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THE ANNALS ee 


AND 


MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY, 


INCLUDING 
ZOOLOGY, BOTANY, ann GEOLOGY. 


(BEING A CONTINUATION OF THE * MAGAZINE OF BOTANY AND ZOOLOGY,’ AND OF 
LOUDON AND CHARLESWORTH'S ‘MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. ) 


CONDUCTED BY 


Sir W. JARDINE, Bart.—P. J. SELBY, Esa., 
Dr. JOHNSTON, 
DAVID DON, Esa., Pror. Bor. K1nq@’s Couu. Lonp., 


AND 


RICHARD TAYLOR, F.L.S. 


WOE. VIEL. 


a 


LONDON: 
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY R. AND J. E. TAYLOR. 


SOLD BY S. HIGHLEY; SIMPKIN AND MARSHALL; SHERWOOD AND CO.; W. woop, 
TAVISTOCK STREET, BAILLIERE, REGENT STREET, AND PARIS: 
LIZARS, AND MACLACHLAN AND STEWART, EDINBURGH : 
CURRY, DUBLIN: AND ASHER, BERLIN. 


1842, 


“‘Omnes res create sunt divine sapientie et potenti testes, divitie felicitatis 
humanz: ex harum usu bonitas Creatoris; ex pulchritudine sapientia Domini; ex 
ceconomia in conservatione, proportione, renovatione, potentia majestatis elucet. 
Earum itaque indagatio ab hominibus sibi relictis semper xstimata; a vere eruditis 


et sapientibus semper exculta; male doctis et barbaris semper inimica fuit.”— 
Linn. 


CONTENTS OF VOL. VUI. 


NUMBER XLVIII. 
Page 
I. Description of some Molar Teeth from the Eocene Sand at Kyson 
in Suffolk, indicative of anew species of Hyracotherium (Hyr, Cunicu- 
lus). By Ricuarpv Owen, Esq., F.R.S., &. ........0006 Bevsctdenecedeseee 1 
II. Remarks on the Horny Sponges, with proposed divisions of the 
Order Spongie. By Joun Hoae, Esq., M.A., F.R.S., F.L.S. ......... 3 
III. Notes on the Zoology of the Outer Hebrides. By Joun Mac- 
Gittiyray, Vice-President of the Cuvierian Nat. Hist. Society of Edin- 


WUE a ecteeee ss Oe asctewetenrecvcusewesucivevsescece Bebe ssureveverees Sosttt seecaeare 7 
IV. Researches on the Structure of Annular Vessels. By Huco 

Monn 20Withi 2: Plates) i112: osetia. ds deeshttvtcd ede ccceccecectacececsenecce 16 
V. Preliminary Reply to Mohl’s Essay on the Structure of Annular 

Vessels. By Dr. M. J. Scuueiwen ...... mebueataseeor cusuaencsancdeeseeocas 25 


VI. Report of the Results of Researches in Physiological Botany 
made in the year 1839. By the late F. J. Meven, M.D., Professor 


of Botany in the University of Berlin. (Continued.) ....... specaccose=cos 27 
VII. Indian Cyprinide. By Joun M‘Crexranp, Assistant Surgeon 

Meese MVC HICAL: SELVICE: ect ones ch doce e a te=cerce ss cotuaccosetesesasoacececeees 35 
VIII. Notes on Birds. By T. C. Hivton, Esq.) FITS: occ cccecrsccce 46 


New Books :—Continuation of Wiegmann’s Archiv fiir Naturgeschichte, 
by Dr. Erichson.—The Naturalist’s Library: Mammalia. Vol. xi. 
Marsupialia, or Pouched Animals, by G. R. Waterhouse, Esq. 47—55 


Proceedings of the Royal Society ; Geological Society; Zoological So- 
ciety ; Microscopical Society ............06. Denne p an eae seeseane 55—74 


Analogies of European and Indian Geology ; Suggestions for Experi- 
ments on the Conservation of Vegetative Powers in Seeds ; Mete- 
orological Observations and Table ............seee00s “eecocee te 74—80 


NUMBER XLIX. 
IX. Observations on the Rodentia. By G. R. Wareruouse, Esq. 
(With a Plate.) ..... eRadeseene Seudue meee ecsecactstetouseeessecsenve? stebeeene 81 
X. Observations on the Functions performed by the Hairs on the 
Stigma in Campanulacee, Composite, and other Plants. By Artuur 


iv CONTENTS. 


Page 

Hitt Hassatt, M.R.C.S.L., Corresponding Member of the Dublin % 

Natural Elistory, SOCIELY:..-srsscccascescesoaentenncessuaees: sceseseendaseortaase 84 
XI. On some species of Eurepean Pines. By Capt. S. E. Win- 

DEINGTONS IRN serccsacccacscccedecavetenceetceereatet tas os ceanenecetensocsaeceas 87 


XII. Diagnoses Algarum novarum a cl. Dre. Ferdinand Krauss in 
Africa Australi lectarum, auctore Dno. Herrne, Stuttgartiensi ......... 90 

XIII. Observations on the Structure of the Pollen Granule, consi- 
dered principally in reference to its eligibility as a means of Classi- 
fication. By Arruur Hitt Hassatz, M.R.C.S.L., Corresponding 


Member of the Dublin Natural History Society ........sceessseeeereecees 92 
XIV. Indian Cyprinide. By Joun M‘Cretuanp, Assistant Surgeon 

Bengal Medical Service. (Continued.)...........csssscescececerecscossessecs 108 
XV. Notice of a hitherto undescribed character distinctive of the 

Sexes in certain Lucanide. By J.O. Westwoop, F.L.S. — .........0e- 121 
XVI. Insectorum novorum Centuria, auctore J. O. Westwoop...... 123 


XVII. Notice of Migratory Birds which alighted on, or were seen 
from H.M.S. Beacon, Capt. Graves, on the passage from Malta to the 
Morea at the end of April 1841. By Wm. Tuomeson, Vice-Pres. Nat. 
Hist. Society of Belfast .............0scsceseees Recsepyceaeen ores er scsceusr assem 125 

XVIII. Report of the Results of Researches in Physiological Botany 
made in the year 1839. By the late F. J. Mevzn, M.D., Professor of 
Botany in the University of Berlin. (Continued.) ........ceceeeeeeeeeeeee 130 


New Books :—Naturalist’s Library :—The Natural History of Dogs, 
vol. ii. ; The Natural History of Horses ; The Natural History of 
Fishesyavololispanceneccecnuceasaseacccoues teens eecsweccenecececcr eaavencie'see 137 


Proceedings of the Zoological Society ; Microscopical Society ... 138—152 


Mr. Schomburgk’s return to George-Town; Mr. W. S. MacLeay; 
Lieut. Tickell on the Natural History of the Hodésum (improperly 
called Kolehan) ; Fossil Foraminifera in the Greensand of New 
Jersey; A vast Stratum of Fossil Infusoria in the Tertiary Strata 
of Virginia; Mr. R. C. Taylor's Model of the Southern Coal-Field 
of Pennsylvania ; Meteorological Observations and Table... 153—160 


NUMBER I. 

XIX. Description of some new species of Ammonites found in the 
Oxford Clay on the line of the Great Western Railway near Christian 
Malford. By Samuet Peace Pratt, Esq., F.L.S., F.G.S. (With 
Hour Plates) tes-scarseon see seceees Sentara sanenciescenentcccactmascsstceetnentans aaa GI 

XX. A List of Testaceous Mollusca collected in the Shetland Isles 
during a few days’ residence there in the autumn of this year, and not 
noticed by Dr. Fleming in his ‘ History of British Animals’ as indige- 
nous to that country. By J. Gwyn Jerrreys, Esq., F.R. & L.S....... 165 

XXI. Brief and Practical Instructions for the Breeding of Salmon 
and other Fish artificially. By Sir Francis A. Macxenziz, Bart. ... 166 


CONTENTS. iV, 

Page 
XXII. On Epilobium angustifolium, and species which have been 

confounded with it. By Mr. H. O. STEPHENS  .....+......00- Sevetosnseee 170 
XXIII. A List of Flowering Plants found growing wild in Western 
Norfolk. By the Rev. Georce Munrorp, Corresponding Member of 


the Botanical Society of London ...... yee ot Saee eee seek eeea her een se 171 
XXIV. Indian Cyprinide. By Joun M‘Cietianp, Assistant Sur- 
geon Bengal Medical Service. (Continwed.).s...+.-sssseresesseseeseeseeeees 192 


XXY. Insectorum novorum Centuria, auctore J. O. Westwoop ... 203 

XXVI. On the names Promecoderus, Cnemacanthus and Odonto- 
scelis, as applied to certain genera of Carabideous Insects. By G. R. 
Warerunouse, Esq., Curator to the Zoological Society of London ...... 205 

XXVII. On the Eel, and on the Freshwater Fish of Austria. By 
Capt. S. E. Wrpprineton, RN. ...seeeees SHH BCEC HBC OBaboDC CU CEaERESE acest 207 


XXVIII. Information respecting Zoological and Botanical Travel- 
Uy aera oe “Lone ope ne reac ce cca eee t poste Mane cce rene ae enacebcnccseen tates 210 


New Books:—A Manual of the British Algee, by William Henry Har- 
Vey, Esq. .-esccssccesccseseescrsscccsscasseonscevesecesscnsssssacsossccnsenens 211 


Proceedings of the Entomological Society ; Zoological Society ; Micro- 
scopical Society......... Spacey aasaae sre snecmenccsuensraeaaacsemesecs 217—228 


Cyclostoma elegans, Lam., an Irish Shell, by W. Thompson, Esq. ; 
Entophytes—Cryptogamous Plants developed on the internal sur- 
face of the air-cells of an Eider Duck whilst alive—similar in- 
stance in the Flamingo; On some Mammalia, Birds and Fishes 
lately observed in the neighbourhood of Aberdeen, by Mr. J. Mac- 
gillivray ; On the Common Hare of the Gangetic Provinces and 
of the Sub-Himalaya, with a slight notice of a strictly Himalayan 
species, by B. H. Hodgson, Esq., Resident at the Court of Nepal ; 
The Hoopoe, Upupa epops; The Hoopoe; The Arctic Gull; Re- 
port on Ornithichnites, or Foot-marks of Extinct Birds; Natural 
History as a Branch of Education; Meteorological Observations 
amt, Table’. sssnescses Aapakccosicesc er agepeonsece oo Boe secceper ec 228—240 


NUMBER LI. 


XXIX. Notice of a new genus of Mammalia discovered by J. Stuart, 
Esq., in New South Wales. By W.S. MacLeay, Esq., F.L.S., &c. 
(OW ICH Ay ENALE | - oenbeansoncsdcneracesnsces Soe Adela secandaedaan dasaaa daa ans 241 
XXX. On two remarkable Marine Invertebrata inhabiting the 
fEgean Sea. By Epwarp Forses, M.W.S., For. Sec. B.S., &c. (With 
BPENALE A) oc duantvapenent cea sassmabags davencise due acsoacs Sontlissopesees Sorbie opuecoee 243 
XXXI. On Epilobium angustifolium, Linn., and species which have 
been confounded with it. By W. A. Leicuton, Esq., B.A., F.B.S.E. 246 
XXXII. Report of the Results of Researches in Physiological Botany 
made in the year 1839. By the late F. J. Meyen, M.D., Professor of 
Botany in the University of Berlin. (Continwed.) .c.cccccccseneecevens sas 249 


vi CONTENTS. 


Page 
XXXIII. On the Phosphorescence of Zoophytes. By the Rev. i 
Davin Lanpssoroueu, of Stevenston, in Ayrshire .........csceceeeeeeeees 257 
XXXIV. Remarks on the Fruit of the Natural Order Cucurbitacee. 
By Rosert Wieut, M.D., F.L.S., &c. ......086 Bide okie Wale Lloasaceds 260 
XXXYV. Insectorum novorum Centuria, auctore J. O. Westwoop, 
BD S55 res js tase de. cee ted bdsb de ose ald dee Josacdaddseentert steals «c secede 


XXXVI. The Birds of Ireland (Family Fringillide). By Wm. 
Tuompson, Esq., Vice-Pres. Nat. Hist. Society of Belfast. (Continued.) 273 

XXXVII. Information respecting Scientific Travellers :—Dr. Can- 
tor’s collections in the Isle of Chusan; Mr. Murchison’s second Geo- 
logical Survey of Russia......... Tpascdedsa=sdseatide sdesWaseatns setavuacdussseees 288 


New Books :—Catalogue of British Plants (Part 1st, Flowering Plants 
and Ferns), by Prof. J. H. Balfour, Glasgow; C. C. Babington, 
Esq., F.L.S.; and W. H. Campbell, Esq., Sec. Bot. Soc.—Arcana 
Entomologica, or Illustrations of new, rare, and interesting Exotic 
Insects, by J. O.Westwood, F.L.S., &e.—Naturhistorisk Tidskrift, 
Copenhagen, 1840-41 .........4.. enieeewiecwewivela Gucuoteneneen nave 294—297 


Proceedings of the Entomological Society ; Geological Society... 297—313 


Three new species of Monkey, with remarks on the genera Semnopi- 
thecus et Macacus, by B. H. Hodgson, Esq.; Dr. E. Moore on 
the Pilot Fish; Vitality of Seeds; Little Auk; Birds of Kent; 
Durocher and Bowman on Glacial or Diluvian Phenomena; Me- 
teorological Observations and Table ...........seceeceesveeeees 314—320 


NUMBER LII. 


XXXVIII. On the Saxifrages of the Robertsonia or London-pride 
group which are found in Ireland. By Cuarues C, Bastneron, Esq., 


M.A, BL.8., EsGS.,: &es - (Withia Plate.) < cic..sadesidsiids .taciack dane leae 321 
XX XIX. On doubts respecting the existence of Bird-catching Spi- 
ders. _By W..S. MacLray, Esq., FDS.) 8:0. svetsesssevssssire eeeveus seve 324 


XL. On the degree of Cold which the principal Mammalia of hot 
countries are capable of enduring. By the Rev. Roserr Everssz, in 
a note to J. E. Gray, Esq., F.R.S. &c....... Misia sMcuido Me da~ css swddaewuste dst 325 
XLI. Report of the Results of Researches in Physiological Botany 
made in the year 1839. By the late F. J. Meyven, M.D., Professor of 


Botany; in.the University, of Berlin s2sis.tc..alsssevsecsdeds dese..sseesseoes 328 
XLII. Additional Particulars respecting Antechinus Stuartii, a new 
Marsupial Quadruped. By W. 8. MacLeay, Esq., F.L.S., &c. ...... 337 


XLIII. Notice of a hitherto unobserved Character distinctive of the 
Sexes in certain Cetoniide. By J. O. Westwoop, Esq., F.L.S., &c.... 338 

XLIV. On the Phosphorescence of Zoophytes. By Arruur Hinz 
Hassart, Esq., M.R.C.S.L., Corresponding Member of the Dublin 
Natural History Society ........40. bbseaeceeeden bdtbolsesdesbiVedecce Wostheas 341 


CONTENTS. vil 
Page 
XLV. Excerpta Botanica, or abridged Extracts translated from 
the Foreign Journals, illustrative of, or connected with, the Botany of 
Great Britain. By W. A. Leicuron, Esq., B.A., F.B.S.E., &c. 
No. 7. Notes on the genus Corylus. By Ep. Spacn ...... ie 3ns: 
XLVI. The Birds of Ireland (Family Fringillida). By Wu. Tuomp- 
son, Esq., Vice-Pres. Nat. Hist. Society of Belfast. (Continued.)...... 353 
XLVII. Extracts from a Lecture by M. Dumas on the Chemical 
BrseeS IO Oe ARIZA REMI OR 4. aaco.-aingdidsocawacpmapuces dnaowechaSsasnnspsaras 360 


New Books :—A List of the Genera of Birds, with their Synouyma, 
and an Indication of the typical Species of each Genus, by George 
Babert Gray ccctsresteesstecs “or SEDO LACS nchiggeencot ee ute dcaerccoscastos 367 


Proceedings of the Zoological Society; Royal Society ; Geological So- 
ciety ; Microseopical Society ~......cccscoocceooseeeccecesses seeee 01 6—394 


Niger Expedition—Mr. Fraser; Little Auk; New Crustacean Ani- 
mal; Mus agrestis; Disappearance of the Sylvia rubecola in parts 
of Belgium and Germany; Chair of Entomology; Mr. Gould on 
Menura superba; Anthus Richardi; Obituary—Professor Don, 
J. E. Bowman, Esq.; Meteorological Observations and Table 394—400 


NUMBER LIII. 
XLVIII. On Epilobium angustifolium, Linn., and species which have 
been confounded with it. By W.A. Leicuron, Esq., B.A., F.B.S.E. ... 401 
XLIX. Remarks on Lottia virginea. By Josuua Auper, Esq. ... 404 


L. The Birds of Ireland (Family Fringillide, Sturnide, Corvide). 

By Wm. Tuompson, Esq., Vice-Pres. Nat. Hist. Society of Belfast. 
KCORISRUC NB chs Sacace rede occk ocehtasenieaetk scent ews vcddudo'sidenoctessoxkdees «-. 406 
LI. Descriptions, &c. of a few rare or undescribed species of British 

Diptera, principally from the collection of J. C. Date, Esq., M.A., 


PEEL ep OL CV LARESE cate Vs stoi an cocksaabe\sebuesen<assnewacas<aascasens dawneasdsa we 430 
LII. On Mnium annotinum of Linneus. By Epwarp Forster, Esq., 
Wel Eel Se Rene ok Bees SE ae See ere Bane Bees saan asl cionia nara 433 


LIII. On Bird-catching Spiders, with remarks on the Communica- 
tion from W. S. MacLeay, Esq., upon that subject, in the January 


number of the Annals. By W. E. Saucxarp, Libr. RS. ......... qapene 400 
LIV. On a new species of Araucaria from New South Wales; and 
on Nuytsia floribunda, By H. Brpwitt, Esq. ........cccesssessessceoees 438 


LV. Information respecting Scientific Travellers:—Some account of 
the Natural History of the Island of Chedooba, from the Report of 
Epwarp P. Hatsteap, Esq., Commander of Her Majesty’s Sloop 
Childers.—Niger Expedition : Dr. Vogel .........sccssecceeecseeees 439—445 


New Books :—On the Structure of the Cyst-worm, by George Gul- 
liver, F.R.S.—Genera Plantarum secundum Ordines Naturales 
disposita, auctore Stephano Endlicher.—Nomenclator Botanicus, 
seu Synonymia Plantarum Universalis, auctore E. T. Steudel, M.D. 


vill CONTENTS. 
saa : Eeae 
—Enchiridion Botanicum exhibens Classes et Ordines Plantarum ; 
accedit Nomenclator Generum, auctore S. Endlicher, M.D, 445—447 


Proceedings of the Linnzan Society ; Entomological Society ; Geolo- 
gical Society ; Zoological Society; Royal Irish Academy ; Impe- 
rial Academy of St. Petersburgh ...... “ Dogradonebeonotsbbsson soos 447—471 
Mr, Dale on the Fauna of Dorsetshire ; Mr. C. C. Babington on Ribes 
petreum ; Cream-coloured Courser; Rev. D. Landsborough on 
the Longevity of Geese; M. Petit on the questionable authenti- 
city of names given to undescribed Genera and Species; Nests of 
the Hirundo riparia; Some Notices of the late Professor Don, and 
of his Father, Mr. George Don, formerly Curator of the Edinburgh 
Botanic Garden ; Meteorological Observations and Table... 472—-480 


NUMBER LIV. SUPPLEMENT. 

LVI. On a new genus of Fossil Bivalve Shells. By Mr. Samuet 
Sturcusury, F.G.S., A.L.S., &c., Curator of the Bristol Institution. 
(Wathitworlelatioss) rca sccescces conten de eteusrecatasne re ase oeneee caaeogee ncaa 481 

LVII. The Birds of Ireland (Family Corvide, Picide, and Cer- 
thiade). By Wm. Tuomrson, Esq., Vice-Pres. Nat. Hist. Society of 


Belfast. (Continued.) ......0....s00 eacceree Sooe Sa snedec cachassendancn Sane 486 
Proceedings of the Royal Society; Geological Society; Zoological 
Society ; Botanical Society of Edinburgh ..............+e0000 502 —543 


New Books :—A History of Infusoria, living and fossil, arranged ac- 
cording to ‘ Die Infusionsthierchen’ of C. G. Ehrenberg; con- 
taining coloured engravings illustrative of all the Genera, and De- 
scriptions of all the Species in that work, with several new ones, 
by Andrew Pritchard.—Supplementary remarks on Mr. G. R. 


Gray’s ‘ Genera of Birds,’ by H. E. Strickland ............... 548—545 
Dr. Martin Barry on Fibre  ..........ssesscscesveessesoscesseen esetesivens ashe 545 
Index cose saiucaveves Movida coe hecaiosdcune ws coswedatseronsaneereence sieseccemeeenes 547 


PLATES IN VOL. VIII. 


Prate I. Structure of Annular Vessels ......000....sssseeeeesenes See page 26 
11> Skulls, &c.Jof Rodentiav,.....0.0.> soa .sccnseeaeesnacuebiensnente eee 84 
III. 
eh Ammonites from the Oxford Clay.......:.sesssseeseees SCCCOOE 165 
VI. 
VII. Antechinus Stuartii, from New South Wales...............00- 242 
VIII. New Marine Animals described by Mr. E. Forbes ......... 243 
ae Pachyodon, a new genus of Fossil Bivalves.............. eee 482 
XI. Saxifrages of Ireland........0....sssssesceveessessesccesscssseerens 322 
NC ntusonaleAmimalculess-casscscceessscseeeectneeeeiseitee cessed: 543 


Erratum, p. 278, 1. 10, for “ Switzerland, to the height of 11,000 feet,” read, “Switzerland, and 
to the,” &e. 


THE ANNALS 


AND 


MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 


No. 48. SEPTEMBER 1841. 


1.—Description of some Molar Teeth from the Eocene Sand 
at Kyson in Suffolk, indicative of a new Species of Hyra- 
cotherium (Hyr. Cuniculus). By Ricuarp Owen, Esq., 
F.R.S., &c. 


IN the Eocene sand underlying the red crag at Kingston or 
Kyson in Suffolk, from which the remains of Quadrumana, 
Chiroptera, and Marsupialia have already been obtained*, 
Mr. Colchester, the discoverer of those mammalian remains, 
has recently transmitted to me through my friend Mr. Lyell 
a second collection of fossils, including the teeth of small 
mammalian animals, some of which are referable to the small 
Pachydermal extinct genus Hyracotherium, established on a 
nearly entire cranium obtained by Mr. Richardson from the 
London clay near Herne Bay, in 18397. 

The teeth from Kyson are three true molars and one of the 
false molars, all belonging to the upper jaw. The crowns of 
the true molars present the same shortness in vertical extent, 
the same inequilateral, four-sided, transverse section, and 
nearly the same structure, as in Hyracotherium leporinum ; 
the grinding surface being raised into four obtuse pyramidal 
cusps, and surrounded by a well-developed ridge, produced at 
the anterior and outer angle of the crown into a fifth small cusp. 

These teeth are, however, of smaller size, as will be seen 
by the subjoined figures of a corresponding molar <i 
from the Hyrac. leporinum, fig. 1, and Hyrac. Cu- 1, & %) 
niculus, fig. 2. The true molars of these two spe- "ag 
cies further differ in a point not explicable on the ts 
supposition of their having belonged to a smaller 9 fy 
individual or variety, for the ridge which passes 
transversely from the inner to the outer cusp is developed 

* See Annals of Natural History, vol. iv. No. 23, Nov. 1839. 


¢ Geological Transactions, 2nd Series, vol. vi. p. 203. 


Ann. & Mag. N. Hist, Vol. viii. 


2 Mr. Owen on some Fossil Teeth from Suffolk. 


midway into a small crateriform tubercle in the teeth of the 
Hyracotherium leporinum, but preserves its trenchant cha- 
racter in the Hyrac. Cuniculus, even in molars which have the 
larger tubercles worn down. 

The premolar, or false molar, in the series of detached 
teeth from Kyson, which is either the third or fourth, pre- 
sents the same complication of the crown which distinguishes 
the Hyracotherium trom the Cheropotamus, but with 
the same minor modification which distinguishes the &) 
true molars of the Kyson species from those of the ~ 
Hyrac. leporinum of Herne Bay; i. e. the two ridges 
which converge from the two outer tubercles towards , € 
the internal tubercle are not developed midway into 
the small excavated tubercle, as in the Hyrac. leporinum, fig.3, 
but are simple, as in fig. 4. 

The disparity of size between the true and false molars ap- 
pears to be greater in the Hyrac. Cuniculus than in the Hyrae. 
leporinum. This discovery of a second species of the genus 
Hyracotherium, which, hitherto, has been found only in the 
London clay, tends to place beyond doubt the equivalency of 
the Kyson sand, underlying the red crag, with the Eocene 
deposits at the estuary of the Thames, and corroborates the 
inference deducible from the previously described mammalian, 
ornithic and ophidian remains of the London clay, that it was 
deposited in the near neighbourhood of dry land. 


I may add, that the collection of teeth and other small or- 
ganic fragments from the Kyson clay, which included the 
molars of the small extinct Pachyderm above described, like- 
wise included several vertebra of a serpent, agreeing in every 
respect, save size, with those of the Paleophis toliapicus, re- 
cently described by me, from the Isle of Sheppey. The Ky- 
son serpent must have been about seven feet in length: that 
of Sheppey exceeded ten feet ; but I have lately had submitted 
to me for examination, by my friend Mr. Dixon of Worthing, 
vertebre of a distinct species of Paleophis from the Eocene 
clay at Bracklesham, corresponding in size with those of a 
Boa Constrictor of upwards of twenty feet in length. 

Fig. 1. Grinding surface of the crown of the last true molar, right side, up- 
per jaw, of Huracotherium leporinum, from Herne Bay. 


Fig. 2. Ditto, of the corresponding molar of the Hyracotherium Cuniculus, 
from Kyson. 

Fig. 3. Grinding surface of the last false molar (the fourth counting back- 
wards), left side, upper jaw, of Hyracotherium leporinum, from Herne 
Bay. 

fig. 4. Ditto, of the corresponding tooth of the Hyracotherium 
Cuniculus, from Kyson. 


C Sue : : 4) 
Fig. 5. Last true molar, left side, upper jaw, of Hyracotherium 
Cuniculus, from Kyson. 


Mr. J. Hoge on the Horny Sponges. 3 


11.—Remarks on the Horny Sponges, with proposed divisions of 
the Order Spongize. By Joun Hoae, Esq., M.A., F.R.S., 
F.L.S., &c. 


To the Editors of the Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 


a 


Gentlemen, 


Mr. BowEerBANK having published some very interesting 
‘Observations on a Horny Sponge from Australia,’ at p. 
129 of the ‘Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist.’ for April 1841, I 
am induced to trouble you with a few remarks upon them. 

The author there writes, “that, contrary to received opi- 
nions, they” (horny sponges) “are furnished with siliceous 
spicula.” This opinion, however, which seems to me to have 
originated from Dr. Grant’s examinations of some of our Bri- 
tish horny sponges, and from the statement which he has 
made in the ‘Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal’ (for 1827, 
p- 122), where he says—“ I have never observed any kind of 
spiculum in the horny species,” is incorrect as far as it relates 
to all the horny, or subcorneous, sponges. Because, by re- 
ferring to M. Lamarck’s ‘ Hist. Nat. des Anim. sans Vertéb.,’ 
tom. u., edit. 1836, p. 538, it will be seen that M. Milne 
Edwards distinctly mentions some sponges which were de- 
scribed by M. Savigny and figured in the plates of his superb 
work on Egypt, as having “ la disposition du réseau corné et 
des spicules qui constituent en quelque sorte la charpente de 
ces corps.” 

Now, since M. Milne Edwards has in the preceding page 
(537) expressly said that “on ne connait pas d’espéces qui 
en présentent conjointement avec des épines calcaires et des 
fibres cornées,” it is quite certain that the “réseau corné et 
des spicules” spoken of, and which were described by M. 
Savigny, must signify the skeleton of a horny net-work with 
siliceous spicula. Thus Mr. Bowerbank, by his late investi- 
gations, has fortunately confirmed this fact; and has disco- 
vered the presence of siliceous spicula in some other species 
of the horny sponges, which species were previously sup- 
posed to be entirely destitute of them. But as it was like- 
wise generally thought that the siliceous spicula seldom or 
never put on more than two simple forms, it is of importance 
to find from that author’s paper that he has proved the sili- 
ceous spicula in the horny sponges which he examined to 
exist under several different forms, some of which he has re- 
presented in the accompanying figures, (Plate III. Vol. vii.) 

The next objects worth especial notice in that paper are, 
first, the reticulations of the transparent membrane. These, 

B2 


4 Mr. J. Hogg on the Horny Sponges. 


indeed, strongly resemble those of the membrane of the Spon- 
gilla fluviatilis, which I have described at p. 386 of the ‘ Lin- 
nzan Transactions,’ vol. xvili., and the second, the fixed spo- 
ridia ;—the actual existence of these bodies in any of our Bri- 
tish sea sponges I have never yet been able to witness, and 
which I account for from my not having examined them in 
their native localities at the proper season of the year. Al- 
though previously figured in Donati’s work and in the ‘ Zoo- 
logia Danica,’ the fixed sporidia were first distinctly pointed 
out by Dr. Ehrenberg, as having been seen by him in many 
sponges of the Red Sea. 

The reticulated transparent membrane and the fixed spo- 
ridia, then, fully confirm the general description of the Spongie 
Marine which I gave at p. 400, ‘ Linn. Trans.,’ vol. xviil., in 
these words :—-“ The sea sponges are furnished with a skeleton 
of fibres interlacing, crossing, and anastomosing with them- 
selves; generally also strengthened with those singularly 
crystallized particles termed spicula ; with a parenchymatous 
soft portion or jelly; with a fine and transparent enveloping 
membrane; with numerous minute pores; and frequently 
with larger orifices or oscules, which are more sparingly and 
irregularly dispersed over their surfaces; with passages or 
canals communicating through the pores and oscules one with 
another, along which the water finds a ready course or circu- 
lation, and affords nutriment to all the inner parts of the 
masses ; with locomotive sporules ; and in some species with 
fixed sporidia.” 

Mr. Bowerbank has however omitted to say whether these 
sporidia were softish or hard, and whether the parenchyma- 
tous portion or jelly was composed of minute globules or not ; 
nor has that author given us the names of the species which 
he has described. Next, if we examine Mr. Bowerbank’s 
plate, we see the fixed sporidia well drawn at fig. 8 in their 
natural position, but he has neglected to magnify.any of them 
separately. Fig. 7 gives a representation of the reticulated 
transparent membrane, which, I believe, is quite new, and 
has never yet been figured in any engraving of the sponges. 

Again, Mr. Bowerbank in the abstract of his paper, which 
was communicated to the Microscopic Society, and published 
in No. 1 (for March last) of the ‘ Microscopic Journal,’ men- 
tions some of the horny sponges of commerce that were re- 
ceived from the Mediterranean, in which spicula were like- 
wise discovered ; but the vascular tissue surrounding the fibres 
there described, I am strongly inclined to agree with Dr. 


George Johnston in thinking “as of no more than specific 
importance.” 


Mr. J. Hogg on the Horny Sponges. 5 


Also, it becomes me to correct the following passage from 
that Journal :—‘ Dr. Grant’s observations were limited prin- 
cipally to the British species of sponge having siliceous or 
calcareous spicula; the true horny species not having up to 
that period been found on our coast. Sowerby, in his ‘ British 
Miscellany,’ has subsequently figured the Spongia pulchella 
obtained from the southern and western coasts of England.” 
Now Dr. Grant published his observations in the ‘ Edin- 
burgh Philosophical Journal’ for the years 1825, 1826, 1827, 
whereas Sowerby’s ‘ British Miscellany,’ vol. i., was published 
long before—in fact, in the year 1806; in which volume, at 
p- 87, Sowerby described the S. pulchella as a new species, 
specimens of which had been sent to him by Mr. Brown from 
Ireland about the year 1800, and by the Rev. Hugh Davies 
from North Wales in 1802. I may here add, that I have 
found this beautiful species on the coast of Durham, where 
however it is rarely met with. Having already observed upon 
the similarity of the spicula with raphides*, I perfectly coin- 
cide with Prof. Jones in accounting the crystalline needle-like 
particles which so abundantly occur in many sponges, as 
being analogous to and most resembling those crystalline se- 
cretions of plants; and I must confess that I do not see any 
facts detailed in the papers of Mr. Bowerbank to lead me to 
alter my opinion respecting the vegetable nature of sponges. 

The objectionable word ‘ keratose’ has, I am glad to see, 
called forth a just remark from the Editor. 

I have been in the habit of using the word ‘ swbcorneous’ in 
my own attempted arrangement of the Spongie, in which I have 
distributed many species without adopting the new generic 
names of Calcispongia, Grantia, Halichondria, Halispongia, 
Tethya, Tethium, part of Alcyonium of Lamarck, etc. ; since I 
thought it better to consider the whole under the new genus 
Spongilla, and the old genus Spongia of Linnzus and Mon- 
tagu. 


The Order Spongie I some months ago separated for my 
own convenience into the following divisions :— 

Division I. Spongie Subcornee. The Subcorneous Sponges.—Having 
fibres of a somewhat horny substance without any spicula. 

Example ofa British species: S. pulchella (Sow.). 

Division II. S. Subcorneo-silicee. The Subcorneo-siliceous Sponges. 
—Fibres composed of a somewhat horny substance with nume- 
rous siliceous spicula. 

No species hitherto discovered in Britain. 
Division III. S. Subcartilagineo-calcarie. The Subcartilagino-calca- 


* See Linn. Trans., vol. xviii. p. 398. 


6 Mr. J. Hogg on the Horny Sponges. 


reous Sponges.—Fibres of a somewhat cartilaginous substance, 
with the spicula calcareous, or consisting of carbonate of lime. 
Examples : S. compressa, S. botryoides, &c. 
Division IV. S. Subcartilagineo-silicee. The Subcartilagino-siliceous 


Sponges.—Fibres composed of a somewhat cartilaginous sub- 
stance, with siliceous spicula. 


Examples: S. tomentosa, S. palmata, and Spongilla fluviatilis. 
Division V. S. Subereo-silicee. The Subereo-siliceous Sponges.— 
Fibres of a corky substance, with long siliceous spicula. 
Examples: S. verrucosa (Mont.) and S. pilosa (Mont.). 


At present, as far as I am aware, no sponges have been dis- 
covered either with horny fibres and calcareous spicula, or 
with corky fibres and calcareous spicula. The other parts of 
the sponges, such as the membrane and gelatinous portion, are 
of too fugacious a nature to afford any useful characters for 
the arranging of the Order; the skeleton itself, consisting of 
fibres as well as spicula (which exist in so many sponges), 
clearly offers the best characters for that purpose. The pre- 
ceding divisions I did in part derive from M. Milne Edwards’s 
observations in his edition of M. de Lamarck’s ‘ Hist. Nat. des 
Anim. s. Vert.,’ tom. 11. pp. 535—541. And, inasmuch as no 
better arrangement of the Spongie has yet appeared, I am in- 
duced to think the preceding attempt may prove of use, and 
assist the observer in rendering perfect a general classification 
of them. But this cannot be effectually accomplished until 
further investigations shall have been made on the Sea Sponges 
in their natural state; and for the purpose of urging those 
who have the opportunity to do so, I will here repeat the re- 
marks which I have before made in a note at p. 406, vol. xviii. 
of the ¢ Linn. Trans.’ :—“ The difficulty of preserving sponges, 
even in bottles filled with rectified spirit of wine, is so great, 
that no one who has not the means of examining them in a 
fresh condition and in their native element, can ever expect 
to throw much light on their variously-formed: structures. 
The dried masses of fibrous skeletons, devoid of their true 
natural forms and colours, without their parenchymatous jelly 
and enveloping membrane, &c. as exhibited in our museums, 
can but little assist us in obtaining a correct knowledge of 
their natural history.” 

I remain, Gentlemen, yours truly, 


Joun Hoae. 
London, May Ist, 1841. 


Mr. MacGillivray on the Zoology of the Hebrides. 7 


I1I.— Notes on the Zoology of the Outer Hebrides. By Joun 
MacGiuuivray, Vice-President of the Cuvierian Nat. 
Hist. Society of Edinburgh. 


Tue only account of the Natural History of the Outer He- 
brides that has yet been published is that of Professor Mac- 
Gillivray*, and it being now upwards of twenty years since 
that gentleman visited the district, I have been induced to 
arrange a few notes relative to the species observed during a 
residence there in the summer of 1840. Several additions to 
his list are here noticed, and a few errors corrected—errors 
which the state of British Zoology at the time he wrote ren- 
dered altogether unavoidable. 

Before proceeding further, it may be proper to mention that 
I was landed in Skye in the end of April 1840, was conveyed 
to North Uist, which I crossed, and established myself in 
Berneray, a small‘island in the sound of Harris. From this 
central point, excursions, sometimes of several days’ duration, 
were repeatedly made to all the neighbouring islands, to Har- 
ris, the southern portion of which was traversed in all direc- 
tions, and to North Uist. On the 29th of June I left for St. 
Kilda}, and was absent eight days; on my return I set off for 
South Uist, traversing Benbecula, and remaining upwards of 
a week. On my return I again visited Harris and the adja- 
cent isles, spent some time in North Uist, and finally crossing 
to Skye in the end of August, walked through the west high- 
lands to Edinburgh, which I reached after an absence of four 
months. 

MamMALIA. 

The Otter, Lutra vulgaris, is sparingly distributed along 
the whole of the rocky coasts of the Hebrides. It is found 
chiefly among the loose blocks of stone by the shore, but oc- 
casionally frequents the inland lakes, especially in South Uist. 
The otters of the Hebrides belong exclusively to the dark 
variety, considered by Mr. Ogilby as specifically distinct, 
which, though said to be smaller than the other, is yet not al- 
ways so; for one shot in the island of Vallay measured five 
feet, and another seen at Scolpig about nine inches less, being 
still above the average size. Phoca vitulina, Common Seal, 
is extremely abundant in the sound of Harris and the neigh- 
bouring inlets of North Uist, but less so elsewhere. The 
young are born about the beginning of June, and immediately 
follow their mother. One only is usually produced at a birth, 

* Edinb. Journ. of Nat. and Geograph. Science, vol. ii. pp. 161 and 321. 


+ An account of which will appear in the October Number of the ‘ Edinb. 
New Philos. Journal.’ 


8 Mr. J. MacGillivray’s Notes on the 


but in a single instance two cubs were observed following one 
female. During a storm I have seen them throwing them- 
selves forwards, half out of the water, which movement they 
repeated several times in succession. Two individuals of 
Phoca grenlandica, Harp or Greenland Seal, were observed by 
Mr. D. MacLellan and myself, on a small rock in the Atlantic, 
off the west coast of South Uist, in the month of July. They 
were seen through a telescope, at a distance of not more than 
300 yards, as we were watching the strange movements of a 
large schooner which sunk in deep water a few minutes after- 
wards. Being then in the habit of daily seeing numbers of 
seals, I could scarcely have mistaken so marked a species for 
either of the two others. Halicherus griseus, Nilss., Great 
Seal, as determined by me from the examination of several in- 
dividuals, also of two crania, and numerous skins, is equally 
plentiful with the Common Seal, from which it differs greatly 
in habits. It seldom enters the shallow sounds like the Ph. 
vitulina, with which it never associates, but frequents the open 
sea, upon the western or Atlantic coasts of the islands, where 
alone I have observed it. It breeds in November, leaving its 
young one upon the rock, and suckling it at each tide. The 
most noted places of resort of this species are the rocky islands 
of Haskir, twelve miles off the west coast of North Uist, and 
Gaskir, at a similar distance from the Harris coast. In the 
beginning of November a large boat filled with men leaves 
North Uist under night, and generally arrives at Haskir soon 
after daybreak. The men land upon the island armed with 
long clubs and separate into two bodies, one of which attack 
the seals upon the shelving rocks upon which they are found 
lying with their cubs, while the other cut off their retreat to 
the water. A short but fierce struggle then takes place; a 
few of the animals escape, the rest are killed by repeated blows 
about the root of the nose, their only vulnerable spot, and the 
rock is soon covered with the dying and the dead. About 
seventy are thus annually procured, but the number varies 
considerably, as many as 120 having sometimes been obtained. 
Many of them are of large size, one which I measured at Vall- 
ay being 74 feet in length, exclusive of the head, and indivi- 
duals of much larger size are not unfrequently met with. 

