28th of Dec. 1837), Ann. Nat. Hist. Vol. 5. No. 29. April ISiO. l 138 Orkney Natural History Society, which we consider as of great interest, both as showing that the in- habitants of that far distant part of the United Kingdom are deter- mined not to be behind their more favoured countrymen of the south; and also as being the first instance that has come under our notice of a Society for the pursuit of science being so constituted as to ad- mit to membership individuals belonging to the poorer classes of so- ciety. It will be seen by the laws of the Society, extracts from which we subjoin, that the annual subscription is fixed at the very small sum of two shillings, and yet the committee are able to state, at the end of the first year of the Society's existence, that " the funds, so far from being embarrassed, have more than met the numerous out- lays." Amongst the laws of the Society are the following ; •• 1. The Society shall be designated * The Orkney Natural History Society' and shall have for its object the promoting of natural sci- ence by the support of a museum, and by any other means in its power. ** 2. The property of the Society shall be inalienable. '* 3. The ordinary Members of the Society shall pay the sum of two shillings sterling annually. *' 4. The general meetings of the Society shall be held quarterly, viz. on the third Tuesday in January, April, July, and October, the chair to be taken at 1 o'clock, p.m. ; and that of January to be the anniversary, when the office-bearers shall be elected. ** 7. Gentlemen friendly to the institution may be elected Corre- sponding Members, and such as are eminent for science may be elected Honorary Members of the Society." The objects that they have in view are stated in the first sentence of the report in the following terms : — " The Orkney Natural History Society was instituted for the twofold object of investigating the Natural History and Antiquities of the county, and of stimulating the inhabitants of these islands to the study of the Almighty's works ;" and the progress which they have made in one year is stated as fol- lows : — In geology there are now in the museum above 500 speci- mens from Upper Canada, Norway, France, Italy, and the British Isles. The Orkney specimens include about 100 fossil fish. The specimens in mineralogy amount to 400. There are about 60 specimens of birds and 200 eggs. The collection of land plants already consists of upwards of 600 specimens, and the collection of Algse, for obtaining which there is not a better place in Britain than these islands, is " truly excellent." The Society possesses se- veral most ardent cultivators of marine botany, amongst whom may Zoological Society. 139 be mentioned the Rev. Charles Clouson, Dr. PoUexfen, Miss Watt of Skaill, and Mrs. Traill of Woodwick. It is interesting to find, that the study of the Algse, which has been so highly honoured by numbering among its most successful cultivators a Mrs. Griffiths and a Miss Hill, still continues to be a favourite pursuit with our fair countrywomen. The Museum also contains about 100 species of shells, and nume- rous antiquarian and miscellaneous objects of interest. The number of ordinary members in January 1839 was 118. We trust that such an instance of what may be done by enlisting the poorer classes of society in the support of institutions of this character will not be without its \ise, but that the inhabitants of the towns of England will do for their poorer neighbours that which has been already done with such distinguished success by the clergy and other influential persons in the distant and stormy Orcades. We may add that the address of the Secretary of the Society is the Rev. W. Stobbs, Stromness, Orkney. MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. March 18, 1840.— Mr. Owen in the Chair. A paper was read by Mr. Edwards " On the Structure and Affi- nities of the Bacillarice of Ehrenberg." After commenting on the Polygastric characters of these animalcules, the indestructible nature of their siliceous coverings, and their mode of reproduction by spon- taneous division, the author proceeded to discuss the merits of those views, which have claimed for the Bacillarice, on the one hand a place in the vegetable, and on the other a position in the animal kingdom. The mixed nature of the phsenomena exhibited by these animalcules, which has also led some naturalists to consider them as in one stage of their existence animals, and in another vege- tables, furnish, according to the author, sufficient grounds for consi- dering the Bacillarice as an osculant group, uniting the two great kingdoms of nature. An interesting discussion followed on this sub- ject, in which Dr. Lindley, Messrs. Quekett, Varley, the President, and other Members took a part. ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. October 8, 1839 The Rev. F. W. Hope in the Chair. The following letter, addressed to the Chairman of the Scientific Committee by John Gould, Esq., Corresponding Member, was read ; it is dated Van Diemen's Land, May 10th, 1839: — " Although my present occupations will not permit me to send a L 2 140 Zooloyical Society. lengthened communication, still, as a Corresponding Member of the Zoological Society, I am desirous of contributing to the pages of its proceedings ; I therefore forward herewith the characters of some new species of birds, together with a very slight summary of my peregrinations since leaving England, trusting to lay before you at some future period a more full account of the results of my labours. The greater number of the birds from which the following characters are taken are from the collection made by the officers of Her Ma- jesty's ship the Beagle. To Captain Wickham and the other officers of that vessel I am indebted for much kindness and attention. By the exertions of Mr. Bynoe, surgeon of the Beagle, science has been enriched, not only by the discovery of these new species of birds, but of several others, and some quadrupeds of a most interesting de- scription, the whole of which have been placed in my hands for the purpose of describing, figuring, &c. " It is now twelve months since I left England. The early part of the passage was boisterous and adverse, our ship being detained eleven days in the Bay of Biscay, during which period numbers of land-birds, all of European species, constantly visited the vessel ; but as no great interest attaches itself to their chance occurrence, I shall confine my observations more particularly to those species that make the expansive ocean their home, and whose natural limits have been but slightly recorded. The members of the genus Thalassidroma were the birds to which my especial attention was directed, from the circumstance of the group being but slightly understood, and from the great interest these little tenants of the ocean excite in the mind of the voyager. Immediately off" the Land's End, Wilson's Storm- Petrel ( Thalassidroma Wilsoni) was seen in abundance, and con- tinued to accompany the ship throughout the Bay. The little Storm- Petrel {Thalassidroma pelagica^ Selby) was also seen, but in far les^ numbers : both species disappeared on approaching the latitude of Madeira, their place there being occupied by another species, which I took to be Thai, Bulweri. This latitude was also favourable to the Shearwaters, Pifffinus cinereus, and Puff, obscurus, the former being there in great numbers, " Wo came to anchor in the roadstead of Santa Cruz, Island of Teneriffe, on the 1 1th of June. During our short stay at this island, I proceeded as far into the interior as circumstances would permit, and spent a part of two days most delightfully. Among the birds I observed during my rambles were the Common Blackbird {Merula vulgaris, Ray)? the liobin {Uryihaca i-ubecula. Swains.), and the Black-cap Warbler ( Cwrrwm atiicapilla^ Bechst.), — a more southern Zoological Society. 141 locality, I believe, than has been hitherto recorded against these spe- cies. The fishes of this island also claimed a portion of my atten- tion, several species of which I procured and preserved. " We crossed the equator on the 7th of July, having been more than twenty days within the tropics, part of which time our vessel lay- becalmed. This portion of the ocean's surface was also inhabited by Storm-Petrels, but of a distinct species from any I had hitherto ob- served, and which I believe to be new to science. These birds, with now and then a solitary Rhynchops and Frigate Bird (^Tachypctes)^ were all of the feathered race that I observed in these heated lati- tudes, a part of the voyage which always hangs heavily upon those destined to visit these distant regions ; by me, however, it was not so much felt, the monotony being relieved by the occasional occur- rence of a whale, whose huge body rolled lazily by ; by a shoal of porpoises, who sometimes perform most amusing evolutions, throw- ing themselves completely Out of the water, or gliding through it with astonishing velocity ; or by the occasional flight of the beautiful Flying Fish, when endeavouring to escape from the impetuous rush of the Bonito or Albacore. " On the 20th of July we reached the 26th degree of south lati- tude, and were visited for the first time by the Cape-Petrel {Procel- laria Capensis of authors). On the 23rd, lat. Sl° 10' S., long. 24° W., we found ourselves in seas literally teeming with the feathered race. Independently of an abundance of Cape-Petrels, two other species and three kinds of Albatrosses were observed around us. The latter were Diomedea exulans^ D, chlororhyncha, and D.fuli' ginosa. A few days after this we commenced running down our longitude, and from this time until we reached the shores of Van Diemen's Land, several species of this family (^ProcellaridcB) were daily in company with the ship. Whenever a favourable opportunity offered. Captain McKellar obligingly allowed me the use of a boat, and by this means enabled me to collect nearly all the species of this interesting family that we fell in with. " As I had every reason to expect, I found the Australian seas inhabited by their own peculiar Storm-Petrels { TJialassidroma), four distinct species of which I have already observed since leaving the Cape. " From the westerly winds which prevail in the southern hemi- sphere, between the latitudes 35° and 55°^ I am induced to believe that a perpetual migration is carried on by several of the members of this oceanic family continually passing from west to east, and cir- cumnavigating this poiiion of the globe. This remark more par- 142 Zoological Society, ticularly refers to the Albatrosses, Prions, and other large kinds of Petrels ; the same individuals of several of these species having been observed to follow our ship for some thousands of miles. Until I had ascertained that they were nocturnal, it was a matter of surprise to me how the birds which were seen around the vessel at nightfall were to be observed crossing our wake at daybreak on the following morning, the ship having frequently run a distance of nearly 100 miles during the night. " In conclusion, I may observe, that whatever success I have met with on the ocean, or whatever pleasures I may have enjoyed during the voyage, the country to which we were safely conveyed by our frail bark (now lying a wreck on the Trowbridge Shoal, Spencer's Gulf) has still greater treasures. " During the eight months spent in these regions, six have been devoted to Van Diemen's Land and the islands in Bass's Straits, where I have made extensive and most interesting collections. In- dependently of the skins of birds and quadrupeds, skeletons of all the forms, together with entire bodies for dissection, have been pro- cured, as also the nests and eggs of nearly seventy species of birds from Van Diemen's Land alone. The short visit I have paid to the continent of Australia has convinced me that much of interest there remains buried in obscurity, and that I shall there find much to oc- cupy my attention when I fairly commence my researches in that country. The drought this season has been most distressing to the colonists. The Liverpool range was the furthest journey T made into the interior. While there I procured several specimens of the Me- nura superha ; three of these I have entire for Mr. Owen to dissect ; I have also the skeletons of two others, besides skins, &c. The only remark I shall now offer respecting this truly interesting bird is, that it has no relationship whatever to the GallinacecBy as has hitherto been considered. " My assistant is now at Swan River, and I start for South Au- stralia tomorrow ; after which I proceed to Sydney ; thence into the interior*. I intend going to Moreton Bay and New Zealand before my return, and if I can accomplish it, to Port Essington and other parts of the north. " I am happy to add, that in the execution of my researches the governors of the different colonies lend me their aid most willingly ; and I shall ever be proud to acknowledge the unremitting kindness of Sir John Franklin, whose goodness of heart is only equalled by his zealous attention to the duties of his high official station." * See Letter dated September 1839, p. 116 of our present Number. Zoological Society. 143 Mr. Gould's descriptions of the new Australian birds referred to in the letter were next read. Cypselus australis. Cyp. gutture et uropygio alb'is ; corpore superne et subtus intense fusco ; dorso metallice splendente ; plumis pectoris abdominisque albo marginatis ; alls cauddque ni- grescentibus ; rostro^ oculis, et pedibus nigris. Long. tot. 6^ poll. ; rostri, J ; alcB, 7^ ; caudcB, 3^ ; tarsi, ^. This species is about the size of Cypselus murarius : I first met with it on the 8th of March, 1839. They were in considerable abundance, but flying very high. I succeedod in killing one, which was immediately pronounced by Mr. Coxen and others to be new to the colony. On the 22nd I again saw a number of these birds hawk- ing over a piece of cleared land at Yarrondi, on the Upper Hunter : upon this occasion I obtained six specimens, but have not met with it since. PoDARGUS PHALiENOiDES. Pod. ciuereo, fuscoque ornatus, lined nigra centrali per plumas singulas excurrente ; scapularibus ^ tectricibusque majoribus castaneo spar sis ; primariis fuscis, albo anguste fasciatis ; caudd cuneiformi, nigro anguste fasciatd ; rostro fusee scenti-corneo ; pedibus olivaceis. Long. tot. 14 J poll. ; rostri, 2 J ; alee, 8^ ; caudoe, 6^ ; tarsiy 1. Hah. The north-west coast of Australia. This bird is smaller than any other species of the genus yet dis- covered in Australia. From Benjamin Bynoe, Esq. Graucalus Phasianellus. Grauc. cinereus ; uropygio abdo' mineque albis, anguste nigro-fasciatis ; crisso albo ; alis can- ddque nigris, hdc ad basin alba; rostro tarsisque nigris. Long. tot. 15 poll.; rostri, IJ ; alee, 8 J ; caudce, 8 ; tarsi, If. Hah. Liverpool Plains. From the collection of Stephen Coxen, Esq. Pachycephala LanioYdes. Pack, vertice, plumis auricularibus et pectore nigris ; dorso poster tore fascia castaned ornato ; gut- ture, abdomine medio, crissoque albis ; dorso, lateribus, humeris, necnon primariis secundariis tectricibusque, externe, cinereis ; caudd, rostro, pedibusque nigris. Long. tot. 7^ poll.; rostri, 1 ; alee, 3 J ; caudce, 3;J ; tarsi, 1. Hab. The north-west coast of Australia. From Benjamin Bynoe, Esq. Petroica rosea. Pet. (nias) vertice, guld, corporeque superne cinereis ; fronte fascia angustd alba notato ; pectore rosaceo ; ab- domine, crissoque, albis; alis, Tectricibusque caudce sex inler- mediis nigrescentibus ; rectricibus externis ad apicem albis ; ros- tro pedibusque nigrescentibus. Fcem., fascia frontali luted; corpore supra cinereo-fusco ; alis, fasciis, secundariis fasciis duabus luteis, obscure notatis ; caudd fused. Long. tot. 4^ ; rostri, ^ ; alee, 2| ; caudce, 2^ ; tarsiy J. Hab. Hunter, and the Liverpool Range. 144 Zoological Society, This species is nearly allied to Petroica Lathami. It inhabits thick brushes. I killed specimens both on the Hunter River and the Liverpool Range. Petroica pulchella. Pet. nigra, fronte notdqiie kmnerali al- bis ; pectoi'e ahdomineque coccineis ; rostro nigro ; pedibusfuscis. Long. tot. 5 poll. ; rostri, | ; ate, | ; caudce^ 2J ; tarsi, 1 . Hab. Norfolk Island. Malurus cruentatus. Mai. (mas) dorso, humerisque cocci- neis y partibus reliquis nigris. Fcem., pallide fusca, abdomine albescente ; rostro, tarsisque pallide fuscis. Long. tot. 4 poll. ; rostri, ^ ; alee, 1^ ; caudce, 1| ; tarsi, J. Hab. North-west coast of Australia. Pardalotus uropygialis. Pard. verttce et lined oculari nigris ; lined superciliari, pectore, et abdomine medio, albis ; guld, genis- que croceia ; uropygio sulphureo ; dorso cinerescenti-olivaceo ; alts nigris, primariis plurimis ad basin albo notatis ; aid supr^ ad apicem coccined ; caudd nigrd, plumis externis tribus ad apt- cem albis ; rostro nigro ; tarsis plumbeis. Long. tot. 3^ poll. ; roslri, J ; alee, 2^ ; caudce, 1 ; tarsi, |. Hab. North-west coast of Australia. From Benjamin Bynoe, Esq. Amadina annulosa. Am. facie guldque albis, vittd nigra mar" ginatis ; pectore albescente, subtHs fascid nigrd marginato ; ver- tice dorsoque cinerescenti-fuscis, lineis albidis transversis, anguste notatis ; uropygio, crisso, cauddque nigris ; alis fuscis ; tectrici- bus, secundariisque cinereo crebre ornatis ; rostro pedibusque plumbeis. Long. tot. 4 poll. ; rostri, | ; al(B, 2 ; caudce, 2J ; tarsi, ^, Hab. North-west coast of Australia. This species is nearly allied to JSstrilda Bichenovii. From Benjamin Bynoe, Esq. Amadina acuticauda. Am. vertice genisque cinereis ; corpore cervino ; abdomine roseo lavato ; loris, guld, fascia per uropy- gium currente, cauddque, nigris ; tectricibus caudce, crisso, et femoribus, albis ; rostro pedibusque flavis . Long. tot. 5 j poll. ; rostri, | ; alee, 2| ; caudce, 3 j ; tarsi, ^. Hab. North-west coast of Australia. This species has the two central tail-feathers very long and ta- pering. From Benjamin Bynoe, Esq. Dasyornis striatus. Das.fuscus ; abdomine cinerescente ; plu- mis dorsalibus lined centrali albd notatis ; rostro jyedibusque ni- grescentibus. Long. tot. 6 J poll. ; rostri, | ; alee, 2| ; caudce, 3^ ; tarsi, 1 . Hab. Liverpool Plains, New South Wales. This species is nearly allied to the Amytis textilis of Lesson. Myzantha flavigula. Myz. spatio pone oculos, fronte, gu- ldque Jlavis ; uropygio albo ; dorso cinereo, obscure albofasciato; Zoological Society. 145 loris, plumisque auricularibus, nigris ; gidd, gems, corporeque subtiiSj alh'is , pectore notis fuscis in formd sagittce ornato ; alts cauddque fuscis ; primariis externe, cauddque ad hasinjla- vcscentibus ; caudd ad apicem alhd ; rostro Jlavo ; pedibus Jlave- scenli-fuscis. Long. tot. 9| poll. ; rostri, 1 ; alcB, 5 J ; caudce, 5 ; tarsi, if^. Hah. Banks of the Namoi, interior of New South Wales. This species is rather larger than Myzantha garrula, to which, and M. citreola, it is closely allied. Myzantha lutea. M. cute nudd pone oculos, fronte, apic'ibus- que pliimarum ad latera colli, citreis ; loris nigro-fuscis ; plum'is auricularibus nigrescentibus splendore argenteis ; corpore supra cinereo, nucha dorsoque albo transversim fasciatis ; uropygio, tec- tricibus caudce, et corpore subtiii, albis ; guld, pectoreque cinereo lavatis, plumis singulis notd fused fasciatis ; alis fuscis plumis obscure citreo marginatis ; caudd fused ad ajncem alba ; rostro citreo ; pedibus Jlavescenti fuscis. Long. tot. lOj poll. ; alcB, 5 J ; caudcB, 5 J ; tarsi, l^. Hah. North-west coast of Australia, From Benjamin Bynoe, Esq. Tropidorhynchus argenticeps. Trop. veriice argenteo, capi- tis partibus reliquis nudis, et nigrescentibus ; corpore subtHs albo ; pectoris plumis lanceolatis ; corpore supra cauddque fuscis ; ros- tro pedibusque nigrescenti-fuscis. Long. tot. 10^ poll. ; rostri, 1| ; alee, 5^ ; caudce, \\ ; tarsi, \^. Hah. North-west coast of Australia. From Benjamin Bynoe, Esq. PoMATORHiNUs RUBECULUS. Fom. guld, strigdque superciliari albis : pectore, et abdomine superiore rufescentifuscis ; strigd a rostro, per oculos, ad occiput tendente nigrescenti fused ; vertice, dorso, ahdomineque imo intense fuscis, olivaceo-tinctis ; tectrici- hus caudce, crisso cauddque nigris, hdc ad apicem alba, rostro corneo ; pedibus nigrescentibus. Long. tot. 9^ poll. ; rostri, ] J ; alee, 4 ; caudce, 4f ; tarsi, l^. Hah. North-west coast of Australia. From Benjamin Bynoe, Esq. Ptilotis flavescens. Pt. olivaceO'cinerea, capite corporeque subtus citreis ; notd ad latera capitis fused, et pone hanc allerd nitide flavd. Long. tot. 4^ poll. ; rostri, | ; alee, 2| ; caudce, 2^ ; tarsi, |. Hah. North-west coast of Australia. From Benjamin Bynoe, Esq. Myzomela erythrocephala. Myz. intense fusca, capite, et uropygio, coccineis ; rostro pedibusque nigris. Long. tot. 4^ poll. ; rostri, j ; alec, 2^ ; caudce, 1| ; tarsi, |. Hah. North-west coast of Australia. From Benjamin Bynoe, Esq. Sittella leucoptera. Slit, vertice, plumis auricularibus, neC" non alis, cauddque nigris, hdc ad apicem alba, illisjascid trans- 146 Miscellaneous, versd albd ornatis ; guldy tectricibus caudal corporeque subtiUs al- bis; dorso, cinerescenti^uscOf plumis ad medium Jusco notatis ; rostro ad basin pallidejlavo, ad apicem nigro, pedibus Jlavis. Long. tot. 4 poll. ; rostri, \^ ; alee, 3 ; caudce, 1^ ; tarsi, \^, Hab. North-west coast of Australia. From Benjamin Bynoe, Esq. Hemipodius castanotus. Hem. capite, et pectore olivaceo- cinereisy plumis colore cervino notatis , illius ad apicem, hujus apud medium ; abdomine medio crissoque stramineis ; striga superci- liari, cauda, dorso et humeris, castaneis, dorsi, humerorumque plumis albo guttatis, singulis guttis antice nigro marginatis ; pri- mariisjuscisy cervino colore marginatis ; rostro pedibusque pal- lida Jlavis. Long. tot. 7 poll. ; rostri, J ; alee, 3^ ; tarsi, 1. Hab. North-west coast of Australia. From Benjamin Bynoe, Esq. Mr. Yarrell exhibited a small but perfect specimen of the Eagle Ray, Myliobatis aquila of British fishes, which had been found on the shore of Berwick Bay, and was sent to him from thence by Dr. George Johnston. " Particular interest attaches to this very rare specimen," observed Mr. Yarrell, " since it establishes the fact that this fish is a native species ; the only evidence which previously existed of the Eagle Ray being a British fish was founded on some parts of a specimen, believed to belong to this species, which were procured from a fish- erman of Scarborough by Mr. Travis, a surgeon in that place." A fresh specimen of the Angler-fish {Lophius piscatorius), pre- sented by John Goldham, Esq., was also exhibited. MISCELLANEOUS. HIRUNDO PURPUREA^ PURPLE MARTIN OF AMERICA, SHOT IN BRITAIN. In the seventeenth Number of Mr. Yarrell's British Birds, that ornithologist quotes a letter from Mr. Frederic McCoy of Dublin to the following efi^ect : " I beg to send you a notice of a bird new to the European Fauna which has lately occurred on our coast. It is the Hirundo purpurea, the Purple Martin'of American ornithologists. The specimen was a female, corresponding accurately with the de- scription of Wilson. It was shot near Kingston, county of Dublin, and sent for dissection to my friend Dr. Scauler a few hours after- wards. As it agrees perfectly with the description of authors, it will be unnecessary to describe the specimen, which is now preserved in the Museum of the Royal Dublin Society." — Yarrell's B. Birds, ii. p. 275. Miscellaneous, 147 NOTICE RESPECTING AMPHIPEPLEA GLVTINOSA, M. Troschel lately read an account before the Society Der Natur- forschender Freunde in Berlin, of the examination in which he had been engaged of Amphipeplea glutinosa, Nilss. {Limnaus* glutinosusy Drap.) recently found in the neighbourhood of Berlin. He had ac- curately examined the tongue and other mouth-parts, and found that from these, as well as from the structure of the mantle and nervous system recently described by M. Vanbeneben, it deserves to form a distinct genus, and to be separated from Limnceus and Fhysa. Am- phipeplea agrees with the former genus in the structure of the an- tennae, of the foot, and in the position of the respiratory, anal, and sexual aperture on the right side ; with the latter, in the absence of lateral maxillae, and also from the tongue being provided with ser- rated teeth. There is therefore between the genera Physa and Lim- nceus a twofold transition, — one through the genus Planorbis, the se- cond through Amphipeplea. I propose therefore the following schema for the family of the water Pulmonata. I. An upper maxilla, serrated teeth on the tongue, the mantle ge- nerally folding over the shell. Animal active, lively. 1. Antennae filiform; foot posteriorly acuminate; respiratory, anal, and sexual aperture on the left side. Physa. 2. Antennae triangular; foot posteriorly rounded; respiratory, anal, and sexual aperture on the right side. Amphipeplea. II. An upper and two side maxillae, simple conical teeth on the tongue, mantle not folding over the shell. Animal inactive. 3. Antennae filiform ; foot posteriorly acuminate; respiratory, anal, and sexual apertures on the left side. Planorbis. 4. Antennae triangular; foot posteriorly rounded; respiratory, anal, and sexual apertures on the right side. Limnceus. ON PIN US PUMILIOy HK. BY PROFESSOR GOEPPERT. There are still botanists who regard the Dwarf Pine as a mere form of Pinus sylvestris produced by the elevated habitat. The present notice of an experiment made with seed will perhaps not be without interest, and tend to refute this, in my opinion, erroneous view. In 1828 M. Beinert of Charlottenbrunn in Silesia procured some ripe cones of P. Pumilio from the Riesengebirge, together with some * A multitude of needless synonyms burthen the descriptions of this genus, because conchologists cannot agree as to its orthography : — Limnceusy LymncfuSy Lymneus, ^c. We believe the classical authority of Dr. Goodall, whose loss we have to deplore, was decidedly in favour of Limneus. — Ed. 143 Miscellaneous, of P. sylvestris, and planted them on the northern pent of the Lor- beerberg, near Charlottenbrunn, 1800 feet above the level of the sea. In the second year the plants made their appearance, of which, how- ever, only one specimen of P. Pumilio succeeded. On the 9th of Sept. 1839, I visited this spot and found the plants in the following condition. The specimen of P. Pumilio is at its base one inch in diameter, bends down immediately at its exit from the soil with de- flected convexity, and divides at a distance of two inches into two main branches, of which one is 12, the other 9 inches long. Each of these branches again divides 1 inch from their origin into 5 or 6 diverging branches of from 5 to 6 inches in length, which all lie ex- tended on the earth. The numerous leaves are stiff, fasciculate, compressed, curvate, and shortened, just like those occurring on the highest elevations of the Riesengebirge. As yet no flowers have made their appearance. Now while this plant creeps on the soil, the neighbouring specimens of P. sylvestris which germinated at the same time have attained a perpendicular height of 10 to 18 feet, with a diameter of from 21 to 3 J feet. — Linnaa, Part V. vol. xiii. 1839. ON THE NESTS OF THE FIFTEEN-SPINED STICKLEBACK^ OR GASTER- OSTEUS SPINACHIA OF LINN^US. These nests are to be found in spring and summer on several parts of our coast, in rocky and weedy pools between tide marks. They occur occasionally near Berwick, but seem to be more common near Eyemouth and Coldingham. They are about eight inches in length, and of an elliptical form or pear-shaped, formed by matting together the branches of some common Fucus, as, for example, of the Fucus nodosus, with various confervse, ulvae, the smaller floridese, and coral- lines. These are all tied together in one confused compact mass by means of a thread run through, and around, and amongst them in every conceivable direction. The thread is of great length, as fine as ordinary silk, tough and somewhat elastic ; whitish, and formed of some albuminous secretion. The eggs are laid in the middle of this nest in several irregular masses of aboat an inch in diameter, each consisting of many hundred ova, which are of the size of ordi- nary shot, and of a whitish or amber colour according to their de- gree of maturity. The further advanced are marked with two round black spots, which are discovered by the microscope to be the eyes of the embryo, at this period disproportionally large and developed. Masses of eggs, in different stages of their evolution, are met with in the same nest. It is evident that the fish must first deposit its spawn amid the growing fucus, and afterwards gather its branches Miscellaneous, 149 together around the eggs, weaving and incorporating at the same time all the rubbish that is lying or floating around the nucleus. For the safety of its nest and spawn, the fish is apparently very anxious for a time. Some individuals were watched, by Mr. Duncan and the Rev. Mr. Turnbull, for some weeks, and it was observed that the same fish was always in attendance upon its own nest. During the time of hope and expectation, they become fearless, and will al- low themselves to be taken up by the hand repeatedly. There can be no doubt that their object in remaining near the nest is to guard it against the attacks of such animals as might feel inclined to prey upon its contents. Note. — Since the preceding notice was read to the Club, the second volume of Mr. Swainson's ' Natural History of Fishes,' &c. has been published ; and I find that in it these nests are said to be constructed by the Gobies, on the authority of Olivi. The question is worth further inquiry ; but on mentioning this statement of Olivi's to Mr. Maclaren of Coldingham, he assured me that he had seen and watched the stickleback in the act of making the nests we have just described. G. J. — From the Transactions of the Berwickshire Na- turalists' Club. ON VESPERTILIO MDILIS, JENYNS. In Wiegmann's Archiv, Part I. for 1840, we find, in a valuable paper by MM. Keyserling and Blasius " On the generic and spe- cific character of the European Bats," the following notice on the above animal lately descril)ed by Mr. Jenyns as probably forming a new species : *' Vespertilio cedilis, Jenyns (Annals of Nat. Hist. No. XV. p. 73, Plate XIIL), is brought forward as a new species, and carefully de- scribed by Mr. Jenyns from a white-coloured stuffed specimen ; it is compared with V. Daubentonii, from which it is said to be distin- guished : "1. by its more acute snout. — In dried specimens the snout is ge- nerally more acute than in fresh ones, and this affords therefore no ground for comparison. " 2. by the form of the tragus. — The incision at the apex is pro- bably accidental and individual ; we have found such incisions even to vary on both ears of one and the same individual. The tooth at the base exists in all, although in most cases overlooked, and affords no distinction. "3. by the hairy covering of the interfemoral membrane. — The gra- nules mentioned by Jenyns, upon which the hairs originate, are also to be seen on fre^h, and less distinctly on dried, specimens of V. Daubentonii. 150 Miscellaneous, " The admeasurements agree very closely with V. Daubentonii, to which we believe it must in every respect be referred." A NEW MARSUPIAL ANIMAL. Perameles Tuckeri, n. s. Head short, conical ; ears large, hairy, coloured like the back, with a blackish edge ; fur soft, brown, va- ried with gray hairs, and black tips ; sides yellow-brown, beneath yellowish gray, under fur of back lead-coloured ; tail as long as the body, tapering, hairy, and coloured like the body at the base, black- ish and with rather adpressed hairs for two- thirds of its length. Length of the head 2^, of the body 5 J, of tail 5|, of hind foot 2 J inches. Inhab. Australia. In the collection of Mr. Tucker, the naturalist dealer, after whom I have named it. — John E. Gray. A NEW SPECIES OF FOSSIL DOLPHIN. M. Von Olfers laid before the meeting of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Berlin (Dec. 19, 1839), the fragments of some fossil re- mains of Cetacece found in the Prussian states. The most important are the clearly distinguishable remains of the skull of a Dolphin (Delphis Karstenii) converted into sandstone, which differs from all hitherto found, and appears to form the transition between D. glo- biceps and the allied species and the fossil genus Ziphius. It oc- curred near Bunde in Westphalia. Vertebrae of Baltsnoptera were also communicated by Prof. Becks; they occurred in a clay bed [Thonlager] between Bocholt and Oeding. ON THE MINERAL CALLED DYSODIL AS A PRODUCT FROM THE SHELLS OF INFUSORIA. BY C. G. EHRENBERG. In 1808 M. Cordier in Paris gave this substance the name of Dysodil, as a peculiar species of mineral ; it had, however, previously been placed by mineralogists amongst the bituminous substances, and called foliated mineral pitch {bldttriges Erdpech) . As is well known, it is combustible, and in Sicily, where it was first discovered, it is used as peat. As early as the 16th of April of this year, I made a communica- tion to the Society of the Friends of Natural History in Berlin (see the Staatszeitung of the 29th of April), in which I stated that this mineral occurring in Sicily, resembling yellow wax, and composed of densely matted together siliceous shells (Kieselschalen) of the Navicular penetrated and cemented by a kind of resin, consists of a species of mail- covered infusoria. I also stated that there existed in the collections of the mineral-dealer, M. Krantz of Berlin, a lig- nite from Westerwalde, the colour of which is quite black, and in which may be recognised all the microscopic characters of the yellow Meteorological Observations, 151 dysodil of Sicily, but which is distinguished by its containing a con- siderable quantity of pine-tree pollen, and other vegetable remains. Since that time it has been found in two other places. The foli- ated serviceable bituminous coal from Geistinger Busch near Rott and Siegburg, to the north of the Siebengebirge, is, although as black as old leather, quite similar to the dysodil, only it is richer in vegetable remains. In a fourth similar foliated lignite from Vogelsberge, given me to examine, as were the former, by Ober-Bergrath von Dechen, there may be recognised very beautifully preserved infusorial shells. This substance is also like the black dry sole of a shoe. From these inquiries we see that the species of mineral called dysodil belongs to the infusorial conglomerates, and is evidently a Polirschiefer or Bldttertripel diCci^QntvWy penetrated by mineral pitch ; whilst at Bilin, Cassel, etc., it appears without any mixture of bitumen. Its colour maybe yellow or even brown and black. It nowhere forms exceed- ingly large, but sometimes rather extensive and useful beds. — Pog- gendorff's Annalen. METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR FEB.j 1840. Chiswick. — Feb. 1. Cloudy : rain. 2. Very fine. S. Rain. 4. Boisterous with rain. 5. Rain : clear. 6. Rain : cloudy. 7. Rain. 8. Heavy showers. 9. Fine. 10. Heavy showers: clear and very fine at night. 11. Fine. 12. Rain. 13. Very fine. 14. Foggy. 15. Frosty : rain. 16. Hazy and mild. 17. Dense fog. 18. Dry cold haze. 19. Clear and cold. 20. Cloudy, with some snow-flakes falling. 21. Bleak and cold. 22. Overcast. 23. Cold and dry. 24. Fine but cold. 25. Frosty haze. 26. Cold haze. 27. Cloudy, cold and dry. 28, 29. Fine but cold. Boston. — Feb. 1. Cloudy : rain p.m. 2. Fine : rain early a.m. 3. Stormy : rain early A.M. 4. Stormy: rain early a.m. : rain p.m. 5. Cloudy: rain p.m. 6. Cloudy. 7. Cloudy : rain early A.M. : rain p.m. 8. Fine: rain and snow p.m. 9. Fine. 10. Rain. 11. Fine. 12— 15. Fine : rain p.m. 16, 17. Cloudy. 18. Fine. 19. Cloudy: snow a.m. and p.m. 20. Cloudy : snow a.m. 21. Cloudy: gnow melted. 22. Cloudy. 23 — 27. Fine. 28. Cloudy. 29. Fine. Applegarth Manse, Dumfries-shire. — Feb. 1. Frequent showers. 2. Frequent showers : snow gone. 3. Frequent showers. 4, 5. Shower a.m. : fair rest of the day. 6. Rain very early : fine day. 7. Heavy rain a.m.: stormy p.m. 8. Occasional showers of rain and hail. 9, 10. Occasional showers of rain and hail with high wind p.m. 1.1. Fine day : a few drops of rain. 12. Storm of wind and rain P.M. 13. Fine day : no rain. 14. Fine day, but cloudy. 15. Wet morning: cleared up p.m. 16. Calm, cloudy, and mild. 17, 18. Fine a.m.: grew cloudy and sharp. 19. Cold easterly wind, but fair. 20. Cold easterly wind with slight frost and snow showers. 21. Cold easterly wind: frost: threatening snow. 22 — 24. Cold easterly wind: still frosty : sprinkling snow. 25. Cold easterly wind. 26. Beautiful sunny day, but still frosty. 27. Beau- tiful sunny day : frost very keen. 28. Cloudy all day : but still freezing. 29. Fine frosty day. Sun shone out 25 days. Rain fell 13 days. Snow 2 days. Frost 10 days. Wind north-easterly 6 days. Easterly 83 days. South-easterly 7 daya. Southerly Sg days. South-westerly 8g days. West 1 day. Calm 14|^ days. Moderate 8 days. Brisk 1^ day. StTong breeze 2 days. Boisterous 3 days. ■I O I g « li ; o • 6 •uo;soa :r99r9 99999 :SS cx) o .^ooo'^^ooNao'«spr^^»pco(»o<^^vo■TJ•cx5^09 rf-^ -^loihihob —dbob oidb coo a>r^6 o^-^ vo roco-^ih lO CO c« t>. lOlh^hob•-cbcbc^db(o66^^^66^'^vococo■^^b^^l^ •rJ<^-^"<*iorO'^'^'^'*u:>cO'^u:)"<*rtcocococococococococo r>.C-l>-'Mt^C. --HO^c»r^•^lpr^(N'7^•yt'(X)7- CO 6^obooaDdb 6^c^^6^6^c^6^c^c^l•^0^6^c^o o o O c O o o 6 O O C<0»0«(NOI^o o^o^o^c^oo voto^o r-co^oo o to»r5i>^o tc^:^o^cocx> '- o\ t->-*OOCri'-iO-r}000 010lJC0C0C0C0'"0C0Or0C0C0C0r0C0 s o . T! . • C ^«' COO— i(NOC^>O0JCsV0>O-O00lO'OOr0'-'Q0OQ0'rf>OC0'^^'— co-^— c^o»pco7f" 0^6^6^db 6^0^C^6^6^6^6^a^c^6^6^6^0 O o c O O O O O O o O O ocritooio(NOir^O". cri>o--.to coco--«07p»p•7rcoo 6^6^c^do C^c^6^6^6^a^6^6^c^6^6^c^^o6o6ooo6oo 0«0«C>IO«OJCNC4tNCNCMOI(NC9 each other so closely, that it is not, in some instances, easy to decide what should constitute their permanent diagnostics ; or to express, in a few apt words, the minute shades of dif- ference in certain organs which seem to mark them as distinct species. I am satisfied that, in this genus, the form of the body of specimens preserved in spirits will afford no specific character ; and that as little reliance can be placed on colour, although this is perhaps more uniformly alike in living indi- viduals. The number of segments is also, as Otho Fabricius long ago remarked*, liable to considerable variation, both from age and from mutilation; for if the posterior segments have been lost by accident they are indeed again renewed, but not in their original numbers or size ; and moreover it is often very difficult to count the segments from the minuteness and crowding of the posterior ones. The pattern after which the prickles of the proboscis are arranged varies in some species, but it is almost impossible to define those variations in words, and the character fails us in the nearest allied species, where only it is required. Such is also the case with the number of serratures along the falcate edge of the jaws, though the cha- racter is one not to be neglected ; but, from the peculiar shape of the jaw, I have sometimes found a difficulty in determi- ning the exact number of these serratures ; and, in other in- stances, have had a doubt whether one or two of them, from their obsoleteness, ought to be reckoned. I place little value on any differences in the shape of the head, or in the propor- tions between the palpi and antennae ; but a specific character, it appears to me, may be justly founded on differences (1) in the proportion of the first or post-occipital segment to the se- cond; (2) in the comparative lengths of the longest pair of ten- tacular cirri ; but (3) principally in the variety exhibited by the lobes and appendages of the feet. Every foot, let it be remembered, consists of a superior and an inferior cirrus, three papillae presumed to be branchial, and two tubercles * " Cetemm numeravi sine respectu magnitudinis segmenta 56, 65, 76, 78, 86 in diversis; igitur de numero nil certi statiii posse patet : hunc cha- racterem etiam quam maxime vacillare facile credat, cui rnutilatio et redin- tegratio articulorum innotuit ; sub reintegrando enim articulo caudali pri- mum accrescente, reliquis vero successive, a momento conspectus numerus dependet." — Faun. Grcenl. p. 292. Ann. Nat. Hist. Vol. 5. No. 30. May 1840. n 170 Dr. Johnston on the Irish Annelides. armed with compound bristles, — the superior tubercle being always situated between the dorsal and second papillse, and the inferior tubercle between this and the ventral papillae. On these particulars I will endeavour to define the British spe- cies before me ; and I trust that, with the designs which il- lustrate the specific characters, the student will now be able to determine, with comparative ease and certainty, such of them as he may meet with in his researches. Genus Nereis. (Nereis, Cuv, Reg. Anim. iii. 201. Aud. 8f M. Edw. Litt. de la France, ii. 181. — Lycoris, {Savigny,) Lam. Anim. s. Vert. v. 311. 2de edit. v. 548,) For the character of the genus see Annals of Nat. History, iii. p. 289. • Feet homologous. 1. N, brevimanus, post-occipital segment not longer than the second ; tentacular cirri once and a half or twice its dia- meter; jaws with 8 serratures, the apices unarmed; feet homologous, the branchial papillae subequal, the inferior coa- lescent with the setigerous tubercle on the posterior feet ; cirri very^short, not reaching the apex of their lobes ; setigerous tubercles well-developed, the bristles smooth. Fig. 1. Nereis hrevimanus. Hah. Coast of Ayrshire, Mr. P. W. Maclagan. Worm about 3 inches long, and about the size of an earth- worm of the same length. Head narrow : eyes very distinct : antennae not projecting beyond the palpi : proboscis rough- ened as usual with black horny spinules : the serratures of the jaws coarse but not reaching to the point, which is plain. Segments about 88, narrowed posteriorly, the anal one ter- minated with rather long styles. The inferior branchial lobe becomes smaller as we trace the feet backwards, and near the Dr. Johnston on the Irish Annelides. 171 middle of the body forms almost a part of the setigerous tu- bercle (fig. m.), the union being still more complete on the posterior pairs of feet, on which also there is a mere vestige of the ventral cirrus (fig. />.). The colour of the specimens in spirits is a wax-yellow with a tinge of brown, and a dusky line across the margin of the segments. This species very closely resembles Nereis pulsatoria, but in the latter the jaws are serrated to the apex, and the termi- nal joint of the bristles is finely serrulated along one edge. 2. N, viridis, post-occipital segment twice as long as the se- cond ; tentacular cirri once and a half or nearly twice as long as its breadth ; jaws serrated to the point ; feet homologous, with papillous subequal branchial lobes, the dorsal one (of the posterior feet especially) somewhat humped ; superior cirrus scarcely reaching beyond the apex of its lobe ; upper setige- rous tubercle obsolete. Fig. 2. Nereis viridis. Hah. Strangford Lough, Wm. Thompson, Esq. ; co. Cork, Geo. J. All- man, Esq. To the description of this species given (under the name of N, pelagica), in the Annals, vol. iii. p. 291, I have only to add that the jaws appear to have 10 serratures on their cutting edge. To show how far the feet of the same species may vary, I have given the above figures, — the three upper ones taken from an individual immediately after being killed by immer- sion in spirits, — the three lower ones from a specimen that had N 2 172 Dr. Johnston on the Irish Annelides. been preserved for some years. It would have been easy to have multiplied figures exhibiting still other dissimilitudes, but the pattern, though modified, is always essentially the same. Some of these differences proceed from selecting feet of non- corresponding segments ; others are produced by differences in the condition of the worm when killed, — for example, from its being filled with ova or not ; and others again from a dif- ference in the strength of the spirits in which the specimens are placed. In some specimens which had been long preserved, the post-occipital segment was scarcely larger than the one behind ; but when alive the great proportional size of the former is always very obvious. Though the specific name is less appropriate than it might be made, I have deemed its restoration better than the impo- sition of a new one ; for the opportunity of consulting Muller's figure, afforded me by my kind friend Mr. Alder of Newcastle, has fully convinced me that this is not the N. pelagica of Lin- naeus, nor N, verrucosa of MuUer. The true synonyms of N, viridis appear to be the following : Nereis coerulea, Penn. Brit. Zool. iv. 93. pi. 27. fig. sup. edit. 1812. Turt. Gmel. iv. 88. Turt. Brit. Faun. 135. Stew. Elem. i. 390. — Lycoris viridis, Johnston in Zool. Journ. iv. 419. — Lycoris margaritacea, Ihid. .in lib. cit. 420 ; and in Mag. Nat. Hist. vii. 230. — Nereis pelagica, A7i- nals Nat. Hist. iii. 290. 3. iV.j9eZa^ica, post-occipital segment about twice as long as the second ; ten- tacular cirri longer than its transverse diameter; serratures of the jaw not reaching the apex ; branchial lobes of the feet papillary, subequal, the dorsal one more or less humped ; superior cirrus twice as long as its lobe. Fig. 4. Fig. 3. Nereis pelagica. Dr. Johnston on the Irish Annelides. 173 Hab. Shore of co. Cork, Geo. J. Allman, Esq. ; Strangford Lough, Wm. Thompson ; Bangor*, Dr. Drummond. (Orkney and Shetland, and coast of the Isle of Man, Edw. Forbes ; Ayrshire, Mr. P. W. Maclagan.) This species sometimes attains a length of 8 inches^ with a thickness equal to that of a swanks quill. It is thicker in pro- portion to its length than N, viridis, and has the organs of the head more developed. The proboscis of both species are al- most exactly alike armed, but the serratures of the jaws in N, pelagica do not reach the points, which are rather obtuse. The number of serratures on the jaw appears to be more than 10, but not more than 6 of them form prominent denticles on the edge. The segments vary from 80 to 90, and are marked with a few obhque striae on each side above the feet, which are homologous and well-developed. The dorsal branchial lobe is rather larger than the others and somewhat humped ; and from the front of the hump originates the cirrus, of nearly double its length. The inferior cirrus almost reaches to the tip of its lobe. The bristles are smooth. The greater number of specimens preserved in spirits are of a uniform pearly iridescent colour with a slight tinge of brown or pink, but some specimens are of a dusky brown with glossy reflections. The figure given of Nereis pelagica in the ^ Encyclop. Method.^ Vers, pi. 55. fig. 21 — 23, undoubtedly represents this species ; hence it follows that it is also the Nereis verru- cosa of MuUer (Prod. p. 217), and of Otho Fabricius (Faun. Groenl. p. 292.). That it is the Nereis pelagica of Linnaeus is not so certain, for his specific character — ^^ N, segmentis XL, subtus sulcata'' — is at variance with the fact ; but as I can scarcely consent that any of our great master's species should be deleted from the ^^ Systema,'' I wiUingly appropriate the name to the one before me ; 1. because such was the opinion of MuUe.r and Fabricius; 2. because Linnaeus quotes as a probable representation of his species a figure of a worm in Baxter's Opusc. Subsc. tab. vi. fig. 6, with 70 segments and upwards; and 3. because it is very probable that there is not existing a species of Nereis with so few as 40 segments. * It is the small town of this name on the coast of Down that is alluded to throughout the paper. 174 Dr. Johnston on the Irish Annelides. I have also scarcely a doubt of this being the Nereis mar- garitacea of Leach (Supp. Encyl. Brit. i. p. 453. pi. 26.), but Dr. Leaches character of the species is entirely generical ; and Savigny and Milne-Edwards and Audouin have particularly described a Nereis margaritacea, which is not the same with the one before us, but more nearly related to N, viridis. Neither has this any relation to the Nereis margaritacea of the ' Annals/ vol. iii. p. 294, which belongs to a different sec- tion of the genus. 4. iV. bilineata, I have nothing to add to the character and description of this species given in the ^ Annals/ iii. p. 295. It does not occur in the Irish collection. 5. N. Dumerilii, post-occipital segment equal in length to the second ; tentacular cirri 3 times longer than its breadth ; jaws serrulated ; branches of the mid and posterior feet widely separate, the lobes papillary, divaricate ; superior cirrus pro- jecting far beyond the apex of its lobes. Aud. and Edw. Litt. de la France, ii. p. 196. Fig. 5. Nereis Dumerilli. Dr. Johnston on the Irish Annelides, 175 Hab. Apparently not iinfrequent on the Irish coast. Strangford Lough, and elsewhere on the coast of Down, JVm. Thompson, Esq. ; Belfast Bay, Dr. Drummond. Body vermiform, flattish or rarely subcylindrical, as thick as a goose-quill, only slightly tapered backwards, smooth, flat on the ventral surface, which has the median line faintly im- pressed. Head small, armed as usual : eyes very large : jaws small, with brown apices, serrated along the edge to the tip or nearly so : tentacular cirri 3 times as long as the diameter of the post-occipital segment, which is of about the same length as the next, and rather narrower. Segments about 80, narrowish, thickened above the origins of the feet, which are well-developed and most crowded on the posterior half of the body. Feet of the anterior segments with 3 short obtuse branchial lobes, the dorsal one more prominent than the others, and the setigerous tubercle minute ; of the middle and poste- rior feet the branches are widely remote, with the branchial lobes of the superior branch nearly equal, divaricate^ and a large brush of bristles between them : the inferior lobe rather small and simple : superior cirrus twice as long as its lobe : inferior cirrus rather short : spines dark brown : bristles nu- merous, pale yellow, smooth and slender. In spirits the worm is generally of a uniform cream or ochre- yellow colour, with a brown line across the front of every seg- ment, and there are two spots of the same or of a rich yellow colour at the base of the dorsal lobe of every foot. These spots appear to be constantly present, and consequently afford a good character of the species, but they are sometimes less perceptible than is desirable. 6. N.fucata, first and second segments nearly equal; ten- Fig. 7. Nereis fucata. tacular cirri not longer than the head ; jaws finely serrulated ; 1 76 Dr. Johnston on the Irish Annelides. feet oblique, the dorsal lobe disproportionably larger than the others and more prominent, strongly humped, with a cirrus twice as long ; inferior cirrus reaching to or beyond the apex of its lobe. Aud. and Edw. Litt. de la France, ii. p. 188. Hah. Down Coast, Wm. Thompson, Esq. The single specimen in the collection was about 5 inches in length and as thick as a large swanks quill : the colour was a blueish gray with a pearly lustre, but the feet were a dusky reddish brown, and this colour had tinted the posterior half of the body. Head small, the palpi projecting beyond the antennae : proboscis armed as usual ; the jaws slender with dark brown apices, serrulated along the whole falcate cutting edge : tentacular cirri not longer than the breadth of the post- occipital segment, which is nearly of the same size as the one behind. Segments about 90, with well-developed feet, which are more distinctly stalked than usual, and their lobes are very obliquely placed in relation to each other. The dorsal lobe of all the feet is largest, humped, and furnished with a cirrus hanging far beyond its apex ; but on the middle and posterior feet this lobe becomes greatly larger, and is raised abruptly into a large hump, in front of which the cirrus originates. On the posterior extremity the hump advances, so to speak, on the foot, and leaves only a small papillary apex, over which the long cirrus hangs. The inferior cirrus is longer than its lobe. The spines and bristles present no peculiarity. ** Feet dissimilar, the posterior with foliaceous larnellcB. 7. iV. renalis, jaws with 5 strong serratures ; proboscis Fig. 8. Nereis renalis. prickly ; posterior feet with 3 foliaceous lamellae, of which the Dr. Johnston on the Irish Annelides. 177 upper one forms a helmet-shaped crest on the dorsal lobe ; the mid one a large kidney-shaped leaf to the setifei-ous tu- bercle ; and the other, also kidney-shaped, is attached under- neath the ventral cirrus ; dorsal cirrus much overreaching its lobe. Hah. Bangor, Dr. Drummond ; (shores of the Isle of Man, Mr, Edw. Forbes ; Berwick Bay, G. J.) Body rather flattish, about 4 inches long, very slightly tapered to the tail, which is obtuse and terminated with two short styles. Head distinct, obtusely triangular, pointed in front with the antennae, which project beyond the palpi : eyes large, occipital : proboscis armed with prickles as usual : jaws chestnut-brown towards the apex, serrated with 5 denticula- tions : tentacular cirri as long as, or longer than, the breadth of the body : post-occipital segment rather larger than the one behind: segments about 110, smooth, marked with two or three rugae above the insertions of the feet, which are well-de- veloped and crowded on the posterior half. Anterior feet normal, with short papillary branchial lobes, of which the dorsal one is the largest and most prominent. The posterior feet are complicated and much unlike the others, for above the base of the superior lobe there is a helmet-shaped com- pressed crest ; and the superior setigerous tubercle is also furnished with a very large kidney-shaped veined leaf-like lamina, under which there is a small oblong lobe ; while the ventral cirrus has appended beneath its base another kidney- shaped leaf-like lamina, and a curved lobule on its upper side. Dorsal cirrus much longer than its lobe ; that of the middle feet crenated on the under side : ventral cirrus rather long. Bristles slender, forming considerable brushes on the middle and posterior feet : spines dark brown. Specimens preserved in spirits are of a uniform pearl-gray colour with pale yellowish feet. Nereis renalis is in many respects'so much like the N. lo- bulata of Savigny that I have hesitated in describing them as distinct species ; but the dissimilarity in the structure of the feet, though apparently slight and difficult to be expressed in a definition, seems to be of a kind that nothing less than spe- cific origin could produce. In Nereis lobulata the leaf-like 1 78 Dr. Johnston on the Irish Annelides. lamina of the setigerous tubercle is oval and not more than half the size it has in N, renalis ; and the foliaceous appendage to the ventral cirrus in the former is also proportionably small^ and of a roundish figure^ without any additional lobular ap- pendage. Nereis margaritacea, described in the ^ Annals/ vol. iii. p. 294, is also nearly alHed to this species, and is, I suspect, the same as the Nereis podophylla of Savigny. It requires re-ex- amination ; and I would remark, that as these species are easily injured, and their appendages tear and fold up readily, several feet ought to be examined before fixing on their true shape and character. I had made several figures of the feet of iV. renalis before the one now given, which, I beHeve, ex- hibits a correct outline of its ordinary conformation. 