Mus Musculus, Common Mouse, is of common occurrence : 
M. decumanus, the Brown Rat, was observed to feed on shell- 
fish and crustacea in the uninhabited islands of the sound of 
Harris, the sea-banks of many of which I have seen perforated 
in all directions with their burrows. 

Lepus Cuniculus, the Rabbit, has been introduced into 
South Uist and Barray, where it has multiplied prodigiously. 


Zoology of the Outer Hebrides. 9 


The Red Deer, Cervus Elaphus, of the Outer Hebrides is 
much smaller than individuals from the mainland of Scotland. 
By being carefully preserved, the deer are still plentiful in 
the forest of Harris and the interior of North Uist; in the 
latter situation they betake themselves to the water on being 
pursued, and easily find shelter among the numerous islets of 
the lakes. 

Various Cetacea were occasionally seen during my nume- 
rous boating excursions, both in the Minch and upon the west 
coast; but the only species, besides the Porpoise, Delphinus 
Phocena, that I could identify is the Grampus, D. Orca, con- 
spicuous by its peculiar dorsal fin. On the beach at Pabbay 
may be seen numerous gigantic bones, the remains of a drove 
of eighty grampuses which were driven ashore by the islanders 
about twenty-five years ago. 


BirpDs. 


The two species of Eagles, Aquila Chrysaétos and Haliaétus 
albicilla, were occasionally observed, the latter by far the 
most frequently. As the eyries are well known im their re- 
spective neighbourhoods, and a reward offered for the destruc- 
tion of both old and young, the number of these birds is 
annually diminishing. The Sea Eagle, though usually build- 
ing upon the maritime cliffs, in one instance was found breed- 
ing on a small flat islet in one of the numerous lakes of North 
Uist, and two eggs were procured from the locality in ques- 
tion. When sitting on the grass upon the summit of Ben 
Mhore in South Uist, a magnificent bird of this species 
alighted on a neighbouring pinnacle, which I had previously 
observed to be strewed with its down and feathers. I crawled 
to within a few yards of the spot, and with a telescope lei- 
surely examined the noble bird, as he stood erect and almost 
motionless, occasionally casting quick glances all around ; on 
being disturbed he quickly unfolded his broad wings, launched 
into the mist below, and was soon lost to view. It being a 
Sunday I had no gun with me, else I could easily have pro- 
cured him, but the fine sight made ample amends for my dis- 
appointment. The only breeding-place of the Golden Eagle 
visited by me, was an isolated promontory stretching far into 
the Atlantic, and forming the hill of Northtown. Before 
reaching the spot I had unfortunately scared away the eagles 
by firing at some cormorants upon the rocks, and had to 
content myself with a distant view. An uncle of mine, who 
for a long time resided in the neighbourhood, was in the ha- 
bit of occasionally descending into their eyrie by means of a 
rope, and in this way took many eggs and destroyed several 


10 Mr. J. MacGillivray’s Notes on the 


young birds. One of the old birds was also shot by my father 
from a covered pit in which he lay concealed, the bird being 
enticed by a hen fastened by a string at a little distance. 

Falco peregrinus, the Peregrine Falcon, breeds in St. Kilda, 
and I believe in various other localities, and was occasionally 
observed in several of the islands. In the end of July, while 
crossing the moors of North Uist on horseback along with 
three companions, a male Peregrine flew past us with a Lestris 
Richardsonii in its talons, and another, probably the mate of 
the murdered bird, in hot pursuit, uttering incessant cries. A 
splendid specimen of the Jer Falcon, F. islandicus, was shot 
in North Uist a few years ago by my friend D. Arbuckle, 
Ksq., and another was seen in the adjacent island of Pabbay 
by Mr. Nicholson (Berneray), but was not procured. F. Tin- 
nunculus, Kestril, occurred not unfrequently ; F. dsalon, the 
Merlin, once or twice; and the Hen Harrier, Circus cyaneus, 
was rather abundant, especially among the bogs of the two 
Uists, where it breeds. 

Hirundo rustica is the only species of Swallow that I met 
with in the Hebrides, where it did not arrive till the end of 
June. About a dozen were observed at the landing-place of 
Pabbay on the morning of my departure for St. Kilda; and a 
single individual had been caught alive in the school-house of 
Berneray and brought to me a few days before. That rare 
bird the Hoopoe, Upupa Epops, extends its occasional visits 
to the Hebrides ; for I was informed by my friend Dr. M‘Leod 
of a bird previously unknown in that part of the country, 
which, from description, was immediately recognised as the 
species now mentioned. An individual was found in an ex- 
hausted state lying by the road-side near Balelone in North 
Uist, after a long-continued easterly gale, and died shortly 
afterwards. 

The Wren, Troglodytes europeus, is pretty common ; the 
Robin, Hrythacus Rubecula, and Hedge Chanter, Accentor 
modularis, occurred only in the glen of Rhodil, where alone, 
in all the Outer Hebrides, is there wood in any quantity. 
Of Saxicola Rubetra, Whinchat, a solitary pair was observed 
at Ob in Harris, where the nest was found; S. Ginanthe, the 
Wheatear, arrived in the beginning of May (in Skye about the 
end of April), and soon became very abundant throughout the 
range. J have sometimes found as many as three or four 
nests in the walls of a single hut. A nest of the Redwing, 
Turdus iliacus, was found by Mr. Bullock many years ago in 
the glen of Rhodil ; but although I visited the spot repeatedly, 
I failed in again meeting with the bird. The Song Thrush, 
T. musicus, is plentiful everywhere, and identical with speci- 


Zoology of the Outer Hebrides. 11 


mens from the south, although eggs brought by me from 
Harrris are certainly smaller and darker than usual, and the 
nest is different. The Common and Shore Pipits, Anthus 
pratensis and aqguaticus, are both common; the nest of the 
latter I have frequently found at a distance from the sea. 

The Raven, Corvus Corax, is generally distributed, but is 
nowhere numerous, unless when attracted by a stranded whale 
or drove of grampuses. Although it generally builds in lofty 
rocks overhanging the sea, from which I have taken the young, 
yet I know of a nest in the island of Berneray at an eleva- 
tion of certainly not more than fifteen feet, but still quite in- 
accessible from above, and nearly so from below. The owners 
of this nest made great havoc among the poultry in the neigh- 
bourhood, and I have known one of them to kill a full-grown 
duck and partially devour it. C. Cornix was the only other 
species noticed, though both C. Corone and C. frugilegus are 
met with in Skye. The Hooded Crow is very plentiful, espe- 
cially in St. Kilda, and, like the Raven, approaches the huts 
early in the morning, searching the dunghills for offal of every 
kind. It lives chiefly on shell-fish and crustacea; but when in 
South Uist in the end of July, I daily observed large flocks 
of this bird feeding on the larve bred in the putrid sea-weed 
collected into small heaps for manure. In the Hebrides it 
breeds in rocks, chiefly maritime ; but in the neighbouring 
island of Skye, I have taken the nest in a tree by the road- 
side, at the head of Loch Snizort. The Starling, Sturnus vul- 
garis, is very common, beginning to collect into large flocks 
in July, and remaining thus till the end of April. 

Fringilla domestica, the Common Sparrow, I found in only 
a single locality—among the ruins of Ormaclate Castle in 
South Uist, of old the family-seat of Clanranald ; F. celeds, the 
Chaffinch, occurred only in the glen of Rhodil, along with 
Coccothraustes Chloris, tke Greentinch. Linota Montium, the 
Twite, is abundant, and the only Hebridian species of the ge- 
nus. Emberiza Miliaria, the Corn Bunting, is pleatifully di- 
stributed over the whole range; E. Scheniclus, Reed Bunting, 
is rare, and EF. Citrinella, Yellow Bunting, was seen only at 
Rhodil. Plectrophanes nivalis, Snow Bunting, I found so late 
as the middle of May, when I shot a pair on the sand-hill of 
Berneray. The Skylark, Alauda arvensis, is common. 

Cuculus canorus, the Cuckoo, was seen and heard occa- 
sionally, especially in North Uist, about Loch Maddy, and 
elsewhere. The Rock Dove, Columba Livia, breeds in great 
numbers in the maritime caves and fissures, and nowhere 
more abundantly than in the island of Pabbay. During sum- 
mer its food consists almost entirely of Helix ericetorum and 


12 Mr. J. MacGillivray’s Notes on the 


Bulimus acutus, shells very abundant among the sandy pas- 
tures. 

The Red Grouse, Lagopus scotticus, is abundant; and the 
Ptarmigan, L. cténereus, occurs sparingly upon Ben Mhore 
and Hecla in South Uist, and Ronaval in Harris, but more 
plentifully upon the summits of the Forest Hills. A single 
individual was seen in St. Kilda a few winters ago by the mi- 
nister, who informed me of the circumstance, which seems al- 
most incredible, the nearest land being fifty miles distant, 
from which it looks a mere speck upon the ocean. Yet birds 
apparently less capable of enduring continued flight, as the 
Corncrake and Wheatear, annually visit St. Kilda. 

Charadrius Hiaticula, the Ringed Plover, is very plentiful, 
as is also C. pluvialis, Golden Plover; the latter congregates 
into vast flocks about the end of July, which betake them- 
selves to the shore at low water ; and I have seen the “ ebb ” 
of Berneray, a curious reef of bare stones extending upwards 
of a mile, in many places completely covered with their dense 
masses. Vanillus cristatus, the Lapwing, is very abundant 
in several of the islands, as Ensay, Kalligray, and Toroway, as 
well as the two Uists and Benbecula. The Oyster Catcher, 
Hematopus ostralegus, is plentifully distributed, breeding in 
almost every maritime situation, as well as by the inland 
lakes ; the nest. varies considerably, according to the locality. 
It is extremely probable that the Turnstone, Strepsilas colla- 
ris, breeds in the Hebrides, at least occasionally ; for I have 
seen it in pairs so late as the middle of June in the island of 
Ensay, and shot it in the end of July and beginning of Au- 
gust upon the reef of Berneray. Numenius arquata, the Cur- 
lew, is common, but I did not find it breeding ; N. Pheopus, 
the Whimbrel, was first seen on the 2nd of May, and had dis- 
appeared by the end of the month, hence the vernacular name 
of May-fowl. Itis very plentiful, and usually met with in small 
flocks of about twenty or so, and on its arrival is very tame, 
but soon becomes more wary. It chiefly frequents the pas- 
tures, but occasionally resorts to the shore at low water ; none 
remain to breed, for I never heard of any being seen after the 
end of May. Tringa variabilis, the Dunlin, is very common, 
leaving the coast for the heaths in May, and returning in the 
end of July along with the young of the year. The Sander- 
ling, Calidris arenaria, 1 have observed so late as the middle 
of May ; hence it may possibly breed in some part of the di- 
strict. Totanus hypoleucos, Common Sandpiper, occurs by 
the margins of most of the lakes, where it breeds. 7. Calidris, 
the Redshanks, was shot in Berneray in the end of May, and 
found in pairs on the island of Toroway in June, and at Vall- 


Zoology of the Outer Hebrides. 13 


ay in August, but was not observed elsewhere, nor was the 
nest found. When crossing the sand fords between South 
Uist and Benbecula in the end of July along with Mr. D. 
MacGillivray, we fell in with a large flock and several smaller 
ones of Limosa rufa*, Bar-tailed Godwit, which allowed us to 
ride up sufficiently close to enable me to identify the species ; 
they were probably on their way southward, after breeding 
in high northern latitudes. Scolopaxr Gallinago, the Common 
Snipe, is abundant in all the bogs ; Rallus aquaticus, the Water 
Rail, occurred in North and South Uist; Crex pratensis, the 
Land Rail, was plentiful durmg the summer, frequenting at 
first the dense patches of Jris Pseudacorus in the marshy 
grounds, and resorting to the corn when that is tall enough to 
afford shelter. Gallinula chloropus and Fulica atra, the Water 
Hen and Coot, are both pretty common in such of the lakes 
as have the margin furnished with aquatic plants. Lobipes 
hyperboreus, the Red-necked Phalarope, occurs in small num- 
bers about Scolpig in North Uist, and in the adjacent island 
of Vallay. In the latter situation it may usually be found 
about the drains and ditches in the neighbourhood of the 
Manse, where it was first observed by Mr. D. Macrae. 
Anser brachyrhynchus, the Pink-footed or Short-billed 
Goose, breeds in great numbers in the small islands of the 
sound of Harris, as well as those of the interior of North Uist. 
This bird was seen in flocks so late as the beginning of May, 
was observed in pairs among the islands in the sound about 
the middle of the month, and had the young fully fledged and 
strong upon wing about the end of July; it had again col- 
lected into flocks by the beginning of August, for late in the 
night of the 8th of that month, as I was riding in great haste 
to overtake the ferry-boat for Berneray, while crossing the 
sandy margin of a shallow pool, I came suddenly upon a flock 
of geese amounting to several hundreds, judging from their 
cries, which startled my horse, and I may add, myself also. 
A large flock of Brent Geese, Bernicla Brenta, passed over 
head from the southward on the 2nd of May, while I was en- 
gaged collecting crustacea on the reef at Berneray: this is 
the latest date of their occurrence, for I could never hear of 
any remaining to breed. Tadorna Vulpanser, the Shieldrake, 
breeds in all the islands of the sound of Harris, with the ex- 
ception of Berneray, Pabbay, and Shellay, and is plentiful in 
many parts of Benbecula and the two Uists. The eggs at 
first have a slight tinge of pink, which they soon loose. Anas 


* The supposed species ZL. Meyeri, Leis., is plentiful along the Frith of 
Forth in many places; I shot several specimens last autumn at Mussel- 
burgh. 


14 Mr. J. MacGillivray’s Notes on the 


Boschus, Mallard, is not uncommon; and the Seal, Querque- 
dula Crecca, has been known to breed in South Uist, but I 
never observed it there. The Eider Duck, Somateria mollis- 
sima, breeds in small numbers on some of the less frequented 
islets of the sound of Harris, as Skerry-vore, Shellay, and 
those between Killigray and Ob. The island of Haskir is the 
chief breeding-place of this bird, the numbers there found 
being represented as truly astonishing. Harelda glacialis, the 
Long-tailed Duck, was observed in pairs in the sound of Har- 
ris so late as the beginning of May, but none remained du- 
ring the summer. 

The Goosander, Mergus Castor, is pretty common, breed- 
ing by the larger lakes and occasionally by the sea, as near 
Loch Maddy in North Uist. MM. Serrator, the Red-breasted 
Merganser, I have seldom observed inland, like the preceding ; 
a few remain during the summer, and I took the nest with 
eggs on a small island between Killigray and Ob, in the sound 
of Harris. The Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo, is rather 
plentiful, breeding along with the next in St. Kilda, Shellay, 
and Towhead. P. cristatus, the Shag, is much more plentiful 
than the last, and may be found in most of the maritime 
caves, where it is so tame that I have several times seen them 
killed with stones thrown from above. Among many which 
I shot at Northtown, beside a cave which in days of old 
sheltered for a time one of the fugitives from Culloden, Mr. 
M‘Leod of Berneray has one of a light brown colour: this 
being in the month of June, it could not be one of the young 
birds of the year, which are well known to have their first 
plumage of that colour. The Gannet, Sula Bassana, may be 
seen coasting along the headlands and entering the bays with 
the first dawn of morning, and retiring in the evening in long 
strings towards St. Kilda, where alone it breeds. When gorged 
with fish it is sometimes scarcely able to raise itself from the 
water, and I have seen it taken by the hand when asleep in 
this state. The Common Tern, Sterna Hirundo, was first ob- 
served on the 14th of May, and found breeding a few days 
after in company with the Arctic Tern, St. arctica, which is 
much more plentiful. On several of the smaller and less fre- 
quented islands on which I landed, many hundreds of their 
eggs were taken in a few minutes, and in some places one 
could hardly move without treading upon them ; a loose cloud 
of terns of both species hovering about uttering incessant 
cries, and darting down to within a few feet of the invaders of 
their peaceful territory. The Laughing Gull, Xema ridibundum, 
is abundant in the marshes of the two Uists and Benbecula, 
also near Rhodil and in Berneray, breeding in all these situ- 


Zoology of the Outer Hebrides. 15 


ations. Rissa tridactyla, the Kittiwake, breeds only in Haskir 
and St. Kilda; in the latter place in large colonies. Larus ma- 
rinus, the Great Black-backed Gull, is plentiful ; its nest was 
found only on the small island of Shellay, at Lowhead, and 
in the interior of North Uist, among the small lakes. L. fus- 
cus, the Lesser Black-backed Gull, is not so common as the 
others of the genus, but was found breeding in the same 
places as the preceding. Large colonies were noticed on se- 
veral of the islets of North Uist, upwards of a mile from the 
sea. L. canus and L. argentatus, the Common and Herring 
Gulls, were equally abundant; the latter was never found 
breeding in the interior as the former occasionally was. Lestris 
Richardsonii, Richardson’s Skua, breeds in several spots in 
the interior of North Uist, and a few stragglers might now 
and then be observed upon the coasts, chacing the terns and 
smaller gulls. The Fulmar, Procellaria glacialis, breeds in 
astonishing numbers upon the terrific cliffs of St. Kilda, but 
was not observed elsewhere, except when at sea in very 
gloomy weather ; also in the evening and at daybreak, when 
I have seen them following in the wake of the boat, but sel- 
dom for any time. In St. Kilda I have taken them alive upon 
the rocks, but never observed them eject oil from their nostrils, 
as mentioned in ornithological works, though they vomit that 
fluid most ‘copiously on being wounded or roughly handled. 
Such as I dissected had the stomach filled with clear oil, 
mixed with the horny mandibles of some Sepiade, on which, 
and not the “flesh of whales,’ as stated in books, the St. 
Kilda Fulmar may be presumed to subsist. Puffinus Anglo- 
rum, the Shearwater, was seen occasionally at sea, but on land 
only in St. Kilda, where it nestles in excavations formed by 
itself: like the next, it seems to be in great measure a noc- 
turnal bird. The Stormy Petrel is extremely plentiful about 
St. Kilda, whence it issues about an hour before sunset: as 
to the species I am not quite certain, as I did not procure a 
single specimen ; for although they sometimes came about the 
boat in great numbers, this happened only in very rough 
weather, when, as every one who has faced the Atlantic in an 
open boat during a heavy gale will readily imagine, shooting 
was rendered exceedingly difficult, and picking up the dead 
birds next to impossible. 

The Dobchick, Podiceps minor, occurred in almost all the 
lakes of North and South Uist. The Eared Grebe, P. au- 
ritus, in the latter only, chiefly about Ormaclate. The North- 
ern Diver, Colymbus glacialis, was plentiful until the begin- 
ning of June, when they all disappeared, and had not again 
returned when I left the country. C. septentrionalis, the Red- 
throated Diver, was observed on several of the lakes; and C. 


16 M. Mohl on the Structure of Annular Vessels. 


arcticus, Black-throated Diver, was ascertained to breed in 
North Uist. I did not however find the nest of the latter 
bird, but mention the fact upon the authority of several of my 
friends who did so and know the species well—among others, 
Lieut. Macdonald of North Uist. The Guillemot, Uria Troile, 
was observed with the Razor-bill in vast numbers in the end 
of April, while crossing the Minch in the Uist packet, and 
that too during the whole extent, or about thirty miles. Uria 
Grylle, Black Guillemot, was found on all the rocky coasts, 
but was nowhere very numerous. The first young bird fully 
fledged was shot on the 14th of August. Of the Puffin, Mor- 
mon arcticus, | saw countless myriads in St. Kilda*, where 
they far outnumber all the other species. Alea Torda, the 
Razor-bill, is also very plentiful in St. Kilda, and, with the 
Puffin, breeds also in Haskir, but in far smaller numbers. 
When in St. Kilda I was told by some of the fowlers, that 
the Great Auk, Alca impennis, is still seen occasionally, but 
that none had been procured for many years back. 


IV.—Researches on the Structure of Annular Vessels. 
By Hueco Moutf. 


[With a Plate. ] 


Dr. ScHLEIDEN lately published some observations on the 
spiral formations in the cells of plants in the ‘ Flora’ (see An- 
nals and Mag. of Nat. Hist., vol. vi. p. 35), which interested me 
the more by reason of my having recently directed attention to 
the same subject (Flora, 1839, pp. 81-142), and especially as 
the result of his researches coincided with my own in all es- 
sential points concerning the structure of the cellular mem- 
brane of vegetables. His opinion principally differs from 
mine in two points, viz. the order of development of the se- 
condary membranes and fibres in the woody fibre of Taxus 
and allied organisms, and the formation of the annular vessels. 

I must wait for a more favourable opportunity to examine 
the first point; but, as regards the second, I will state the 
reasons which induce me to adhere to my former opinion, 
notwithstanding Schleiden has set forth a new theory respect- 
ing the development of the annular vessels. 

Long ago (see ‘ Flora,’ 1838, p. 378,) have I been opposed to 
the hypothesis, which is devoid of all foundation, although ge- 
nerally received even in the present day, that annular vessels 
owe their origin to the disruption of the spiral fibres of spiral 
vessels whose fragments become afterwards united in the form 


* Where I procured a nearly white variety of this species. 
+ From the Flora, 1839, p. 673. 


« M. Mohl on the Structure of Annular Vessels. 17 


of rings. On the contrary, I have explained the formation of 
annular fibres as a mere modification of spiral fibres, founded 
upon the fact, that the ascension of a spiral fibre, which can, 
on the one hand, be extended so far as to take a longitudinal 
direction, may, on the other hand, be diminished to such a de- 
gree that its direction may transversely cross the longitudinal 
axis of the vessel; the consequence of which must necessarily 
be, rings returning into themselves instead of spiral fibres. 
On the contrary, Dr. Schleiden thinks that, in the secondary 
membranes of the utricles of plants, we can, without any 
exception, demonstrate a spiral disposition of the fibres ; and 
that annular vessels are formed by spiral vessels which have 
a constant tendency to unroll themselves, the coils of whose 
fibre become united here and there by two and two, so as to 
form perfect rings, which subsequently become isolated by 
the absorption of the interposed portion of the fibres. This 
development, he assures us, may be observed in an examina- 
tion of the annular vessels in their earliest stage. 

The solution of the question as to which of these two the- 
ories is the true one, will appear to many, in general, more 
simple and easy than it really is. It might be supposed that 
by means of a good microscope, used with the necessar y skill 
and patience, the difficulties of research arising from the mi- 
nuteness and softness of the vessels in their primary develop- 
ment would be easily surmounted. Such is in fact the case, 
though, nevertheless, this is not sufficient to place the matter 
in a clear light; for the principal difficulty in researches on 
the development of a vegetable organ arises, in the present 
as well as in most other cases, from the organ whose develop- 
ment is to be studied not presenting the same structure under 
all circumstances, but, on the contrary, presenting in the dif- 
ferent cases subjected to examination greater or less deviations 
from the normal type. It is this circumstance which fre- 
quently hinders us trom deciding whether we have a normal 
development before us, or only an accidental though persist- 
ent deviation. he observer, not seeing the successive deve- 
lopment of an organ effected before his eyes, but having to 
establish his opinion on isolated facts observed at different 
stages of development, is often induced to consider some ac- 
cidental and unimportant circumstance of greater interest 
than it really is, and thus founds upon these exceptions, al- 
though accurately observed, a theory entirely false. Only by 
researches frequently repeated can such errors be avoided. 

Before passing to the examination of annular vessels, | 
shall offer some remarks on the fibre of spiral vessels, 

Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. C 


18 M. Mohl on the Structure of Annular Vessels. 


Whoever has examined the development of spiral vessels 
and spiral cellules, and recognised their constant analogy 
with each other and with the dotted cellules, will not doubt 
for an instant that he sees in the fibre of spiral vessels, not 
a particular and independent organism, but rather the se- 
condary membrane of the vascular utricles, divided in a spi- 
ral direction into one or more parallel bands. As regards the 
organization of this pretended fibre, I refer therefore to my 
work on the organization of the cellular membrane, because 
all that can be said on the structure of the membrane of the 
spiral cellule is equally applicable to the wall of the spiral 
vessel. But as respects what I have to say concerning annu- 
lar vessels, it is necessary to examine with care some. points 
relative to the spiral fibre. 

In the memoir above quoted I have detailed their striz, 
their great facility of tearing in a spiral direction, the hollows 
and furrows lying in a similar direction, and more especially 
the slits, which entirely penetrate the thickness of the cellular 
membrane, as the reasons which favour the opinion that the 
secondary cellular membranes possess a fibrous structure. 
All these phenomena, which are so frequently seen on the 
parts of the cellular membrane situated between the dottings 
on the cells, are also observable on the fibres of the unrollable 
spiral vessels; but are not so often recognised in the latter, 
either on account of the narrowness of the spiral fibre, or that 
frequently, even under the highest magnifying powers, the 
spiral fibre appears homogeneous. When, on the contrary, 
the fibre is of a considerable width, so that it rather resem- 
bles a flattened ribbon than a semi-rounded or quadrangular 
thread, it does not, in most instances, present a homogeneous 
aspect, but furrows more or less deep are observable in it in 
the direction of the fibre, either in one row or side by side, and 
in this last case they give to it a retiform appearance (Plate I. 
fig. 2. and 3, Commelina tuberosa). In other cases these fur- 
rows penetrate through the entire thickness of the fibre, which, 
at different points, is divided into two or more fibres placed 
side by side. These fibres either take a parallel direction, or 
the detached fibre at a greater or less distance reunites with 
the other, or else one of the fibres arising from division, leaving 
the other part, which continues in its primary direction, rises 
in a more oblique spiral direction, until it reaches the adjacent 
coil of the fibre into which it merges. Thus, in short, we 
observe, that almost all the modifications of form found in the 
secondary utricular layers result from the close union of all 
the constituent parts of the fibre, from their more or less de- 


M. Mohl on the Structure of Annular Vessels. 19 


cided separation into isolated threads, from deviations in the 
course of these from that of the main-thread, or from a reticu- 
lated union of the isolated threads. 

The direction in which the spiral fibre is wound has, indeed, 
no direct connexion with the organization of the vessel ; never- 
theless I think it necessary to make some remarks on this sub- 
ject, because several erroneous statements, partly founded upon 
an imperfect knowledge of the spiral, have been advanced by 
some authors. I have elsewhere said that the great majority 
of spiral vessels were wound to the right ; that is, the volution 
of the fibre is such, that, to an observer placed in the axis of 
the cylinder around which the spiral line rises, the fibre ap- 
pears to mount from left to right, as shown in the vessel repre- 
sented at figure 5. Like most other phytotomists, Schleiden 
says that the spiral fibre is wound sometimes to the right, 
sometimes to the left ; and he thinks it possible to admit pro- 
visionally, as a general rule, that in spiral organizations “ co- 
temporaneously” developed, those which are situated imme- 
diately side by side in the direction of the radius have similar 
directions (homodremes), whilst those placed side by side in 
directions parallel to the periphery have different directions 
(heterodromes) ; and in proof of this law he relies on the con- 
stant crossing of the pore-like fissures in contiguous parenchy- 
matous and ligneous cellules when observed in sections made 
parallel to the medullary rays. I must confess my inability to 
conceive how Dr. Schleiden canallege the crossing of the porous 
fissures in support of the volution of the fibres in different di- 
rections, since it proves quite the contrary. This crossing is 
seen when two vessels or cellules furnished with pores are su- 
perposed, and the adjacent parietes wound in opposite direc- 
tions ; but it is evident that this last case is only possible when 
the winding in the two vessels is homodromous*. It is quite 
true that we generally see the porous fissures crossing each 
other in a section parallel with the medullary rays; which 
proves that the different layers of cells visible in such a section 
and placed one under the other, are wound in a homodromous 
direction; but as at the same time the cells of every such 
layer are homodromous with each other, it clearly follows that, 
generally speaking, all the cells of a plant are homodromous ; 
and this, in fact, will be found to be so on an examination of 
different sections of the same plant. 

Without doubt spiral vessels exist which are wound to the 
left; but although I have latterly found them more fre- 
quently than formerly, I must still persist in asserting them 

* [This illustration may be easily verified by applying two quills toge- 
ther, with equidistant homodromous or heterodromous spirals scratched upon 
them.—Ep. | Hip 


20 M. Mohl on the Structure of Annular Vessels. 


to be much rarer than those wound to the right, and that they 
should rather be considered as exceptions to the rule, since, 
in most plants, we find a hundred spiral vessels wound to the 
right for a single one wound to the left. Doubtless it is true 
that these proportions vary in different plants, and I cannot 
yet say whether the finding in them more frequently spiral 
vessels wound to the left be a fact peculiar to certain species 
or only to certain individuals: generally they are, as I have 
said, wound to the right. The volution to the right or to the 
left, in spiral vessels, is quite independent of the organization 
of the surrounding parts, as is proved by the fact that, in cer- 
tain cases, not only the fibres of two superposed utricles of 
the same vessel are wound in opposite directions, but some- 
times even in the same vascular utricle (as I have seen 1m 
the Gourd) the parts of the spiral fibre separated from each 
other by rings are wound in an opposite direction (Plate I. 
fig. 9). 

When we examine the fibre of the perfectly developed an- 
nular vessel (for which researches I have been accustomed to 
use the Commelina tuberosa), we find its organization per- 
fectly analogous to that of the spiral fibre, in the rings bemg 
composed sometimes of an apparently homogeneous sub-~ 
stance, and sometimes exhibiting traces of a determinate 
structure. 

In the broad fibres, as in the Commelina tuberosa, the fibre 
frequently exhibits a great number of shallow linear furrows 
or perfect fissures, forming a net-work of very narrow and 
elongated meshes (fig. 1,3). More frequently still these fis- 
sures are found in an uninterrupted line in the medial line of 
the fibre, or they become confluent, and thus divide the ring 
into two superposed rings (fig. 4 a, a, Commelina tuberosa). 
When this latter division takes place, it generally recurs on 
every ring of a vessel. Frequently, however, this does not 
occur; but divided and undivided rings alternate in an irre- 
gular manner, the undivided rings being sometimes of equal 
size, sometimes of half the size of the divided rings, and 
sometimes of a size very inconsiderable in comparison with the 
divided rings (Plate I. fig. 1, Commelina tuberosa). 

The direction of this line of division is parallel to the lateral 
edges of the ring, so that, by this fissure, the ring is divided into 
two superposed rings, which sometimes touch and sometimes 
are placed at a little distance from each other. According to 
Schleiden, this line of division proceeds from the coils of the 
spiral fibre being more or less completely soldered together, 
and always in pairs. We easily perceive that, in this case, the 
line of partition should be directed spirally from one edge of 
the ring towards the other, and that it should not be parallel 


M. Mohl on the Structure of Annular Vessels. 21 


to its edges ; but as the latter is constantly the case, we must 
reject this explanation of the origin of the line of partition. 

In the developed annular vessel, the rings are either en- 
tirely isolated, or two or three are joined together in different 
ways. It not unfrequently happens that the line of partition 
does not divide the ring throughout the whole of its circum- 
ference, but that the two superposed rings are united for a 
space variable in extent; in which case the parts separated 
are removed to a greater or less distance from each other, and 
are placed obliquely to the axis of the vessel. (Plate I. fig. 6, 
Commelina tuberosa: the same form is often met with in the 
Canna indica.) 

In other cases, and this is the habitual organization, the 
rings are removed toa greater or less distance from each other, 
and are separated by a regular spiral fibre, which, according te 
the distance of the rings, describes one or more yolutions, 
and frequently even a great number. Of this there are several 
modifications: very generally from a ring will proceed a spi- 
ral fibre of the same width as the annular fibre, the distance 
of whose coils is nearly equal to that of the rings in the 
portion of the vessel which exhibits this structure (fig. 9, of 
the Gourd) ; the other extremity of the fibre being similarly 
annexed to a complete ring, followed by rings, either isolated 
or again reunited by spiral fibres. 

Very frequently also the spiral fibre placed between two 
rings does not proceed to a junction with the rings, but its 
extremities become attenuated and terminate at some distance 
from the ring. In the stem of the Gourd this is nearly as 
frequent as the preceding case (fig. 2 a, Commelina tuberosa ; 
fig. 9, Gourd). 

Often also, from two diametrically opposite points of a ring 
proceed two fibres in a continuous parallel direction. 

Cases are sometimes met with, although rarely, where two 
rings are united by fibres slenderer than the annular fibre, 
which generally form a single coil, or at least only a small 
number of coils (fig. 1, 7, 8, Commelina tuberosa). This 
occurs in a very evident manner in the vessels whose rings 
are not homogeneous, but where the spiral fibre is divided 
by several fissures into threads united in net-work, as in 
the vessel represented in figure 1. The width of the fibres 
uniting the different rigs presents no exact proportion to the 
width of the annular fibre, beg sometimes about the half of 
it (fig. 8), sometimes considerably less (fig. 1). The point of 
union of the spiral fibre with the annular fibre is especially 
deserving of consideration. When examined with a sufficient 
magnifying power, we sometimes find (fig. 7, 8) that a part 
of the annular fibre separates itself to ascend in a spiral di-: 


22 M. Mohl on the Structure of Annular Vessels. 


rection ; but that, in general, at the point of junction of the 
two fibres the annular fibre does not become thinner, the 
spiral fibre being attached only to the lateral edge of the an- 
nular fibre, which preserves an uniform thickness throughout 
its entire extent (fig. 1, 9, 10).. There are even instances in 
which this union does not take place in the direction of the 
spiral, but where the spiral fibre terminates in two divergent 
branches (fig. 10 a, Commelina tuberosa) separating right and 
left, and confluent with the annular fibre. 

An examination of the proportions above mentioned, be- 
tween the annular fibres and the spiral fibres which unite 
them, must excite doubts of the accuracy of Schleiden’s 
theory of the origin of annular vessels. In fact the division 
which takes place in many rings is, as we have seen, nothing 
less than a proof of the ring being composed of the two 
united fibres of a spiral fibre; whilst, on the other hand, the 
direction of this division parallel to the edges of the rings 
is quite opposed to Schleiden’s theory, and shows us that, in 
these more or less divided rings, we see a transition from the 
simple ring to two rings, situated at considerable distances 
from each other. ‘An organization entirely analogous is also 
found in the spiral fibre, for there are spiral vessels traversed 
in the middle by a narrow fissure (fig. 4, 6, Commelina tube- 
rosa), by which the decomposition of the simple spiral fibre 
into two fibres placed at certain parallel distances is indicated. 

What chiefly militates against the formation of rings by the 
united spiral coils of a spiral vessel, is the proportion which 
the rings bear to the spiroid fibres which unite them. And 
first, when the organization of the vessels is very regular, 
the rings and the fibres are generally of the same width 
(fig. 4, 9), which could not be the case if the rings were com- 
posed of a double twist of the fibre. If then the spiral fibres 
which unite the rings are slender, the width of these fibres 
bears no exact proportion to the width of the rings and of 
the divisions perceived in them (fig. 1); moreover, the fibres 
are sometimes soldered to the rings, and sometimes separated 
from them. The spiral fibres, when they are united to the 
rings, cannot be considered in certain cases, and according 
to the form of the point of union, as a part of the fibrous mass 
which forms the ring, this part separating from the ring, and 
continuing in a spiral direction. 

I have thought it right to explain these considerations, in 
the first instance, upon the annular vessels in a state of com- 
plete development, because observations made on developed 
vessels are necessarily more precise and certain than those 
made on young vessels; not so much on account of the larger 
size of the developed vessels, but because, in consequence of 


M. Mohl on the Structure of Annular Vessels. 23 


the greater thickness of their fibres, of the greater distance of 
these organs from each other, and of the absence of the mu- 
cilage with which the young vessels are gorged, these de- 
veloped vessels present a much clearer contour, and the or- 
ganization of their fibres is more easily observed. Doubtless 
it is true that we ought not to infer from the structure of a 
developed organ the mode of its development ; but the exami- 
nation of this structure is nevertheless of very great importance 
in studying the manner of its development, since we always 
thence obtain the means of proving the truth of any theory 
propounded on the history of development, a theory which 
ought not to be in contradiction with the results of an exa- 
mination of the developed organ. Now in the present case 
this contradiction assuredly exists between the structure of 
the developed annular vessels and the theory of Schleiden. 
Let us now see what information the examination of the 
young vessels gives us of the mode of their development. At 
first I selected the stems of different plants, especially of 
Tradescantia tuberosa, because Schleiden announced that he 
had remarked the metamorphosis of spiral vessels into annu- 
lar vessels in the youngest internodes of subterranean and 
ascending stems. The results have not been favourable to the 
theory of Schleiden. For this examination it is not proper 
to select vessels placed at the interior angle of the vascular 
bundles, because these pass too rapidly through the phases of 
their development, and their diameter is also too small; the 
coils of their fibres being moreover at first too close together 
to allow any observations made upon them to be considered as 
conclusive. The larger vessels, placed more towards the exte- 
rior, present less difficulties in these respects, though here also 
an unfavourable circumstance occurs, viz. that the rings in the 
course of their development, in consequence of the feeble lon- 
gitudinal growth of the vascular utricles, remain very close 
together, which may, in some cases, render the distinction of 
the annular and spiral formations in the fibres difficult, and 
which, in all cases, makes it rather hard to decide whether 
there does or does not exist between each pair of rings a 
slender spiral fibre which is subsequently absorbed. However 
I think I have observed with certainty, that from the begin- 
ning, and so soon as I could distinguish the fibres on the in- 
terior surface of the vascular utricle, under the form of thin, 
more or less narrow, diaphanous edges, they were not abso- 
lutely spiral ; but that, as in the developed vessels, they formed 
either complete isolated rings, or rings intermixed with spiral 
fibres ; so that, with the exception of the thinness of the fibres, 
and of the small distance of the rings from each other, there 


24 M. Mohl on the Structure of Annular Vessels. 


is no essential difference observable between them and the 
perfectly developed vessels. 

The examination of the vessels of the stem not having, how- 
ever, furnished me with a perfectly satisfactory result, and 
my former researches on the roots of Palms and other mono- 
cotyledonous plants having shown me the greater facility of 
studying the development in this organ than in the trunk, I 
submitted the roots of Tradescantia to a very attentive exa- 
mination, the results of which I consider to be quite conclusive. 
The examination of the roots presents this great advantage 
over that of the stems, that in the larger vessels, placed nearer 
to the centre, the fibres are not developed until a sufficiently 
late period, when their longitudinal growth is already termi- 
nated. At the period when the fibres of the vascular utri- 
cles are developed, these utricles have not only already 
attained to a considerable size, but the fibres in them are 
also, from the beginning, arranged at greater distances from 
each other, and their successive development may be fol- 
lowed in detail step by step, from one end of the root to the 
other. This examination is rendered easier in consequence 
of the vessels being deposited in a very transparent cellular 
tissue. In these researches I have recognised with the great- 
est clearness, and with a perfect conformity to what I had 
previously observed in the roots of Palms, that, from the time 
when the fibres make their appearance, and when they are 
still so tender, narrow and transparent, that it is often only 
possible to see them with a faint light, they already present 
all the different modifications of form which are observed in 
the perfect vessels. We then find, as at a later period, the 
same alternation of annular and spiral and reticulated fibres ; 
but I have never seen the least trace of the formation in all 
vascular utricles of a spiral fibre whose coils would unite in 
pairs, and the portions of the spiral fibre serving as the means 
of union be absorbed ; and I consider it as perfectly impossible 
that this transition of spiral vessels into annular vessels, if it 
existed, could have escaped me, because in a great number 
of roots 1 have followed the vessels from the moment when 
the utricles presented closed cells with thin parietes, and en- 
closed a nucleus. 

Hence it results that the development of the annular ves- 
sels agrees with the observations made on the perfect vessels. 
Researches into these two organs show that annular, spiral, 
and reticulated vessels afford three different forms, very inti- 
mately connected, and passing frequently one into the other ; 
but that they must not be considered as temporary degrees of 
metamorphosis of the same vascular utricle. It is true that 


Schleiden in reply to Mohl on Annular Vessels. 25 


a spiral organization is the ordinary and normal state in the 
secondary layers of the vessels; but it is not the only state 
to be found there. Annular organization occurs as a pri- 
mary formation, and presents in some degree an intermediate 
form between the spiral wound to the left and that wound to 
the right. Moreover, reticulated organization is also found 
primitively, sometimes more nearly resembling the pure spi- 
ral, and sometimes the annular form. 

Consequently, my researches on annular vessels afford op- 
posite results to those of Schleiden. Nevertheless, I am far 
from pretending that he has observed badly ; on the contrary, 
he appears in these researches as a skilful phytotomist, and 
as one experienced in the use of the microscope; but I think 
his interpretation of what he saw to be far from exact, inas- 
much as he has considered accidental though persistent vari- 
ations of form as normal, transitory and necessary stages of 
the metamorphosis. 


V.—Preliminary Reply to MohYs Essay on the Structure of 
Annular Vessels. By Dr. M. J. ScHLEIDEN*. 


M. Mout has answered my challenge more speedily than I 
could have expected, and published his remarks in opposition 
to my late treatise. These relate only to my views regarding 
the origin of annular vessels. It is to two points especially 
that I purpose at present to call attention. 

I am almost ashamed to mention the first, viz. Mohl’s cor- 
rection of my notion, that the crossing of the pore-like fis- 
sures depends upon the apposition of oppositely turned spi- 
rals. The thing is so simple, that I scarce understand what 
demon of thoughtlessness possessed me when I entertained 
the notion ; and, in spite of the mortification of being caught 
in so marvellous an hallucination, I thank him from my ver 
heart for having in so friendly a way rid me of this goblin. 
I should scarcely deem it necessary to mention the matter at 
all did I not consider it the indispensable duty of every con- 
scientious inquirer to retract openly and expressly every 
known error, as the so doing is the only surety that he is in- 
deed anxious for truth. 

The other point concerns the main subject itself. The hi- 
story I gave of the development of annular vessels respected 
only the simplest case, that of rings arising from a single 
thread ; and I feel confident that I have not deceived myself 
in the cases alleged, since my researches were made on yes- 


* Translated from Flora, 1840, p. 1. Communicated by the Rev. M. £. 
Berkeley. 


26 Schleiden in reply to Mohl on Annular Vessels. 


sels which, when mature, are purely annular; so that I could 
not but believe that I had before me not mere persistent mo- 
difications of structure, but really stages of transition, even 
though I could not have regarded the observed forms as ac- 
tually detected in the act of development; not to mention, 
among other circumstances, that the persistent ring is distin- 
guished by the sharpness of its outline, the firmness and 
clearness of its substance, from the yellowish gelatinous trans- 
itory portion with its eroded and defaced margin observed in 
the moment of dissolution. I trust now that Mohl himself 
will be convinced of the rectitude of my assertions in these 
particular instances. 

As regards the other forms, as they are figured by Mohl 
_ f. 1—6, 10 (Pl. I.), they do not come under the notion of annu- 

lar vessels as defined by me in my treatise, but under that of 
reticular formations, whose reference to one or more deformed 
spirals is as easy or even easier than in porous organizations. 

But, in general, I might pronounce the conclusion as to 
the mode of development from the perfect form as highly im- 
proper, for it cannot have escaped Mohl, that, after the forma- 
tion of the original spiral, in many cases secondary threads 
are developed as members of union, which consist of quite 
a different substance, since they are soluble in boiling alkali, 
yet apparently do not differ from the spiral, and make the 
perfect comprehension of the fundamental spiral extremely 
difficult. I consider the part of Mohl’s figure 10 marked (qa) 
as of this nature. ‘The formation of such secondary threads 
is frequently observable in reticulate vessels and in some forms 
of scalariform vessels. ‘They occur, however, in the most re- 
markable degree in the large purely spiral vessels of the stems 
of Scitaminee, as in Hedychyum coronarium, Canna, &c., when 
on their gradual decline they are filled with cells. Such a pe- 
culiar luxuriance of the threads then takes place that the ori- 
ginally pure spiral vessel is only distinguished from a porous 
vessel by the perfect regularity of the pores. Moreover what 
moves me especially to adhere still to my views, is the philo- 
sophic necessity, in a faithful investigation of nature, to limit 
the number of principles of interpretation so long as the im- 
possibility of referring a phenomenon to an old principle does 
not imperatively require a new one. 

As such in point of fact, as respects the present state of 
science, must I now freely regard Mohl’s discovery of the 
primary development of annular organisms ; and nothing now 
remains but to let both modes of origin stand separately by 
each other. I by no means, however, think that such will al- 
ways be the case. The conciliation of this schism will then 


Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 27 


only be effected, when the solution of a far greater puzzle, viz. 
the construction of the spiral and its peculiar genesis, shall be 
achieved ; and I would beg Mohl to direct his attention to 
this, as I myself have done long since. Heartily should I re- 
joice with him should it fall to his lot to solve this problem 
as he has already done in so many other cases. 


VI.— Report of the Results of Researches in Physiological 
Botany made in the year 1839. By F. J. Mreyen, M.D., 
Professor of Botany in the University of Berlin. 


(Continued from vol. vii. p. 471.] 
On the Evolution of Heat by Plants. 


A very beautiful series of experiments on this subject has 
been published by MM. G. Vrolik and W. H. de Vriese*; they 
have continued their researches on the evolution of heat in 
the spadix of Colocasia odora; they were published at the end 
of 1838, but we received the journals too late to be able to in- 
sert them in our former Report. 

The above-mentioned observers express their astonishment 
at the explanation given by M. Raspail of the evolution of 
heat in the spadix of the Aroidee, but add that their new ob- 
servations were not made in order to disprove Raspail’s view, 
for that is not necessary. The first observations were made 
with the spadix of Arum italicum; they were made in the 
open air, and no rise of temperature was observed: in the in- 
terior of an orangery another flower exhibited a considerable 
increase of warmth, and also when the light was shut out and 
the spatha removed, still an increase of temperature took 
place, as was to be expected. Moreover experiments were 
made with the spadices of Colocasia odora under similar cir- 
cumstances, both when the spadix was cut away and when 
only turned back ; the maximum difference between the tem- 
perature of the air and the interior of the spadix was 193° 
Fahr. 

Moreover interesting experiments were made on the phe- 
nomena exhibited by the spadices of Colocasia in different 
gases, for which purpose a very excellent apparatus was con- 
trived. The rise of temperature in two perfectly similar spa- 
dices which happened to be in perfection at the same time 
was observed, one in the common air and the other in the 
above instrument in an atmosphere of oxygen. The latter in 


* Tijdschrift voor Natuurl. Geschieden. en Phys., vol. iii. pp. 190—230 ; 
also in Wiegmann’s Archiv for 1839, p. 135. 


28 Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 


half an hour exhibited a temperature 4° higher than the one 
in the air. Oxygen was passed into the apparatus from time 
to time; it was confined by means of water, which also ab- 
sorbed the greater part of the carbonic acid produced by the 
inflammation (verbrennung) of the spadix. In nitrogen no 
rise of temperature was observed, and it could not be seen 
that any gas was absorbed ; all vital activity, and even the co- 
lour, were lost. 


M. de Vriese* has also communicated some observations 
made by a M. C. Hasskarl, in Java, on the spadices of Colo- 
casia odora; he found 22° Fahr. as the greatest difference be- 
tween the temperature of the spadix and that of the external 
air, and this in the morning at eight o’clock ; the next morn- 
ing there was only a difference of 10° Fahr. 


M. Dutrochet+ observed the evolution of heat in the spadix 
of Arum maculatum by means of a thermo-electric instrument, 
which MM. van Beck and Bergsma (vide former Report, p. — 
83) also employed; he found the highest temperature ex- 
actly at the time when the spatha opens, and this exceeded 
the temperature of the air by from 11° to12°C. In another 
note ¢ of the 11th of May, M. Dutrochet mentions, that during 
the night the temperature of every part of the spadix of drum 
maculatum decreases, and increases again by day ; it reaches 
its maximum early in the day, then diminishes, and disappears 
altogether in the night. 


In the sitting of the Parisian Academy § of the 10th of June, 
M. Dutrochet’s researches on the temperature of plants (which 
had been delivered in on the Ist of July, 1838) were read. He 
says—plants possess a peculiar warmth; but this is com- 
pletely absorbed by the evaporation of the sap, by the evolu- 
tion of oxygen by day and of carbonic acid by night. It 
rather seems that, in the natural state, plants possess the pro- 
perty of producing cold, for they almost always have a lower 
temperature than that of the surrounding air. If however the 
evaporation is prevented, it becomes easy to observe the pro- 
per temperature of plants; for this purpose M. Dutrochet 
used a thermo-electrical apparatus. For the sake of compa- 
rison the experiments were made both with living and dead 
plants; the latter acquired the temperature of the surrounding 
medium, the former the same, with the addition of that which 
was hindered or destroyed by the evaporation ; the latter M. 
Dutrochet reckons in maximo at }° Cels.; it is often only 4°, 


* Tijdschrift, &c., 5. iii. pp. 230—233. 
+ Comptes Rendus de 6 Mai 1839, p. 695. t Jbid., p. 741, 
§ Tbid., 10 Juin 1839, pp. 907—911. 


Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 29 


or even 715° or 745°. The proper heat of young twigs and leaves 
vanishes during the night, or in general in the dark, and ap- 
pears again under the influence of light. The higher the ex- 
ternal temperature, the greater is the vegetable warmth. That 
part of the heat of plants which is carried off by the evolution 
of oxygen cannot be determined quantitatively. 

M. Dutrochet had probably given the above researches into 
the safe keeping of the Academy, i in order to secure to him- 
self the priority of the discovery; however, the proofs that 
plants possess a peculiar heat resulting from their vital acti- 
vity have been long since published in Germany ; and in the 
second part of my ‘ Physiology,’ published in the beginning 
of the year 1838, ‘I have proved that an evolution of heat is 
exhibited not only by germinating seeds and by the fresh 
fruits of Areca Catechu when lying together, but also by 
leaves and herbs in general; “ singly they do not exhibit any 
warmth on account of the evaporation, but so much the 
more when they lie together in masses.” It must not be 
believed that I state this as a simple idea or theory, for I 
have convinced myself of its correctness with the thermo- 
meter in my hand; I have several times experimented with 
fresh-cut grass and fresh spinach leaves*. At the same time I 
showed, that those botanists who wished to prove or disprove 
the existence of vegetable heat could not choose a worse part 
for their experiments than the wood. The very low degree of 
warmth mentioned by M. Dutrochet is not sufficient to prove 
the existence of vegetable heat ; for in my first Report (Wieg- 
mann’s Archiv, 1835) I have mentioned some experiments, ac- 
cording to which bad conductors, as for instance, the wood of 
ehairs and tables in my room, exhibited an excess of heat of 
2° R. above that of the air, ete. A note which M. Dutro- 
chet has added to the above letter on the 6th of June 1839, 
states that his new researches confirm the former ones. In 
the stem of Huphorbia lathyris he saw the vegetable heat 
amount to 4° C., but only so long as it was in a verdant state. 
He also remarked the heat in the roots, fruits, and even in 
the embryos. Complete exclusion of light totally prevents 
the rise and fall of temperature, but this does not always take 
place the first day; M. Dutrochet remarked the change of 
temperature by night and by day even on the second day of 
the experiment. 

From some remarks on the above treatise of M. Dutrochet + 
made by M. Becquerel, it appears that he had used the thermo- 
electrical apparatus for determining the heat of plants two 


* Ts not the accession of heat in this case the result of fermentation ?—Ep, 
+ Comptes Rendus de 17 Juin, p. 939. 


30 Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 


years ago. The observations were made in company with M. 
Mirbel in the botanical garden on the twigs of an Acacia: ob- 
servations on dead and living boughs gave directly the most 
striking differences of temperature. In the following year 
M. Dutrochet wished to institute similar experiments, and 
made use of the advice and experience of M. Becquerel*. In 
the sitting of the Academy of 1st of July, M. Dutrochet re- 
plied to the statements of M. Becquerel, and endeavoured to 
show that his observations by no means ‘proved with certainty 
the existence of a peculiar heat in plants. 

MM. Bergsma and van Beckt, in consequence of Dutro- 
chet’s researches, have sent a letter to the Academy at Paris, 
in which they describe their new experiments on the heat of 
vegetables, by which it is clearly proved that the transpira- 
tion is the cause of the difficulty in measuring the peculiar 
temperature. They chose (in January 1839) a hyacinth 
growing in a glass for their experiments. 'The glass was put 
into another vessel containing water of a higher temperature, 
in order in this manner to increase the activity of the roots. 

The needles of the thermo-electrical apparatus were then 
inserted into the external parts of the flower-stalk, and in- 
stead of an increase of temperature, they observed a fall ; the 
apparatus exhibited, viz. 17°5° C., while that of the water was 
28°5°. The experiment was repeated several times with like 
success, as also with the pedunculus of Hntelea arborescens, 
R. Br. This phenomenon is explained by the powerful eva- 
poration which is caused by the increased activity promoted 
by the warm water. When the needles were inserted into the 
middle of the flower-stalk of the hyacinth, the temperature of 
the interior was found to be 1° higher than that of the sur- 
rounding air. 

All the above treatises of Dutrochet, Becquerel, Bergsma, 
and van Beck, are to be found in the August number of the 
* Annales des Sciences Naturelles.’ 

On the 21st of November M. Dutrochet{ communicated 
to the Academy some new observations which he had made 
during the previous summer on the heat of vegetables; he 
states generally that plants possess a peculiar heat, which is 
principally located in the green parts. This heat exhibits a 
daily periodicity; it reaches its maximum towards midday, and 
its minimum during the night. M. Dutrochet communicated 
his special experiments on different plants, from which the 
daily variations of temperature may be recognised, e. g. in 


* Comptes Rendus de 1 Juillet, p. 47. t Ibid., 2 Septembre, p. 328. 
t Ibid., 18 Nov., p. 618. 


Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 31 


Euphorbia lathyris, L., which exhibits a considerable heat, 
which vanishes completely during the night, whilst in other 
plants traces of it remain. The hour at which plants reach 
their maximum temperature is the same for each single plant, 
but different for different plants; thus for instance, Rosa ca- 
nina at 10%, Allium Porrum at 11%, Borago officinalis at mid- 
day, Euphorbia lathyris at 1", Sambucus nigra at 2", and As- 
paragus offic. and Lactuca sativa at 35, The greatest heat is 
in the neighbourhood of the principal bud, and in woody 
plants often only in the green extremities. Other experiments 
confirm the fact, that plants growing in the dark lose their 
vegetable heat, but experiments on different fungi showed 
that these also possess a daily periodicity ; Boletus eneus ex- 
hibited a heat of 3° C. 

Finally M. Dutrochet* has published a short note on the 
heat of the spadix of drum maculatum. The spadix exhibited 
the greatest heat in the first day of blossoming, and by its in- 
fluence the rapid opening of the spatha was produced ; on the 
second day the maximum was not so high, and was situated 
principally in the male flowers, by which the dispersion of the 
pollen was effected. What drum maculatum here exhibits on 
the large scale is also seen in the young twigs of all other 
plants. 

On the Odours of Plants. 


The Academy of Sciences of Brussels has given as a prize- 
question for 1838, “The production of odours in flowers,” 
which, as it remained unanswered, was repeated for 1839. As 
an answer to this question, M. Auguste Trinchinetti de Monga, 
formerly Professor at the University of Pavia, has sent in a 
memoir, which has been rewarded with the silver medal ; and 
M. Morren has, in the name of the Academy, delivered a cir- 
cumstantial report of this work, from which we shall here 
select the most important parts. 

The work is divided into two sections ; the first treats of the 
odours of flowers in general: the author speaks of the differ- 
ence between the odours of the flowers and of the other parts 
of plants, of the organs of flowers which exhale the odours or 
from which they proceed, of those im which they are prepared, 
of the chemical characters of these substances, of the manner of 
exhaiation, and lastly, of the function of odours. In the second 
part he treats of the odours in respect to their intensity, their 
quantity at different periods of the development of the flower, 
and in respect to the hours at which they are perceptible ; he 
at the same time gives methods to investigate them, and speaks 


* Comptes Rendus de 16 Dec., p. 781. 


32. Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 


principally of intermitting odours. There is found, says M. 
Trinchinetti, in all the parts of plants a certain odour arising 
from resinous or camphorous substances, as in the Laurinee, 
Labiate, Umbellifere, and Hesperidee ; on the contrary, the 
odours of flowers are the effects of a particular function, by 
which a simple evaporation of the secreted substances is pro- 
duced. [This, as well as most of the other statements, which 
are disproved by already existing observations, have been 
proved incorrect by the reporter M. Morren.| In general, the 
principal residence of the smell is in the upper surface of the 
corolla ; if there is only a simple perigonium, the smell comes 
from its inner surface. The filaments have a smell similar to 
that of the corolla; the anthers, on the contrary, have a sper- 
matic odour; the female organs are rarely odorous, as in saffron, 
The organs which evolve the odorous substances are, accord- 
ing to the author, always glands, which are said to have often 
escaped the observation of physiologists ; however, M. Morren 
states that the author has applied the name of glands to some 
formations which certainly cannot be so called, e. g. he has 
held the resinous globules for glands, which I first discovered 
in the petals of Magnolia grandiflora; indeed M. Trinchinetti 
considers the papille on the petals to be organs in which these 
odoriferous matters are secreted. In relation to the chemical 
theory of the formation of odours, the author has only given 
that of Fourcroy and Couerbe ; and he explains the exhalation 
of the odoriferous substances by a simple evaporation through 
organic and inorganic (?) pores, which takes place on the epi- 
dermis of the inner or upper surface of the flowering organs. 
If this upper surface be covered with wax, the result is said 
to become weaker ; if the under surface be covered it remains 
the same, and turgescence increases the exhalation. 

The question, “ For what purpose do flowers smell ?” is an- 
swered by M. Trinchinetti as follows:—It may be that the 
smells of plants were destined as a source of pleasure for 
mankind, and by these they exhibit their medicinal proper- 
ties. However, nature strives doubtlessly to effect more than 
one object by these odours,—they are evidently intended to 
assist the sexual functions of the flowers ; for M. Trinchinetti 
believes that the sexual organs are nourished by a sap which 
is prepared in the petals. The odorous exhalations of flowers 
exert a physical influence on the sexual organs, inasmuch as 
they diminish the tension of the steam which is so very inju- 
rious to the pollen which is burst by it, and thus fertilization 
cannot take place. He states that the flowers are surrounded 
by an odoriferous atmosphere which defends the sexual or- 
gans from the injurious influence of the aqueous vapours; 


Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 33 


hence it comes, that flowers in which the sexual organs are 
much closed do not smell; on the contrary, other flowers 
smell strongest exactly in the dampest hours of the day and 
night. 

In the second part of the treatise M. Trinchinetti considers 
the odours in detail; he says, that flowers which become odo- 
rous towards the end of their existence, as for instance Asperula 
odorata, produce this smell by the commencement of decom- 
position, and that it is not a product of vitality ; that there are 
flowers which, when pressed, evolve a different smell to what 
they do in their natural state, e. g. Allium moschatum, Sambucus 
ebulus, &c. Flowers which only smell in the morning, evening, 
and night, lose their smell during the day by the action of the 
light and heat, which dissipate the odorous principle; but to 
this M. Morren answers, that these plants do not even smell by 
day when inclosed in a damp, dark place. Finally, the author 
attempts to answer the question as to the cause of intermitting 
odours: flowers which exhibit this phzenomenon either open 
and shut at fixed periods, or they remain always open, and 
only the smell is intermittent : thus the inquiry is divided into 
two parts; in the first the phenomenon is brought in con- 
nexion with the cause of the opening and shutting of the 
flower, and in the second a peculiar physiological cause as 
producing it is assumed. In the first case flowers are either 
shut by day and open and odorous by night, or vice versd. In 
the second part those plants are mentioned which are always 
open, but possess an intermittent smell; here are also two di- 
visions, the flowers smell either by day or by night. In Ces- 
trum diurnum the smell is much weaker by night. Coronilla 
glauca smells only by day, and Cacalia septentrionalis is said 
to lose its smell when protected from the rays of the sun. Pe- 
largonium triste begins to smell about five in the afternoon ; 
in the night the smell becomes stronger till about five in the 
morning, whereupon it diminishes, and disappears entirely at 
seven. ‘The surfaces of these odorous petals are said to ex- 
hibit in the evening shining corpuscles (cells filled with sap) 
which are not seen in the day. If the plants were kept the 
whole day in the dusk, the smell made its appearance later 
than usual and was also much weaker. Moist air produced no 
smell in the plants during the day ; on the contrary, Cestrum 
nocturnum, kept in the dark and in a moist atmosphere, exhi- 
bited a slight smell. 


On the Formation of Colours in Plants. 


M. Elsner has drawn attention to the fact, that in the year 
1832, in a treatise in Schweigger-Seidel’s Annual of Chemistry 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. 


34 Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 


(Ixv. p. 165—175), he had already proved the identity of the 
red colouring matter in the flowers of the Jridee, Labiate, 
Rosacea, Ranunculacee, Geraniacee, Cannacee, Malvacee, 
Leguminose, Papaveracee, Myrtacee, &c.; and that the red 
colour in the bracts of Melampyrum arvense, in the leaves of 
Caladium bicolor, in the fruit of Prunus cerasus, Ribes rubruin, 
Sorbus ancuparia, is similar, and that the identity extends to 
the red matter which colours the leaves in autumn. 


From M. Morren* we have received anatomico-physiological 
researches on the appearance of indigo in Polygonum tincto- 
rium; the work had been read to the Brussels Academy be- 
fore the appearance of a similar one by M. Turpin, which was 
mentioned in the former Report, and is therefore to be con- 
sidered as cotemporary with it. The views of MM. Turpin 
and Morren on the production of the indigo differ from each 
other. The former found this substance in the sap-globules 
of the cells which were coloured green by chlorophyll, but 
M. Morren believes that the indigo is produced in the inter- 
cellular sap (by which is meant the ordinary cell-sap). I may 
here state with certainty, from my own obser vations, that the 
blue colouring matter in Polygonum tinctorium is formed out 
of the previously green-coloured cell-sap globules. Whether 
however, in the colourless ceil-sap of that plant, a substance is 
contained in solution which changes into indigo (as appears 
from M. Morren’s statements) I cannot say, having made no 
decisive observations, and this is not at present the time for it. 

The expressed sap of the leaves ought to be perfectly fil- 
tered and then treated for the formation of indigo, by which 
the question would be settled. Indigo is formed in all parts of 
Polygonum, but principally in the leaves ; here it is found im 
the parenchym and also in the nerves, and only the “tissu 
fibro-vasculaire” does not contain a trace. 

M. Morven directs attention to the regular position of the 
adventitious roots in this plant, which, as is so often the case 
with the genus Polygonum, grow out of the nodes. 


M. Hiinefeld+ has communicated some more of his continued 
researches on vegetable colours; he has also found that there 
is not the same similarity between the colours of the different 
parts of plants, as for instance, the roots, leaves, flowers, and 
fruits, as would seem from outward appearances, and as some 
botanists have asserted. Very few changes of colour in plants 
are produced by the action of acid or basic substances. More- 
over M. Hiinefeld has published a long series of experiments 

* Mém. de l’Acad. Royale des Se., &c., de Bruxelles, tome xii. 


+ Beitrige zur Chemie der Pflanzenfarben.—Erdmann & Marchand’s 
Journal fiir prakt. Chemie, 1859, 1 Bd. p. 65—80. 


Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 35 


which he made on the behaviour of vegetable colours to se- 
veral liquids, more especially zether, oil of turpentine, and some 
others, in the course of which several curious facts have been 
brought to light; the conclusions which M. Hiinefeld has 
drawn, and which may interest us, are—the pigments of red- 
dish yellow, or of not-yellow flowers, are probably all of an 
extractive nature. 

For the examination of these colouring matters zther is a 
very useful solvent. The variety of colouring of a flower or 
leaf frequently arises from the deposition of one pigment over 
the other, or from their mixture. [On this subject better in- 
formation is to be had from the newer phytotomic works.— 
Mey.| The principal change which the colours suffer in 
withering, etc. appears to be, that the assimilation of carbon 
only ceases by suppressed vegetation, while the absorption of 
atmospheric oxygen becomes excessive ; for the easily oxidi- 
zable extractive matters, and tannin in oxidized extractive 
matter, become metamorphosed into gallic acid and into sub- 
stances approaching more and more to humic acid, which 
then destroy the pigments. 

M. Hiineteld* has also made a series of experiments to learn 
whether the formation of certain colours depends on iron con- 
tained in the plant. Quantities (one or two ounces) of the 
most different-coloured flowers were reduced to ashes. Some 
of these flowers contained evidently iron and manganese, 
others only iron, and traces of copper were found in the flow- 
ers of Sambucus nigra, which had already been noticed. ‘The 
twigs and leaves of Sambucus nigra are said to contain no 
copper, but a considerable quantity of iron. Traces of man- 
ganese were found everywhere when sufficient quantities were 
burnt. As these metals, says M. Hiinefeld, are found also in 
white flowers, and their quantities stand in no relation to the 
colours of the flowers, it seems that Meissner’s theory is not 
correct. There is probably no vegetable which does not con- 
tain iron, and perhaps all the iron found in the human body 
is derived from this source. 

[To be continued. } 


VII..—Indian Cyprinide. By Joun M‘CLELLAND, Assist- 
ant Surgeon Bengal Medical Service +. 


Dr. Parrick Russet published in 1803 an account of 200 
species of fishes found chiefly on the coast of Coromandel ; 


* Beitrage zur Chemie der Pflanzenfarben.—Erdmann & Marchand’s 
Journal fiir prakt. Chemie, 1839, 1 Bd. p. 84—87. 
+ From the ‘ Asiatic Kesearches,’ vol. xix. part ii. p. 217; having been 
presented to the Asiatic Society of Bengal on the 5th of September 1838. 
D2? 


~ 


36 Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 


there appears to be no copy of his work in Calcutta, nor 
have I been able to meet with it in India; but his collection 
appears to have embraced few Cyprinide, and scarcely any of 
those afterwards found in Bengal by Dr. Buchanan*. The 
fishes of Ceylon, as well as those of the Bay of Bengal, have 
recently excited the attention of naturalists +, while those of 
the Sunderbuns and the vicinity of Calcutta have long been 
objects of interest to collectors for the museums of France and 
the other parts of the continent where alone ichthyology seems 
to have been cultivated as a philosophical branch of zoology. 

2. Dr. Buchanan appears to be the only author who has 
devoted his attention to the freshwater fishes of Bengal, and 
his success seems to have left little for others to do in the way 
of discovering new species. His ‘ Gangetic Fishes,’ published 
in Edinburgh in 1822, contains descriptions of no fewer than 
eighty Cyprins, of which number he has only given figures 
of twenty-one. And unfortunately, Cuvier appears to have 
adopted such only as were figured in that work, leaving the 
rest as doubtful materials, which, from their extent, and the 
deficiency of the details connected with them, perhaps deterred 
him from the task of entering into, or finishing, his account 
of the Carps, in the hope of receiving further particulars re- 
garding them from India. 

3. It was partly with a view of supplying this deficiency 
that I devoted the time we spent on rivers, during our journey { 
to Assam in the winter of 1835-6, to the examination and 
figuring of species. The obscurity of Buchanan’s specific 
descriptions, which with few exceptions are chiefly composed 
of characters of generic value, rendered the task of identifying 
his unfigured Cyprins most difficult and uncertain. Never- 
theless it appeared to me to be a desideratum that must be 
accomplished sooner or later by some one, and at length, after 
perseverance for the better part of three years, occasionally 
giving it up in despair, I succeeded in identifying most of the 
species unfigured by Buchanan, as well as in having made two 
series of finished drawings of them, one set for England and 
one for India. After all this, and after the present paper had 
been ready for publication in April last, my notice was, for 


* Afterwards Dr. Buchanan Hamilton. As most of his publications have 
appeared under the name of Buchanan, authors should follow the example 
of Cuvier in the ‘ Régne Animal’ and ‘ Histoire Naturelle des Poissons’ in 
referring to the author of the ‘ Gangetic Fishes’ by the name by which he 
is best and will be universally known, in proportion as his vast works on 
Indian statistics and natural history transpire. 

+ Mr. Bennett and my friend Dr. Cantor. 

t I allude to the deputation of Dr. Wallich, Mr. Griffith, and myself to 
Upper Assam, 


Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinidez. 37 


the first time, attracted by a remark of Buchanan, in conse- 
quence of which I thought it necessary to make inquiry for 
certain drawings alluded to, ‘ Pisc. Gang.’ p. 316. I had heard 
of drawings at the Botanic Garden, but never saw them, and 
always supposed them to be merely the originals of published 
figures; but I confess I was quite unprepared to receive at 
that time a collection of drawings from Dr. Wallich, amount- 
ing to 150, beautifully executed, and including nearly all the 
unpublished species on which my painters had been so long 
employed, with the specific names in Buchanan’s hand-wri- 
ting marked under the figures, so as to leave no doubt or dif- 
ficulty in referring them to corresponding descriptions in the 
‘Gangetic Fishes.’ I am not prepared to state how many un- 
figured species this interesting collection contains, except in 
the particular family which is the subject of this paper. Along 
with these drawings'I received intimation from Dr. Wallich, 
that two folio volumes of manuscripts and drawings on gene- 
ral zoological subjects, by the late Dr. Buchanan, still remain 
at the Garden. The descriptions alluded to may probably serve 
as a key to Hardwicke’s ¢ Illustrations,’ into which I perceive 
several figures of Cyprinide have been accurately copied, ex- 
cept in the colouring, from Buchanan’s drawings; and as no 
descriptions of the plates of Hardwicke’s work have been yet 
to my knowledge published, the source from whence the 
figures in question came does not transpire, and there is no 
allusion to it on the plates; at any rate it is unfair to General 
Hardwicke, as it is to Dr. Buchanan and to all who are en- 
gaged in pursuits connected with the natural history of this 
or any other country, to have the unpublished works of any 
man shut up for twenty-two years in a library that is not open 
to the public*. 


* Buchanan's Researches regarding the fishes of India commenced on his 
arrival in the country in 1794, and ended with the publication of the ‘ Gan- 
getic Fishes’ in 1822. Anything that tended to lessen the value of a work 
that occupied so much of such a life is to be regretted. It is stated ina 
biographical notice of Buchanan in Chambers’s ‘ Lives of Scotchmen,’ that on 
his departure from India he was deprived by the Marquis of Hastings of all 
his extensive drawings and papers relating to every branch of natural hi- 
story, particularly botany ; “ although to me,” quoting his own words to the 
Edinburgh Philosophical Society, “ as an individual, they were of no va- 
lue, as I preserve no collections, and have no occasion to convert them into 
money, but I was merely desirous of seeing them safely deposited in the 
India House.” In deciding that Buchanan's papers should be retained in 
India, it may be presumed that the object was, that they should here be 
rendered more useful to the country than they could be in England. It 
could scarcely have occurred to the Marquis of Hastings that these works 
would be consigned to oblivion, and the author in consequence superseded 
by his successors, 


38 Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinidz. 


The following are the names of the unpublished figures of 
Cyprinide in this collection of drawings*. 


Cyprinus Gugani, Buch. 
——~ —— (gorachela, 2d. 
Joya, id. 
Cachius, 7d. 


Cyprinus Borila, zd. 
Anjana, id. 
Bata, zd. 
Bangana, id. 


Loubuca, id. Pangusia, id. 


Phula, id. —s Sarana, zd. 
Bhola, zd. ed Kunta, id. 
Gora, 7d. ———. Tor, id. 
Borelio, zd. — Sada, zd. 
Rerio, zd. ——— Lati, zd. 
Dangila, id. — Gohama, 7d. 
—- Balibola, zd. ——— Godeyava, id. 
——— Bukrangi, id. ———— Dheno, zd. 


Loya, id. ——_ Jauyali, id. 
——_—— Phulchela, id. | —— Paungsi, zd. 
Sf i === Bimaculatus, id. 
Terio, id. ——s Sucatio, zd. 
Sutiha, zd. ——— Balitora, zd. 
Phutunio, zd. Cobitis Gongota, id. 
Gelius, id. Balgara, id. 
Kanipunte, id. Cucura, id. 
Casuatus, 7d. Guntea, id. 
Cursis, id. Botea, zd. 

— Cursa, id. | ——— Pangia, zd. 
Chola, id. ——_——. Biltura, zd. 
Conchonius, zd. Turia, zd. 

_Jogia, id. Scuturiginum, id. 

Shakra, zd. | Savona, 7d. 
——-— Barna, 7d. Corica, id. 

Vagra, id. 


* But although they seem to have been withheld from Buchanan himself, 
the following drawings from his original collection of unpublished figures of 
fishes have found their way from the Botanic Garden into Hardwicke’s 
‘ Illustrations,’ without any acknowledgement to point out from whence they 
were derived. 


Tab. 84. Hypostomus sisor, Buch. ; Sisor Rabdophorus, id., Gan. Fish., two 
drawings. 

Tab. 85. Malopterus Kazali, Buch. Two figures: name changed to 
‘ Malopterus ( Ailia) Bengalensis,’ Gray, in the pirated figures. 

Tab. 86. fig. 1. Cyprinus angra, Buch. Pirated figure disguised under bad 
colouring, and named ‘ Cyprinus Hamiltonii,’ Gray.—F ig. 2. Cyprinus 
goha, Buch. Colouring much exaggerated. There are two figures of 
each species, so that this plate has been taken wholesale from Buchanan. 

Tab. 87. fig. 3. Cyprinus chedra, Buch. A good copy of a very beautiful 
drawing in Buchanan’s collection. 

Tab. 89. fig. 1. Syngnathus carce, Buch. (Kharke, id., orig. draw.) Note 
—an error in speiling the generic name of this species, as written by 


Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 39 


4, An examination of the viscera connected with the digest- 
ive organs, together with the form of the mouth, suggested 
the possibility of identifying something on which the natural 
arrangement of fishes might be founded. In those Carps 
whose mouths are constructed for the collection of vegetable 
food, I found, as might be expected, the greatest development 
of intestinal canal; in these the mouth is invariably either 
horizontal or directed downwards, as in the Cirrhins: all such 


Buchanan on the original drawing, is preserved in the pirated copy. 
Fig. 4. Syngnathus deokpata, Buch. 

Tab. 91. fig. 1. Mystus chitol, Buch. Colouring much exaggerated in the 
pirated copy. 

Tab. 93. fig. 1. Cyprinus mosal, Buch. Two figures, and two of Cyprinus 
morala, id. ‘The coloured copy of this last is so badly executed, that 
the characteristic marks of the species, though well depicted in the ori- 
ginal by the obscure transverse streaks crossing the sides, are quite 
omitted in the copy. 

Tab. 94. fig. 1. Cyprinus tileo, Buch. 

Tab. 95. fig. 1. Ophisurus boro, Buch. This species is referred to Bucha- 
nan’s manuscripts, but nothing is said to point out from whence the 
drawing was obtained ; but it is so accurately traced from Buchanan’s 
original, as to remove any doubt on that score.—Fig. 2. Ophisurus ha- 
rancha, Buch. By mistake on the part of the plagiarists in numbering 
the figures, the details of the first are given to the second species. —Fig. 4. 
Murena raitaborua, Buch., disguised under the names of Rataboura 
‘ Hardwickii,’ Gray ; thus not only depriving Buchanan of the honour 
of figuring but also of naming a new species. As an instance of the 
little reliance to be placed on those who thus appropriate the works of 
others, it is necessary to observe, that the outline figure representing 
the lower parts of Murena raitaborua is transferred to Ophisurus bora, 
in return for that of the last having been given on the same plate to 
Ophisurus harancha. In other plates not numbered, forming the 19th 
and 20th parts, are pirated as follows :— 

Holocentrus ? Kalkaya, B. MS., two figures, name changed to § Plerapon 
trivittatus.’—Cottus chaka, B. MS., name changed to ‘ Platycephalus 
chacca, marked ‘natural size.’—Checlodipterus Bhutibue, B. MS., name 
changed to ‘ Checlodipterus Butis,’ and the species referred to ‘ Hamilton,’ 
but nothing said of the source of the two figures.x—Cyprinus morar, B. MS., 
two figures, and Cyprinus gora, B. MS., forming an entire folio plate ; the 
name of the latter changed to ‘ Cyprinus cora.’—-Clupanodon chapra, B. MS. ; 
pirated figure called ‘ Alosa chapra, N. Indian Ocean :’ what the latter 
terms mean I cannot say, as the figure is from Buchanan’s unpublished 
drawings of Gangetic species; like the remark ‘natural size’ annexed to 
Cottus chaka, it is certainly calculated to impress the reader with the belief 
that the author had seen the specimens from which the drawings were made. 
Neither of the remarks in question appear on the original drawings, which 
are characterized in Buchanan’s hand-writing. 

Buchanan died in 1829. The work to which so much of his labour has 
been transferred was published in 1833; and although no descriptions of the 
plates have yet appeared, it is no excuse for having suppressed the source 
from whence so inany of them at least were derived, especially when it was 
thought necessary to acknowledge the source of other figures in the same 
work. ‘These circumstances induced me to visit the Botanic Garden, with 


40 Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 


types I have included under the head of Peonomine or herbi- 
vorous Carps, of which the Gudgeons and Gonorhynchs are 
the most remarkable. 

5. In the last-mentioned genera the mouth is situated com- 
pletely under the head, and is constructed in the Gudgeons 
for bruising soft vegetable substances, such as are found in 


the view of ascertaining if all the other plates in Hardwicke’s ‘ Illustrations,’ 
as well as those of fishes, were derived from the two folio volumes stated to 
be in the library of that institution. The following memorandum, which 
was made on the oceasion, n ust be interesting to all who are in any way 
connected with zoological pursuits. 

“Botanic Garden, 3rd September 1838.—Having obtained the requisite 
permission, I inspected Buchanan’s zoological MSS. for the first time ; they 
seem to contain descriptions and figures of the following animals :— 

“Five species of Sima, one recently described by Dr. Harlan in the Ame- 
rican Phil. Transac. as Simia Hoolock. 

“« Five species of Feline, one grey above and spotted beneath, a Felis- 
leopardus albus, and an Ursus. 

“ Six Cervide ; a Cervus niger, Buch. Several species of us, two bear- 
ing Buchanan’s specific names; also an Ichneumon and a /fysterix opeigura, 
Buch. ; three species of Capra bearing his specific names, as well as several 
species of Tortoises, two species of flying Foxes, two Lacerte, and two Pa- 
radoxuri. 

“ Of birds I observed about sixty species of Fulconide, about 150 Inses- 
sores, and about 74 Gralle, including many rare Tantalide, and the species 
of Ciconia recently described as C. cristata, which appears to have been 
named nearly thirty years ago by Buchanan Ardea crinita; all which, in 
addition to the fishes, are drawn in duplicate, thus amounting to about 
900 drawings.” Although Buchanan was professedly a botanist, his re- 
searches appear to have extended to all branches of natural history except 
entomology. His volumes on Gangetic Fishes, published at his own ex- 
pense, under the disadvantage of being deprived of the greater part of his 
figures, are the only part of his zoological labours that are known, yet his 
inquiries in other branches of zoology were equally extensive, and equally 
entitled to publicity. It now appears that two quarto volumes of MSS., 
written with his usual erudition, have been retained in the library of the 
Botanic Garden since 1815 ; while every periodical that has since appeared 
deprived him of some portion of those claims to priority which his papers 
ought to have secured to him had they been placed in proper hands, or de- 
posited in an institution where their existence could have been known or 
appreciated. 

Had such an injury to the advancement of information resulted from an 
oversight in an ordinary public office, the circumstance would excite less 
surprise ; but that the works of a naturalist should be so treated in a public 
institution expressly intended for the promotion of science, is so unaccount- 
able to me, that I cannot presume to express an opinion on the subject. But 
as the case stands, perhaps the best remedy that can now be applied, in jus- 
tice to Buchanan as well as to others who are still engaged in scientific pur- 
suits, would be to give a complete edition of his labours, botanical and 
zoological, to the public; at the same time it is right to say, that no atone- 
ment can now make amends for the injury that has been inflicted on Bu- 
chanan as a naturalist, or for the time that has been lost in allowing others 
to go over unnecessarily the ground which he investigated, instead of be- 
ginning where he left off. 


Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 41 


stagnant waters ; and in the Gonorhynchs for tearing and up- 
rooting certain kinds of confervoid plants, which form a short 
slimy covering to the rocks on which they grow in clear moun- 
tain streams. 

6. The true Cyprins (Cyp. proprius, Cuv.), together with the 
Barbels, Cirrhins and Labes, subsist less exclusively on a ve- 
getable regimen. Their mouths are invariably small, and 
either directed downward or situated low in the head; and as 
far as my inquiries have extended, it is on such modifications 
of the mouth that we find the length of the intestines and 
the habits of the different groups to depend. 

7. In the Gudgeons the mouth is formed simply for re- 
ceiving a kind of food that is obtained in abundance without 
any effort, and which requires no prehensile teeth or other 
organs for its collection or preparation before it is submitted 
at once to the process of digestion. The mouth is conse- 
quently small, and is opened and closed chiefly by the mus- 
cular structure of the snout; the jaws are weak, and the lips 
hard and cartilaginous, without sensibility or muscularity, and 
their intestinal canal varies from eight to eleven, and even 
twelve lengths of the body, including the head and caudal 
fin: except in the Hypostomi, Lacep., among fishes, Ostrich 
among birds, and perhaps some of the ruminants, such de- 
velopment of the abdominal canal is rare, a circumstance 
which it will be necessary afterwards to recollect when speak- 
ing of types. 

8. In the Gonorhynchs the muscular power of the snout is 
greater than in the Gudgeons; the mouth is smaller, and si- 
tuated further back in the lower surface of the head ; the lips 
thicker, and though defended externally by a hard insensible 
cartilage, are formed for very powerful muscular action. In 
this genus the length of the intestinal canal js usually about 
eight lengths of the body, and exceeds that of all other Cy- 
prims except the Gudgeons. 

9. The development of the intestinal canal in Cyprinide 
differs with the habits of species, so as to afford something like 
a basis for true distinctions between the different genera, and 
is fortunately connected with such peculiarities of form and 
colour as to render it easily available as a guide to an improved 
method of classification. 

10. The philosophical views of Mr. MacLeay regarding 
the circularity of groups, left it almost certain that the law 
which applied to other classes might be also applied to fishes ; 
and as the essence of that law consists in the tendency of the 
contents of natural groups to form a circle, it became highly 
probable, that as strictly herbivorous Carps were known, so, on 
the contrary, carnivorous species might be expected also to 


42 Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinidz. 


exist*. This is exemplified by a comparison of typical with 
subtypical groups, as Quadrumana with Fere in the orders of 
Mammalia, and Insessores with Raptores in the orders of birds; 
as this is true with regard to higher groups, it should be just 
as applicable to the lower assemblages when they happen to 
be equally complete in their parts. 

11. The above inference, whether its principles be just or 
not, has proved to be perfectly correct, notwithstanding the 
remark of Linnzus, that Cyprins are perhaps the least carni- 
vorous of the whole class of fishes, “ feeding chiefly on seeds, 
grass, and even mud;” and the observation of Cuvier, “ that 
they are the least carnivorous of all fishes.” Those who have 
since written on the subject have for the most part adopted 
the views on this point of the great authorities just named. 

12. A close investigation of our Indian species has led to 
very different results, and enabled me to form Cyprinide into 
three subfamilies. First, the Peonomine, or herbivorous Cy- 
prins, already adverted to, which consist of species whose ha- 
bits accord with the views of Cuvier and Linneus ; and Sar~ 
coborine, or carnivorous Cyprins, consisting of several natural 
genera, and Apalopterine, including the Codbitine or Loaches, 
the Peciliane, Cyprinodons, and other genera, which in the 
‘ Régne Animal’ appear to have little connexion with the fa- 
mily, as well as some new forms peculiar to India. 

13. As the peculiarities of the first subfamily, consisting 
in the form of their mouth and digestive organs, have been 
pointed out, I shall now proceed to notice the characteristics 
in structure and habits of the several groups of Sarcoborine. 
Two of the most remarkable genera of this subfamily are the 
Perilamps and Opsarions ; the first consisting of smal! insec- 
tivorous fishes remarkable for the brilliancy of their colours, 
always disposed in streaks. The second are lengthy, hand- 
some species, larger than the Perilamps, though still of small 
size, and very bright in their colours, which are however dis- 
posed in cross-bars ;—these are exclusively carnivorous, and 
remarkably voracious. 

14. The Perilamps (Perilampus) form the connexion be- 
tween the Systoms and Leuciscs. The mouth is placed in a 
directly opposite position from that which it occupies in the 
typical forms of the Peonomine ; the jaws are directed up- 
ward, and their apices are placed on a level with the back or 
crown; their intestine is short, and in no instance exceeds 
the length of the body ; and their food consists of insects only, 
which they derive by springing from beneath the surface of 

* There refer particularly to what Mr. Macleay calls affinity of transul- 


tation, or that relation which the opposite points of a circle of affinities bear 
to each other. 


Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 43 


the water, thus forming a direct contrast to the Gonorhynchs 
and other Peonomine, whose food is exclusively derived from 
sandy, rocky, or muddy bottoms. Eleven or twelve species 
of this new genus are described in this paper. 

15. The Opsarions (Opsarius) differ from herbivorous Cy- 
prins still more widely in their ceconomy and habits. The 
body is long, the mouth widely-cleft and horizontal, and 
though without teeth, the symphysis of the lower jaw is armed 
with a sharp hook in the more characteristic, but which is 
blunter and less prominent the further we pass from the most 
typical forms; but this hook, more or less developed, is cha- 
racteristic not merely of the Opsarions, but of the subfamily 
(Sarcoborine) to which they belong. It is received into a cor- 
responding depression in the apex of the upper jaw when the 
mouth is closed. The back is straight ; the dorsal is placed 
opposite to a long anal, both fins being situated near the cau- 
dal extremity, by which the power of darting or springing is 
rendered most perfect*. The abdominal cavity is long, and 
is chiefly occupied by a straight stomach of equal length, 
which is divided by a strangulation from a short fleshy intes- 
tine connecting the stomach directly with the vent, without 
any convolutions or elongation of the tube. 

16. “The energies of nature,” to use the words of Mr. 
Swainson, “are here concentrated as it were to the production 
of that form most adapted for one especial purpose,” that of 
springing on their prey like the Feline or Cats, which they 
seem to represent. It is no uncommon thing to find an Op- 
sarion so overgorged that the tail of its prey remains protru- 
ding from the mouth, to be swallowed after that portion which 
is capable of being received into the capacious stomach is suf- 
ficiently digested to admit of the introduction of the re- 
maindert. 

17. Two other genera of this subfamily remain to be no- 
ticed, viz. Systomus and Leuciscus. The first is made up 
chiefly of small species named Pungti by the Indian fisher- 
men. If we were merely guided by their general appearance 
and the form of their fins, the only principle of division hi- 


* The principal instrument of progressive motion in fishes is the caudal 
fin ; other fins, as shown by Roget, are mere auxiliaries, serving to balance 
the body while it receives propulsion from the tail. Vide ‘ Bridgewater 
Treat.,’ i. 286. This is correct in regard to fishes in general; but in the 
Opsarions and Perilamps, the dorsal and anal, trom their position and size, 
contribute greatly to their velocity, being also situated on or near the tail; 
thus increasing the caudal surface, which, as Roget justly observes, operates 
as an oar does in sculling. 

+ Ihave seen Opsarions so often in this state, that I presume they are 
easier caught in it than in any other, A similar power of deglutition is re- 
corded of sea-gulls by Blumenrbach, 


44 Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 
therto adopted in this family, they might be brought into the 


several subgenera, Cyprinus proprius, Cirrhinus, &c. of the 
‘Régne Animal.’ Buchanan, who published his ‘ Gangetic 
Fishes’ cotemporaneously with Cuvier’s system, had not an 
opportunity of consulting its divisions, while those of Lacé- 
pede, Bloch, and previous writers were not reconcilable to In- 
dian species; Buchanan therefore formed temporary groups 
for his own convenience, applicable to the local features of the 
family in this country. The Pungti, like all his other groups, 
were formed according to native opinions of their habits un- 
shackled by artificial views, and being better marked than 
most genera, Buchanan’s Pungti have more or less affinity to 
each other. | 

18. The stomach and intestine of the Systoms are in none 
of the species I have examined more than thrice the length 
of the body, and the former, which is thick and fleshy, usually 
contains the remains of insects. The mouth is small, and 
when opened the intermaxillaries project so as to form a nar- 
row tube,—hence their generic name. 

It is in the Systoms we first perceive a tendency to the 
hook or prominence on the apex of the lower jaw after quit- 
ting the herbivorous genera; and for this reason, as well as 
other peculiarities which appear to point them out as a typical 
or most perfect group, they are placed first in the list of car- 
nivorous genera. 

19. The Leuciscs, or white fishes, succeed the Perilamps. 
In this genus the prominence on the lower jaw is more di- 
stinct, and I have restricted the genus to such as possess this 
character, having at the same time the dorsal and anal small— 
the former placed anterior to the latter. They are all carni- 
vorous, but not constructed for leaping above the surface like 
the Perilamps, nor for springing like the Opsarions ; although 
the shortness of the intestines, size of the stomach, and pro- 
minence of the tooth on the lower jaw prove them to be 
scarcely less rapacious, yet I am not sure as to the accuracy 
of separating them from one or other of the preceding genera 
merely on account of the size and position of the dorsal and 
anal fins, particularly as the dental hook is only of import- 
ance in distinguishing them from some of the Peonomine. 

20. After this outline of the structure of Sarcoborine, a tew 
remarks regarding their colours will be necessary, as embra- 
cing another principle on which the divisions have been 
formed. The whole of the subfamily Peonomine are remark- 
able for their uniformly plain colours, consisting of olive- 
green, bluish grey, or brown, extended along the back, and 
softened off on the sides, so as to leave the lower surface of the 
body an impure white, partaking more or less of the colours of 


Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 45 


the back. The fins partake of the sober hues of the adjoining 
parts of the body, the pectorals and ventrals, as well as the 
branchial membranes and irides, usually displaying after death 
a slight blush of red, caused by the capillary effusion of blood 
in those parts. Of the species with which I am acquainted 
not one possesses a brilliant spot of any pure colour; but 
when we approach the limits of the next group, we begin to 
find in the Gonorhynchs obscure dark spots on either side of 
the tail of some of the species, as G. bimaculatus. 

21. But, on the other hand, as soon as we cross the verge 
of the herbivorous group and enter the carnivorous, we find 
such spots as those alluded to become brighter and more nu- 
merous, and the opercula and fins to be stained with yellow 
and red in deep and natural tints. To Systomus, the first ge- 
nus of this group, the Gold-tishes*, commonly called Golden 
Carp, belong. The intestinal tube of the Systoms, though only 
thrice the length of the body, or half the length of the abdo- 
minal tube in those herbivorous species in which it is short- 
est, is nevertheless twice the length of the same organ in any 
of the other Sarcoborine. As we advance in this subfamily 
from the Systoms towards the Opsarions, we find, as has been 
shown, the abdominal tube diminishing in length ; and in pro- 
portion as this takes place, and the habits of species become 
more carnivorous, we observe the brilliancy of the colours be- 
comes more remarkable. 

22. The Perilamps, as already stated, are followed by the 
Leuciscs. In these the diversity of colour is not great, but is 
compensated for by the metallic brilliancy of the nacre, or sil- 
very pigment with which the scales and opercula are covered, 
and from which the genus has derived its name, Leuciscus, 
Albus, or white fishes, though not applicable to all the species ; 
for there is one which is marked on each side with the bright 
longitudinal streak of the Perilamps, and, like the blending of 
the markings already observed between the Peonomine and 
Sarcoborine, the species in question, Leuciscus lateralis, 
seems to unite the white fishes with the Perilamps. 

23. The Perilamps in their structure naturally follow the 
Systoms, and present numerous bright longitudinal lines of 
various colours, but particularly blue on their sides. They are 
all small species, of little or no direct utility to man ; nor is it 
possible to account for the peculiar brilliancy of their colours 
in any other way than as an instance of that inscrutable de- 


* Cyprinus auratus auctorum. 

+ Cyp. Daniconius, Buch., which appears to me to be identical with Cyp. 
Anjano, id. ; but if not, the latter species, on account of certain peculiarities 
about the mouth which seem to be wanting in the former, must be referred 
to the Perilamps. 


46 Mr. T. C. Eyton’s Notes on Birds. 


sign, by which it would seem that, in pursuit of aquatic insects, 
on which they subsist, along the surface of waters, they be- 
come the better marks for Kingfishers, Skimmers, Terns, and 
other birds which are destined to keep the number of fishes 
in check, especially in deep waters beyond the reach of the 
Waders*. 

[To be continued. ] 


VIII.—WNotes on Birds. By T. C. Kyron, Esq., F.L.S. 


Nowy. 
Psophodes Crepitans, Vig. and Horsf. 

Toneur nearly the same as in Menura Lyra. Trachea largest at the 
upper extremity, but gradually contracted towards the inferior 
larynx; the tube bound firmly down in the angle made by the rami 
of the os fureatum. ‘The inferior larynx furnished with five pairs of 
muscles of voice, as among the Crows and Warblers ; the sterno-tra- 
cheales weak, the other pairs of muscles connected with the trachea 
moderately developed. Csophagus of moderate size, largest at the 
upper extremity, narrowed near the middle, and again slightly swell- 
ing above the proventriculus, which is of moderate size. Gizzard 
filled with the remains of insects, muscular, and of moderate size. 
Intestinal canal of large diameter in proportion to the size of the 
bird, largest a little below the duodenum; rectum short, about 
equal in diameter to the duodenum ; ceca rudimentary; cloaca 
rather large. 

Length of intestinal canal from stomach to cloaca 94 inches. 
Length of rectum 14 inch. Sternum rather elongated, and straight 
on the posterior margin between the fissures, which are two in 
number, one situated near each lateral margin, nearly closed poste- 
riorly, deep, oval, and large. Keel shallow, nearly straight on its 
inferior edge, traversed by raised bony ridges as in Menura; the an- 
terior edge of the keel and the manubrial process also resemble in 
shape those portions in the above-named genus. 

Os furcatum long, without any process at the point where it joins 
the sternum ; the rami rounded, and bending slightly inwards, so as 
to approach each other near the middle ; coracoids, pelvis, ribs, sca- 
pula, and caudal vertebree also as in Menura. The numbering of the 
vertebree is 


Cer. 11; Dor. 7; Sac. 11; Caud. 6; Ribs 8, 5 true, 3 false. 


RemaArks.—In the structure of the soft parts and tongue 
Psophodes comes very near to Menura; the trachea however 
differs in not having the muscles of voice so strong, and in 
their being disposed as among the Warblers and Thrushes. 
Menura and Psophodes also agree in the form and length of the 
coracoids, scapula, and ribs, showing in these parts an afh- 
nity to Scansores, though not so strongly marked as in Me- 


* See remarks on P. perseus in a subsequent part of this paper. 


Bibliographical Notices. 47 


nura and Pteroptochos. The bones forming the pelvis ap- 
proach very nearly in form and disposition to those of Menura, 
differing in no particular except in their smaller size. The 
sternum is broader in proportion to its length than in that 
genus, and agrees in the form of its posterior margin with the 
Thrushes and Shrikes, generally not having the portion be- 
tween the lateral fissures produced as in Menura. The os 
furcatum agrees with the last-named genus in having the 
rami rounded, and in being destitute of a process at the ex- 
tremity approaching the sternum; but in having the rami 
bent laterally inwards near the middle, so as to approach 
each other, it agrees with the Shrikes and Thrushes. 

Not having been able to obtain a specimen of the South 
American genus Thamnophilus to dissect, it is of course 
merely conjecture, when I state that I believe the anatomy of 
that genus will be found to approach very nearly to that of 
Psophodes ; referring to the external characters, although the 
bill differs much in form, the nature of the plumage and the 
form of the tail and wings are very similar. 


Craticus Tibicen, Vieill. 

Trachea, muscles of voice, tongue, and cesophagus as among the 
Corvide generally. Intestinal canal of moderate length ; cca scarcely 
more than rudimentary; cloaca large; gizzard of moderate size, 
oval, flattened, muscular, interior surface (epithelium) hardened, 
transversely rugose, filled with the remains of insects. 


Length of esophagus, 3jassecA- 4 daw: 4 inches. 
Length of rectum Satshs) 73 A secon eve¥ lm at nas 
enethror mtestine 2h wrs a... ayia sus 20) ives 
Leng th of ceca 4 


The skeleton of Craticus Tibicen, like the oft portions, does 
not differ materially from the general structure found among 
the Corvide ; the scapula, however, is rather broader near the 
hinder extremity than in the middle, and the sternum pro- 
portionably larger than in any other Corvide with which I 
have had an opportunity of comparing it. The number of 
the vertebrz are 


Cer. 12; Dor. 8; Sac. 12; Caud. 8; Ribs 8, 5 true, 3 false. 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 


Wiegmann’s Archiv fiir Naturgeschichte. Seventh Year. Part I. 
1841. Berlin. 


We have already apprised our readers of the intended continuation 
of this valuable journal, (established and so ably conducted by our 
friend the late Prof. A. Wiegmann of Berlin,) under the superintend- 
ence of Dr. Erichson, in conjunction with Dr. Grisebach in Gottingen, 


48 Bibliographical Notices. 


Prof. von Siebold in Erlangen, Dr. Troschel in Berlin, Prof. A. Wag- 
ner in Munich, and Prof. Rud. Wagner in Gottingen. The abun- 
dance of excellent original articles in the first number which has just 
appeared, convinces us that no pains have been spared that this perio- 
dical should maintain its station among the first-rate journals de- 
voted to Natural History. In the plan nothing has been altered ; it 
will, as usual, be accompanied by annual reports; that on botany, so 
well executed by the late Prof. Meyen, has passed into the able hands 
of the celebrated Link. Many of the papers we shall from time to 
time place before our readers, but for the present we must confine 
ourselves to merely indicating the contents with a few extracts. 


The first paper by Dr. Erichson is entitled ‘ A glance at the Clas- 
sification of the Evertebrate Animals.’ 


The second paper by Sars is ‘ On the Development of Medusa au- 
rita and of Cyanea capillata.’ This article confirms the beautiful ob- 
servations of Von Siebold on the younger stages of Medusa aurita. 
The author had likewise observed that Strodila is merely a young 
state of this Acalephe. The results which the study of the develop- 
ment of these animals has led to are too impcrtant not to be no- 
ticed in this place, and we trust some of the lovers of natural science 
who dwell near the coast may be induced to lend their assistance in 
the investigation of this branch of science, in which so much still 
remains concealed. The author has given at the end of the memoir 
a summary of the results of his investigations, which we subjoin. 

Ist. The oval or oval-cylindrical young escape from the eggs con- 
tained in the ovaria provided with vibratile cilia: on the eggs are 
observed the Vesicula Purkinji and the Macula (Vesicula) Wagneri ; 
the yolk exhibits the usual partitions or furcations. The young col- 
lect in the cotemporaneously developed marsupial pouches appended 
to the four oval tentacula. 

2nd. They soon quit the mother, and swim, like Infusoria, about for 
a time, at last adhere to some foreign body, to which they fix them- 
selves with their unbranched end; at the other free end a mouth 
opens, around which a circle of tentacnlais gradually formed. 

3rd. In this polypoid condition, which may fairly be termed a larva 
state, they already multiply, and indeed in the usual manner of Po. 
lypes, by means of buds and so-called stolones. ‘The new animals 
thus produced resemble perfectly the larva. 

4th. Lastly, after the lapse of a still undetermined time, the larva 
voluntarily divides into a number of diagonal pieces, all of which 
become new animals. These do not resemble the larva, but are dis- 
coid creatures, which swim about freely ; their periphery is divided 
into eight rays, bipartite at the extremity ; and they have a quadran- 
gular, tubular, pendent mouth. Gradually, as they grow, the rays 
become shorter, the spaces between them where the marginal ten- 
tacula issue forth grow larger, the mouth divides and changes into 
four oral tentacula—in short, these animals become perfectly identical 
with the original mother (the Medusa or the Cyanea). It is, there- 
fore, not the larva or the individual developed from the egg which 
is converted into a perfect Acalepha, but its progeny, originated 


Bibliographical Notices. 49 


by diagonal separation. Among known facts none can be com- 
pared better with this mode of development than that of the Salpe, 
although even here it differs considerably. The numerous observa- 
tions which I made last autumn on the Salpe have shown that 
Chamisso (who had to hear so many ill words on his upright re- 
searches from several naturalists because they did not accord with 
their systems) observed in general their development correctly. The 
Salpe agree with the Acalephe in this, that it is not the larva, but its 
progeny, which is developed to the perfect animal : it is not the in- 
dividual, but the generation, which has become metamorphosed. 

The author observes in conclusion, that Graham Dalyell’s obser- 
vations (‘ Edinb. Philos. Journ.’ vol. xxi. 1836), with which he was 
only partially acquainted from what had appeared in Wiegmann’s 
‘Archiv’ and the ‘ Isis,’ may serve in part to confirm his observations. 
“ His (Dalyell’s) Hydra Tuba appears to be the above-described poly- 
poid Acalepha-larva, on which he also noticed buds; he moreover 
observed the diagonal separation by which the radiated Acalephe 
(Strobila) originate. © Of these latter he has figured one with eleven 
and one with eight rays; in general I have found eight. The qua- 
drangular column, of which Dalyell incorrectly asserts that it pro- 
jects on the convex side, is the pendent mouth, at the base of 
which four organs are mentioned by him (the fold-circles with their 
tentacula). But in the explanation of the observed phenomena, his 
views differ from mine. In February and March,” he says, ‘‘ the sur- 
face or disc of some Hydre are furnished with a pendent flexible 
prolongation of an inverted conical form, &c., which is developed 
into 20 to 30 layers, which gradually separate and become free Aca- 
lephe. But whence this prolongation arises, and in what con- 
nexion it stands with the Hydra, he does not state. One might al- 
most be inclined to think that he ascribes to the polype viviparity. 
According to my observations, it is the animal itself, the polypoid 
larva, which separates into diagonal pieces, beginning above and gra- 
dually descending towards the base. How the tentacula of the polype 
disappear, and after all the diagonal pieces have become free, what 
becomes of the lower part of the stalk, I have, it is true, not yet been 
able to sce. That the polype again fixes itself, as Dalyell maintains, 
after the disappearance of the prolongation, acquires new tentacula, 
and again adopts its former form, is opposed entirely to my observa- 
tions, and appears to be founded upon an erroneously conceived ob- 
servation.” ‘This paper is accompanied by 4 plates containing 64 
figures. 


3. ‘On the curious motion of the Colour-cells (Chromatophores) 
of Cephalopods,’ by Rudolph Wagner, ‘If everything does not 
deceive me, these observations lead to a new series of phenomena of 
motion in organized nature. Anew class of active motions appears 
here together with the ciliary motion of the sap in a rotatory course 
in cells, and the motion of the Spermatozoa, which has nothing to 
do with muscular motion.” 


Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. 1 


50 Bibliographical Notices. 


4. ‘On Stinging Organs of the Meduse, and the occurrence of 
peculiar formations in Evertebrate Animals, which appear to consti- 
tute a new class of locomotive organs,’ by Rud. Wagner. 


5. ‘Zoological Notices,’ by Dr. A. Philippi. These we shall 
subsequently give in continuation of those which have already ap- 
peared in the ‘ Annals.’ We will now enumerate the various heads : 
1. Fossarus, a new genus of Mollusks. 2. On the genus Eulima, 
Risso. 3. On the genus Truncatella, Risso. 4. On Tornatella. 5. 
Onchidium nanum, n. sp. 6. Euplocamus laciniosus, n. sp. 


6. ‘ Contributions to a systematical knowledge of the Larvee of In- 
sects,’ by Dr. Erichson. Ist part: The Larvee of the Coleoptera. 


7. ‘Grouping of the Genera of the Rodentia into Natural Fami- 
lies, with descriptions of some new Genera and Species,’ by Prof. A. 
Wagner. ‘The first part of this paper consists of a review of the 
literature on this subject, in which great praise is bestowed on the 
labours of Mr. Waterhouse*, to whose classification, however, it is 
objected, that not all families are reduced to their proper limits, and 
that some have been discarded which must be re-established. The 
author divides the Rodentia into twelve families, founded not merely 
on external habits, but chiefly on the structure of the skeleton and 
the dentition ; in some cases the intestines have likewise been con- 
sulted. 


I. Pepimana. Digiti anteriores longissimi, pedes posteriores pol- 
lice instructi ; cranium rotundatum, orbite postice clause. 
Only one genus belongs here, Cheiromys. Hab. Madagascar. 


II. Scrurina. Pedes anteriores digitis 4 et verruca hallucari, 
posteriores 5-dactyli, cauda dense pilosa; dentes molares 3 ; 
ossa frontalia dilatata, processu postorbitali distincto instructa ; 
foramen infraorbitale angustissimum. 

Genera: Sciurus, Pteromys, Tamias, Spermophilus, Arctomys. 
This family is represented in all parts of the world with the ex- 
ception of New Holland. ; 


III. Myoxina. Pedes anteriores digitis 4 et verruca hallucari, pos- 
teriores 5-dactyli, cauda elongata villosa; dentes molares 4, 
ossa frontalia valde coarctata, processu postorbitali privata; in- 
testinum cecum nullum. 

M. Wagner has separated the only genus of which this family 
consists into the four sub-genera, Graphiurus, Eliomys, Glis and 


Muscardinus. Geographical distribution confined to the Old World. 


* Mr. Waterhouse’s paper, ‘ Observations on the Rodentia,’ &c. Mag. Nat. 
Hist. 1839, pp. 90, 184, 274 and 598 ; and ‘ On the geographical distribution 
of the Rodentia,’ Annals of Nat. Hist. No. 33. (1840) p. 418; and Proc. 
Zool. Soc. for Nov. 1839; see also ‘ Observations on the skulls of the Ca- 
viide and Chinchillide, Proc. Zool. Soc., April 1839, and ‘ Observations on 
various Rodents in the Zoology of the Voyage of the Beagle.’ 


Bibliographical Notices. 51 


IV. Macropopa. Artus distincte saltatorii, anteriores brevissimi, 
posteriores longissimi; cauda longa pilosa; foramen infraorbi- 
tale magnum. 

The four genera belonging here are divided into two sections. 

a. Dentes molares irregulariter incisi. 

Dipus ; Scirtites, mihi (Alactaga, Fr. Cuv.); Jaculus, Wag. 

b. Dentes molares ab uno latere partiti. (Meriones, F.Cuv.) Pe- 
detes. 

Geog. distrib. Over Asia and a small part of European Russia, 

Africa, Northern America, and one occurs on New Holland. 


VY. Cuarnenitiia. Auricule magne ; scelides antipedibus subduplo 
longiores ; cauda producta, supra et ad apicem longius setosa ; 
vellus molle; dentes molares ¢ e laminis 2-3 parallelis com- 
positi. 

Three genera: Hvriomys (Chinchilla), Lagidium (Lagotis), Lago- 
stomus. 
Geog. distrib. South America. 


VI. Psammorycrina. Habitus murinus, artus proportionales, au- 
riculz mediocres (rarius magne), foramen infraorbitale magnum, 
mandibule angulus in cuspidem elongatum excurrens, dentes 


molares +. 
a. Habrocoma. 6. Capromys. 
Octodon. Aulacodus. 
Psammoryctes. Loncheres. 


(Nelomys and Echimys.) 
Cercomys. 
Dactylomys. 
Petromys. 
Confined principally to South America. 


VII. Cunicunaria. Corpus crassum, cylindraceum, caput obtusum, 
oculi minuti aut tecti, auricula et cauda nulle aut parve, artus 
anteriores posterioribus robustiores, pedes 5-dactyli, dentes pri- 
mores exserti, lati, truncati. 


a. Ungues anteriores breves. (3. Ungues anteriores longissimi. 
Ommatostergus. Siphneus. 
Spalac. Ascomys. 
Chtonoergus. Thomomys. 
Rhizomys. Geomys. 
Georhycus. Bathyergus. 
Ctenomys. Haplodon (Aplodontia, 
Richardson). 


Geog. distrib. South-eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and Ame- 
rica. 


VIII. Murina. Oculi distincti, auricula et cauda plus minusve 
exserte, artus posteriores anterioribus longiores, pedes ante- 
riores digitis 4 et verruca hallucari, posteriores 5-dactyli, cauda 
nuda aut minus pilosa; foramen infraorbitale longitudinale, 


K 2 


52 Bibliographical Notices. 


supra dilatatum, infra angustatum ; mandibule angulus rotun- 
datus, dentes primores inferiores acuminati. 
a. Molares 2. 
Hydromys. 
6. Molares 4. 
a. M.tuberculati. 3. M.plani, opposite —-y. M. alternatim incisi. 


incisi. 
Mus. Mystromys. 2 ( Sigmodon. 
Cricetus. Rhombomys. = | Neotoma. 
Dendromys. Psammomys. SS < Elimodon. 
Akodon. Meriones. E | Reithrodon. 
Hapalotis. Euryotis. wa | Ctenodactylus. 
Pseudomys. & ( Myodes. 
3 < Hypudeus. 
c. Molares 4. fs ‘a 
Sminthus. = 
d. Molares 4. 
a. M. tuberculati. {. M. plani, incisi. 
Perognathus*. Saccomys. 


Distributed over the whole earth. 


IX. Casrorina. Corpus robustum, magnum, pedes 5-dactyli, pos- 
teriores palmati; dentes primores validi, cestiformes, molares t 
complicati, latere altero triplicati, altero implicati. 

Castor, Myopotamus. 
Geog. distr. Northern & temperate districts of Old & New World. 
Myopotamus belongs to the southern half of South America. 

X. Hysrricrva. Corpus aculeis teretibus validis, setis intermixtis 
vestitum ; foramen infraorbitalemaximum; clavicule incomplete; 
dentes molares + complicati. 


a. Philogea. {. Philodendra. 
Hystriz. Erethizon. 
Atherura. Cercolabes. 


(Synetheres and Sphiggurus.) 
Southern Europe, Asia, Africa and America. 
XI. Susuneutata. Corpus pilis tectum, cauda brevissima aut nulla, 
ungues subunguleformes, foramen infraorbitale permagnum, 
claviculz incompletz, dentes molares ¢. 


a. Molares complicati. b. Molares compositi. 
Dasyprocta. Hydrocherus. 
Celogenys. Cavia. 

Confined to South America. Kerodon. 


XII. Dupricipentata. Dentes primores superiores duplicati, foramen 
infraorbitale parvum, foramina optica conjuncta, palatum osseum 
singulariter coarctatum, clavicule partim incomplete, partim 
complete. 

Lepus, Lagomys. 
Distributed over the whole earth with the exception of NewHolland. 


* Dipodomys, Gray (see vol. vii. p. 521), will perhaps be placed here. 
1 g y Pp perhap P 


Bibliographical Notices. 53 


The new genera and species described are :— 

Ruomsomys. Dentes primores superiores sulcati; molarium lami- 
nz obtuse rhomboidee, medio dilatatz ; os interparietale trans- 
versim coarctatum; habitus murinus, cauda longa crassius- 
cula, dense et breviter pilosa, apice subfloccosa. This genus is 
founded on Meriones robustus. Fr. Cuvier’s Gerbille indéter- 
minée (Trans. Zool. Soc. ii. 2. p. 143) belongs decidedly here. 

Rhombomys pallidus. Rh. supra pallide flavidus, subtus albido- 
lutescens, auriculis parvis; cauda crassiuscula, supra isabellina, 
infra lutescente, apice nigro-fasciculata; dentibus primoribus 
superioribus bicanaliculatis. 


Bady . O73 pe iol Ge Tail without hair 5! 1"! 
Projecting hair. 0 6 Length ofear... 0 6 
Hinder foot to apex of the claw .......... 1 5 


Hab. South-eastern Russia. 

Mysrromys. Dentes primores leves haud sulcati, molarium la- 
melle (2-3) medio anfractz, parte altera paululum post alte- 
ram posita; auricule pilose ample, cauda breviter et dense 
pilosa, mediocris, apicem versus attenuata. 

M. albipes. M. subbrunneo-griseus, nigro irroratus, subtus griseo- 
albidus, pedibus albis, cauda supra fusca, infra albida. 

Body, in straight line.. 4" 11! Body curved.. 5! 3!” 
div Sees gee Bis iasleaies 20) Ace ene th of ear O97 95 
Hinder foot with claw . 0 113 Breadth ofear 0 7 

Hab. South Africa. 

Euryotis pallida, Wagn. E. supra flava, nigro intermixta, lateribus 
subtusque e lutescente albida; auriculis mediocribus; cauda 
supra nigra, basi flavida, subtus lutescente ; dentibus primori- 
bus superioribus bisulcatis, inferioribus unicanaliculatis. 

The length of the largest specimen in a straight line is 5! 9!", 
curved 6! 1’; of the tail, the apex of which is wanting, 2’ 7!; of 
the smaller specimen, the body curved = 5" 3!", tail 2!" 6’. 

Hab. South Africa. 

Dendromys pumilio, Wagn. D. fulvus, subtus albus. 

Body in straight line 2" 8", curved 2” 11'"; tail 38"; ear 
0” 5! front foot with claw 0" 43''’; hinder foot 0! 8!”. 

Hab. South point of Africa. 

Pteromys aurantiacus, Wagn. Pt. supra aurantio-fulvus, subtus al- 
bidus, sparsim ochraceo-lavatus; patagio prope carpum in an- 
gulum acuminatum excurrente, cauda plana, disticha, castanea. 

Body 5" 10'; tail somewhat mutilated 4! 3’; ear 0" 5!”. 

Hab. Island of Banca. 

Lepus Mediterraneus, Wagn. L. timido multo minor, auriculis capite 
longioribus, medio nudiusculis, apice nigris ; nucha artubusque 
ochraceo-rufescentibus, cauda supra nigra, infra albida, stria 
alba post oculos. 


Body in straight line 13! 6!" Curved.... 15% 5!" 
[SIERO tors ene etree ree Jan Harseii. Si4rss 
Tail with hair about 3 0O Ear-fissure. 3 & 


Hab. Sardinia, Gibraltar ? 


54 Bibliographical Notices. 


8. ‘ On the Genera and Species of the Comatule,’ by Joh. Miller, 
which terminates the present part. 
In concluding this notice, we may express the wish that the va- 
rious parts may appear with more regularity than heretofore. 
W. Francis. 


The Naturalist’s Library : Mammalia: Vol. xi. Marsupialia, or 
Pouched Animals. By G. R. Waterhouse, Esq., Curator to the 
Zool. Soc. Lond. 


Tue eleventh volume of this valuable and deservedly popular work, 
containing a history of the ‘ Marsupialia, or Pouched Animals,’ has 
just appeared. The confusion in which the Marsupials have been 
hitherto involved, renders a volume exclusively devoted to them pe- 
culiarly interesting ; the author of the work being an able naturalist 
and possessing abundant facilities for the successful prosecution of 
his labours, of which he has availed himself with great acumen and 
industry in the execution of his task. 

Mr. Waterhouse commences by an Introduction, in which a con- 
cise review is taken of the history of the Marsupialia from the time 
of Linnzeus to the present day, in which the views of various natu- 
ralists are examined,—a preliminary step to an exposition of the 
principles by which he is guided in the arrangement of these singular 
mammals. The point at issue between some naturalists of great 
eminence—namely, whether the Marsupialia constitute a natural 
group, of which the component parts are linked together by such 
bonds of structural relationship as cannot be dissolved with pro- 
priety, or whether the group is unnatural, its assumed component 
parts belonging, in truth, to other orders—is discussed with great 
clearness. 

Cuvier, Geoffroy St. Hilaire, De Blainville, and Owen, celebrated 
no less for anatomical than for zoological knowledge, insist upon the 
former position. Among their opponents are Storr, Illiger, Swainson, 
and Ogilby. After detailing the arguments of these scientific men, 
and giving the results of his own analysis of the Marsupials, which he 
considers as forming a natural order, Mr. Waterhouse, alluding to 
Mr. Swainson’s erroneous assertions, ‘‘ that nearly all our leading 
naturalists have acknowledged the artificial nature of the assem- 
blage,” thus writes : ‘I think we might, on the other hand, say with 
safety, that all the most eminent anatomists (these being at the 
same time zoologists) agree in uniting them..... I could wish, how- 
ever, that this important question should not rest upon authority ;— 
but to go through the train of reasoning by which the anatomists 
have arrived at their conclusions, would require more space than can 
be spared in a volume like the present.” 

“It has often been stated that the Marsupiata consist of animals 
of most dissimilar organization, and are united together only by a 
single peculiarity ; however little weight some zoologists may attach 
to this single peculiarity, its value was almost immediately appre- 
ciated by the anatomists and physiologists. But I will now proceed 


Royal Society. 55 


to show that the animals under consideration are united by many pe- 
culiarities, these serving to distinguish them from all other quadru- 
peds ; whilst the rich collections now in the British Museum, and in 
that of the Zoological Society, show that the most dissimilar forms 
of marsupial animals are linked together by species exhibiting the 
intermediate grades of structure.” 

Mr. Waterhouse next enters into an examination, brief but still 
satisfactory, of their structural peculiarities, in which he refers to 
the labours of Professor Owen and others who have thrown so much 
light upon them. With respect to the mode in which the species 
are worked out, we cannot speak too highly. In the instances (and 
they are not few) where a confusion of synonyms has perplexed the 
inquirer, we find the knot unravelled; and though, in many cases, 
names given by modern naturalists to old and previously described 
species must sink, we feel assured that the imposers themselves of 
these names will rejoice, so that science be but benefited. The de- 
scriptions are full and clear; nearly all of them, indeed, says the 
author, were ‘‘ carefully drawn up by myself from the original speci- 
mens contained either in the museum at Paris, the British Museum, 
or that of the Zoological Society*.” 

We cannot conclude our notice of the present really valuable con- 
tribution to natural history without referring to the plates. These, 
to the number of thirty-four, are faithful delineations of the species 
represented, and are at once effective and artistical. 


PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 


ROYAL SOCIETY. 


May 20, 1841.—The following papers were read, viz.— 

1. “Catalogue of Geological Specimens procured from Kergue- 
len’s Land during the months ot May, June, and July, 1840.” 

2. “Catalogue of Birds collected on board Her Majesty’s Ship 
Terror, between the Cape of Good Hope and Van Diemen’s Land.” 

3. ‘ Description of Plants from Kerguelen’s Land, collected in 
May, June, and July, 1840.” 

The above papers are by John Robertson, Esq., Surgeon of Her 
Majesty’s Ship Terror, and were presented to the Society by the 
Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and communicated by the 
President of the Royal Society. 

4. «On the Fossil Remains of Turtles discovered in the Chalk 
Formation of the South-East of England.” By Gideon Algernon 
Mantell, Esq., LL.D., F.R.S. 

In this paper, the author gives a description, accompanied with 
drawings of a remarkable fossil Turtle, referable to the genus Emys, 
and named from its discoverer, Mr. Bensted, the Hmys Benstedi, 
which has been lately found in a quarry of the lower chalk of Kent, 


* And here it may be observed, that the number of species at present 
known, all of which are described in the volume before us, amounts to ninety- 
seven. Desmarest, in his ‘ Mammalogie’ (1820), has characterized only forty- 
three. 


56 Gealogical Society. 


at Burham, which is situated near the banks of the Medway, between 
Chatham and Maidstone. The specimen discovered consists of the 
carapace or dorsal shell, six inches in length and nearly four inches 
in breadth, with some of the sternal plates, vertebree, eight ribs on 
each side of the dorsal ridge, a border of marginal plates, and one 
of the coracoid bones. It is adherent to a block of chalk by the 
external surface of the sternal plates. The marginal plates are 
joined to each other by finely indented sutures, and bear the impress 
of the horny scales or tortoise-shell with which they were originally 
covered. ‘The expanded ribs are united together throughout the 
proximal half of their length, and gradually taper to their marginal 
extremities, which are protected by the plates of the osseous border. 
Mr. Bell considers the species to which it belonged as being closely 
allied in form to the common European Emys, and as possessing a 
truly fluviatile or lacustrine character. ‘The plates of the plastron, 
however, as also the coracoid bone, resemble more the corresponding 
bones of marine than of freshwater turtles. 


GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 


Dec. 16, 1840.—A paper ‘‘On the Relative Connection of the 
Eastern and Western Chalk DVenudations,” by P. J. Martin, Esq., 
F.G.S., was read. 

The author advances this as the first of a series of papers on the 
construction of that part of the country usually considered as 
appertaining to the great chalk denudation of the Weald, or more 
properly, the upburst of the secondary formations between the 
tertiary of the respective basins of London and Hampshire. 

In venturing on this field of inquiry, he professes also to take up 
the subject where it was left by him in two former memoirs, one 
published in 1828 under the title of a‘ Geological Memoir of Western 
Sussex, with some Observations on Chalk Basins and the Weald 
Denudation,’ the other in the ‘ Philosophical Magazine’ for Fe- 
bruary 1829; and to extend the number of demonstrative facts that 
bear upon the theory of denudation by disruptive violence and con- 
temporaneous aqueous abrasion, there brought forward as a corollary 
to Dr. Buckland’s theory of ‘ Valleys of Elevation.’ 

In pursuance of this object, he begins by an examination into the 
arrangement of the great chalk dome of Hampshire and Wiltshire,— 
the Patria of the chalk of Pennant and Conybeare; its anticlinal 
lines of disturbance or upheaval, and their connections with those 
of the Weald and the smaller western denudations of Pewsey, War- 
dour and Warminster. 

He finds that six great anticlinal lines are the main instruments 
of the upbearing of this abraded chalk; that the three which 
characterize the smaller anticlinal western valleys are projected 
onward, and in a manner decussate three others which emanate 
from the western extremity of the greater valley of the Weald, the 
vale of Wolmar Forest, from whence he starts his inquiry ; and that 
these lines do not inosculate or enter into each other ; approxima- 
ting, indeed, but little in any part of their course ; severally dying 


Geological Society. 57 


out, and their respective synclinal lines playing off into each other. 
Their course is rather irregular, and their force exceedingly varia- 
ble ; but their general parallelism is maintained throughout, their 
progress being E. and W., with a point to the N. 

The Pewsey line, after passing through the valleys of Ham and 
Kingsclere, is traceable between Woolverton and Hannington, on 
towards Monks Sherborne, and fades away at Old Basing, apparently 
without entering the tertiary beds of the London basin*. ‘This 
meets in synclinal relation with a line projected from the north- 
west corner of the Wolmar valley from Pease Marsh, near Guildford, 
through Farnham and the high chalk range of Froyle, Shaldon, 
Dummer and Popham, and appears to fade away in the country 
west of Andover, where it is lost in the greater swell of the Burgh- 
clere Hills, and the more dominant power of the Pewsey upheaval. 

The anticlinal line of Wardour, left by Dr. Fitton (in his ‘ History 
of the Beds below the Chalk’+) at Harnham Hill, S. of Salisbury, 
Mr. Martin finds traceable eastward, north of Dean Hill, and east of 
the Avon, to the banks of the Test, where it dips under the tertiary 
beds between Michaelmarsh and Romsey, and appears to fade away 
between the above-mentioned river and the Itching. In synclinal 
relation this line is also met and passed by a very remarkable anti- 
clinal, traceable in strict approximation with, and by-and-by to be 
proved to be the proximate cause of, the whole line of the South 
Down escarpment (with a small exception between Lewes and Poy- 
nings) from Beachy Head to East Meon. In the vicinity of this place, 
at Langrish, it enters the chalk, passes through the anticlinal valley 
of Chilcomb near Winchester and that city, and is lost in the Bos- 
sington Hills, pointing towards, but not satisfactorily traced into, 
the Warminster line. 

The details of all three lines of elevation are made out in the 
Ordnance Map, and sections given of the most illustrative points : 
and Mr. Martin adds some observations respecting the entrance of 
the great central line of elevation of the Weald into the chalk at 
Selborne, and its progress westward between the lines of Pease- 
marsh on the north, and of Greenhurst or the South Down on the 
south, till it fades away in the great plateau of Salisbury Plain. 

The author concludes this paper with some reference to the sub- 
ject of transverse fractures in these several longitudinal fissures, and 
the cross drainage, to which, like that of the Weald, he proposes to 
return, in extension and emendation of the disquisitions formerly 
published by him, as above alluded to, and which will be adduced 
as illustrative of the strong probability, if they do not amount (in 
connexion with the phenomena of drift) to absolute proof, of the 


* The author thinks, that although this line fades away as it enters the 
tertiary beds at Old Basing, it is probable that, after passing silently along 
the London basin, it is revived again in the Isle of Thanet, which is a 
chalk outlier, by protrusion; in the same way that the parallel line of 
Portsdown Hill, High-down, near Worthing, and the Seaford Cliff (figured 
by Dr. Mantell) does on the southern coast. 

+ Geol. Trans., Second Series, vol. iv. p. 244 ef seq. 


58 Geological Sociely. 


close relation of the acts of upheaval and violent aqueous abrasion. 
This necessarily implies the belief that the date of these lines of 
disturbance is posterior to that of all the stratified beds of the south- 
east part of England, as maintained in the author’s former essays, 
but into the full discussion of which he declines to enter till the 
whole subject is before the Society. 


Jan. 20, 1841.—A paper was first read, ‘‘ On the Teeth of Species 
of the Genus Labyrinihodon (Mastodonsaurus Salamandroides, and 
Phytosaurus (?) of Jager) from the German Keuper and the Sand- 
stone of Warwick and Leamington,” by Richard Owen, Esq., 
F.G.S., F.R.S. 

The Warwick sandstone having been considered by some geolo- 
gists to be the equivalent of the Keuper*, and by others of the 
Bunter Sandstein}, and as its true position remains to be deter- 
mined, Mr. Owen, in the preliminary remarks to his memoir, points 
out the assistance which the discovery of reptilian remains in the 
Warwick sandstone of the same generic characters as those of fossils 
obtained in the Keuper of Germany, may afford in determining the 
question. 

Before he proceeds to describe the fossils forming the immediate 
object of his paper, Mr. Owen shows that the genus Phytosaurus 
was established on the casts of the sockets of the teeth of Masto- 
donsaurus ; and that the latter generic appellation ought not to be 
retained, because it recalls unavoidably the idea of the mammalian 
genus Mastodon, or else a mammilloid form of the tooth, whereas all 
the teeth of the genus so designated are originally and, for the 
greater number, permanently of a cuspidate and not of a mammil- 
loid form; and because the second element of the word, saurus, 
indicates a false affinity, the remains belonging, not to the Saurian, 
but to the Batrachian order of Reptiles. For these reasons, and be- 
lieving that he has discovered the true and peculiarly distinctive 
dental characters of the fossil, he proposes to designate the genus by 
the term Labyrinthodon. 

The only portions of the Batrachian found in the Keuper of Ger- 
many, which have hitherto been described, consist of teeth, a frag- 
ment of the skull, and a few broken vertebre; and in the Warwick 
sandstone of teeth only. In this memoir, therefore, Mr. Owen 
confines his ‘attention to a comparison of the dental structure of the 
Continental and English remains. ‘The teeth of the Labyrinthodon 
Jaegeri (Mastodonsaurus Juegeri, Meyer) of the Keuper are of a 
simple, conical form, with numerous fine longitudinal striations ; 
and the teeth transmitted to Mr. Owen from the Warwick sandstone 
by Dr. Lloyd, bear a very close resemblance tothem. ‘Their external 
characters not being sufficient to establish either specific or generic 
identity, Mr. Owen had sections prepared for microscopic examina- 
tion of portions of teeth of the Labyrinthodon Jaegeri forwarded to 
him by Prof. Jager, and of the English reptile; and though, from 
his previous examination of the intimate texture of the teeth of the 


* See Proceedings, vol. ii. p. 453. + Ibid, vol. ii. p. 565. 


Geological Society. 59 


Plesiosaur, Megalosaur, as well as of the Crocodile, Monitor, and 
most recent Lacertians, he did not hope to detect such modifications 
of structure as would obviously mark specific or even generic iden- 
tity, yet the slices exhibited such decided characters, and those of 
the German fossils agreed so intimately with the sections obtained 
from the Warwick specimen, that Mr. Owen was enabled not merely 
to separate these fossils from all known reptilian animals, but to 
establish a generic community of character in the Keuper and sand- 
stone remains. It was not, however, until he had caused sections 
to be made in various directions, and had studied them attentively in 
comparison with the teeth of true Saurians, Batrachians, and other 
animals, that he was enabled to comprehend the principle of the 
singular cerebriform convolutions which pervade the dental struc- 
ture of this remarkable reptile. The base of the tooth of the Ich- 
thyosaurus approaches most nearly in character to the peculiarities 
of nearly the entire tooth of the Labyrinthodon. It is impossible to 
convey clearly without illustrations the structure alluded to. It 
may, however, be stated, that in the fang of the tooth of the Ichthy- 
osaurus vertical folds of the external layer of cement (the enamel 
ceasing at the base of the crown) are inflected inwards, at pretty 
regular distances around the circumference of the tooth, towards 
the centre to a distance about equal the breadth of the interspaces 
of the inflected folds ; the interspaces being occupied by correspond- 
ing processes of the dentine, which radiate from the central mass 
of that substance. The thickness of this interblended cement and 
dentine, surrounding the pulp-cavity, is about one-eighth of the dia- 
meter of the tooth. 

The plan and principle of the structure of the tooth of the Laby- 
rinthodon are the same as those of the tooth of the Ichthyosaurus, 
but they are carried out to the highest degree of complication. The 
converging vertical folds of the external cement are continued close 
to the centre of the tooth, and, instead of being straight, simple la- 
mellz, they present a series of irregular folds, increasing in com- 
plexity as they proceed inwards, and resembling the labyrinthic an- 
fractuosities of the surface of the brain; each converging fold is 
slightly dilated at its termination close to the pulp-cavity. The 
ordinary laws of dental structure are, however, strictly adhered to, 
and every space intercepted by a convolution of the folds of the 
cement is occupied by corresponding processes of the dentine. 
These characters were presented by a transverse section of a frag- 
ment of a tooth of the Labyrinihodon Jaegeri from the German 
Keuper, which included about the middle third part of a tooth, 
and Mr. Owen considers that the entire length of the tooth might 
be 34 inches, and the breadth at the basis 14 inch. 

The external longitudinal grooves, which correspond to the in- 
flected folds of the cement, extend upwards from the base of the 
tooth to about three-fourths of its height, decreasing in number as 
the tooth diminishes in thickness, and disappearing about half an 
inch from the summit of the tooth. Each fold of cement penetrates 
less deeply as the groove approaches its termination ; and Mr. Owen 


60 Geological Society. 


conceives that the structure of the upper part of the tooth may be 
more simple than that of the lower, but he has not yet been able 
to extend his investigations to it. 

The dentine consists of a slender, central, conical column or 
<‘ modiolus,”’ hollow for a certain distance from its base, and radi- 
ating outwards from its circumference a series of vertical plates, 
which divide into two, once or twice, before they terminate at the 
periphery of the tooth. Each of these diverging and dichotomizing 
vertical plates gives off throughout its course narrower vertical 
plates, which stand at nearly right angles to the main plate, in rela- 
tion to which they are generally opposite, but sometimes alternate. 
Many of the secondary plates, which are given off near the centre 
of the tooth, also divide into two before they terminate. ‘They par- 
take of all the undulations which characterize the inflected folds of 
the cement. 

The central pulp-cavity is reduced to a line, about the upper third 
of the tooth; but fissures radiate from it, corresponding in number 
with the radiating plates of the dentine. One of these fissures is 
continued along the middle of each plate, dividing where it divides, 
and penetrating each bifurcation and process; the main fissures ex- 
tend to within a line or half a line of the periphery of the tooth ; 
the terminations of these, as well as the fissures of the lateral pro- 
cesses, suddenly dilating into subcircular, oval, or pyriform spaces. 
All these spaces constitute centres of radiation of the fine calcige- 
rous tubes, which, with their uniting clear substance, constitute 
the dentine. The number of these calcigerous tubes, which are the 
centres of minor ramifications, defies all calculations. Their diameter 
is the -,pth of a line, with interspaces equal to seven diameters of 
their cavities. 

Mr. Owen then compares the structure of the section of a tooth 
procured in the sandstone of Coton-End Quarry, and lent to him by 
Dr. Lloyd of Leamington. The tooth nearly resembles in size and 
form the smaller teeth of Labyrinthodon figured by Prof. Jager. All 
the peculiarities of the labyrinthic structure of the Keuper tooth are 
so clearly preserved in this specimen, that the differences are merely 
of a specific nature. 

At the upper part of the tooth a thin layer of enamel*, besides a 
coating of cement, is inflected at each groove towards the centre of 
the dentine; but about the middle of the tooth the enamel disap- 
pears, and the convolutions consist of interblended layers of cement 
and dentine. Thus, on the supposition that the tooth of the Laby- 
rinthodon of the German Keuper be capped with enamel, its extent 
must be less than in the tooth of the Warwick sandstone. 

The inflected folds are continued for a greater relative distance 
before the lateral inflections commence than in the German species, 
and the anfractuosities are fewer in number, and some of the folds 


* Mr. Owen has subsequently ascertained that this is not true enamel, 
but a layer of firm dentine, separated from the rest by a thin stratum of 
fine calcigerous cells. 


Geological Society. 61 


are reflected backwards from near the central pulp-cavity for a short 
distance before they terminate. 

The modifications of the complex diverging plates of the dentine 
hardly exceed those of a specific character, and the dentine itself is 
composed of calcigerous tubes of the same relative size and dispo- 
sition as in the Labyrinthodon Jaegeri. 

In a section taken from the middle of a smaller and relatively 
broader and shorter conical tooth from the Warwick sandstone, Mr. 
Owen found that the anfractuosities were more complicated, with 
numerous secondary and tertiary foldings, and the external layer 
of cement was relatively thicker than in the Lab. Jaegert. 

The generic identity of the Reptiles, indicated by the teeth from 
the Warwick sandstones, with the Mastodonsaurus of the German 
Keuper, Mr. Owen believes to be fully established by the concord- 
ance of their peculiar dental structure above described. And in con- 
clusion, he says, if, on the one hand, geology has in this instance 
really derived any essential aid from minute anatomy, on the other 
hand, in no instance has the comparative anatomist been more in- 
debted to geology than for the fossils which have revealed the most 
singular and complicated modification of dental structure hitherto 
known ; and of which not the slightest conception could have been 
gained from an investigation, however close and extensive, of the 
teeth of existing animals, 


A paper by C. Lyell, Esq., F.G.S., was afterwards read, ‘‘ On the 
Freshwater Fossil Fishes of Mundesley, as determined by M. 
Agassiz.” 

In a memoir on the boulder formation and associated freshwater 
deposits of Eastern Norfolk*, Mr. Lyell stated, on the authority of 
Mr. Yarrell and the Rev. L. Jenyns, that the scales and teeth of fishes 
which had been then procured in the fluviatile beds of Mundesley 
belonged to the Hsox lucius, to a trout or an undeterminable species 
of Salmo, to a carp, probably the Cyprinus carpio, and to a distinct 
species of Perca. 

This collection, with some additions recently sent to the author 
by Mr. Wigham, was examined by M. Agassiz during his late visit 
to England. The decision of Mr. Jenyns with respect to the distinct- 
ness of the perch, M. Agassiz fully confirmed; but he was of opinion 
that the pike differs from the Hsox lucius, and that the supposed carp 
is a species of Leuciscus ; and that the trout is not truly a trout, al- 
though one of the same great family. 

From this examination, therefore, Mr. Lyell says it is apparent that 
these remains belong to species not identical with any European 
freshwater fishes hitherto described; but that they nevertheless be- 
long to an ichthyological fauna, more modern and more nearly re- 
sembling the recent than any other with which M. Agassiz is ac- 
quainted in a fossil state. 

Similar remains have been found by Mr. Lyell at Runton, near 


* See Proceedings, anté, p. 171. 


62 Zoological Society. 


Cromer, but both there and at Mundesley the associated testacea all 
belong to living freshwater species ; even the Paludina minuta (Strick- 
land), which Mr. Morris has pointed out to the author to be iden- 
tical with the P. marginata of Michaud, a living French species. 
It is a question therefore, the author states, whether these unknown 
fishes may not still inhabit the rivers and lakes of the more northern 
parts of Europe or America, especially as M. Agassiz is at present 
unacquainted with the freshwater fishes of Norway, Sweden, Spitz- 
bergen, Iceland, Greenland, Labrador and Canada, and even of the 
northernmost parts of Scotland and the Shetland Islands; and in 
conclusion Mr. Lyell says, it seems natural to look northward for 
types analogous to the Mundesley fishes, because the beds in which 
they occur were deposited contemporaneously with the drift accu- 
mulated by the agency of floating ice. 


ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
Nov. 24, 1840.—William Yarrell, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 


A paper by W. J. Broderip, Esq., was read, in which the author 
proceeds with his descriptions of the new species of shells collected 
in the Philippine islands by H. Cuming, Esq. 


Hexix (Cocutostyia) Ticaonica. Hel. testé subpyramidali, trun- 
catd, anfractibus 5 ventricosis, ultimo longe maximo, apice sub- 
complanato, lineis incrementi subobliquis, levissimé striato; aper- 
turd modicd. . 

Var. a. Brunnea, strigis oblique longitudinalibus latis albis picta; 
apice subpurpureo ; aperturd albidd ; labit limbo subpurpureo. 

Var. b. Brunnea, strigis oblique longitudinalibus albis creberrimis 
JSucata; fascia basali latd obscurd; labit limbo subpurpureo. 

In this variety the broad white stripes of the body-whorl are so 
frequent, that they run into each other, leaving only brown inter- 
stices here and there. 

Var. ce. Brunneo-nigricans, strigis latis et maculis irregularibus albis 

rarioribus ornatis; labii limbo subpurpureo. 

In this variety, the stripes, so far as they go, are very distinct; 
but on the last part of the body-whorl they are broken up and inter- 
rupted so as to form spots. The ground-colour of the body-whorl 
is very dark chestnut-brown, with a darker, but very obscure, broad 
basal band. 

Var. d. Flavescens strigis albis fucata, fascid latdé basali brunneo- 

nigricante ; labit limbo purpureo-nigricante. 

Var. e. Ex albido flavescens seu subvirescens; anfractibus 2 ultimis 
strigis latis albis ornata ; anfractu basali lineis transversis basa- 
libus interruptis subobscuris vittato; aperturd albdé; labii limbo 
ochraceo-rubro ; apice roseo. 

Var. f. Ex albido flavescens seu virescens; anfractu ultimo strigis 
latis albis interdum subangulatis ornato; fascia basali brunneo- 
lineata, latd; aperturd alba ; labii limbo vix ochraceo-rubescens. 


Zoological Society. 63 


In this variety hardly any stripes are visible, except upon the 

body-whorl. 

Var. g. Ex albido pallide et obscure virescens, fascid basali lineatd 
lata ; aperturd albd ; columella violaceo-subpurpured ; labii limbo 
viv pallidissime rubente. 

Var. h. Sordide virescens lineis transversis obscuris vittata; fascid 
basali sordide brunned latd ; aperturd albd ; columelld violascente; 
labii limbo pallid rubente. 

Var. i. Cinerascens; fascid basali latd, lineatd, brunned; aperturd 
sordidé albd ; labii limbo brunneo-nigricante. 

The ground-colour beneath the epidermis is rich brown, which is 

exposed where the epidermis is abraded. 

Habitant varietates a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, et 7, in insula Ticao. 

Legit H. Cuming in sylvis. 

Var. k. Grandior, ex albido cinerascens lineis transversis obscure 
brunneis cincta ; fascid basali lineato-vittatd brunned latd ; aper- 
turd albidd ; labii limbo purpurascente. 

In this variety the ground-colour is brown: the riband-like, 

broad basal band is dark brown. 

Var. 1. Productior, e brunneo cinerascens, vittis brunneo-nigricanti- 
bus cincta; fascid basali latd brunneo-nigricante; aperturd obscure 
purpurascente ; labii limbo nigricante. 

The ground-colour of this variety is brown, which becomes deeper 

on the lower whorls, and is exposed where the epidermis is abraded. 

Habitant varietates k, et 1, in insula Masbate. 

Legit H. Cuming in sylvis. 

In none of the varieties do the markings appear before the third 

whorl, and in several only on the two last. 

This species varies in size from about 24 inches long by 2 broad, 

to 18 inch long by 13 inch broad. (W. J. B.) 


Buuinus Guimarasensis. Bul. testd obovaid, nitide glabra, anfrac- 
tibus 5 subventricosis ; lineis incrementi oblique longitudinalibus 
striatd ; apertura et labii limbo albis. 

Var. a. Ex-albido-subvirescens ; fascid basali obscuriore ; apice sub- 
roseo. ‘ 

Var. b. Anfractibus superioribus, fascid suturali, ultimo fascid sub- 
basali castaneo cinctis ; apice castaneo-roseo. 

This species is nearly allied to Bulinus citrinus, but differs from it 
in many points. B. Guimarasensis is without transverse strie, and 
the whorls are comparatively ventricose. In B. citrinus all the 
striped varieties which I have seen are marked longitudinally. 

The var. b. of Bul. Guimarasensis has a narrow chestnut trans- 
verse line very near the suture of the body-whorl, the base of which 
body-whorl, below the transverse band, becomes greenish. A brown 
stripe adjoins and borders the columella.; 

Var. a. is 24 inches long by 14 inch broad. 

Var. #. is less. 

Hab. in insula Guimaras. 

Legit H. Cuming in sylvis. (W. J. B.) 


64 Zoological Society. 


BuLinus CAMELOPARDALIS. Bul. testd productd, gracili, subpupi- 
formi, subdiaphand, anfractibus 6 haud ventricosis, ultimo ceteris 
longiore ; aperturd subovatd, mediocri; lineis incrementi creber- 
rime substriatd; ex albido flavescente, strigis fulvis, distinctis 
sublongitudinalibus ornatd ; aperturd albidd, labii limbo nigro- 
castaneo. 

Long. 2 poll. circiter; lat. % poll. 

Hab. ad Sibonga in insula Zeba. 

Legit H. Cuming dumis adherentes. (W. J. B.) 


Butinus Diana. Bul. testd valde productd, subdiaphand, anfracti- 
bus 7 haud ventricosis, ultimo ceteros interdum haud equante, 
pallide flavd strigis albidis creberrimis fucatd ; aperturd et apice 
albis. 

Var. a. long. 22; lat. 1 poll. 

Var. b. Flava haud strigata, apertura et apice albis. 

Legit H. Cuming. 

The first variety was found by Mr. Cuming on the leaves of bushes 

at Tanhay in the isle of Negros. 

The second or unstriped variety was taken by him in the island 
of Siquijor on leaves of trees. Among the latter, some faintly- 
striped individuals show the transition from one variety to the other. 
The young of the striped variety have stripes; but the young of 
the unstriped variety are of a uniform pale yellow. (W.J. B.) 


Buuinus Cauista. Bul. testd diaphand, anfractibus 7 subventri- 
cosis pallide flavd albido strigatd; apice subroseo vel roseo-cas- 
taneo ; labiu EOL castaneo- purpurascente. 

Var. a. long. 2 22; lat. 13 poll. 

Intervals in the whitish epidermis leave the yellow ground-colour 
in sufficiently well-defined longitudinal irregular stripes, which are 
often zigzagged. Found on bushes. 

Var. 6. Gracilior, nana. Long. 14; lat. 3 poll. 

The shell of this variety is rather thicker. Among them some 
occur with the lip barely tinged with ochraceous red and a white 
apex. Found on the leaves of trees. 

Var. c. ee ps roseo, labii limbo castaneo. 

Long. 2; lat. +4 poll. 

Found on the “ee of bushes. Some have an obscure narrow 
transverse band on the body-whorl. 

Var. d. Subflava, epidermide albo-cinerascente; fascid basali nitide 

flavd ; apice et labii limbo albis. 

Long. 12; lat. 14 poll. 

Found on the leaves of bushes. Among these some occur which 
still retain the coloured lip and tinged apex. In the very young 
state the shell is perfectly transparent. 

Hab. ad Tanhay in insula Negros. 

Legit H. Cuming. 

The last variety bears a strong resemblance to Bulinus Diana; nor 
should I be at all surprised to see some intervening varieties that 


Zoolegical Society. 65 


would lead to the conclusion that Bulint Diana and Calista belong 
to the same species. (W. J. B.) 


Butinus Catyrso. Bul. testd diaphand, subventricosd, subpyra- 
midali, anfractibus 5, lineis incrementi levissime striatis ; co- 
lumelld subangulatd, albidd, teniis virescentibus cinctd ; apice et 
labii limbo roseo-purpurascentibus. 

Long. 14; lat. Z poll. 

Hab. ad Tanhay insule Negros. 

Legit H. Cuming in sylvis. 

A dark rosy-purplish stripe borders the columella, which is itself 

tinged with red. I have seen but two specimens, one with an in- 
jured lip, and in that the columella is not subangulated as it is in 


the more perfect one. (W. J. B.) 


Buuinus Dacrytus. Bul. testd vald? productd, attenuatd, anfrac- 
tibus 7, ultimo ceteros equante, brunned, epidermide cinerascente ; 
aperturd ovatd, carned vel albidd; labii limbo castaneo-purpuras- 
cente. ; 

Long. 27; lat. 13 poll. 

Hab. in montibus Tayabas insule Luzonie. 

Legit H. Cuming foliis.arborum adhzrentes. 

Through the ashy epidermis the brown ground-colour appears in 
most of the specimens in the shape of obscure longitudinal stripes: 
in very old specimens scarcely any striping is apparent. The brown 
ground-colour is well shown near the aperture, where the attrition 
of the animal has exposed it. Very old shells are all but opake : 
younger ones are subdiaphanous. ‘There is in all that I have seen an 


obscure brown fillet towards the base of the body-whorl. (W.J.B.) 


Buuinus Bonotensis. Bul. testd elongatd, graciliore, subdiaphand; 
anfractibus 6, lineis incrementi oblique striatis ; ochraceo-cine- 
rascente strigis longitudinalibus angulatis distinctis ornatd; labit 
limbo castaneo-nigricante. 

Var. a. Gracilis strigis vald? distinctis anfractuum parte superiore 
suturam juata castaneo-nigricante punctatd. 

Long. 13; lat. £ poll. 

Hab. ad Loon insule Bohol. 

Var. b. Gracilior, strigis creberrimis valde angulatis. 

Long. 14; lat. § poll. 

Hab. cum precedente. 

Var. c. Ventricosior, strigis valde distinctis, subangulatis. 

Long. 18; lat. 1 poll. 

Hab. ad Loboc insule Bohol. 

Var. d. Strigis rarioribus obscurioribus. 

Long. 12; lat. 3 poll. 

Hab. ad Baclayon insule Bohol. 

Legit H. Cuming arborum foliis adherentes. 

The brown ground-colour appearing through the ochraceous- 

cinerascent epidermis produces the stripes of this elegant shell. A 
small portion only of the ground-colour is exposed by the attrition 


Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. F 


66 Zoological Society. 


of the animal near the mouth of the shell, which is whitish or bluish- 
white, bordered with the dark chestnut of the lip. (W. J.B.) 


Butinus Buniura. Bul. testd ovato-rotundatd, diaphand, albidd, 
anfractibus 4 ventricosis, lineis incrementi oblique striatis; aper- 
turd magnd, subumbilicatd. 

Long. 14; lat. 1 poll. 

Hab, in insula Mindoro. 

Legit H. Cuming. 

A milk-white line runs round the sutures. (W. J. B.) 


Mr. Gould resumed the exhibition of his new species of Austra- 
lian birds, and characterized the following species :— 


Epnturanura Tricotor. LEphth. vertice, pectore, tectricibusque 

caude coccineis ; gutture albo. 

Male.—Crown of the head, upper tail-coverts, breast and abdo- 
men bright scarlet; lores, line above and beneath the eye, ear-co- 
verts, occiput and back dark brown; wings brown, each feather 
margined with brownish white; tail dark brown, each feather having 
a large spot of white on the inner web at the tip; chin, throat and 
under tail-coverts white ; irides straw-white ; bill and feet blackish 
brown. 

Female similar in colour, but having only a slight wash of the 
scarlet colouring, except on the upper tail-coverts, where it is as 
brilliant as in the male. 

Total length, 3} inches; Dill, 9; wing, 22; tail, 13; tarsi, 32. 

Hab. ? 


Myzantua opscura. Myz. fronte flavescente-olivaceo; gutture, 
uropygio, et corpore subtis cinereis,—plumis pectoralibus lunuld 
apicem versus notatis, et ad apicem pallide cinereis. 

Forehead yellowish olive; lores, line beneath the eye and ear- 
coverts black; head and all the upper surface dull grey, with an 
indistinct line of brown down the centre of each feather, giving the 
whole a mottled appearance; wings and tail brown, margined at 
the base of the external webs with wax-yellow, the tail terminating 
in white; throat and under surface dull grey, becoming lighter on 
the lower part of the abdomen and under tail-coverts ; the feathers 
of the breast with a crescent-shaped mark of light brown near the 
extremity, and tipped with light grey; irides dark brown; bare 
skin round the eye, bill, and bare patch on each side of the throat, 
bright yellow; legs and feet dull reddish-yellow; claws dark brown. 

Total length, 94 inches; bill, 14; wing, 54; tail, 43; tarsi, 14. 

Hab. Western Australia. 


Pritorrs sonorus. til. loris et strigdé per oculos ductd, ad colli 

latera, nigris plumis auricularibus flavis,—et pone has, notd sor- 

did? albd ;—gutture et abdomine pallidé flavescenti-cinereis, fusco- 
striatis. 

Crown of the head and all the upper greyish olive; wings and 

tail brown, margined on their external webs with greenish yellow ; 

lores, space around the eye and broad line down the sides of the 


Zoological Society. 67 


neck black; ear-coverts pale yellow, behind which is an obscure 
spot of greyish white; throat and under surface pale yellowish grey 
striated with light brown; irides dark brown; bill black; legs and 
feet greenish grey. The female like the male in colour, but smaller 
in all her dimensions. 
Total length, 75 inches; bill, 1; wing, 3%; tail, 34; tarsi, 1. 
Hab, South and Western Australia. 


Prrtotis cratitius. Ptil. vertice cinereo,—loris, strigd superocu- 
lari, et plumis auricularibus nigris,—infra et pone has, penicillo 
angusto, et flavo; a rictu per gule latera ducta appendice nudo, 
corneo, ad marginem inferiorem libero, et belle e gilvo cerulescente. 

Crown of the head grey; all the upper surface olive-green; wings 

and tail brown, margined with greenish yellow; lores, a large space 
surrounding the eye and the ear-coverts black, below which is a 
narrow line of bright yellow; from the gape, down each side of the 
throat for five-eighths of an inch, a naked fleshy appendage, free at 
the lower end, of a beautiful lilac colour and very conspicuous in 
the living bird; anterior to this is a tuft of bright yellow feathers ; 
throat and under surface olive-yellow ; irides “and eyelash black ; 
bill black ; feet blackish brown tinged with olive. 

The female is similar to the male, but SHU 

Total length, 7 inches; bill, £; wing, 23; tail, 34; tarsi, 7 Z. 

Hab. Interior of South Australia and Kangaroo Island. 


GuycipHiILa ALBIFRONS. Glyc. facie albd ; gutture nigro, albo mi- 
nute adsperso; vertice nigro, plumis albo angusté marginatis. 

Forehead, lores and a narrow ring round the eye, and a narrow 
line running from the angle of the lower mandible white ; crown of 
the head black, each feather slightly margined with white; ear- 
coverts silvery blackish gray, behind which an irregular line of white; 
all the upper surface brown, irregularly margined with white, pro- 
ducing a mottled appearance; wings and tails brown, the primaries 
margined externally with yellowish green; chin and throat brown- 
ish black, the former minutely speckled with white; under surface 
of the wing buff; chest and abdomen white, striped with blackish 
brown on the flanks; irides dark brown; bill black; feet blackish 
brown. 

The female is like the male in plumage, but smaller in size. 

Total length, 57 inches; bill, $; wing, 34; tail, 23; tarsi, 7 

Hab. Western Australia. 

Me.ipuaca MystacaLis. Mel. vertice et gutture nigris; strigd 
superoculari angustd, albd; plumis auricularibus densis, albis, 
et penicillum postice acutum efficientibus. 

Head, chin and throat black; over the eye a narrow line of white; 
ears covered by a conspicuous tuft of white feathers, which are 
closely set and terminate in a point towards the back; upper surface 
brownish black, the feathers edged with white; under surface white, 
with a broad stripe of black down the centre of each feather; wings 
and tail blackish brown, conspicuously margined with bright yellow; 
irides brown; bill black; feet blackish brown. 


F 2 


68 Zoological Society. 


Total length, 63 inches; bill, 1; wing, 3; tail, 23; tarsi, 
Hab. Western Australia. 
Nearly allied to Meliphaga sericea. 


Prarycercus ApELAID#. Plat. vertice, pectore, abdomine medio, 
crissoque coccineis ; lateribus viridescenti-flavis ; uropygio sor- 
didé olivaceo-flavo. 

Fully adult male.—Crown of the head, lores, sides of the neck, 
breast and all the under surface scarlet, passing into pale greenish 
yellow on the flanks; cheeks and wing-coverts light lazuline blue ; 
primaries deep blue, passing into black at the extremity; back of the 
neck yellowish buff; back black, each feather broadly margined 
with greenish yellow, some of these marginations tinged with blue, 
others with scarlet; rump and upper tail-coverts dull greenish yel- 
low, the latter tinged with scarlet; two centre tail-feathers greenish 
blue; the remainder deep blue at the base, gradually becoming lighter 
until almost white at the tip; irides brown; bill horn-colour; feet 
grayish brown. 

Total length, 134 inches; wing, 7; tail, 8; tarsi, 3. 

Hab. South Australia. 

This species is subject to great change from youth to maturity ; 
during the first few months it is almost wholly green, and this gra- 
dually gives place to scarlet on the head, rump, under surface and the 
margins of the back-feathers. 


AQUILA MORPHNOIDES. Aq. capite cristd suboccipitali brevi, or- 
nato ; facie nigrescente : corpore subiis rufo: plumis et pectoris et 
abdominis strigd centrali nigra notatis. 

Face, crown and throat blackish brown, tinged with rufous, giving 
it a striated appearance, bounded in front above the nostrils with 
whitish; feathers at the back of the head, which are lengthened 
into a short occipital crest, back of the head, back, and sides of the 
neck, all the under surface, thighs and under tail-coverts rufous, 
all but the thighs and under tail-coverts with a stripe of black down 
the centre of each feather; back, ramp and wings brown, the centre 
of the wing lighter; primaries brownish black, becoming darker at 
the tip, and barred throughout with grayish buff, which is conspicu- 
ous on the under surface, but scarcely perceptible on the upper, except 
at the base of the inner webs; under surface of the wing mottled 
with reddish brown and black ; tail mottled grayish brown, crossed by 
seyen or eight distinct bars of blackish brown, the tips being lighter ; 
cere and bill lead-colour, passing into black at the tip; eye reddish 
hazel, surrounded by a narrow blackish brown eyelash ; feet and toes 
very light lead-colour. 

Total length, 214 inches ; bill, 13; wing, 15; tail, 93; tarsi, 23. 

This species is very robust, and although but a small bird, is in 
every respect a true Aguila, It is nearly allied to, but much stouter 
than Aquila pennata. 

Hab. Yarrundi on the Upper Hunter, New South Wales. 


Burro MELANOsTERNON. JB. rostro grandi, et elongato : guld, pec- 


Zoological Society. 69 


tore et abdomine nigris ; primariis ad basin subtis albis ; caudd 
cinered. 

Crown of the head, face, chin, chest and centre of the abdomen, 
deep black, passing into chestnut-red on the flanks, thighs and un- 
der tail-coverts ; back of the head chestnut-red, becoming black in 
the centre of each feather; shoulders whitish buff; all the upper 
surface deep brownish black, margined with chestnut-red ; primaries 
white at the base, deep black for the remainder of their length ; cere 
and base of the bill purplish flesh-colour, passing into black at the 
tip; irides wood-brown; feet white tinged with lilac. 

Total length, 22 inches; bill, 25; wing, 194; tail, 85; tarsi, 25. 

This species is nearly allied to the Red-tailed Hawk of North 
America, and the Buteo Jackal of South Africa, but from both of 
these it may be distinguished by the jet-black colouring and by its 
more lengthened bill. During flight the white at the base of the 
primaries is very conspicuous, and is strikingly contrasted with the 
black of the chest and the brown of the other part of the wings. 

Hab. Interior of New South Wales. 


Faxico nypotevcos. Fal. corpore superne cinereo-fusco : singulis 
plumis margine dilutiore cinctis : corpore subtis albo ; plumis strigd 
Suscd apud apicem in maculam latam desinente, ornatis. 

Head and all the upper surface grayish brown, the feathers of the 
head having a fine stripe of black down the centre, the remainder 
dark brown in the centre; chin and all the under surface white, with 
a fine line of black down the centre, passing into a spatulate form 
near the tip; outer webs and tips of the primaries brownish black, 
the extreme ends being whitish; their inner webs whitish, crossed 
by numerous narrow bars, fading into a point as they approach the 
edge; tail gray, obscurely barred with brown, and tipped with 
buff. 

Total length 17 inches; bill, 14; wing, 125; tail, 74; tarsi, 13. 

Considerably smaller, but closely allied to the Jerfalcon, Falco 
Islandicus. 

Hab. Western Australia. 


PoDARGUS BRACHYPTERUS Or MACRORHYNCHUS. Pod. rostro pre- 
grandi (ad magnitudinem corporis ratione habitd) et producto ; 
colore corporis obscuro, et minute punctulato. 

Crown of the head and all the upper surface finely freckled gray 
and brown, with a stripe of black down the centre of each feather, 
the light colour predominating on the scapularies ; feathers between 
the eyes and the nostrils chestnut-brown, sprinkled with black and 
tipped with white ; shoulders and lesser wing-coverts deep reddish 
brown; some of the feathers tipped with a white spot, freckled with 
red in the centre; greater coverts and secondaries mingled gray and 
reddish brown, the former tipped like the lesser coverts ; primaries 
reddish brown, regularly barred with buffy-white on their outer webs, 
and with interrupted tawny bands on their inner webs; tail light- 
brown, freckled with black and gray, and crossed by numerous irre- 
gular, narrow, dark-brown bands, freckled with gray; all the under 


70 Zoological Society. 


surface grayish white, each feather crossed by numerous fine and 
irregular bars of tawny and with a stripe of brown down the centre, 
the latter colour becoming chestnut and forming a semilunar mark 
down each side of the neck; thighs black; irides light yellow; bill 
and feet brown. 

Total length 15 inches; bill, 25 ; wing, 9; tail, 7; tarsi, 12. 

In its general appearance this bird closely resembles the Podargus 
humeralis, but is even smaller in size than P. Cuvieri, while at the 
same time the bill is fully equal in size to that of the former species ; 
it also projects much farther from the face than in any other species 
inhabiting Australia. 

Hab. Swan River, Western Australia. 


Maturvus mexanotus. Mal. vertice, guld, abdomine, humeris, cau- 
deque tectricibus lazulino-ceruleis ; loris, nuchd, vittd pectoralh 
et dorso imo nigris. 

Male.—Crown of the head, crescent-shaped mark on the back, 
upper tail-coverts, throat and under surface rich metallic lazuline 
blue ; ear-coverts metallic verditer-blue ; lores, collar round the back 
of the neck, line from the base of the lower mandible down the sides 
of the neck, band across the breast and lower part of the back jet- 
black ; wings brown, margined with pale green ; tail greenish blue, 
tipped with grayish white ; irides, bill and feet black. 

Female.—Lores rufous; head and all the upper surface rufous 
brown; all the under surface brownish white; tail bluish green, 
tipped with grayish white; bill rufous; irides blackish brown; feet 
brown. 

Total length, 43 inches; bill, $; wing, 2; tail, 23; tarsi, 2. 

This beautiful species may be distinguished from the Malurus 
pectoralis by its rather smaller size, and by the black band across 
the back. 