8. N, longissima, jaws obsoletely serrated at the base, plain towards the points; proboscis without prickles; upper branchial lobe with a helmet-shaped crest, the setiferous tubercle with large kidney-shaped lamellae, and a smaller one of the same figure is appended to the base of the ventral cirrus ; superior cirrus rather longer than its lobe. Fig. 9. Nereis longissima. Hah. Coast of co. Down, Wm. Thompson, Esq. The specimen before me is of the extraordinary length of two feet ! but as it has become very soft in the spirits, it would perhaps not much exceed 18 inches when alive. It is of the thickness of a goose-quill, and of a pearl colour with olivaceous feet, which are very large and flexile. Head di- Dr. Johnston on the Irish Annelides. 1 79 stinct, rather small^ obtusely triangular ; the antennae minute and shorter than the palpi ; proboscis large, destitute of all horny prickles, but armed with powerful jaws, which are only faintly serrulated near the base. Post-occipital segment not larger than the second : tentacular cirri short, not so long as the breadth of the segment. Segments very numerous : feet of the anterior pairs with 3 rather long papillary and equal branchial lobes, the dorsal cirrus not reaching much beyond their apices ; but the posterior feet much resemble those of N. renalis. Although the size of an animal is not usually reckoned a good specific character, yet we know that every species has in this respect certain limits which it never either much exceeds or falls short of. For this reason it seems to me impossible to regard Nereis longissima as a variety of N, renalis, notwith- standing the similarity in the structure and figure of the feet would induce that belief; and I have been fain to resort to the distinctions afforded by the jaws and proboscis for their separa- tion. This is the only known species with a prickless proboscis, and the serratures of the jaws are likewise fainter than in any other I have examined. As the specimen of N, longissima is not in a good condition, some allowance will be made, should the outline given of the posterior foot be found not wholly exact, but I am confident that the general contour and pro- portions are accurately expressed. Before I exalnined this worm I had mistaken it for a spe- cies of Phyllodoce, which it more resembles in size and gene- ral aspect than a Nereis, and it is obviously a transition spe- cies, proving the affinity of these two genera. The foliaceous lamellae of the feet are quite similar in structure to the branchial leaflets oi the Phyllodoce, and from the manner in which they are veined, are evidently also branchial in their function. N.B. The numbers affixed to the figures express the number of the seg- ment from which the foot was taken that served for the figure : m means that the foot was from near the middle ; and p from near the posterior ex- tremity of the body. [To be continued.] 180 Mr. E. Forbes on the British Actiniadae. XX. — On the British Actiniadae. By Edward Forbes, Esq. [With a Plate.] I. Such Actiniadae or simple soft Helianthoid Polypes as are found in the seas of Britain may be arranged under five ge- nera, namely, Lucernaria (Muller), Anthea (Johnston), Acti- nia (Linnaeus), and two which I propose to constitute under the names of Adamsia and Iluanthos, the first for the recep- tion of the Actinia maculata of Pennant, the second for a new animal procured on the west coast of Scotland during last summer. As the Actiniadae conduct us very naturally from the Zoophytes to the Actinodermata, we should expect to find some two genera more closely linking the approaching fami- lies of each great order than the other genera composing these families ; such seem to me to be found among the Zoophytes in Lucernaria and among the Actinodermata in Vorticella, which I regard as a pedunculated Actinodermatous animal. By the laws of analogy such an animal should exist, corre- sponding with the Crinoid Starfishes among the Echinoder- mata, which in like manner connect that order with the Zoo- phytes through the suborder Ascidioidea on the part of the latter. As there can be but one analogy in the tribe of the importance assumed by Lucernaria, the other genera are representatives of minor groups, Anthea standing by itself as' the typical ge- nus of the Actiniadae. Actinia we may regard as a soft Ca- ri/ophyllia, Huanthos as a soft Turbinolia, and Adamsia pro- bably as an encrusting Zoophyte. The points of generic character among the Actiniadae ap- pear to be, (1st,) the general form ; (2nd,) the mode of attach- ment ; and (3rd,) the arrangement and retractility of the ten- tacula. The sources of primary specific character are in Lucerna- ria, (1st,) the mode of attachment ; (2nd,) the number and ar- rangement of tentacula ; and (3rd,) the presence or absence of intermediate marginal tubercles (eyes?). In Anthea, (1.) the characters of the body j (2.) the length ; and (3.) the structure of the tentacula. v47^^.. yf^y^^^f/.Vol.V. PI. ni J^^i/a^^.fJfi/s sr^f^ci/s. A S//^/y^ J^/yt. . ^// f'.''i'oivrr/>y/rrfy. <^MUS^ and not a freak of nature. As is often the case with the pro- ductions of the interior, the colonists were entirely unac- quainted with the mode of growth of the plant which pro- duced these strange nuts. They were generally found after the annual swelling of the Essequibo had subsided along its banks, and for a length of time it was pretended that they grew on a creeper ; and from the resemblance of its kernel to a snake, it was supposed that it might prove an antidote to snake-poison. After my return from the interior of British Guiana, and while at the post Ampa at the Essequibo, I ascertained from Mr. Richardson, then postholder, that the snake-nut was the fruit of a large tree, and that several grew in the vicinity of his abode. I therefore embraced the first opportunity to ascend the brook Ampa in order to see it. The tree stood near the banks of the brook, as also did other trees of the same description which I saw afterwards, and this explains its fruits being so frequently found along the low banks of the islands Leguan, Wakenaam, &c., on the mouth of the Essequibo. The tree was just about ceasing to bear for the season, and began to put forth its blossoms ; unfortunately they were not far enough advanced to determine without hesitation its class and order, but there is no doubt that it belongs to the natural order of Terebinthacece, nearly related to the division Ju- * Communicated to the Linnaean SoQiety, and read June 6, 1 837. Mr. Schomburgk on the Snuke-nitt Tree, 20* glandice^ . All the buds which I opened consisted apparentl}^ of 3 stamens and 1 pistil ; the calyx was imbricated, and this might have induced me to consider it a Carya or Juglans ; but the leaves of the tree in question are smooth and entire, while those of the others, with the exception of two species, are serrated. It is not a Carya^ the nut of which is 4-angulated and 4- valved, while the nut of Juglans, as well as the snake-nut, is 2-valved. I had requested Mr. Richardson to procure me some of the flowers of the Snake-nut tree when perfectly open, but he did not succeed in drying them, which unfortunately prevented him from sending any, and I am thus obliged to wait for another opportunity of correctly describing this re- markable plant. I offer the following description meanwhile provisionally. Order. Terebinthace^.. Calyx imbricatus. Corolla 3-petala. Drupa bivalvis. 1-sperma. Vulg. Snake-nut tree. Arbor excelsa, truncus glaber, cortice laevi cinereo. Folia pinnata ; fo- liola petiolata 3 — 6-juga cum imparl, lanceolato-ovata, acuminata, in- tegerrima, sifbcoriacea, venosa, glabra, nitida. Petioli universales supra canaliculati, glabri, articulati, partiales breves. Flores paniculati; paniculae in ramulis terminales subinde axillares; ramosas; floribus brevissime pedicellatis, numerosis confertis. Calyx imbricatus. Co- rolla 3-petala, ovata, concava. Drupa coriacea unisperma, unilocu- laris, glabra, sphaerica, Nux dura, glabra, bivalvis, unilocularis ; nucleo albo. Hah. in sylvis Guianse prope fluvium Essequibo. Floret ApriJi. It is a tree of the first magnitude ; its bark is gray, rather smooth, dividing in a few branches at a height of from 40 to 60 feet, adorned with pinnated leaves, consisting generally of four to six pairs with an odd one ; the common foot- stalk as well as the petioles are articulated, the former channeled; the leaves entire, lanceolate, ovate, acuminate, lucid, coria- ceous, their colour between light and dark green, with a shade lighter below. The flowers appear in panicles, are pendulous, and the flower-stalks of red-brown colour, almost farinaceous, chiefly the smaller flower-stalks ; verticillate and * It stands perhaps between the Anacardice and Juglandice. P 2 204 Mr. Schomburgk on the Snake-nut Tree, sparely flowered; the calyx is imbricated, the corolla has 3 petals_, ovate and concave, and is of a lilac colour. What is most remarkable is however the fruit, a thin cori- aceous drupa, with a smooth nut, the kernel of which resem- bles a snake most strikingly. It is covered like the walnut with a membrane ; the embryo is roundish ; the head of the snake becomes a claviform radicle, and the tail (Mirbel's scapellus or DeCandoUe's ^ tigelle ') bears two large foliaceous cotyledons, with several nerves, depressed, plaited, and applied to the radicle ; the colour of the embryo and cotyledons is white, but the nerves of the latter are of a lake colour ; as soon as exposed to the air they change into a dark -brown. When the fruit is about to ger- minate, the scapellus or Higelle' bends towards the base of the cotyledons, bursts the nut, and having made room for the seed-lobes, they unfold and take an erect situation, while the rhizoma has sent its roots into the earth. No trials have been made whether the tree or its fruit pos~ sess any medicinal properties : as already observed, the re- semblance of a snake has induced the populace to consider it an antidote for snake-poison. The tree appears to be peculiar to the lower part of the river Essequibo and its tributaries, at least it has not as yet been found anywhere else. It blos- soms in March and April, and its fruit comes to maturity in November. The above figure exhibits the appearance of the embryo after the outer shell has been removed : a, is the radicle or rhizoma ; J, the neck, tigelle, or collet ; c, the two cotyledons, which have been unfolded, as they are other- ■wise applied to d r/, and partly surround the embryo. The figures in Plate III. represent the Nut and its snake-like Kernel. Information respecting Botanical Travellers. 205 XXIV. — Information respecting Botanical Travellers. Extracts from a Journal of the Mission which visited Bootan, in 1837-38. U7ider Captain R. Boileau Pemberton. By W. Grif- PiTH, Esq., Madras Medical Establishment. [Continued from p. 125.] March 1st. Proceeded to Byagur or Juggur. The vegetation con- tinued the same, the road traversing either sward or fir woods, con- fiisting entirely of Pinus excelsa. The valley in which Byagur is si- tuated is still larger than that of Bhoomlungtung : it is drained by a large river, which is crossed by a somewhat dilapidated wooden bridge ; the elevation is about 8150 feet. The cultivation is similar to that of the other valley, but the crops looked very unpromising. The soil is by no means rich, and the wind excessively bleak ; wheat or barley are the only grains cultivated. The mountains which hem in this valley are not very lofty ; to the north, in the back ground, perpe- tual snow was visible. To our west was the ridge which we were told w^e should have to cross, and which in its higher parts could not be less than 12,000 feet. March 4th. We commenced ascending the above ridge almost im- mediately on starting ; surmounting this, which is of an elevation at the part we crossed of 1 1 ,035 feet, we continued for some time at the same level, through fine open woods of Firms Smithiana : having de- scended rapidly afterwards to a small nullah, 9642 feet in elevation, we then reascended slightly to descend into the Jaisa valley. On the east side of the ridge, i. e. that which overlooks Byagur, we soon came on snow, but none was seen on its western face, notwithstand- ing the great elevation. The country was very beautiful, particu- larly in the higher elevations. I may here advert to the bad taste exhibited in naming such objects after persons, with whom they have no association whatever. As it is not possible for all travellers to be consecrated by genera, although this practice is daily becoming more common, we should connect their names with such trees as are familiar to every European. As we have a Pinus Gerardiana and Webbiana, so we ought to have had Pinus Herbertiana and Moor croft ■■ iana, &c. By so doing, on meeting with fir trees among the snow- clad Himalayas, we should not only have beautiful objects before us, but beautiful and exciting associations of able and enduring travel- lers. Of Capt. Herbert, the most accomplished historian of these magnificent mountains, there is nothing living to give him a " local habitation and a name." It will be a duty to me to remedy this neglect; and if I have not a suflSciently fine fir tree hitherto unde- 206 Information respecting Botanical Travellers. scribed in the Bootan collection, I shall change the name of the very- finest hitherto found, and dignify it by the name Herbertiana. The prevailing tree was the Smithian pine. We saw scarcely any villages, and but very little cultivation. Jaisa is a good-sized village ; it was comparatively clean, and the houses were, I think, better than most we had hitherto seen. There is a good deal of wheat cultivation around the village, which is not the only occupant of the valley : this is the highest we had yet seen, and is perhaps one of the high- est inhabited valleys known, as it is 9410 feet above the sea; it is drained by a small stream, and is of less extent than either that of Byagur or Bhoomlungtung. The surrounding hills are covered with open fir woods, and are of no considerable height. Larks, magpies, and red-legged crows, continued plentiful, but on leaving this valley we lost them. March 5th. We proceeded up the valley, keeping along the banks of the stream for some time ; we then commenced ascending a ridge, the top of which we reached about noon ; its elevation was 10,930 feet. The descent from this was for about 2500 feet very steep and uninterrupted, until we reached a small torrent at an elevation of 8473 feet; from this we ascended slightly through thick woods of oak, &c. until we came on open grassy tracts, through which we now gradually descended at a great height above the stream, which we had left a short time before. We continued descending rather more rapidly until we came to a point almost immediately above Tongsa, by about 1000 feet ; from this the descent was excessively steep. The distance was 13 miles. On the ascent snow was com- mon from a height of 9000 feet upwards. The vegetation on this, or the eastern side, was in some places similar to that above Byagur. Beautiful fir woods formed the chief vegetation, until we came close to the summit, when it changed completely. Rhododendrons, Bogh putiah, and a species of birch and bamboos, were common, mixed with a few black pines. The woods through which we de- scended, were in the higher elevations almost entirely of rhododen- drons ; and lower down chiefly of various species of oak and maple — the former being dry and very open, the latter humid and choked up with underwood. After coming on the open grassy country we did not revert to well- wooded tracts. No villages occurred, nor did we see any signs of cultivation after leaving the valley of Jaisa until w^e came near Tongsa, above which barley fields were not uncommon. Tongsa, although the second, or at any rate the third place in Bootan, is as miserable a place as anybody would wish to see. It is wretchedly situated in a very narrow ravine, drained by a petty stream, on the Information respecting Botanical Travellers. 20? tongue of land formed by its entrance into the large torrent Matee- sum, which flows 1200 feet below where the castle stands. The sur- rounding country is uninteresting, the vegetation consisting of a few low shrubs and some grasses : of the former the most common are a species of barberry, and a hitherto undescribed genus of Hamamelid5* 2 I S? & ^ g ^ ^ '<■ ?5 > 55 >; Ht« H)C» -IW '-k^ H|« rnlN rtld H|r< wW MiM SE^2SS'^'^^^^t^<^0'-'^^cj^ooooo>oocoo*0'^OCOOlc'OOOIcoOCOOrO«OCOro '|«-<|« •UOJSOa u:)i^--t^t--r^u:)rr)rot^c^c.'rfovnoboocJ l^^c^ooooo^^t^^^cooc»c^OTtoc^(^^o■^^oo■^ooo^oooo^o^(N 3 Mt X r^opopop yi'r^O' t;^o< 90000 900 -— c•olOtoc^o^c^ O'^"^0^-^'*iOco^ o u^i'^tcs totooo o ^o -'^to-^-^Loio^ t~-io "^rod — < o c^(^^ od oo-^rooj d coco— — 'oo cy^oo ■^00 O"O00Tjn^ocod(Ni-ioo^od— |'-HCO'^coc^'— ojfO-''~'i>-coQO '-^'^'.t .■..rvo/of/y. J.D.C ANNALS OF NATURAL HISTORY. XXV.-^Ow the recent Doctrines of Vegetable Embryology, By Herbert Giraud^ Member of the Council of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh^ Ext. Mem. Med. Soc. Edin. [With a Plate.] Notwithstanding the rapid progress which has of late been made in developing the phaenomena attendant on the repro- duction of plants, still the true theory of phanerogamic em- bryology has not yet been fully established. The discoveries of Amici, Brown, and Brongniart, proceeding so far in advance of the old doctrines of Kselreuter, Gaertner and Linnaeus, gave, as it were, a fresh impulse to the inquiry regarding the intimate nature of the origin and development of the embryo in flowering plants ; hence, in this country, but more parti- cularly on the continent, this subject has been prosecuted with considerable zeal and activity ; and it has certainly re- ceived much elucidation by the disclosure of phaenomena hitherto little suspected. Still, however, the statements of some of the most eminent of the continental phy tologists are of a very opposite nature, and the hypotheses to which they would justly lead, are still more widely discrepant. I here allude to the very discordant opinions, regarding the origin of the embryo, entertained by Schleiden, Wydler, and many of the German botanists on the one hand, and the views main- tained by Mirbel, Spach, and Brongniart on the other. The facts and doctrines advanced by Schleiden and his follow- ers have been made known to British botanists chiefly through the medium of a translation by Dr. Wood of Bristol, published in the L. and Ed. Philosophical Magazine for March 1838 ; as, however, some of the readers of this paper may not yet be aware of the views of Schleiden, I will venture shortly to de- tail them ; that a general view may be taken of the disputed points and of the question as it at present stands. According Ann. Nat, Hist, Vol.5. No. 3 1 . Jw/ie 1 840. r 226 Mr. H. Giraud on the recent Doctrines to this observer*, at a very early period of the development of the ovule, a cellule from the interior of the nucleus, which ori- ginally differed not from the surrounding ones, is developed to an extraordinary degree, and presses more or leps on the sur- rounding tissue of the nucleus, which is then absorbed from within outwards. This cellule is the embryo-sac (membrana amnii, Malpighi ; sac-embryonnaire, Brongniart ; quintine, Mirbel) w^hich exists in all phanerogamic plants without ex- ception, even before impregnation. This embryo-sac contains a substance which is gradually transformed into cellular tis- sue ; and being ultimately developed wdthin the embryo-sac, forms (when not absorbed by the growth of the embryo) the endosperm, or albumen of most authors. The pollen tube, having made its way through the conducting tissue of the stigma, and having reached the ovule, penetrates the aperture in the teguments, traverses the summit of the nucleus, and following the intercellular passages arrives at the embryo-sac. Having reached this point the pollen tube presses before it the membrane of the embrj^o-sac, which is then folded all around it ; so that the extremity of the pollen tube appears to penetrate into the sac ; though in reality it is on the outside of it. (PI. IV. fig. 1. and 2.) Thus inclosed the extremity of the pollen tube enlarges into the form of an oval spheroid, and its contents are converted into cellular tissue ; at its sides are formed the lateral organs or cotyledons, from which the ex- tremity remains distinct and is developed into the plumule. The portion of the tube situated above the embryo, and which is embraced by a duplicature of the embryo-sac, is gradually but completely obliterated ; so that the embryo is then left free within its sac. In this way the embryo is formed of two membranes ; — the indented embryo-sac and the membrane of the pollen tube. (Fig. 2.) With these statements of Schlei- den the still more recent observations of Wydlerf agree, exceptas regards the folding in of the embryo-sac, which this last observer has never met with ; but it appeared to him * Schleiden, Sur la formation de I'ovule, et I'origine de I'embryon dans les Phanerogames, Ann. des Scien. Nat. 2nde Serie. Botan. Mars, 1839. f Wydler, Note sur la formation de I'embryon (Extrait d'une lettre de M. Wydler, professeur k Berne, communique par M. A. St. Hilaire a I'Aca- demie des Sciences k Paris, Oct. 1838.) of Vegetable Embryology, 227 that the cavity of the sac elongated itself, under the form of a straight canal, even to the summit of the ovule, and there opened in the endostome and received the extremity of the pollen tube. If the truth of these observations be admitted, two very ob- vious conclusions will result. 1st. Our notions regarding the functions of what are called the male and female organs (sta- mens and pistils) must be materially altered, and the sexes of the two sets of organs respectively exchanged ; the anther must be considered as a female ovarium, and each pollen grain as the germ of a new organism, being determined in its development by the secretions of the embryo-sac ; this last structure therefore must be held to correspond with the male organ. 2nd. The process described by Schleiden obviously establishes a close analogy in the development of the embryo between the phanerogamia and those cryptogamia in which the sporules appear to be conversions of the cellular tissue of the foliaceous organs ; for the same part in both furnishes the groundwork of the new plant in each gioup. It has been conceived by Dr. Carpenter* that it is not the extremity of the pollen tube, but one of the pollen granules transmitted along the tube, which is ultimately developed into the embryo, and that hence a still more intimate analogy may be instituted between the reproductive organs of flowering and those of flowerless plants ; a precisely similar function being performed by the theca and the anther, and by the spore and the pollen grain. These doctrines, so deeply affecting some of the most generally received opinions regarding the reproduction of flowering plants, have not passed without the critical investigations of other observers, but have incited MM. Mirbel and Spach to enter on a series of inquiries un- dertaken for the express purpose of testing the accuracy of the statements of Schleiden and Wydler. As far as I am aware, these observations have not yet been published, and are little known in this country ; they were conducted with the view of ascertaining the intimate nature of the develop- * Carpenter, Dr. W. B., Principles of General and Comparative Phy- siology. R 2 228 Mr. H. Giraud on the recent Doctrines ment of the embryo in Zea Mays. The following are the re- sults which were obtained, arranged, as by Mirbel and Spach, under seven general heads, corresponding with the progressive periods of the growth of the female organs*. First Period, — The origin of the female spike of the Zea Mays, like that of all the external organs of plants, commences in a simple excrescence of cellular tissue, invisible to the naked eye. As it advances in age, this excrescence enlarges, elon- gates, becomes conical, and is studded partially from base to apex with little projections, which separately give origin to others. Each group of mammiUary projections is the germ of a future flower ; but seldom more than one becomes developed in each group, the rest being abortive. The remaining one, or that which is ultimately formed into a flower, produces at its circumference little thin cushions of tissue (bourrelets) in the form of rims, some of which form complete circles, others only semicircles ; all however being concentric. Each of these little margins is quickly transformed into either a bract, a glume, a carpel, an ovary, or the integument of an ovule, ac- cording to the relative position which it occupies. The apex of the mammillary projection constitutes at this period the nucleus of the ovule. Second Period. — The ovarium has now the form of a small cup with a large orifice, and its parietes consist of a thin and transparent membrane. The nucleus is fixed to the base of the ovarium ; — an arrangement which is constant in the Mays. The primine and secundine proceed from the circumference of the nucleus, which they partly inclose. The first of these envelopes being much shorter than the other, surrounds the nucleus only at its base ; hence it follows that the endostome sensibly extends beyond the exostome. Third Period. — The style, of which, up to this period, there was not the least appearance, arises from that side of the ova- rium which is nearest to the axis of the spike ; as it elongates it assumes the form of a straight lamina of tissue. The ovule with its two membranes, — the primine and secundine, has • Notes pour servir a I'Histoire de rembryologie vegetale. Par MM. Mirbel et Spach, Ann. des Scien. Nat. 2nde Serie, Botan. Avril 18;}9. of Vegetable Embryology, 229 now changed its position ; its axis was at first parallel with that of the spike ; but it is now inclined at an angle of about 45°. The secundine is still in advance of the primine. Fourth Period, — The ovary is now of a rounded form, ha- ving its orifice narrowed into a kind of canal. The style con- tinues to enlarge, and has its upper extremity terminated by two dentitions, more or less distinct, which may be considered as constituting a double stigma. The axis of the ovule now makes an angle of 90° or 100° with that of the ovarium, but coincides with that of the nucleus, at the apex of which it terminates. Very near this point, in the interior of the nu- cleus, there appears a small ovoid cavity, which contains a transparent mucous matter, first pointed out by Schleiden. (Fig. 4 d,) In the same ratio as the axis of the ovule in- clines from that of the spike, do these portions of the pri- mine and secundine, which lie on the opposite side, increase in size and elongate ; while those portions which are attached to the side next the axis of the spike remain almost stationary in their development : from both these envelopes a process extends into the canal leading from the ovarium. Fifth Period, — ^The ovarium continues to enlarge and the style to elongate ; in the latter may be observed, as Brongniart first noticed, two bundles of tubes, which, after running to- gether for a short distance, divide and pass off to each side of the ovarium, and continuing in a parallel direction, are ulti- mately lost in the dentiform projections which constitute the stigma. At this period the ovule is inclined at an angle of from 125° to 135°. The mucilage of the little cavity situated at the apex of the nucleus disappears ; and at the same point may be distinctly seen a large ovoid, diaphanous utricle, which fills and lines the cavity. (Fig. 5 a.) This utricle is called by Mirbel the primary utricle. The fact of such an organ being formed, and of its having acquired a sensible progress in growth, before the period of impregnation, is of the great- est importance vrith reference to the views of Schleiden ; this utricle is what is described by that observer as " I'extremite anterieure du boyau poUenique.^^ It is surrounded by a thin projection, upon which are attached small spiral vesicles, ar- ranged in close clusters ; and it is terminated at its inferior 230 Mr. H. Giraud on the recent Doctrines extremity by a filiform tubular appendage, projecting at the endostome, and called by Mirbel the suspensor. This last organ is considered by Schleiden to be a portion of the pollen tube. This early formation of the primary utricle, which may be considered as the first outline of the embryo, has been proved by Mirbel and Spach in a large number of the Gramineae ; — in all those, in fact, which they have examined. Sixth Period. — Immediately after its first appearance the primary utricle contains a fluid opake matter, in which how- ever may be perceived an organized substance composed of globules having each a small central cavity ; it is called by Mirbel " Globulo-cellular cambium.^^ This substance soon transforms itself into a mass of membranous tissue, which be- comes moulded to the cavity of the primary utricle and its suspensor ; this last organ now sensibly elongates and en- larges. (Fig. 6.) Seventh Period. — It now becomes evident that the primary utricle, and the cellular tissue with which its cavity is filled, constitute the first trace of an embryo, which now enlarges at its thickest part, and elongates into a cellular lanceolate point ; this is the lamina of the seminal leaf (hypoblaste, A. Richard ; carnode, H. de Cassini), the inferior surface of which is in re- lation with the interior of the ovule, the superior with the axis of the spike ; at its base is the radicle, terminated by an empty, flaccid, lacerated tube, — the last vestige of the suspensor, which has gradually been absorbed. Upon the upper surface of the lamina, immediately above the point at which it unites with the radicle, there is formed a projection or swelling of the tis- sue, which is the commencement of the plumule ; it soon ex- tends itself, and becomes imbedded in a kind of hood, in the cavity of which the first rudiments of the stem leaves make their appearance. The edges of this little hood gradually approach each other, unite, and form a kind of pouch* (cotyledon, A. Richard and H. de Cassini). (Fig. ^. and 8.) * Schleiden has of late imagined that this pouch represents the ligule of the cotyledon leaf; — an hypothesis which, though at first sight very attract- ive, loses all its probability as soon as germination commences ; for then the pedicel, which always takes its origin above the point of the attachment of the cotyledon leaf, is seen to elongate, and to bear up with it the little of Vegetable Embryology. 231 In tracing out the development of the embryo in others of the Gramineae, MM. Mirbel and Spach found the phaenomena presented by each species to be so closely similar^ that the em- bryogeny of the Zea Mays may justly be considered as the type of this process as carried on in all the Gramineae : still however a few modifications of minor importance were dis- closed ; thus, in the Zea Mays, the Euchlcena mexicana, the Coix Lacryma, and in Tripsacum hermaphroditum the ovule remains attached to the base of the cavity of the ovarium, however advanced the period of development may be ; but in Sorgham vulgare and Melica nutans the attachment of the ovule is so displaced that this body is found fixed to that in- ternal portion of the wall of the cavity of the ovary which cor- responds to its anterior surface. Again, in Zea Mays, and in Euchlcena mexicana, the apex of the ovule is inclined, and, as it begins to approach its base, the primine completely covers the secundine. About the same period those parts of the two envelopes which correspond with the orifice of the ovary, elongate into two empty points, of which one is inclosed within the other. Lastly, the primary utricle in Euchlcena differs from that of Zea and Sorgham, resembling a little crooked cone, the base of which is rounded ; and the suspen- sor, which in Sorgham and Zea arises from the base of the utricle, and elongates itself in the direction of the axis to ar- rive at the exostome, arises in this instance from the side of the utricle, a little above its base ; and in elongating towards the exostome it follows an oblique direction. On comparing the observations of Schleiden and Wydler with those of Mirbel and Spach, which we have just stated in detail, a striking and essential difference is clearly perceptible between the conclusions to which these observations respect- ively lead, at the same time that a wide distinction is indi- cated between the doctrines necessarily flowing from each. In instituting a comparison between the conditions of the ovule and embryo during the progress of their development as stated by these observers, it will be found, that the parti- pouch with which it is surrounded. Hence we ohtain a proof that this or- gan has nothing in common with the ligula. 232 Mr. H. Giraud on the recent Doctrines cular points upon which they do not agree, and with regard to which the statements of Mirbel and Spach would appear to controvert the views of Schleiden, may be ranged under three general heads, corresponding with as many stages of the development of the female organs. 1st. Schleiden maintains that when the axis of the ovule makes an angle of about 90° with that of the style, an oval cavity, containing a limpid mucous fluid, (cambium, Mirbel,), is discovered near the apex of the nucleus ; that the forma- tion of this cavity is contemporaneous with that of the embryo- sac (quintine, Mirbel; sac-embryonnaire, Brongniart,), which soon makes its appearance, gradually increases, and becoming filled with a cellular substance, occupies a considerable space in the nucleus. Now in opposition to this, M. Mirbel's in- vestigations have shown, that the little cavity, which is always fixed to the apex of the nucleus, does not become enlarged during the growth of the ovule ; but that its fluid contents ^ soon contribute to the formation of the primary utricle. 2nd. It is asserted by Schleiden, that when the oval cavity enlarges and the embryo-sac is correspondingly developed, the tube issuing from the pollen grain penetrates to the summit of the nucleus, pressing before it the membrane of the embryo- sac, which, yielding to its pressure, forms a caecum in which the extremity of the tube is lodged. This view is opposed by the statements of Mirbel, who has shown that in many spe- cies of plants, and particularly in the Gramineae, the embryo- sac is wanting ; and that in these cases the primary utricle takes its origin from the fluid matter (cambium) of the httle cavity of the nucleus ; so that this last may be wholly desti- tute of a lining membrane, such as Schleiden would make the embryo-sac. But even supposing that this part existed and underwent the changes conceived by Schleiden, and that a por- tion of the embryo-sac was expanded into a caecum serving as a sheath for the extremity of the pollen tube, it would follow that from the translucency of the parts, the existence of two membranous expansions (the pollen tube and the embryo- sac) might readily be determined; but both Mirbel and Wydler have only succeeded in detecting one ; that, namely, which of Vegetable Embryology, 233 Schleiden takes for the extremity of the pollen tube. Again, if the membranous sac or primary utricle of Mirbel be only the extremity of the pollen tube, it would occur that, during the first formation of that utricle, the posterior part of the tube would show itself externally to the nucleus ; but Mirbel has shown that the utricle originates in the cavity of the nu- cleus, and for a long time is wholly lodged there, giving no indications externally of its presence. A fact which appears to strike at the very foundation of Schleiden^s statements is, that at the period when the observations of MM. Mirbel and Spach were made, impregnation could not possibly have taken place, for the female organs of the Zea were entirely covered by from seven to ten broad bracteae, all closely infolded within each other ; so that under this disposition of parts it was im- possible that the pollen tubes could arrive at their destination. 3rd. Schleiden states that the part of the pollen tube lodged in the caecum of the embryo-sac becomes club-shaped, and in its cavity is produced a mass of utricular tissue, with which it becomes filled ; whilst the posterior part of the tube still con- tinues in its original membranous condition ; that portion soon disappears, while the extremity of the tube becomes transformed into the embryo, and commences a new develop- ment. Now M. Mirbel has shown that the first appearance of the primary utricle precedes the application of the pollen ; that it is independently engendered in the ovule ; and that, conjointly with the utricles which it produces, it commences the formation of the embryo. The same observer has moreover stated that the flaccid membranous tube by which the young radicle terminates, is not the posterior part of the pol- len tube, but the suspensor, or appendage of the primary utricle, of which it evidently forms a part, as its elongation takes place from within outwards, and not from without in- wards. The refutation of the doctrines of the German phytologists, thus apparently afforded by the observations of MM. Mirbel and Spach, would serve to establish the generally received opinions regarding the sexual functions of the reproductive organs of flowering plants, and to maintain the present views ' 234 Mr. H. Giraud on the recent Doctrines of the nature of phanerogamic generation ; for certainly the investigations of these latter observers lay more claim to our confidence than those of Schleiden^ from their having been conducted with greater care^ and in a regular chronological order*. But with reference to this question, I believe that an induction may be drawn from a source, which, whilst it is derived from the most universal law of the development of plants, is free from those errors which will ever be found to creep into microscopical investigations, even when conducted by the most skillful hands. From the recent additions which have been made to our knowledge regarding the morphology of the reproductive organs, I think it may be shown, that a consideration of the morphological conditions of the ovule and embryo, independ- ent of arguments founded on any other grounds, w ould lead to the conclusion — that the embryo is originally a body fo- reign to the ovule, and introduced into it from without — a view corroborative of the opinions of Schleiden. Most authors make four great stages in the morphology of the sexual system ; — viz. the whorl of the calyx, corolla, sta- mens, and pistil. I think, however, we may make five or even six, by including what I believe to be leaf formations of the ovule. According to these authors, the upper and last stage of metamorphosis is that of the fruit-leaf (carpellary leaf), which, in each of its three dimensions, is changed in a peculiar way. But does the axis terminate with this carpel- lary whorl of leaf metamorphosis? Von Martins f is of opinion that the axile formation is terminated by the recep- tacle, upon which the fruit-leaf is situated ; so that the elon- gation of the axis is herewith at an end. M. Mohl, found- * The very anomalous phsenomena attendant on the embryogeny of San- talum album (so accurately described by Mr. Griffith in the Linn. Trans, vol. xviii. Part I.) are equally opposed to the views of Schleiden; for in no case could Mr. G. perceive the membrane of the embryo-sac either pierced or depressed by the pollen tubes. And, in the cases of Loranthus and Viscum, he found that the formation of the ovule was a process subsequent to impregnation ; — an observation at total variance with the idea that the ovule or female organ is a nidus adapted to the development of an embryo, supposed to be derived entirely and directly from the male. f M. Von Martius, Die Metamorphose der Pflanzen, 1837. of Vegetable Embryology. 235 ing, as I suppose, his opinion on the production of buds on the leaves of Bryophyllum and Malaxis paludosa, concludes that the ovules always spring from the upper surface and margins of a carpel leaf, and that they are wholly unconnected with the axis, which, as he supposes, has no share in the for- mation of the ovarium. Certainly the position of the ovules on the edges of the carpellary leaves in Papaver and others, or at the sides of the midribs in Viola, Sac, would appear to favour these opinions. Professor Meyen* believes that the origin of the ovules is fourfold ; that they originate most frequently at the mar- gins of the carpellary leaves ; next, at the sides of the midribs of the carpel leaves ; and lastly, from the axis, where they occur either at the end of the axile formation, or at the side of the frequently much shortened axis. The facts, however, from which these statements are deduced, may be explained upon the supposition that the ovule is an axile formation; and if the ovula be considered as analogous to buds, they will fall in with that very general law — that a bud is never formed on a leaf, but from the axis or its derivative organs alone. The case of Bryophyllum alone offers a real excep- tion to this view. MM. Henry and Marquartf have represented the car- pellary leaves separated from the axis and forming stamens, while nevertheless the axile formation produced ovules; than which no better proof can be afforded of the elon- gation of the axis. The most obvious conclusion regard- ing the nature of the true Placenta centrahs hbera is that it is a prolongation of the axis, as in the Polygonece and in Taxus', and Schleiden, who coincides in this view, enume- rates several examples which tend to prove its correctness ; such as the condition of the ovaria of the Fumariaceas and Cruciferae, and of the cones of the Coniferae. Von Martius states that the reproductive organs produce axes of peculiar * Report on the Progress of Vegetable Physiology during the year 1837. 13y F. J. F. Meyen, M.D. Translated by William Francis. Lond. 1839. f Ueber abnorme Bildungen des Fruchtknotens der Salix cinerea, L. mit einer Tafel Abbildungen. Ersten Jahvesbericht des Botanischen Vereines am Mittel- und Niederrhein. Bonn, 1837. 236 Mr. H. Giraud on the recent Doctrines structure, (meaning the ovules with their embryos,) which separate from the primitive axis, and commence an inde- pendent hfe ; but it is impossible to reconcile this with his former statement — that the axis terminates at the receptacle. If it be conceded that the axis is prolonged into the ovarium, and has its share in the formation of the placenta, then may we conclude that the ovule itself is an axile formation, and that it is in all respects analogous to a leaf-bud ; hence the ovular membranes, inclosing the nucleus, must be collateral, or true leaf formations. The correctness of this view may be moreover established on the following grounds. The primine and secundine, at a very early period of their development, are not presented each as a continuous membrane encircling the nucleus, but they consist of several portions, forming two whorls of what I would term ovular leaves, their inter- node being wanting ; its normal position being occupied by a portion of tissue near the chalaza. This opinion is also supported by the instances which have been noticed of the descending metamorphosis of the ovule. MM. Henry and Marquart have noticed the retrograde or descending metamor- phosis in the ovules of the Salix cinerea, and have represented, in drawing, a catkin, the carpels of which were filled with a number of longitudinally folded leafs occupying the normal situation of the ovules ; doubtless these were the organs which should have constituted the ovular membranes. Hence then it may be concluded that the axis has its termination at some point within the ovule ; this I would consider to be situated at the chalaza ; here, the vessels which have ascended through the woody tissues of the stem, and have penetrated the cellular structure of the placenta, are suddenly stopped, as it were, in their course, and are spread out in ramifications to the nucleus and its tegumentary membranes ; thus form- ing the true organic placenta. It has been asserted by Turpin* that the axis has its ter- * Esquisse d'Organographie Vegetale, fondle sur la principe d'unite et de composition organique et d'evolution rayonnante ou centrifuge, pour servir a prouver I'identite des organes appendiculaires des vegetaux, etla metamor- phose des plantes de Goethe. Paris, 1837. of Vegetable Embryology, 237 mination in the embryo; in which case, according to the general laws of vegetation, the embryo should be continuous, at its organic base, with the organic base of the ovule ; and consequently the radicle should be turned towards the cha- laza, that is to say, next the point where the ovular leaves (membranes) are connected; for in this way only can an organic continuity be established between the female parent plant and the embryo. But if the normal position of the embryo, with regard to the axis of the ovule, be considered, it will appear that in all these respects an opposite arrange- ment is presented; so that the organic base of the embryo (the radicle) is diametrically opposite to the organic base of the ovule (the chalaza), and is directed towards the micropyle. From this it is evident that the embryo cannot be considered as the product of metamorphosis within the ovule ; that it has not taken its origin in the interior of that organ, but has been introduced into it from without, that it may attain a degree of development fitting it hereafter to live as an inde- pendent axis. If this view be admitted, the doctrines of Schleiden will receive a confirmation, which must entitle them to more con- sideration than they would otherwise have merited, with the statements of Mirbel and Spach weighing so heavily against them ; for the position which we have here maintained, on morphological grounds, is not liable to have its foundations shaken by those objections which may be raised against the observations both of Schleiden and of his opponents, from the well-known inaccuracies and deceptions which are attend- ant on microscopical investigations, however carefully con- ducted. While then the accurate statements of Mirbel and Spach wo did appear to prove undoubtedly that the impregnation of the ovule is not required for the primary engendering of the first traces of the embryo, (which, if proved, would completely falsify the views of Schleiden and of Dr. Car- penter,) the morphological condition of that structure com- pels us to admit the high degree of probability which may be attached to the idea — that the embryo is a body origin- 238 Dr. PfeifFer^s Observations on the Family Helicidae, ally foreign to the ovule, and introduced into it from with- out. EXPLANATION OF PLATE IV. Fig, 1 . Part of the ovule and conducting tissue of Phytolacca decandra, a. Conducting tissue, b. Pollen tube. c. Embryo, d. Embryo-sac. e. Nucleus. /. Secundine. g. Primine. (Schleiden.) Fig. 2. The extremity of the pollen tube (embryo) indenting the em- bryo-sac. o. Pollen tube. b. Embryo, c. Embryo-sac. (Schleiden.) Fig. 3. The inferior part of an ovule of Carduus nutans, after impregna- tion, a. Pollen tube. b. Embryo, c. Embryo-sac. d. Nucleus, e. Te- guments. (Schleiden.) Fig. 4. Section of the ovarium of Zea Mays at an early period of its de- velopment, a. Primine. b. Secundine. c. Nucleus, d. The little cavity in which the primary utricle is afterwards formed. (Mirbel and Spach.) Fig. 5. The same at a more advanced period, a. The primary utricle. (Mirbel and Spach.) Fig. 6. The primary utricle, detached from the ovule, filled with the glo- bulo-cellular cambium. (Mirbel and Spach.) Fig. 7. The embryo detached, a. Cotyledon, b. The first leaf of the plumule, c. The second leaf of the plumule, (Mirbel and Spach.) Fig. 8. The embryo at a more advanced period, a. The first leaf of the plumule, b. Radicle, c. The suspensor. (Mirbel and Spach.) XXVI. — Observations on the Family Helicidae, and descrip- tion of a new Genus. By Dr. L. Pfeiffeb of Cassel*. The most difficult question concerning the limits of genera among the land moUusca has of late been frequently treated of, and with widely different results. If, on the one hand, Ferussac went much too far, in comprising nearly all air- breathing mollusca with four tentacula in his genus Helia?, still, on the other hand, the attempts at a division of this large group have not yet succeeded in a satisfactory manner. Dra- parnaud^s genera, however, form a good basis, to which I am inclined with slight deviation to return. Lamarck evidently relied too much on individual peculiarities of the shell, be- cause he was not acquainted with a sufficient number of spe- cies in which the transitions of the forms may be distinctly * From Wiegmann's Archiv, Part I. 1840. and Description of a new Genus, 239 demonstrated. This is especially the case with the genus Achatina, which had necessarily, in as far as its character was merely founded on the truncated columella, to be again united with Bulimus, as the animals, both as to their exterior as well as their anatomical characters, are perfectly similar, and all the intermediate forms may be followed, from the truncate columella oi Achat, virginea to the beautiful round aperture of BuL hcemastomus. But those species are excluded from this reunion which Montfort comprised in his genus Polyphemus, as these are not merely distinguished by the peculiar form of the columella, but likewise by the bilobate snout of the animal. I follow therefore in general the well sustained view of De- shayes, who reunites the genera Achatina and Bulimus of La- marck, and shows on anatomical grounds (Lam. viii. p. 14. 2de edit.) that they cannot be comprised under Heliw, but I can- not at all agree in the opinion expressed by the same ingenious naturalist, that Clausilia and Pupa must likewise be combined. I find, rather, no reason for separating Draparnaud^s genus Pupa from Bulimus, In the European species described by Draparnaud, there were, it is true, some constant character- istics evident which appeared to justify this separation ; but with how many species have we since then become acquainted, which have shown the earlier generic characters to be insuf- ficient, and have therefore been sometimes ascribed to the one, sometimes to the other of these genera ! In fact, I know at pre- sent not a single distinctive character between the two. The animals are perfectly identical ; the form is in both cylindrical or ovate ; and the oral edge disconnected. What therefore is left ? The form of the aperture, or its folds and teeth ? The form of the columella ? For all these characteristics the most distinct forms of transition are afforded by Ferussac^s genus Partula or Swainson's Achatinella, Are the teeth and folds of the aperture to constitute the chief character, — which for instance Menke seems to adopt, since he refers to the Pupce, the long-known Bulimus Pupa ? But how^ many toothed spe- cies do we not now refer without scruple to Bulimus, fol- lowing the analogy with Helix, while at the same time we do not class, for instance, Pupa obtusa among them ! In the ex- 240 Dr. Pfeitfer's Observations on the Family Helicidae, ceedingly difficult group of the large extra-European forms' the teeth of the aperture and the folds of the columella are a very uncertain character ; sometimes they are present, some- times missing : Pupa sulcata is perfectly toothless. On the other hand, the great affinity of this group \\dth Bulimus la- biosus^, Br. is evident, and this can just as little be separated from Bulimus f aba, Desh. {Partula australis, Fer.) as the latter from Bui. agotis, Mke. {Auricula Sileni, Lam.) Bulimus ci- trinus and the other true species of Bulimus (according to Draparnaud !). Indeed the most certain proof of a genus having been falsely established is when several of its spe- cies are thrown from one to another ; or generally when we are uncertain to which any species that occurs is to be car- ried. From all these reasons I consider that the genus Pupa, Dr., must be wholly discarded, and its species arranged with Bu- limus, But the genus Clausilia, according to its old Drapar- naudian characteristic, remains firm. Did there exist no other distinctive character, the clausium — a part evidently ana- logous to the operculum of several molluscous genera — would alone suffice to establish the genus ; and if we define this with Draparnaud^s short words thus : " Testa fusiformis ; peri- stoma continuum oblongum ; clausilium !^' we have a well-de- fined whole. It is true, a portion of the species included by Draparnaud in this genus, to suit which Lamarck (ed. Desh. viii. p. 195.) says, Ce nom fut d^abord significatif ! must then be excluded ; viz. I*', all those which have no continuous peristoma ; and 2°, those which have a circular continuous peristoma but possess no clausium. Of the former I will merely mention the Clausilia eocesa, Spix (Desh. No. 39.), and Turton's Balea fragilis, which indeed is reckoned by Draparnaud, Nilsson, and Lamarck as a Pupa ; but by Studer, C. Pfeifier (vol. iii.), and Menke as a Clausilia, Both must range, together with the genus Pupa, under Bulimus, To the second section belong Lamarck^s * Desh. No. 130. This beautiful species, adopted by Deshayes only from MUller's excellent description, is in my possession. It is represented with perfect truth in Chemnitz (ix, p. 1234.), but the figure in Gualtieri (T. 4. R.) cited with a query has no relation to it, but belongs to the species which Blainville (Malacol. tab. 39. fig. 5 a.) has figured as P%i'pa Mumia. and Description of a new Genus. 241 and Deshayes' species^ Nos. 2, 9, 40, 41, 42, 43. But since all these, on account of the regularly continuous peristoma, can be classed with none of the other genera of the family Helicidce, and on account of the structure of the animal can far less be referred anywhere else, I conceive that they form of them- selves a good genus, and propose for this the name Cylin- drella, — a name which in the first place points to the form of all the species known, modified by the termination already in use in molluscous genera. The characteristic of this new genus would be as follows : — Cylindrella, L, Pfr, — Animal heliciforme. Testa sub- cylindracea, imperforata, multispirata, saepe truncata. Peri- stoma continuum, suborbiculare. Operculum vel clausium nullum. All hitherto known species are inhabitants of the West In- dian Islands, and I myself have found in Cuba four evidently distinct species, of which two have already been described and figured by Ferussac {Helix Cochlodina perplicata and subula), the two others are perhaps new. The latter have been pre- liminarily described by me inWiegmann'sArchiv(1839, p.353.) under the name Clausilia elegans and crispula. It appears remarkable to me that all the Cuban Cyclostomata with which I am acquainted are always truncate, i. e. cast off the apex at a certain age, and reclose the open place. Almost all known species are dextral, and we should be justified in adopting this as a generic character if Chemnitz's Turbo elongatus from Jamaica [Clausilia Chemnitziana, Desh.) was not sinistrously whorled, according to the figure and clear description. (Chemn. ix. fig. 956.) In other respects this species is so nearly allied to my Cyl. elegans in its habit, that we may admit with cer- tainty that it likewise has no clausium, and belongs to the new genus, of which the following are the hitherto known species : — 1. Cylindrella gracilicollis (Clausilia truncatula. Lam, 2.) 