Hab. Western belts of the Murray in Western Australia. 


CoLLURICINCLA BRUNNEA. Coll. corpore superne fusco ; sic et cor- 

pore subtis, at colore multo dilutiore ; rostro nigro. 

All the upper surface pale brown; primaries and tail the same, 
but somewhat lighter; all the under surface brownish white, be- 
coming almost pure white on the vent and under tail-coverts ; thighs 
grayish brown; bill black ; feet blackish brown. 

Total length, 93 inches ; bill, 13; wing, 42; tail, 44; tarsi, 11. 

The sexes are alike in plumage. 

This species rather exceeds in size the Colluricincla cinerea, Vig. 
and Horsf., and has a more curved, longer and stouter bill. 

Hab. The north-west coast of Australia. 


CoLLURICINCLA RUFIVENTRIS. Coll. corpore superné intense cinereo, 

olivaceo levitér tincto ; abdomine imo, crissoque rufis. 

Lores grayish white ; crown of the head and all the upper surface 
deep gray, slightly tinged with olive ; primaries and tail dark brown, 
margined with brownish gray; throat and under surface darkish 
gray, passing into buff on the vent and under tail-coverts ; all the 


Zoological Society. 71 


feathers of the under surface have 2 narrow dark line down the cen- 
tre ; thighs gray ; irides dark brown; bill black ; feet dark brown. 

Total length 83 inches; bill, 1; wing, 5; tail, 4}; tarsi, 13. 

The sexes are alike in colour. 

About the size of Colluricincla cinerea, Vig. and Horsf., from which 
it may be distinguished by the uniform colouring of the back and 
the buffy tint of the lower part of the abdomen and under tail-coverts. 

Hab. Swan River, Western Australia. 


PacHYCEPHALA RUFOGULARIS. Pach. mas: corpore superné fusces- 
centi-cinereo ; guld et corpore subtis rufis ; pectore vittd fusces- 
centi-cinered obscure notatd. 

Fem. a mare differt corpore subtis albescenti-cinereo haud rufo. 


Male.—Crown of the head and all the upper surface deep brown- 
ish gray ; wings and tail dark brown, the feathers margined with 
grayish brown; lores, chin, throat, under surface of the shoulder and 
all the under surface reddish sandy brown, crossed on the breast by 
a broad irregular band of grayish brown; irides reddish brown; Dill 
black; feet blackish brown. 

Female.—Differs from the male in having the throat and under 
surface grayish white, the chest being crossed by an obscure mark 
of grayish brown and with a line down the centre of each feather. 

Total length, 7 inches; bill, 3; wing, 44; tail, 35; tarsi, 1. 

This species is somewhat allied to P. pectoralis, but may be di- 
stinguished from it by the rufous colouring of the throat, and by the 
band across the chest being grayish brown instead of black. 

Hab. South Australia. 


PAcHYCEPHALA INORNATA. Pach. olivaceo-fusca, abdomine palli- 
diore; plumis corporis inferioris strigd fuscd centrali levitér no- 
tatis. 

All the upper surface grayish olive; wings and tail brown, the 
feathers of the former broadly margined with lighter brown; all the 
under surface brownish gray, becoming nearly white on the vent and 
under tail-coverts, with a fine stripe of pale brown down each fea- 
ther; irides dark brown; bill blackish brown, fleshy towards the 
base; feet blackish brown. 

Total length, 7 inches; bill, }; wing, 33; tail, 34; tarsi, 1. 

This bird has somewhat the appearance of the young or female of 
P. gutturalis, but its larger size and shorter and more robust bill 
distinguish it from that species. 

Hab. Belts of the Murray in South Australia. 


ZOSTEROPS CHLORONOTUS. Zos. dorso olivaceo-viridi ; gutture et 

crisso virescenti-flavis. 

Lores black; crown of the head and all the upper surface olive- 
green ; primaries and tail feathers brown, margined with olive-green; 
throat and under tail-coverts light greenish yellow; breast and under 
surface gray, tinged with brown on the abdomen and flanks ; irides 
wood-brown ; bill brown, lighter on the under mandible; legs and 
feet dark-gray. 

Total length, 4} inches; bill, 7s; wing, 22; tail, 13; tarsi, 2. 

Hab. Western Australia. 


72 Zoological Society. 


December 8.—W. H. Lloyd, Esq., in the Chair. 


A paper by G. B. Sowerby, Esq., was read, in which the author 
continues his descriptions of the new shells collected in the Philip- 
pine Islands by H. Cuming, Esq. 


Heuix Monticuta. Hel. testa suborbiculari, subconicd, tenui, pal- 
lescente, levi; spird brevi, subpyramidali, obtusd ; anfractibus 
quatuor tenerrime (lineis incrementi) striatis, depressiusculis, ulti- 
mo magno, obtusissime angulato, anticé depressiusculo, viridi ; aper- 
turd subtrapeziformi, ungulis posticis acutiusculis ; peritremate 
angusto, tenuiter reflexo, albo ; columella albd. 

Long. 0°9; lat. 0°9 poll. 

Hab. supra foliis arborum apud Lallo, provinciz Cagayan insule 

Luzon, Philippinarum. . 

All the varieties of this pretty species are green in front, and the 
apex appears to be always colourless. ‘The following six varieties 
occur :— 

a. Yellow above; circumference orange-yellow; front green. 
From Lallo. 

b. Yellow above ; circumference orange-yellow, with a dark brown 
sightly interrupted band; green in front. From St. Jaun, in the 
province of Cagayan. 

c. Yellowish white above, with a narrow dull yellowish green 
circumferential band; green in front. From Gattarang, in the pro- 
vince of Cagayan. 

d. Volutions banded in the following crder: band next to the su- 
ture yellowish white ; then a pale green broader band; then a yel- 
lowish white band; then a dark brown circumferential band, with 
jagged edges ; then another yellowish white band, and then green in 
front. From Lallo. 

e. Small; pale yellowish, with a light band, consisting of short 
dark brown lines near to the suture; a dark brown circumferential 
band ; front dull yellowish green. From St. Jaun. 

f. Antesutural band consisting of irregular dark brown lines ar- 
ranged side by side; then a yellowish white band; then a broad, 
dark brown, somewhat mottled and interrupted band; then another 
yellowish white band, and then the green front. From Abulug, in 
the province of Cagayan. 


Hexzrx Coccometos. Hel. testd subglobosd, tenuiusculd, levi, an- 
Fractibus quatuor rotundatis, levigatis, striis incrementi solim in- 
sculptis, ultimo maximo ; aperturd suborbiculari, peritremate re- 
flexo ; labio columellari albo, declivi, obiuso, depressiusculo. 

Long. 1:3; lat. 1°4 poll. 

Hab. supra foliis arborum ad insulam Tablas dictam Philippinarum. 

In general this species bears a great resemblance to a plum, for 
which reason I have called it H. Coccomelos. Several varieties may 
be distinguished. 

a. Apex dark brownish red, softened off gradually to a pale yellow- 
green, which becomes gradually darker, until the body of the last 
volution is of a fine dark green : lip white. 

6. Similar to a, only dark brown instead of green. 


Zoological Society. 73 


e. Of a uniform very dark chocolate-brown, except the second 
and third volutions, which have a rather paler central band: lip 
chocolate. 

d. Apex dark chocolate-brown ; upper part of the spire of a pale 
dull yellowish colour, becoming darker and greener toward the last 
volution, where the ground-colour is olive-green; an antesutural 
dark red-brown broad band ; a circumferential band of a rather darker 
colour, but rather narrower, and the columellar lip surrounded by 
a broad dark band, which is softened off into the dark olive-green 
ground-colour. 

e. Of an uniform pale yellow-brown, becoming very dark near the 
back of the lip, where it is nearly black: lip chocolate. From Cal- 
bayog, island of Samar : found on leaves of trees. 

jf. Similar to e, but having two narrow dark brown Lands: lip 
nearly black behind; white in front. From Calbayog. 


Hexix intorta. Hel. testd suborbiculari, subdepressa, tenui, levi, 
anfractibus 44, ventricosis, tenuissime striatis, plerumque palles- 
cente-flavidis, fasctis tribus castaneis ornatis ; aperiurd sublunari, 
peritremate tenui, tenuiter reflexo; labio columellari rectiusculo, 
extus inclinato, obtuso. 

Long. 1; lat. 1°5 poll. 

Hab. Supra foliis fruticum ad Loboc, insule Bohol, Philippinarum. 

Several varieties of this beautiful species occur; most of them are 
marked with two brown bands, and have the circumference of the 
columella of the same colour; one is of an uniform pale brownish 
colour, and another is almost entirely of a very dark chocolate colour : 
a white line may be observed close to the suture in most of the va- 
rieties. The following are the most distinct varieties :— 

a. Ground-colour pale yellowish; antesutural band very dark 
chestnut-brown; circumferential band of the same colour, and a 
broad band of the same surrounding the columed/a. From Loboc. 

6. Similar to a, but considerably larger, and having a broader 
circumferential band. From Loboc. 

ec. Ground-colour of a pale brown hue; bands the same as ina. 

d. Smaller than a.: ground-colour pale greenish brown; bands 
nearly the same, but very dark and brilliant. From Loboc. 

e. Ground-colour pale yellowish brown ; antesutural band softened 
off in front; in other respects like a. 

Jf. Ground-colour pale yellowish; bands pale chestnut-brown. 
From Loboc. 

g. Ground-colour pale yellow; bands increasing in width toward 
the back of the mouth, where they unite, and where the brown colour 
extends from front to back of the shell: the peritreme is entirely 
white, and the circumference of the columella also. Found on leaves 
of trees on the island of Siquijor. 

h. Ground-colour very pale yellowish ; antesutural band very nar- 
row and indistinct; circumferential band broad, pale, and rather ir- 
regular; lip and circumference of the columella white. From the 
island of Siquijor. 

7. Shell entirely of a pale lemon-yellow, except only a narrow an- 


74 Miscellaneous. 


tesutural dark brown band, which becomes broader towards the lp. 
Found on leaves of bushes at Tanhay, in the Isle of Negros. 

k. Ground-colour very pale yellow-brown ; a brown circumferential 
band, which is only perceptible on the latter half of the last volution. 
From Loboc. 

1. Shell of an uniform pale brownish colour. From Loboc. 

m. Apex reddish-brown; upper part of the shell pale yellowish 
brown, increasing rapidly in intensity, so that nearly the whole of 
the last volution is of a dark chocolate-brown ; columella white ; lip 
nearly black. From Loboc. 


MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY. 


At a meeting of the Microscopical Society held July 2ist, J. 8. 
Bowerbank, Esq., in the Chair, a paper was read from the Rey. J. 
B. Reade, M.A., F.R.S., on the process of charring vegetable tissue, 
as applied to the examination of the stomata in the epidermis of 
Garden Rhubarb. The author, after mentioning the great advantages 
derivable from charring objects for the microscope, which he first 
suggested, goes on to state that it is peculiarly advantageous for ex- 
hibiting delicate membranes, which cannot from their transparency 
be well seen by the ordinary method of viewing objects, in water 
between glasses. It having long been a disputed point with bota- 
nists, whether the stomata in plants were open or closed by a mem- 
brane, the author was led to examine the subject, and for this pur- 
pose took the cuticle of the common garden rhubarb, which was 
obtained by macerating the sheaths investing the flower-stalks for 
a few days in water and then charring it; from his observations he 
arrives at the following conclusions: That the application of the 
process of charring proves beyond a doubt, that the stomata in this 
tissue of the rhubarb are distinct openings into the hollow chambers 
of the parenchyma of the leaf; that the perforation is the rule and 
not the exception in the structure; and that the exception, where it 
exists, 7. e. where the stomata are closed, proves the existence of the 
overlying membrane discovered and described by Dr. Brown. Some 
discussion then followed, in which Messrs. Gray, Lindley, and 
Quekett took a part. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


Analogies of European and Indian Geology.—* Notwithstanding 
the difficulty of establishing the identity in remote quarters of the 
world, of rocks so vaguely characterized as the saliferous marls, yet 
when we have coal-measures affording a certain fixed point, or land- 
mark to guide us, we cannot be very far out in fixing upon the green 
marls, or often friable sandstone, which extend along the lower 
ridges of many parts of the great Himalayan chain, immediately ad- 
joining the plains of Hindostan, as the Indian equivalent of the beds 
in question. Along the southern side of Assam we have the same 
rocks as well as brine-springs, and an earthy limestone, probably 


Miscellaneous. 75 


equivalent to the English lias. On the face of the Cherra mountain 
the green marl rests unconformably on old red sandstone (or that on 
which the coal formation rests), and gives support to the deposits of 
sand in which the marine remains are contained. It is here by no 
means destitute of fossils as in other localities ; on the contrary, we 
found in it six species of univalve shells, a small species of E'chinus 
and a large spined Cidaris. In a note which we made on the cha- 
racters of a fragment of rock brought away from a submerged reef 
near Arracan, by the hull of a ship which struck upon it, we pointed 
out the resemblance between its appearance and that of the green 
conglomerates in question*. 

« A description of the salt formations at the head of the Indus, and 
their relative position to the coal-measures recently found there by 
Mr. Jameson, will be the means of casting much important light on 
this subject in regard to India, and we have fortunately in the gen- 
tleman alluded to a geologist near the spot, fully alive to the import- 
ance of this and other questions of a similar nature. Another equally 
important question is the situation of the great repositories of salt in 
the vicinity of Ajmeer and other situations in Central India, where 
salt lakes abound. Lieut. Fraser, of the Engineers, we recollect, 
sent us a fragment of rock-salt, which was found imbedded in a ba- 
saltic rock when sinking a well at Mhow, about three feet from the 
surface. We have not heard that this curious fact has led to any 
further discovery or research in the neighbourhood alluded to. 


“Tt would be extremely important if we could establish good distin- 
guishing characters between the limestone of the coal-measures and 
that of the more ancient formations, but this, if a matter of difficulty 
in England, is at least an equally difficult thing in India. It is true, 
the subject has here been as yet little investigated, but we cannot 
place the least confidence in those practical men who employ names 
without thinking of their meaning, and speak confidently of lias, 
and carboniferous limestone, primitive limestone, &c., according as 
they happen to suppose any particular specimen they meet with in 
India to be one or other. The limestone so abundant in Kemaon, 
as to form the greater portion of that mountainous district, is so much 
like the limestone of the coal-measures at Cherra Ponji, that no one 
unacquainted with the peculiar relations of the two rocks would sup- 
pose them to be at all different. The geologist, however, perceives 
the vast difference between them at once: the one reposes on clay- 
slate, the other on sandstone; the one occurs in thick continuous 
beds, the other alternates with shale; the one abounds in fossils, 
which scientific men alone would think of looking for, and in the 
other the geologist alone would know that he might look for fossils 
in vain. Speaking of the difference between the limestone of the 
Silurian system and that of Coalbrook dale, Mr. Murchison says, that 
the organic remains, which are in great profusion in the latter, con- 
sist of shells and corals which are characteristic of the carboniferous 
limestone in many other parts of Great Britain, and never occur in 


* Journ. Beng. As. Soc. 1838, p. 936. 


76 Miscellaneous. 


the inferior limestones of the Silurian system. Among these the 
most prominent are the large Productus hemisphericus, and many co- 
rals, including Lithodendron sexdecimale (Clodocora of Ehrenberg), 
which is so abundant that it constitutes the greater part of the layers 
of black calcareous shale which divide the beds of limestone. The 
black limestone in which these remains are found is overlaid by a 
sandstone which separates it from the productive coal-beds, and is 
underlaid by strata belonging to the lower limestone. 

~ « Mr. Murchison particularly alludes to a specimen of Lithosortion 
floriforme, a species of coral two feet five inches broad by one and a 
half high, which appeared in a quarry to retain the original position 
in which it grew, and conveyed the impression that it had remained 
undisturbed beneath the sea, while fine red sand at one time, and 
mud at another, were deposited around it. 

‘«« These corals are also found in the limestone of the Cherra Ponji 
coal-measures ; and in a large heap of limestone collected by Mr. 
Inglis of Chattack, for the purpose of burning for lime, I found 
the first fossil I had observed in a similar rock in India, thus indi- 
cating the presence of a coal district. The object of the journey 
would not, however, admit of my visiting the quarry, but there can 
be no question that the rock alluded to is connected with the nume- 
rous indications of coal formations that have been found in that vici- 
nity. One other corresponding character may be mentioned between 
the Cherra Ponji coal-beds and those of Coalbrook dale, namely, that 
the coal-measures do not graduate downwards into the older rocks. 
The limestone of Cherra, which alternates with beds cf sandstone and 
shale, seems to rest immediately on the old red sandstone, as in the 
Coalbrook dale beds. Mr. Murchison observes, that the carboniferous 
limestone has not in Coalbrook dale any regular downward passage 
into the old red sandstone, as in other districts; on the contrary, the 
old red terminates at the southern end of the tract, and has never 
been found beneath the coal-measures. On the north bank of the 
Severn the underlying stratified rocks throughout the productive coal- 
field consists of various members of the Silurian system. 

«« Mr. Murchison concludes his observations on this coal-field by a 
notice of the faults and dislocations occasioned by trap rocks. ‘The 
district affords proofs of having been raised up from beneath the sur- 
rounding new red sandstone in separate wedge-shaped tracts, the 
most remarkable dislocation being that which bounds the coal-field 
to the east. The coal-measures along this line are not less than 
1000 feet thick, and as some of the lower seams of coal are thrown 
up to the level of the overlying strata of new red sandstone, the 
upcast is thus shown to have exceeded 1000 feet, though to what 
further extent has not yet been ascertained. It will be recollected 
that we formerly explained the elevated position of the Cherra coal- 
measures in precisely the same way that Mr. Prestwich and Mr. 
Murchison now account for the great upcast of the Coalbrook dale 
field*, the only difference in the two cases being, that in India the 


* See Report of a Committee for investigating the Coal and Mineral Re- 
sources of India. Calcutta, 1838, p. 24. 


Miscellaneous. i7 


dislocation is not confined to the coal-measures, but extends to the 
old red sandstone, the whole series of which, with the coal-measures 
reposing on them, having been at Cherra Ponji thrown 3000 feet 
above those which have been recently found by Major Lister and 
others at the bottom of the same mountains. It is of much import- 
ance to draw comparisons between geological phenomena of this na- 
ture in remote parts of the earth, as tending not only to put our 
theories to the test, but also to correct and give confidence to our 
views, which, however complicated they may appear when derived 
from a narrow field of observation, become gradually simplified and 
important in proportion as our data become general.” —M‘Clelland’s 
Calcutia Journal of Natural History. 


Suggestions for Experiments on the Conservation of Vegetative 
Powers in Seeds, circulated by a Committee of the British Asso- 
ciation.—These experiments are intended to determine the follow- 
ing questions :— 

1. What is the longest period during which the seeds of any plant 
under any circumstances can retain their vegetative powers ? 

2. What is the extent of this period in each of the natural orders, 
.genera and species of plants? and how far is it a déstinetive cha- 
racter of such groups ? 

3. How far is the extent of this period dependent on the apparent 
characters of the seed ; such as size, hardness of covering, hardness 
of internal substance, oiliness, mucilage, &c. ? 

4, What are the circumstances of situation, temperature, dryness, 
seclusion from the atmosphere, &c. most favourable to the preser- 
vation of seeds ? 

To answer these questions satisfactorily will require the aceumu- 
lation of a large mass of facts; and although there are many dif_fi- 
culties in the way of such an investigation, and many years may 
elapse before it can be brought to maturity, yet it is desirable that 
the British Association should commence the collection of materials 
for the purpose. It is proposed then to invite botanists and others 
to undertake the following series of experiments, and to communi- 
cate the results to the British Association. 

These experiments are either Retrospective or Prospective. 


A. RETROSPECTIVE EXPERIMENTS. 

1. By collecting samples of ancient soils from situations where 
vegetation cannot now take place, and by exposing these soils to air, 
light, warmth, and moisture, to ascertain whether any, and if any, 
what, species of plants spontaneously vegetate in them. 

N.B.—Care must of course be taken that no seeds obtain ad- 
mittance into these soils from external sources,—such as the 
air or water introduced to promote vegetation. 

These ancient soils are either natural or artificial deposits. 

The natural deposits belong either to past geological periods or 
to the recent period. 

a. The deposits of past periods are either secondary or tertiary. 

N.B.—There seems every reason to believe that the age even 
of the latest of these deposits is far beyond the maximum 


78 Miscellaneous. 


period through which vegetative powers can be preserved ; 
yet as many accounts are recorded of seeds vegetating spon- 
taneously in such soils, it would be well to set these state- 
ments at rest by actual experiment. 

In such experiments, state the formation, and describe the geolo- 
gical phenomena of the locality, together with the depth from the 
present surface at which the soil was obtained. 

b. Natural deposits of the recent period may be classed as fol- 
lows :— 

Alluvions of rivers. 
Tidal warp land. 
Shell marl. 
Peat. 
Surface-soil buried by landslips. 
Ditto ditto by volcanic eruptions. 

In these cases, state the nature of the soil, the depth from the sur- 
face, &c.; and especially endeavour to obtain an approximate date 
to each specimen of soil, by comparing its depth from the surface 
with the present rate of deposition, or by consulting historical re- 
cords. It would be well to submit to experiment a series of samples 
of soil taken from successive depths at the same locality. 

e. Artificial deposits are as follows :— 

Ancient tumuli. 

Ancient encampments. 

The soil beneath the foundation of buildings. 

The soil with which graves, wells, mines, or other excava- 
tions have been filled up. 

Ridges of arable land, &c. 

In these cases, state, as before, the depth from the surface, and 
ascertain from historical sources the approximate age of the deposit. 

2.. By trying experiments on actual seeds which exist in artificial 
repositories. These are,— 

Seeds in old herbaria and botanical museums. 

Seeds obtained from mummies, funereal urns, at Pompeii, 
Herculaneum, &c. 

Dated samples of old seeds from nurserymen and seedsmen. 

In these eases, state the circumstances in which the seeds have 
been preserved, and their date as nearly as it can be ascertained. 


B. Prospective ExPERIMENTS. 

In this department of the inquiry, it is proposed to form de- 
posits of various kinds of seeds under different conditions, and to 
place a portion of them at successive periods under circumstances 
calculated to excite the process of vegetation. In the case of cer- 
tain species or families of plants, it would perhaps require many cen- 
turies to determine the limit of their vegetative powers, yet it is 
probable that a very few years would suffice to fix the maximum 
duration of the greater number, and that many interesting results 
might thus be obtained even by the present generation of botanists. 
It is proposed then to form a collection of the seeds of a great 
variety of plants, (including, wherever it is possible, at least one 
species of every genus,) and to pack them up (carefully labelled) 


Meteorological Observations. 79 


either alone, or mixed with various materials, as sand, sawdust, 
melted wax or tallow, clay, garden mould, &c. in various vessels, as 
glass bottles, porous earthen jars, wooden boxes, metal cases, &c., 
placed in various situations, as under-ground, in cellars, dry apart- 
ments, &c. At certain intervals increasing in extent,—say at first 
every two years, then every five, every ten, and, at the lapse ofa 
century, every twenty years, a small number (say twenty) of each 
kind of seed, from each combination of circumstances, to be taken 
out and sown in an appropriate soil and temperature, and an exact 
register kept of the number of seeds which vegetate compared with 
those which fail. 

Should it appear desirable for this project to be carried out by 
the British Association, they might most effectually accomplish it 
by committing a collection of seeds, formed on the above plan, to 
some qualified person, whose duty it should be, in consideration of 
a small annual stipend, to take charge of them, and at stated periods 
to select portions for experiment, keeping an accurate register of 
the results. ; 

In this manner it is believed, that in regard to the large majority 
of plants, the limit of their vegetative durability would be deter- 
mined in a very few years, and that a large mass of vulgar errors on 
this subject, which now pass current for facts, would be cancelled 
and exploded. 

N.B.—The most effectual way of exciting vegetation in seeds 
of great antiquity, is to sow them in a hot-bed, under glass, 
and in a light soil moderately watered. 


METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR JULY 1841. 

Chiswick.—July 1. Overcast. 2. Hazy: overcast and fine: slight rain. 3. 
Hazy and mild: very fine. 4,5. Very fine. 6. Rain: fine. 7. Fine: rain. 
8. Fine: clear. 9. Very fine. 10. Fine: rain. 11. Overcast. 12. Cloudy 
and mild. 13. Cloudy. 14. Showery. 15. Heavy thunder-showers : constant 
heavy rain. 16. Cloudy. 17,18. Fine. 19. Very fine. 20. Heavyrain. 21, 
Overcast: rain. 22. Cloudy. 23. Cloudy and fine. 24, 25. Cloudy. 26,27. 
Light haze: fine. 28. Cloudy. 29. Cold and dry: cloudy: slight rain. 30, 
Fine but cool. 31. Rain: cloudy.—The quantity of rain which fell on the 15th 
was unusually great, amounting to nearly an inch and a half in the course of 
the twenty-four hours. 

Boston.—July 1. Rain. 2. Cloudy. 3. Fine. 4. Cloudy: rain p.m. 5. 
Cloudy. 6. Rain and stormy: rain early a.m.: rainr.m. 7. Cloudy: rain p.m. 
8. Fine. 9. Cloudy: rainr.m. 10. Fine: rain early a.m. 11. Cloudy. 12. 
Fine: rain e.m. 13. Cloudy: rainr.m. 14. Fine. 15, 16. Fine: rain p.m. 
17. Fine. 18. Cloudy: rainr.m. 19. Fine: rainr.m. 20. Rain: rainy day. 
21. Cloudy: rainr.m. 22. Cloudy: rain r.m., with thunder and lightning. 23. 
Cloudy: rain r.m. 24—28. Cloudy. 29. Cloudy and stormy: rain a.m. and 
pM. 30. Fine. 31. Cloudy: thunder and lightning v.m. 

Applegarth Manse, Dumfries-shire.—July 1. Fine: one shower. 2. Fine and 
fair, but cloudy. 3. Sunshine and rain. 4. Slight showers. 5. Rain all day. 
6. Fair and fine. 7. Cloudy a.m.: fine p.m. 8. Fine: one shower. 9. The 
same. 10. Wet afternoon. 11. Slightshowers. 12. Slight showers, but heavier. 
13. Heavy showers: thunder. 14. Incessant showers. 15. Heavy rain till noon. 
16. Fair and fine. 17. Fair but threatening, 18. Fair and warm: thunder. 
19, Fine with a few drops. 20, 21. Rain p.m. 22. Slight showers. 23. Cloudy 
but fair. 24, Fineall day. 25. Remarkably fine. 26. Showers. 27. Showers 
pM. 28. Oneslight shower. 29. Fair throughout. 30. Fair but threatening. 
31. Fair with a few drops, 


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THE ANNALS 


AND 


MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 
No. 49. OCTOBER 1841. 


IX.— Observations on the Rodentia. By G. R. WareRnousE, 
Ksq., Curator to the Zoological Society of London. 


[ With a Plate. ] 
[Continued from p. 600, vol. iii., N. S., of the Mag. Nat. Hist. ] 


Family VI. Barnyvereip”®. 


Tuts family appears to be entirely confined to Southern Africa, 
and is composed of but few known species, and these consti- 
tute the two genera Bathyergus of Illger and Orycterus of F. 
Cuvier. 

The situation which the Bathyergide should occupy among 
the Rodents is difficult to determine. They agree with the 
Hystrices, Capromys, Echimys, &c. in having the descending 
ramus of the lower jaw thrown out from the outer side of the 
alveolar portion; but in the genera just mentioned the de- 
scending ramus is of a triangular form, and the posterior 
angle is produced and pointed. They moreover always have 
a large ant-orbital opening, the palate is almost always deeply 
emarginated behind, and the malar bone is deep and com- 
pressed. These and other characters which I shall have to 
notice in my next paper, I seek for in vain in the Bathyergide ; 
and on the other hand, when I turn to the Murine or Sciurine 
groups, I do not find a single example in which, combined 
with other characters peculiar to those groups, the descending 
ramus of the lower jaw is not thrown out from the under side 
of the alveolar portion. Of the Bathyergide I am acquainted 
with but four species*, and of only two of these have I had 
an opportunity of examining the skulls, viz. Bathyeryus ca- 
pensis and Orycterus maritimus. 

Their chief characters are as follows :— 

Dentition.—Incisors broad ; molars == or <~ , subrooted, 
small, equal, or very nearly equal, in size, and the series on 
each side of each jaw parallel. 

In Bathyergus the incisors of the upper jaw are less curved 
than in most Rodents, and remarkable for their great length, 

* Bathyergus capensis, Desm., B. ce@cutiens, Licht. (which is the B. 
Hottentotus of Lesson and Garn., and the B. Ludwigii of Dr. Smith), B. 
Damarensis, Ogilby, and Orycterus maritimus. 


Ann. & Mag. N. Hist, Vol. vii. G 


82 Mr. G. R. Waterhouse on the Rodentia. 


being extended backwards behind the last molars ; they are 
destitute of longitudinal grooves. The molars are ==; the 
entering folds of enamel are very simple, there being but one 
external and one internal deep fold to each tooth. 

In Orycterus the upper incisors are shorter and much more 
curved, and are furnished with a deep longitudinal groove in 
front ; those of the lower jaw are destitute of grooves, are very 
deep from front to back, and slightly concave at the sides. 
The molars are <7, nearly cylindrical, but their antero-pos- 
terior diameter is the shortest, excepting in the front molar 
of the lower jaw. In the skulls before me the teeth are worn, 
and exhibit scarcely any trace of folds of enamel entering 
into the body of the tooth. 

In both genera the enamel of the incisors is colourless, and 
the incisors of the lower jaw are extended backwards to the 
condyle. 

The skull of the Bathyergide is rather broad, much con- 
tracted between the orbits, and (as in_ other Rodents which 
live for the most part underground*) the cranial cavity is pro- 
portionally small. The nasal bones are narrow and elongated. 
In Orycterus they are nearly of equal width throughout, 
whilst in Bathyergus capensis they are considerably broader 
behind than before. The anterior root of the zygomatic arch 
is formed entirely of the superior maxillary bone, and incloses 
a small ant-orbital opening: the lower boundary of the zygo- 
matic process of the maxillary is slightly concave, so that the 
anterior portion of the zygomatic arch is slightly thrown up 
from the plane of the palate. This is more decidedly the case 
in Bathyergus Capensis, in which the ant-orbital foramen is 
rather larger. The malar bone is of moderate size, and is ex- 
tended backwards so as to enter into the composition of the 
glenoid cavity. The portion of the palate situated between 
the molar teeth is remarkably contracted, and this part de- 
scends below the level of the anterior portion of the palate, 
and is continued some distance beyond the last molar. The 
incisive foramina are very small, and there are no openings in 
the posterior portion of the palate. The glenoid cavity of the 
temporal bone is very broad. In Orycterus the posterior por- 
tion of the malar bone forms a longitudinal ridge, which no 
doubt tends to restrain to a certain extent the lateral motion 
of the condyles of the lower jaw, but in B. capensis this ridge 
is wanting. The auditory bullz are of moderate size—larger 
in Orycterus maritimus than in B. capensis. In the former 
animal the upper surface of the skull! forms nearly a straight 


* Compare the skull of the burrowing Marmots With that of their con- 
geners the Squirrels, and that of Spalax with the Rats. 


Mr. G. R. Waterhouse on the Rodentia. 83 


line in the longitudinal direction, being but slightly arched, and 
the plane of the occiput is vertical; whereas in B. Capensis 
the plane of the occiput is slightly oblique, receding from the 
upper part. 

Lower Jaw.—The lower jaw has the descending ramus (a) 
Plate II, thrown out from the outer side of the alveolus of the 
inferior incisor (0). 

In Bathyergus Capensis the descending ramus approaches 
somewhat to a semicircular form: its greatest extent is in the 
longitudinal direction of the jaw, and its greatest depth is be- 
neath the condyle; in front it is curved suddenly upwards 
and inwards so as to form an obtuse angle at (c). 

In Orycterus maritimus the descending ramus is thrown 
much more boldly out from the alveolar portion of the jaw, 
and is of very great extent; the lower part is curved inwards, 
and the posterior part is produced far beyond the line of the 
condyle, becoming gradually narrower towards the extremity. 

The coronoid process is small in these two genera, and situ- 
ated in a line with the last molar. The condyloid process is 
short, and the articular surface is large and rounded. 

As regards the characters furnished by the skull and lower 
taw, the present group is very isolated. In the structure of 
the molar teeth and in the contracted form of the palate be- 
tween them, Bathyergus approaches most nearly to Spalax*, 
but in other cranial characters there is a wide difference. 

The skull of the animal figured by Dr. Ruppell under the 
name Bathyergus splendens agrees in most of its characters 
with that of Spalax, and in some respects links that genus 
with Rhizomys; here the ant-orbital foramen is of moderate 

* I was induced, owing to the remarkable form of the lower jaw, to place 
Spalax near to Geomys, but upon re-examination I fear I have given too 
much weight to that character. This genus J have no doubt will prove an 
aberrant form of the Murid@, and I think it will be more correct to regard 
the Arvicolide as constituting a subfamily of that group than as a section of 
equal importance. _ Since the publication of the former parts of this paper I 
have had an opportunity of examining several skulls belonging to species of 
these sections which I had not before seen. ‘The skull of Rhizomys I was 
only acquainted with through Temminck’s figure ; the skuli itself I have now 
examined, and I am quite satisfied that the animal belongs to the family 
Muride. The skull of Ascomys mexicanus 1 find agrees in all essential 
characters with that of Geomys (see fig. 71. p. 596, Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. 
iii. New Series). The differences between Ascomys, Geomys, Diplostoma 
(Richardson) and Pseudostoma are, it appears to me, not of sufficient im- 


portance to entitle them to rank as distinct genera. These genera or sub- 
genera form a very natural little section of the Arvicolide, differing from the 


more typical species of that group in having — molars, and these small 


and of very simple structure, and also in the absence of any ant-orbital fo- 
ramen for the transmission of a portion of the masseter muscle: the very 
small slit found at the root of the zygoma in these animals evidently serves 
only to admit the passage of the ant-orbital nerve. 


G 2 


84 Mr. Hassall on the Functions performed by the Hairs - 


size and opens obliquely upwards, the coronoid process is 
long as in Spalax, the lower incisor runs backwards and out- 
wards, and the thin layer of bone covering its base forms a 
protuberance (d) on the outer side of the condyle (e), in this 
respect resembling both Rhizomys and Spalax. The descend- 
ing ramus springs from the under side of the alveolus of the 
inferior incisor, and not from the outer side, as in the true 
Bathyergide. The posterior part of the descending ramus 
is not directed outwards, as in Spalax; but is on the same 
plane as the horizontal ramus, as in Rhizomys. The molar 
teeth agree closely with those of Spalax, as well as with Ba- 
thyergus, being nearly cylindrical, of equal size, and having 
but one external and one internal fold of enamel ; the incisors 
are proportionally broader than in Spalax. 

The great difference between the skull of Bathyergus splen- 
dens and that of Spalax typhlus consists in the form of the 
occiput, it being vertical in the former, or very nearly so; but 
I very much suspect that the peculiar form of occiput which 
we observe in Spalax typhlus (which is the only species of the 
genus the skull of which I have seen) does not constitute a 
character indicative of affinity. I think it very likely to vary 
in the different species of the genus. 

On the whole, it appears to me, that the animal called Ba- 
thyergus splendens by Ruppell should be removed from the 
genus in which he has placed it, and might be arranged either 
with the species of Spalax or perhaps between that genus and 
Rhizomys, and I thirk it probable Rodents may hereafter be 
found connecting the Bathyergide with these genera. 


EXPLANATION OF PLATE II. 
Fig. 1. Skull of Orycterus mariti- | Fig.2a. Lower jaw of Bathyergus ca- 


mus. pensis, viewed from beneath. 
1 a. Under side of do. 2b. Side view of do. 
1b, Under side of lower jaw. Fig. 3. Bathyergus splendens of Rup- 
a, a. Descending ramus. pell. 
6. Alveolus of incisor. 3 a. Side view of skull. 
1c. Lower jaw viewed from above. 3 5. Lower jaw, view from above. 
1d. Side view of do. d. ‘Termination of incisor. 
Fig. 2. Bathyergus capensis. e. Condyle. 


X.— Observations* on the Functions performed by the Hairs 
on the Stigma in Campanulacezee, Composite, and other 
Plants. By Antuur Hivty Hassauz, M.R.C.S.L., Corre- 
sponding Member of the Dublin Natural History Society. 


I HAVE read with much interest some observations by M. 
Adolphe Brongniart on the ‘ Functions of the Hairs on the 


* The principal of these observations were written during the summer of 
last year. 


on the Stigma in Campanulacee, &c. 85 


Stigma in the Fecundation of Campanulacez,’ contained in 
a recent Number of the ‘ Annals,’ and translated by W. A. 
Leighton, Esq. To this subject, previously to the appearance 
of these remarks, I had paid some attention. I do not, how- 
ever, concur in all the conclusions arrived at by that able in- 
vestigator. 

If the flower-bud of any of the Campanulz be examined a 
day or two prior to the expansion of the corolla, the sta- 
mens will be observed to envelope and conceal the whole sur- 
face of the pistil. If it be again examined, about the period 
of the unfolding of the blossom, the anthers may be seen to 
open and disclose their contents. As soon as this has oc- 
curred, the stamens having performed the office allotted them, 
begin to wither away, in consequence of the juices destined 
for their nourishment being now directed into a new channel. 
The pistil, immediately on the dehiscence of the anthers, in- 
creases rapidly in size, carrying with it in its upward pro- 
gress, (as by a brush) by means of the hairs upon its surface, 
the pollen granules. This increase, amounting frequently to 
thrice the original length of the pistil, arises, partly, from the 
excitation of the new action now set up in it, but mainly from 
the accession of the nutriment formerly sent to the stamens, 
but now no longer required by them. 

These hairs are found in all the Campanulacez, save only 
the small genus Petromarula, extending from the base of the 
style to the apex of the stigma, externally, and arranged in 
lines, corresponding in number and position with the sta- 
mens; they are directed horizontally and slightly curved at 
their extremities. Their surface is lubricated by a secretion, 
or perhaps, I should rather say, an exudation, serving to 
retain the pollen in contact with them. ‘The office per- 
formed by these hairs is undoubtedly purely mechanical, 
acting, first, as collectors of the pollen, and subsequently, as 
props, to sustain it in contact with the fecundating surface— 
entangled amidst the hairs it is not readily scattered or dis- 
turbed. Adolphe Brongniart’s account of the anatomy of the 
hairs I consider to be satisfactory ; although I do not deem 
his comparison of their retractile movements to that of cer- 
tain Annelides, or the tentacula of snails, to be at all analo- 
gous, the phenomenon in the latter cases being voluntary and 
vital, the result of complex organization ; and, in the former, 
merely mechanical, presenting nothing peculiar or extraor- 
dinary in its nature, but arising simply from the absorption 
or drying up of the fluid contained in the hair itself, and in 
the expansion at its base*. 


* The retraction of the hairs does not take place until some days after 
the application of the pollen, the greater part of which then falls off in con- 


86 Mr. Hassall on the Stigma in Campanulacez, sc. 


M. Brongniart states, “that the pollen grains undergo no 
modification either during their application to the hairs or when 
drawn along with them in their retractile movement, and con- 
sequently no connexion exists between them and the interior 
of the style.” From this it follows, that fertilization can only 
take place through the medium of what are considered to be 
true stigmas, viz. the internal surfaces of the three (occasion- 
ally four) diverging rays on the top of the style. This sfate- 
ment is wholly opposed to the result of my investigations. 
The outer of the mass of pollen grains adherent to the hairs 
certainly suffer no material change ; but if those in contact 
with the style be examined, a single pollen tube of consider- 
able length may be observed to pass from the greater number 
of the granules, apparently losing itself in the tissue of the 
style, which I believe it to penetrate through the interspaces 
between the hairs. ‘This view of the matter is further sup- 
ported by the following corroborative evidence. Ist. The 
great mass of pollen collected on these hairs, contrasted with 
the small quantity, or even occasional absence of it, on what is 
called the true stigmatic surface. 2ndly. The structure of the 
surface itself—it being covered with papillae resembling the 
hairs themselves in all save length. 3rdly. That this surface 
sometimes does not expand, and when it does, frequently 
but toa small extent, and this only when the process of fertili- 
zation is evidently far advanced, and the flower itself some- 
times even beginning to fade. 

From the observation of these facts, I have come to the 
conclusion, that not only the surface of the true stigma, but 
more particularly of that portion of the style itself which is 
covered with hairs, is essentially concerned in the fecundation 
of Campanulacez. 

These collecting hairs are by no means peculiar to the Cam- 
panul, but exist in the whole of the family Composite, and 
in many genera of other orders. I have observed them in Col- 
lomia grandiflora, Veronica chamedrys, Hyacinthus orientalis, 
Ivia maculata, Haworthia radula, Godetia rubicunda, and 
Epilobium hirsutum. In the Composite they are admirably 
adapted to the office they are destined to perform, viz. that of 
harrowing up the pollen grains, being all sloped upwards and 
terminating in a sharp point. These hairs in Haworthia ra- 
dula cover the true stigmatic surface, are longest near the cir- 
cumference, and become mere papillz towards the centre of the 
stigma. In Veronica chamedrys they also cover the stigmatic 
surface, but a depression is to be observed in the middle free 


sequence of the loss of their support.—Adolphe Brongniart speaks of this 
retraction of the hairs as presenting a phenomenon unexampled in the 
vegetable kingdom. 


Capt. S. E. Widdrington on Huropean Pines. 87 


from hairs, while in Jvia they are arranged along the edges of 
the stigmata. It is however to the structure of the stigmata of 
Epilobium hirsutum and Godetia rubicunda that | would par- 
ticularly call attention, conceiving them to confirm in the 
strongest manner my opinion that the stigmatic function in 
the Campanulacez is not limited to that part which is usually 
considered to constitute the proper stigma. These are quadri- 
partite, and each division of their true stigmatic surface is 
covered with hairs precisely resembling those of the Campa- 
nulacee. 

I am about to try an experiment, the issue of which will 
determine the truth or fallacy of my deductions, as far as the 
Campanulacez are concerned. As each flower of Campanula 
pyramidalis comes into blossom, I intend to cut away the 
whole of the true stigmatic branches, leaving only the lower 
portion of the style covered with hairs and pollen. Should 
perfect seeds ripen upon this plant, the question will, [ think, 
be satisfactorily decided. 

August 1841. 


XI.—On some species of European Pines. By Capt. 8. E. 
WipprRINGTON*, R.N. 


In a paper which was read before the British Association at 
Newcastle (Ann. Nat. Hist., vol. il. p. 163), the two species of 
P. austriaca and P. Pumilio were not fully described, nor 
their places in the system as to elevation assigned. This de- 
ficiency, which was caused by my not having seen these spe- 
cies growing in their natural sites, a recent tour in Austria 
and Upper Germany has enabled me to supply. 

The Pinus austriaca of the English, P. nigrescens of the 
German botanists, partly covers, as it no doubt once did en- 
tirely, the plain of Austria to the south and east of Vienna. 
There is an extensive remnant of it between Neustadt and the 
foot of the Semering range, which divides Austria and Styria. 
It also partly clothes the hills near Baden ; but in ascending 
the range it soon disappears, and is replaced by the spruce 
and Scotch firs. I am not aware of its being seen to the north 
of the localities I have mentioned, nor in the northern pro- 
longation of the range, there called the Wiener Wald. In 
Styria I never saw it to the north of the river Muhr ; but it 
ranges to the south of Styria, forming a sort of link between 
the European pine series and that of the Caucasus and of 
Asia. On considering the elevation and geography of these ha- 

* Late Cook. Read in the Section of Zoology and Botany at the meeting 


of the British Association, Plymouth, and communicated by the Author. 
See his paper on Pinus and Abies, Ann. Nat, Hist., vol. iii. p. 296. 


88 Capt. 8. E. Widdrington on Huropean Pines. 


bitats, it must undoubtedly be placed in the zone below P. syl- 
vestris. At the same time there is no question that it is suffi- 
ciently hardy to resist any cold to which it is lable to be ex- 
posed in these islands. The thermometer at Vienna fell last 
winter to 19° of Reaumur, and in 1830 to 22°, or nearly 18° 
below zero of Fahrenheit, a degree I believe seldom, if ever, 
seen in Britain, at least in modern times. 

This species is very nearly connected with P. taurica or 
Pallasiana; the foliage is scarcely to be distinguished ; but on 
comparing the cones of the two species, as grown in the Bota- 
nical Garden at Vienna, I was struck with a difference in the 
form of the scales, and had the satisfaction of being imme- 
diately told that the same remark had been made by Mr. Brown, 
who had examined them. As, however, experience has shown 
me the mistakes which are made by judging of pines from spe- 
cimens grown in gardens, and especially in nursery grounds, 
where the treatment sometimes entirely alters the habit of the 
tree, | made application for, and was promised by the en- 
lightened director of the botanical department, Mr. End- 
licher, cones of both species taken from the natural forests at 
the proper season, which will probably enable the question of 
their identity or distinctness to be decided. 

From the quick growth of this tree, the great beauty of its 
foliage, which is long, thick and tangled, and of the deepest 
green, as well as the great value of the timber, which the 
Austrian woodmen consider superior to that of P. sylvestris, 
it cannot be too strongly recommended to the attention of 
planters. It is equally fitted for the forest or the park, for use 
or for ornament, and its deep tints would form an admirable 
contrast with the light and transparent foliage of the elegant 
Pinus hispanica. 'The country is very much indebted to Mr. 
Lawson of Edinburgh, who first introduced this interesting 
species, and it cannot be too generally used with the Laricio, 
a congener, as a substitute for the Pinaster, which has rather 
unfortunately been tried in some parts of the West of England, 
the timber being comparatively valueless, and in every other 
respect very inferior to the species we are now considering. 
It cannot be too strongly urged on those who have the care 
of making fir plantations for future utility, to plant the ever- 
greens, which are to remain, at the requisite distances, and to 
have the fillings-up entirely of larch. By adopting this method 
several advantages accrue. ‘The woodmen make no mistakes 
in selecting, during the process of thinning, and no spaces 
are left too open or too close. The evergreens, which require 
more or less care when young, are more readily looked after, 
and their places supplied where necessary, in case of failure. 
The larch should be planted a year or two before the ever- 


Capt. S. E. Widdrington on European Pines. 89 


greens, by which time the grass is grown, and affords a shelter 
and protection against the destruction of game, &c. The tri- 
fling difference in the shelter between the evergreen and deci- 
duous species is more apparent than real, and is more than 
compensated by the superior value of the larch thinning and 
the additional fertility imparted to the soil by the fall of the 
spicule. By having only a definite number of evergreens, 
the landlord can afford to have better sorts, and expend more 
care upon the rearing and looking after them. 


On Pinus Pumilio. 


I have found the difficulty of obtaining information respect- 
ing this curious tree so great, that if, from the inspection of 
the beautiful specimens at Dropmore and in some other col- 
lections, I had not been quite satisfied of its being a distinct 
species, | might have been incredulous, and in the words of 
the schools, asked, “ Quid est Pumilio?” or in the summary 
mode of writers and compilers who treat on trees they never 
saw in their natural forests, set it down as a “ mountain va- 
riety” of some other species. All doubt however on the sub- 
ject my late tour in Upper Germany has completely enabled 
me to set aside, and more satisfactorily than I could possi- 
bly have anticipated. I first met with it, though sparingly, 
in Upper Styria. In the Saltzkammergut it is abundant, 
though high up, and above the Scotch and spruce, which 
form the mass of the forests in that beautiful region. By far 
the largest portion was met with in the Bavarian Alps, which 
it inhabits from the base almost to the summit, and in every 
sort of ground; an extensive swamp or morass adjoining the 
Chiemsee, the principal lake of Bavaria, is covered with it, 
and the effect of its dwarf and even surface a few feet above 
the ground is curiously contrasted with the lofty forests of 
spruce and Scotch fir which surround the marsh wherever the 
ground is sufficiently dry to bear them. 

Although it flourishes in this strange locality, where no 
other fir or scarcely any other tree can exist, marshy ground 
is by no means its only or favoured habitat. In the neigh- 
bouring mountains, where it is extremely abundant, I found 
it at the base of the chain, in the dry gravelly beds of the tor- 
rents, and it gradually creeps up the arid limestone to the 
very summit of the range which separates Bavaria and the 
Austrian Tyrol, living above its congeners of the forest and 
to the very limits of arboreal vegetation. When seen in these 
situations from below, it could not, by the unpractised eye, be 
distinguished from furze or gorse. 

The peculiar form of this tree consists in its having no 


90 M. Hering on new Alge 


regular leader. Immediately above the ground it divides into 
a number of smaller stems and branches, which either sweep 
along the ground, their extremities pointing upwards, or rise 
at once at an angle of 30° to 45°, according as the neighbours 
or the locality have permitted it to expand. Very rarely— 
amongst countless thousands I did not see above one or two 
examples—one tree makes an attempt to grow straight and 
throws up a single stem, but the failure of attaining size or 
elevation shows in these instances the creeping, true habit of 
the tree. The height attained is rarely above 5 or 6 feet, 
the diameter of the largest trees being from 20 to 25 feet; 
though this size is rare, and the appearance is so regular, that 
in looking over an extensive level planted with it, it is quite 
as even as the surface of a gorse cover. 

The foliage in form and colour resembles that of P. wnci- 
nata, but the spicule are shorter, though standing out in the 
peculiarly rigid manner of that species. The cones are small, 
dark-coloured, and ditfer from both P. sylvestris and P. un- 
cinata. 

From the localities it inhabits it must be placed very high 
in the series, by the side of P. Cembra and P. uncinata. I 
have been the more particular in describing this singular spe- 
cies, in order to guard those who may not have the opportu- 
nity of seeing it iz situ from confounding it, as so many who 
ought to know better have done, with the stunted individuals 
of P. Cembra, P. sylvestris and P. uncinata, which are always 
found at the summit of their respective zones in the high 
Alps and Pyrenees, and have been called and compiled un- 
der the general name of Pumilio. 

As to the ceconomical uses of this tree, it is clear they 
amount to very little, its wood being only used for inlaying 
for furniture, such as parts of chairs and the like. To those, 
however, who possess extensive parks, by planting them 
fifteen feet apart, and taking care of them during their early 
growth, they would be curious and useful covers for game. 


XI1.—Diagnoses Algarum novarum a cl. Dre. Ferdinand 
Krauss in Africé Australi lectarum, auctore Dno. HERING, 
Stuttgartiensi*. 

Conferva natalensis, Hering. Pilis simplicibus tenuissimis, articulis 
diametro sesquilongioribus, superioribus equalibus. Conferva 
impleca, Dillw. proxima. Port Natal. 

Dasya tenella, Hg. Fronde continua, tereti, vage ramosa, ramulis 
bipinnatis, divaricatis. 


* Communicated by Mr. Daniel Cooper. 


collected in Africa by Dr. Krauss. 91 


Frons vix uncialis, crassitie capillari, hyalina; granula angulata, 
coccinea, in fronde hyalina seriatim digesta ; ad Port Natal, ste- 
rilis. 

222*. Bryopsis setacea, Hg. Pilis setaceis, subramosis, apice plu- 
mosis. 

Fila tenacia, nitida, 2—3-pollicaria, setacea, simplicia vel rarius 
ramulo laterali instructa, apice ramentis brevibus, simplicissimis, 
lanceolato-pinnata. Color obscuré viridis, charte arcté adheret. 

Bryops. Balbisiane proxima. Hab. ad Port Natal Point, Africe me- 
ridionalis, scopulis littoralibus insidens. 

Caulerpa filiformis, Hg. Frondibus planis, linearibus, subdichotomis, 
integerrimis. 

Surculus cylindricus, filiformis, stramineus, inferné emittens radices 
fibrosas, fasciculatas ; frons spithamza, adscendens, basi cylin- 
drica, annulato-rugosa, deinde plana, linearis, integerrima, sub- 
dichotoma, lineam lata; color gramineus, substantia membra- 
nacea. 

Synon. Amphibolis filiformis, Sch. 

Var. (3. Fronde latiore ligulata. 

Var. y. Fronde breviore palmata. Forsan distincta species Caulerpa 
palmata nominanda. 

Ad Cape Lagullas, Afric meridionalis, in arena repens. 


Alsidium ericoides, Hg. Fronde tereti, continua, filiformi, ramosa ; 
ramentis brevibus, subarticulatis, subulatis, densé imbricatis ves- 
tita. 

Radix callus exiguus, frons spithamza, teres, ramosa, pyramidata, 
ramenta obtusiuscula, zonis obscurioribus notata. 

Hab. ad Port Natal. Sub Rhodomela ericoides in collectione 
signata. 


Spherococcus (Chondrus) scutellatus, Hg. Fronde compressa, dicho- 
toma, segmentis linearibus ; capsulis sphericis in margine disco- 
que ramulorum sessilibus, scutellatis. 

Habitus Spheroc. crispi var. linearis; frons cartilaginea, bipolli- 
caris, vix lineam lata, segmentis superioribus cuneatis, obtusis ; 
color exsiccati atro-purpureus. 


Spherococcus (Gigartina) nodiferus, Hg. Fronde cartilaginea, tereti, 
subdichotoma, segmentis irregulariter dentatis, obtusis, denti- 
bus apice capsuliferis. 

Color purpureus, frons crassiuscula. 
Ad Port Natal, spec. manca. 


Spherococcus (Gelidium) aculeatus, Hg. Fronde cartilagineo-cornea, 
ramosa, verticillato-aculeata. 

Radix callus exiguus, frons cartilagineo-cornea, 4—6-pollicaris, 
inferné teretiuscula, nuda, mox bi- vel trichotoma, lineam crassa, 
compressa, vel tri- aut quadrangularis, aculeata ; aculei oppositi, 
terni aut quaterni verticillati, lineam longi, basi dilatati, subu- 


* The numbers prefixed to the species refer to the numbers in Dr. 
Krauss’s Fasciculi of Natal Specimens. A series of the species here described 
has been forwarded to the Herbarium of the Botanical Society of London, 
where they may be consulted on application. 


92 Mr. Hassall on the Structure of the Pollen Granule. 


lati, horizontales, interstitia bilinearia. Fructus ignoti, color 
coccineus; exsiccatus rigidus, charte minimé adheerens. 

Hab. ad Port Natal. 

272. Martensia, gen. nov. Frons plana, areolata, avenia, margine 
fenestrata; fructus duplex; spherospermia longitudinaliter in 
reticulo simplici serie disposita; capsule spherice, reticulo 
affixee, sporidia subglobosa foventes. 

M. elegans, Hg. Fronde tenuissima, lobata, segmentis cuneato-rotun- 
datis. “Wowk. tc Al, 697. 

Frons basi affixa, semi usque pollicaris, tenerrima, tenax, cellulis 
angulatis areolata, margine demum fructificante, clathrato-fene- 
strata. Color amoené roseus fugax. Chartz arcte adherens. 

Port Natal ad lapides. 

In memoriam amicissimi Georgii de Martens, auctoris Floree Wur- 
tembergice, algarum maris Mediterranei scrutatoris indefessi. 
—Hering. 

197. Nemalion Natalense, Hg. Fronde filiformi, ramosa, ramis elon- 
gatis, villosis, villis articulatis. 

Color olivaceus, charte arcté adherens. Hab. ad Port Natal Point, 
Afr. meridionalis. 

Fucus minimus, Hg. Fronde plana ecostata, lineari, dichotoma, in- 
tegerrima. 

Vix pollicaris, fronde semilineam lata, spiraliter torta. 


Port Natal. 


XI11.— Observations on the Structure of the Pollen Granule, 
considered principally in reference to its eligibility as a 
means of Classification. By Arntruur Hitt Hassan, 
M.R.C.S.L., Corresponding Member of the Dublin Na- 
tural History Society. 

Ir has often been a matter of surprise to me, that no one of 
the numerous and gifted votaries of those bright and beau- 
tiful creations, flowers, which are scattered with so profuse a 
hand over moor and mountain, on hill and through dale, 
should have fully investigated the structure of the pollen gra- 
nule in the various tribes of plants, with a view to ascertain 
whether it could be rendered available for the purpose of clas- 
sification. 

Much has indeed been written upon its general anatomy ; 
but the characters of the granules, as they occur in each ge- 
nus of plants, appear to have been scarcely at all considered in 
this country, and almost the only figures which we possess of 
individual pollen grains are contained in Lindley’s ‘ Introduc- 
tion to Botany,’ and were derived from a work of Purkinje on 
the subject*. 


* These figures are but little more than mere outlines, and even in this 
single particular are generally very far from being correct. 


Mr. Hassall on the Structure of the Pollen Granule. 93 


On the Continent entire works haye been published upon 
the pollen, accompanied by numerous figures: I allude parti- 
cularly to Purkinje’s work, ‘ De Cellulis Antherarum fibrosis,’ 
&c.; to that by Fritzsche; and to a memoir by Mohl in the 
‘Annales des Sciences Naturelles,’ all of which have appeared 
within, I believe, the last ten years. 

With the opinions contained in these works I am only 
acquainted in so far as they are given us by Lindley, as | 
wished, before consulting them, to form a separate and in- 
dependent opinion, so that all I shall advance in this paper 
is to be regarded only as the result of my own investi- 
gations, and rests upon my own responsibility. It is my 
intention to publish, from time to time, a series of papers 
upon the subject of the Pollen, in some of which I shall give 
the opinions of the authors to whom I have referred more 
at length; thus my not doing so at present will be of but little 
consequence. 

Although I do not anticipate that the results of this inquiry 
will be very considerable in a practical point of view, I yet 
feel that I ought not to be deterred from the pursuit because 
I am not at once able to perceive any great utility attached to 
it; the subject is one of much interest in itself, and may ul- 
timately lead to more than is at present looked for. 

I could have wished that an investigation of such nicety 
and extent had fallen to the lot of some individual of greater 
capability and experience in microscopical research ; but as 
this is merely an essay, and as I shall advance nothing but 
what I have fully made out, I trust that the inquiry will not 
suffer by reason of my comparative inefficiency for the task 
I have undertaken. 

Conceiving then that the want of an accurate knowledge of 
the form and structure of the pollen grain in the different ge- 
nera of plants constituted a desideratum in botanical science, 
I commenced the investigations the results of which I am 
about to detail early in the spring of last year, continued them 
throughout the greater part of the summer, and the small 
amount of time which I have this seasan been able to spare 
from professional pursuits has been employed in correcting 
and confirming the conclusions previously arrived at. 

I shall divide my subject into three heads. Under the first 
head, the pollen generally will be spoken of; under the se- 
cond, the individual peculiarities of the pollen granule will be 
noticed ; and lastly, the pollen will be considered with a view 
to ascertain whether it can be rendered available as a means 
of classification. 

First then, of the pollen generally : 


94 Mr. Hassall on the Structure of the Pollen Granule. 


The structure, form, and size of the pollen granule varies 
considerably in different tribes of plants. 

There are, however, certain types of structure and of form 
which occur more frequently than others. Of these, the cy- 
lindrical and elliptical are by far the most common ; and next, 
in frequency of occurrence, are those granules of either a tri- 
angular or circular form, which are met with in nearly an equal 
proportion. A great variety of other forms are to be noticed, 
which it is the object of this paper especially to describe. 

The term cylindrical is applied to all those grains which are 
more or less of an elongated form, are somewhat triangular, 
and taper towards each extremity, which exhibit a furrow 
along their upper surface, and are furnished with three pollen 
tubes; while the word elliptical is used to designate those 
granules which agreeing somewhat with the former in their 
lengthened shape, having also a line upon their surface, yet 
possess but one pollen tube. 

On the application of any fluid to pollen of an elongated 
form, of less density than the fovilla contained in the cells, a 
remarkable alteration of shape takes place with great quick- 
ness. Each grain of pollen, prior to the contact of the 
liquid, lies on the object-glass of the microscope with its long 
diameter placed horizontally ; immediately on its touching it 
the position of the long diameter is changed, it becomes ver- 
tical, and the pollen grain, losing in length, dilates and becomes 
of a triangular or circular form; and this change of form, 
which is here produced by the direct application of the water, 
occurs also naturally previous to the emission of the pollen 
tubes, arising partly from the absorption of fluid from the 
tissue of the anther, but mainly from the imbibition of the 
stigmatic secretion. But if a fluid of greater density than 
that within the cell be applied, no such change is seen to 
occur, a contraction of the pollen grain and an exudation of a 
portion of its contents taking place. 

This alteration of form, in both instances, is very satisfac- 
torily explained by a reference to the principle of endosmosis 
and exosmosis, which is most beautifully exemplified in the 
interesting though minute subjects of the present inquiry, 
and all the varied phenomena of which are referred by Du- 
trochet to capillary attraction. 

Each pollen grain consists of a turbid fluid called fovilla, 
containing numerous active molecular particles ; and this fluid 
is enclosed, according to most observers, in at least two mem- 
branes, the outer being called extine, the inner intine, and 
this is of a highly extensible nature. The only exception to 
this, according to Mohl, is the pollen of Asclepiadaceous 


Mr. Hassall on the Structure of the Pollen Granule. 95 


plants, which has but one envelope ; but Fritzsche has asserted, 
according to Lindley, that these plants have both an extine 
and intine. Fritzsche also states, that in Caulinia fragilis, Zan- 
nichellia pedunculata, Zostera marina, and Naias minor, the 
pollen has really nothing but the mtine present. 

That there really are two coatings to the great majority of 
pollen granules does not admit of a doubt ; while a third mem- 
brane, intermediate between the extine and intine, has been 
noticed, first by Mohl and subsequently by Fritzsche, who calls 
it exintine. Mohl observed it in the pollen of Taxus, Juni- 
perus, Cupressus and Thuja; and Fritzsche finds it not only in 
these plants, but also in Pinus, Cucurbita Pepo, and Tigridia 
Pavonia ; while Mr. Giraud* states (in the third volume of the 
‘Annals and Magazine of Natural History,’ p. 127) that he 
has noticed it in the pollen of Crocus vernus. 'To these I may 
add the pollen of the different species of Banksia and Dryandra 
as possessing a third membrane, as well as the following list of 
plants, Fuchsia fulgens, F. cylindrica, F. thymifola, F. gracilis, 
and F. coccinea, Stachytarpheta mutabilis, Tilia americana, 
Calothamnus villosus, Zizyphus Paliurus, and probably also 
Grevillea linearis, Hakia pedunculata, Erythrina laurifolia, 
Didiscus ceruleus, Fumaria officinalis, and all other species of 
Fuchsia. It is necessary to observe great caution in deciding 
upon the presence of a third membrane, as an appearance is 
frequently observed which might mislead ; it arises from the 
entrance of water within the sac of the intine, separating the 
fovilla from it, forcing it inwards, and giving it a very defined 
margin. 

At the commencement of this inquiry, I was induced to con- 
sider that the reticulation observable on the pollen of Pancra- 
tium, Armeria, Statice, Passiflora, &c. constituted the basis of 
a distinct membrane, and in the figures of these which will 
follow it is so represented. ‘To this opinion I was led by no- 
ticing the raised appearance which it presents, especially 
round the circumference of the granules, as well as from the 
circumstance of the ends of each grain of pollen in Pancra- 
tium being destitute of the reticulation; but it is more cor- 
rect, perhaps, to regard this reticulated appearance as pro- 
duced by the apposition of the cells of which the extine is 
formed in these instances. 

Fritzsche also speaks of a fourth coat, which is next the ex- 
tine, and which he calls intextine, as belonging to the pollen 
of Clarkia elegans and other Onagrarie. Of the existence 

* Mr. Giraud, in the same communication, mentions having seen small 


opake particles on the surface of the pollen grain of Polemonium ceruleum, 
which exhibit a peculiar motion when the granules are placed in water. 


96 Mr. Hassall on the Structure of the Poilen Granule. 


of this membrane in Clarkia I have but little doubt, and I 
believe that it is also present in those species of Fuchsia 
which I have mentioned as possessing a third tunic, as there 
are in the pollen of these precisely the same appearances upon 
which the opinion of its presence is founded in Clarkia elegans. 

The pollen granules of Saponaria viscida present, when 
viewed through the medium of oil, a very remarkable appear- 
ance, which Tam only able to explain by supposing that it 
depends upon some peculiar inversion or pitting of the ex- 
tine. It conveys the idea of a membrane of a circular form, 
smaller than the extine, being placed within it, and pollen 
tubes to the number of ten escaping through apertures in it 
and extending to the margin of the outer membrane. I refer 
to this appearance here in the hope of directing the attention 
of other observers to it, who may perhaps be able to afford 
a more particular explanation of its nature. 

In the long axis of those granules to which the terms 
cylindrical and elliptical are here applied, as well as of many 
others, a line or furrow, as has been already remarked, is 
noticed, concerning the nature of which various conjectures 
have been hazarded, and none of which afford the true expla- 
nation of the phenomenon. Malpighi compared granules of 
pollen of this kind to grains of wheat, on one side of which a 
furrow exists; but this does not account for the furrow being 
visible in every grain at the same time; Guillemin, attempt- 
ing to account for the constant presence of the line, says that 
it exists on both sides of the erain. He further supposes 
this furrow to be a slit intended to facilitate the admission of 
water into the interior of the granules, and the emission of 
their contents; neither is this explanation more satisfactory. 
Fritzsche states it to be a thin part of the extine where the 
sides of the pollen grain are contracted and meet, producing 
the appearance of a furrow; while Mr. Giraud regards this 
line as a mere furrow in the extine which disappears on the 
application of moisture, in which opinion Professor Graham 
coincides* ; but neither of these gentlemen offer any expla- 
nation either as to its origin or use. 

The true explanation of the nature of this furrow, about 
which there are so many opinions, is, that it is a deficiency 
in the external membrane of the pollen grain, intended to 
facilitate the egress of the pollen tubes, one of which may be 
distinctly seen to issue from each; and the fact of its being 
seen at the same moment in every grain of pollen i is accounted 
for by reference to the form of these granules. Those grains 

* See Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist. already referred to, and Prof. Graham’s 


Third Annual Report, read before the Botanical Society of Edinburgh, 
March 1841. 


Mr. Hassall on the Structure of the Pollen Granule. 97 


of pollen to which the term cylindrical is applied, are, as 
has been already noticed, more or less of a triangular or 
trilobate form, and at each angle, or between each lobe, a 
furrow exists ; so that, as each granule, from its shape, must 
rest upon one or other of its sides, one angle and one line 
will necessarily be presented to the eye of the observer. But 
another explanation is requisite to account for its constant 
presence in those granules to which the term elliptical is as- 
signed; these, though of an elongated form, like the others, 
are rounded in their short axes, except on one side, which is 
slightly flattened and indented. In this indenture the single 
furrow possessed by these granules is placed ; hence it results 
that each must rest either on its flattened surface, with the 
furrow looking downwards, as most frequently happens, in 
which case it will still be apparent through the body of the 
granule, owing to its transparency; or it will fall on the 
rounded surface opposite the furrow, which now looks di- 
rectly upwards. Thus, in whichever way the grain rests, the 
furrow will still be apparent. Should it alight upon its side 
it will not remain in this position, but will roll over to the 
convex surface, which constitutes its centre of gravity*. 

The pollen grain of Crinum amabile is flattened and broad 
on ¢wo surfaces, differing in this particular from the pollen of 
all other Amaryllidacee which I have examined, down each 
of which a furrow is placed ; and from this form also it fol- 
lows that one line will ever be opposed to view, as the granules 
rest upon one of their broad surfaces. And again in Citrus 
aurantium, Ranunculus acris and Rubus fruticosus, the gra- 
nules are somewhat elongated, and consist of four lobes, be- 
tween which the fissures are placed; and as they most gene- 
rally lie on two of the lobes, the other two, with a fissure be- 
tween them, will, as a matter of course, be turned upwards. 

Lastly, many kinds of pollen, as of the Polygale, Crucianelle, 
Labiate, &ec., are furnished with a number of furrows, some of 
which, in all postures, willbe visible. A careful examination 
of the pollen granules of Convolvulus arvensis, Lilium longi- 
florum, Crinum amabile, and Ranunculus acris, will convince 
any one of the correctness of this explanation; both of the 
nature of these lines, and of the reasons for their invariable 
appearance in each granule at the same moment. 

In most elliptical pollen, covering each of the fissures, an 
oval piece of membrane is to be observed, the use of which I 
conceive to be to prevent the pollen tubes from escaping too 


* Malpighi’s comparison of granules of this form to grains of wheat is by 
no means inapt, but still without the above explanation it is incomplete, in- 
asmuch as it does not account for the constant appearance of the furrow. 


Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. H 


98 Mr. Hassall on the Structure of the Pollen Granule. 


readily from the extine, to which it does not appear to be 
organically united, as on the application of water it is seen 
to curl up and fall off the granules. It is also met with in 
Centaurium, Scolymus, Dipsacus, Scabiosa, and some allied 
genera; in these instances it sometimes has an attachment to 
the extine. 

The extine, or protective membrane of the pollen grain, on 
which its shape depends, is of much greater substance than 
the intine, which is so fine, that rarely can any appreciable 
thickness of it be detected. It is seldom, if ever, a simple ho- 
mogeneous membrane, being most generally formed by the 
apposition of a number of cellules held together by “ organic 
mucus,” which give to it a reticulated appearance, very obvious 
in many of the Liliacee, as well as in a great variety of other 
plants. In most hispid pollen, where the same reticulated 
structure may be traced, from the centre of each cell of the net- 
work, either one of the numerous spines which cover this form 
of pollen grain may be seen to arise, or, where this is absent, 
an aperture for the passage of a pollen tube will be apparent. 

If this view of the structure of the extine be correct, then 
must it consist of two layers, as each cell forms a shut-sac. 

By some observers the external tunic of the pollen grain is 
said to present a granular structure. It often presents a gra- 
nular appearance, which is deceptive, and which I have found 
to arise from the circumstance of the particles in the fovilla 
being visible through their transparent coverings. 

It has been matter of doubt whether the extine be exten- 
sible or not; that it really is so in some cases to a consider- 
able extent, is apparent from the following fact, the only one 
with which I am acquainted which distinctly proves it. The 
surface of the pollen granule of Canna indica is covered with 
numerous points, having their free extremities perforated. 
When the pollen is immersed in water the spines disappear, 
leaving small apertures on the surface of the now smooth ex- 
tine; each granule at the same time having enlarged to about 
thrice its original size. This change occurs with greater ra- 
pidity if a dilute mineral acid be used instead of water. All 
kinds of pollen appear somewhat larger in water, but this de- 
pends upon the magnifying power of that liquid. The intine 
does not expand in an equal proportion with the extine ; but 
being pressed upon equally on all sides by the water which 
is imbibed by the extine, is forced inwards, and a large space 
filled with fluid is left between the two membranes. 

After diligent and repeated search, I have at last succeeded 
in making out the plano-convex bodies (Zwischenorpern) de- 
scribed by Fritzsche as being particularly visible in some Mal- 


Mr. Hassall on the Structure of the Pollen Granule. 99 


vacee, in a species of Hibiscus, H. africanus. He represents 
them as existing in most hispid pollen, the apertures in which 
for the passage of the pollen tubes they close, being placed 
between the extine and intine, with their convex surfaces rest- 
ing upon the latter. Ifthe pollen of the above-named species of 
Hibiscus be allowed to remain in water for a short time, the 
pollen tubes will be seen to have emerged some distance from 
the intine; and upon the extremities of many of them those 
pieces of membrane will be noticed, which are however more 
frequently concavo-conyex than plano-convex. Although I 
have not seen these bodies closing the apertures in the extine, 
it may be inferred with tolerable certainty that they perform 
the office ascribed to them, from their position at the termi- 
nations of the pollen tubes. Those who may wish to observe 
them will not experience the same difficulty that I have 
done, knowing the species and the manner in which to look 
for them. They are not present in the pollen of the Ipo- 
Mee. 

The surface of all pollen is covered with a thick tenacious 
matter, which, according to Mohl, is most abundant upon that 
which is hispid; but it is at least as much so on the pollen 
of many species of Liliacee, which are not hispid, but reti- 
culated. If this viscid substance is to be regarded as a se- 
cretion, then must the extine be provided with glands, or 
some other peculiar organization for its formation ; for a true 
secretion can only result from organization of some kind or 
other, and, in the vegetable kingdom, may be defined to be 
a new product, eliminated from the sap through the instru- 
mentality of glands or other structural media. My own 
opinion is, that it is a secretion, if not formed by the external 
membrane of the pollen grain itself, derived from the cell in 
which it is originally developed. J was at first inclined to 
consider it as a mere exudation, consisting of the thinner 
parts of the fovilla; but its appearance and consistence differ 
so much from this, that I believe the opinion to be scarcely 
tenable. This secretion fulfills an important indication in 
preventing the too easy dispersion of the pollen granules, 
which it slightly holds together, and which would be scatter- 
ed far and near, wide of its destined mark, by every breath 
of wind. 

Pollen granules, though usually separate, are occasionally 
found united. This union is either temporary, the medium 
which retains them in contact with each other being either a 
tenacious secretion, or filaments of the cellular tissue derived 
from the breaking up of the cells in which the granules are 
originally developed ; or it is permanent and organic. We 

H 2 


100 Mr. Hassall on the Structure of the Pollen Granule. 


find the first mode of union in the pollen grains of the Epi- 
lobia*, Salpiglossis atropurpurea, and in Lechenaultia formosa, 
while the second is met with in all the genera of the natural 
order Ericacee which I have had an opportunity of exami- 
ning, in the Acacie, Mimose, Junci, many species of Orchi- 
dacee, and in Oxyanthus speciosa. Some of these grains, 
though they usually are permanently attached, are yet ca- 
pable of separation; but others of them again, as the Hri- 
cacee, &c., are so intimately joined, that they never become 
separated. The number of pollen grains thus united together 
is definite, being either four, or multiples of four up to sixteen, 
but the first number is of the most frequent occurrence; thus 
there are four in the Hricacee, Epilobia, Junci, Orchidacee, 
Oxyanthus speciosa, and Salpiglossis atropurpurea, Lechenaul- 
tia formosa and Mimosa mexicana. In Acacia rigens there 
are eight, disposed on the same plane ; in Acacia decipiens 
twelve, six being disposed on the same plane, while three are 
placed in the centre, on either side of the flat figure so formed ; 
and in Acacia linearis there are sixteen, eight upon the same 
plane and four on either side. It is to be observed, that dark 
lines run between every four grains, indicating either their 
original separation or their tendency to become so separated. 
When the union of pollen grains occurs in fours, they are 
either disposed upon the same plane, as in the Hpilobia and Le- 
chenaultia formosa, or they appear as if one was placed upon 
the other three, all the granules bearing precisely the same 
relations to each other, and whichever one is uppermost, the 
rest being similarly circumstanced in reference to it. One ex- 
ception occurs to the law of the union of pollen grains in fours 
in Epilobium roseum, where they generally unite in threes. 

As a rule, but one mode of arrangement prevails among 
the pollen grains of the same species. 

Pollen grains are often held together by a thready sub- 
stance, supposed to be derived from the rupture and breaking 
up of the cells in which they are primarily formed, in the 
meshes of which they become either entangled, or to which 
they are attached by the secretion which covers their surface. 
It appears to me that neither the origin nor use of these 
threads are rightly made out. They are found in great abun- 
dance in the pollen of the Ericacee ; Fuchsie, Ginothere, and 
other Onagrarie. 

The size of the pollen granule differs as materially as does 
its form and structure, as will be obvious from a perusal of 
the following table of relative sizes, although in the same 


* The granules in Epilobium angustifolium are not united, resembling 
much more those of the Clarkias than the Epilobiums. 


Mr. Hassall on the Structure of the Pollen Granule. 101 


species and in genera of the same family it is pretty uni- 
form. 

The micrometer employed was a glass one, and divided in 
the ratio of 249,000 spaces to the inch. 


Babramcipalerc py te 4 
obzea stipularis { sa 
ee 4 
ivavatera acerifolia, .5..2..% 0. 6. 4. 4 saanU0 
Geranium sylvaticum .:.......... : 25 
249,000 
Huchsiadulpens’ .wsssasye ee. wie 2 
249,000 
Lengths. 7- 45 sea 
filium tigrmum .. 00 
at 
Breadth . . A sion 000 
al 
goes roe 1 satan 
Viola tricolor ...... aoe eae 
Breadth . - 
{one 4 spa 000 
SAL APALCNISE, J vaxsiG's acl vay tees «oh ies 
249,000 


xX 
Length Anas aa 


Anagallis arvensis . - 
Breadths, 2 “f 249,000 


Racine 


Panera rabiowdess i.e eee ss ot sisi 949,000 

Myosotis'palustris i) 65404 seek 1 shoo 
ul 

Mimosa marginata ............ 15 49, 000 


The colour of the pollen is extremely various and often bril- 
liant. In Gilia achilleefolia and Petunia violacea it is of a 
dark blue. In Collomia rosea it is of a bright czrulean blue ; 
deep red in Cleome spinosa; of a reddish brown or maho- 
gany colour in Lilium tigrinum; and scarlet in Huchera 
americana and Verbascum Thapsus. In Papaver Rheas and 
Tulipa Gesneriana nearly black. In Convolvulus sepium opake 
white ; and yellow, the most common colour of the pollen, in 
Lilium album and longiflorum, owing to the dense yellow- 
coloured secretion with which the granules are covered. Dr. 
Lindley says that the pollen occasionally assumes every co- 
lour except green ; it is however perfectly green in Pentstemon 


102. Mr. Hassall on the Structure of the Pollen Granule. 


pentaphyllum, Bessera elegans and Lythrum Salicaria ; in this 
last it is curious to notice, that while the pollen of the upper 
stamina is green, that of the lower ones is of a bright yellow. 

Pollen tubes are prolongations of the intine, and are filled 
with the fovilla, which passes into them by gravitation. They 
vary much in number, size, and arrangement; they issue 
either through fissures or apertures in the extine, and where 
there are three envelopes, through similar provisions in the 
second also. Except in some few instances, I have not been 
able to discover any provision in the extine for the escape of 
the pollen tubes. These exceptions occur in the genera Canna, 
Strelitzia, Roscoea and Hedychium, all of which belong to 
closely-allied orders, and in which the extine, which is of great 
thickness, forms a shut-sac. If water, and more quickly if 
dilute nitric acid, be applied to the pollen, the granules are 
seen to enlarge a little, and the extine to crack irregularly, 
but often separating into three unequal pieces; while the 
intine, having undergone no change except a slight increase 
of size, and still containing the fovilla, frequently disengages 
itself from its envelope and floats away from it. This cracking 
of the extine is assuredly the natural means by which the 
pollen tubes are afforded an outlet ; and it is not necessary 
that the intine should be denuded at any particular spot, for 
wherever it is so it possesses the power of elongation, or ra- 
ther growth. In one or two cases the apertures are provided 
with valves, as in the different species of Passiflora, as first 
noticed by Purkinje. Fritzsche has described one valve in 
the grasses, two in the nettle, four in the orange, and six in 
the primrose. Although I have searched with care for these 
valves, I have not been able to detect any trace of them, and am 
strongly inclined to deny their existence in any of these plants. 

The primary form of the pollen of the orange precludes the 
possibility of its being furnished with regular valves, the 
pollen tubes issuing through fisswres and not circular aper- 
tures; while had a valve been present in the grasses, I think 
I must have detected it in the pollen of the Zea Mays, 
which is of a very large size, and in which the apertures for 
the escape of the pollen tubes are very visible. The nettle I 
believe to possess ¢hree pollen tubes. 

The emission of the pollen tubes is produced, artificially, 
by the action of the mineral acids and water, and naturally, 
partly by the rarefaction of the contents of each pollen gra- 
nule by the sun’s heat * (the rarefied fovilla distends the shell 

* The effect of heat upon the pollen has occasionally been demonstrated 


when [ have been examining it under a strong reflected light of the sun, 
by the ‘emission of the pollen tubes, and even rupture of the intine. 


Mr. Hassall on the Structure of the Pollen Granule. 103 


of the pollen grain, which produces pressure upon its contents, 
and assists in forcing them out in the only direction in which 
they can issue, namely, through the openings provided for 
the purpose), partly by the granules imbibing a portion of 
the stigmatic secretion, some of which gets between the outer 
and inner membranes, producing pressure upon the latter, 
and partly by the stimulating effect of that secretion. 