2. collaris (Claus. collaris. Lam. 9.) 3. antiperversa (Claus. antiperversa, Desh. 40.) 4. suhula (Claus. subula, Desh. 41.) 5. perplicata (Claus. perplicata, Desh. 42.) 6. • CAemm/2'iaw« (Claus. Chemnitziana,De5^. 43.) Ann. Nat. Hist. Vol. 5. No. 31. June 1840. s 242 Dr. Pfeiffer's Observations on the Family Helicidae. 7. Cylindrella e%«^^5l Clausilia^L.iyei^er inWiegmann's 8. crispulaS Archiv, Part I. 1839, p. 353. 9. ? torticollis (Glaus, torticollis^ Lam, 1.) The first five of these species are figured by Ferussac on the 1 63rd plate^ and are referred by him to the subgenus Cochlo- dina, Rossmassler calls them^ (^Iconographie', Part 11. p. 13.) ^^ long-necked PupcB,'^ under which Sowerby (^ Genera of Shells/) also classes some species belonging here. Whether Clausilia torticollis^ Lam. from Candia, must likewise be re- ferred to Clausilia I will not venture to determine, as I am not acquainted with the species, nor is the figure at present at my disposal, and the description is slight, especially with reference to the aperture. Yet much speaks in favour of this being its true position. From what has been above stated it appears to me advan- tageous to divide the family of the Helicidce into the following genera : — 1. Vitrina, 2. Helicophanta. 3. Succinea. 4. Helios (with Carocolla and Anostoma, Lam.) 5. Bulimus (with Achatina, Lam., Pupa, Drap., Par tula y Fer., and Megaspira, Lea.) 6. Vertigo, 7. Cylindrella, 8. Clausilium, 9. Polyphemus^ Mont. The character which all have in common with the lAmacidce, and by which they are distinguished from the following orders^ are the retractile tentacles provided at the apex with eyes ; and the separate genera appear to me only in this way capable of being sufficiently established according to correct principles. Perhaps, however, some changes must be made in accordance with the structure of the animals, as I am chiefly led to sup- pose from some observations made on living specimens of Bulimus haemastomus. Mr. J. E. Gray on the Clausium of Clausilia. 243 XXVII. — Some Remarks on the foregoing Paper of Dr. L, Pfeiffer, especially on the Clausium of Clausilia. By John Edward Gray, F.R.S. Keeper of the Zoological Collec- tion in the British Museum. To the Editors of the Annals of Natural History. Dear Sirs, — I have read Dr. L. PfeifFer's paper with great interest, though, as you will perceive by the following re- marks, I differ from him in some particulars, as I consider he has just been doing what he blames others for, that is, at- tempting to establish a genus which when examined by his own views will not stand. The genus which he describes has been long known to English conchologists under the desig- nation of Brachypus, of the late Rev. Lansdown Guilding, but finding this name preoccupied, he afterwards changed it to Siphonostoma. It will be found characterized under the latter name in Mr. Swainson's volume of Lardner^s Cyclopae- dia, p. 168, f. 22, and 333, f. 97, d and e, where the Clausilia collaris of luom.,— Turbo truncatulus, Wood's Cat. Supp. f. 27, a species first figured by Lister, is called Siphonostoma cos- tata^. I have long separated the group in my cabinet ; but Dr. L. Pfeiffer appears to have overlooked one of the most essential characters of the genus, namely that there is always a slight groove in front of the mouth of the shell, forming a ridge or keel on the front of the last whorl, as in Clausilia. This groove appears to have given rise to Guilding^s latter name of the genus. I do not consider this natural and geographical group, which is only established on conchological characters, as more distinct in the family of HeUcidae, than all those genera which Dr. L. Pfeifier in this paper proposes to get rid of, as for ex- ample Anastoma, Achatina, Pupa, Balcea, Partula, Megaspira, and Achatinella, which are all equally natural and groups of confined geographical distribution. If such groups are to be used as genera all the above-named must be retained, and many more established, and at the same time I consider they are all much more distinct from each other than Vertigo is * costafum. S 2 1^44 Mr. J. E. Gray on the Clausium of Clausilia. from Pupa, which the author of the paper is wiUing to con- sider a distinct genus of the same rank as his Cylindrella. There are several other species referable to this group, besides those named by Dr. PfeifFer ; among others^ a very large and beautiful one, the giant of the genus, named Pupa purpurea by the English authors, which has a very slender tapering tip about an inch long, and then the whorl suddenly enlarges and forms a broad ovate shell ; the top which held the body of the animal in its young state being far too small for its rapidly increased size, falls off and leaves a blunt end. A second species nearly as large is Helix Maugei'cB of Wood, Cat. Sup. t. 7. f. 31. = Helix ignifera, Ferussac, n. 494. If the shell which I possess under the name of Clausilia torticollis is correctly named, it is a true Clausilia, I cannot agree with Dr. L. Pfeiffer in regarding the clau- sium of Clausilia as ^^ evidently analogous to the operculum of several molluscous genera.^^ First, It is not attached to the animal as the operculum always is, but is a mere ap- pendage to the mouth of the shell. Secondly, It is only formed when the animal has nearly reached its full growth, when it is about to complete the mouth of its shell, and not developed in the embryo of the animal while yet in the Qg^, as is the case with the operculum. Thirdly, The genus be- longs to a group of molluscous animals which are never operculated. From the above considerations I have always regarded the clausium as a peculiar modification of a tooth or plait ; I think, that when its position, use, and mode of formation is considered, this will be found to be the case. If this be correct, I do not then see how the genus Clausilia is to be separated according to Dr. L. Pfeiffer's views from Bulimus ; and as Cylindrella Chemniiziana has the ovate mouth, and the sinistral whorls of Clausilia, and I believe a rudimentary clausium, it will be necessary, if his views are carried out, to unite his genus Cylindrella to the same great group. Yours very truly, John Edward Gray. British Museum, May 14, 1840. Mr. Thompson's Additions to the Fauna of Ireland. 245 XXVIII. — Additions to the Fauna of Ireland. By W. Thomp- son, Esq., Vice-Pres. Nat. Hist. Society of Belfast. [Continued from p. 14.] MOLLUSCA*. Scalaria Trevelyana, Leach. MS. Several years ago I was favoured with specimens of this handsome shell from the coast of the county of Cork by Mr. John Humphreys. Like many other British mollusca long known to naturalists it still remains un- described, but it is not for me to attempt its description. I learn from Mr. Alder that it was discovered many years ago oa the coast of Northumberland by Miss Emma Trevelyan, in honour of whom it is named. ECHINODERMATA. Asterias aurantiaca, lAim. Youghal, Mr. R. Ball ; coasts of Down and Antrim, W. T. ; Ross bay and south-west coast of Cork, common, Mr. G. J. AUman. ■\Asterina gihbosa, Forb. Wern. Mem. vol. viii. part 1. Asterias gihbosa, Penn. Coasts of Down, Antrim, and Dublin, W. T. ; Southern and western shores, Mr. R, Ball. Linkia rosea, mihi. Asterias rosea. Mull. Zool. Dan. vol. ii. p. 35. tab. 67. In Mr. R. Ball's collection, I have seen two specimens of this star-fish, which is an addition to the British Fauna — they were obtained • Trochus miUegranus, Philippi, Enum. Moll. Siciliae, p. 183. tab. 10. f.25. This species has been in my collection for some years from the northern and southern localities of Strangford lough and Bantry bay. Mr. Forbes informs me that it is to this Trochus the name of T. Martini is applied in Mr. Smith's paper lately published in the Wernerian Memoirs (vol. viii. Part L). It is there stated that Mr. Alder found the species at Dublin ; but I understand that the Irish specimens thus alluded to were not from that locality, but from the one first mentioned here. Mr. Humphreys of Cork, from whom I had the Bantry bay specimen in 1835, stated that Dr. Turton had named it T. conuloides. f Goniaster Templetoni, Thomp. Forbes, Wern. Mem. vol. viii. On ex- amination of a species of Goniaster obtained by Mr. Ball from the Nymph Bank more than twenty years ago, it seemed to correspond with the descrip- tion of what Mr. Templeton considered doubtfully as the Ast. equestris (Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. ix. p. 237.) and appearing at the same time to be un- described I named it as above. Mr. Templeton's specimen is not now available for comparison, but the gentleman who found it, on being lately shown one from the south, stated that they were certainly of the same spe- cies. The G. Templetoni approaches the Ast. puluillus, Mull. Z. D. vol. i. p. 19. tab. 19. more nearly than any other, and chiefly differs from it in the under surface being conspicuously tessellated. 246 Mr. Thompson's Additions to the Fauna of Ireland. in 1818 at the Nymph Bank, off the southern coast. One spe- cimen, which is perfect, is 4 inches across ; the arms of the other, though much injured, are each 5 inches in length. The spe- cies is admirably represented in the Zoologia Danica. Stellonia violacea, mihi. Asterias violacea, Mull. Zool. Dan. vol. ii. p. 7. tab. 46. Northern, eastern, and southern (R. Ball) coasts. The typical forms of S. violacea and S. ruhens are very distinct in appearance, yet, through their varieties, they sometimes approach so nearly as to render the propriety of their separation as species somewhat doubtful. Stellonia glacialis, Forb. Wern. Mem. vol. viii. Asterias glacialis, Linn. angulosa. Mull. Z. D. vol. ii. p. 1. tab. 41. Youghal, Mr. R. Ball ; south-west coast of Cork, Mr. G. J. AUman. This species attains a very large size on the southern coast ; on the north-east I have obtained a few very small specimens only. Ast. glacialis is noticed in Templeton's catalogue as having been found by Mr. Grimshaw, from whom I learn that the A. glacialis of Flem. Brit. Anim. {Stell. rubens, Forbes) is the spe- cies alluded to, and not the present one. f Stellonia hispida, Forb. Wern. Mem. \ Asterias hispida, Penn. Coast of Down, W. T. f Luidia fragilissima, Forbes. \ Asterias rubens, Johnst. Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. ix. p. 144, f. 20. Common about Youghal, Mr. R. Ball ; Glendore, county Cork, Mr. Allman. Ophiura albida, Forbes. Common on the north-east coast. This species, lately described by Mr. Forbes (Wern. Mem. vol. viii.) as distinct from 0. texturata, had been so distinguished by Mr. Hyndman and myself for some years. Ophiocoma neglecta, Forb. Wern. Mem. Ophiura neglecta, Johnst. Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. viii. p. 467. f. 42. Common on the north-east coast. The first specimen obtained by Mr. Hyndman and myself, in Strangford lough in January 1834, was set apart as an undescribed Ophiura. Dr. Johnston, taking a similar view, described the species as new in the fol- lowing year. Ophiocoma bellis, Forb. Wern. Mem. Ophiura bellis, Flem. Brit. Anim. Coast of Dublin, Mr. R. Ball, Mr. Hyndman ; Belfast and Strangford loughs, W. T. Ophiocoma granulata, Forb. Wern. Mem. Mr. Thompson's Additions to the Fauna of Ireland. 24? Ophiura granulata, Flem. Brit. Anim. Coast of Dublin (R. Ball) and Down (W. T.). The species figured by Templeton (Mag. Nat. Hist. ix. 237.) with doubt as this species is the 0. rosula, Ophiocoma brachiata. Asterias brachiata, Mont. Linn. Trans, vol. vii. p. 84. Of this species, apparently known only to Montagu, two specimens were ob- tained in August 1836, by Mr. Hyndman and myself, when dredging off Dundrum on the coast of Down : the body of the more perfect one is ^rd of an inch in diameter, the least in- jured arm 3 J inches long, and where broken nearly as broad as at the base. Ophiocoma minuta, Forbes. This Ophiocoma as distinguished by Mr. Forbes from Op. rosula (Wern. Mem. vol. viii.) has oc- curred to me in the north ; and among marine productions from Courtmasherry harbour (county Cork) favoured me by Mr. All- man is a fine specimen. Templeton has noted the 0. minuta of Pennant as Irish, but its identity with the present species is doubtful. Holothuria pentacteSy Mull. Z. D. vol. iii. p. 47. t. 108. f. 1 — 4? Among a quantity of marine productions dredged in Belfast bay in October last by my friend Edmund Getty, Esq., and kindly sent to me, was an injured specimen two inches in length, ap- parently of this Holothuria. Mulleria^ papillosa, Johnst. Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. vii. p. 584. f. 66. Dredged in Belfast and Strangford loughs in 1834, and subse- quently by Mr. Hyndman and myself. Cuvieria phantapus, Flem. Johnst. Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. ix. p. 472. f. 68. Holothuria phantapus, Mull. Z. D. vol. iii. p. 54. pi. 112. In Sep- tember 1835 I obtained by the dredge a single specimen at Bangor, county of Down. Vermes. Planaria tremellaris, Mull. Zool. Dan. t. 32. f. i, 2. At the end of April I have taken numbers of this species from the under sides of stones in pools among the rocks at Rockport, Belfast bay. The specimens were rather under the size — "long. 9 lin. lat. 4 lin." — attributed to the species by MuUer, but were other- wise identical. Planaria vittata, Mont. Linn. Trans, vol. xi. p. 25. tab. 5. f. 3. A * See remarks on this generic name in Lamarck Anim. sans Vert. t. 3. p. 455. 2nd ed. 248 Mr. Thompson's Additions to the Fauna of Ireland, single individual of this extremely beautiful species (of which Montagu's two original specimens only have, I believe, hitherto been recorded) was taken by Mr. Hyndman and myself when dredging in Strangford lough on the 1st of October — in size it exceeded Montagu's, being 2 inches in length and one in breadth. It was of a whitish cream colour with black lines, occasionally broken or non- continuous, disposed longitudinally over the up- per surface of the body, not unlike those which on a whiter ground render so attractive the plumage of the male silver pheasant (Phasianus nycthemerus') : these lines are from the de- licacy of the animal all visible when the under side — which in itself is plain white — is next the spectator ; it was surrounded by a border of pure opake white, which from the transparency of the entire body within imparted a beautiful finish to its ap- pearance : the two auricular appendages which emanate from the anterior margin exhibit a black line along their basal half pos- teriorly ; eyes could not be distinguished. This Planar ia was in form quite a proteus, and gliding with an easy motion folded itself gracefully over every object that came in its way. Having placed it in a phial of sea water, one half of the body rested on the bottom and the other against the side, and being thus at the same time horizontal and perpen- dicular, and presenting throughout its entire length one mass of folds, of which no two were alike in size, it looked as sin- gular as beautiful. Montagu's figure, though correct, gives no idea of the grace of the original ; as usual, his description is admirable : he remarks, that a drawing was fortunately made from his specimens, two in number, upon the day on which they were procured, as next morning they had disappeared, having been dissolved in the sea-water. ACALEPHA. Medusa papillata, Abilg. in Zool. Dan. vol. iv. p. 24. t. cxl. Of this very minute species, IJ line in diameter, a specimen occurred to me in Strangford lough in October. Medusa (Geryonia) hcemisphcerica. Mull. Z. D. vol. i. p. 6. t. 7. On October 5, 1838, I obtained one of these Medusce in Belfast bay, and a day or two afterwards many specimens were brought me by Mr. Hyndman from the same locality : in size they rather exceeded Muller's, measuring 5 lines in diameter in their most depressed state. This and the preceding species were deter- mined from accurate drawings taken of the living animals. Mr. Mr. Thompson's Additions to the Fauna of Ireland, 249 R. Patterson informs me that he obtained the G. hcemispharica at Larne in the summer of 1835. Rhizostoma Cuvierii, Blainv. Actin. p. 297. t. 44. f. 1. Belfast, Au- gust 6, 1838. I received a fine specimen of this Medusa from- Edmund Getty, Esq., whose attention was called to it yesterday by an old fisherman seventy years of age, who stated that " a large starfish, he had not seen the like of before," was lying on the beach near Holy wood (Belfast bay) . The specimen ex- actly accords with Blainville's figure of R. Cuvierii and with the Med. undulata of Borlase, as quoted by Pennant and Fleming. Its total length is 18 inches, the body 7|, and thence to extre- mity of peduncles lOJ inches : entire outer surface of the body, which is 12 inches in diameter, granulated over like the rind of an orange or lemon. The body is almost hyaline, with a very slight tinge of dusky yellow ; peduncles and their appendages delicately tinged with lilac and roseate hues. Weight 6 lbs. Oceania? tubulosa, Sars. Bekriv. ov Polyp. &c. p. 25. pi. 5. f. 11. April 18, 1840. I had the satisfaction today of identifying with this species, a Medusa of which several individuals were brought to me by Mr. Hyndman, just after their capture in Belfast bay. On calling the attention of Mr. R. Patterson to them, a reference to his notes on Medusa showed that he had procured the same species at Larne (county Antrim), in May 1835, and June 1838 ; and again at Bangor (county Down), in July 1839. As my friend could not find the species described — Sars' work he had not for reference — he drew up a detailed and interesting account of the animal, accompanied by several characteristic sketches of it in various positions. Having remarked that one of my specimens, which was in a phial containing 1^ ounce of sea-water, appeared as lively after four days' captivity as at first, although the fluid had not been changed, nor any nutriment added, I, before leaving home for some days, handed it over to Mr. Patterson, that the period the animal would live under such circumstances might be noted. From him I learn that this individual lived thus for twelve days (from the 18th to the 30th of April), and that for the first ten it retained its ordinary vivacity. ZOOPHYTA. Hermia glandulosa, Johnst. Brit. Zoop, p. 111. vign. No. 12. and pi. 4. f. 1. 2. 250 Mr. Thompson's Additions to the Fauna of Ireland. Coryne glandulosa. Lam. Found attached to Fucus nodosus, growing at entrance to Strangford lough, W. T. Tuhularia indivisa, Linn. Johnst. B. Z. 113. pi. 3. f. 1. 2. Dublin bay, W. H. Harvey, Esq., 1834 ; Youghal, Miss Ball, 1836; Belfast and Strangford loughs, Mr. Hyndman and W. T. ^- larynx, Ellis and Solander. Johnst. B. Z. 115. pi. 3. f. 3. and pi. 4. f. 3 — 5. Belfast and Strangford loughs, Mr. Hynd- man and W. T. ; Dublin bay, Mr. R. Ball. ■ muscoides, Linn. A few specimens of a Tuhularia which I obtained in Strangford lough in January 1835, parasitical on Fucus nodosus, and subsequently between tide marks at the island of Ireland's Eye, off the Dublin coast, were placed in my collection under this name. Having supplied a specimen to my friend Dr. G. Johnston, he remarked upon it — " This is what Agardh and Lamouroux say is the real T. muscoides of Linn., but not of any other author excepting MuUer and Fabricius — you are the first to discover it on our shores.'* In so far as my limited observation extends, this would seem to be a littoral, T. indivisa and T. larynx to be deep water species*. Thoa Beanii, Johnst. B. Z. 120. pi. 7. f. 1. and 2. Procured by dredging in Belfast bay, where it in some situations seems to take the place of T. halecina. Before it was described as a di- stinct species, its peculiarities, independently of the remarkable ovaries, were noticed by Mr. Hyndman and myself — its general aspect or habit first attracted our attention. Instead of the rigid "herringbone" appearance of T. halecina, it is somewhat flexible and graceful. Although not mentioned in the descrip- tion, this difference is observable in the plates of the British Zoophytes. Sertularia filicula, Ellis and Soland. Johnst. B. Z. 131. pi. 11. f. 1. In Dr. J. L. Drummond's collection is a specimen of this coral- line obtained many years ago near Ballycastle by that most di- stinguished botanist R. Brown. Bangor (Down), Sept. 1835, and subsequently, W. Tf. ' • Tuhularia ramosa, Linn., noticed by Templeton as found in Dublin bay, occurs not uncommonly on shells dredged in deep water on the north- east coast. f On reference to Mr. Templeton's specimens I find that the Sertularia named by him S.pinnata (Mag. Nat. Hist. ix. 468.), and subsequently S. Hihernica by Dr. Johnston, in consequence of the former appellation being preoccupied, is only a fine state of S. polyxonias. Since the publication of his work I submitted the original specimens to Dr. Johnston, who agrees with me in this opinion. Mr. Thompson's Additions to the Fauna of Ireland, 251 Plumularia pennatula, Ellis and Soland. Johnst. B. Z. 145. pi. 18. f. 1, 2. Specimens of this rare and beautiful species profusely invest about six inches of the stem of a Laminaria digit ata ob- tained in a fresh state by Miss M. Ball at Youghal in 1837. It must rather I presume have been owing to the East Indies being the locality whence the specimens described by Ellis and Solander were brought, than to any fault in Fleming's descrip- tion (which seems as good as one so brief could be) that led some authors on the continent to attribute it to other species. The Irish specimens correspond with the descriptions in the works of Ellis and Solander, Fleming and Johnston, and with the figures in the first and last — some of them are 4J inches in height. Laomedea gelatinosa, Lamour. Johnst. B. Z. 152. pi. 21. f. 3, 4, and pi. 23. f. 1. Youghal, Miss Ball; Bangor, county Down, Oct. 1835. W. T. In the ordinary state parasitical on Zostera marina in both localities. Miss Ball has likewise obtained specimens presenting the finest state of the species, and 11 inches in height. See Brit. Zoop. pi. 23. f. 1. Campanularia syringa, Lam. Johnst. B. Z. 155. f. 18. Of this spe- cies, which has not a place in Mr. Templeton's published catalogue, I find specimens labelled " Belfast Lough," in his collection — to myself it has occurred on the coasts of Down and Dublin. Campanularia 9 dumosa, Flem. Johnst. B. Z. 157. pi. 23. f. 2 — 5. On Tubularia indivisa at Youghal 1836. Miss Ball. On Serialaria lendigera and various corallines in Belfast Bay, W. T. Caryophyllia Smithii, Stokes and Brod. Johnst. B. Z. 207. vign. p. 206. A few specimens were procured at Youghal, by Miss Ball, in April 1836, and subsequently — diameter of the largest 7-| lines. Actinia dianthus, Ellis, Johnst. B. Z. 216. pi. 28. Belfast bay. Dr. Drummond; Edm. Getty, Esq., Strangford lough, W. T. Amongst the various forms it assumes, I have seen this species present the exact appearance of the Act. plumosa of the Zoo- logia Danica. Mr. Templeton marks it with doubt as Irish. Actinia maculata, Adams, Johnst. B. Z. 218. f. 32. This extremely beautiful species, taken by dredging in Strangford lough, in January 1835, by Mr. Hyndman and myself, has subsequently occurred to us commonly there and in Belfast bay — to Bulla lignaria as well as the larger Trochi it is occasionally found attached. Every shell that I have seen the A. maculata invest 252 Mr. Thompson's Additions to the Fauna of Ireland, was tenanted by the Pagurus Prideauxii, Leach, a species which, extensively as the native Paguri have been collected by me, never occurred under other circumstances. Bowerbankia densa, Farre, Johnst. B. Z. 255. f. 41. p. 256. When shown this zoophyte by Dr. Farre in the spring of 1837, I re- cognised it as a species which had not uncommonly occurred to me in the north-east coast, attached in the form of minute tufts to the stems of Desmarestia aculeata, Furcellaria fastigiata, &c. I once procured it from the under side of a stone in Belfast bay. Lagenella repens, Farre. Bowerbankia repens, Johnst. B. Z. 256. vign. p. 235. In January 1835, this occurred to me in Strang- ford lough, but I was unable to identify it with any described species. Dr. Farre's excellent memoir, which appeared in the Philosophical Transactions for 1837, supplied this want; and since that time I have by the examination of the living polype obtained in the locality just named (and on the same species of algae as the B. densa,) ascertained to a certainty its identity with B. repens. Crisia luxata, Flem. Johnst. B. Z. 262. pi. 30. f. 5. 6. Attached to the base of various algse collected near Glenarm by Miss Davison in 1833. Youghal, Miss Ball; Waterford coast Miss A. Taylor. *Anguinaria spaiulata. Lam. Johnst. B. Z. 266. pi. 30. f. 7, 8. This is stated in Mr. Templeton's catalogue to have been ♦* found on the shore at Carrickfergus, on the sand, Aug. 1811. "—Mag. Nat. Hist. ix. p. 466. The specimen labelled under this name in Mr. Templeton's collection is Campanularia syringa, but having " Belfast Lough" simply written on it may not be the one published. Of the A. spatulata I possess spe- cimens which invest the stem of Dasya coccinea, collected at Youghal by Miss Ball. jfTubulipora patina, Lam. Johnst. B. Z. 267. pi. 31. f. 1 — 3. On • Hippothoa lanceolata, Gray. Johnst. B. Z. 265. As only one habitat, Kinsale, county Cork, is known for this very minute, but well-marked spe- cies, it may be stated that it once occurred to me on a stone dredged in deep water at the entrance of Strangford lough. t Tubidipora obelia, Johnst. B. Z. 269. pi. 3Lf. 7, 8. Obtained with the last. Specimens from Kinsale have been noticed by Mr. J. E. Gray, but the species being considered rare, a second and northern habitat is given. By reference to Mr. Templeton's specimens, I find that his Pherusa tubulosa (Mag. Nat. Hist. ix. p. 469,) is the Tubulipora serpens, Flem. {T. trans- versa, Lam.) — This species it will be recollected was the Millepora tubulosa of Ellis and Solander. Mr. Thompson's Additions to the Fauna of Ireland, 253 Cellepora cervicornis, &c. from the southern coast, in Mr. R. Ball's collection. North-east coast, W. T. Discopora hispida, Flem. Johnst. B. Z. 270. pi. 31. f. 9— 11 *. Not uncommon on marine plants and shells in the north and south. Cellepora cervicornis, Flem. Johnst. B. Z. 276. pi. 33. Obtained many years ago in abundance from the Nymph Bank by R. Ball. Esq. Lepralia hyalina, Johnst. B. Z. 277. Cellepora hyalina, Linn. Common on marine plants, &c. on the shores of Ireland from north to south. Lepralia nitida, Johnst. B. Z. 277. pi. 34. f. 7. Cellepora nitida, Fabr. On stones, &c. dredged in deep water at entrance of Strangford lough. Lepralia coccinea, Johnst. B. Z. 278. pi. 34. f. 1 — 3. Cellepora coccinea, Lamour. This species first occurred to me of a snow white colour, on the bark of a tree washed ashore at Bangor (Down) in January 1834 : — on stones and shells dredged in deep water on the north-east coast, it was of the ordinary pale reddish purple hue. Lepralia variolosa, Johnst. B. Z. 278. pi. 34. f. 4. On Pinna dredged at Cork, and favoured me by Mr. R. Ball, rare. I have obtained this species on the shell of the common edible crab {Cancer Pagurus, Leach) taken near the entrance of Belfast bay. Lepralia ciliata, Johnst. B. Z. 279. pi. 34. f. 6. Eschara ciliata, Pall. Common on marine plants, shells, &c. around the Irish coast. Lepralia immersa, Johnst. B. Z, 280. pi. 34. f. 8. Berenicea immersa, Flem. On Pinna from Cork. North-east and Dublin coast, Mr. Hyndman and W. T. Flustra lineata, Linn. Johnst. B. Z. 288. pi. 37. f. 4. On Lamina- ria digitata and on stones dredged in Strangford lough. W. T. ■\Flustra tuberculata, Johnst. B. Z. 289. pi. 34. f. 9. On shells and stones from Belfast and Strangford loughs. W. T. Alcyonidium gelatinosum, Lamour. Johnst. 300. pi. 41. f. 1 — 3. Ulva diaphana, Eng. Bot. t. 263. Of occasional occurrence on the north-east coast. W. T. * Dr. Johnston's figures represent a singular state of the species ; the ordinary one is very different. f Flustra spongiosa, Templeton, Mag. Nat. Hist. ix. 469. Memhranipora spongiosa, Brit. Zoop. p. 252, is identical with Flustra ? carnosa of the latter work. Dr. Johnston agrees that the specific name spongiosa should, in right of priority, be retained for the species. 254 Mr. Thompson's Additions to the Fauna of Ireland. Alcyonidium hirsutum, Johnst. B. Z. 303. pi. 42. f. 1, 2. Alcyonium hirsutum, Flem. Not uncommon on the northern shores. W. T. Alcyonidium echinatum, Johnst. B. Z. 304. pi. 42. f. 3, 4. Alcyonium echinatum, Flem. Commonly encrusting univalve shells around the coast. Alcyonidium } parasiticum, Johnst. B. Z. 304. pi. 41. f. 4, 5. At- tached to Sertulariae, &c. on the northern and eastern shores. W. T. Plumatella repens. Lam. Johnst. B. Z. 322. f. 51. In rejectamenta on the shores of Lough Earn, I obtained this species in Sept. 1837. Spongia mammillaris, Zool. Dan. vol. iv. p. 44. tab. 158. f. 3, 4. A specimen of this sponge, which I have not seen referred to as identical with any British species, was dredged in Strangford lough in 1835, by Mr. Hyndman and myself. Halichondria parasitica, Flem. Spongia parasitica, Mont. Wern. Mem. vol. ii. p. 114. Not uncommon on marine plants and the larger coralUnes on the north-east coast. W. T. Halichondria suberica, Flem. Coldstream, Edin. New Phil. Jour. 1830. vol. ii. p. 235. pi. 4. Spongia suberica, Mont. This species, as represented by Dr. Cold- stream, has occurred to me investing univalve shells dredged in the loughs of Strangford and Belfast. In the former locality I in 1835 obtained the Spongia P suberia, which in the Magazine of Natural History, vol, vii. p. 491, is described and figured by Dr. Johnston, who considered it the "perfect state of the H. suberica." Halichondria ventilabra, Flem. Sea-fan sponge, Ellis, Phil. Trans, 1765, p. 289. tab. 11. f. H. Spongia ventilabra, Linn. Specimens of this sponge (with one of which I have been favoured,) were obtained by Mr. R. Ball from the Nymph Bank in 1818. Grantia ciliata, Flem. Spongia ciliata, Fabr. Sp. coronata, Ellis and Soland. Zoop.p. 190. tab. 58. f. 8 and 9. This very beautiful species I have com- monly found on marine plants on the north-east coast, and occasionally of large size*. * Flabellaria opuntia, Blain. Actin. p. 551. tab. 96. f. 4. Halimcda opuntia, Flem. Brit. Anim. p. 515. A specimen of this Flabellaria in Mr. Thompson's Additions to the Fauna of Ireland, 255 Crustacea. Pirimela denticulata, Leach. Mai. pi. 3. Edw. Crust, t. 1. 424. Amongst a number of invertebrata collected some years ago on the coasts of Down and Antrim by Dr. J. L. Drummond, and which I owe to his kindness, was an individual of this species. Portunus pusillus, Leach, Mai. pi. 9. f. 5 — 8. Edw. Crust. 1. 1. 444. In course of dredging in the loughs of Strangford and Belfast a few specimens of this crab have generally occurred to me. Some in Mr. R. Ball's collection were similarly obtained by him in Dublin bay. Ebalia Bryerii, Leach, Mai. pi. 25. f. 12. Edw. Crust, t. 2. 129. A single individual of this rare species, with which I have been favoured by Mr. Hyndman, was procured by him from deep water in Belfast bay*. Pagurus Prideauxii, Leach, Mai. pi. 26. f. 5. 6. Edw. Crust, tab. 2. 216. See Actinia maculata, p. 251. Galathea nexa, Embleton, Proceedings Berwickshire Club. p. 71.pl. 1. I have found in the stomachs of cod-fish brought from the coasts of Down and Antrim to Belfast market; and in Dr. Drummond' s collection are specimens which were similarly procured. A comparison of one of these with an original spe- cimen in Dr. Johnston's possession, proved, what from its agree^ient with the description and figure I had previously little doubt of, the identity of the species. Mr. R. Ball's collection was found some years ago by Mr. Wm. Todhunter, among the refuse of a Torbay (Devonshire) fishing-boat, in Dublin bay; — it was brought up in the trawl-net somewhere between these two ports. This species has hitherto, I believe, been noticed but in one locality in the British seas. Vide Flem. J. c. * The following Brachyurous Crustacea having in Ireland been hitherto noticed only as occurring on the coast of Cork, may be worth mentioning here. Hyas coarctatus, Leach. Frequent in deep water on the north-east coast, W. t. Dublin bay, Mr. R. Ball. Eurynome aspera. Leach. In Oct. 1834 and subsequently, a few speci- mens have been procured by Mr. Hyndman and myself when dredging in Strangford lough. Portunus arcuatusy Leach. P. Rondeletii, Edw. In January 1835, and since obtained by dredging in Strangford lough. W. T. When at Killin- chy, on the shore of this lough, on the 1st Oct. last, and looking to the refuse in a number of small boats which had been employed the previous night in herring fishing, I found in every one of them several of these crabs, and none of any other species. Ebalia Pennantii, Leach. In Sept. 1836, a specimen was taken in Bel- fast bay by Mr. Hyndman, and subsequently another was procured here by Dr. Drummond. For one obtained in Dublin bay I am indebted to Mr. G. J. Allman. 256 Mr. Thompson's Additions to the Fauna of Ireland, Callianassa suhterranea, Leach, Mai. pi. 32. Edw. Crust, t. 2. p. 309. Cancer Astacus suhterraneus, Mont. Linn. Trans, vol. ix. p. 88. t. 3. f. 1, 2. March 25, 1839. On examining the contents of the stomach of several individuals of the Platessa Pola, which were taken early this morning off Newcastle (county Down), two of the larger arms of this species, so peculiar in form and still retaining their beautiful pink colour, were detected. Pasiphcea Sivado, Risso, Hist. Nat. I'Eur. Merid, t. 5. p. 81. ed. 1826. Edw. Crust, t. 2. p. 426. In the British Museum there is a specimen so named, and labelled " Ireland." From the donor, the Rev. James Bulwer, I learned that it was taken by him in the vicinity of Dublin. Demmine spinosa, Leach. Desm. Gen. Cons. Crust, p. 263. pi. 45. f. 6. Cancer gammarus spinosus, Mont. Has occurred to me not uncom- monly on the north-east coast. Dynamena rubra. Leach, Desm. p. 298. As last. This species was determined from comparison with Dr. Leach's specimens in the British Museum. ^ga bicarinata, Leach, Desm. p. 305. March 30, 1839. I pro- cured an individual of this species alive in Belfast market, whither it was brought with oysters from Carrickfergus. It was not known to Dr. Leach whence the specimen was brought that served for his description, and the works accessible to me in which the species is introduced do not contain any informa- tion as to its habitat. Caprella linearis, Latr. Johnst. Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. viii. p. 672. f . 7 1 . Found among marine plants collected near Glenarm by Dr. Drummond, in May 1836, and subsequently obtained in abundance by Mr. Hyndman and myself upon Plumulariee, &c. dredged in Strangford lough. Bopyrus squillarum, Latr. Desm. p. 325. t. 49. f. 8 — 10. A Palamon serratus, taken by Mr. R. Ball at the South Islands of Arran, off the coast of Clare in June 1835, contained within the plates of the head a fine specimen of this Bopyrus 6 J lines in length, and agreeing with the female as represented by Desmarest and other authors. Argulus foliaceus , Jurine. See a separate communication at p. 221. Lerncea uncinata. Mull. Z. D. vol. i.p. 38. t. 33. Johnst. Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. viii. p. 565. f. 53. I obtained on the gills of a Gadus callarias, taken at Lame (county Antrim) in the summer of On Mr, Swainson'^ genus Thelidomus. 25? 1834. By Dr. Bellingham of Dublin I have been favoured with specimens, which he found attached to the gills of whiting (Merlangus vulgaris) brought to the market of the metropolis. *Lerniea cornuta. Mull. Z. D. vol. i. p. 40. tab. 33. f. 6. Entomoda cornuta, Lara. t. 3. p. 686, 2nd ed. To Dr. Bellingham I am indebted for specimens of this Entomoda, which were found by him attached to the gills of sole, purchased in Dublin market in May 1837. Chondr acanthus Lophii, Johnst. Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. ix. p. 81. f. 16. The first specimens which I have seen were procured by Dr. Scouler on a Lophius piscatorius in Dublin — more recently they occurred to myself, in the pouches of a fish of the same species brought to that city. In concluding the present " Additions," it may be mentioned, that as a further step towards a Fauna of Ireland, I intend publish- ing catalogues of the species contained in all the departments which have occupied my attention, whenever they may have been satis- factorily investigated, giving at the same time such details as may seem desirable. XXIX. — On the "Freshwater Carriers/' or Thelidomus q/* Mr. Swainson, Mr. Swainson in his Malacology^ a recent volume on " Shells and Shell-fish/' has established a genus, under the name Thelidomus, upon two bodies which he received with some Planorbes\ from Brazil. These "two Helix-looking shells/' as he calls them, he considers as ^' absolute counter- parts of" the carrier Trochi, and states that they ^^ fill the same situation among the Rotellince which Onustus (the carrier Trochus) does among TrochincBP He also represents them as forming a passage from these animals to the Helices, and ob- serves that the " discovery of this extraordinary shell will probably induce naturalists to a more accurate examination of the fossil turbinated univalves than they have received ; * Lerncea hranchialis, Linn. Guerin Icon. Regne. An. Zoop. pi. 9. f. 1. gadincR, Mull. Z. D. vol. iii. p. 65. tab. 118. This species is published as Irish by Mr. J. V. Thompson. By Mr. Glennon, of Suffolk Street, Dublin, I have been presented with specimens, of which he procured several from the gills of a cod brought to the market of that city. I Mr. Swainson's phu'al is Planorhi. — Ed. Ann, Nat. Hist. Vol. 5. No. 31. June 1840. t 258 Mr. Shuckard's Monograph of the Dorylidoe, for it is clear^ that, although Thelidomus opens the path to the Helicidae, there must be several other forms between the two, either extinct or undiscovered/^ p. 228. — The bodies which he here describes, and the ^^ singular discovery" which he represents as throwing an " entirely new light on this interest- ing question", are ^^^^actually composed of little stones and grains of sand only, agglutinated together," p. 227 and 353, and are the cases of a caddis worm which is very common in Brazil and the United States. It differs from the cases of the European kinds in being spiral ; but it agrees with them in being pervious at each end, though the hole at the smaller end appears to have escaped Mr. Swainson^s observation. The North American cases have been described by Mr. Lea, under the name of Valvata arenifera. It might have been supposed that the ridicule which Mr. Lea has incurred for this error, would have prevented any other naturalist from falling into the same mistake. Indeed it is difficult to understand how any one who considers the formation and structure of shells, should not have reflected on the peculiarity of the formation of these bodies before he described them, and pro- ceeded to build up such important reasonings upon their supposed place in his system. — John Edv^^. Gray. XXX. — Monograph of the Dorylidae, a Family of the Hyme- noptera Heterogyna. By W. E. Suuckard, Esq. [Continued from p. 201.] Sp. 6. Labidus Hopei. Shuck. Length 6 lines. Expansion of the wings 12 line?. Rufo-testaceus^ pubescens : capite (jnandibulis antennisque exceptis) atro ; thorace fusco, scutelloin medio sulcata, et pedunculo abdominis transverso quadrato, supra subconvexo. Reddish testaceous, pubescent, the hair longest upon the legs, and beneath the first ventral and the whole of the terminal segments of the abdo- men. The head having the vertex and face deep black and shining, the remainder castaneous, the carinas of the face terminating gradually in front of the anterior ocellus; ocelli placed in a curve on the vertex j antennae slender, the scape about one-fifth the length of the organ ; mandibles moderately long and very slender, having but a small open space between them and the clypeus. a Family of the Hymenoptera Heterogyna. 259 Thorax subfuscous, very gibbous both in front and at the scutellum, the latter longitudinally sulcated in the centre; superior wings with their nervures pale testaceous ; marginal cell regularly lanceolate, consider- ably larger than either of the two first submarginals, and rounded within the first submarginal, which is rather smaller than the second, from which it is separated by an inwardly curved transverso-cubital nervure ; the recurrent nervure inserted at less than one half the length of the se- cond submarginal cell, and beyond which, and as far as the second trans- verso-cubital, the cubital nervure is considerably thickened : legs short and slender. Abdomen shining, the base of all the segments constricted, the peduncle as wide as the following segment, transverse quadrate, the posterior angles truncated, plane above with a transverse convex ridge at its apex, and its ventral portion viewed laterally produced in the middle into an acute tubercle. The terminal segment vertically much com- pressed at its extreme apex, where it has a deep fissure, and the sexual organ protruding in the form of a deeply emarginate plate, ter- minating on each side in a compressed acuminated spine. In the collection of the Rev. F. W. Hope. This species, which was also captured by Mr. Swainson in the Brazils, is distinguished from all the rest I know by its longitudi- nally sulcated scutellum : other prominent differences are supplied by the relative proportions and form of the marginal and cubital cells and the insertion of the recurrent nervure. Sp. 7- Lab. D'Orbignii, ShucTc, Length 6§ lines. Expansion of the wings 12 lines. Niger f brunneo-holosericem, pedunculo abdominis semicirculato supra sub" convexo, nervis alarum brunneo-testaceis. Black, covered with a close brownish silky down. Head having the ocelli small and placed in a very open curve at the vertex, and with an ele- vated carina connecting the posterior pair, the carinas of the face curving off and terminating in front of the anterior one; antennae fulvous beneath, moderately long, and thickest at the base, the scape rather less than one-fifth the length of the organ : mandibles moderate, very slender, and leaving a nearly semicircular space between them and the clypeus. Thorax very gibbous in front and at the scutellum : superior wings with the nervures brownish testaceous ; the marginal cell short and broad, extending but a little way beyond the apex of the second submarginal cell, where it is angulated; the first submarginal larger than the second, from which it is separated by a slightly inwardly curved nervure; the second submarginal rather narrow, and having the recurrent nervure inserted at about half its length, where immediately at the junction the cubital nervure is slightly thickened : legs short and slender, loosely covered with long hair. T 2 200 Mr; Shuckard's Monograph of the Doryllda?, Abdomen with the base of the segments slightly constricted, its sides, at the junction of the dorsal and ventral plates, inclining to a bright testa- ceous; the peduncle nearly semicircular; the posterior angles straight, plane above, with a transverse convex ridge at its apex ; the ventral portion viewed laterally produced acutely in the middle ; the extreme apex of the terminal segment vertically compressed, and the sexual organ protruding in the form of an emarginate plate, the lateral por- tions of which form two acute and compressed spines. In Mr. Westwood's collection. This species is from South America, where it was captured by Mens. D'Orbigny, whose name Mr. Westwood suggested should be applied to it, which I accordingly adopt. It is the only black spe- cies I know, and the peculiarities of its small ocelli and broad mar- ginal cell also conspicuously distinguish it. Sp. 8. Lab. Klugii, Shuck, Length 4| lines. Expansion of the wings 8| lines. Hiifo-castaneus, pubescens ; vertice, thoracis dorso et stigmate alarum badiis: clypeo tuberculis binis acutis instructis et peduncido transversa qua- drato subconvexo. Reddish castaneous with the vertex, dorsal portion of the thorax and scutellum, as also the stigma of the wing and the extreme base of the intermediate segments of the abdomen, dark castaneous. Head having the antennae very long and slender, the scape scarcely one-seventh the length of the organ ; the. ocelli placed in a curve upon the vertex, the posterior pair situated close to the margin of the eyes : the facial carinas less prominent than usual, and terminating by the side of the anterior ocellus j the clypeus armed with two acute and prominent tubercles, the space between which and the mandibles narrow ; the latter moderate and very slender. Thorax very gibbous in front, and at the scutellum, the latter fringed late- rally : metathorax slightly convex : superior wings with their marginal cell regularly lanceolate and rather larger than either of the two first submarginals; the radial nervure rounded and not angulated; the first submarginal rather larger than the second, the transverso-cubital ner- vure that separates them being straight ; the recurrent nervure re- ceived at about one half the length of the second submarginal cell, and the cubital nervure beyond its insertion not thickened : legs very short and slender. Abdomen with the base of the intermediate segments slightly constricted : the peduncle rather narrower than the following segment, transverse quadrate, the posterior angles slightly rounded, plane above, with a slight convexity in the centre of its apex ; the apex of the terminal segment less vertical than usual, but much compressed and fissile; the sexual organ protruding in the form of a deeply emarginate plate. n Family of the Hymenoptera Heterogyna. 261 the sides of which are acuminated in two prominent teeth, and beneath from the emargination it is canaliculated. In my own collection. This species is from St. Vincent's in the West Indies, where it was collected by the late Rev. Lansdown Guilding, from whose col- lection I purchased it. It is remarkably distinguished from all the others by th« two teeth of the clypeus and the length and slender- ness of its antennae, besides other differences. Sp. 9. Lab. Romandii, Shuck. Length 4| lines. Expansion of the wings 7f lines. Rufo'iestaceuSi subpubescens : vertice hadioy stigmate alarum brunneo-fmco et pcdunculo abdominis quadrato convexo. Reddish testaceous, subpubescent. Head having the vertex dark casta- neous, on which the ocelli are in a curve and very large, the posterior pair placed rather laterally and near the margin of the eyes; the facial carinae small and rounding off to the sides of the anterior ocellus : an- tennae moderately long, the scape very short, theflagellum not thickest at the base: mandibles short and slender, leaving but a small narrow ' space between them and the clypeus. Thorax slightly gibbous in front ; the scutellum not gibbous, rather flattened above : metathorax rounded : superior wings with their nervures very slender and brown, the stigma dark brown : the marginal cell lanceo- late, larger than either of the two first submarginals, and slightly acuminated beyond the apex of the second, which is less than the first, from which it is separated by a nearly straight transverso-cubital ner- vure ; the recurrent nervure inserted in the centre of the second sub- marginal cell, and the cubital nervure thickened merely at the junc- tion : legs short and slender. Abdomen with the base of the intermediate segments constricted, the ter- minal ones slightly compressed ; the peduncle quadrate, slightly con- vex, narrower than the second segment, which is also a little narrower than the third ; the two last segments slightly laterally compressed, and the apex of the terminal one very much compressed and fissile : the sexual organ protruding as usual. In my own collection. This species was also captured by Mr. Swainson in the Brazils. I have dedicated it, as a small tribute of respect, to Mons. de Ro- mand, an ardent lover of the Hymenoptera, whose rich collection would, I expect, yield other species had I the opportunity of exa- mining it. The present i« singularly distinguished by the form of the peduncle, the compression of the segments, and the proportionate differences between the second and third : its small mandibles are also of a very peculiar character. ? Sp. 10. Lab. mediatus. Fab. Niger thorace arcu antico cinereo, abdomine rufo : petiolo anoque nigris, Dorylus mediatus, Fab. Si/s. Piez. 428. 3. Habitat in America meridionali, Dom. Smidt. Mus. Doni. de Sehestedt. 262 Mr. Shuckard's Monograph of the Dorylidae^ Media. Antennae nigrae : articulo secundo basi ferrugineo. Caput nigrum, labio cinereo villoso. Thorax niger, arcu antico cinereo. Abdomen rufum, petiolo anoque nigris. Alee obscurse. Latreille and St. Fargeau have surmised, from the country of this insect, and from Fabricius having associated it with his Doryli, that it must be a Labidus. I think, however, both from the distribution of colour and his description of the labium (labrum), that it cannot belong to either of these genera ; but what it may possibly be I can- not at all surmise. N.B. Dr. Maximilian Perty, in the * Delectus Animalium Arti- culatorum' of the Brazilian Travels of Spix and Martins, has figured in plate 27, fig. 11, a Labidus which he calls Lab. Latreillii, and at p. 138 he thus describes it : — Totus badio-testaceus, albido-pubescens ; ocellis magnis, hyalinis -, alls albis, nervis flavicantibus. Length 7 lines, width of prothor. 1^ line. Expansion of the wings 16 lines. He says it occurs in the province of Piauhiensi and in Southern Brazil. It is very probable that this is a distinct species, or that the species from each of these localities are different, but without a careful ex- amination it is impossible to say. If however they are both of the same size, and the expansion of the wings is the same, they are doubtlessly identical ; the proportions between the expansion and the length differ so considerably from any that I have described, and as by a comparison with the description of the genuine Lab. La- treillii above it appears evidently different from that, I therefore propose to call it ? Sp. 11. Lab. Pertii, Shuck. Lab. Latreillii. Perty, Del. An. Art. Tab. 27. fig. 1 1 . p. 138. Genus Typhlopone, Westw."^ Head oblong, convex, emarginate behind, occasionally longitudinally sul- cated, and nearly as long as the thorax, not exhibiting either eyes or ocelli. Anteymce about as long as the head, inserted within two short parallel facial carinae, and close to the anterior margin of the clypeus, geni- culated and subclavate, consisting apparently of only ten joints; the * Mr. Westwood has neither given a generic nor specific description of what he calls Ti^phlopone fulva ; he has only given an outline of the insect, and of its maxilla and labium and their palpi, and described the mandibles. See Introd. to Mod. Class, of Ins. vol. ii. p. 226. fig. 86, and the descrip- tions at p. 219. And he has not noticed the remarkable structure of the antennae, apparently wanting two joints. u Family of the Hymenoptera Heterogyna. 263 scape clavate, nearly as long as the flagellum, which is also clavate; the terminal joint half as long as the scape, the intervening ones short and subequal. Mandibles sickle-shaped, serrated ? along their inner edge. IVestw. Maxillary palpi short and two-jointed, the joints subglobose. Wesiw. Labial palpi longer, also two-jointed, the joints subclavate. Westw, Mentum subtrilobate in front. IVestw. Thorax oblong, much narrower than the head, with a deep transverse suture separating the nieso- and metathorax, the latter with a large circular spiracle at its bass above. Legs simple, thighs subclavate; tibics slender at the base, increasing slightly towards the apex, where they are all furnished with a simple calcar, which is somewhat dilated at the base ; tarsi slender, longer than the tibiae, the terminal joints of the anterior slightly dilated, all the terminal claws simple. Abdomen elliptical; the basal segment quadrate convex, forming a peduncle, and separated from the next by a deep incision ; the ventral portion acutely produced, the following slightly constricted at their base, and all exhibiting laterally a conspicuous spiracle; the terminal segment abruptly truncated or subretuse at its apex, the dorsal portion armed laterally with two minute spines, and the ventral with a single one. It is here requisite that I should state my reasons for considering the three following insects as probably the females of the genus Labidus. In the absence of any observation relative to their habits, my arguments must necessarily all be derived from structure ; and deduced from this I still admit that there is one, and only one, point that makes me waver in my supposition. Sexual discrepancies are universal throughout the Heterogyna, for it is rarely the case that the partners resemble each other, therefore those differences here must not startle us. In the preliminary observations I have already shown that the males, the only sex accurately known of the genera of this family, possess characters found partially in the Solitary and Social Heterogyna, but conjunctively nowhere excepting in them- selves, and upon this I establish a claim for their constituting a family intervening between both. In these apterous insects (Ty~ phlopone) I can exhibit a similar combination, which consequently proves that they necessarily belong also to this family. In the form of the head they are most closely like the female Scleroderma*, ♦ I am prepared to show from the analogy of one of the ThynnidcB^ of which I have both sexes taken in copula^ (the female of which is the Biamma ephippiger of Guerin, and the male a Rhagigaster of the same author,) that Scleroderma belongs to the Solitary Heterogyna, and not to the BethylidcB as supposed by Mr. Westwood in his Monograph, and that the males he has described as belonging to them are certainly misplaced. There is every probability that what is usually considered as the Myzine of Latreille, but which is the Elis of Fabricius, are the true males of Scleroder- nia, there being no European species of the genuine Mi/zine, which is the 264 Mr. Shuckard^s Monograph of the Dorylidse, and in the anamolous limitation of the number of joints of the an- tennae, they resemble Myrmecodes and the rest of the apterous Thynnidce, although in the latter there is one joint more to be seen than in these, viz. eleven. This curtailment is never found in the apterous Social Heterogyna, to which however the single calcar to all the tibiae, and their wanting eyes, approximates them, and I have before stated that in the armature of the apex of the abdomen they much resemble Ponera. They thus partake of both groups, but they have this peculiar to themselves amongst the apterous Hetero- gyna, viz. the small development of the pro thorax, which cannot be seen from above, and the large development of the mesothorax at the expense of it ; now in the apterous individuals of both the adjacent groups, the Social and Solitary Heterogyna, we find either a very large development of the prothorax or an equal one of both pro- and mesothorax ; and in their males either the three divisions are equal, or the meta- and meso- are equal and more fully developed than the prothorax ; but where the meso- and metathorax are unequal, it is the latter which is most developed. In the male Dorylidce we also find an enormously developed mesothorax, and the prothorax rarely observable from above ; to these they are likewise closely linked by the two-jointed palpi, the size and conspicuousness of the lateral spiracles of the thorax and abdomen, as also by the insertion of the antennae near the edge of the clypeus. To Labidus especially do they appear connected, by the carinae of the face, the dilatation of the base of the calcaria, the proportions of the labial and maxillary palpi, and the form of the mandibles, the latter differing no more than might be expected in the opposite sex. The slight constric- tion of the segments of the abdomen appears also a connecting re- semblance. If from the preceding argument it is admitted that these apterous insects must belong to the Dorylidte, and from analogy we may infer that they are females, and when we know that their country is America and the West Indies, and that none but females have yet occurred, and when it is further considered that there is a genus of the same family from the same country of Plesia of Jurine, the type of it being the Tiphia maculata^ Fab. Besides this I am acquainted with genuine males of these PlesicB which closely resemble their females, and are totally different in structure from the Elis sexcincta, Fab., the type of his genus Elisy and which has been latterly usually considered as the Myzine of Latreille. Were the females of this genus Elis winged, as several species of the male occur in the South of Europe, it would be strange that the female should not have been captured ere this. Sidney Smith Sanders, Esq. has informed me that he finds se- veral species of Scleroderma not uncommon in Greece, where also he has found more than one species of the male Elisy and for one species of each of which I am indebted to him. a Family of the Hymenoptera Heterogyna. 265 which we only know the males, and when I have also shown that there are as many structural resemblances as might be expected, or is usual between the opposite sexes of these anomalous groups, surely it is not presumptuous to suppose, in the absence of positive testimony, that these may be the sexes of the same genus. The solitary point which still causes me at all to doubt it, is the minute tooth beneath and within the apex of the claws of the males of the genus Lahidus, although it is scarcely obvious in the smaller species of that genus ; therefore in these small females, which are much smaller than the smallest males, this tooth may become obsolete. The disparity of size in the sexes, I have before stated in the pre- liminary observations, is no objection to the hypothesis. I proceed accordingly to describe them as Lahidi. Sp. 12. Lab. (1 Typhlopone) Kirbii, Shuck. Length of the head 1 line. Probable length 4^ lines, Capite castaneo nitido punctulato^ antice subsulcato, mandibulis badiis. Head bright chestnut, shining, very slightly and loosely punctured; slightly longitudinally channeled in front, but which terminates abruptly in a small fossulet at about one- third the length of the he.id: without eyes or ocelli. Mandibles dark pitchy chestnut, flagellum of the antennae also obscure. In my own collection. Of this insect I have only the head, which is attached to the thigh of a Formica; to judge from the size of this head and the comparative proportion to the whole insect in other species, this would be the largest. I dedicate it with much respect to the venerable promoter of the science of Entomology in this country, whose . Monographia Apum Anglice will ever remain a standard of high perfection. Sp. 13. Lab. (2 Typhlopone) Curtisii, Shuck. Length about four lines. RufO'testaceuSy glabratus ; capite punctulato, postice profunde stdcato ; mandibidis badiis. Reddish testaceous. Head brightly shining, punctulate, deeply sulcated longitudinally in the centre behind, the channel terminating near the centre of the head in a moderately large fossulet : without eyes or ocelli ; mandibles pitchy-brown. Thorax opake, more closely and deeply punctured than the head. Abdomen brightly shining, very slightly punctured, the peduncle quadrate, opake and convex, the third and fourth segments slightly constricted at their base, the apex of the terminal segment abruptly truncated and armed on each side with a minute spine. In the collection of the British Museum. This insect is distinguished from the preceding by its smaller size and by the deeper sulcation appearing only on the vertex. It 266 Mr. Shuckard's Monograph of the Dorylidae, is dedicated to John Curtis, Esq., the author of the British Ento- mology, in which work the portions devoted to the Hymenoptera were evidently a lahour of love. Sp. 14. Lab. (3. Typhlopone) Westwoodii, ^Awc/f. Length 3 lines. Testaceus ; capite (mandibulis piceis exceptis) castaneo nitido, valde punc- tato et in medio sulcata. Pale reddish testaceous. Head bright chestnut, shining, rather closely and deeply punctured, deeply sulcated longitudinally above in the centre, the channel dividing the head into two halves; mandibles pitchy red. Thorax more closely and deeply punctured than the head, and about its length. Abdomen brightly shining, scarcely punctured, the peduncle quadrate, opake, convex, the ventral portion produced into an acute tubercle, the following segments slightly constricted at their base, the apex of the terminal one subretuse, armed on each side with a minute spine, and its ventral portion also furnished with a minute central spine. In my own collection. From South America. Its distinction from the two preceding consists, exclusive of size, in the entire longitudinal sulcation of the head. Genus ^nictus. Shuck. Body elongate cylindrical. Head small, transverse, flat. AntenruB short, setaceous, curved, inserted upon the anterior margin of the clypeus, and not quite so long as the insertion of the superior wings, the scape about one-third the length of the flagellum, the joints of the latter equal. Etfes globose, lateral, and very prominent. Ocelli placed in a slight curve upon the vertex, large and very prominent. Mandibles edentate, elongate, slender, compressed, very much curved, slightly broader at the base, and forcipate. Lahrum truncated at the apex, where it is emarginate in the centre. Maxillcs 1 Maxillary palpi >?* Labial palpi J Thorax short, oval : collar or prothorax more developed than in Dorylus, and not concealed in front by the gibbosity of the mesothorax : scu- tellum quadrate, very gibbous, slightly projecting over the metathorax, which is perpendicular. TegidcB small but distinct. Superior wings with a large stigma, one acuminated, marginal cell angu- * The internal trophi I am obliged to pass over, but as they are scarcely distinguishable in the large species o^Dorylus,m a small insect like the pre- sent, which is at least fifty times less, the investigation would incur a cer- tainty of destruction without possibly effecting the object j but it is quite sufficiently distinguished by its more obvious characters. a Family of the Hymenoptera Heterogyna.'] 267 lated within, and two submarginal cells, the first of which is smaller than the second, and receives the recurrent nerviire at nearly three- fourths of its length. Legs short and slender : coxcb robust, canaliculated above for the articula- tion of the femur : trochanter not distinct : femora and tibicB slender and subcylindrical, the latter furnished at their apex with a single calcar : tarsi slender, longer than the tibiae, the basal joint as long as the three following, the fourth joint the shortest : the claws simple. Abdomen elongate, curved downwards, cylindrical and slightly clavate; the dorsal segments, but especially the terminal ones, slightly constricted ; the penultimate segment much shorter than the antepenultimate, and forming merely a transverse slip ; the first segment, which forms the peduncle, quadrate, the angles rounded; above deeply channeled down the middle, which gives it a bilobate appearance, beneath carinated and flattened laterally from this carina : the apical segment obtuse and rounded. Type of the genus jEnictus ambiguus, Shuck. Named from its aenigmatical structure, whicli participates in that both of Lahidus and Dorylus, from the latter of which, although the neuration of the wings is nearly similar, other parts differ so much, especially the mandibles, prothorax, peduncle of the abdomen and legs, that it would not consistently associate with it, and in all these particulars it completely agrees with Labidus, forming a link between the two genera which thus corroborates their affinity*, although their generic disparity is strongly substantiated by the comparative conformation of the male sexual organ, which, as in Dorylus, here also has the fornicate lateral valves (the external sheath), which are also fimbriated at their apex. The central process (penis), however here takes the same curve, but higher than these valves, which closely embrace it laterally, and are not more than three-fourths as long as it ; this central portion forms, viewed from above, a double parallel tube, separated by a narrow fissure at its extreme apex, but after- wards joined by membrane : the representative of the inner sheaths take here a very different form from what they present in Dorylus, for here they are fornicate, excised just within their apex, they then become suddenly dilated, terminating abruptly in an obtuse angle, which points downwards. The horizontal furcate plate beneath is very broad and quadrate, the furcation being formed by two slender acuminated converging spines. This remarkable insect is a na- * St. Fargeau hints a doubt of this, where he says, ** Je ne presume pas, en r absence du sexe feminin, quelle pent etre leur place definitive, et, du reste, I'analogie apparente me porte a les laisser avec les Dorylus, et a les placer ici hors de rang, en attendant des eclaircissemens sur leurs moeurs." * Hist. Nat. des Hymenop.' (Suites a Buflfbn), torn. i. p. 227. But this au- thor has made many mistakes throughout his notice of these genera, and his opinion of them consequently is not at all to be trusted. 268 Mr. Shuckard^s Monograph of the DorylidEC^ tive of India, and thus binds the forms of the Old and the New World together. The genus is, however, as yet incomplete, as I only know male individuals. Sp. 1. iEnict. ambiguus. Shuck. Length nearly 4 Hnes. Expansion 74 lines. Rufo'testaceiiSy pubescens: capite (antennis, mandibulisque exceptis) et thorace nigro. Reddish testaceous, covered with a close silky down ; head, with the ex- ception of the antennae and mandibles, which are of the same colour as the body, black and shining ; ocelli placed upon an eminence on the vertex, in a curve; mandibles very long, much curved, somewhat broadest at the base, pubescent externally, and when closed leaving a wide space between them and the clypeus, upon the anterior margin of which the antennae are inserted in a cavity, the inner carinated edges of which join in the centre of the face, forming a single carina, which extends to the anterior ocellus. Antennae rather robust, equally thick throughout, the scape not thicker than the flagellum and about one- third its length. Thorax black, or sometimes pitchy, covered with a close decumbent down, convex, very gibbous at the scutellum, which is quadrate : superior wings with the nervures and stigma brown ; the tegulae testaceous ; legs short, slender, testaceous, and covered with long loose hair. Abdomen testaceous, covered with close decumbent down, with the pedun- cle wider than the second segment, deeply canaliculated, and of the shape of a saddle reversed, rounded at the base; the terminal seg- ment rounded and obtuse. Col. Sykes's collection. A native of Poonah in Bombay, whence it was brought by Lieut. Col. Sykes. I have above amply dilated upon its extremely ano- malous structure. The female unfortunately is not known. Genus 3. Dorylus, Fab. Vespa, Lin. MuTiLLA, Lin.^ Christ. Body elongate, cyHndrical, more or less pubescent. Head small, transverse, flat, the face sometimes swollen. Antenncs short, setaceous, curved, the scape long and stout, inserted near the anterior edge of the clypeus within the inner angles of the mandibles; the scape and flagellum varying considerably in their relative propor- tions, the former rarely one-third the length of the whole organ, the apex of which rarely extends to the insertion of the superior wings. Ei/es moderately large, globose, very prominent and lateral. Ocelli placed in a triangle on the vertex, very large and prominent. Mandibles edentate, much compressed, forcipate, convex externally, and concave within, variable in form and proportion. Labrum semicircular, occasionally tuberculated and shutting down upon and inclosing the remainder of the trophi. a Family of the Hymenoptera Heterogyna. 269 MaxillcB obsolete ? Maxillary palpi two-jointed, the joints minute, subglobose, abruptly trun- cated, the terminal one rather the smallest, both having divergent setae at their apex. Labial palpi two-jointed and in advance of the maxillary, than which they are rather longer, the basal joint subobconic, the terminal one minute and subulate, and both with divergent setae at their apex. Mentum waved laterally and eraarginate in the centre. Labium membranous, triangular. Thorax subcylindrical, very gibbous at both extremities. Prothorax extending laterally to the insertion of the anterior wings. Mesothorax largely developed, advanced considerably beyond the insertion of the anterior wings, gibbose in front and suspended over the pro- thorax. Scutellum large, usually transverse, gibbous, rounded at the apex. Metathorax not largely developed. TegidcB small, slender, and linear, but distinct. Superior wings not so long as the abdomen, with one marginal and two submarginal cells, the first of the latter much longer than the second, and receiving the single recurrent nervure usually near its middle. Legs short : coxcb large, convex beneath and concave above : trochanters triangular : femora quite glabrous and shining, very much compressed, usually triangular and broadest at the base : tibicB smooth, shining, slender, not so long as the femora, and furnished at the apex with a single calcar, at the insertion of which there is usually a coronet of small spines : tarsi longer than the tibiae and very slender j the basal joint as long as the three following, the fourth the shortest, and the fifth terminal joint supplied with a pair of short stout simple claws, and having a moderately large pulvillus between their fork. Abdomen elongate, cylindrical, frequently slightly clavate towards the apex, where it curves downwards ; the first segment variously formed and separated from the following by a deep incision, forming a sort of peduncle always convex above : the penultimate and antepenultimate segments equal or subequal : the male sexual organ frequently pro- truding. Type of the genus Mutilla Helvola^ Lin. This genus is restricted to the old world, and its metropolis ap- pears to be Africa, from the southern extremity of which one spe- cies, the type, comes in considerable plenty, which renders it strange that nothing should come with it that might with any probability be associated as the female. But if my assumption should be right as regards the female of Labidus, the supposition is that it also has a blind female which never or rarely quits its subterranean abode. The generic differences throughout this family are strongly con- firmed by the structure of the male sexual organs, which have also specific diversities, and thus here obtain a value not usually acceded 270 Mr. Shuckard's Monograph of the Dorylidae, to them in the description of insects*. The Rev. Mr. Kirby said, many years ago, — " The head and its organs are in some degree ana- logous to the root in plants, for they collect and absorb the nutri- ment ; the truncus may be looked upon as representing the stem, the limbs the branches, the wings the leaves, the abdomen as a kind of calyx, including the fructification. Therefore the great command, * increase and multiply,' will direct us to those parts which con- stitute the essence of an insect." He next says in continuation, " but these, if it were possible, it would be improper to use for characters.*' I introduce them here certainly not as characters, but in confirmation of less tangible characters, thus proving the efliciency of the latter, and as a small contribution to the description of the comparative structure of these organs in insects, which comparative anatomists may not always or even frequently have the opportunity of examining. In Dorylus helvolus this organ consists of two large fornicate valves (the external sheath of the penis. Burnt.) which are fringed at their apex ; within the fornix, and springing from the centre of its base, there is an elongate linear process (the penis) deeply longitudinally channeled both above and beneath, and which extends to the apex of the valves opposite their central division : this division reaches nearly to their base, where these valves have a common origin, and this base forms on each side beneath a convex return, with which an elongate compressed spine (the inner sheath) articulates, having a vertical motion ; and these spines curve upwards on each side of the central canaliculated process near its base, where it is also articu- lated. At the extreme base of this complex organ, and articulating with it beneath, there is a horizontal flat linear plate deeply furcate at its apex, the furcation half the length of the plate, which also ex- tends to the apex of the two large superior lateral lobated valves. It is a circumstance worthy of remark, that wherever I have had the opportunity of examining and comparing several individuals of a species throughout the family, I have found so great a uniformity of size that I have not detected a difference of half a line even among the larger ones. Thus although the characters that separate them are sometimes very obscure, and without patient examination elude discovery, my experience seems to support an opinion that wherever great differences of size are found between specimens of these genera, the presumption is, that characters exist which will individualize them, although too recondite for instant detection, yet so tangible when found as not to admit of the least doubt of their specific value, * Monog. Ap. Angliae, vol. i. p. 39. 1802. a Family of the Hymenoptera Heterogyna. 271 and which become corroborated, as I observe above, by the form of the male sexual apparatus. The species in the present genus seem to separate themselves into groups, for there is less uniformity of general structure than is commonly found in a natural genus, and the form of the peduncle of the abdomen appears in some degree to influence the form of other parts. The groups they resolve them- selves into are these, which may be thus characterized by the form of the peduncle alone or in conjunction with the mandibles, viz. : 1st. Peduncle cup-shaped, nearly as large as the following segment. Sp. 1. 2nd. Peduncle cup-shaped, much smaller than the 2nd segment. Sp. 2. and 3. 3rd. Peduncle quadrate, mandibles slender and much acuminated. Sp. 4, 5, 6. 4th. Peduncle quadrate, mandibles broad and nearly triangular. Sp. 7, 8, 9, 10. Sp. 1. Dor. nigricans, Illiger. Length 13 lines. Expansion 2] a lines. Nigricans, brunneo-holosericeuSy abdominis petiolo acetabiiliformiy segmento secundopaulo minor. Illiger, Mag. der Ent. V. Bd. Seit. 188. 18. Fabricius, System. Piez. 427. 2. Latreille, Gen. Crust, et Ins. 4. 124. , Nouv. Diction. d'Hist. Nat. 2^ ed. 9. 556. Blackish brown, velvety, elongate cylindrical : head comparatively large, slightly convex towards and beneath the vertex ; the ocelli are compa- ratively small and are placed in a triangle ; eyes lateral, small, ovate convex : antennae short, setaceous, the scape rather more than one- third the length of the organ ; mandibles elongate, narrow, much acu- minated, and with the antennae and legs of a dark castaneous. Thorax very robust, covered with a bright brown silky pubescence, with two abbreviated longitudinal central Hues in front : scutellum slightly gib- bous, broad : superior wings with their nervures blackish, and the sur- face clouded with brown, the recurrent nervure inserted just within the centre of the second subraarginal cell, the cubital nervure extend- ing straight to the angle of the second subraarginal : femora elongate, triangular, subacuminate at the apex. Abdomen cylindrical, blackish brown, the margins of the segments a little paler : the peduncle cup-shaped above, villose beneath, nearly as large as the second, the terminal smooth and abruptly truncated at its ex- treme apex, which is a little reflected. In most Collections. This remarkable species, which in the size of its head and peduncle and smallness of its eyes differs from all its congeners, is from Sierra Leone. [To be continued.] \>^.MS-) 272 Dr. Johnston on Beania, XXXI. — Miscellanea Zoologica. By George Johnston, M.D., Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edin- burgh. Description of a New Genus of British Zoophyte. The kind liberality of my friends, interested in similar pur- suits, has lately furnished me with several undescribed spe- cies of British zoophytes ; and there is amongst them one, in some respects, so remarkable and eccentric, that it seems no more than just to its discoverer that an early description of it should be placed on record. It was sent to me by Mr. Wm. Bean of Scarborough, who was fully aware of the novelty and singularity of its characters, which raise it indisputably to a generic rank in its family. Not for this reason however, but because of the very great number and value of the discoveries of that well-known naturalist, I propose to associate this zoo- phyte with his name and memory ; and in doing so I know that I shall confer a gratification on many of his fellow-labour- ers ; and I keep very clearly within the precincts of the rule, which forbids us to confer on a genus the name of an indivi- dual unless his services shall have honestly won him that com- pliment. Class ZOOPHYTA. Order Ascidioida. Family Vesiculariad^. Genus Beania. (Det nomen Dom. Gulielmus Bean, zoophytorum investi- gator peritissimus.) Char. Polyparium phy toideum, filiforme, repens, corneum ; surculis tubulosis, diffuse ramosis, vesiculiferis. Vesiculae sin- gulatim sparsoe, erectae, magnae, ovatae, uno latere spinosas. — Polypi ignoti. Polypidom confervoid, horny, the shoots creeping, filiform, tubular, irregularly divided ; the cells very large, ses- sile, erect, scattered and solitary, ovate with a double spinous keel on one side. Polypes unknown. Species B. mirabilis. Habitat in mare Britannico. Scarborough, very rare, Wm. Bean, Esq. The only specimen which I have seen of this very remark- a new genus of Zoophyte. 273 able coralline is parasitical on the upper valve of an Anomia Ephippium that is likewise almost crusted over with two or three species of Lepralia. It is large enough to be easily seen Fig. 1. with the naked eye, but of such minuteness that it may be readily passed over unnoticed, excepting by a naturalist of the practice and acuteness of its discoverer. The stalk creeps over the surface of the shell, to which it adheres loosely, and is divided at intervals without order or regularity, — the shoots forming sometimes a long simple thread, while at other places they anastomose freely. The shoots are very slender, filiform. Fig. 2. smooth, colourless and pellucid, tubular, unjointed and horny; and in general they are slightly swollen at the origins of the Ann. Nat. Hist. Vol. 5. No. 31. June 1840. u 2^4 Mr. Curtis's Descriptions of some rare cells. These appear to be rather seated on the tube than a development of it, though it is probable that there is a direct and free communication between them. The cells are scattered and always single, half a line in height, sessile, ovate, bulging below, horny, vesicular, slightly compressed, smooth, with a double keel down one side, each keel armed with from five to seven spinous teeth, placed sometimes nearly opposite, and in other instances alternating. The aperture is quadrangular, terminal and wide, half closed with a thin membrane, and furnished at each angle with a spinous denticle. Though the polypes are unknown, yet there can be little hesitation, from the structure of the polypidom, in prognosti- cating their affinity to those of the family Vesiculariadae. Fig. 1. Bean'ia mirabilis, represented as it appears on one part of the shell, considerably magnified. Fig. 2. Three vesicles, more highly magnified, to show their characters more exactly. XXXII. — Descriptions, &^c. of some rare or interesting Indi- genous Insects. By John Curtis, Esq., F.L.S., &c. Most of the following species have been named and recorded in the ' Guide to an Arrangement of British Insects •' but as no opportunity offered of describing them during the progress of the ' British Entomology,^ some of them have been noticed by other writers, who had not consulted the specimens, which will render it necessary to give a few definitions, which it is hoped will make it easy to identify them in future. The numbers refer to the Guide, and all the insects are in the cabinet of the author of the above w^orks, excepting the Hy- grotus and Chrysomela. Order COLEOPTERA. Fam. CARABID.E. Genus 28. Dromius. 14. angustalus. My specimen is l^ line long, but in other respects it agrees with D. truncatellus, and I suspect the D. maurus of Sturm is only a va- riety of the same insect. or interesting Indigenous Insects. 275 Genus 48. Bradytus. 5. marginatus. Elongate-ovate, piceous; head rather small, strongly marked: thorax twice as broad, transverse, semiovate, being broadest at the base, on which there are two punctured striae, the outer one forming an ob- lique sharpish line externally, a faint channel down the middle ; sides convex, margined, bright ferruginous, depressed towards the basal angle : elytra broader, oval, striae strong and crenated in the male ; duller and faintly punctured in the female : palpi, antennae and legs bright ferruginous : length 4 to 4^, breadth if to 2 lines. Having taken a male on Boxhill, Surrey, in August, I now possess the sexes of this interesting species, and find that it connects Bra- dytus and Amara. The habit and structure of the legs are perfectly those of the latter group ; but the head and thorax are more strongly marked. The palpi exhibit a very remarkable character ; the ter- minal joints are compressed and truncated in the male, whilst they are fusiform and longer in the female, but it is probably accidental. Dejean's description of ^Amara patricia, Creutzer, agrees with my insect ; but it is very unsatisfactory to find him referring to Sturm's two figures of A. mancipium and A. equestrisf as examples of Creutzer's insect, since the former appears to be a typical Bra- dytus and the latter a true Amara, It must be remembered that Sturm's dissections of the genus Amara are taken from Carabus ful- vus of DeGeer and not from Carabus consularis as stated by Mr. Stephens. Genus 49. Amara. 23. septentrionalis. ElHptical, shining brassy green : thorax semiovate, being narrowed before, base punctured, with 2 shallow foveae on each side, and a fine channel down the centre ; elytra scarcely wider than the thorax, but more than twice as long and linear, striae firm and delicately punctured, the 2nd abbreviated: trophi ochreous, palpi piceous: an- tennae brown, 3 basal joints bright ochre : legs ochreous, thighs and 4 hinder tarsi piceous: length 3 lines, breadth H. The only specimen I have seen of this pretty species was taken in Scotland, and presented to me by Mr. Lyell. Genus 76. Tachys. 9. minimus. Deep dull ochreous, base of head and apex of antennae darker, trophi very pale ; eyes black ; thorax with a faint dorsal channel ; elytra with several obscure striae, the 2 sutural ones the strongest : length I line. Very similar to T. minutissimus, of which it may only be a pale * Species general des Coleopteres, t. 3. p. 502. I Sturm's Deutschlands Fauna, vol. vi. tab. 141. figs. C, and D. U 2 276 Mr. Curtis's Descriptions of some rare variety. It was found under a stone on the beach at Sidmoutir,. Devon, by Mr. Marshall, the beginning of March. Fam. Dyticidje. Genus 90. Hygrotus. 1*. bisulcatus. Ovate-conic, slightly pubescent, reddish- brown ; base of antennae and thorax ochreous, the latter pitchy at the base, and slightly punctured, with an oblique channel on each side : elytra minutely punctured, with a faint line of punctures on each side of the suture, which is darker, and a channel on each side of the base meeting those on the thorax : length f of a line. This singular little species was taken on Cambridge Fens by the Rev. J. L. Brown of Norwich. It seems to form the transition from Hyphydrus to Hygrotus. Fam. Parnid^. Genus 101. Parnus. 3. montanus. Is only a pale ash-coloured variety of P. proUfericornis, several of which I found under stones upon the mountains near Ambleside. Fam. MycETOPHAGiD^. Genus 160. Tetratoma. 2. pallida. Shining ochreous, reguharly and minutely pimctured and slightly pubescent: head brownish; thorax with two large pimctures or foveolets at the base ; elytra thrice as long as the thorax, with a faint greenish shade: 1| line long. Taken in Oct. amongst dry grass at Southgate by Mr. F. Walker. Fam. Anisotomid^. Genus 164. Phalacrus. 7''. castaneus. Oval, slightly depressed ; black, posterior angles of thorax and elytra castaneous, the latter with nearly 20 regular lines af punc- tures : underside and legs subpiceous : length 1 line. Genus 167. Leiodes. I*^. vittata. Globose-ovate, shining, bright and deep ochreous ; eyes, tips of mandibles and upper side of club of antennae fuscous ; head and thorax minutely punctured, the former ferruginous ; elytra punctured, with rather remote lines of punctures also, with a rosy tinge and a long conical fuscous stripe on each, probably arising from the dark wings folded beneath : length | of a line. 2. latifrons. Oval, shining, ochreous; mandibles prominent, tips black; eyes gray ; head and thorax broad, finely punctured; elytra scarcely broader than the thorax, transversely strigose, with very fine lines of punctures and a channel on each side of the suture : hinder thighs with a very strong spine beneath near the apex : length f of a line. 'or interesting Indigenous Insects. 2?^ i. vittata is characterized by its hemispherical form, whilst L. la- tifrons is ovate and somewhat linear : it is separated from Anisotoma €pinipes, Gyll. by its paler colour, elytra with lines of punctures, and ochreous club of the antennae. Both species I took in Norfolk, as well as L. rufa, which is only a variety of Gyllenhal's insect. Fam. Staphylinid^. Genus 191^. Pelecyphorus, iVbrc?. Eukyporus, jBn'c/i. 2. picipes, Payk. This species, recorded as Astrapeeus basalis, proves to belong to a new genus, and will be found described in Gyllenhal under the name of Oxyporus picipes*. Genus 226. Stentjs, 46. basalis. Glossy black, with a few ochreous hairs, thickest on the face, which is very rugose ; thorax ohovate, truncated at the base, very coarsely punctured as well as the elytra, which are quadrate convex and twice as broad ; abdomen not margined, rather slender and pimctured : base of tibiae bright ochreous : antennae reddish-brown : length 1 line. The only specimens I have seen were found on mud, in the New Forest, in May, by Mr. Dale. Genus 229. Sunius, 5. unicolor. Dark brown, pilose, thickly and minutely punctured : thorax reddish-brown, orbicular, the sides slightly compressed : elytra oblong, sericeous : abdomen piceous, margins of segments and apex ochreous, trophi of the same colour ; antennae and legs more ferruginous ; length Inline. Fam. CoRTicARiD^, Genus 246. Monotoma. 2. gracilis. Narrow, brown, slightly glossy ; head and thorax punctured, the former with acute basal angles, the latter with the anterior angles tuberculated, and a large shallow fovea towards the base, elytra reddish brown, slightly pubescent, with lines of punctures; antennae and legs bright ochreous ; head and thorax sometimes rufous : length g to | line. Mr. Haliday has taken this species at various seasons near the bay of Belfast. Fam. CERYLONlDiE. Genus 248^^. Teredosoma, Curt. — Ips. Oliv. Head short, semiorbicular : eyes lateral. Thorax long cylindric, tapering a little to the base : scutel minute, orbicular. Elytra scarcely broader than the thorax but twice as long, elHptic, cylindric ; wings ample. Legs short, compressed ; tibise dilated towards the apex, with a few mi- nute spines ; tarsi longish, 4-jointed, 3 basal joints small ; claws simple. * Inst'cta Suecica, vol. ii. p. 443. 27$ Mr. Curtis's Descriptions of some rare Antennee short, inserted before the eyes, capitate, hairy, 11-jointed; basal joint stout, hatchet-shaped, 2nd obovate, 3rd as long and slender, 6 following obovate-tnmcate, increasing in diameter, 10th and 11th form- ing a compressed club, the former semiorbicular, the latter suborbicular. Lahrum broad, short, ciliated and pilose. Mandibles broad at the base, tridentate, with a hairy membranous internal margin. Maxillce with a long, slender, hairy internal lobe and a broad but shorter external one terminated by an oval brush of hairs. Palpi somewhat long, stout and 4-jointed, basal joint small, 2nd semiovate, 3rd transverse, 4th the longest, ovate-conic, slightly truncated. Menlum trigonate-truncate. Lip small suborbicular. Paljn short and stout, attached to contiguous scapes, biarticulate, basal joint semiovate, 2nd ovate-conic, slightly truncated. 1. nitida, Payk.— cylindrica, Oliv. v. 2. No. I8.pl. 2. f. 16. Black, shining, punctured : elytra castaneous-black, with faintly punc- tured striae, antennae and legs ferruginous : 1| to 2 lines long. For specimens of tliis recent discovery in Britain, I am indebted to Mr. Trueman, who took them the end of June in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, in the trunk of an old oak tree. Fam. Elate RiD^. Genus 309^. Aplotarsus, Step. Limonius Esch. 24. maritimus. Antennae with 3rd and 4th joints of equal length : terminal joint of palpi obovate, compressed and subtruncate : head margined in front : tarsi tapering, somewhat depressed, black, shining, with short ochreous pubescence and minutely punctured : thorax with the sides very convex and the basal angles very acute ; spine of sternum long and slender : elytra broader ; depressed, inclining to slate black, firmly striated, apex entire : tarsi piceous or reddish brown : length 2 lines, breadth f . This very distinct species does not perfectly associate with the Aplotarsi, as will be seen by comparing the above description with that in British Entomology, of A. aterrimus, plate 694, but I do not find any other group better adapted to receive it. I first discovered A. maritimus under rejectamenta at Broughton, Lancashire, 30th of June 1827, and Mr. Little has since taken it at Raehills, Genus 309°. Cardophorus. AV*. forniosus, Curt. Black, shining, variolated; thorax entirely rufous ; elytra with strongly punctured striae, having a slightly curved bright ochreous fascia near the base and a straighter one beyond the middle : legs ferruginous : length 3 lines, breadth 1^. The only specimen I have seen of this beautiful species was taken from the roots of some celery in a cottage garden near Wentworth or interesting Indigenous Insects. 279 House, Yorkshire, and presented to me by Mr. Simmons, who un- fortunately had laid a book upon it whilst on the setting-board, by which accident the antennae were broken off and lost. Fam. Telephokid^. Genus 188. Telephorus. 20. Mthiops. Black, shining, clothed with short ochreous pubescence: trophi and base of antennae beneath ochreous : thorax transverse, a little narrowed before, sides margined and lurid : elytra thickly punc- tured : legs piceous, base of tibise ochreous : 2 to 24- lines long. Having taken many specimens of this insect, none of which agree with Fabricius's description of his C. pulicaria, nor with Olivier's figure, which has the entire border of the thorax ochreous, I have retained the name I first proposed. They were found on rushes and grass the middle of June 1827, on the sides of Red Skrees, a moun- tain near Ambleside, where I also discovered the true Linnsean T. ob- scurus, for which other varieties had been substituted in the London cabinets up to that period. 2 lb. apicalis. This is probably a variety of T. fuscicornis of Olivier : the antennae and palpi are darker, and it is distingiushed by a blackish stripe down the four anterior thighs and tibiae. 27. unicolor. Long and narrow : clothed with short pubescence : entirely ochreous excepting the eyes, which are black and prominent, and the fuscous wings : thorax bright, shining, not transverse ovate, the base truncated, all the angles rounded : elytra duller, thickly punctured, with 2 obscure longitudinal lines on each : 4 lines long, 1 broad. As this does not agree with Paykull's description of C. pilosa, I have retained my name. It was taken on the wing in the evening in Darent Wood. Fam. BosTRiciDJE. Genus 331. Bostrichus. 3. Waringii. Ochreous, shining ; head black, concave ; thorax pale ferru- ginous, scabrous, with longish ochreous hairs in front ; elytra punctate- striate, the suture piceous, an elongate oval space on the outer margin, and a stripe down the middle of each beyond the centre, but not reach- ing the apex, piceous also ; underside blackish, legs deep ochreous : length 1^ line. I am indebted to Mr. Waring for my specimen, which he took in a house in Bristol. It is allied to B. domesticus, Linn. 28Q Mr. Curtis^s Descriptions of some rare Fam. CuRcuLioNiD^. Genus 355. Balaninus. 12. scutellaris. This appears to be only a var. of the female of B. Brassicce, Fab. with a white scutellum. Genus 356. Anthonomus. 6^. brunnipennis. Ochreous-brown, glossy, with short ochreous pubescence : rostrum ferruginous, piceous at the base, faintly striated ; antennae fus- cous, apex of basal joint ochreous : thorax thickly and coarsely punc- tured : elytra paler, strongly punctate-striate : thighs ochreous at the base, with a minute tooth beneath : 1 line long, including the rostrum. I swept four specimens of this new species off heath the 1 6th of Aug. ascending the Fairie-hills in the Isle of Arran. Genus 361. Pissodes ? 4. pygmceus. Deep shining black, sparingly clothed with minute white scaly hairs : club of antennae hoary ; thorax with variolose punctures ; elytra firmly striated, a little variegated with white scales towards the apex : legs and underside most thickly clothed with them : length | of a line. I have entirely forgotten where I found the 3 specimens of this very distinct little insect which are in my cabinet. At first sight they look very like Molytes, but I have little doubt of their belong- ing to the genus Pissodes. Genus 362. Hypera. 23. fumipes. Black, variegated with cinereous and cupreous scales : an- tennae ferruginous, club piceous, funiculus 6-jointed : thorax with a stripe of scales on each side : elytra slightly bristly towards the apex, tessellated with black, especially down the suture and towards the ex- tremity ; legs ferruginous, sometimes inclining to fuscous, especially the thighs : length I4- line, including the rostrum. I possessed only a single specimen when I gave the name of fu- mipes to this species, which was taken I believe by Mr. Babington near Cambridge. I have subsequently received others from Mr. Wal- ton, which have ochreous and ferruginous legs, depending upon their age. The 6-jointed funiculus readily distinguishes this small spe- cies from the rest of the Hypera. Genus 376. Polydrusus. 6. sericem. I detected a female under a stone, on the banks of the Thames near Gravesend the 1st of June 1839, and Mr. Walton subsequently. found many more specimens. or interesting Indigenous Insects. 281 Genus 384. Apion. 13. Curtmi, Kirby. Narrow and convex, chalybeous black, shining, very sparingly clothed with white hairs : antennae with the two basal joints subferruginous, joints of funiculus globose : rostrum smooth and shi- ning, face and thorax punctured, the latter cylindric, slightly attenuated, with an oval pit at the base : elytra elongate-ovate, not twice as broad as the thorax, with delicate striae and series of white hairs upon and between them : length, including the rostrum, not 1 line, breadth scarcely ^. The whole insect is convex, head, thorax and elytra, and not at all depressed as in ^. pubescens, to which it is most nearly allied: it is further distinguished by the ferruginous base of the antennae, the globose and not oval joints of the funiculus, and the rostrum is smooth and polished. Mr. Kirby drew up a description 20 years since from this unique specimen, which I took in Norfolk, with a view to publish it under the above name, but Mr. Stephens has merely described a variety of a common insect which he fancied was the same. Fam. Salpingid^, Genus 245^. Lissodema Heyana. Will form a subgenus with ^Sphceriestes 4'pustulatu$ and denti- collis, principally distinguished by the club of the antennae being tri- articulate and not 6-jointed : the structure of the tarsi justified my placing Lissodema before the Heteromera^ and the position of Sal- pingus seems to be doubtful. Fam. CuRYSOMELIDiE. Genus 429. Eumolpus.? 3. Hobsoni. Castaneous, very thickly punctured, clothed with short de- pressed ochreous hairs : antennae ochreous, longer than the thorax, disc of thorax black : elytra deep ferruginous, with a long black patch on the suture, a large spot at the base, another on the shoulder, 2 long black spots at the middle and 3 towards the apex, forming interrupted fasciae : length 1§ line, breadth 1. This insect, which will probably form a new genus, was taken by the late Mr. Hobson of Manchester, under the bark of a poplar- tree at Houghend Clough near Charlton. Genus 431. Cryptocephalus. 20. ochraceus. Smooth, shining, deep bright ochreous ; antennae blackish towards the apex ; palpi piceous ; face slightly punctured, with a channel down the middle : thorax broad with the margins and a line down the * Cnrtis's British Entomology, folio 662. 282 Information respecting Zoological Travellers, middle yellow j scutel sometimes piceous : elytra yellow-ochre, suture piceous, humeral spot brown ; striae punctured, brown and oblique next the suture : underside black : length 1^ line. This little insect, which has been confounded with C. pusillus of Fabricius, has a wider and longer thorax and is well distinguished by its dark palpi and channeled face. I always find it in August on grass or herbage, and have never met with any variety as in the al- lied species, which is common on sallows in June. C. ochraceus is abundant at the side of the Avon near St. Vincent's Rocks ; the sand hills, Sandwich ; at Mickleham ; Bungay Common, Suffolk ; and Mr. Dale has met with it near Carisbrook Castle. Genus 433. Chrysomela. 22. SparshalU. Smooth, shining, violaceous ; thorax margined, with a few large punctures on each side : elytra orange colour ; sparingly and irre- gularly punctured, the punctures all black, scutellum and suture also black : length 4 lines. Taken near Epping by Mr. Doubleday, and is preserved in the col- lection of the late Mr. J. Sparshall of Norwich. XXXIII. — Information respecting Botanical and Zoological Travellers, Mr. Schomburgk's recent Expedition in Guiana. [Continued from p. 35.] It has been suspected that there exists a species of Otter in the rivers of South America which is undescribed. The difficulty con- nected with procuring these animals, and the absence of references to consult whether there were any specific differences between the two species which inhabit the rivers of Guiana and those which are al- ready described, prevents me from giving it as my firm opinion that the Otters of Guiana are identical with Lutra brasiliensis of Ray, and Lutra enudris of F. Cuvier. Naturalists know very little about the habits of the South American Otters, nor is it ascertained that the species which is described by Azara is identical with the Lutra bra- siliensis. The note which I select from my journal, although meagre in itself, may prove nevertheless acceptable, until we have a more per- fect knowledge of their character. During our first ascent of the river EssequiboM-e did not meet any Otters until we had passed the river Siparuni, and approached the island Tambicabo. We saw first only one, swimming hke a dog, with the head and neck out of the water ; but more and more made their Information respecting Zoological Travellers, 283 appearance, until their whole number amounted to about twelve. They were approaching our canoes, now raising themselves partly out of the water, accompanying this motion with a loud snore or an angry growl, or diving rapidly under water, and reappearing a few moments after some distance behind our canoes. Our Indians com- menced a shout, striking repeatedly with the hand against their throat, by which a sound not unlike to the growl of the Otter was produced. This attracted their curiosity ; and ranging themselves in a line, they came nearer, and were within the reach of the gun, when the very act of raising it induced them to dive, with the exception of the furthermost, which, more courageous than the others, continued to advance until it received the discharge. It sunk immediately ; but although the water was coloured with blood and proved that it had been wounded, we did not succeed in securing it. We met them afterwards frequently, but always in small societies ; and the first token that they were near us and that we had been re- connoitred by them, was that peculiar snore which may be heard at some distance. I have known them to come so near our canoes that the Indians attempted to strike them with the paddles. This was, as it might have been expected, a vain attempt, as they dive with the greatest rapidity, and are able to remain under the water for a considerable period before they rise to take breath. We frequently surprised them while occupied in feeding upon the fish which they had caught : their retreat was then most rapid, but always in single file and directed towards the river, into which they glide dexterously, and where they dive under instantly for greater security. We have seen them ascend the banks with equal dexterity. They have their certain haunts, where, when they have been successful, they devour their prey, leaving the heads, tails, and fragments of fish, which in- fect the environs with an insupportable smell. The Otters of Guiana choose for their retreat holes near the banks of the river, but they are known sometimes to take refuge in hollow trees. Their haunts are easily known by a strong and disagreeable smell, in some instances so strong that we increased by all means in our power the speed of the canoes to get out of its precincts. The lesser species hunt in small packs of eight or ten, and swim mostly against the stream ; of the larger species I have seldom seen more than two together. As they dive to a great distance and are able to remain under water for six to eight minutes, what fish passes over them at that time is sure to fall a prey to their voracity ; they seize them at once by the belly and drag them on shore, where they are deposited while they continue their pursuit. The Indians, who are aware of this, watch their success in 284 Information respecting Zoological Travellers. ambush, and secure what the Otters bring ashore. They attack some- times fish of considerable size. We watched a pack of Otters at the Great Cataracts of the Corentyn, where, at the basin which one of the cataracts formed, they appeai'ed to carry on their pursuits with great success. One had secured a Haimura at least from ten to twelve pounds weight, and carried it in its mouth to a rock which was partly over water. Here it began devouring its prey without taking much notice of us, although we were not twenty yards from it on the opposite shore. It did not care for our shouting ; its suc- cess was however disputed by the Indians, who got into the canoe and paddled so rapidly towards the rock, that the Otter saw itself obliged to retreat and to leave the better half of the fish to the In- dians. Although the Otters were numerous round the rock, none of them showed any intention to share the prey with the successful hunter or to dispute its possession. I have already alluded to their having their holes on the edge of rivers, sheltered by the impending bank. Every rock in the vicinity of their residence bears the mark of their excrements ; and their feeding-places are so devoid of vegetation, if we except the larger bushes and trees, that they cannot be mistaken, even if the num- ber of scales and fish-bones did not point out the frequency of their visits. A complete path leads up to these places, which, in conse- quence of their ascending and descending in single file, is hollowed out. The young remain for a considerable time under the protection of their parents, the mother teaching them to plunge and dive at ap- proaching danger. Abb^ Ricardo, who wrote in the middle of last century a treatise on the South American Otter, and who, in order to study their manners the more effectively, caused a large cage pond to be erected in Caraccas *, relates, that while the parent Otters are in existence, they do not suffer the young to propagate their spe- cies. I cannot vouch for the truth of this assertion, nor could I make myself sufficiently understood to the Indians to elicit their corroborative testimony to that effect ; but thus much is certain ; — that in the same community there are Otters of all sizes, and appa- rently of three or four different generations. We had entered the upper Essequibo by its tributary the Cu- yuwini, and passed at the foot of a ridge of mountains, when we ob- served on a large ledge of rocks a family of Otters, consisting of about fifteen, including old and young. At our approach they broke * His treatise is said to be still in existence and in good preservation in the cathedral of Caraccas. Information respecting Zoological Travellers, 285 out into their peculiar noisy cry, and the parents seizing the young with their mouth they plunged into the water and disappeared, — and having placed their young in security, we saw them shortly after reappearing at the head of our canoe. They raised themselves with half their body out of the water, snoring for rage and showing their formidable teeth. At approaching danger or when apprehensive of it, they collected in a body, deputing the most courageous in ad- vance ; as our canoe came nearer, they sank under as if by a precon- certed sign, and appeared the next moment within a few yards of it. We saw nothing again of the young ; but the adults and larger-sized young ones accompanied us, threatening and snoring, until no doubt we were so far out of reach of their stronghold that they considered their progeny now safe. In other instances, when we at- tempted to find out their holes, they became so outrageous that they bit our paddles and left the print of their teeth. The Indians know nevertheless how to surprise the young ones, who are then taken home alive, and become in a short time so tractable that they follow their masters like dogs. I have seen them frequently in the Indian cabins, where they were fed on fish, meat, and fruits. In two dif- ferent instances I possessed one myself, but they both met with an untimely death. The first was left at the water's edge on breaking up our camp, and not missed until evening, when the distance was too great to return for it ; and the second was given to the care of an Indian woman from the interior, who visited the coast for the first time in her life. She had been accustomed to keep the young Otter in a large open basket, which she placed in the river at a short distance from shore, fastening it to a stake for greater security. Unacquainted with the rise of the water caused by the flood-tide, she did the same at the lower Corentyn ; and we did not become aware of it until our attention was attracted by her distress, when she observed the water several feet above the utmost point where the string would have allowed the cage of the poor Otter to float. In both instances the young Otters were quite tractable and attached to those who nursed them. Their cry when angry or in pain was most plaintive, sometimes piercing and disagreeable. They appeared to be fond of being carried into the water, and would float motion- less, their head merely above the surface. In Colombia the hunting of the Otter forms a great amusement, and is continued for a considerable period. In the month of May the parties assemble, and having ascended the rivers and falls until they reach the clear waters without current, they encamp. The dogs which have been trained for the purpose of hunting the Otter 286 Information respecting Zootogical Travellers. are taken in a liglit canoe, whicli is manned by the hunters, each armed with an otter- spear, barbed like a harpoon and provided with a handle about ten feet long. An experienced Indian occupies the bow and cheers the dogs, who no sooner wind the game than they give cry. On arriving at the burrows or Calle Pero (Otter city), the land party divide into three : one watches, the other occupies that part at the bank of the river which contains the holes, while the third pokes his spear into the holes to eject the occupants. As soon as an Otter is started the hounds are again in full cry ; and some of the smaller species of dog, of which there are several in the canoe, are let loose to dive after it : in this they relieve each other ; as soon as one is up another goes down ; and although the Otter has larger lungs than most other quadrupeds, and can remain comparatively for a longer period under water, it is at last obliged to seek for shal- low water or the shore, where the hunters are ready to despatch it with their spears. After the old Otters have fled, the young ones retreat to the uppermost recesses of their holes, where they are dug out, and secured for the purpose of taming ; or, which is the case more frequently, they are killed by a slight blow on the forehead. When hard pursued on land, they frequently double or evince other cunning tricks to elude their pursuers. I shall never forget the sight of an Otter- hunt in the river Tacutu. Although almost crippled by the merciless bites which the sand-flies had inflicted during my stay in Esmeralda, urgent business made it necessary that I should proceed after my arrival in Fort Sao Joaquim without delay to Pirara. I could neither ride nor walk, and the rivers were then so low that it proved impossible to ascend the Tacutu in a larger canoe : a small hunting-craft, which afl'orded sufficient room to stretch myself hori- zontally, and which could be dragged by main force over shallows and sand-banks, off^ered the only means for executing my design. We were thus toiling one morning through a small channel, bor- dered on both sides by sand-banks, when we observed before us a pack of Otters. Our canoe was immediately drawn across, which thus completely barricaded the outlets ; while some swift-footed Indians, armed with bludgeons, cut off their retreat by the entrance. The channel expanded and deepened in the middle, and this small basin became now the stronghold of the Otters, into which the Indians rushed for attack ; but in spite of their exertions, perhaps inti- midated by their furious defence, the adult Otters all escaped, except one, which was now completely hemmed in, and which by every stratagem attempted to escape its assailants. It now plunged into the water, sank under, re-appeared, sought its safety on shore, Information respecting Zoological Travellers. 28? running with rapidity over the sand-bank, although apparently little calculated for it, doubled its track with much cunning, and seeing its attempts frustrated by the wily and light-footed Indians, rushed anew into the water. The dormant savage nature of the Indians once roused, no barrier can be set to it. I had been left in the canoe an unwilling spectator. Much as I found myself amused in the commencement of the hunt, now that their united endeavours to slay fell upon a solitary individual whose intrepidity and cunning had as yet frustrated the execution of their murderous design, it awakened pity. But their blood was up ; orders as well as entreaties proved in vain ; and perhaps annoyed at the escape of the others, they appeared determined to sacrifice this one to their vengeance for ill success. Its tenacity of life was astounding ; it had received several wounds with a cutlass, and succeeded nevertheless for some time in evading the mortal blow, until, chased anew upon the sandbank, it was transfixed by a pointed pole and despatched. It mea- sured about five and a half feet in length, including the tail, which was seventeen inches and a half. The fur was of a dark mouse-co- lour on the belly and nearly black on the back ; the head of a mouse- colour, and on the breast was a large cream-coloured spot ; the snout short, whiskers strong, teeth large and powerful, feet short and webbed, tail flattened. Its upper coat of hair was rather coarse, but under it was a coat of the finest fur of a lighter colour. This was the only adult specimen which fell into my hands during my jour- neys in Guiana, and the want of a fuller or systematic description must be ascribed, partly to the state of suffering in which I then was, and partly to the smallness of the canoe to which I was re- stricted, and which prevented me from taking with me anything but the most indispensable articles, to the exclusion of any materials for making the necessary use of its capture. It is nevertheless my opi- nion that the larger species is identical with Lutra brasiliensis of Ray and Geofl'roy, or Linnseus's Mustela lutris brasiliensis, Buff'on's Sari- covienne de la Guyane. I estimate the length of the smaller kind at about four feet, of which the tail is thirteen to fourteen inches. They are of a light mouse-colour, rather reddish on the belly, with the white spot on the breast. In their habits, appearance, and mode of living, they exactly resemble the larger species, and are found in the same situa- tions ; but while that species is seldom found in societies, and ge- nerally only in pairs, the smaller is decidedly gregarious. I have never succeeded in procuring an adult specimen of the latter for ex- amination. Their head appears broader than in the former species. 288 Bibliographical Notices, They are equally destructive as the European and Canadian Ot- ters ; and, as their depredations continue the whole year, their haunts being never frozen over during the period when Otters of the colder zones feed upon terrestrial animals, — their food is restricted to fish alone, and old Izaak Walton would no doubt have found additional cause to bestow hard names upon these " villanous vermin." The fur of the Canadian Otter forms an important article of com- merce, and seven to eight thousand skins are annually imported by the Hudson's Bay Company alone. The skin of the Otter of Guiana has, by competent judges, been pronounced equal in quality ; and it might prove of advantage to hunt it for the sake of its skin. General Parr's cavalry used them for pistol covers and foraging regimental caps. The Arawak Indians of Guiana call it Assiero ; the Caribisi^ Ava- ripuya ; the Tarumas, Carangueh ; the Warraus, the smaller species Etopu, the larger ItsJia-keya ; the Macusis, the first Dura, the latter Maparua. In the colony they are known by the name of Water- dogs, bearing some resemblance to the canine race when swim- ming. [To be continued.] BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. A Manual of the Land and Freshwater Shells of the British Islands, with Figures of each of the kinds. By William Turton, M.D. A new Edition, thoroughly revised and much enlarged, by John Edward Gray, F.R.S. London, 1840. 12mo. Dr. Turton's ' Manual' has long been known as a useful com- panion to the student of British land and freshwater shells, although in its original state it must be admitted to have been defective in much of that varied information which the more advanced state of our knowledge in this, as in other departments of natural history, imperatively demands. In the present edition Mr. Gray (on whose recent appointment to the Keepership of the Zoology in the national collection we have to congratulate the Museum and the country) has fully supplied the deficiency, and has produced a work of a very different and far higher character, which except in name, in a por- tion of the descriptive letter-press, and in the greater part of the figures accompanying it, may be regarded as entirely new. Mr. Gray's * Introduction ' includes, among other interesting matter, a detailed account of no fewer than 50 species of land and Bibliographical Notices. 289 freshwater shells which have been erroneously, as he believes, in- troduced into the British list, with his reasons for their exclusion ; an outline of the geographical distribution of the native species, both with reference to other parts of the world and to the topographical divisions of our own country, accompanied by a tabular view ; no- tices of the localities which different species select ; an enumeration of the fossil species belonging to land and freshwater genera that have been hitherto discovered in Great Britain ; an historical review of the additions made to this department of our Fauna by each suc- cessive writer from MeiTet downwards ; and a list of the British and of the principal foreign works treating on the subject. An " Artificial Table of the Genera" constructed for the use of the mere conchologist who confines his observations to the shell, is fol- lowed by some observations on the principal points to be attended to in the description of shells, founded on their relation to the ani- mal, with reference to which alone they can be properly studied ; and we then arrive at the more strictly Systematic part of the work, the only part in which any portion of Dr. Turton's * Manual' has been retained. But even here all that has been derived from the original work consists of the mere characters and descriptions of the shells, with a few occasional observations, all of which have under- gone revision ; while the outline of the distribution of Mollusca, the characters of the classes, orders, families, and genera ; the descrip- tions of the animals ; the physiological and other notices accompany- ing these descriptions, &c. &c., which constitute the chief value of the work, have been added by Mr. Gray. The number of species described amounts to 128, arranged under 38 genera; and all of these with one exception {Vertigo angustior, which, as the author states, could not be procured) are figured in the plates, supplementary tables containing the more recently disco- vered species having been added to those previously contained in Dr. Turton's work. The original plates have also, it is stated, been revised, compared with the specimens, and corrected where neces- sary ; and enlarged details of some of the smaller species have been added. Woodcut illustrations representing the animals of the dif- ferent families and of most of the genera, together with a few of the shells, have also been introduced in the form of vignettes ; and the work is got up in a handsome and creditable style. It would be supei-fluous to recommend such a work and so edited to those for whose use it is intended, and to whom it can only be necessary to indicate its existence and its contents. Ann. Nat. Hist. Vol.5. No. 31. June IS40. x 290 Wernerian Natural History Society. PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. WERNERIAN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. April 4. — Professor Jameson, President, in the Chair. Professor Traill made a communication to the Society on the na- ture of the food of the genus Trochilus, or Humming-bird, accom- panied with a dissection. The information communicated on this oc- casion was not to be considered in the light of a new discovery, as the Professor intimated he had made the observations many years ago. It was a favourite notion, he remarked, with BufFon and the older writers on natural history, that the food of these birds was scarcely less sethereal than their forms, and that they partook of no- thing more substantial than the nectar of flowers. This opinion was first contradicted by Wilson, who, speaking of the birds in a state of confinement, had remarked, that although they did not re- fuse to partake of sugar and water, yet they frequently devoured in- sects. Dr. T. stated that he had opened the stomachs of a great number of these tiny creatures, and did not remember that he ever failed in finding insects, often many, and these of large size when com- pared to the size of the captor. They were usually winged insects ; and the resort of the birds to honeyed flowers was naturally ex- plained by the fact that to these many insects resorted for their favourite food. In the dissected specimen which the Doctor exhi- bited, the stomach had been opened, and there still remained in situ three insects of very considerable dimensions. The stomach was re- markably muscular, as was also the heart ; and in fact the whole muscular system was exceedingly developed. This remark applied particularly to the muscles of the wing, — to its principal muscle, the pectoralis externus, which brings the wing down to the body, and scarcely less to the pectoralis minor, which elevates the member. The Doctor stated that he had removed the whole muscular apparatus from the body, and weighed it, and then weighed the rest of the frame, had repeated this observation upon a variety of other birds, and found that in none was the relative development apparently so great. Dr. Traill added some further observations upon the anatomy of the tongue and the os hyoides. The long and extensile tongue is extensively bifid in a horizontal direction, one of the forked portions lying above and over the other. Both of them are tubular, an ob- servation based upon his personal observation, and in contradiction to the denial of some respectable naturalists, whose error he con- Microscopical Society. 2M ceived arose from tlieir observation having been on dry and not fresh specimens. The upper side of the tongue is rugous, and the point, especially of the upper part, almost horny. Hence, he esteemed its functions threefold: 1st, From that portion of the tongue which is nearest, the point being supplied with an adhesive secretion, a por- tion of its food, as in the Bee-eater, readily adhered to it ; 2nd, in a degree prehensile, it somewhat discharges the functions of a hand ; and 3rd, with the sharp hard point of the upper filament, it possesses the power of impaling and retaining its victims. With regard to the OS hyoides, its cornea are, as in the Woodpecker, much elongated, and curved round behind the head ; to this powerful muscles are at- tached, and hence the rapidity and vigour of the motions of the member. MiCBOSCOPICAL SOCIETY. April 22nd — Mr. Owen, the President, in the chair. Seven members were elected. Dr. Lindley communicated a short account of his observations on the antheridia of Polytrichum, in the cells of which are contained microscopic animalcules of the genus Vibrio. This discovery, made by Unger, in reference to the anthe- ridia of Sphagnum, and afterwards observed by Meyen, has been confirmed by the observations of Dr. Lindley, who gives the follow- ing description. The antheridia contain a cellular mucous substratum of great transparency, and in each of the cells lies one coiled up Vibrio, which turns round and round within the cell with such rapidity, that it resembles a cyst in very active motion, the dark head of the Vibrio forming an eccentrical point round which the rotatory motion takes place. As soon however as the Vibrio gets into the water, its tail becomes straightened, and then the true nature of the moving body becomes apparent. The paper was accompanied by living specimens of the object. Mr. Bowerbank read a paper descriptive of four new forms of vegetable tissue, occurring in silicified wood from Antigua, &c. The three first of these are from Dicotyledonous woods, and pre- sent some interesting varieties of reticulated vascular tissue. In one example the thread of the net-work is filled with numerous ir- regular vesicular cavities, not exceeding the ij^q of an inch in diameter; and in a second the interstices appear to contain the remains of discoid organs like those seen in the vessels of Ephedra, to which genus the author thinks the fossil may probably be re- ferred. The fourth form is from a silicified palm, and consists of x2 292 Miscellaneous, numerous minute globules, which when viewed with a power of 800 linear, are seen to constitute a very beautiful fibro-vesicular tissue, having a broad and gibbous thread with irregular interspaces. The original structures, together with highly magnified drawings of the tissues, were exhibited to the Society. Messrs. John Dalrymple and Varley communicated the result of their observations on the circulation in Closterium, and also on the structure of other allied genera. MISCELLANEOUS. ON A TORPEDO TAKEN ON THE IRISH COAST. In the last week of October 1838, a Torpedo, taken on the Irish coast by a fisherman who supplies the Dublin market, was brought to the metropolis, and when quite recent purchased by Dr. Jacob, Professor of Anatomy, &c. to the Royal College of Surgeons. When in Dublin some time afterwards, I embraced the opportunity of ex- amining the specimen, which was at once afforded me with Dr. Jacob's usual kindness and liberality. The fish, from the careful manner in which it had been kept, was with the exception of the electric organs (which had been removed) still perfect, and for every purpose of description in as good a state as could be desired. My chief object was to ascertain its species, as even in our latest works — those of Jenyns and Yarrell — that of the Torpedo of the British seas is considered to be undetermined. Although the investigation was on the whole unsatisfactory, owing to the confusion in which the species of Torpedo are at present involved ; the notes made with reference to the works consulted on the subject may possibly be worth transcribing. Of Gesner's figures, none accord with the individual under con- sideration, and if they be correctly drawn, it diiFers in species from them. It does not agree with either of the Torpedos given by Al- drovandus, nor with those of Johnston — his appear to be copies from preceding works. Willughby's figure (T. maculosa) is the same as that of Aldrovandus. With one taken on the coast of France, at Rochelle, and figured by Walsh in the Philosophical Transactions for 1773, vol. Ixiii. tab. 19. my specimen is evidently identical; the only diflference worthy of note is, that the spiracles are represented as notched, which they are not in the specimen, and this cannot be a sexual character, as Walsh's fish was a female as well as the pr©- Miscellaneous, 293 sent individual*. In the Phil. Trans, for 1774 (p. 464) Mr. Walsh records the occurrence of the Torpedo on the southern coast of En- gland, stating that it had been procured at Torbay, Mount's Bay, and Brixham. This gentleman likewise mentions his having been informed at the village of Ring near Dungarvan, county Waterford (Where he was aware that Smith in his History of this county re- corded a Torpedo as having been captured about thirty years before his visit), that one or two of these fish are occasionally taken there in the course of a year. But in regard to species, the author in this communication describes a Torpedo received from Brixham, which is certainly the same as the specimen under consideration. He ob- serves, " the back of it was of a dark ash-colour, with somewhat of a purple cast, but not at all mottled f like those of the Atlantic coast of France, nor regularly marked with eyes, as they have been called, like some found in the Mediterranean. Its under part was white, skirted however with the same ash-colour, which towards its tail be- come almost universal. The side fins being a little contracted and curled up, prevented the precise measurement of its breadth, but it appeared to hold the general proportion observed in those of La Rochelle ; that is, the breadth was two-thirds of the length," p. 465. Bloch's figure represents a diff^erent fish from the present one. Pen- nant copies Walsh's plate illustrative of the French specimens:}:. Donovan (vol. iii. pi. 53.) does not inform us whence his figure was taken, but that it was not drawn from a recent individual may be in- ferred from the only original information he gives of the Torpedo as a British species, being — " we can further say upon the best author- ity, that this species has been more than once taken upon the sandy coasts near Tenby, in Pembrokeshire, South Wales." His figure ex- hibits five spots, the spiracles notched, and the tail somewhat longer than that of the specimen before me. Risso's Torp. unimaculata and T. marmorata, fig. 8. and 9. tom. iii. ed. 1826, appear very different from my fish — the former displays spiracles with an even or circular margin ; the latter has them notched. Blainville (Faune Fran^aise, p. 45.) considers the Torp. narke, T. unimaculata, and T. marmorata, described as distinct species by Risso, to be only varieties of one. Blainville figures the three ; the two last are longer tailed than mine, * John Hunter likewise figures the spiracles notched in the largest en- graving of the fish that I have seen, and a female is represented. Tab. 20. It follows Mr. Walsh's in Phil. Trans. 1 773. t Small dark markings appear scattered over both upper and under side in Mr. Walsh's figures. + Pennant describes the spiracles of a Torpedo which came under his ob- servation, as having " six small cutaneous rays on their inner circumfe- rence." 294 Miscellaneous, T. marmorata approaches it more nearly in form, but is less clumsy : the spiracles are in all three represented as notched. Fleming (Brit. Anim.) not having seen specimens, describes from other authors. In the Phil. Trans, for 1834 (p. 542.), Dr. Davy states, that the Tor p. marmorata, Risso, and T. Galvani, Risso, are identical — in this memoir two Mediterranean species are described, of which this one only approaches the specimen before me. Jenyns (p. 509.) consi- ders the British species of Torpedo to be undetermined, as likewise does Yarrell, whose figure (vol. ii. p. 410.) we may therefore pre- sume has not been made from a' native specimen. Of Dr. Jacob's Torpedo, which is a female, the entire length is 34, the greatest breadth 23 inches ; breadth across the ventrals 9 J inches. The body is rounder and forms a greater portion of the •whole than in Yarrell's figure (and still more so than in Willughby's, which the author just mentioned considers the same as his) ; it is 19^ inches long from the anterior extremity to the part of the body which is on a line with the extremity of the pectorals, and 14-J inches thence to the end of the caudal fin. The first dorsal fin, which is 3 inches in height, extends for 2 inches along the trunk of the tail, and terminates nearly on the same plane with the ventrals : the second dorsal fin originates about 1^ inch behind the first ; it is 21 inches in height, occupies If inch of the tail, and extends within IJ inch of the origin of the caudal fin — it thus nearly occupies the portion between the ventral and caudal fins : C. fin 5 inches in length, upper lobe the larger. Eyes minute, ^ inch long and about the same broad, 2 inches 10 lines from the anterior edge of the body, 2 in. 4 lines apart ; spiracle opening, circular or without tooth-like processes ; a fimbriated process about an inch within the margin : several rows of small sharp teeth ; vent about the middle of body within the ventral fins. Colour of the entire upper surface uniform reddish- grey, with obscure and small markings of a darker shade ; a single dark spot j inch in diameter on the body a little to the left of the middle ; under side rich chalk-white prettily bor- dered with reddish gray, which colour forms a band about an inch in breadth round the pectorals, but narrower on the ventrals, and still more so on the tail. To recapitulate — in all the works noticed in this communica- tion, and perhaps unnecessarily so, the only figures of the Torpedo corresponding exactly in proportion with my specimen are Walsh's*, * I do not recollect to have seen it anywhere satisfactorily stated, whether individuals of the same species differ much in general outline, or whether the sexes ever vary much in this respect — colour is admitted to be no cha- racter. See in particular Dr. Davy, Phil. Trans. 1. c. Meteorological Observations, 295 which are copied by Pennant. Those of the Tremola illustrative of Dr. Davy's memoir, seem much the same. Two desirable points are however attained — the identity of the species with Walsh's specimens from the coasts of France and England ; and the descrip- tion of an authentic example of the fish. From Dr. Jacob I learn, that two Torpedos were taken at the same time about 10 years ago, and he thinks off Dublin bay, like the present individual ; of one of these there is a cast in the Museum of the College of Surgeons in Dublin* ; this I have examined ; it is 38 inches in length, 28 in breadth, and represents the same species as the subject of the pre- sent communication. — Wm. Thompson, Belfast. METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR APRIL, 1840. Chiswick. — April 1. Slight rain : cloudy. 2. Hazy: very fine. 3. Cold dry haze : frosty at night. 4 — 6. Very fine. 7. Fine : stormy showers at night. 8. Slight showers. 9. Cloudy and cold. 10 — 12. Very fine. 13 — 17. Fine but very dry. 18. Clear, hot and dry. 19. Hazy : very fine. 20. Very fine. 21 — 23. Cloudy and fine. 24. Very fine. 25. Very hot, nearly cloudless, and ex- cessively dry. 26, 27. Hot and dry. 28. Excessively hot for the period of the season, thermometer 81° in the shade. 29,30. Very fine: hot and dry. This month is remarkable for the limited quantity of rain and for a high temperature; the latter being the consequence chiefly of a powerful direct solar heat, which overcame likewise the counteracting effects of north and northeast winds, for they were in fact more prevalent than those from the opposite direction, Boston. — April 1. Cloudy: rain p.m. 2. Rain, 3—5. Fine. 6. Cloudy. 7. Cloudy : stormy with rain p.m. 8. Cloudy: hail and rain p.m. 9 — 11. Fine. 12. Rain: rain early a.m. 13—19. Fine. 20—24. Cloudy. 25—29. Fine. 30. Cloudy. Applegarlh Manse y Dumfries-shire. — April 1. Mild day with a shower. 2. Keen and cold but dry. 3, 4. Dry and more temperate. 5. Fine day after a very slight shower. 6. Stormy day with showers, though slight. 7. Keen cold day. 8. More moderate. 9. Fine mild day. 10. The same: slightly moist and cloudy. 1 1. Drizzling all day, but very lightly. 12. Fine though cold : slight rain f.m. 13. Fine soft slight rain. 14. Charming spring day. 15. The same : with frost rime A.M. 16, 17. Fine but coldish : frost rime again. 18. Very fine warm day. 19. The same : white rime a.m. 20. The same: slight showers P.M. 21. The same: gentle shower. 22. The same : moisture. 23. Dry but threatening. 24. The same : cleared up. 25 — 28. Beautiful day. 29. The same, but cloudy. 30. The same : very warm. Sun shone out 29 days. Rain, very slight, fell 6 days. Frost, rime 4 days. Wind north 1 day. North-east \ day. East-north-east 2 days. East 3 days. East- south- east I day. South-east j day. South-south-east 2 days. South 7 days. South-south-west 1 day. South-west 7§ days. West-south-west 1 day. West 2^ days. North-west 1 day. Calm 15 days. Moderate 8 days. Brisk 3 days. Strong breeze 3 days. Boisterous I day. Mr. R. Ball has made an excellent cast from the present specimen. JM P •ajiqs -saujuina o : 6 • o ; c* : ■ 6 • o : o . • 6 • :^§ jloiMSiqo §s M O • ovo CO o ^ o SSj \<«'S » i^ ^i^t ^ ««*^ w^ i i > P W « ^ ro " =«• ^ St a > . . niU •ui'd I XOiAisiqj 5 I ?? >=; ;z; 2; '•« ^ ^ ^ S5 » ^ K -A CO ^ > 5^ S !6 K Hiri wks Me* I CO -^ o -<:i" -^ rf -rt ■ )H|WHl«rt|e»Hl« to t>.vo oovovo^oc^t^ovovo(ovo«voi:^a)i:>*c^ooi:^r^ 1^ ^ o^coo'«tvoooc^ooo7t-^oor^or^oa^cioooc^O'^r*»f5c«U5in'<*^ OC^OO00C<-^Cp-^^»poc3prj'vo ^c^<^^o^o^Qp^^Qp 90^ 9Qpr^c:^9 — 9 9*7''^ T'T^ S^cocic^cic^cocococJC^cC?01(NC0r0o ANNALS OF NATURAL HISTORY. XXXIV. — Notes on some Viviparous Plants. By George Dickie, Esq., A.L.S., Lecturer on Botany in Marischal College, Aberdeen. If by the term viviparous is meant the production by the parent of young and perfect plants instead of the usual method of propagation, then this expression is used rather indiscri- minately, and in some instances very improperly. The pre- sent remarks being chiefly applicable to British plants, it may be needless to state that comparatively few of them deviate from the usual mode of reproduction ; such are chiefly alpine plants. Polygonum viviparum, Samfraga cernua, Festuca vivi- para, Aira alpina, and Poa alpina, and some others, especially some species of Allium, &c., — and I possess a specimen oiPoa fluitans which presents an appearance similar to Poa alpina, and a like variety of Cynosurus cristatus is of frequent oc- currence. In Poa alpina the palece (Lindley) are generally of a soft succulent texture and dark green colour, the outer cuticle being easily detached and possessing numerous stomata ; some of the florets have every appearance of being perfect, inclosing stamens and an ovary ; in some instances however the stig- mata are absent, and in others the ovary is partially trans- formed into a membranous leaf, and the stamens are some- times similarly changed and adherent to one another. In Aira alpina the same transformations are seen, and the awn of the one palea is most frequently adherent throughout, and some- times free only at the apex. In these instances, as well as in Festuca vivipara, the parts which chiefly deviate from the na- tural condition are the paleae ; they acquire an increase of de- velopment, perform all the functions of leaves, and no doubt Ann. Nat, Hist. Vol.5. No. 32. July 1840. y 298 Mr. Dickie on Viviparous Plants, also possess the property of striking root when brought in contact with the soil. In the other plants already mentioned, Polygonum vivipa- rum and Saxifraga cernua, a very diflferent structure is pre- sent. In Polygonum the perfect flowers are chiefly confined to the apex of the stem ; beneath them are placed numerous oval bodies of a purple colour, excepting near their summit, where they have a different appearance, owing to the presence of a thin loose membrane at that part. Each is supported by a stalk, which is, however, so short as to be almost impercep- tible. On making a longitudinal section, it will be seen that each body consists of a strong membrane containing a gra- nular substance. This last is principally cellular ; the cells may be easily detached from each other, and each contains numerous grains of starch. Imperfect spiral vessels pass through the centre of the cellular substance. (Fig. 2.) The 1 2 .5 4, purple membrane is itself covered by a cuticle, which is closely adherent to it, excepting near the apex of each body, where it becomes free, at which part also there is an arrangement ex- actly resembling a bud 5 numerous scales are found, each in- closing the other ; toward the centre they lose their membra- nous appearance, are more succulent, and in the centre there is a nucleus. (Fig. 1.) The cellular tissue in which the starch occurs, when viewed in a mass, appears of a purple colour, which is owing to the presence of numerous oblong cells that have this tinge ; each separate starch cell is colourless, and beautifully transparent. The imperfect spiral vessels already mentioned pass from the point of attachment to the bud at the apex. The small bulbous bodies occurring instead of flowers on Saxifraga cernua, generally consist of two or more thick Mr. Dickie on Viviparous Plants. 299 fleshy scales, which are concavo-convex, the concavities being towards each other. (Fig. 3.) Frequently there is found in- closed between these a small club-shaped body (fig. 4.) en- tirely composed of cellular tissue, and bearing on its surface numerous small glandular bodies. Most of these last when highly magnified bear no small resemblance to certain young ovules, each resembling a small cup, in the mouth of which a nucleus is seen ; figs. 6. 7^ are other forms of these. The fleshy scales are of a pink or purple colour, and consist of a tough membrane inclosing cellular tissue which abounds with starch. In the midst of this tissue there is a central column (fig. 8.) composed of condensed cellular tissue, and some of the cells are remarkable for their purple colour ; no vessels of any kind could be detected. The general structure is therefore very similar to that of the gemmae of Polygonum ; in the bulbs of the Saxifrage there is however no bud at the apex, and true vessels are also absent. No opportunity has been afforded of observing the manner in which the gemmae of Polygonum grow when detached from the parent, but I have examined specimens of the bulbs of the Saxifrage in the progress of growth while still attached to the plant. Numerous delicate cellular roots are thrown out from the surface, but chiefly toward the narrow extremity ; the cen- tral column already described is the part which produces the young plant ; it increases in size, bursts the membrane, and after some time acquires a green colour. The Saxifraga foliolosa (Brown in Parry) is remarkable for the absence of perfect flowers, instead of which small round fasciculi of leaves are found on the stem. Specimens of this plant were given to me by Mr. W. Maitland, surgeon to one of the whaling vessels ; the bulbs were carefully dissected after Y 2 300 Mr. C. C. Babington on Ulex. maceration in water. Each may be described as resembling a cabbage in miniature, being composed of numerous leaves overlapping each other and becoming more delicate toward the centre. In each specimen examined stamens and pistils were found in the centre ; they were, however, of very small size, and such as they are in a very young flower-bud ; the anthers appeared to be completely formed, but almost sessile ; the pistils were apparently perfect, but so delicate that the slightest injury destroyed their form. It is not improbable that these fasciculi of leaves possess the power of striking root under favourable circumstances. Sir W. J. Hooker, in the Appendix to one of Parry's Voyages, states that the plant is propagated by means of these bodies. XXXV. — On Ulex. By Charles C. Babington, M.A., F.L.S., F.G.S., &c.* The possession of a specimen of U. provincialis (Lois.) from Marseilles, and the good fortune of meeting with a flowering plant of U, strictus (Mack.) in the Bath Botanical Garden, have induced me to draw up the following short account of the species belonging to this genus, and illustrate it with out- line figures of the petals and spines. Although two of the species {europceus and nanus) are peculiarly common in En- gland, yet I have found that few of the younger of our bota- nists are acquainted with their true distinctive characters ; indeed so much uncertainty exists that a very common variety of nanus is almost always considered as a form of europceus. The other two species belonging to that section of Ulex to which this paper refers, are amongst the least known European plants, one of them (strictus) being confined to a few spots in Ireland, and rarely flowering, and the other [australis) inha- biting parts of the South of France, Spain, and Morocco (?). The whole genus is confined to the South-western parts of Europe and the North-west point of Africa, having its most northerly limit in Scotland, and its eastern not reaching the centre of Germany. ♦ Read to the Botanical Society of Edinburgh, May 14, 1840. Mr. C. C. Babington on Ulex. 301 I now proceed to describe shortly the four species. 1. U. EuropcBus, (Linn. Sp. PI. 1045. var. a.) Calyce villoso, bracteis ovatis laxis, foliis junioribus subtus villosis sulcatis, spinis primariis validis teretibus polygonis sulcatis minutissime scabris, caulibus hirsutis, floribus lateralibus. U. Europaeus auctorum, Eng. Bot, 742. In this plant the spines are very large and strong, spreading horizontally, terete, with numerous longitudinal ribs and fur- rows, minutely scabrous, alternately branched from their very base, and producing the flowers from the branches (secondary spines) or from the primary spines themselves, the points of which do not extend beyond the expanded flowers. The leaves are linear-lanceolate, in the young state downy beneath and furrowed but not ciliated ; £he bracteas rather large ovate spreading ; the calyx shaggy, with the teeth at the summit of each sepal so closely pressed together as to escape notice until carefully examined. The form of the petals will be best seen by the figures, ^ This plant often grows to the height of from 4 to 6 feet, and flowers from January to June. Common in England. U. Europcetis. 2. U.strictus, (Mack, in Trans. Roy. Jr. Acad. xiv. 166.) Calyce villoso, bracteis ovatis laxis, foliis junioribus subtus villosis te- nuibus, spinis primariis exiguis tetragonis minutissime scabris, caulibus hirsutis, floribus terminalibus. U. strictus. Mack. I. c. Lindl. Syn. ed. 2. p. 322. U. Hibernicus, G. Don, Syst. Bot. and Gard. 2. 148. Here the spines are slender, flexible, and short, ascending at an acute angle from the stem, tetragonal with an interme- diate rib upon one of the sides, minutely scabrous, alternately branched from their very base, never (as far as I have ob- served) producing flowers. The flowers are rarely produced at all ; when present they are few in number, springing from 302 Mr. C. C. Babington on Ulex. the extreme point of the erect wand-like branches, and rising above the uppermost spines ; the bracteas are rather large ovate and slightly spreading ; the calyx shaggy ; the petals very similar in form, but broader in proportion to their length than those of U. europceus. The leaves linear-lanceolate, in the young state thin, shaggy beneath, and not furrowed. Remarkable for its very erect mode of growth and small spines ; and although closely allied to europceus, \t is constantly very different in habit (no intermediate forms having been observed) ; and possessing as it does characters by which it may be easily distinguished, I cannot but agree with Dr. Lindley in considering that it ought to be ranked as a distinct species. U. strictus. c. Found in the Marquess of Londonderry's park in the county of Down, and a few other places in the north of Ireland, flowering in April. 3. U. nanus, (Forst. in Sym. Syn. 160.) Calyce sericeo, bracteis minutis adpressis, foliis junioribus glabris ciliatis sulcatis, spinis primariis gracilibus teretibus striatis Isevibus, caulibus hirsutis, foliis lateralibus terminalibusque. a. typicalis. Caulibus procumbentibus, spinis primariis brevibus gracilibus patulis. Eng. Bot. t. 743. (3. major. Caulibus erectis adscendentibusve, spinis primariis elon- gatis validioribus deflexis. Two marked forms are included under this species, one of them (var. a.) with slender short procumbent or slightly as- cending stems, forming a beautiful carpet on the heaths which it inhabits, and with small slender spreading spines ; the other (var. /8.) with stems sometimes 5 or 6 feet high forming large bushes, with the spines long, strong, and deflexed. In both the spines are terete, striated and smooth, and producing nu- merous branches (secondary spines) from their bases alone. Mr. C. C. Babington on Ulex. 303 The flowers are produced upon the primary spines only, the points of which extend beyond them ; the bracteas are minute and closely adpressed to the calyx, which is finely downy ; the form of the petals also is different from that found in the two preceding species, as will be seen by the figures. Leaves linear-lanceolate, in a young state glabrous, ciliated and fur- rowed. U. nanus. Equally common with U. europaeus, var. a. is the more fre- quent in the eastern counties and var. /3. in the western parts of England. Flowering from Aug. to Dec* 4. U. australis, (" Clemente, Ensayo de lu Vid. p. 291. (1807)'* Webb, Iter. Hisp. 48.) Calyce sericeo coroUse subsequali, bracteismi- nutis, foliis minutis glabris, spinis primariis parvis tetragonis sulcatis Isevibus, caulibus glabris. U. australis, Clem. I. c. Webb, I. c. U. provincialis, Lois. Not. 105. (1810) Fl. Gall. (ed. 2.) 2. 111. t. 27. DC. Prod. 2. 144. Remarkably different from the other species; glabrous throughout, with the exception of the peduncles and calyx, which are finely downy. The spines are small, tetragonal, furrowed, and smooth, alternately branched, but the lowest branch (secondary spine) distant from the stem ; the branches again branched (tertiary spines), and bearing the flowers upon the secondary or tertiary spines. The flowers much smaller than in either of the other species, and differing remarkably * Not found within thirty miles of Edinburgh. — W. H. C. 304 Mr. C. C. Babington on Ulex. from them by having the wings shorter than the keel, whereas in the other three they are longer than it. The bracteas are small and adpressed, resembling those of U. nanus. The leaves very minute, glabrous, and not furrow ed. A native of the extreme south-west of Europe, not found in the British Isles, which are probably too cold for it. Flower- ing in winter. I am indebted to W. C. Trevelyan, Esq. for my specimen, which he gathered near " Marseilles, Nov. 24, 1838," where he states that it grows upon dry limestone hills in low rounded bushes, much smaller than U. europcms, but quite as stiff or rather stiifer than it, in the spines. This plant has usually gone by the name of U, provincialis, conferred upon it by Loiseleur in 1810, but as Mr. Webb (in the work above-quoted) has determined it to be the same as U, australis of Clemente, named in 1807, all botanists are bound to adopt the latter as being the older as w^ell as the bet- ter name. U. australis. There yet remain two plants, both natives of Spain, which probably belong to this genus, as observed by Mr. Webb (Iter Hisp. 49.), who has characterized them in the interesting and valuable work referred to, I mean U. genistoides of Brotero arid U, Boivini of Webb. These plants differ in several points from the typical Ulices and form the genus Stauracanthus of some authors. St. John's College, Cambridge, May 6, 1840. EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURES. The letters refer to the same parts. a. The standard of the corolla. h. One of the wings of the corolla. c. One of the keel petals. d. A portion of the stem with a spine and its branches and leaves. X A leaf. The size of the flowers is not represented in the figures of the spines, but only their situation. The outlines of the petals are drawn to scale, and point out their difference of size as well as shape. < i\iiii.:\^at.Hisl .VolV.PlV. J^o/y//r^r ^Yr^/r/n^^//^/r/^^//^/ Dr. Johnston on the Irish Annelides, 305 XXXVI. — Miscellanea Zoologica. By George Johnston, M.D., Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edin- burgh. [With a Plate.] [Continued from p. 274.] The Irish Annelides. I NOW continue my description of the collection of Irish An- nelides before me *. Family ApHRODiTACEiE. 1. Aphrodita aculeata, Lin, — Strangford Lough, Wm. Thompson, Esq. ; Bangor, Dr. Drummond. 2. Aphrodita hystrix, Sav. — ^Aud. and Edw. Litt. de la France, ii. p. 70. pi. 1. fig. 1 — 9. Courtmasherry Harbour, county Cork, Mr. Geo. J. AUman. I had previously received a specimen from Mr. Edward Forbes, who dredged it in 20 fathoms water about 4 miles from land on the N.W. coast of the Isle of Man. Desc. Body elliptic-oblong, depressed, the back covered with 15 pairs of imbricated naked scales ; the sides hirsute and spinous with golden and brown-coloured bristles ; the ventral surface of a dirty blackish-brown colour, covered with a coriaceous tuberculated skin, marked with transverse pa- rallel rugae along the margins, and with a narrow depressed space down the centre. Head small, entirely concealed under the front scales; eyes very distinct, occipital, pedunculate; between and above the peduncles there is a short porrect biarticulate antenna, and on one side of the mouth a long awl-shaped ciliated palpus invested with a fleshy sheath at the base. Proboscis large and muscular. Scales large, irregularly heart-shaped, smooth, soft, thin and membranous, with entire even margins, overlapping each other on the median line and behind ; the anterior pair is small, rounder than the others and hidden under those that follow, and the posterior pairs are likewise so much imbricated that the anal ones are almost concealed : they are all attached to a fleshy peduncle and are of a greyish or flesh-colour tinted with brown. Feet 32 pairs ; the anterior and posterior are minute, but they gradually in- * See Annals Nat. Hist. vol. v. p. 168. 306 Dr. Johnston on the Irish Annelides. crease in size towards the middle of the body, where they at- tain their greatest development. They are of two kinds, — the squamiferous and cirrigerous, — but a foot of either is di- visible into two branches, viz. a ventral and dorsal. The ven- tral branch (or proper foot) forms a stout rough tuberculated conoid process armed with a stout spine protruded from the pale papillary apex, and with four or five firm bristles proceed- ing from under the apex and partially surrounding the spine. The spine tapers insensibly to an obtuse point, is smooth, and of a pale yellow colour : the bristles are of a rich burnished brown colour, with a round shank which grows a little thicker upwards, and is terminated with a curved cutting point like a pruning-knife ; in most of them there is also a tooth-like process on the inner side beneath this point. (Plate V. fig. a.) The cirrus of the foot does not reach its apex, excepting that of the first pairs ; it is fleshy, setaceous, and of a pale colour. The dorsal branch of all the feet has an upward direction, and cannot be used as an organ of pro- gression along the ground : that of the squamous feet is armed with two bundles of bristles {b), each proceeding from a distinct tubercle ; the innermost or dorsad brush consists of many slender golden yellow bristles, arranged in a fan-shaped manner ; they are comparatively short, curved like the italic letter f, and roughened with minute granulations on their upper half (c) : the bristles of the other brush, placed between the dorsad one and the proper foot, are remarkable for their stoutness and length ; they are of a rich dark brown colour, straight, and terminated with a lanceolate point, which is notched on, each side with four reverted barbs, so that the bristle resembles the barbed arrow or spear of the South-sea islanders [d). The notches are not opposite, but alternate, and they are inclosed within a plain sheath, consisting of two dilated valves which shut upon them [e). The cirrigerous foot has a single fan-shaped brush of bristles only ; the bristles are simple and curved like those of the dorsad fascicles of the squamous feet, but they are more numerous, slenderer, longer, of a paler colour, and quite smooth; they are unequal in length, some of them very fine and hair-like, and the whole brush is usually matted and soiled with extraneous matters. Length of the worm 2 inches ; breadth y^^jths. Dr. Johnston on the Irish Annelides. 307 The slight differences which may be detected between the above description, drawn up from an examination of two specimens of this worm, and that of Audouin and M. Ed- wards, do not indicate any difference of species. The body of our specimens was much more oblong, and in both of them one palpus only w^as to be found; but the emi- nent naturalists just mentioned tell us that the worm is variable in form, and, though they delineate two palpi of equal size, they also say that often one of them is much less developed than the other. The scales are represented by M. Edwards as roundish, inclining to oval : we found those near the middle of the back somewhat heart-shaped, but not uniformly alike, and those near the extremities were rounded. When highly magnified they appeared to be striated with fine lines, and were thinly sprinkled over with very minute granules. 3. PoLYNOE SQUAMATA, /Sav. — Baugor, Dr. Drummond; Strangford Lough, Messrs. Hyndman and Thompson ; coast of county Down, Mr. Thompson; Belfast Bay, E. Getty, Esq. — From the number of specimens it may be concluded that this is a common species. 4. PoLYNOE ciRRATA, Sttv. — Belfast Bay, Mcssrs. Thomp- son and Getty ; Strangford Lough, Messrs. Hyndman and Thompson ; Bangor, Dr. Drummond ; SUgo, Mr. Hyndman. The specimens are still more numerous than those of the preceding, and scarcely two are alike in the colour and va- riegation of the scales. 5. PoLYNOE scoLOPENDRiNA, Sav, — Aud. and Edw. Litt. de la France, ii. p. 92. — Bangor, Dr. Drummond; coast of county Down, Mr. Thompson. Plate V. Desc. Body linear-elongate, flattened, rounded in front and slightly tapered behind, attaining a length of nearly 4 inches, and about 4 lines in breadth ; the anterior portion of the back scaly, the posterior and larger portion naked but muricated with small tubercles arranged in three rows, one down the middle, and one on each side above the bases of the feet : ventral surface smooth, grooved down the middle, 308 Dr. Johnston on the Irish Annelides. more or less iridescent. Head concealed by the front scales, small, tumid, somewhat heart-shaped, sinuated in front, smooth and flesh-coloured ; eyes 2, very distinct, round and black, placed far back on the occiput and remote from each other : antenncB 3, the mid one originating in the sinus of the head, large and equal in length to the palpi, setaceous with an abruptly acuminated point, downy, of a dusky colour, but -pale and jointed at the base ; the lateral antennae are only about a third the size of the odd one, and of the same form and structure. Palpi 2, awl-shaped, larger than the odd antenna, downy or ciliate, and of a straw-yellow colour. On each side of them there is a pair of tentacular cirri equal in length to themselves, but not so stout, and in every respect resembling the mid antenna. Mouth inferior, terminal, fur- nished with a protrusile proboscis, armed with 4 jaws of a horn colour, and encircled at the orifice with a series of short conical papillae. Segments numerous, narrow, deeply incised on the sides, broader than deep. Scales deciduous, rather small, roundish, smooth, with a plain unfringed edge, of a greenish -grey colour, irregularly clouded, and covered with pale puncture-like dots. In all our specimens some pairs had been lost. Audouin and M. Edwards say there are 15 pairs, and they are affixed to every alternate segment after the fashion of the more normal species of the genus. The anterior pairs are imbricated and cover the back entirely, but the posterior pairs lie over the bases of the feet, and leave the back naked in the middle. Feet well developed, homo- logous ; the dorsal branch represented by a mere tubercle, from which grows a fan-shaped brush of short stout equal bristles ; the ventral branch conoid, protruded much beyond the dorsal, obHquely truncate, armed with a series of golden- yellow strong bristles, and with a small inferior cirrus which does not extend beyond the apex. Bristles of the dorsal branch somewhat curved, rather obtuse, rough on one side, and ge- nerally soiled with extraneous matter 5 those of the ventral branch more than twice as long, decreasing both in strength and length as the series descends to the belly, the two upper ones pointed like a lance, the rest like a hedge-knife, with On a remarkable Hydroid Polype, 309 two sharp denticles at the tip, and the inner edge of the curved part minutely serrulated. Spines yellow, tapered in- sensibly to a rather obtuse point, one to each brush of bristles. Tentacular cirri awl-shaped, abruptly acuminate, downy or ciliate, of a dusky or dark colour, with paler spots, reaching to or a little beyond the apex of the foot ; all the feet posterior to the 31st pair are furnished with these cirri, but only those anterior to them which are destitute of scales. Tail without elongated styles. It is difficult to describe the colouring of this fine worm. Of specimens preserved in spirits the ground colour is a straw or ochre-yellow, but the back is clouded and spotted with dusky olive-green, there being a row of spots down the middle, a line or band along each side, and another row of spots exterior to this above the bases of the feet ; and these markings correspond with the arrangement of the tubercles which roughen this surface. The number of segments is liable to vary. Audouin and Edwards say that there are 82 of them. In one specimen we found them to be about 80 ; but that which served for our figure, and which was twice the length of the other, had not less than 110. Plate V. Fig. 1. P. scolopendrina of the natural size. 2. The head with its appendages, highly magnified ; the front scales have been removed. 3. The proboscis laid open. 4. Section of a segment, showing the squa- mous feet; the scales have been raised and reverted. 5. A scale. 6. One of the cirrigerous feet. 7. A bristle of the dorsal brush. 8. The upper bristle of the ventral brush. 9. One of its under bristles. 6. SiGALiON Boa, Johns, — Strangford Lough, Messrs. Hyndman and Thompson. [To be continued.] XXXVII. — On the Corymorpha nutans of Sars, a remarkable Hydroid Polype, By Edward Forbes, Esq., and John GooDsiR, Esq. At the Birmingham Meeting of the British Association we gave a short account of a remarkable Hydroid Zoophyte, new to the British seas, which, supposing it to be altogether new, generically and specifically, we proposed to name Ellisia flos 310 Mr. Forbes and Mr. Goodsir on Corymorpha nutans, maris. This name was objected to by our distinguished friend Mr. Gray, as having been abeady employed to design nate a genus of plants. In a rare volume, written in the Norwegian language, en- titled ^ Beskivelser ag Jagttagelser af Polypernes, &c., &c.,' by M. Sars of Bergen, in Mr. Gray's possession, we recog- nised a figure and description of our animal, which had been previously discovered by M. Sars, in the year 1835, and named by him Corymorpha nutans. The work of the Nor- wegian naturalist contains many most important observations on the marine animals of the west coast of Norway ; and, from the intimate relations between the Fauna of that country and that of North Britain, deserves every attention from British naturalists. From having examined many of the animals described by M. Sars, we can bear witness to the accuracy and fulness of his descriptions. M. de Blainville had quoted the volume in question in the Appendix to his useful 'Manuel d'Actinologie,' and alluded to the genus Corymorpha, but has so mistaken the author's meaning that it was impossible to recognise the animal by the short de- scription there given. Of course we withdraw altogether our proposed name of Ellisia, and adopt the original appellation of M. Sars. As the animal is of great interest to the zoophytologist, being the largest Hydroid polype known, and throwing great light on the structure of its allies in the order Hydroi- deae, and as we have had the most favourable opportuni- ties of examining the creature in detail, having dredged more than twenty specimens and watched them alive, — while the discoverer of the species found but two, and those apparently from his notice thrown ashore in a debilitated state, — we have drawn up the following detailed account from the Bri- tish examples, adding whatever appeared of additional inter- est from that of M. Sars. The Corymorpha nutans is about four and a half inches in length, and its stem at the thickest part half an inch in dia- meter. In form it resembles a Tubularia rather than a Coryne ; but not being placed in a strong horny tube like the former, presents much of the habit of the latter. When a remarkable Hydr Old Polype. 311 young the greater part of the body is inclosed in a thin brown membranous tube, which appears to have no organic connection with the animal, and which growing thinner as the animal gets older, at last disappears altogether. The body or stem is rounded, solid, and flexible, and is somewhat thicker towards the base than above, where it tapers rather suddenly to the neck. The base is fusiform and tapering to a point, and roots in the sand, fixing itself there by means of branching filamentous roots. When sand is much ga- thered round these roots, they present that subglobose ap- pearance seen in M. Sars's figure. The whole of the stem is translucent, of a white colour tinged with pink, and lineated with pinkish-brown, longitudinal lines arranged in pairs. When magnified these lines are seen to be composed of ob- long dots. M. Sars described these stripes as being of a pale vermilion colour in his specimens. These lines« do not run down the fusiform root, neither do they extend upwards quite to the neck, round which there is a band of pink. Above the neck is the head, which is ovate or pyriform, and terminates in a long pyramidal pink trunk, at the extremity of which is the mouth. Round the thickest part of the head is placed a row of between 40 and 50 tentacula, which are very long, white, and not contractile. They are not ciliated. Im- mediately above this circle of tentacula are the ovaries, which are 14 branched orange-coloured processes of considerable size, about one-third as long as the tentacula, each of their branches terminating in a sort of head. Above these the trunk is covered with very numerous white tentacula, directed upwards, not contractile, and very much shorter than those of the lower circle. The internal structure is as follows. The stem is entirely solid, the substance filling it being jelly-like in appearance, as if contained in cells of a slightly fibrous tissue. When a transverse section of the stem is made in the living animal, the outer membrane contracts so as to diminish the dimen- sions of the amputated portion. No vascular structure could be detected, on the most minute examination of transverse and longitudinal sections of the stem ; nor could any current be observed, either with the naked eye or the microscope, in 312 Mr. Forbes and Mr. Goodsir on Corymorpha nutans^ this part of the living animal. The tentacula are all solid^ and composed of the same substance as the stem and head. Within the head is the stomach, opening externally by a small circular mouth without any fringe or oral apparatus. This stomach is flask-shaped, having an elevated floor like the bottom of a bottle. It does not descend below the level of the lowermost range of tentacula. Its internal surface is villous, but not ciliated, neither are there any cilia on any part of the body. This description of the internal structure differs from that of M. Sars, who says, " If the skin of the Polype, which is pretty strong, be cut up, the interior is found quite empty, without any intestines, except a small cylindrical gut or stomach, which at the upper end is a little wider than at the lower, and runs straight from the mouth downwards without bending to the lower half of the body, or a little lower, where it ter- minates abruptly, a large number of threads joined by net- work diverging like rays from its end towards the skin, where they fasten themselves. On this stomach are also to be seen strong longitudinal stripes.^^ This appearance is presented only by the animal after having been kept for some time in alcohol ; but we can assert positively that no such structure exists in the living animal. Misled by the above fallacious appearance, M. Sars has drawn a false analogy between it and the Actinece. To what we have said of the deciduous tube, one of the most extraordinary points in the oeconomy of this zoophyte, we must add that the filaments branching from the roots are, properly speaking, processes of its tube ; for the young animal may be drawn out of its tube uninjured, and then the tube and the roots will be seen entire. In the adult animal the filaments and that part of its tube which enve- lopes the root still remain, while the upper part disappears. As ovaries of the specimen described by M. Sars were much further advanced than those in our examples, we quote the following observations from his account of them : — ^^ They are for the most part two-branched ; at the end of the branches, the eggs, improperly so called, were seen rest- ing, heaped together in large quantities. These eggs or buds a remarkable Hydroid Polype. 313 have an exceedingly remarkable form and internal construc- tion. For if they are examined with the microscope, it will be found that they have an oblong-round conformation, broadest at the top, and slightly blunted; smallest at the bottom and fastened by a very short stem to the branch. If considered still more attentively, it will be seen that these eggs (the internal structure is easily observed in consequence of their transparency,) seem already to contain within them the most important parts of the future polype. For instance, we observe in the middle a part which in form, &c. corre- sponds to the knob in the full-grown animal. This part in the various eggs is of various forms ; in the smaller ones, roimd or oblong ; in the large and best developed, perfectly bottle-shaped. Further, there are observed in the upper or broad end of the egg four roundish projecting knots, which internally are continued as tubes downwards to the base of the bottle-shaped part. One of these knots is always larger and longer than the other three, which are alike, and it ter- minates after a small indentation with another small project- ing knot. It therefore occurs to me as not improbable, that the largest knot, with its interior continuation, developes itself as the stem, while the interior bottle-shaped part forms the head of the polype. However much these eggs at the first glance resemble the q^^ capsules or fruit depositors in one kind of Sertularia, I was confirmed in the opinion just expressed, partly because I could not observe any eggs within them, but chiefly on account of another observation which appears to me important. In some of the larger eggs, where the above-mentioned internal parts w ere particularly plain, I observed very evident, indeed powerful movements ; inasmuch as the eg^, which seemed already to have reached its full maturity, alternately contracted and expanded itself quickly, and so by this systole and diastole endeavoured to disengage itself from the mother animal. I had no oppor- tunity of observing the disengagement or the further develop- ment of it.^' The language of the above observation is fanciful; but there can be no question of the accuracy of the statements. We found the Corymorpha in 10-fathom water, in a sandy Ann. Nat. Hist. Vol. 5. No. 32. July 1840. z 314 Mr. Forbes and Mr. Goodsir on Corymorpha nutans. bottom in the Bay of Stromness, Orkney. When placed in a vessel of sea-water, it presented the appearance of a beau- tiful flower. Its head gracefully nodded (whence the appro- priate specific appellation given it by Sars,) bending the upper part of its stem. It waved its long tentacula to and fro at pleasure, but seemed to have no power of contracting them. It could not be regarded as by any means an apa- thetic animal, and its beauty excited the admiration of all who saw it. The following is the generic character given by Sars. Gen. Corymorpha, nov. Corpus longum, cylindricum, moUe, superne clavato-vesiculosum, infeme conico-attenuatum, tubule cu- taceo hyaline tenuissime partem corporis inferiorem circumdante, libere (nen affixum) insidens. Clava cenica, basi serie tentaculerum longorum circumdata, et ostentaculis brevibus sparsis. 1. Spec. Corymorpha nutans. Cerpere hyaline, lineis longi- tudinalibus pallide rubris. The affinities of this genus may be stated thus : The family of Tubulariadce is a group of Hydroid polypes connecting the true HydrcB with the Sertulariadce, This connexion is twofold, — 1st, between truly naked polypes and such as form a horny case ; and 2nd, between polypes mostly simple or individual in their nature, and polypes truly compound. It is not too much then to expect, that the characters essentially generic in this family, should depend on this double pro- gression from one alliance to another, as well as on some characteristic point in the organization of the animals com- prising the group, considered as members of one family ; in other words, on one positive and two comparative subjects of character. The comparative characters we find, — 1st, in the presence, absence, or nature of a tube, indicating a progression from the Hydr(B ; and 2n J, in the form of the tube when present, whether simple or branched, indicating an approach to the Sertulariadce, The positive character we see in the arrangement of the tentacula surrounding the head, which arrangement is truly generic among the Tubulariadce, and not merely a family character as in the preceding and succeeding families. Con- Mr. Shuckard's Monograph of the Dorylidae. 315 sistent with this view, we find accordingly that Coryne is distinguished by having scattered tentacula of one kind only, and by not possessing a tube ; Hermione, by having scattered tentacula of one kind only, and a branched tube ; Eudendrium, by having regular tentacula of one kind only, and a branched tube ; Tubularia, by having two sets of regular tentacula, and a simple tube which is persistent ; and Corymorpha, by having regular tentacula of two kinds, and a deciduous tube; the animal ultimately becoming naked. Thus Corymorpha completes a circle linking Tubularia with Coryne, partaking of the characters of both. Yet as it par- takes more of the nature of the former than of the latter, it is possible a genus as yet undiscovered may exist, characterized by presenting a permanently noticed body, and regular ten- tacula of one sort. British specimens of the Corymorpha will be figured by Dr. Johnston in his Supplement to the ^ History of British Zoophytes.^ XXXVIII. — Monograph of the Dorylidae, a Family of the Hy- menoptera Heterogyna. By W. E. Suuckard, Esq. [Concluded from p. 271.] Sp. 2. Dorylus helvolus, Lin. Length 12^ lines. Expansion 21^ lines. Helvolus pilosus ; capite rufoy facie opalina convexa^ petiolo acetahuliformi segmento secundo multo minor. Vespa helvoluy Lin. Mas. Lud. Ulric. Reg. 412. 5. Mutilla helvola, Lin. Syst. Nat. ed. 12^ t. i. p. 2. 967. 8. , Fab. Mant. i. 313. 18. — , * Der Kaper.* Chr'x^t, Naturgeschichte der Bienen,&c. p. 151. Dori/lus helvolus, Fab. Ent. Syst. 2. 365. 1. Piez. 427- 1. Coquebert, Dec. 2. pi. 16. fig. 1. , Latreille/Hist. 13. 260. Genera Crust, et In- sect. 4. 124. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. 2°^^ Ed. 9. 555. Reddish testaceous, very pilose, especially at the vertex, the thorax, the coxae beneath, and the apex of the abdomen : the head (excepting the antennae and the mandibles, which are bright castaneous,) red, some- times obscure, with most frequently a strong opaline reflection ; face about the anterior ocellus very prominent, depressed at the insertion of the antennae, as also just behind and between their base, where it takes a triangular form : antennae short, setaceous, the scape rather z 2 316 Mr. Shuckard*s Monograph of the Dorylidae, more than one-fourth the length of the organ : ocelli disposed in a triangle, with a space of more than the diameter of one between the anterior one and the posterior pair : eyes very prominent ; mandibles elongate, acuminate, slightly curved at the apex. Thorax gibbous in front and at the scutellum : metathorax emarginated, the lateral portion slightly produced : superior wings clouded with a fuscous tinge, their nervures dark brown, the cubital nervure quite straight to the separation of the submarginal cells, and the recurrent inserted at rather less than half the length of the first submarginal ; the two anterior femora somewhat lanceolate, the four posterior form- ing an elongate triangle. Abdomen cylindrical, the peduncle cup-shaped, very pilose, truncated pos- teriorly, less than the following segment and viewed laterally, slightly angularly produced beneath ; the terminal segment reflected at its extreme apex, and the horizontal plate of the male sexual organ with its sides parallel and its spines elongate and parallel. Common in collections. This species is from the Cape, exclusively I believe ; for although Latreille says in the first edition of the * Dictionnaire d'Hist. Natu- relle,* that it is also found in India, he could not have compared the specimens, as the latter must be one of the species I describe below from that part of the world. In his ' Hist. Naturelle/ torn. xiii. he says, that this species ranges from Barbary to the Cape : this also is evidently a mistake, and must refer to some other species that I have below described, which are all very distinct, except perhaps the next only, from the present. My reasons for supposing it to inhabit the vicinity of the Cape exclusively are, because Linne, Fabricius, and lUiger describe theirs from that part, and all these descriptions were made from different collections ; and in every metropolitan collection that I have examined, in all of which this insect is found, it being the most abundant species of all, it is invariably ticketed from the ' Cape,' and never from any other part, and I have seen some hundreds of specimens of it. It is doubtlessly to this species that Mr. Burchell refers in his Travels*, Oct. 15, 1811. 'On the same evening I caught for the first time a large Dorylus, an insect which I after- wards found in the months of November and December within the Cape Colony.' The following insect much resembles the present, but their differences will be pointed out in the observations under it. Sp. 3. Dor. affinis, Shuck. Length 10| lines. Expansion 19 lines. Helvolus, pUosus , capite rufo-castaneo, facie plana, petiolo acetabttlifot-mif segmento secundo multo minor. Reddish testaceous, very pilose ^ the head reddish castaneous, excepting # Vol. i. p. 376. note. a Family of the Hymenoptera Heterogyna. 31? behind the vertex towards the occiput, where it is very dark chestnut ; face covered with decumbent down and in front of the anterior ocelli slightly prominent, flattening as it descends between the base of the antennae, (where there is a triangular smooth shining space,) which are setaceous and inserted in a rather deep cavity, with their scape rather less than one-fourth the length of the entire organ j ocelli disposed in a triangle, with a space of less than the diameter of one between the anterior one and the posterior pair ; eyes very prominent ; mandibles elongate, acuminate, slightly curved at the apex. Thorax gibbous in front and at the scutellum ; metathorax longer than in the preceding species and less distinctly emarginated; superior wings subhyaline, clouded only within the marginal cell; the nervures dark brown -, the cubital nervure very slightly undulated as far as the sepa- ration of the two submarginal cells, and the recurrent nervure inserted at fully one half of the length of the first of the latter and curving slightly outwards; legs as in the preceding. Abdomen as in the preceding, the peduncle rather less transverse, and it» produced ventral portion rather boat-shaped, and the horizontal plate of the male sexual organ constricted near the furcation of the spines, which are divergent. In my own collection. This species is from the vicinity of the river Gambia ; it is very like the preceding, and a superficial examination might consider it merely a smaller variety of that insect ; but a more careful inspection discovers a number of particulars which establish its individuality — which a comparison of the descriptions will show ; the strongest of them are the dififerent proportions of the cells of the wings and the structure of the plate of the male organ. Sp. 4. Dor. glabratus, Shuck. Length 14| lines. Expansion 23| lines. Rufo-brunneuSf glaher, subrobustuSy nervis alarum nigriSf vertice valde prorninente facie in medio sulcata, mandibulis aiienuatisy labro tuberculis birds obtusis instructis et peduncido abdominis transverso-quadrato. Rather robust, of a reddish fuscous-brown, glabrous with the exception of some loose curling long hair upon the face, coxae, and extreme apex of the abdomen. The head reddish chestnut, except behind the vertex, where it is black and shining. The face (which is covered with long curling hair) and vertex very gibbous, and this gibbous portion viewed laterally much larger than the eye ; the face deeply longitudinally sul- cated : ocelli placed in a triangle, the posterior pair upon the poste- rior declivity of the head, and with rather more than the diameter of one between the latter and the anterior one ; eyes moderately large, very prominent; antennae short, setaceous, the scape rather less than one-third the length of the organ ; mandibles slightly curved, broad at 3 1 8 Mr. Shuckard^s Monograph of the Dorylidae^ the base, whence they suddenly narrow to the apex, the anterior la- teral return rather broad ; the labrum having two obtuse tubercles. Thorax gibbous in front and at the scutellum, which is transverse and rounded; the mesothorax in front having a short depression on each side of the two central abbreviated impressed longitudinal lines par- allel with the suture, metathorax produced longitudinally, horizontal, where it is abruptly truncated and fringed ; wings darkly clouded, with their nervures black and rather thick, the marginal nervure ex- tending to nearly opposite the inner angle of the marginal cell, the cubital nervure slightly sinuated to the insertion of the recurrent (which is inserted at about half the length of the first submarginal), beyond which to' the termination of this cell it is straight : legs dark chestnut ; femora elongate triangular, their whole outline beneath curving out- wards. Abdomen cylindrical, the peduncle transverse quadrate, convex, not so broad as the base of the following, slightly fringed along its apex, where it has an indicated ridge; the ventral portion with its boat- shaped carina very sharp, second segment also transverse, rather longer and broader than the peduncle; the terminal segment slightly reflected at its extreme apex, where it is densely pilose. In my own and the British Museum collections. This species is from the Gambia. Next to the D. nigricans it is the most robust of the genus. It is sufficiently distinct from all, but it has the tuberculated labrum in common with the two following. Sp. 5. Dor. Juvenculus, Shuck. Length 15^ lines. Expansion 24 lines. Miifo-fuscus, glaber, subattenuatus ; capite {antennis mandibulisque castaneis exceptis) et nervis alarum nigris, vertice valde prominente, facie in medio sulcata^ labro tuberculis binvi instructis et pedunculo abdominis quadratO' convexo. Rufo-fuscous, smooth, with long curling hair only on the face, between the coxae and peduncle and at the apex of the abdomen ; the head black, except the antennae and mandibles which are castaneous ; face and forehead very prominent, this prominence viewed laterally (in pro- file) as large as the eye; ocelli placed in an equilateral triangle on the vertex, the posterior pair on the posterior declivity of the head closely behind the summit, and these distant more than the diameter of one from the anterior, in front of which the face is deeply sulcated : eyes very prominent and subglobose; antennae setaceous, the scape a little less than one-third the length of the organ ; mandibles long and slender, slightly curved, rather broad at tlie base, whence they imme- diately attenuate, their return in front broadest in the middle, nar- rowed at each extremity ; clypeus furnished between the base of the antennae with a long flock of curling hair, and the labrum with two small round compressed tubercles. a Family of the Hymenoptera Heterogyna. 319 Thorax gibbous in front and at the scutellum, the latter transverse with a longitudinal impression at its apex; metathorax elongate*, abruptly truncated at its apex, where it is fringed ; mesothorax slightly corru- gated in front on each side of the two abbreviated parallel longitudinal central lines, the wrinkles parallel with the suture that separates it from the prothorax : wings somewhat obscure, with their nervure* blackish or dark brown, the radial nervure terminating half way be- tween the commencement and the inner angle of the marginal cell, and where it loses itself in the coloured portion of that cell; the cu- bital nervure slightly undulated as far as the insertion of the recurrent nervure, beyond which to the termination of the cell it is straight ; the recurrent nervure also straight, and inserted at rather less than one half the length of the first submarginal cell ; legs castaneous, femora elongate triangular, acuminated towards the apex, the outline be- neath slightly rounded downwards, the trochanters of the four poste- rior strictly adhering and not projecting beyond the lower outline of the femora. Abdomen elongate, cylindrical, the peduncle quadrate convex, (its central portion viewed laterally triangular,) fringed at the apex, where it has a slight transverse ridge, nearly as broad as the following segment, which and the third are also quadrate, the terminal segment very pilose. In the collections of the Zoological Society. This insect is from Barbary, where it was captured by Capt. Lyon. It closely resembles the following, from which, however, the size of the head, proportions of the peduncle, and two first segments of the abdomen chiefly distinguish it. Besides which, the femora in the present form a less acute triangle, and the radial nervure is much shorter and less distinctly terminated. It is remarkable that Bar- bary and India should produce species so closely resembling each other, when the vicinity of the Gambia, within a very limited di- strict, furnishes others greatly differing among themselves. Sp. 6. Dor. labiatus, Shuck. Length 14^ lines. Expansion 23 hnes. Pallide brunneus sen rufo-testaceus glaber^ facie pilosd subtuberculatd prO' minula, in medio prqfunde sulcata, mandibulis attenuatis, labro tuberculis binis magnis instructis et pedunculo abdominis quadrato vel potius std>' globoso. Pale brown, inclining to fuscous, with long curling hair upon the face, be- neath the coxae, and at the apex of the abdomen : head black, except the antennae and mandibles, which are castaneous; face slightly tuber- culated a little to the side and in front of the posterior ocelli ; fore- head not unusually prominent j ocelli large and disposed in an obtuse * In speaking of the metathorax as elongate, it is meant comparatively. 320 Mr. Shuckard's Monograph of the Dorylidae, triangle on the vertex, the posterior placed on the posterior declivity of the head, closely behind the summit, and these distant not more than the diameter of one from the anterior, in front of which the face is deeply siilcated ; eyes very prominent and subglobose, the scape less than one-third the length of the organ ; mandibles long and slender, slightly curved, broadest at the base, whence they immediately attenuate, their return in front equal throughout ; the clypeus furnished between the base of the antennae with a long flock of curling hair, and the labrum with a pair of large round compressed tubercles. Thorax gibbous in front and at the scutellum, the latter transverse and rounded; metathorax elongate, abruptly truncated at its apex, where it is fringed ; mesothorax slightly corrugated in front on each side of the two abbreviated parallel longitudinal central lines, the wrinkles parallel with the suture that separates it from the prothorax: wings subhyaline, their nervures dark brown, the radial nervure distinctly ex - tending opposite and rather beyond the inner angle of the marginal cell, where it terminates abruptly, the cubital nervure slightly undulated as far as the insertion of the recurrent nervure, beyond which tathe ter- mination of the cell it is straight and inserted at half the length of the first submarginal cell; legs castaneous, femora elongate triangular, acuminated towards the apex, the outline beneath not perceptibly rounded downwards ; the trochanters of the four posterior not strictly adhering, and projecting a little beyond the lower outline of the fe- mora. Abdomen elongate, cylindrical, rather slender, the peduncle subquadratc or rather subglobose (its ventral portion viewed laterally angulated but hooked backwards), slightly fringed below its apex, not so broad as the following segment, which with the next is transverse, the ter- minal segment very pilose. In the collections of the Rev. F. W. Hope and Lieut.-Col. Sykes. This species was brought from Poonah, in the Bombay Presidency, by Col. Sykes, and from Assam by Dr. Cantor, a wider range than I know any other species to take. It considerably resembles the pre- ceding. A comparison of the descriptions which I have purposely made parallel will however show ample differences, although the majority consist of minute particulars, the chief of which have been already pointed out in the observations on the former. Sp. 7- Dor.'Orientalis, West. Length 12J lines. Expansion 19 lines. Helvolus pilosus abdomine glabra, capite rtifo, facie in medio stilcatd, man- dibulis subtrigonisy nervo cubitali valde sinuoso, pleuris sericeis, etpeduu' cido abdominis quadrato gibboso. Dor' Orientalisy Westwood, Proceed. Zool. Soc. 1835, p. 72. Pale testaceous with a long shining silky pubescence, especially in front of a Family of the Hymenoptera Heterogyna. 321 the head and throughout the thorax : head red, mandibles and scape of the antennae castaneous, the latter about one-fifth the length of the entire organ, which is filiform and elongate ; ocelli disposed in a tri- angle at the vertex, large, with less space than the diameter of one be- tween the posterior and anterior, in front of which the face (which is very convex) is deeply sulcated : mandibles very broad and very slightly curved, their inner edge acute and nearly straight. Thorax silky, the pleurae shining, gibbous in front and at the scutellum, which is slightly longitudinally impressed in the centre; metathorax rather elongate, slightly rounded at the apex, very pubescent : wings clouded with a fuscous tinge, their nervures dark brown, the cubital * deeply bisinuate, the first sinus dipping into the second discoidal cell, and the second beyond the recurrent nervure, which is straight and inserted at rather more than two-thirds of the length of the first sub- marginal cell : legs castaneous, the femora elongate-ovate, their out- line rounded both above and below. Abdomen with a rich satiny reflection, the peduncle quadrate, gibbous, the ventral portion slightly produced and boat-shaped, the remaining seg- ments transverse, the sexual organ protruding at the apex of the ter- minal segment and fringed. In the collection of Mr. Westwood. This species is from Bengal, whence it was brought by W. W. Sanders, Esq. The differences between it and the next are but slight, and perhaps not specific. I make the descriptions parallel that they may be compared. Sp. 8. Dor. longicornis, Shuck. Length 11^ lines. Expansion 18 lines. Helvoltis suhpvhescens ; capite nigro convexo facie in medio sulcata^ man" dibulis svhtrigonis, pleuris obscuris nervo cubitcdi subrectis, petiolo abdo- minis quadrato gibboso. Reddish testaceous with longish hair about the face and thorax, and especially beneath the peduncle and apex of the abdomen ; head black, except the mandibles, which, as well as the scape of the antennae, are pitchy, the latter not more than one-fifth the length of the entire organ, which is filiform and elongate ; ocelli disposed in a triangle at the vertex, large, with less space than the diameter of one between the posterior and anterior, in front of which the face (which is very convex) is deeply sulcated; mandibles very broad and very slightly curved, their ^ inner edge acute and nearly straight. Thorax obscure, gibbous in front and at the scutellum, the latter with a slight impression in the centre of the apex; metathorax slightly pro- duced and rounded posteriorly, somewhat silky : wings fuscous, their nervures reddish brown, the cubital straight, the recurrent slightly curved outward and inserted at less than two-thirds of the length of 322 Mr. Shuckard's Monograph of the Dorylidoe, the first submarginal cell : legs castaneous, the femora elongate-ovate, their outline rounded both above and below. Abdomen obscure, the peduncle quadrate, gibbous, the ventral portion slightly produced and boat-shaped, the remaining segments transverse ; the sexual organ protruding at the apex of the terminal segment and fringed. In the collection of the Rev. F. W. Hope. This species is likewise from Bengal ; I am in doubt as to its in- dividuality, or whether this or the former may be the species or the variety, having seen only two of this and one of the preceding ; but a comparison of the descriptions, which are very faithful, will justify my considering them species ; there is however much less differ- ence between them than between the D. Juvenculus and D. lahiatus. Sp. 9. Dor. attenuatus. Shuck. Length 10| hnes. Expansion 15 lines. Helvoltis, vcl testaceus, svbpubescenSy capite nigro vel rufo^ facie in medio sul- cata, mandibulis suhtrigonis, nervis alarum brunneis vel iestaceis, pedun- culo quadrato gibboso. Pale reddish, testaceous, opake, subpubescent, slender : head black, except the mandibles, which, as well as the scape of the antennae, are pitchy, the latter barely one-fifth the length of the organ, which is filiform and elongate ; ocelli disposed in a triangle at the vertex, moderately large, with about the space of the diameter of one between the posterior and anterior, in front of which the face (which is convex) is sulcated ; man- dibles broad and very slightly curved, their inner edge acute with an obtuse angulation at the base within. Thorax gibbous in front and at the scutellum, the latter transverse with a longitudinal impression in the centre ; metathorax produced slightly and rounded posteriorly ,• wings obscure, their nervures reddish brown, the cubital slightly waved, the recurrent straight and inserted at less than two-thirds of the length of the first submarginal cell ; legs casta- neous, the femora elongate-ovate, their outline rounded both above and below. Abdomen obscure, the peduncle quadrate, gibbous, the ventral portion very slightly, obtusely portioned, the remaining segments transverse, the sexual organ protruding at the apex of the terminal segment, and fringed. In my own collection. Var. et. Pale testaceous ; head red. I am not sure of the locality of this species, but I believe it is from the Gambia. In many points of description it agrees with the two preceding, from which however, besides size, an ocular inspec- tion shows them to be apparently different. a Family of the Hymenoptera Heterogyna. 323 Sp. 10. Dor. atriceps, ShucJc. Length 9§ lines. Expansion 15^ lines. Sordide kelvolus glaber capite (antennis mandibuUsque badiis exceptis,) atro, facie valde prominente in medio subsulcata, pedunculo abdominis quadrate gibboso. Fuscous, opake, glabrous, excepting beneath the thorax, coxae, peduncle, and apex of the abdomen, all of which have moderately long hair : head deep black, except the mandibles, which are dark chestnut; the face very prominent, subsulcated beneath the anterior ocellus; the ocelli . placed in a triangle, the anterior at the distance of the diameter of one from the posterior pair : eyes subglobose, very prominent ; scape of the antennae very short, (the remainder deficient) ; mandibles very broad, with a large obtuse triangular projection at the base within, leaving no space between them when closed, their inner edge acute. Thorax darker than the abdomen, gibbous in front and at the scutellum, which is transverse and rounded at the apex ; metathorax considerably produced and fringed : wings fuscous, their nervures black, the cubital thick and undulated, the recurrent inserted just beyond the middle of the first submarginal cell, straight ; legs castaneous, their knees pitchy, the femora rather broadest at the base, their outline nearly parallel. Abdomen elongate, cylindrical, obscure, peduncle subquadrate, gibbous, ventral portion very slightly angularly produced, less than the follow- ing segment, all of which are transverse, the terminal segment smooth and shining and very pilose. This species is from the Gambia. Although very like the three preceding, it is very distinct in the form of its head, mandibles, and femora. It is the smallest of the genus, and singularly enough leads olF to the next by the left superior wing, which has an abbreviated portion of a pseudo second recurrent nervure ; by an unlucky acci- dent I destroyed its antennae, and therefore cannot give their pro- portions. Genus 4. Rhogmus, Shuck. Body elongate, much curved downwards at the apex, cylindrical and cla- vate. Head short, transverse ; face slightly protuberant. AntenruB short, setaceous, curved, inserted within the inner basal angles of the mandibles upon the margin of the nearly obsolete clypeus, the scape about one-fourth the length of the whole organ, the apex of which will not extend to the insertion of the wings. Eyes large, lateral, globose, and very prominent. Ocelli large, placed in a triangle on the vertex. Mandibles triangular, edentate, slightly curved at the apex, very much com- pressed, convex externally and concave within. 324 Mr. Shuckard's Monograph of the Dorylidae, As in Dorylus. JLabrum, Maxillaiy Maxillary and Labial palpi, ThoraXy TegtdcB, Superior wings as in Dorylus, but not extending much beyond half the length of the abdonoen, with one internally angulated marginal cell and two submarginal cells, the first of which is considerably the longest, two recurrent nervures, both of which are received by the first sub- marginal cell, the first recurrent rather beyond its centre, and the second near the latter, but diverging towards the apical margin of the wing: the nervures of the wings very robust. Legs as in Dorylus. Abdomen elongate, clavate, much curved, the basal segment forming a transverse convex posteriorly truncated peduncle j the penultimate dorsal and ventral segments considerably larger than the preceding, the terminal dorsal segment also largely developed, emarginate at its ex- tremity, where, as well as its ventral valve and the ventral penultimate, it is densely fringed with long silky down. The genital organ largely developed and differing considerably from that of Dorylus. Type of the genus, Rhogmus firnhriatus. Shuck. Named from pwy^os, a fissure, in allusion to the deep emargina- tion of the terminal dorsal segment of the abdomen. The claim of this remarkable insect to constitute a genus is substantiated by its two recurrent nervures, its very clavate abdomen, and the large de- velopment of its penultimate and terminal segments. In the pecu- liar emarginate structure of the latter it resembles Labidus, but in that genus the emarginate portion of the segment is vertically com- pressed. The very different structure of the large genital organ ex- hibits an absolute necessity for its separation from Dorylus, which although the general structure be the same, it is very different in form, for the lateral fornicate valves (the external sheath, Burm.) are widely separated and compressed flatly at their apex, where they are externally and above very hairy, the hair all curled ; and within at the same part they are' also flat, but glabrous and horizontally truncated at the apex : the central process (the penis) is considerably larger in proportion to the whole organ, vertically broader, narrow- ing towards its apex, where it suddenly enlarges into a boat-shaped clava, which has a deep and separating incision down its centre ; the lateral processes (the inner sheath) which spring from the base of the large lateral valves, and which here embrace the base of the central organ, are here shorter than in Dorylus, and form large com^ a Family of the Hymenoptera Heterogyna. 325 pressed plates very hairy at their apex and beneath, and the hori- zontal piece which articulates at the base beneath the large valves is here dilated into a broad lanceolate plate, deeply emarginate at its apex. Sp. 1. Rhog. fimbriatus, Shuck. Length 174- lines. Expansion 22 lines. Helvolus, pilosus ; ahdomine glabra, segmento ultimo supra et duobus ul- timis subtus fimbiriatis ; capite, {clypeo antennis mandibuUsque casta- neis exceptis) nigro, nervis alarum brunneis et pedunculo abdominis transverso-quadrato, convexo, Rufo-testaceous very pilose upon the face, the thorax above and beneath the coxae also beneath the peduncle of the abdomen, and the margins of the terminal segment above and of the two last beneath, which are densely fringed. The head black upon the vertex and behind, face convex, sulcated in front of the anterior ocellus : the ocelli large, disposed in an equilateral triangle on the vertex, with about the diameter of one intervening between the anterior and posterior pair ; antennae slender, setaceous, the scape one-fourth the length of the organ ; mandibles broad, nearly triangular, very slightly curved, the inner edge acute. Thorax gibbous in front and at the scutellum, which is very pilose, pro- thorax very distinct, and metathorax slightly produced and rounded posteriorly ; wings subhyaline, their nervures robust and brown, the radial lost in a large dilated dark patch at the commencement of the marginal cell ; the cubital slightly undulated, the first recurrent in- serted just beyond the middle of the first submarginal cell, and the se- cond recurrent half way between the first and the termination of the cell, and diverging obliquely towards the edge of the wing ; legs casta- neous, the femora elongate, ovate, compressed, their outline slightly rounded above and below. Abdomen opake, clavate, the peduncle transverse quadrate convex, fringed at its apex and very pilose beneath, where it is slightly longitudinally carinated, not so wide as the second segment, which viewed above is nearly quadrate, the remainder all transverse : of these the penultimate and terminal are the largest, the latter deeply emarginate in the middle, fimbriated along the edge, as are also the two last ventral segments, the terminal of which is semicircular and the penultimate nearly qua- drate. In the collection of the British Museum, and in my own. This remarkable insect is from the Gambia ; it is the largest of the family, and its generic description and the observations thereon will exhibit its distinction from all the rest of the family. Note upon Typhlopone. The preceding pages were at press when I discovered in the col- lection of the British Museum an apterous insect from Sierra Leone, 326 Mr. Shuckard^s Monograph of the Dorylidae, brought thence by the Rev. D. F. Morgan, which appears to be the African representative of Typhlopone, with which it agrees in many points of resemblance, but is sufficiently different to constitute an- other genus, should it eventually prove that Typhlopone is distinct from Lahidus. This African insect agrees with Typhlopone in the disproportionately large size of the head, which is also subemarginate behind ; in having neither eyes nor ocelli ; in the insertion of the antennae (but which is within two deep fossulets, the inner edge of which is not continued in a carina), and in their having but eleven distinct joints and slightly clavated ; in the general form of the man- dibles ; in the peduncle of the abdomen, which is convex above ; and in the apex of the abdomen being furnished with three minute teeth. I propose to call it Anomma, Shuck. for it diiFers from Typhlopone in the head being considerably widest in front, at the base of the mandibles, which are elongate, forcipate, much curved, with one large curved tooth at about half their length ; in the thorax being constricted, especially at the sutural separation between the pro- and mesothorax ; the latter and the metathorax very narrow : the antennas and legs very slender, the latter long and their femora not clavate, the peduncle of the abdomen very narrow, and the segments but slightly constricted. Type Anomma Burmeisteri, Shuck. Sp. 1. A. Burmeisteri, Shuck. Entire length 6 lines. Nigro-piceus, nitidus, glaberrimus : antennis pedibusque rufo-piceus. Brightly shining, perfectly smooth, pitchy black, with the antennae, legs, thorax, ventral incisures and sides of the abdomen pitchy red- The following are the proportions of this remarkable insect : length of the head, including mandibles, 2^ lines; thorax 1^ line; abdomen, including the peduncle, 2^ lines. Mr. Thwaites, of Bristol, kindly communicated to me four spe- cimens of Typhlopone, including two species distinct from those previously described : they are 15. Lab. (4 Typhlopone) Thwaitsii, Shuck. Length 3 — 5 lines. Rufo-testaceus, (mandibulis antennisque rufo-piceis exceptis,) nitidus ; ca- pite antice sulcata et punctulato. Bright reddish testaceous and shining ; the head sparingly and not deeply punctured, the channel between the cavinse of the face continued about one-third the length of the head and terminating gradually : the man- dibles and antennae pitchy red, the former having their teeth and tlie a Family of the Hymenoptera Heterogyna. 327 latter their terminal joint obtuse, and these with eleven conspicuous joints. Thorax scarcely more punctured than the head, the suture which separates pro- and mesothorax curved forwards. Abdomen having the peduncle subglobose, the segments slightly constricted at their base, slightly retuse at its extreme apex, where it has three mi- nute teeth. In the collection of Mr. Thwaites. This species I have much pleasure in dedicating to my friend G. H. K. Thwaites, Esq., an ardent lover and careful student of the Hymenoptera; it is amply distinguished from the TypU. Kirbii by the proportions and size of the terminal joint of the antennae, as also by the different sulcation of the face. The species proves that these insects, of which I had not before seen more than single specimens of any, vary occasionally considerably in size. 16. Lab. (5. Typhlopone) Spinolae, Shuck. Length if line. PalUde-testaceus, nitidus, mandihulis acutissimis, carinis faciei convergen- tibuSf angulalis. Entirely of a pale testaceous : head smooth : antennae having apparently twelve joints arising from the large terminal joint being divided in its middle by a slender dark ring : the carinse, behind which the antennae are inserted, immediately converging, forming an elevated angle, the apex of which is continued a short distance up the face, and at its ter- mination there is a slightly indicated fossulet : mandibles having all their teeth very acute. Thorax slightly punctured, the suture separating the pro- and mesothorax nearly straight. Abdomen having the peduncle subglobose, and the base of the segments slightly constricted, its extreme apex slightly subretuse, and with three minute teeth. In the collection of Mr. Thwaites. This, which is the smallest of all the species, is distinguished from all the rest by the carinse of the face and the peculiarity of its an- tennae : I have seen but one specimen of it. These two species were accompanied with the following observa- tions by Mr. Thwaites : ** Of the Typhlopone a great number were given to Mr. Raddon by a gentleman in the sugar trade, and from these I picked out the series inclosed ; amongst the multitudes of them I had in my possession I could not discover any but similar ones to those sent, and I concluded from their abundance that they must be a common insect. The gentleman who found them informs me that sometimes upon opening a hogshead of sugar from the West 328 Mr. Shuckard^s Monograph of the Dorylidae. Indies the surface is completely covered with this species all alive ; he has promised to let me know the next time the circumstance oc- curs ; I will then look carefully amongst them for the males. It strikes me that the fact of their occurring in such numbers without being intermixed with any other species* militates against your opi- nion of their being the females of Labidus if Lahidus is a parasitic insect ; not knowing Lahidus by sight I cannot give an opinion as to the probability of their being the sexes of one genus." I perfectly agree with Mr. Thwaites, that the remarkable appari- tion of these multitudes, which seems a not unfrequent circumstance, appears to affect my supposition of their being parasites, but it does not contradict the possibility of their being the females of Labidus, nor of their belonging to this family ; and it rather confirms a stronger affinity with the Solitary Heterogyna from three of one species oc- curring of such different sizes ; for this would certainly be an ob- jection to the possibility of their belonging to the Social Hetero- gyna, where never more than two differences of size occur in the same sex. But I have given the whole of the hypothesis, which does not at all affect the descriptive portion of the paper, for no more than it is worth. I build no system upon it ; I have merely suggested it as it occurred to me in the careful examination of these insects ; nor shall I, as is too often the case, identify myself with it and make any dif- ference of opinion a personal matter. The object I have pursued in studying natural history has been to ascertain facts, or in their abs- ence the closest probable approximation to them ; for I am sure, to use the words of our great bard, * Nature is made better by no mean, But nature makes that mean.' And she is too protean in her disguises to be fitted by any boddice we may choose to invest her with. It is perhaps therefore the truest wisdom to wait patiently, although searching diligently, until she may discover herself, and the reverse will be no paradox when we endeavour to anticipate or force her disclosures. * It is not improbable that other species might have been amongst the individuals discovered, as there are clearly two in the four sent to me by Mr. Thwaites. Mr. Waterhouse on a new species of Lophotus, 329 XXXIX. — Description of a new Species of the genus Lo- photus, from the collection of Charles Darwin, Esq. By G. R. Waterhouse, Esq., Curator to the Museum of the Zoological Society, ^c. §-c. The genus Lophotus, founded by Schcenherr* upon an insect from Chile, is placed by that author in his family Cleo- nides, and in the apterous section of that family. But one species of Lophotus was known to him at the time of the publication of his second volume ; he must now however be acquainted with two species, the Rev. F. W. Hope having sent him two from his own collection. One of these is de- scribed and figured by Mr. Hope in the ^Transactions of the Entomological Society,^ under the name of Loph. nodipennis ; to the other he applies the name trifasciatus — this, however, I believe to be the same as Schoenherr's species. Mr. Hope also refers the Curculio Vitulus of Fabricius to the same genus : there are therefore three species of Lophotus known ; and as these are now before me, together with the new species I am about to describe, I will endeavour to point out their chief distinguishing characters. Section RHYNCHOPHORA. Subsection GONATOCERI. Family Cleonid^. Genus Lophotus. Sp. 1. Lophotus Vitulus. Curculio Vitulus, Fab. Ent. Syst. torn. 1. pars 2. page 479. spec. 356. " C. brevirostris niger fronte bidentatd, elytris unispinosis. Habitat in Terra del Fuego. Mus. Dom. Banks. Caput nigrum rostro canaliculate. Inter oculos dentes duo elevati, acuti. Thorax rugosus, ater antice punctis duobus elevatis. Elytra carinata, rugosa, atra, postice spina elevata, acuta. Pedes nigri.'* — Fab. Two specimens of this species form part of Mr. Darwin's collection ; one of them is from Hardy Peninsula, Tierra del Fuego, taken in the month of March ; and the other is from * 'Genera et species Curculionidum,' torn. 2, pars^ prima, p. 314. Ann. Nat. Hist. Vol. 5. No. 32. July 1840. 2 a 330 Mr. Waterhouse on a new species o/'Lophotus. Tres Monies^ " found on a bare granite mountain, at an ele- vation of 2500 feet/^ They have been compared with the original specimen in the Banksian collection. The length of this insect varies from 9 to 10 lines (without including the rostrum, which is rather more than 1 line in length), and its greatest width is from 2| to 3 lines. The general colour is black or pitchy-black. The rostrum is elevated between the antennce, and there are two longitudinal grooves in this ele- vated portion : on the head between the eyes are two distinct obtusely pointed tubercles. The thorax is nearly cylindrical, but obscurely dilated in the middle; its upper surface is covered with strong irregular rugce, which are for the most part in a transverse direction ; besides these irregular ridges, there are two tubercles situated close to the anterior margin. The elytra are of about the same width as the thorax at the base, but towards the hinder part they are dilated; their upper surface is convex, and at the sides they are com- pressed — the general form of the body however approaches to cylindrical. The anterior angles of the elytra are slightly produced, and the apical portion is rounded : on the upper surface they are deeply and coarsely punctured ; these large punctures are near each other and leave strongly elevated rugce, and these rugce are most elevated in the transverse di- rection, the punctures having a tendency to run into each other in that direction : on the hinder part of each elytron, about 2 lines from the apex, is a large angular tubercle. Each segment of the abdomen beneath is convex and somewhat coarsely punctured ; and on the last segment two Xhv^q foveas are observable. The legs are moderately long. A specimen of this, as well as of each of the other species here described, is deposited by Mr. Darwin in the Museum of the Entomological Society. Sp. 2. Lophotus longipes, nov. spec. Loph. niger, rostro longiusculo, culmine elevato, capite nigos^ punctato ; thorace supra lineis irregularibus elevatis transversim, lineelque elevata longitudinali, notato ; margine antico elevato : elytris punctis grandiusculis longitudinaliter in lineis crebr^ depositis ; tuberculis permagnis, apud partem posticam, apice producto et acuto ; abdominis segmentis subtus in medio Isevi- Mr. Waterhouse on a new species of Lophotus. 33 1 bus, ad latera punctis necnon squamis flavidis vel albis obsi- tis ; apud metathoracem squamis pallidis lineam lateralem effi- cientibus ; scutello albo ; pedibus longis. Of the species of Lophotus known, the present could only be confounded with the Loph. Vitulus, but from that it may- be distinguished by the following characters : — the rostrum is longer, and instead of having a bisulcated elevation between the antennce, it is furnished with a central longitudinal ridge, which is considerably dilated in front of the antennae, where it exhibits a shallow longitudinal depression in the middle ; the antennae are longer : the tubercles over the eyes are here wanting : the anterior margin of the thorax is raised into a fold, but it does not present the two tubercles observable in Loph, Vitulus ; the irregular rugce on the thorax are more- over less distinct ; the elytra differ in having the posterior portion produced into a point, the posterior two tubercles much larger, and the sculpturing less deep. In addition to these characters, the comparative smoothness of the segments of the abdomen beneath, and their being furnished with pale scales on the sides, together with the proportionately great length of the legs, will serve to distinguish Loph. longipes from Loph, Vitulus. The scutellum is white. The length of this species is 9"', and its greatest width is 3'" ; the length of \hQ femora and tibim, taken together, is 5 j"', whereas in Loph, Vitulus the same parts measure only 4^'". Mr. Darwin found this species in Hardy Peninsula, Tierra del Fuego, and at Cape Tres Montes. Sp. 3. Lophotus nodipennis, Hope, Transactions of the Entomologi- cal Society of London, vol. 1. p. 15. pi. 1. fig. 5. L. "ater, rostro canaliculato postic^ niveo, elytris unituberculatis, maculaque albida inter tubercula et apicem positti,. Long. Corp. 10"'. Lat. 2^. Habitat apud Conception Americre Meridionalis." Hope. This species is at once distinguished from either of the others here noticed by its less deep sculpturing, but more particularly by the white spots by which its legs, abdomen, and apical portion of the elytra are adorned. These patches of pale scales are observable in the following situations : — 1st, there is a patch on the basal portion of the rostrum, another on 2 A 2 332 Mr. Waterhouse on a new species (t/* Lophotus. each side of the thorax, one on the trochanter of each of the 4 anterior legs ; a longitudinal row of spots adorns the under side of the abdomen, one to each segment, and the two basal segments have moreover a spot on either side ; a large patch is situated on the apical portion of each elytron, and all the femora have a pale ring near the apex : the colour of these spots is sometimes white, sometimes yellow, and occasionally some brilliant pale blue scales margin the white ones, espe- cially on the legs, and a patch of blue scales is generally ap- parent beneath the spots on the apical portion of the elytra. Several specimens of this species were brought home by Mr. Darwin ; some of them are from Chiloe, and others from Ynche Island, Chonos Archipelago. Sp. 4. Lophotus Eschscholtzi, Scho. Tom. 2, pars prima, p. 316. Lophotus trifasciatus . Hope, MS. L. niger, squamis albis dispersis ; elytris fascias tres latas et albas exhibentibus, necnon ad apicem notam albam : tuberculis duobus parvis et angularibus super oculos; thorace punctis confluentibus ; elytris insigniter punctato-striato. This species is readily distinguished from either of the pre- ceding by the black and Yj\\iiQ fasciae which adorn the elytra. It agrees with the description of Lophotus Eschscholtzi, if we may suppose Schcenherr's specimen a little rubbed. In per- fect specimens the elytra (which are shorter and broader than in other species) are densely clothed with white scales, ex- cepting in certain parts, and these unclothed portions form fasciae : a small black spot is observable on each shoulder, a triangular black patch (sometimes confluent with the shoulder- spot) on the scutellum ; behind these are two black fasciae, the first of which is interrupted in the middle ; and on the apical portion of the elytra is an irregular black mark. On the head, thorax, legs, and the whole of the under parts of the body, are scattered white scales. One specimen of this insect was brought from Valparaiso by Mr. Darwin, who says " it first appears in November, is very abundant, and injurious to the young shoots of plums and peaches.'^ The Rev. W. Hincks on Balanus chelytrypetes. 333 XL. — Description of a new Species of Balanus, from the Cabinet of Samuel Wright, Esq., o/* Cork, By the Rev. William Hincks, F.L.S. Mr. Wright, who is a zealous collector in several depart- ments of Natural History, and is well known from his valu- able contributions to the fossil conchology of the interesting district in which he resides, transmitted the species now to be noticed to the present writer to be examined and compared with the specimens in the British Museum, and on finding that it is undescribed, requested that some account of it might be communicated to the public. This animal may perhaps belong to the genus Balanus, though Mr. Gray is of opinion that it must form the type of a new genus, and it is a question which maybe left for future decision. It is attached to the common turtle. The shell consists of six valves, slightly cohering, unequal in size, the smallest and largest being opposed to each other, each valve externally marked by two or three strong ridges meeting towards the apex, sometimes further branched below, which penetrate the bone of the turtle like the fangs of teeth, and appear to enter the fat underneath. They at length almost, perhaps altogether, cut out the portion of bone on which the Balanus stands, so that the removal of the shell would leave a roundish hole. The opercular valves are lost in Mr. Wright^s specimens, which were injured in cutting up the turtle. The diameter of the base in the largest specimen is 1*8 inch. The Balanus being firmly attached to the bony covering of the turtle, which it penetrates in the manner described, protrudes through the horny exterior shell ; but a young specimen apparently of the same species is fixed to the internal surface of the horny shell, not having yet either attached itself to the bone or forced its way through the outer covering. A specimen in the British Museum which seems to be of the same species, though the fangs are less developed, had its peculiarity of appearance attributed to accidental injury, until a comparison with Mr. Wright's specimen showed its real nature. 334 Mr. Selby on the effects produced upon Animal It is a curious subject for inquiry, by what means, whether mechanical or chemical, this Balanus is enabled to penetrate the hard bone of the turtle as well as its outer shell, and also what is the relation of this arrangement to the ceconomy of the animal. I venture to propose as a name for the species Balanus che- lytrypetes *. XLI. — On the Effects produced upon Animal and Vegetable Life by the Winter of 1838. By P. J. Selby, Esq., of Twizel House. The severity with which the year was ushered in by the long-con- tinued frost during the months of January, February, and a part of March, the cold and long-retarded spring, succeeded by a chilly and ungenial summer, as well as a late and deficient harvest, place the year 1838 upon our records as one of pecuHar, though happily of unwonted character. Under circumstances of such a nature, and which it is more than probable may not again occur during the limit of the present generation, a few observations upon the effects of so severe a season, as connected with animal as well as vegetable life, more particularly as affecting our own district, may perhaps prove not altogether uninteresting to the members of the clubf. It will be in the recollection of those who attended to the weather, that, up to the 5th of January 1838, the season, with the exception of the first week of the previous November, when we experienced a severe but cursory snow storm, had upon the whole been temperate and mild : this was particularly the case on Christmas, and two or three follow- ing days, when the thermometer ranged from 52° to 55°, at which time, I may remark, many of the thrushes which still remained in- land, were heard recording in distinct and audible key, thus flatter- ing us with the hope that winter had divested herself of her charac- teristic garb, and that these sweet carols were to be the prelude of an early spring. These halcyon days, however, were of short dura- tion, as, on the 6th of January, frost set in, accompanied in this di- strict by showers or falls of snow and hail, which, in consequence of the calm state of the atmosphere, fell level upon the surface. It thus continued falling at frequent intervals, more or less, for nearly * Chelys, Gr., a turtle, and trypetes, a Greek word signifying * one that perforates.' f From the Transactions of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club : — see p. 129 of the present volume. and Vegetable Life by the Winter q/lSSS. 335 a fortnight, when the snow had accumulated to the depth of ten or twelve mches over the whole surface of the country, the frost at the «ame time continuing to increase in intensity, till every brook and pool was locked up in ice and frozen snow. In consequence of this •deep covering, the birds, particularly those of the insectivorous tribe, or whose chief pabulum consists of worms and insects, soon began to feel the effects of famine ; and blackbirds, redbreasts, hedge-spar- rows, &c. were reduced, at a comparatively early part of the storm, to a deplorable state of weakness, and were daily found dead or dy- ing from the combined effect of hunger and cold. Many fieldfares also perished at this early stage of the frost, though the great body of this emigratory species, soon after the commencement of the storm, moved southwards ; the thrushes also, which I have previously observed were singing at Christmas, entirely disappeared, a precau- tion I have observed for many years to take place in regard to this species, whenever a storm or frost of any continuance has occurred. I may remark, that previous to the commencement of the storm, all the haws and other berries which are the occasional food of the thrush tribe, had been devoured by them, so that no resource of this nature was left them to fly to when the frost first set in. About this pe- riod of the storm, that is, after a fortnight's continuance, the arrival of a great variety of the rarer kinds of water-fowl along the line of coast proclaimed the intensity as well as the wide- extended range of the cold. Wild swans then made their appearance in flocks, and for two or three weeks several of these birds took up their residence in Buddie Bay, when, as may be supposed, their unwonted presence caused an active pursuit, and many individuals were shot. Among them, I may mention two that were taken alive, having been wound- ed, but only so as, in conjunction with their reduced condition, to incapacitate them for flight ; these soon became very tame, and were afterwards placed by W. B. Clark, Esq. of Belford Hall, in a piece of water, where one of them continues to thrive, and now associates with a common goose ; the other died during the course of the sum- mer, apparently from the effects of some internal wounds it had re- ceived. Both of these were of the common or elk species {Cygnus ferus), nor did any specimen of Cygnus Bewickii come under my ob- servation, though I am aware that a few individuals of this species were taken in other parts of the kingdom. In other districts of the country, and in the South of England, the destruction of these beau- tiful and noble birds was very great. Among the rarer species of water- fowl killed upon our coast, the following are deserving of no- tice. Larus minutus (Little Gull) near Embleton, the first instance, I believe, of its occurrence upon the Northumbrian coast ; this is .336 Mr. Selby on the effects produced upon Animal now in the possession of our brother member, Mr. R. Embleton. Several specimens also of the Mergus albellus (Smew), in the adult male })lumage, in which state it is considered a rare bird, were killed upon different parts of the coast ; and of Podiceps rubricollis, far from a common species, I saw several instances. Many specimens of the different Colymbi (Divers) were also shot, and wild- ducks, wigeons, brent-geese, scaup-ducks, pochards, tufted-ducks, and golden-eyes were very plentiful. Upon the southern coasts of En- gland an equal or even greater influx of water-fowl took place, and the destruction, as may be conceived, was comparatively great. In Hampshire, I am informed, that a noble sportsman, who rented a small part of the coast expressly for the shooting of wild- fowl, killed during the storm the extraordinary number of 515 head of various kinds, among which were thirty- seven swans. This warfare upon the aquatic tribe continued for six or seven weeks, and it was not till the middle or latter end of March, that the wild-fowl began to shift their quarters, or yield to that influence which directs their mi- gratory movements to the higher latitudes on the first approach of spring. Before a thaw took place, many of our hardy indigenous and resident land birds also suffered from the intensity of the frost and the want of food ; partridges and pheasants were found dead in every direction, and even the hardy muir-fowl upon the higher grounds were many of them frozen to death. In Edinburgh, I am informed, that for weeks, after the first ten days of the storm, baskets full of partridges and other game were brought to the poul- terers, which had died or had been caught in a dying state, and when taken into the hand were found so reduced as to be a mere collec- tion of bones and feathers. Four-footed game also did not escape with impunity, and during a great part of the storm, their only food, in this district, was the bark and twigs of such underwood and young trees as appeared above the snow. But it was not in those districts alone in which the snow lay deep upon the surface, that animal life suffered from the severity of the season, for I find that in Dumfries- shire and other parts along the western coast, where the fall of snow was very trifling, and scarce whitened the surface, great mortality nevertheless prevailed amongst the feathered race, all access to food having been as effectually prevented by the stony hardness of the earth, as it was where the hoary covering hid everything from view. We now turn to the effects of the frost upon the vegetable fibre, and here we find evidences of its intensity equally striking, and as fatally injurious to certain plants as it was to animal life. In this district its severity was plainly demonstrated by the appearance of our hardy native, the common whin ; this shrub, wherever fully ex- and Vegetable Life bij the Winter of 1838. 337 posed, or in so far as it remained uncovered by the snow, was com- pletely destroyed, for a proof of which I have only to evidence its unsightly appearance at the present moment. The common bay and Portugal laurels also suffered severely whenever exposed to the south- east blast, and many of them still remain in a dubious state of ex- istence. The laurustinus, which had flowered and grown luxuriantly for many years past in this district, has most of it been destroyed to the root ; and I find that even such plants as remained partially green during the last summer, in consequence of some slight nourish- ment from the stem, are now all vi^ithered and dead, a result, how- ever, 1 had anticipated from the appearance of the bark when it was examined last spring after the melting of the snow. In the midland and southern parts of England, where a still greater degree of cold prevailed, as indicated by the thermometer, and where no protection was afforded by a deep covering of snow, the destructive effects of the frost were more extensive, and few, except the hardiest ever- greens, escaped without more or less injury, some being killed out- right, others destroyed to the root, or totally denuded of their leaves ; and it so happened, that many shrubs and trees, which in the North of England and Scotland showed but trifling symptoms of injury, were, further to the south, unable to resist the rigour of the cold. Thus, in a few short days, or perhaps hours, perished most of those beautiful evergreens and other ornamental shrubs which add so es- sentially to the elegant appearance of our country residences, and which form so prominent and peculiar a feature in English orna- mental gardening ; many of these had attained a growth of thirty or forty years, and were flourishing in the greatest perfection, having braved our usual winters without suffering any material injury. The loss, I may add, is still more severely felt, as time alone can repair it ; and it is only the young and rising generation who can, even under the most favourable circumstances, again expect to behold a new succession equal to that which perished in the winter of 1838. Among the evergreens which showed an aptitude to bear an unwonted degree of cold uninjured, or only injured to a trifling extent, the Holly, the Rhododendrons Ponticum, catawbiense, ferrugineum, &c., the Yew, Box, Arbor Vitse, and the Red Virginian Cedar, stood con- spicuous ; the Portugal Laurel also, except in very exposed situations, was not materially injured, and the common or large bay-leaved Laurel, in our own premises, escaped in most instances with the loss of the tender part of the shoot of the preceding season. Of the de- gree of cold experienced during the continuance of this storm, we have authentic accounts of the thermometer having descended to 4° 338 Mr. Selby on the effects produced upon Animal and even 7° below zero, or 36° and 39° below freezing, in the mid- land and southern parts of the island. In this and adjacent districts it does not appear to have reached this intensity, the following being observations on which dependence can be placed. At Kelso, 140 feet above the sea-level, it fell to 3° F. on the night of the 21st of Jan. 1838, and during the continuance of the storm was frequently ob- served at 5° and 8° F. At Mellerstein, about 500 feet above the sea, a self-regulating thermometer of Adie's marked it at 2° F. du- ring the nights of January 20 and 21, 1838. At Greenknow, near Gordon, and considerably higher than Mellerstein, 3° F. on the night of 21st January. And at Mertoun House about the 14th or 15th Ja- nuary, a common thermometer was observed 2° F., and again on the morning of January 21 at 2° F. Early in March the frost abated in rigour, and a slow thaw began to melt the vast accumulation of snow which had been drifted into the lanes, hollows, and hedge banks by the severe and oft-repeated gales that had occurred during the two months' frost. Up to this period none of those indications which we had been accustomed to hail as the harbingers of spring had been observed, such as the song of the misselthrush and the mavis, the cooing of the ringdove, or the pipe of the golden plover, which in usual seasons seldom fail to greet our ears with their welcome notes before February has advanced into the second week. On referring to my notes, I find it was not till the 5th and 6th of March that the peawit and golden plover were first seen, or the carol of the lark heard ; on the 7th the thrush and missel-thrush were in song, being a period later by nearly a month than any I can find in a register kept' for many years past, and it was not till the 20th that the con- gregated flocks of the ringdove began to disperse, or that they were heard cooing and exhibiting that peculiar flight which distinguishes tlie species at the time of pairing, and which in ordinary years sel- dom fails to occur before the 8th or 10th of Februar}\ It was now that the effects of this long- continued storm, so remarkable for the great degree of cold that accompanied it, became fully apparent ; for instead of the host of birds that were wont to resort to our groves and plantations at this season, and whose " wood-notes wild" used to greet us in every direction, a few individuals or a solitary pair alone were to be seen ; and where, a season or two before, a united concert of a multitude of thrushes might have been listened to on a calm mild spring evening, not more than two or three at far distant stations could now be heard ; of our familiar attendant the red- breast, few survived to pour forth their impassioned lay, as the dimi- nished numbers of this favourite bird, even after the increase of the and Vegetable Life by the Winter of 1838. 339 year, clearly demonstrate. The same may be said of the blackbird, whose mellow whistle was scarcely recognised during the spring and summer ; and a like falling off was observed in regard to the wag- tails, wTens, and indeed all the indigenous insectivorous species, which suffered to a much greater extent than the Conirostrce or Finch tribe, which subsisting upon seeds and grains, found, if not ample, at least a sufficient quantity of food to support life in the stack and fold-yards where the others were perishing from the eftects of hunger and cold. But the deficiency of the feathered tribe this year, I afterwards ascertained, was not confined to our indigenous or permanent residents : it extended to all those species which we call summer visitants, or which make our island their breeding resort and habitat during their polar migration ; for as the time of the ar- rival of the various species successively occurred, I found that through- out this district their numbers scarcely averaged a third of the usual supply, and this falling off not confined to a few particular forms, but extending to all the migratory species. The same was observed to prevail in the South of England, as in a communication from Mr. Yarrell, he mentions that the paucity of summer visitants had been generally remarked by those who interest themselves in ornithology and observations connected with it. The cause of this deficiency I attribute to the very cold and ungenial weather which prevailed not only throughout Britain, but over a great portion of the European Continent, at the time these birds usually undertake their periodical flights, and which, I imagine, stopped many on their course, and prevented that extended movement, which, in ordinary years, permits their reaching our own and even higher latitudes. That their less- ened numbers arose from causes which affected them during their winter sojourn can scarcely be supposed, as that portion of the year, it is now well ascertained, is passed by most of them in the warm region of the African Continent or in those parts of Southern Europe where frost is scarcely known. Some few may undoubtedly have perished on the way, or from having advanced at too early a period into the North of Europe, where, in consequence of the chill- ing cold that prevailed, no appropriate food could be found, and thus died of hunger ; but the more probable reason is, I think, that already assigned, viz. that they were stopped on their advance by the peculiarity of the season, and were compelled to remain and nidificate in lower latitudes than they are generally accustomed to do. Of the few which did arrive, it was observed that their first appearance was nearly a fortnight later than has generally been the case, upon an average taken from a register of some twenty years 340 Information respecting Zoological Travellers, past. Thus I find that the Willow Wren (Sylvia Trochilus), instead of the 16th or 18th of April, was not seen or heard before the 3rd of May ; the same in regard to the Blackcap {Curruca atricapilla) , the Tree Pipit {Anthus arboreus), the Whinchat (Saxicola rubetus); and the 13th of May had arrived before an individual of the Fly- catcher (Muscicapa grisola) was observed. Of the species just enu- merated, a deficiency, such as I have already mentioned, was re- marked ; but I think it was even more striking in others, among which I may particularize the Sedge- warbler (Salicaria phragmitis) , Greater Petty-chaps (Curruca montana), White-throat {Curruca clnerea). To this cold and long- retarded spring, succeeded a short and, with the exception of a few days in July, a moist and chilly summer, circumstances which affected not only the increase of animal life, but produced the more serious calamity of a deficient harvest. Fruits also did not ripen at all, or very imperfectly, and were devoid pf their proper taste and flavour. In conclusion, I may add, that a great deficiency of the insect tribes was generally remarked, and, from having given a considerable degree of attention to the entomo- logy of this district for some years past, I can confidently say, that in most of its great families or divisions the remark is correct, more particularly as it applies to the Coleopterous and Lepidopterous in- sects, upon a comparison with what was observed in 1835 and 1836, as well as years previous to that date. XLIl. — Information respecting Botanical and Zoological Travellers, It will give satisfaction to many of our friends to learn that letters have been received from our valuable contributor Dr. Parnell. He is now about to leave Jamaica, after a residence of nearly nine months, during which time he has investigated much of the zoology of that island. His entomological collections have suffered consider- ably from insects, but in ornithology he states, ** I have been more fortunate, having obtained 140 species in a good state, several of which are very rare, and two or three of them I suspect have never been before noticed. In ichthyology I have been most successful, having obtained about 500 specimens." At the date of his letter (22nd March), Dr. Parnell was about to sail for Cuba, whence he ex- pected to return to Britain in November or December next. We have also letters from another gentleman, T. C. Jerdon, Esq., Assistant Surgeon 2nd Madras Light Cavalry, who has been for some Information respecting Zoological Travellers, 341 years resident in India in the prosecution of his profession, and has employed his leisure time in studying the zoology of that country, particularly its ornithology. Our parcel contains a partial result of researches in the latter department in the first part of a *' Catalogue of the Birds of the Peninsula of India, with brief Notes on their Habits and Geographical Distribution* ;" and notwithstanding the informa- tion contained in the illustrated works of Hardwicke and Gould, and in the valuable Catalogues and Papers of Franklin, Sykes, Hodgson, and Eyton, several species among the Raptores are given as new, Mr. Jerdon divides the peninsula into four great districts or divisions. 1st, The Northern Circars, comprising a narrow tract of land (be- tween 16° and 20° N. lat.) from the sea-coast on the eastern side of the peninsula to the Eastern Ghauts, by which it is separated from the Great_,Table-land ; 2nd, The Carnatic, including the whole of the country lying south of the Northern Circars along the coast as far as Cape Comorin, and bounded on the west by the Eastern Ghauts, except the Coimbotoor district, where the eastern as well as western range is broken ; 3rd, Western coast, including Travancore, Cochin, and Malabar, and comprising a strip of land of various width lying between the sea on the western side of India, and the range of Western Ghauts, which it includes ; 4th, The great central table land, including Mysore, the Baramahl, the ceded districts (Bellary andCud- dapah),the kingdoms of Berar and Hyderabad, the Southern Mahratta country and the Decan. The species already noticed in this range are 390, and the list will probably be extended before the completion of the catalogue, which now reaches only to a part of the Strigidse. Of the Falconidae 32 species are noted ; and among those belonging to the British list we have Pandion Haliaetos, Aquila Chrysaetos, Circus cineraceus and rufus, Falco peregrinus and Tinnunculus, Accipiter fringillarius, and Astur palumbarius. It is possible however that some of these may require a more rigorous comparison with the birds of Europe. This part of the catalogue is illustrated by a lithographic figure of an owl (Huhua pect oralis), very neatly engraved ; and if figures can be pro- duced in India equal to that now attempted, they will be of much importance in illustrating the views of the gentlemen who may in future attend to the zoology of this very interesting region. Our correspondent states, " I have 50 or 60 drawings in the same style f, drawn by myself and finished by the native artists I kept at Trinco- * Published in the Madras Journal of Literature and Science for Sep- tember 1839. The Raptores. f Specimens accompany the packet well drawn and beautifully finished. 342 Botanical and Zoological Travellers, nopoli, most of them of birds hitherto unfigured. I shall commence sending my specimens next month, and hope by the end of the year to have forwarded to you a series of alll have procured, for the iden- tification of species, &c. As you requested, I now add a few remarks on the Indian Fox and Wolf. Canis Bengalensis, Shaw, C. Kokree, Sykes, lives chiefly on the open plains, burrows in the ground, ge- nerally four or five openings to the burrow, some of which commu- nicate with each other; others are blind : it feeds chiefly on lizards, locusts, grasshoppers, beetles, small snakes, and occasionally crabs and rats ; runs with remarkable speed ; the chase with greyhounds is a favourite pursuit in India. — Canis Lupus, C. pullipes, Sykes, Wolf : hunts in small packs and runs down antelopes and hares, seizes also sheep in a very daring manner in daylight, and carries off young calves, goats, sheep, &c. during nights, and not unfre- quently children. It possesses great speed and most extraordinary powers of endurance. Though often chased by the best horsemen, unless it is gorged, it always outlasts the fleetest horse, keeping ge- nerally 20 or 30 yards ahead at whatever pace the rider may go.'* Dr. Krauss's Return from Southern Africa. It will be remembered, that about two years and a half since. Dr. Fer- dinand Krauss of Stiittgard, left England for the Cape, on his way to explore the interior of Southern Africa, with a view to collect objects of Natural History from those regions. He has within the last month returned to London with his extensive collections of both animals and plants, collected principally in Natal and Amazoola land, where he resided about twelve months ; during which period he assiduously devoted the whole of his time and attention to pre- serving objects in every department of natural history. The zoolo- gical collection comprises Mammalia, Birds, Fishes, Amphibia, Crus- tacea, Insects, Shells (land, freshwater, and marine,). Zoophytes, &c. The Botanical collection comprises about 3000 species of native plants, carefully preserved, and in most instances 30 specimens of each species ; those of Natal, amounting to about 1000 species, are offered to botanists at forty shillings the hundred ; and those col- lected in the Cape Colony at twenty-five shillings per hundred spe- cies. A series of the zoological and botanical collections we under- stand are about to be purchased by the British Museum ; the re- maining sets will be disposed of to those desirous of possessing them. In addition to the above collections Dr. Krauss attentively ex- Information respecting Zoological Travellers. 343 amined the geological features of the country through which he tra- velled, with a view especially to record the exact position and situa- tion of the coalfields, very imperfectly known to the farmers in the interior of Africa. He has brought with him specimens illustrative of the different formations, including the coal and fossils from the beds : we anticipate giving a more detailed account of this traveller's expedition in a future Number. Mr. Schomburgk's recent Expedition in Guiana, [Continued from p. 288.] 1 HAVE been told of eight varieties of Opossum which inhabit Guiana, five of which have come under my notice. I have identified four species with those described by authors, as Didelphis cancrivora, L., D. quica, Temm., D. philander, Temm. and D. dorsigera, L. and Temm. ; but the fifth appears to me to stand intermediate between D. virginiana and Z>. Azarce, Screb. Temm. It differs from the latter in the absence of the black markings on the head, black neck, and the black and white ears, which in the Guiana species are of a uniform black colour. If we could reconcile the geographical distribution of D. virginiana over a space so different in temperature, I should consider the specimen which I am now describing a variety of that species : the circumstance that the ears are of a uniform black would scarcely constitute a specific difference. Its body from the nose to the insertion of the tail mea- sures 15 inches and a half, the tail 15 inches. The latter, which is prehensile, is for the length of 3 inches clothed with thick fur, the remainder scaly for about 4 inches, of a black colour, and afterwards white. The scaly part is covered with a few short hairs, black on the back part, and white for the remainder. The fore leg to the mal- leolus measured 3 inches, the hind leg 4 inches. The fur is of a brownish yellow, short and silky, but intermixed with longer hair of white colour and somewhat stiff. These white hairs are along the ver- tebral line from 4 to 5 inches in length, intermixed with shorter silky hair, which being black above and white beneath, give it the appear- ance of a black band stretching from the head along the back to the insertion of the tail. The fore and hind feet are of a dark mouse colour, intermingled with a few white hairs. The ears somewhat compressed at the base, naked, black, and about 1*2 inch in length. Round the eyes is a dark spot of an oblong figure, but otherwise the head is almost entirely of a brownish yellow. The neck is covered with the same short fur of a brownish yellow as the belly, while in D. Azarece it is of a black colour. The specimen which has served 344 Information respecting Zoological Travellers, me for description was shot in the neighbourhood of Georgetown^ but as it was the only one of its kind which I ever saw, I hesitate to establish it as a separate species, until I have had opportunity of procuring individuals of the same appearance. It is said to be very common at the coast region, and is called the white Yawarri by the colonists, Nopu by the Warrau Indians, Yawarri by the Arawaks and Macusis. It does great injury to the feathered stock, and frequents the sugar-cane fields, being apparently partial to sweets. The black Yawarri {Didelphis quica, Temm.), called so by the co- lonists from its appearance when at rest ; the hair being long and black at the tip, but yellow towards the root. The tail is longer than the body, clothed with hair for one-fourth of its length, the re- mainder naked and scaly. Its size is that of a marten, but in its head it resembles a fox, and the muzzle ends with a whitish spot. I do not possess an actual measurement, but I should estimate the length of its body about twelve or thirteen inches, and the tail from fifteen to sixteen inches. The latter, which is prehensile, is of great assistance to them in climbing. They are very destructive to poultiy and likewise to fruit. They are often found on those savannahs where the wild pine (J5rome/ea, spec?) flourishes, to the fruit of which they appear to be partial. Like its congeners, the female possesses a pouch in which she carries and suckles her young until they are as large as half-grown rats. They produce from six to seven young at a time. They sleep during the day and hunt at night. They are sometimes eaten by the Creoles and Indians, but as they have a rank and disagreeable smell I doubt if they would prove palatable to us. The Didelphis cancrivora is too well known to deserve more than a passing remark ; moreover, I am not able to add anything about its habits, as it is more peculiar to the sea-coasts than to the interior of Guiana. The Yawarri cusinai of the Macusi Indians, or Picanappa of the Warraus {Didelphis philander, Temm.) has an extensive range in Guiana. It is met with in the coast regions as well as in the interior. It resembles in size a full-grown rat ; the fur, short and silky, is of a rust-colour, lighter beneath the belly ; length of the body nine inches, tail ten inches and a half, clothed with fur for about two inches, the remainder naked and of a uniform brown colour. A deep furrow divides the nostrils, and the eyes are brown and very prominent, and surrounded by a reddish spot. Possessing all the peculiarities of its tribe, it appears to be more lively than the rest, and climbs with the alacrity of a squirrel. Although I have seen many Information respecting Zoological Travellers, 345 in the day time, I am inclined to think that the night is their fa- vourable time for going abroad in search of food. I have had tame ones that slept the greater part of the day. In their M'ild state they live principally on fruits and insects, but I have been assured by the Indians that they have the art of surprising small birds, and in this I am corroborated by Mr. Vieth, who found animal food in their stomach. In a tame state scarcely anything comes amiss ; boiled rice, yams, flesh and fish seem equally agreeable to them. One of the Opossums of that species which I had in a tame state was a female. It was kept in a birdcage of wire-work which permitted me to watch its habits. I have already observed that it passed the greater part of the day in sleeping, and that it fed alike upon fish or flesh. It might have been in my possession for about a fortnight, when one morning, on feeding it, I observed five young ones of the size of a new-born mouse crawling about in the cage. They were perfectly naked and blind. The mother allowed them to crawl about and did not appear to care for them. Next morning I found only four ; the fifth had been eaten by the mother during night ; the four remaining ones had however returned to the pouch. The succeeding night two more were eaten by the mother, and the last two were crawling about in a helpless state, and the following day fell a prey to the voracity of their unnatural mother. It is re- markable, that although I had the animal longer than a fortnight, I never was aware that it had young ones until I found them crawling about, and it remains now a riddle to me how the mother could secrete them so well. I thought her with young all the time, but had no idea that they were already in a state so far advanced. Con- finement no doubt was the reason of her acting so cruelly towards her off'^ipring. She died a few weeks after. The fifth species which I have observed during my journeys in Guiana is Didelphis dorsigera, L. and Temm. It is nearly the size of the former, its fur of a brownish -gray, the tail thin, covered with hair for about the fifth part of its length, the rest scaly, and of a uni- form brown. The spot which surrounds the eyes is of a darker brown than in the former, but it is distinguished chiefly in the females being without an abdominal pouch, and merely provided with lon- gitudinal folds near the thighs, within which the young continue to suckle, or which serves as a place of security in case of danger. I have seen this species in a tamed state ; it appeared however shy, and was fed upon milk and bread, and plantains. They are said to be very partial to the latter, and they frequent therefore the plan- Ann, Nat, Hist. Vol.5. No. 32. July IS40, 2 b S4G Information respecting Zoological Travellers. tain fields in large numbers. They produce from six to seven young ones. An individual of that kind, which had been kept for some time in the house where I resided during my stay in Georgetown, met with a tragical end. I had procured two young Jabirus (Mycteria Ame- ricana) : the first exploit when landed and introduced to their new domicile was, that one assailed the cage which contained the opos- sum, and having seized the poor animal with its beak, drew it by force through the bars of the cage, and swallowed it without fur- ther hesitation. Having brought these Jabirus under the notice of the reader, I shall leave the class Mammalia, and turn for a few moments to the Aves, in order to indulge in a biographical notice* of these two in- teresting individuals with an introductory remark on the whole tribe. The Jabiru or Negrokoop, as it is generally known to such of the colonists who have seen this bird in its natural haunts, frequents the great savannahs of the interior and the marshy environs of the rivers Pomeroon and Guainia, where they live on moUusca, crabs, frogs, and other amphibious animals. While at Pirara, I saw them in flocks of several hundreds feeding at lake Amucu, or on the marshy tracts along the Pacaraima mountains. During our stay in that village several were shot. Their flesh is palatable, and when prepared with the necessary ingredients, as a steak, so strikingly re- sembles beef, that one unacquainted with the fact would pronounce it such. One was winged in shooting at a flock and was brought alive to us. The bill measured 13 inches ; it was laterally com- pressed, thick at its base, and ended rather sharply. The upper mandible was straight and triangular, the lower rather thicker and slightly turned up. The nostrils are narrow, as the bird seeks its food in the water; the feet with three anterior toes slightly united by a membrane ; the hallux, or hind toe, high up on the tarsus. * These notices of animals which inhabit Guiana are gleanings from my Journal, taken at random as they occur, and without tying myself to any scientific arrangement or description. Those who have thought the prece- ding observations worthy of their perusal, will be aware that they do not pre- tend to scientific dissertations ; it has been my wish to make the reader acquainted with the manners of such of the animated beings of Guiana as have come to my knowledge and under my personal observation, disclaiming all scientific descriptions and discussions, which we will leave to a period when I may have gained by experience, and when, not further urged by the desire of extending my travels, leisure may permit me to digest what prac- tical knowledge I possess. Information respecting Zoological Travellers. 347 From the head to the toes, that is to say, standing upright, it measured 6^ feet, from the tip of the beak to the tail 4 feet 4 inches, and to its end 4 feet 1 1 inches ; from the end of the toe to the knee- joint li foot, from ditto to the thigh-joint 2 feet 10 inches. Its wings when spread out measured 8^ feet ; it has therefore, next to the Condor, the greatest extent of wings. Its plumage is pure white ; the bill, head, and upper part of the neck are black, and with the exception of a few scattered downy feathers, quite naked. The lower part of the neck is red, and likewise set with a few downy feathers. The skin of the neck, but particularly of the gullet, is generally wrinkled, but the bird can extend it. The neck measured 1 foot 10 inches. A species of Ampullaria {guyanensis) is found in prodigious numbers in the lakes and swamps, as well as in the ri- vulets which meander through the savannahs, and it appears they constitute the chief food of the Jabiru. In spite of their unshapely beak, they are able to remove the operculum most admirably, and to draw the mollusc out of its shell. I have found it difficult to procure perfect specimens of that Ampullaria for my collections, although shells partly broken or devoid of the operculum covered the low savannahs extensively, while in other parts I found the opercula equally numerous, but no shells. The Jabiru builds its nest generally on trees, sometimes on rocks. It is constructed of dry branches, lined with a few feathers, in which the female deposits two eggs, which are perfectly white and some- what larger than a swan's e^^. The young ones are gray and not roseate as has been asserted. When the waters subside after the annual inundations, they fre- quent in small groups the sandbanks of the river Rupununy in search of crustaceous animals. Nothing can surpass the gravity with which they stalk along ; their measured step and upright bearing frequently amused my military companion while on our first expedition in the interior, who was forcibly reminded of the parade, so that he could not refrain while passing the beach from giving these feathered re- cruits the word of command, and they ever afterwards among our- selves went by the name of his recruits. Before they rise on the wing they prepare for their flight by taking two or three hops, by which they are the better enabled to get on the wing. Their flight is light and graceful ; and before they alight, or when rising, they first wheel round the place in gyral motions, either lessening or extending the circles according as it is their intention to do the former or the latter. They soar uncommonly high, and might vie with the eagle. Indeed they appear sometimes as a mere speck in the air. 2 B 2 348 Zoological Society, It is a beautiful sight to see a numerous flock on the wing ; all ap- pears confusion when they are first disturbed and rise in the air : they cross each other in the flight, and one would think from below they could not avoid coming in contact; but scarcely have they reached a height of 80 or 100 feet, when order is restored, and they begin flying in circles, rising with each circle higher and higher. When on a more extensive journey, they fly in a horizontal line, and change the leader like the cranes. When feeding on the savannahs, a party is always on the alert while the others seek for their food. The Macusis call them Tararamu, the Brazilians Juju, the Ara- waks MoRA-CoYASEHAA, which signifies spirit of the Mora tree {Mora excelsa, Benth.), the Warraus Doih. ; [To be continued.] Mr. Cuming, some letters from whom, while at Manilla, were given in the 1st vol. of Annals, pp. 57 and 147, we are most happy to state has lately arrived in London ; bringing with him, as we understand, very extensive collections of the animals and plants found in the Philippine islands. Of shells, the quantity is large ; there are said to be a very great proportion of new species. He has also brought alive, and presented to the Zoological Society, a fine specimen of a new species of Gibbon, a species of Paradoxurus, a large Flying Squirrel (Pteromys nitidus), the Argus Pheasant, a Fire-backed Pheasant, a Hornbill, &c. PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Sept. 10, 1839. — William Yarrell, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. The following letter, addressed by M. Baillon to Mr. Waterhouse, was read. It is dated Abbeville, July 16, 1839 : — *' M. De la Motte has just informed me that when he had the pleasure of seeing you in London you expressed a wish to know the name of a new species of Goose which I described in 1833 in the catalogue of the birds observed in the department of the Somme, and which I have inserted in the * Memoirs of the Society of Emulation of Abbeville.' To this bird I gave the name Anser hrachyrhynchus, because it appeared to me that one of its most striking characters consisted in the shortness of its beak. This species has been sent by me, under that name, to the museums at Paris, Turin, Mayence, Zoological Society. 349 &c. I have also forwarded two specimens, exhibiting the young and adult states, to M. Temminck for the museum at Leyden, and this learned naturalist stated that he would give an account of the spe- cies (under the above-mentioned name) in the fourth volume of his ' Manuel d'Ornithologie.' " In the same catalogue I described two new species of Scolopax, one under the name of S. La Mottei, and the other under that of S. pygmaa. M. Temminck does not admit that the first is a good spe- cies, and for the same reason he will not admit the Scolopax Brehmii, which, like my new species, differs only from the Scolopax gallinago in the number of tail-feathers. Sc. Brehmii has sixteen tail-feathers, whilst LaMottei has only twelve ; the last-mentioned species dilFers moreover in being of a much smaller size than the common snipe. The S. pygmaa M. Temminck regards as a good species, and he in- tends to insert it in his work. Like S. gallinago, it has fourteen tail- feathers, but it is of a much smaller size than that species ; it is even smaller than the S. gallinula. Two specimens of this new species, resembling each other, were killed in the same week, and furnished me with the materials of my description. " A new species of Anthus and four new small quadrupeds are also described by me in the catalogue ; two of the quadrupeds belong to the genus Arvicola, and the remaining two belong to the genus Ves- pertilio." A paper, by George Gulliver, Esq., F.R.S., Assistant-Surgeon to the Royal Regiment of Horse Guards, entitled '* Observations on the Muscular Fibres of the CEsophagus and Heart in some of the Mammalia," was read. The author mentions the difference of opinion that exists as to the extent to which the muscular fibre of animal life invests the gullet, a discrepancy which has probably arisen from the want of a sufiicient number of comparative observations on the lower animals; and states that it has been generally concluded that this fibre is confined to the upper portion of the tube. Professor Miiller, Dr. Schwann, and Mr. Skey informing us that the striated muscular fasciculi are either con- fined to this part of it, or belong only to the muscles of the pharynx, while MM. Ficinus and Valentin have been led to assign a much more extensive range to the fibre in question. He then proceeds to give the details of his investigation of this subject, from which he con- cludes that the muscular fibre of animal life extended much further towards the stomach in certain brutes than in man, but that there was also a remarkable difference in this respect even among differ-, ent genera of animals. 350 Zoological Society, Sept. 24, 1839 — The Honourable Sir Edward Cust in the Chair. A letter from E. D. Dickson and H. J. Ross, Esqrs., dated Erze- room, July 18, 1839, was read. It referred to a collection which these gentlemen had forwarded for the Society's Museum. The specimens alluded to in this letter having arrived, were severally brought before the Meeting by Mr. Eraser, and the following notes which accompanied them were read : — Accipiter fringillarius, Ray. Procured April 3. Male. Found in the stomach small birds. Iris bright orange ; margins of eyelids yellowish ; bill blue, with black tip ; cere yellowish green ; legs yel- low; claws black. Total length 12*5 inches. Shot near the town. Falco suhbuteo, Linn. Procured May 22. Total length about 12 inches. Bill bluish ; legs orange ; claws black. The only speci- men we have yet seen. Female. Circus pallidus, Sykes. Procured April 4. Iris bright yellow* with yellow margin to the eyelids ; bill bluish ; cere greenish yellow ; legs orange yellow, with black claws. Total length 17 inches. This year (1839) arrived March 24, and left April 7 ; last year they ar- rived March 8 and left May 1. They were then also much more nu- merous than this year, and most abundant in April. * Circus rufus, Briss. One specimen, a male, procured May 8. Found in the stomach frogs and mice. Shot close to town. Legs pale yellow. A second specimen procured May 24. Found in the stomach a Tevn(^Sterna nigra). Iris bright sulphur-yellow ; legs pale dirty yellow. Common about the river : they are shy, but bold. Hirundo rustica, Linn. Procured April 25. Found in the sto- mach insects. Iris dark brown ; bill and legs black. Total length 8*5. Arrives April 20, and remains here the whole summer ; very numerous all over the plain : builds under eaves ; the nest is made of mud, straw, and coarse large feathers, neatly lined with fine hay, over which there is a layer of feathers ; eggs four, white, speckled with brown. Lanius Collurio, Linn. One specimen, a male, procured April 20. Found in the stomach Coleopterous insects. A second, a female, procured May 4 : found in the stomach worms, &c. Total length 7 inches. A small number seen together in a burying-ground. Muscicapa grisola, Linn. Found in the stomach insects. Very common in May, in the burying-grounds, and also in fields. * The species marked with an asterisk have been noticed in the Pro- ceedings as inhabitants of Trebizond, a locality not far distant from Erze- room. — Sec Proceedings for 1834, pp. 50 and 133; for 1835, p. 90; and for 1S37, p. 126. Zoological Society. 351 Muscicapa luctuosa, Temm. Procured April 8. Found in the stomach insects. Shot in a burying-ground. No others have been seen. Turdus merula, Linn. Procured March 28. Found in the sto- mach insects. Observed from March 28 to April 7 about burying- grounds, &c. Said to be common in winter both at Tortoom and Trebizond. Turdus pilaris, Linn. Procured April L Found in the stomach beetles. Only one seen ; on moist ground. ^Turdus musicus, Linn. Procured March 28. Found in the sto- mach Coleopterous insects. Seen from March 23 to April 19 : fre- quents the gardens and ditches near town, and also the roofs of houses. Common. Said to be numerous at Tortoom in February. Petrocincla saxatilis, Vig. Procured April 19. Found in the stomach insects. Iris brown; bill and legs dusky. Total length 8-5 inches. Found near the river, on moist ground. Another was seen April 22 in a burying- ground near the town. Salvia Hippolais, Temm. Found in the stomach small insects. There are two varieties, both of which were sent on a former occasion. ^Curruca cinerea, Bechst. Procured May 11. Found in the stomach insects. Total length 5'5 inches. Only two seen ; one in a ditch, and the other in a burying-ground. Salicaria phragmitis, Selby. Procured May 11. Found in the stomach insects. Frequent bogs and other moist localities. Phcenicura Tithys, Jard. and Selb. Procured April 17. Found in the stomach small Coleoptera. The only specimen found. Bill and legs black. ^Phmnicura Suecica, Jard. and Selb. Procured March. Found in the stomach small insects. Common about rills from March 28 to April 22. Total length 5*7 inches. Subject to several varieties of plumage. Saxicola rubicola, Bechst. Procured April 19. Found in the stomach small Coleoptera. Burying-grounds, and the vicinity of moist ditches. Common. Seen from 19th of April to the present time. Alauda arborea, Linn. Procured April 19. Found in the stomach insects. Shot in a burying-ground adjoining the town : only one seen, Alauda ? Var. Albino, of a species we sent in the first box. No other lark except the Alauda penicillata has been seen this winter. Parus coeruleuSi Linn. Procured February 1 7. Bill black, with brownish white margins ; legs and claws bluish gray. Total length 4*5 inches. Several noticed in the same places as (Pai-us major. 352 Zoological Society. Linn.) from February 17 to April 7. Some were seen at Tortoom in February. *Parus major J Linn. Procured March 25. Bill black, with dark margins ; legs and claws bluish gray. Total length, b'B inches. Among trees and rose-bushes in town. Noticed from January 31 to March 2. *Emberiza Cia, Linn. Procured April 4. Found in the stomach very small graminaceous seeds. Total length 6*8 inches. Bill bluish ; legs light brown. Observed from 3rd to 25th of April, near mill- streams and in burying-grounds. Common. Emberiza citrinella, Linn. Procured March 24. Food the same as that of Emberiza Cia. Common upon trees and in burying- grounds. Seen from March 23 to April 23. Total length 7 inches. Emberiza hortulana^ Linn. Procured April 19. Found in the stomach insects and small seeds. Total length 6*3 inches. Bill light brown ; legs very pale light brown. Frequents the vicinity of mill- streams. Noticed from April 19 to May 8. It is singular, that among fourteen or fifteen birds which we examined, shot at different times and places, every one had insects as well as seeds in the crop and gizzard. The female has the feathers of the breast, summit of the head, nape, and sides of the chin, marked with longitudinal dusky spots. Coccothraustes chloris, Flem. Coccothraustes vulgaris, Briss. Procured April 10. Found in the stomach seeds, both large and small. On a tree in town. Only two seen. Fringilla montifringilla, Linn. Procured March 31. Bill yel- lowish, and black at the tip ; legs dusky. No others have been seen. Fringilla Ccelebs^ Linn. Procured March 26 and 27. Found in the stomach small seeds. Common in the vicinity of rills. Total length 6*3 inches. Bill light brown, or of a smoke-blue colour ; leg* dark brown. Arrived March 26, departed April 17. Pyrrhula ? Procured Feb. 27. Found in the stomach seeds. Total length 5*7 inches. Shot on some willows at Tortoom, where they are said to be common. *Sturnus vulgaris, Linn. Procured March 8. Total length 9*6 inches. Very common. Frequents the habitations of man, and feeds in fields, &c. ; these birds are also the constant attendants of cattle while grazing : at sunset they return in large flocks, to roost upon trees and eaves of houses. Arrive in the beginning of March and disappear late in November. Turkish name, Sighergik (diminutive of ox). Zoological Society, 353 Garrulus melanocephalusy Bonelli. Procured February 27. Bill black ; legs light brown. Shot at Tortoom, thirty miles from Erze- room, having a much milder climate than this. Shy. Pica caudata, Ray. Procured February. Found in the stomach carrion, insects, &c. A few live in and about town: roost and build on trees : none are found at Trebizond. * Corvus monedula, Linn. Found in the stomach carrion, offal, &c. Very common. Frequents town and the vicinity of man ; often seen in fields, and is very familiar : in winter is only seen about the town : towards sunset these birds assemble in large flocks to roost upon the trees about the town : begin to pair early in April, and build in the end of the same month, low down in chimneys. Corvus frugilegus, Linn. Killed March 24. Begins to arrive about the end of January. Common. Frequents fields, &c., and is often seen following the plough : towards sunset these birds assemble into small flocks, and return to town to roost upon trees, on which they build. Corvus Comix, Linn. Procured January 13. Found in the sto- mach grain, hair, bones, offal, «fec. Arrives January 1 and leaves March 28. Common about the streams near town ; when approached it sometimes erects the feathers on the crown of the head : it is by no means shy. Only seen on clear sunny days. Cuculus canorus, Linn. Procured April 22 and 30. Found in the stomach insects. Iris yellow ; margin of eyelids bright sulphur- yellow ; tip of the bill and greater part of the middle black, remainder greenish ; margins of the gape and the root of the lower mandible yellow ; legs bright yellow : the plumage of both sexes alike. No- ticed from April 22 to May 17. Frequents burying-grounds, fields and the adjoining hills. Not numerous. Yunx torquilla, Linn. Procured May 4. Found in the stomach very small brown ants. Shot on a tombstone. Solitary. Total leno-th 7 inches. Upupa Epops, Linn. Noticed from April 21 to September 17. Most common during summer. Columba JEnas, Linn. Food seeds. Common. Perdix saxatilis, Meyer. Numerous at Tortoom. Sometimes found here in the depth of winter, in burying-grounds and in the ditches round the town : in summer it is said these birds inhabit the neighbouring mountains. Glareola limhata, Riipp. Procured May 5. Found in the sto- mach small crickets. Total length 1 1 inches. Bill black, the mar- gins of the gape being red ; legs dusky, with black claws. Only seen 354 Zoological Society, in May, when these birds were common in small flocks about the moist turf near the river. Shy. Nycticorax Europccus, Steph. Procured March 29. Shot at the river, perched on a tree. Total length 24? inches. Iris bright scarlet. Gallinula chloropus, Lath. Procured April 14. Found in the stomach very small black seeds. Anterior half of the bill yellow, with a greenish tinge ; the remainder, as also the plate on the fore- head, bright red, inclining to scarlet ; iris bright red, with two very narrow rings round the pupil, the inner one being dark yellow and the outer one black ; legs yellowish green, with a patch of bright orange red above the knee-joint. Fell with a few others into the yard of a house, where it was caught alive. Totanus hypoleucos, Temm. Procured April 6 in a burying- ground, near a pool of water. Another shot on the 19th, near a mill- stream. *Scolopax major, Gmel. Procured April 19. Total length 11*5 inches. Common in boggy grounds. Charadrius minor ^ Meyer. Procured in March. Found in the stomach insects. Only three seen. Platalea leucorodia, Linn. Procured May 24. Found in the sto- mach grass and feathers. Seen at the river, where it breeds : seve- ral nests are placed near each other, about the middle of the river. They are made of reeds, bound together by weeds, which are piled up a few inches above the water's edge. Over this foundation dried reeds are placed in various directions, to form the body of the nest, which is not lined with anything, and is just large enough to allow one bird to sit, and the other to stand beside it : we found four eggs in each ; they are white, spotted with brown. Turkish name, Cashik Booroonoo (Spoon-bill), and Taktar Boornoo (Broad-bill). Zapornia pusilla, Steph. Procured April 19. Bill green, with the margins of the gape red. Boggy ground near the river. Another shot May 5. *Anas Boschas, Linn. Procured May 12. Very common at the river : breeds here. The ducklings seen on the 1st of August 1838 ; these birds arrived on the 5th of April. Early in spring a few were seen in the fields near town ; they afterwards feed in wet fields near the river. Dafila cauddcuta, Leach. Procured April 1. Found in the sto- mach small seeds. Shot in a brook near the river. Total length 26 inches. Upper mandible bluish, with slate-coloured sides near its base, and black culmen ; under mandible brownish black ; legs slaty colour, with the webs and claws dusky. Zoological Society. 355 Chaulelasmus strepera, G. R. Gray. Chauliodes strepera, Sw. Procured March 28. Found in the stomach sand. In a wet field near mill-streams, close to town. Iris hazel. Drake, total length 19-iV inches. Maxilla black ; mandibula dark brown ; legs yellow, with very dark brown webs and claws. Duck, total length 18-rV in- ches. Bill yellow, with a very dark brown ridge along the middle of the maxilla ; legs like those of the drake. Rhynchapsis clypeata, Steph. Procured April 21. Crop filled with worms, caterpillars, and a number of eggs of some insect or fish; gizzard contained small seeds and gravel. Total length 18*5 inches. Feet orange, with dusky webs and claws ; maxilla of a dusky greenish tinge ; mandibula dirty orange brown. A few of these birds seen together at the marsh. *Querquedula circia, Steph. Procured April 15. Total length 15*5 inches. Iris hazel ; bill dusky ; legs dusky gray ; claws and webs dusky. A couple seen in a wet field near town. *Podiceps cristatus, Lath. Procured May 24?. Found in the sto- mach grass, fish, and feathers. Iris bright cochineal colour, with a narrow yellow ring round the margin of the pupil ; bill greyish dusky; legs outside dusky, inside yellowish gray, marked with patches of dusky. The bill in some (especially the males) has a good deal of red. The plumage of both sexes is alike. Frequents the river. Podiceps rubricollis, Lath. Procured May 24. Found in the stomach grass. At the river. Podiceps auritus, Lath. Procured June 2. Found in the stomach grass, with a few insects. Iris of a very bright golden scarlet ; mar- gin of the eyelids orange ; bill black ; legs dusky outside, grayish in- side. Inhabits the river. Larus argentatusl Brunn. Procured April 12. Found in the stomach hair, clots of blood, chick peas, and a portion of a sheep's hoof. Iris hazel ; margin of eyelids bright orange red ; bill orange, marked with red, dusky near its tips, which have a horny appear- ance ; legs yellowish orange, the claws dusky. Arrives March 23. At first frequents rills, at a short distance from the town, but after the melting of the snow these birds are found at the river. They are shy, and fly high. ^ Larus ridibundus, Linn. Procured April 20. Found in the stomach water-beetles. Iris hazel ; bill of a deep lake-colour, with the tip inclining to dusky ; margins of the eyelids bright red ; legs same colour as bill; the claws dusky. Total length 14*5 inches. These birds are very common about the river, where they breed. 356 Botanical Society of London, on small strips of land, just appearing above water, and surrounded by sedges : the nests are placed in a row, mingled with those of other birds, and are constructed of reeds externally, and weeds inside ; each nest is three or four inches high, and contained on the first of June one egg, of an olive-green colour, spotted irregularly with chocolate, brown, and purple patches. Sterna nigra, Linn. Procured May 24. Found in the stomach beetles. Iris very dark brown, almost approaching to black. Com- mon at the river, where these birds are seen in small companies. * Sterna Hirundo, Linn. Procured May 24. Found in the sto- mach fish. Iris hazel. Frequents the river : common. Breeds on the slips of land that are laid bare by the diminishing of the waters at the river : it makes no nest, but lays its eggs on the ground. On the Crania and Dentition of Carnivora, by Mr. Waterhouse : (see p. 25 of this volume.) BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. November 15. — John Reynolds, Esq., Treasurer, in the Chair. Donations of British plants were announced from several members. Mr. Daniel Cooper called the attention of the meeting to several varieties of British plants which he had selected from the several parcels sent in for distribution. Mr. T. G. R. Rylands communicated notes on "Aspidium lobatum, var. j3. Lonchitidoides." Mr. R. having long doubted the perma- nency of this "variety," but having had but few satisfactory oppor- tunities of judging, came to no decision on the subject. On the 11th of March, 1839, he met with a plant which he considers goes far to prove that it is but casual, since from one root he gathered fronds belonging to both a and (3, and of almost all the grades between ; the following may serve as characters of four of the fronds, speci- mens of which were exhibited. 1. Fronds distinctly bipinnate (var. a.). • 2. Frond sub-bipinnate, upper and lower primary pinnules distinct and auricled, pinnae more or less pinnatifid. 3. Frond sub-bipinnate, upper primary pinnules only distinct, pinnae inciso-serrate. 4. Fronds almost simply pin- nate, only one or two of the upper primary pinnules distinct and scarcely auricled, and those at the bottom of the frond {var. /3). No. 1 Mr. R. considers in all respects lobatum verum, and No. 4 is as far from it as he has ever seen one. He has since had the plant in cultivation, and though small (owing to the confinement of the Botanical Society of London, 357 roots) will, he thinks, produce fronds of both varieties this season. A singular monstrous variety of Juncus, found in Faversham, Kent, by Mr. Cowell, vv^as exhibited. Specimens of Rhinanthus major from near Hastings, Sussex, w^ere exhibited by Mr. Ranking, who disco- vered them in that locality. A small slender-stemmed and pur})le- flowered variety of Euphrasia officinalis, (probably a new species,) dis- covered by the Rev. A. Bloxam, in Seamor Moor, near Scarborough, in 1838, was likewise exhibited. Mr. Daniel Cooper noticed a rare variety of Burtsia Odontites, found by him near Papplewick, Not- tinghamshire, in September 1839, and described only in the seventh edition of Withering's British Flora, vol. iii. p. 727, and noticed thus — " Bartsia Odontites, var. 2. Flowers white, stem very pale green, leaves without any tinge of red." The two following locali- ties are there quoted, '* Gathered by Rev. — Bourne, on Northing- ton Farm, Grimley, near Worcester." (Mr. Woodward also found this variety growing near Diss, in Norfolk. — Ed.) From this it would appear that the variety under consideration is by no means of common occurrence. The following is the additional station as given by Mr. Cooper : " At the south-east corner of a small wood called Jack-o- Sherwood, about half a mile from Papplewick, Not- tinghamshire, in a marshy plot of ground, on the border of the small river," fully exposed to the rays of the sun. From the decided' dif- ferent character and appearance of this variety of so common a British species, Mr. Cooper is inclined to consider it deserving a place in the recent British Floras. In the recently published Flora of the county. Dr. Howitt does not mention it, neither is it to be found recorded in the recently published British Floras, with the exception of that of Dr. Withering above-quoted. November 29. — Anniversary Meeting. J. E. Gray, Esq., F.R.S. President, in the Chair. The Secretary read the Third Annual Report, from which it ap- peared that donations of British plants had been received from the Botanical Society of Edinburgh and forty-eight members. The number of British specimens received amounted to 101 natural or- ders, 491 genera, 1291 species, including 24,860 specimens, being an increase in that of last year of 3 natural orders, 69 genera, 241 species, and 6268 specimens. As the British Phsenogamous col- lection is daily becoming more complete, and as the Council anticipate shortly to have a perfect collection, the attention of the members is particularly solicited to the genera Rubus, Rosa, and Salix, as they are anxious to complete those genera and render them of service to ^5S Royal Irish Academy. botanists for reference. The Society is much indebted to Mrs. Riley of Papplewick, Notts, for a complete collection of British Ferns, comprising all the genera, species, and varieties ; to the Rev. W. T. Bree, for specimens of Aspidium rigidum, from the original station at Ingleborough, Yorkshire ; and to Mr. J. Tatham, jun., of Settle, Yorkshire, for numerous specimens of the same species, col- lected by him on the hills in that vicinity. To the kindness of the Rev. A. Bloxam, the Society is indebted for specimens of a plant nev^r to the British Flora, viz. Myriophyllum alterniflorum, discovered by him at Twycross, Leicestershire, in June 1839 ; and to Dr. Mac- reight, V.P., for additional specimens of Spartina alterniflora. The Council being desirous of forming an Herbarium of British Crypto- gamic Plants, called the attention of the members to collecting the several tribes. Donations of nearly 6000 Foreign Plants were an- nounced. — March 25, 1840. ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY. A paper was read by Jonathan Osborne, M.D., on Aristotle's Hi- story of Animals. Dr. Osborne commenced by observing, that this work was com- posed under circumstances more favourable to the acquisition of na- tural knowledge than any work on the subject ever published. Ac- cording to Pliny, some thousands of men were placed at the disposal of the author, throughout Greece and Asia, — comprising persons con- nected with hunting and fishing, or who had the care of cattle, fish ponds or apiaries, — in order that he might obtain information from all these quarters, ne quid usquam gentium ignoraretur ah eo : and according to Athenseus, the same prince gave him, on account of the expenses incurred in composing it, 800 talents, — a sum, which, taken at the lowest, that is, the lesser Attic talent, amounts to above 79,000/. The work, composed under such auspices, is such as might have been expected. The extent of the observations is prodigious ; and we cannot read far in any part of it, without being constrained to exclaim with Cicero, Quis omnium doctior, quis acutior, quis in re- bus vel inveniendis vel judicandis acrior Aristotele ? Shortly after the introduction of Greek literature to Europe, and when this book was first printed, those sciences which have nature for their object were in the lowest condition. There was at that time no taste diffused for the study of zoology or comparative ana- tomy ; and at later periods, when the value of these studies came to be better appreciated, the Aristotelian philosophy had fallen into Royal Irish Academy, 359 disuse. Thus this work has, from this combination of circumstances, been passed over ; is seldom quoted except at second-hand ; and no edition of it distinct from the other works of the author, or illustrated as the subject required, has appeared since that of Scaliger, pub- lished in 1619, — except one, accompanied by a French translation by Camus, in 1782, which is said to be incorrect, and is become scarce. Dr. Osborne proceeded to make a short analysis of the contents of this work, and showed that Aristotle had anticipated Dr. Jenner's researches respecting the cuckoo, as also some discoveries with re- spect to the incubated egg, which have been published within the last year. His observations on fish and cetaceous animals are curious in the extreme, as might be expected from the variety of these ani- mals abounding in the Grecian seas. Those on insects it is difficult to appreciate, from uncertainty as to the names. He describes the economy of bees, as we have it at present ; but mistakes the sex of the queen. He holds the doctrine of spontaneous generation in those cases in which he could not detect the ovary ; an inevitable conclu- sion arising from the want of the microscope, to which, and the want of knowledge of pneumatic chemistry, his principal errors are to be referred. The various organs are described as modified throughout the different classes of animals (beginning with man, the BovXevn- Kov fxovov), in nearly the same order as that afterwards adopted by Cuvier. As specimens of the interesting matter treated of in the work, Dr. Osborne selected the animal nature of sponges ; the ages of va- rious animals; the movements of the nautilus ; (the same doubt ex- isting in the author's mind as to the origin of the shell, which has divided the opinions of Messrs. Blainville, Owen, Gray, and Mad. Power, within the last year;) the localities of animals, as affording data for ascertaining the rate at which they have extended them- selves over the globe ; particulars relating to artificial incubation as practised in Egypt ; the management of cattle ; a mode of fattening hogs with rapidity, by commencing with a fast of three days ; the mohair goat located in Cilicia, as at present ; hybernation and mi- grations of various animals and fish ; description of the fisher-fish (^Lophius piscatorius) and of the torpedo, with the proof that they catch their prey in the extraordinary manner described ; many inge- nious modes of taking the partridge, and of fishing detailed; the friend- ships which have been perpetuated between different classes of ani- mals, — as the trochilus and the crocodile, the Pinna muricata and the Cancer pinnotheres, the crow and the heron ; their animosities. 360 Orkney Natural History Society. as between the crow and owl ; the diseases of animals traced through- out the series, extending even to fish ; hydrophobia described as being communicated by the bite of the rabid dog to all animals except man, which appears to be the correct statement with respect to hot climates, and not (as has been represented by some modern travellers) an entire absence of the disease. These detached specimens of the contents of this work furnish, however, a very inadequate idea of its real value. There are in it whole sections, the separate sentences of which would furnish texts for as many Bridgewater Treatises. The freshness and originality of the observations, taken from nature herself, and not made up from quotations of preceding writers ; the extent of the views, not bounded by any necessity for complying with preconceived or prevalent no- tions, but capacious as the author's mind itself, and frequently lead- ing the reader into the most interesting under-currents of thought branching off from the great fountain ; these are all merits belonging to the work, but not constituting its chief value, — which is, that it is a collection of facts, observed under peculiar advantages, such as have never since occurred, and that it is at the present day to he con- sulted for new discoveries. Now that Greece is, for the first time since the revival of letters, in possession of a government capable of appreciating scientific in- vestigations, a favourable opportunity offers for preparing an edition of the work, at once worthy of the age in which it was composed, and of that in which we live ; and perhaps some individual may be found, possessing a competent knowledge of the Greek language, and of zoology and comparative anatomy, who, after a sufficient ex- amination of the animals now in Greece, shall undertake the task of editing and illustrating this great work. Such a performance, pro- perly executed, would be the resuscitation of a body of knowledge which has lain buried for above 2000 years ; and would certainly be no less acceptable to zoologists and anatomists than to the cultiva- tors of classical learning. ORKNEY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. We are glad to see, by the Second Report, which has just reached US, that this Society is proceeding vigorously and successfully in the promotion of those objects for which it was instituted (see page 137 of our present volume), and that several of the more influential gen- tlemen who are connected with those northern regions have given it their support. We feel confident that it cannot but succeed in Miscellaneous. 361 greatly promoting the advancement in civilization of the inhabitants of those islands to which its energies are more peculiarly applied. We are informed by the Secretary, the Rev. W. Stobbs, that speci- mens illustrative of natural history from the southern parts of the kingdom will be peculiarly acceptable to the Society, and as we feel confident that many of our readers will have much pleasure in ad- vancing this promising institution, we think that we cannot do bet- ter than refer them to the Secretary, whose residence is at Strom - ness, Orkney. MISCELLANEOUS. PRIZE QUESTION. To the Editors of the Annals of Natural History. Gentlemen, — Having met with the following announcement in the * Repertorium der gesammten Deutschen Literatur,' No. XVII. September Heft, 1 840, and thinking it might be interesting to some of your readers, I have transmitted it for publication in the Annals. " The Royal Academy of Berlin wishes that experiments be in- stituted for the purpose of ascertaining, if only in one plant, in what the physical and chemical effects of the mineral constituents and salts which plants derive from the earth during the process of deve- lopment consist. The inquiry to be conducted with a special regard both to the substances formed by the decaying parts of the plant and to those excreted by the roots ; the object of the whole being to elucidate the question of the conversion of the constituents of the soil, as clay, gypsum, &c., into the structure of the plant.'* A prize of 300 Thalers (45/.) will be awarded to the best paper on this subject which may be written in the German, French, or Latin languages, and must be sent in before the 31st of March 1841. The awarding of the prize to be made in July. Each paper must be accompanied by a motto upon a sealed envelope bearing the writer's name. I am. Gentlemen, your obedient Servant, Edwin Lankester, M.D. Campsall, Feb. 27, 1840. bottle-nosed whale. The following detailed account of one of the Hyperoodons noticed in the Annals for February last, has been communicated to me by Mr. Henry Johnson, Royal Institution, Liverpool. — Wm. Thompson. Belfast, May 4, 1840. " I beg leave to say that, in your paper published in the Annals Ann, Nat. Hist. Vol. 5. No. 32. July 1840. 2 c 362 Miscellaneous. of Nat. Hist, for February last, p. 379, you are right in supposing it to have been the Bottle-nosed Whale that was taken near Liver- pool. It was exhibited on the Cheshire coast, opposite Liverpool : I went and saw it. It measured 25 feet long and 13 feet in girth ; from the point of the nose to the pectoral fin 6 feet, pectoral fin 2 feet 5 inches, from the point of the nose to the eye 3 feet 9 inches. From the origin of the dorsal fin to the end of the tail 9 feet ; width of tail 6 feet, dorsal fin 20 inches ; from the eye to the gape 21 inches. It was caught at East Hoy lake in four feet water, and when first seen was throwing the water from the blow-hole two roods high. The fishermen attempted to stick grappling irons into its sides, but they slid off; and when its assailants were about to give up the chase, (by this time the tide was making fast, and the whale was exerting itself to get away,) one of the prongs of the grappling irons slid along, and by chance caught in the blow-hole, after which it blew no more water and died almost instantly without a struggle. After being shown opposite Liverpool for a few days, it was taken back to Hoylake, cut up, and boiled for oil. Its stomach contained an immense quantity of cuttle- fish beaks, in fact there was nothing else in it. There were two teeth in the lower jaw, very conical in form, and very sharp -pointed. The part which was above the socket resembles a cock's spur, but the lower half is suddenly swelled out and hollow. They measure 1 inch 8 lines in length ; no part of them was observable above the gum, and it was not till I cut for them that I saw them. The bones were purchased by the Committee of the Royal Institution, and I intend having them put up this summer. — Henry Johnson, Royal Institution. Liverpool, April 25, 1840." REMARKABLE CHANGE OF HABIT IN THE HARE. My dear Lord, — I send you the story of the Hares I told at Florence -court ; Major Bingham is the proprietor alluded to, and my father related the story in a Lecture for the Zoological Society ' On the Instinct of Animals.' Most truly yours. To the Earl of Enniskillen. S. G. Otway. April 22, 1840. " A considerable landed proprietor has a large tract of sand hills within the Mullet, which tract (open as it is to all the Atlantic storms) has been found to have been greatly impaired by the intro- duction of rabbits, who by their burrowing and disturbing the bent Miscellaneous. 363 grass gave facilities to the wind to operate, and so the sand hills were, year after year, changing their position, encroaching on the cultivated ground. To remedy this, he determined to destroy the rabbits, and in their place introduced hares, which he knew, or thought he knew, would not burrow : but here he was mistaken ; for the ani- mal soon found that it must leave the district or change its habit ; for if on a winter night it attempted to sit in its accustomed form, it would find itself buried perhaps twenty feet in the morning under the blowing sand, as under a snow rath. Accordingly the Hares have burrowed ; they chase out a thin and high sand hill, which stands somewhat like a solidified wave of the sea. Through this Puss per- forates a horizontal hole from east to west, with a double opening ; and seating herself at the mouth of the windward orifice, she there awaits the storm ; and as fast as her hill wastes away, she draws back, ready at all times to make a start in case the storm rise so as to carry off the hill altogether." NOTE ON ANIMALCULES. BY E. FORBES, ESQ. Two vessels of sea- water, the one containing a sea urchin, the other a portion of Spongia papillosa, were suffered to remain un- changed until the animals died. That containing the Echinus was placed in a dark place, that containing the sponge in a window ex- posed to the sunlight. In about ten days' time the latter became of a beautiful green colour, while the former remained transparent though a thick scum gathered on the surface. The water of each was then submitted to the microscope, and both were found to abound in animalcules. The green colour of the sponge water was found to be derived from innumerable animals of the genus Volvox, among which were seen minute worm-like animalcules and other smaller forms. The urchin water contained no Volvox, but abounded in large Polygastrica which darted about with great rapidity. Wishing to examine the structure of these creatures, I adopted the following plan, which seems to me much superior to the usual method ; namely, isolating one specimen to a drop of the sea- water containing the animalcules, I added an equal quantity of fresh water. The effect was instantaneous ; the rapid motions of the little creatures were suddenly arrested ; they were paralysed, but not killed, and their internal structure was beautifully displayed. They were as voracious as ever, for on mixing some carmine with the water, in half an hour's time their (so-called) stomachs were coloured with the pigment they had devoured. It was a very curious sight 2 c2 364 Miscellaneous. to see a herd of Polygastrica eating up the carmine, poking about the colouring matter with their pouted-out mouths like so many pigs. In the vessel containing the Volvox there grew up some fuci of a green colour, which attained a length of an inch and a half in a few days. They sprung from the side of the vessel furthest from the light, while the Volvox congregated to the side nearest the light. Whatever I have seen of the structure of the Polygastrica would lead me to adopt the views of M. Dujardin and Professor Rymer Jones in preference to those of Professor Ehrenberg. — Edward Forbes, May, 1840. NOTES ON IRISH BIRDS. Great Spotted Woodpecker. Picus major, Linn. — On November 13, 1839, one of these birds (which are of very rare occurrence in Ire- land) was shot at Castlereagh, near Belfast, by Mr. Greenfield, who remarks that it was " very tame," and when fired at was engaged in pecking into a dead tree ; it seemed to be unaccompanied by any of its species. It is a male bird, but not in adult plumage ; and has been presented by the gentleman just named to the Belfast Museum. Avocet. Recurvirostra Avocetta, Linn. — The only allusion to the occurrence of this bird in Ireland that I am aware of is in Rutty's Natural History of the County of Dublin, in which work a specimen shot in Dublin Bay is particularly noticed. B. S. Ball, Esq., late of Youghal, informed me some time since, when looking over conti- nental specimens of this bird along with him, that many years ago he shot an individual of the same species near that town. Sabine's Snipe. Scolopax Sabini, Vigors. — About March 13, 1838, one of these rare birds was shot near Kinnegad, Westmeath, and at once brought to Dublin*. In the ensuing month of May I saw the specimen in the possession of Mr. Glennon, the well-known bird, &c. preserver in that city. Its measurements were inch. lin. Length (total) 11 3 ^ of bill above 2 7 of tarsus 1 3i of middle toe and nail 1 4 of wing from carpus 5 3 In plumage it was quite similar to the individuals hitherto described. Mr. W. S. Wall, a Dublin bird-preserver, who saw this specimen, then assured me that about nine years before a similar bird was, on * It was noticed by Dr. Gilgeous before the Natural History of Dublin on the 20th of April. Miscellaneous, 365 account of its remarkable appearance, sent him to be preserved by the Rev. Sir Harcourt Lees, Bart., under the name of " black snipe." It viras shot in this country and quite fresh when received by Wall. When set up it v^^as presented by Sir H. Lees to the Museum of the Royal Dublin Society, but vs^ithin a few years was attacked by moths and destroyed. With reference to the species of the bird in question, I have every reliance on the discrimination of my inform- ant. Eider Duck. Somateria mollissima, Leach. — A few specimens of this bird purchased in different years in the Dublin market have been preserved by Mr. Glennon, and one individual has in a recent state been seen here by R. Ball, Esq., but I have been unable to ascertain with certainty whether they were obtained on the Irish coast, al- though in all probability they were so. The following note, which is satisfactory on this point, was kindly communicated to me by Dr. Farran of Dublin, on May 25, 1840 : — " On Saturday last I received a fine specimen of the male Eider alive from Mr. John King, Bre- more, Balbriggan ; he saw it struggling to get up the rocks, and, at- tracted by its size and unusual plumage, got a boat and secured it : a severe injury which it had received in one of the thighs most likely prevented its rising." — W. Thompson, Belfast, June 1840. NEW SPECIES OF AGRILVS. The Rev. William Little has during the last summer (1839), among several other rare insects, discovered a species of Agrilus which ap- peared undescribed; and upon being submitted to the examination of Mr. Shuckard for the use of his work on the British Coleoptcra, that entomologist considered it entirely new to science, and dedicated it to its discoverer. This insect was found in the vicinity of Rae Hills in Annandale, Dumfries-shire, during the month of June, on a willow (S. auriculata ?), confined to a locality not exceeding six yards in extent ; about twenty specimens were captured. The following are the characters and description from p. 244 of Shuckard's * Elements of British Entomology.' Agrilus Littlii, Shuck. Granuloso-punctatusj capite thorace et corpore suhtus cupreis ; elytris vi- ridibus. Length 4 lines. Rather finely granulated ; head, thorax, the underside of the body, antennae, and legs of a coppery-red. Thorax undulated posteriorly, having a deep sinus opposite the centre of each elytron, another central one opposite the scutellum, and a deep central fossulet in front of the latter ; the sides slightly rounded, depressed and margined, and with a small ab- breviated carina just within each of its posterior angles. 366 Miscellaneous. Elytra of a brilliant golden green, as wide as the thorax in front, and slightly attenuated at the apex, where each is rounded and the edge furnished with minute denticulations. I have dedicated this species to the Rev. W. Little, as a small testimonial of the extensive services he has rendered to British En- tomology in exploring its productions in the northern parts of the island. Mr. Stephens, upon the faith of a casual glimpse of this insect, says in the Appendix to his ' Manual,' that this species greatly re- sembles the A. mendax of Dejeari, described by Mannerheim, ' Bullet, des Natural, de Moscou,' 1837, No. viii. p. Ill ; by a comparison of the two descriptions, it will however be found that two insects, in the same genus, could not well differ more, their only points of re- semblance being the small carinse at the base of the thorax. The A. mendax is also one and a half line longer, a great difference in small insects. ON MR. gray's edition OF TURTOn's MANUAL. Notice respecting the new edition of ' Turton's Manual of the Land- and Fresh-water Shells of the British Islands, thoroughly revised and much enlarged, by John Edward Gray, Esq., F.R.S. 8fC.' By the Rev. William Hincks, F.L.S. Though far from being all that might be desired. Dr. Turton's Manual has been found a convenient and useful book by those inter- ested in the study of the British land and fresh-water molluscous animals ; and though some may wish that Mr. Gray had rather been induced to publish an original work on the subject, his improvements in this edition give it a greatly increased value, and will be grate- fully received by the lovers of this pleasing and generally accessible branch of Natural History. But there is one part of Mr. Gray's plan, which he deserves our thanks for introducing at all, which he was obliged to execute, as he himself informs us, from such very imperfect materials, that the benefit we derive from what he has attempted will consist rather in the quantity of information that he will cause to be collected, than in any great reliance that can be placed on what he has now given. I refer to that part of his introduction which relates to the geo- graphical distribution of the land and fresh- water mollusca in Great Britain. His materials are no doubt good as proofs of the presence of certain species in certain districts, but they are too imperfect to allow of any safe negative conclusions. From no disposition to depreciate his admirable work, but for the assistance of those who use it, I here note down a few facts which have fallen under my own notice in contradiction to his statements. Meteorological Observations, 367 but justifying his own remark, — " It is probable that many of the species here indicated may have a much more extended range." Species, according to Mr. Gray's Table, confined to the southern half of the kingdom, all of which I have found at York, during my residence there : — Paludina vivipara. achatina, near Doncaster. Bithinia ventricosa. Neretina Jluviatilis. Dorsetshire is mentioned, on Montagu's au- thority, as the western limit of this shell, but I have taken it in the river Exe, and known it to be found in the south of Ireland. Planorbis corneus. Cyclas rivicola, mentioned as almost confined to the Thames, but I have taken it abundantly at York, and I have it also from Lan- cashire. Unio tumidus, near York. Species enumerated as being only observed in the north, but also found to my knowledge in the south : — Helix lamellata, abundant near Cork. Zonites purus, near Cork. excavatus, near Cork. METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR MAY, 1840. Chiswick. — May 1. Slight haze : fine. 2—4. Hot and dry with easterly wind. 5, Overcast. 6, 7. Slight haze. 8. Heavy showers : fine. 9. Rain with sultry intervals. 10. Cloudy: sultry. 11. Drizzly. 12. Overcast. 13. Rain: sultry. 14. Cloudy and fine. 15. Heavy rain with thunder. 16. Cloudy : showery : hailshower at 12^ P.M. 17. Rain. 18. Cloudy and fine: rain. 19, 20. Cloudy and cold. 21. Clear and cold. 22. Overcast. 23. Clear and fine. 24. Over- cast : rain. 25. Cloudy. 26. Rain. 27—30. Very fine. 31. Hot and dry : cloudless. Boston. — May 1. Cloudy. 2 — 4. Fine. 5, 6. Cloudy. 7, 8. Cloudy : rain early A.M. : rain p.m. 9. Rain : rain early a.m. 10. Cloudy : rain early a.m. 11. Rain : rain early a.m. 12. Cloudy: rain early a.m. 13. Rain. 14. Cloudy: rain with thunder and lightning p.m. 15. Rain. 16, 17. Cloudy: rain a.m. and p.m. 18,19. Cloudy. 20. Cloudy: rain p.m. 21, 22. Stormy. 23, 24. Cloudy. 25. Stormy : rain a.m. 26. Rain : rain a.m. 27. Cloudy. 28. Fine. 29. Stormy. 30, 31. Fine. Applegarth Manse, Dumfnes-shire. — May 1, 2. Beautiful day. 3. The same : Thermometer in shade 75°. 4. Very dry and warm till p.m. 5. Very droughty. 6. The same increased : cloudy. 7. Slight showers all day. 8. The same a.m. : cleared up. 9. Slight showers early a.m. 10. The same : thunder p.m. 11. Rain heavier. 12. Rain nearly all day. 13. Fair. 14. Showery p.m. : thunder. 15. Occasional showers : thunder. 16. Rain preceding night: clear day. 17. Rain in the night : fair. 18. Fresh and cool. 19. Dry and rather boisterous. 20. Dry and more moderate. 21. Very droughty : clear sky. 22. Calm and warm. 23. Showery : high wind. 24. Showery. 25. Showery, and very high wind. 26. Fresh and showery. 27. Fine a.m. : wet p.m. 28. Very wet till p.m. 29, 30. Fine growing day. 31. Variable : bright at midday : wet evening. Dew point. Lond.: Roy. Soc. 9 a.m. u:5iO'^Tr-^tou^^iou:>u:)iOLou:)>ouou:>uo'^-<^'^-rt<-^totoiou-5ioLoioLo ^10 c •ajiqs -saujrana 00 r-^ 00 in • • • • • 6 • • • • • ' 6 • * • • • * 6 • • • • • • -^ • • - • •uo;soa : : : :,: :^^'^^)2^ :Sor2"if? : :^ : : : I'gZ : : : : ^ ' CM •jlotAvsiqo : : : : :S : 28 S S S ^^^S^^S :o : : :§S§ : : : : : .c*50 . .0.. . . r^j .CO .... *07t— • 7< •7t'^9ci • •© • • 1^ •© • • • • 1 eiS sis4|iiggg4|iM^N^i^li^^siii 1 pS' «• « M w (.' -^ - -^ w « « - - - fe - « « " aJ >• -§ :^- > fe fe te fe - ^• •radi ^lOiMSiqo « rf «•„•«•« fe ^ « ^ .^- w ^ .• ^ ^; ^ ^- ^- 1 ^- ^- i ^ ^ ^ i ^ ^- ^ .• i « ^ « i ^ ^/ s' n g ^ ^ i ! ^ ^i i i ^^* h ^' ^ i i ^ -• 1 It pH|e» --!« «'ci HkS -th. I proceeded to Buxa. The path was somewhat improved, and the ascent gradual until an elevation of about 5500 feet was sur- mounted, from which the descent to Buxa is steep and uninterrupted. This place is sren from a ridge about 1200 feet above it. I reached Information respecting Botanical Travellers, 409 it between 9 and ]0 a.m., and found that my companions had ar- rived late on the preceding evening, having accompHshed a march of twenty miles in one day. Scarcely any coolies had arrived, how- ever, before me. The features of the country remained the same, the whole face being covered with dense black-looking forest. Even on the ridge, which must have been between 5000 and 5500 feet in elevation, scarcely any change took place. As I descended to Buxa vegetation became more and more tropical, and on reaching it I found myself surrounded with plants common in many parts of the plains of Assam*. Captain Pemberton left Buxa a day before me, as I was detained behind for coolies, none of whom had yet arrived. On the following day I rejoined him at Chicha-cotta. The descent to the plains is steep at first, and commences about a quarter of a mile from Buxa. On reaching the steep portion, a halting-place, called Minagoung, is passed, at which place all bullocks, which are here used as beasts of burden, are relieved if bound to Buxa, or provided with burdens if bound for the plains. The descent from this place is very gradual, and scarcely appreciable ; the path was good, and bore appearances of being tolerably well frequented : it passed through a rather open forest, low grasses forming the under-plants. The plains were not reached for several miles ; indeed the descent was so gradual, that the boundaries of the hills and those of the plains were but ill-defined. At last, however, the usual Assam features of vast expanses of grassy vegetation, interrupted here and there with strips of jungle, presented themselves. The country is very low, entirely inundated during the rains, and almost uninhabited. Saul occurred toward that which may be considered the Toorai of these parts, but the trees were of no size. To Koolta. We continued through nearly a desolate country, overrun with coarse grasses, until we came on the river, which is of considerable width, but ford- able : we now found ourselves in the Cooch-Behar territory, and were much struck with the contrast between its richly cultivated state, and the absolute desolation of that belonging to Bootan. We continued traversing a highly fertile country, teeming with popula- tion, until we reached those uncultivated portions of Assam, that are so frequent in the immediate vicinity of the Brahmaputra. At Ran- gamutty, where M^e received every civility from the Bhoorawur, we took boat and arrived at Goalpara. Beyond this it is scarcely necessary to trace our progress. I have only to add, that but one death occurred during the time that the Mission was absent. * Plantains, jacks, mangoes, figs, oranges, &c. are found about the huts of Buxa. 410 Bibliographical Notices, BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. A History of the Fossil Fruits and Seeds of the London Clay. By- James Scott Bowerbank, F.G.S., &c. "With numerous Engra- vings. Part I. London, Van Voorst, price 1 6s. We have here a work, which if carried through as it has been begun, cannot fail to be of the highest interest and utiHty to the geologist and the botanist. An extract from the Prospectus will best explain what the author has undertaken,' and the manner in which he pro- poses to execute it. " Among the numerous and highly interesting fossils found in the Lon- don clay, none are more abundant than the remains of fruits and seeds, which, although occurring in such amazing quantities in the Isle of Sheppey, have hitherto received but little attention from geologists, and consequently present a wide field for inquiry and research. " For many years past the author of the present work has made these interesting remains his peculiar study ; and during this period there have passed through his hands more than 120,000 fruits and seeds, from which he has selected about 25,000 specimens. He proposes to publish figures and descriptions of as many of the species as can with certainty be determined ; and, as a guarantee for the accuracy of the delineations, he considers it will be sufficient to announce that the whole of the drawings and engravings will be executed by Mr. James De Carle Sowerby. " In these beautiful remains of an extinct Flora, the minute and deli- cately-formed vegetable tissues are preserved in the most perfect manner ; and it is part of the Author's plan to give numerous highly magnified illus- trations of the anatomical structure, as well as of the external form." It is obvious that the value of such a work must greatly depend upon the execution of the figures. Lest we should therefore fail in conveying to our readers an adequate idea of the force and accuracy of the engravings, we have obtained the favour of the impressions of Plate IV. which accompany our present number, and which may serve to illustrate what we shall extract relative to Mr. Bowerbank's first group, Nipadites, and the interesting species which it repre- sents, Nipadites Parkinsonis. " The fruits of which this group is composed are found in considerable abundance on the beach at Sheppey, forming a portion of the organic remains impregnated with 'pyrites, so plentifully discovered there. They are known among the women and children, by whom they are usually collected, by the name of Figs. The epicarp and endocarp are thin and membranous ; the sarcocarp is thick and pulpy, composed of cellular tissue, through which run numerous bundles of vessels. The cells are about the eight hundredth part of an inch in diameter. Nearly in the centre of the pericarp is situated Bibliographical Notices. 411 a single large seed. (See Plate IV. fig. 2. a.) This, when broken, is usually found to be more or less hollow. It is frequently not more than half a line in thickness, but in the more perfect specimens it generally presents the appearance of a close, granulated structure, in which small apertures, con- taining carbonaceous matter, occasionally occur. These apertures possess much uniformity, both in size and shape, and are of about the same dimen- sions as the cells of the sarcocarp. This seed in one species, Nipadites Parkinsonis, when in the most perfect state of preservation, was found to consist of regular layers of cells, radiating from a spot situated near the mid- dle of the seed, and apparently enclosing a central embryo." " One very fine fruit of a species of Pandanus in the possession of my friend Mr. Ward, which is nearly four inches in length and two inches and a half mean diameter, approaches very nearly in external form to the fossil Nipadites Parkinsonis (Plate IV.), excepting that instead of being termi- nated somewhat acutely, like the fossil alluded to, it is depressed at the apex, and has eleven umbones, which are nearly equidistant from each other. Upon making a transverse section of this fruit at about its middle, eleven embryos were seen, arranged exactly in the manner indicated by the um- bones at the apex of the fruit, and passing nearly in straight lines from that point towards its base. The cells containing the embryos were about the eighth of an inch in diameter." " But of all the fruits that I have yet seen, there are none which approach so nearly to the fossil Nipadites as one of which my friend Mr. Ward has lately received two specimens from Captain Roberts, of the ship Indemnity, who met with them floating in the sea off* the island of Java, at the mouth of a small river. These fruits my friend Mr. G. Loddiges recognized as the seed-vessels of Nipafruticans." — " In their disposition and general character they very nearly resemble the corresponding parts in several species of our fossil Nipadites, especially Nipad. umbonatus." — " The epicarp is thin and smooth, and furnished near the apex of the fruit with numerous puncta, strongly resembling, both in form and extent, those occurring near the apex of the fruit figured in Plate IV. fig. 3." The Nipa fruticans occurs, it is stated, "at the mouths of rivers in the Philippines and Molucca islands, especially in Ternate, and likewise in the Celebes. The tree grows in places within the in- fluence of the tides. The fruits are often carried by the tide, and thrown on shore in distant places ; and they take root where the soil is suitable. If the habits of the plant which produced our fossil fruits, as is justly observed by the Author, were similar to those of the recent palm just described (and it is highly probable that such was the case), it may account for their amazing abundance in the London clay. " The resemblance existing between the whole of the species of Nipadites, both as regards their external form and their internal structure, with those of Nipa, is so close as to leave scarcely a doubt of their being members of 412 Bibliograjjhical Nolices. the same genus ; the only difference being that tlie recent fruit has the in- terior surface of the pericarp somewhat in a state of induration, which is not perceptible in that of any of the fossil species ; although it may have been so to a considerable extent in their original state, before fossilization, with- out our being able, at this period, to determine such to have been the case with any degree of certainty. And when we take into consideration the great variation in different species in the degree of thickness of the bony endocarp of the nearly allied genus Cocos, we can scarcely consider this single discrepancy sufficient to remove the fossil from the recent genus. I have therefore thought it advisable to reject M. Adolphe Brongniart's name of Pandanocarpmn, and to apply that of Nipadites, as more expressive of their true relation to their recent analogues." We may also remark, that several of the Cupressinites present a striking resemblance to the fruits of certain species of the Coniferous genus Callitris, principally confined to New Holland and Van Die- men's Land; and one, Cupressinites curtus (pi. x. fig. 20.), exhibits a close analogy with the fruits of Callitris quadrivalvis from Mount Atlas, being the only recent species in the Northern hemisphere. The author is entitled to great praise in undertaking the illustra- tion of one of the most difficult and important departments of fossil botany ; and we trust that he may be encouraged to continue his re- searches in a subject so replete with interest, and in the prosecution of which he has already displayed so much zeal and ability. British Entomology ; being Illustrations and Descriptions of the Ge- nera of Insects found in Great Britain and Ireland : containing coloured Figures from Nature of the most rare and beautiful species, and in many instances of the Plants upon which they are found. By John Curtis, Esq., F.L.S., Hon. M.A.S. Oxf., Acad. Imp. Georg. Florent. Soc, Acad. Sc. Philad. Corresp. In 16 vols. Royal 8vo. In recording the completion of a beautiful and valuable work which is the fruit of sixteen years' unremitting labour, devoted to it by one who has combined accurate scientific research with consum- mate skill as an artist, and has at the same time borne for that long period all the anxiety, risk, confinement, and labour of regular pub- lication, it is impossible not to enter with cordial interest into the feelings of the author, in his retrospect of what he has endeavoured, with the most laudable perseverance, to accomplish for natural his- tory. Mr. Curtis reminds us in the Preface which accompanies the final Number, that his British Entomology was begun on New Year's day, 1824, and he felicitates himself in having been enabled to com- plete it in the time which he then anticipated. His original design Bibliographical Notices, 413 had been an Illustrated *' Genera of Insects ;" but the vast increase of materials induced him, on commencing his work, to limit it to the Genera of British Insects. His views of the utility of such an un- dertaking are thus expressed : — " That the investigation of genera must be of the first importance cannot be denied, for without a knowledge of such groups, it is impossible for any one to gain a correct knowledge of species ; as well might a person expect to be able to write before he had learned the first rudiments of a language, or to solve a problem, being ignorant of the principles of mathematics. If this be admitted, it is unnecessary to dwell much upon the importance of having genera correctly investigated and described. This has been at- tempted in the present undertaking, and although I have selected the works of my lamented friend Latreille as a model, Nature has been my guide ; for with the exception of some of the caterpillars, living examples of which it was impossible to obtain, and a very few of the dissections, every figure has been drawn from the life or from preserved specimens, and the descriptions have been taken from actual investigations of the various parts of the animals." As to system and arrangement, Mr. Curtis differs from those who have founded them solely upon one set of characters, employed al- most to the exclusion of all others ; alleging that, although in dif- ferent Orders their value essentially varies, " a truly philosophic system must be based on all that are available, and which conse- quently must be derived from various sources." With regard to the scope of his work, Mr. Curtis adds, " I have studied to give one or more examples, sometimes amounting to forty of each family, never losing sight of the Linnsean and Fabrician genera, all of which, 1 beheve, as far as native groups are concerned, have been illustrated, and also a very large portion of the genera of other eminent authors, especially of Latreille, Olivier, Schonherr, Leach, Dejean, Graven- horst, Kirby, Jurine, Hubner, Treitschke, Germar, Fallen, Meigen, and most of the new and remarkable types that have been discovered during the last twenty years." Mr. Curtis has called in the aid of Botany in order to give ad- ditional interest to his Plates, each of which contains, along with the insect which is the subject of it, the representation of a British plant, — often that upon which the insect is found. " The value also of correct figures of wild specimens of our native plants to the entomologist, as well as the beauty which they must always give to a drawing, have made me very desirous to render this department as inter- esting and useful as I could ; and through the generous contributions of nu- merous friends and my own exertions, I am happy to find that this portion of the work is not viewed with indifference, even by botanists." 414 Bibliographical Notices. *' It was not from choice but necessity that the work was not pub- lished in Systematic order," as it would have been impossible " to command the requisite materials, so that the work should appear with strict regularity ;" Mr. Curtis, however, observes, that " one great advantage undoubtedly attended the miscellaneous plan adopted, namely, that a variety of orders was monthly presented to the public, which led to their immediate attention, and thus families became the favourites of entomologists, which frequently had been up to that pe- riod totally neglected." The work, however, being now completed, the requisites for a Systematical arrangement have been carefully supplied in the con- cluding Number, with which are given general systematical and alphabetical indexes both of the insects and plants ; and eight sepa- rate indexes, of the same kind, together with as many new Title- pages, in order that the work may be bound in eight instead of six- teen volumes. It is unnecessary for us to remark how much the utility and interest of the work will be increased when thus arranged. Mr. Curtis makes the following remarks upon the progress and execution of his labours : — " Notwithstanding all difficulties, and they have neither been few nor trifling, I have devoted myself most assiduously to my task during its pro- gress, that no delay might take place in the accomplishment of an object which I considered would be for the benefit of science ; and for sixteen years my cabinets and library have been open to my friends and scientific men one day in each week, in the hope that my favourite pursuit would be thereby advanced ; and if they have gained information or derived advan- tage from this arrangement, I am well satisfied. This, however, caused so great a diminution of my time, that it would have taken upwards of twenty years to complete this work, without allowing any periods for relaxation, if I had not called in the aid of artists to assist me in the engravings ; I wish it, however, to be understood that the plates of several of the early volumes were for the greater part, and those of the last and a considerable por- tion of the fifteenth were entirely, my own engraving, and all the others were corrected and finished by myself; the drawings also are the efforts of my pencil, and the articles and descriptions are my own writing ; for any errors, therefore, I alone am accountable. That my labours have been well received by those who are impartial judges, I need only refer to the notices of Latreille, Burmeister, and many of my own countrymen. Before taking leave of those who have been interested in my undertaking for so many years, I would remark, that without the support of the influ- ential and wealthy, no illustrated work with numerous highly-finished en- gravings can, in this branch of natural history, leave any reward for the labours of the author, which are of course greatly increased when he com- bines the part of the artist with his more legitimate duty ; and if in the Microscopical Society, 415 present instance I had been compelled to pay for the drawings and all the copper-plate engravings, it would have caused an additional expense of at least twenty shillings per volume to the purchaser." " If experience alone can teach us wisdom in the common affairs of life, with which we are familiar, how much more probable is it, that in the pro- gress of enterprises and speculations with which we are totally unacquainted, we should meet with disappointments, and often be taught a lesson we little expected ! such has been my fortune. — I had little idea of the large sum of money that would be required to carry on an illustrated publication, con- taining several hundreds of highly-finished coloured engravings ; of the in- cessant labour and anxiety which a periodical would entail upon me ; of numerous minor difficulties to which an author is exposed in the different stages of his work, and the little encouragement given to expensive works of art ; — these have rendered the British Entomology a heavy tax for many years, and I have only been encouraged in my progress, by a desire to fulfill my promise to the Subscribers, and with the prospect of making it generally useful to those who are engaged in scientific pursuits. I now trust that the attention which has been paid to every department will recommend this work to those who have withheld from purchasing it, from their avowed and just objection to taking publications in numbers; and as it will, I trust, be-^ come the basis for a well-grounded knowledge of insects, I may anticipate some remuneration from other sources. It is also most earnestly hoped that those Subscribers who have discontinued taking the work, will now do me the justice to complete their copies, without which I must be subjected to great loss, and their own volumes will be of no value after a short pe- riod, as the stock is in the course of being perfected by reprinting the defi- cient parts.'* We sincerely hope that the work, having been now brought to its completion, in a style of uniform and first-rate excellence as to its illustrations, and of the highest utility as regards the plan and exe- cution of the descriptive and scientific part, may ultimately be found not wholly to disappoint the just expectations of the author. PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. At a meeting of the Microscopical Society on Tuesday the 20th of May, Mr. Dalrymple read a paper upon the family of Closterinse, which have been classed by Ehrenberg* amongst the polygastric Infusoria, and by Meyen amongst Confervse or aquatic vegetables. The author, after detailing the history of Closterium from its discovery by Coste in 1774 down to the present time, entered into a detail of its appearance and general structure ; he described * See Ann. Nat. Hist. vol. ii. p. 121. 416 Microscopical Society. it as consisting of a green gelatinous and granular body, invested by a highly elastic and contractile membrane, which is attached by variable points to a hard siliceous shell, which was afterwards stated by Mr. C. Varley to resist even the action of boiling nitric acid. The form of Closterium is spindle-shaped, or crescentic — the shell consisting of two horns, tapering off more or less to the extremities, and united at the central transverse line — constituting a perfectly symmetrical exterior. At the extremity of each horn is an opening in the shell, which, however, is closed within by the mem- branous envelope, wanting, however, in some specimens. Within the shell, and at the extremity of the green body, is a transpa- rent chamber, containing a variable number of active molecules, ■ measuring from the 20,000th to the 40,000th of an inch ; these molecules, or transparent spheroids, occasionally escape from this chamber, and circulate vaguely and irregularly between the peri- phery of the gelatinous body and the shell; further, the parietes of this chamber have a contractile power. The author denied the existence of any papillae or proboscides at this part, as well as the supposition of Ehrenberg that these moving molecules constitute the basis of such papillae. He also denied the statement of the same distinguished observer, that if colouring matter was mixed with the water in which the Closterium resides, any motion was communicated to the particles of such colouring matter by the sup- posed papillae, or by the active molecules within the terminal cells. A circulation of the fluids within the shell was observed, independent of the vague movements of the active molecules ; this was regu- lar, passing in two opposite currents, one along the side of the shell, and the other along the periphery of the gelatinous body. When the shell and body of the Closterium was broken by pressure, the green gelatinous matter was forcibly ejected by the contraction of the membranous envelope. The action of iodine upon the specimens was very remarkable ; 1st, it did not, as reported by Meyen, stain the green body violet or purple, but orange-brown ; 2nd, it produced violent contraction of the investing membrane of the body, whereby the green matter was often forcibly expelled from the shell at the transverse division ; it instantly annihilated the motion of the molecules in the terminal sacs, and the sacs themselves became so distended with fluid as to burst, and allow the molecules to escApe. The mode of reproduction was stated to take place, 1st, by spon- taneous transverse division ; 2nd, by ova ; 3rd, by interbudding, or the conjugation of two Closteria. Zoological Society . 417 The author, after balancing the arguments of the two theories respecting the classification of this body, gave as his reasons for retaining them on the side of the animal kingdom, the following summary : — 1st. That while Closterium has a circulation of molecules greatly resembling that of plants, it has also a definite organ, unknown in the vegetable world, in which the active molecules appear to enjoy an independent motion, and the parietes of which appear capable of contracting upon its contents. 2nd. That the green gelatinous body is contained in a membra- nous envel