Pollen tubes are supposed to be elongated by means of the 
distension or stretching of the intine. This opinion appears 
to me to be erroneously entertained. It is difficult to con- 
ceive any membrane to be endowed with such immense 
powers of expansion as would be required for it to afford a 
covering to the whole pollen tube, lengthened as it often is to 
such a great extent in its passage through the style. Thus 
in Crinum amabile the pollen tube has to pass through a space 
1875 times the diameter of the pollen grain before reaching 
the ovarium. In Cleome spinosa 2719 times. In Ovyanthus 
speciosa 4489 times the diameter of the pollen grain, and in 
Colchicum autumnale 9000 times. Pollen tubes are frequently 
met with of considerable length on parts of the flower distant 
from the stigma, proving that the stigmatic fluid is not essen- 
tial for their growth, although it doubtless favours it. 

I am of opinion, therefore, that pollen tubes are growths and 
not mere elongations of the intine; and that as they grow a 
vacuum is formed within them, into which the fovilla passes. 
At the same time, I do not mean to deny the fact of the in- 
tine being extensible ; it is no doubt highly so, as proved by 
the great length of the pollen tubes emitted under the action 
of dilute nitric acid in some cases. 

Were pollen tubes but mere extensions of the intine, it 
might with reason be expected that the size of the granules 
and consequent extent of the intine would bear some relation 
to the distance which they have to travel through the stig- 
matic tissue before reaching the ovary, and that the greater 
the distance the larger would be the pollen grains ; but no 
such relation exists. 

I am at present inclined to regard the active molecular 
bodies in the fovilla, which have attracted so much the inter- 
est and attention of physiologists, as nothing more than par- 
ticles of that fluid which have become separated into little 
masses or globules. The fluid nature of these particles is 
proved by their great diversity of form and size, by their 
transparency, and by their trailing, or “ tailing *,” as they 

* « Tailing ” is a term used by druggists to signify the elongation of 
form which the globules of impure quicksilver undergo in passing over 


paper. 


104 Mr. Hassall on the Structure of the Pollen Granule. 


pass along the surface of glass. Again, the internal mem- 
brane of the pollen grain of Strelitzia humilis, when denuded 
of the extine, presents a cellular appearance, which is owing 
to the presence of numerous globules of various sizes contain- 
ed in the fovilla, of which, in this instance, it appears to be 
entirely composed, and which are seen through its transpa- 
rent envelope. I could not detect any other bodies but these 
globules, which I regard as fluid for the reasons just given. 
The application of iodine to the fovilla, contrary to expecta- 
tion, produced no effect, and a solution of potash but little 
apparent results. 

[ look forward to another opportunity of making more ex- 
tended observations upon the nature of these so-called mole- 
cules. 

Being anxious to ascertain whether stimuli would produce 
any effect upon the poilen, various solutions were applied 
with a view to determine this point. The results following 
the various applications employed were as follows :—solutions 
of the mineral acids, whether sulphuric, nitric or hydrochloric, 
all occasioned, with more or less degree of force, the protru- 
sion of the pollen tubes. Their mode of action is not very 
clear ; but it may be that they produce some astringent ef- 
fect upon the outer coating of the pollen grain, so as to cause 
the principle of endosmosis to operate with greater power. 
Sometimes these acids, and more particularly the dilute sul- 
phuric acid, rupture the inner membrane, and then the 
fovilla escapes from its interior; but most frequently the pol- 
len tubes are emitted, covered by the intine, which remains 
entire, and it is to explain this protrusion of them that the 
above explanation is offered. The concentrated sulphuric 
acid almost always destroys the intine, and frequently also 
blackens and chars the extine. A solution of the nitric acid, 
in the proportion of two of the strong acid to three of water, 
is perhaps the best application for occasioning the emission 
of the pollen tubes ; but it is as well to have solutions of all 
the acids of various strengths, for where one fails another will 
often produce the desired effect. The action of the hydrochlo- 
ric acid is weaker than that of either of the others. Solutions 
of ether and sal volatile produced a marked effect. When 
either of these were allowed to fall from a glass on the pollen, 
its granules became distinctly agitated and moved about with 
considerable velocity, sometimes for the space of two or three 
minutes. A like effect, but to a much less extent, resulted 
from the employment of tincture of cantharides, tincture of 
capsicum, proof spirit, solution of nitrate of silver in proof 
spirit, and essence of ginger, while liquor ammoniz and po- 


Mr. Hassall on the Structure of the Pollen Granule. 105 


tassee produced no result. It is to be remarked, that all those 
applications which occasioned any motion of the pollen con- 
tained a greater or less proportion of spirit in them, and that 
the most volatile liquids, ether and sal volatile, gave rise to the 
most marked effect. This very obvious motion of the pollen 
granules is certainly not to be referred to any action of the 
irritants employed upon them, but to currents in the fluids. 
That this is the real explanation to be given of the phzeno- 
menon is satisfactorily proved by the two following facts: 
Ist. If a small quantity of either eather or sal volatile be al- 
lowed to remain for a few minutes in a watch-glass and the 
pollen be then added, no motion will follow, the more volatile 
portion of these liquids having evaporated; and 2nd, the 
particles of flour will be equally affected by the applica- 
tion of the before-mentioned solutions. Water also will some- 
times cause the emission of the pollen tubes, the principle of 
endosmosis being called into operation. This emission of the 
pollen tubes is not the act of an instant, but occupies an ap- 
preciable time, producing the impression on the mind of some 
continuous force operating in occasioning it, such as that of 
endosmosis already referred to. 

The extreme care taken by nature to ensure the fertilization 
of the seed, a process so essential to the well-being and al- 
most the existence of man, is very striking, and some of the 
beautiful provisions by which this important effect is so con- 
stantly brought about, it is my intention now to notice. First, 
then, the lining membrane of the anther, as pointed out by 
Mirbel in 1808, is composed of cellular tissue of a fibrous 
character, which forms an innumerable quantity of little 
springs* which are highly elastic, and when dry contract and 
pull open the valves of the anther, allowing the pollen to 
escape. This elastic tissue is deprived of its fluid by means 
of the endosmosis carried on by each individual grain of pol- 
len, and this exhaustion of its fluid is only completed at the 
period of the maturity of the pollen. ‘Thus by this unerring 
contrivance, not alone is the precise period of the opening of 
the anther, viz. at the perfection of the pollen, provided for 
and determined on, but it results from it also, that the pollen 
only should be exposed in the weather most suitable for the 
performance of its function, that is, in dry weather. The in- 
jurious effect of a continuance of rain in destroying the ferti- 
lizing power of the pollen is well known, and is to be ex- 
plained by the rupture of the granules from the great quan- 
tity of water imbibed by endosmosis ; and this consequence of 


* This peculiar arrangement of the fibres of the lining membrane of the 
anther is very plainly seen in the common nettle. 


106 Mr. Hassall on the Structure of the Pollen Granule. 


wet would be attended with more serious results were it not 
for another wise and effectual provision. The individual flow- 
ers composing a bunch, as well as the different bunches of a 
plant or shrub, come into blossom at successive intervals, the 
order of their expansion depending mainly, I believe, upon 
the position of the flower, whether it be in a more direct line 
or not for the accession of sap, on the size of the peduncle, as 
well as on the order of the development of the flower buds 
themselves*: thus, if the pollen at one period be destroyed, it 
is soon replaced by the unfolding of more blossoms and burst- 
ing of anthers: this constitutes the second means by which 
the efficiency of the pollen is ensured. We find a third in the 
position of the stamens in reference to the pistil, which they 
often surround, embrace, or overhang, so as to render the ap- 
plication of the pollen to the stigmatic surface a matter of 
certainty. 

Again the filaments of some anthers are furnished with 
elastic joints, which at a certain period, that is, when the 
pollen and stigma are in a fit condition, contract and start 
towards the pistil with a jerk, dispersing the contents of the 
anthers around them by the suddenness and violence of the 
motion. I may perhaps under this head refer to two instances 
of irritability, which I have never seen mentioned in books, 
and which are certainly not generally known. The first oc- 
curs in Cornus canadensis: the corolla of each flower, a num- 
ber of which are contained in a common inyolucrum, consists 
of four segments; these for some time are folded over the 
other floral organs and meet in a common central point, 
where they cohere by means of some secretion. ‘Towards 
their tips, on what is the upper surface, while thus closed, 
arises a long spine or hair. The stamina are also four in num- 
ber, and arise from the top of the calyx in the intervals be- 
tween the petals, and at about half their length are bent in- 
wards towards the pistil at a very acute angle, being retained 
in this position by the corolla which infolds them. The base 
of each petal, as well as the angle of inflection of each fila- 
ment, are furnished with an elastic joint, so that if one of the 
spines be slightly touched, not only does each segment of the 
corolla fly back, but the stamina, the restraint being removed 
from off them, start up, scattering the pollen of the anthers 
around them, some of which, it is beautiful to observe, in 
viewing this phenomenon under a low power of the micro- 
scope, invariably alights upon the stigma, and is there re- 
tained by means of the secretion with which it is furnished. 

* The cause of the irregular ripening of many kinds of fruits and seeds 
admits of a similar explanation, 


Mr. Hassall on the Structure of the Pollen Granule. 107 


If the joint of the filament be touched where it protrudes 
between the petals, no such effect as I have described will 
be produced, but the moment the hair is touched it takes 
place ; now the presence of these hairs affords a very inter- 
esting instance of design. They are connected with the joint 
of each petal by means of a raised line of elastic tissue which 
runs along their centre, and which doubtless serves to convey 
the impression or shock, imparted to the hairs most frequently 
by means of insects, to the joint, causing it to contract; the 
dispersion of the pollen and consequent fecundation of the 
ovule being thereby rendered more certain. 

The second instance to which I shall refer is witnessed in 
the common stinging nettle, Urtica dioica: the number of 
stamina in this plant is likewise four; these are inclosed in a 
chalice or cup composed of four sepals, and the filaments are 
coiled inwards; on the reflection of these sepals, or on the 
occurrence of any shock, the filaments disengage themselves, 
and not merely straighten, but turn as much outwards as they 
were previously coiled inwards, the pollen being scattered, as 
in the former case, around them. If the filament of each sta- 
men be examined with the microscope, one surface of it, that 
is, the one which formed the concavity before its disengage- 
ment, but after, the convexity, is cbserved to be ringed, in the 
same way as the elastic spring of the sporangia of Ferns. An 
analogous instance of irritability occurs in Parietaria, an al- 
lied genus*. 

The stigmata of some plants, as for example of Pavetia 
Caffra, the Campanule &c., extend so much beyond and 
above the anthers, that it is difficult to conceive in what way 
the pollen can reach them; but observation affords an expla- 
nation of the means: at the time of the bursting of the anthers 
the stigma is on a level with ‘hem, and, apparently stimulated 
by contact with the pollen grains, subsequently rises up, carry- 
ing with it in its progress a quantity of the pollen. 

Moreover, the application of the pollen to the stigma is ren- 
dered more certain by a cause, which, when not rightly consi- 
dered, may appear trifling, but which, in its results, is far from 
being so. I allude to the agency of insects, and of these, 
especially to the Aphides, and our benefactor the Bee, that 
busy labourer for man, who in rifling a flower of part of its 
sweets, yet in doing so confers upon it the means of its per- 
petuity by dispersing the pollen around, some of which never 
fails to reach the stigma. ‘l’o many insects the pollen doubt- 

* T now know that this second example of vegetable irritability 07 edasti- 


city of tissue is alluded to in Lindley’s ‘ Natural Arrangement,’ and also 
in Henslow’s ‘ Descriptive and Physiological Botany.’ 


108 Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. : 


less forms animportant article of food, as does also the honeyed 
secretion found in so many flowers, and are both the induce- 
ments which bring them so many visitants. The chief use of 
honey in the ceconomy of a plant I conceive to be to allure 
insects for the purpose referred to. 

The last provision to which I shall advert, consists in the 
amazing number of pollen granules produced by most flowers. 
In a single blossom of Leontodon Taraxacum 1 counted no 
less than 243,600 pollen granules. A flower of Peony fur- 
nishes on an average 174 stamina, each containing 21,000 
granules ; these multiplied together give a total of 3,654,000 ; 
and in an entire Rhododendron plant the pollen grains amount- 
ed to the wonderful number of 72,620,000. This last result 
was arrived at by computing the number of anthers in each 
flower, with the contents of one, and the number of flowers 
and bunches. Great as these amounts are, they sink into 
comparative insignificance when contrasted with the myriads 
produced by a single forest tree. A bulrush gave 144 grs. by 
weight of pollen. Immense as the quantity of pollen is, pro- 
vided for the fertilization of each flower, it is yet all necessary, 
so much being destroyed by various instrumentalities, to en- 
sure the certainty of a process, the failure of which would be 
attended with such calamitous results. Nature is seldom 
uselessly prodigal of her resources. 

It is interesting to observe the relation which frequently 
exists between the quantity of pollen and the more or less di- 
rect means of its application to the stigma ; this relation, how- 
ever, is modified by the number of ova to be fertilized. Upon 
this subject I hope shortly to make some detailed observa- 
tions. 

Various particulars referred to in the foregoing pages will 
be exhibited in the figures which are to accompany the second 
portion of this communication. 


[To be continued. ] 


———— 


XIV.-—Indian Cyprinide. By Joun M‘CLELLAND, Assist- 
ant Surgeon Bengal Medical Service. 
{Continued from p. 46. ] 


24, Tur Opsarions are Cyprinide that live upon other spe- 
cies of their own class; they are no less remarkable for the 
peculiarity of their colours than for their remarkable structure 
and habits. Instead of the longitudinal stripes of the Peri- 
lamps, they are characterized by transverse bands or spots, 
having a tendency to form cross bars on the sides. The ana- 
logy between the structure and character of the Opsarions 


Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 109 


and Feline has already been referred to (16.)._ Why the former 
should present similar external markings to those which be- 
long to the most destructive types of quadrupeds and birds, 
cannot well be accounted for on other principles than those of 
symbolical representation, by which an uniformity of design 
appears to extend throughout all the infinite forms in the ani- 
mal kingdom. As an ignorant confidence in this or any other 
doctrine would be as absurd as a denial of anything else with 
which we are imperfectly acquainted, the only way in which 
we can evince our respect for those who have opened so vast 
a field for inquiry is, to imitate their industry, leaving our 
views to be slowly formed and matured with the progress of 
inquiry—the only way in which sound or useful results ever 
were or can be elicited in scientific pursuits*. 

Green appears to be the characteristic colour of the mark- 
ings on the sides of Opsarions, as blue or purple forms those 
of the Perilamps; and those Opsarions that are not either 
marked with trausverse green bars, or oblong spots of the 
same colour transversely placed with regard to the body, are 
covered with a silvery pigment similar to that of the Leuciscs. 

25. In consequence of the important connexion between 
colour and structure here pointed out, lam in some doubt as 
to the nature of four small species described by Buchanan +, 
and figured in the collection of his drawings at the Botanic 
Garden. ‘Two of them have been figured in the ‘ Gangetic 
Fishes, and one a second time in Hardwicke’s ‘ Illustrations’; 
but in the published figures, the peculiarity of the colours to 
which I allude, and which seems to have been preserved in 
the original drawings, has been overlooked. They have the 
form of Cirrhins, but they are each marked with a dark spot 
at the end of the tail, and the colours of the back descend 
partially across the sides in bars as low as the situation of the 
lateral line. I have added the species in question to the 
Cirrhins as Cirrhinoids, until we know something more of 
them. Should they prove, from the length of the abdominal 
canal, to belong to Sarcoborine, as their colours indicate, they 
will occupy a place between the Opsarions and the Loaches. 


* Nothing is more easy, or more common because it is easy, than to an- 
nounce as discoveries the startling results of immature inquiry into obscure 
subjects ; yet when we consider the comparatively small amount of real dis- 
covery solely attributable to Newton, compared with the extent of his appli- 
cation, and how seldom a Newton appears, we should always receive with 
suspicion the supposed discoveries of persons, who, from their frequent ap- 
pearance in public, and the number of their occupations, argue a sad defi- 
ciency in all those qualities essential to the promotion of any science. 

t Cyp. Dero, Buch. Gang. Fis., pl. xxii. f. 78. Cyp. Morala, id., pl. 
xvili. f.91. Cyp. joalius, id. op, cit. 316. Cyp, Pausius, id, loc. cit. 


110 Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 


26. The third subfamily, Apalopterine, consists of the old 
Linnean genus Cobitis, the Anableps, Pecilia, Lebias, Fun- 
dulus, Molinesia and Cyprinodons, as well as two other genera, 
Platycara* and Psilorhynchus, to be described in a subsequent 
part of this paper. These fishes are all remarkable for their 
long cylindric bodies, covered with a slimy mucus, the absence 
of spines in any of the fins, and the shortness of their aliment- 
ary canal. 

Mr. Gray has recently separated the Loaches with subor- 
hitar spmes from those that are without these singular or- 
gans. I have endeavoured to find further reasons to strengthen 
this division, a single character being insufficient to distin- 
guish a natural group without some more general reference 
to habits and structure. Not having been successful, I am 
obliged to resort to another arrangement, which appears to 
be more natural, and at the same time equally obvious, the 
caudal of the one subgenus (Cobitis propria) being entire, 
and that of the other (Schistura) bifid, or divided into two 
lobes, as in the ordinary Cyprins. Colour is here a no less 
important guide than we have found it to be in Sarcoborine. 
Green, disposed in bars and zones crossing the body, charac- 
terizes all the Schisture except a single species (Botia grandis, 
Gray), in which the colour is green, with oblong light yellow 
spots, or rather short interrupted streaks, irregularly disposed 
in all directions. 

The true Loaches (Coditis prop.), on the contrary, are all 
brown, inclining in different species to red or yellow, disposed 
in nebulous blotches or obscure bars having a transverse 
tendency. 

27. The structure of the digestive organs in the Loaches 
and Schisture does not appear to be very different ; but in the 
latter the intestine seems to be somewhat longer than in the 
former, exceeding in the one genus the length of the body, 
while in the other it falls short of this. In both the stomach 
is a small lunate sac, placed crosswise with regard to the 
body, with both orifices in the front, thus differing in this 
peculiarity from all other Cyprinide that I have examined. 
The mouth is small, and placed in the lower surface of the 
head, and surrounded by minute cirri. Besides the differ- 
ence in the caudal fins, length of intestine, and colour, in the 
two subgenera of Coditine, the body in Schistura is often 
arched above and below, and compressed, the same as in 
Cirrhinus and the generality of Cyprins ; but in Codttis pro- 

* Named by Mr. Gray as Buchanan’s Balitora, which rather corresponds 


with my Psilorhynchus; Psil. vartegatus being Buchanan’s Cyprinus Ba- 
litora. 


Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 111 


pria, or true Loaches, it is almost cylindrical, and generally 
very long. Some of the Schisture are possessed of an air- 
vessel, placed as usual in the upper part of the abdomen, of 
an oval shape, and divided into two lateral cells by a longitu- 
dinal septum; but in Coditis prop., or Loaches with entire 
caudal, I have not found any trace of that organ in the ordi- 
nary position: but in different species that I have dissected, 
it is placed in a small bony case over the entrance to the ceso- 
phagus ; this case consists of a single subglobular cell, al- 
though in the European species it has been found to be bilo- 
bate. In those Schisture, on the other hand, which are with- 
out the abdominal natatory bladder, I find the organ situated 
over the entrance to the cesophagus, as in Coditis prop., but 
formed of two small globular cells, joined together by an in- 
termediate tube. 

28. Having thus explained the general principles on which 
I have subdivided the family, it may be useful to examine 
how far the results are likely to correspond with those laws 
that have been laid down as the basis of natural classification. 
With this view we should first of all endeavour to ascertain 
the denomination of the family, or its relation in point of rank 
to fishes in general; but as this could only be done after ana- 
lysis of the whole class, we can only attempt to form an esti- 
mate on the subject by comparing Cyprinide with what seem 
to be analogous groups in other classes, to which the philo- 
sophical views of Mr. MacLeay, Mr. Swainson, Mr. Vigors, 
and other writers on the natural system, have been extended. 

29. It might be unnecessary, in a communication of this kind, 
to offer any remarks on the general principles of the natural 
method of arrangement, as these are fully expounded in po- 
pular introductions that ought to be universally read, as well 
as in several papers that have been published within these last 
twenty years in the Transactions of the Linnzean and other 
learned societies ; I may however remark, that in addition to 
those affinities by which animals are immediately connected, 
there are more remote relations, called relations of analogy, by 
which they typify or represent each other, “a principle which,” 
as Swainson observes, “was in some degree perceived by 
Linnzeus when he compared ruminating quadrupeds to galli- 
naceous birds*, both of which evince the greatest intelligence, 
docility and contentment under the domestication of man.” 
Appendages to the head, whether in the shape of horns, crests, 
or fleshy protuberances, and the property of affording whole- 


* Such analogies were, as Mr. MacLeay has shown, known to Aristotle, 
by whom, however, as well as by all subsequent writers up to the time of 
Mr. MacLeay himself, they were mistaken for affinities. 


112 Mr. J. M‘Clelland ox Indian Cyprinide. 


some and nutritious food, and otherwise contributing to the 
ease and support of man, are, according to Swainson, the chief 
attributes of the type to which the above analogy refers. 

30. The Elephant, horned cattle, domestic poultry, &c., 
are common instances of the type alluded to; and if we com- 
pare their properties in their respective circles with the Cy- 
prinide in the order of abdominal Malacopterygians, we may 
venture perhaps to look upon that family as the equivalent 
in its circle to other rasorial groups in theirs. 

31. The mouth of Cyp. Calbasus, Buch., is small,and directed 
downwards; the anterior lip is compressed by a pendulous 
muscular snout, to which four short muscular cirri, different 
from the nervous filaments of Sc/uride, are attached*, and the 
posterior lip is fixed to the ligamentous union of the trans- 
verse apophyses of the lower jaw. In the Cirrhins the lower 
jaw is composed of two short branches or bony limbs, ob- 
liquely inclined towards each other from their articulation to 
the blunt apex of the jaw, where they are united by ligaments 
instead of symphysis at the approximation of a slender apo- 
physis from each side. Figs. 4,5, 20, 21, plate 54, show the 
under side of the right ramus of the lower jaw (natural size) 
of four species ; @, being the point of approximation with its 
fellow at the chin, and 4, the articulating extremity behind. 

32. This structure is evidently adapted to the habit of col- 
lecting fruits, seeds, and other soft substances from the muddy 
and sandy bottoms of indolent streams, in which loose de- 
tached objects of the kind are most likely to occur, and where 
they may be easily collected, without bodily effort, by means 
of these soft pendulous and prehensile organs attached to the 
lips. If to these characters we add the great size of the spe- 
cies compared with the rest of the family, and the plain dusky 
colour of the Cirrhins, their analogy to the proboscidian 
types of quadrupeds seems almost complete. But there are 
still other remarkable points of resemblance between the 
Cirrhins and rasorial forms among the quadrupeds, in the de- 
ficiency of teeth, and the weakness of the union of the two 
limbs of the lower jaw. 

33. In the Elephant this jaw is only formed for grinding such 
substances as are introduced to the mouth by the proboscis ; 


* The cirri of Cyprinide are soft, and capable of being contracted and 
elongated, as well as the loose muscular appendages of the snout to which 
they are attached, particularly in the genus Cirrhinus, Cuv. ; but in Pime- 
lodus aor, Buch., and most of the Sz/wrid@, | find the cirri are flat and car- 
tilaginous, with a groove on either edge for the protection of a large nerve, 
an artery, and avein. A cirrus so constructed is incapable of muscular ac- 
tion, and is strictly an organ of sense only, and not of prehension as in Cy- 
prinide, and ought to be called a filament. 


Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 113 


there are no cutting teeth, the use of these in gathering food 
being superseded by the trunk. In all animals possessed of such 
an organ, prehensile and cutting teeth appear to be less pro- 
minent according to the degree of its development ; of this we 
have instances in the Tapirs and Kdentates. In the Sarco- 
borine the incisors and prehensile teeth are represented by a 
formidable knob on the symphysis of the lower Jaw ; and in the 
Peonomine, where even this symbol is wanting, we find such 
of the genera as are without strong muscular appendages to 
the snout, furnished with a cartilaginous rim to the mouth, 
which in some, as the Gonorhynchs, is confined to the edge 
of the lower lip, as a covering or defence when employed in 
detaching their peculiar food from the rocks to which it is 
fixed, and may for this reason be considered as the last sem- 
blance of astructure equivalent to cutting teeth*; but in the 
Cirrhins even this is quite deficient. Nor does the analogy 
between these fishes and proboscidian quadrupeds end here : 
the presence of cutting teeth implies a strong solid union of 
the two bony limbs of the lower jaw at the symphysis for their 
insertion ; but in the Edentates and Elephants the symphysis 
is remarkably feeble, the two sides of the jaw being nearly 
separated by a deep fissure, almost detaching its limbs from 
each other, as actually occurs in the Cirrhins, with which I in- 
clude Labeos, which are also furnished with similar prehensile 
organs in the form of thick pendulous lips. So many corre- 
sponding circumstances between animals so remote from each 
other in the scale of affinity cannot be referred merely to co- 
incidence, but rather to a law of symbolical representation, by 
which the same type appears throughout an infinity of forms 
in the several classes. 

34. If Cyprinide be a rasorial group, as the above analogies 
of their most perfect forms with rasorial quadrupeds would 
seem to indicate, the same relation should appear on contrast- 
ing them with other classes, the corresponding points beco- 
ming more striking or faint in proportion as the groups with 
which they are compared are contiguous or remote from them ; 
therefore, as birds are nearer to fishes than quadrupeds, the 
comparison of analogous types between these classes should 
afford more striking results than those I have cited. 


* Mr. Evans pointed out to me a peculiarity, for which he could see no 
object, in our skeleton of an Indian Rhinoceros, consisting of two minute 
incisors scarcely larger than those of a Rabbit, and hardly projecting from 
the alveolar ; yet these teeth, so small as to be utterly unfit for any useful 
purpose, are found in every individual of the species. We can only regard 
these, and all such organs, of which the animal kingdom presents innume- 
rable examples, as the characters by which nature distinguishes her various 
types. 

Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. I 


114 Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide, 


The most remarkable characteristic of rasorial birds is their 
shortness of wing, terrestrial habits, and consequent strength 
and size of their legs, which are formed for the principal sup- 
port of the body, and in some almost supersede the use of 
wings. It may be thought difficult to find among fishes a 
terrestrial type; but as water is the natural element of this 
class, so the ocean is its metropolis; and those kinds that are 
confined to rivers and the interior of continents may be safely 
looked upon as more terrestrial than the rest, and consequently 
so far equivalent in their habits to rasorial birds; and while 
there is no instance of rasorial birds possessed of aquatic habits, 
or, as Swainson observes, “frequenting water or even its vici- 
nity *,” so no species of Cyprinide is known to belong to the 
sea. In India the Cyprinide are exclusively confined to fresh 
water, mostly keeping beyond the influence of the tides ; thus 
evincing a propensity for land analogous to that of Rasores. 

35. There is perhaps no point better settled in comparative 
anatomy, than that the pectorals of fishes represent the upper 
extremities of the higher classes of animals; short pectorals 
may therefore be said to be equivalent to short wimgs in birds ; 
but it is a question of much interest to determine fully how 
this applies to the case before us, and if it is to be relied upon 
as a true analogy. 

In the Frog and several reptiles the scapula has been found 
by Cuvier and Geoffroy to be composed of two osseous pieces, 
agrecing with the two upper bones of the posterior frame or 
jamb of the branchial aperture in fishes ; and a third or lower 
bone assists in forming a girdle to which the pectoral fins are 
fixed in Siluride and most fishes of the same order, with the 
exception of the Cyprinide, and particularly the herbivorous 
section of the family (P@onomine). These bones were found 
by the most satisfactory analysis to represent the humerus, or 
bone which gives support to the third row of quill-feathers in 
birds. Below this bone there is a stylet, which in Cyprins is 
merely rudimental. It was found by Cuvier to represent the 
ulna and radius, or in other words, to be equivalent to the cu- 
bitus or bone which sustains the secondary quills in the wings 
of birds. 

36. Thus two bones, which in birds constitute the larger 
portion of the wing, may be said to be almost deficient in her- 
bivorous Cyprins, though they are more developed in many 
species of the carnivorous section of the family, and still more 
complete and uniform in other families of the same order, as 
Siluride. 

37. It is hardly necessary to enter into further analysis to 


* Geog. Dist. and Class. of Animals, p. 259. 


Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 115 


prove that the pectorals of Cyprinide in general, but particu- 
larly of herbivorous Cyprins, are less complete than those of 
neighbouring groups, for we are at once struck with the fact 
on observing the small size of the pectoral fins in all our 
Peonomine, and the slenderness of the rays of which they are 
composed; while the large clumsy rays of the ventrals, and 
the strength of these fins, are circumstances that cannot be 
overlooked, and which, when viewed in comparison with the 
strong and fully-developed legs of Rasores (34.),supply all that 
is essential in the analogies between the groups in question. 

38. In the most carnivorous species of Sarcoborine, on 
the other hand, and especially in some of the Opsarions, as 
O. polioxus and O. pholicephalus*, remarkable instances are 
observed of excessive development in the pectoral fins; and 
this is always, as far as I have seen, attended with a pro- 
portionate want of size in the ventrals, which are so slen- 
der and small in this genus, and their structure so delicate, 
as to render it hardly possible to conceive that they can 
be of much use in aiding the movements of the body. 
Now the widely-cleft mouth or beak, great breadth of wings 
or pectorals, obsolete ventrals or feet, are common to Opsa- 
rions and Fissirostres, so that the first would thus appear to 
be a natatorial type of Sarcoborine, corresponding with that 
type in the order of perching-birds. To this, however, there 
is some objection ; for if the Sarcoborine represent the Fere, 
the most carnivorous genus of the subfamily (which Opsa- 
rions would seem to be) ought to represent the Falconide, in 
which there is only one genus (Gypaétus) remarkable for 
short feet and great breadth of wing; but the cruel habits 
and voracious appetite of the Opsarions go to establish this 
last as the true analogy; this, however, as well as many other 
points, must remain to be decided by further inquiry. In the 
mean time we may be justified in the conclusion, that the 
Fere among the Mammalia, and the Fulconide among birds, 
have their representatives among the Cyprinide, and that the 
same type in each of the three groups seems to possess cer- 
tain corresponding characteristics which may distinguish them 
from all adjoining groups, and that in describing these cha- 
racters the same terms are as applicable to the one as to the 
other, which is quite sufficient to prove their corresponding 
analogies. 

39. It may be objected to by those who have not paid much 
attention to the subject, that detached comparisons of this 
nature are of little value; still they are important, as the 
means of directing attention to characters that would other- 


* Tab. 47, f. 2, 3. 
IT 2 


116 Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 


wise be liable to be passed over unobserved; I am therefore 
disposed to pay little regard to such objections. The number 
of species and groups are now so much multiplied in every 
department of natural history, that detached descriptions are 
daily diminishing in value ; and besides, it is so easy to make 
a new genus if not required to show our reason for doing so, 
that we need not be surprised that it should now have become 
a regular trade, and that many acquire a temporary fame with 
the unthinking part of mankind by the practice. 

40. The first test of a natural group is the circularity of its 
contents. ‘To ascertain whether the affinities of the Cypri- 
nideé are circular, it is necessary to recollect that the herbivo- 
rous Cyprins are characterized by their plain colours and great 
length of intestinal canal, which varies from six to twelve 
lengths of the body in the different groups; those with the 
shortest intestine (the Barbels) being in the centre of the sub- 
family, it follows that the two extremes must meet, or show a 
tendency to approximate or close. The herbivorous Carps 
are united to the Sarcoborine by means of the Gonorhynchs 
and Systoms, and show, like the last, a tendency to form a 
circle of themselves, though it is probable that the group 
is yet far from being complete. The Sarcoborine and the 
Loaches are united by two new types, the Platycara and Psi- 
lorhynchus ; and the Schistura, in addition to approximating 
to the Platycara, unites, or shows a tendency to unite, both 
in form and habits, with the Peonomine, the group with which 
we set out; thus exemplifying the first principle of natural 
classification, namely, that every natural series of beings, in 
its progress from a given point, either actually returns, or 
evinces a tendency to return again to that poimt, thereby 
forming a circle*. 

41. The second test of a natural group relates to the num- 
ber of its types. On this point there exists some difference 
of opinion among writers on the natural system, which their 
profound inquiries are now doing much to remove. It is a 
question which, to understand sufficiently for practical pur- 
poses, requires an extensive knowledge of natural history, and 
a mind somewhat more imbued with the spirit of philosophy 
than has hitherto been considered requisite in those who ven- 
tured to name new genera. It has already been said that the 
lower jaw of the |Labeos agrees with that of the Cirrhins, in 
being formed of two bones articulated behind to the anterior 
process of the preoperculum, and that in front a transverse 
apophysis is given off on either side, so as to meet nearly 
in the middle, where they are united by ligaments and muscles 
at the chin, which is square, with a fissure in the middle. 


* Swains. Nat. Class. and Geog. Dist. Anim., p. 224. 


Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 117 


The lower jaw of the Barbels is composed of two longer 
limbs (fig. 6, plate 54) articulated behind as in the Cirrhins, 
but without transverse apophyses in front, where the two 
bones are united by symphysis, or close union, firmly ce- 
mented as it were with cartilage. 

In the Gudgeons the chin is rounded horizontally, without 
the depression in the middle observed in that of the Cirrhins, 
or the acute lengthened apex of the Barbels, and is composed 
of a solid bony rim, formed of a transverse process directed 
from each corner of the mouth to the centre, where it 1s firmly 
united to its fellow by symphysis at the chin; at the corners 
of the mouth these transverse processes turn backwards at 
right angles (as in Cyp. bata, Buch., fig. 3, plate 54), and some- 
times at still greater angles, as in (fig. 2, plate 54) Cyp. mri- 
gala, Buch. ‘This last process is articulated behind to the 
anterior process of the preoperculum, and corresponds with 
Cuvier’s angular bone in the Perch. 

42, The angular transverse processes in this last form have 
every appearance of being two distinct pieces (¢ and d, fig. 2, 
plate 54), consolidated in adults by a bony union at the corner 
of the mouth, yet formed from distinct centres of osseous de- 
posit. Now as these three forms are each attended with pe- 
culiar traits of character in regard to the nature of food and 
the manner of obtaining it, as well as in the structure of their 
digestive organs, we may be sufficiently justified in regarding 
them as characterizing three types, which, if we like, we may 
term primary. This view is further supported by the fact, 
that to one or other of the three forms in question, variously 
medified, the lower jaw of all the Cyprins of this country may 
be referred. In Cyprinus semiplotus (fig. 1, plate 54) the an- 
gular process is merged into the transverse, the first being 
only distinguished by the pterygoid process (c, fig. 1, plate 
54), which we know, from all the other species examined, to 
belong to the angular limb (d, fig. 2, plate 54), and not to the 
transverse process on which it is in this species placed; while 
the analogy to the type of the Gudgeons is preserved by an 
additional transverse bone being placed parallel to and in front 
of the first (e, e, fig. 1 and 2, plate 54). Of the positive value 
of these characters, I may mention that Cyprinus mrigala, 
Buch., is indicated by Cuvier as a Cirrhinus, but proved 
by this method of analysis to belong to the Gudgeens (Gobio 
prop., J. M.), having, as well as the peculiar affinity here 
pointed out, the lengthened alimentary canal of that genus. 

Cyprinus prop., Cuvier, | suspect will be found, according 
to these principles, to agree in its natural affinities either with 
the Barbels or Cirrhins, as the length of the dorsal and the 


118 Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 


presence or absence of a spinous ray are scarcely sufficient 
distinctions even for a subgenus; and the Catastomi and La- 
beos of America will, I presume, be found to arrange them- 
selves naturally with the Cirrhins. 

The lower jaw of the Gonorhynchs is composed of two 
limbs placed nearly parallel to each other, and, as in the Cir- 
rhins, not united in front, but with this peculiarity, that the os 
hyoides is prolonged to the chin, at which situation the ante- 
rior extremities of the three bones are tied together with li- 
gaments*. 

In the Opsarions, and generally throughout the Sarcobo- 
rine, the second form of jaw prevails, with the addition of 
being more acute at the symphysis; this form also seems to 
prevail in the Coditine, but in these the bones of the jaw are 
soft and flexible. The limbs of this organ are round and slender 
in Cobitis prop., but firmly united in front by means of two 
expanded apophyses; while in Schistura they are flat and ob- . 
liquely inclined to each other, so as to form, by means of their 
inner edges, a lengthened symphysis. 

43. Thus we appear to have three primary types: the first 
distinguishes the Cirrhins, Labeos, and probably Catastoms ; 
a second is peculiar to the Barbels, Opsarions, and numerous 
other genera; and a third is seen in the Gudgeons. From 
these three types being so prominently developed in the Peo- 
nomine, while one principle chiefly seems to run through all 
the Sarcoborine, it is perfectly legitimate to conclude, even 
from this circumstance alone, that the former should be the 
most perfect group of the two, and that its species should con- 
sequently be endowed with more diversified instincts ; hence, 
although a vegetable regimen is the great characteristic of the 
Peonomine, still many of the species are omnivorous, and this 
is to be expected, especially among the Cirrhins and the true 
Carps (Cyprinus prop., Cuv.). The Barbels, however, as well 
perhaps as the Breams, which appear to be peculiar to Europe, 
seem to partake more of carnivorous habits, and therefore 
must be held as the subtypical, while the Cirrhins are the ty- 
pical+ ; and the Gudgeons and Gonorhynchs, from their pos- 
sessing in the greatest perfection the single instinct for a ten- 
dency to which the Peonomine are most remarkable, viz. sub- 
sisting exclusively on a vegetable regimen, are as unques- 
tionably the aberrant forms of Peonomine: on the other hand, 
the rapacious habits of the Sarcoborine mark them so con- 


* Vide Journ. As. Soc. Beng., 1835, p. 40, where I described this struc- 
ture in Gonorhynchus petrophilus. 

+ The Cirrhins being the most perfect forms of a typical group, are 
strictly, in the language of Mr, Swainson, pre-eminently typical. 


Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 119 


spicuously as a subtypical group, corresponding as they do 
with the habit of that group in devouring other animals, that 
it is unnecessary in this place to offer a remark in support of 
a fact se plain. 

44. The consideration of the third or aberrant group in 
Cyprinide involves some points which will not be so clear to 
those who have not studied the principles of natural classi- 
fication. This group should possess three types, and these 
should be so related as to form a circle of affinities among 
themselves. ‘This property has suggested the following pro- 
position to Mr. Swainson, which tends to reconcile some di- 
versity of opinion that formerly prevailed as to the number of 
primary types :—“ The primary circular divisions of every 
group are three actually, or five apparently.” The three 
aberrant types are named by Mr. Vigors (‘ Linn. Transac.,’ 
vol. xiv.) from the corresponding groups in ornithology, na- 
tatorial, suctorial, and rasorial*. The third type I find to be 
represented by the Loaches ; but before we enter into a consi- 
deration of that part of the subject, it is necessary to point out 
the two first types, which I have already only alluded to; this 
I must do by entering into more particulars than may seem 
to be necessary. 

45. Buchanan, in defining his ninth division of the old ge- 
nus Cyprinus, which is composed of Gonorhynchs, as I have 
already pointed out, gave them the barbarous name of Garra, 
and compares their habits to those of the Loaches, and ob- 
serves that they are called Balitora, or sand-diggers, by the 
natives ; a name, I may observe, which in Assam, and I pre- 
sume also in Bengal, is applied to Loaches only. Indeed the 
Gonorhynchs, or Garra of Buchanan, are peculiar to moun- 
tains, from whence they are driven down during floods, and 
do not extend beyond the rapids that skirt their base ; so that 
they can scarcely be said to be entitled to any Bengal name. 
In this group Mr. Gray detected a new genus, to which I wish 
he had given a more appropriate name than Balitora; for in- 
dependently of the species being different from any of those 
described by Buchanan, and supposed by him to be the Ba- 
litora of the natives, Mr. Gray’s genus is peculiar to moun- 
tain-torrents, the beds of which are usually rocky rather than 
sandy : for this reason, as well as from the fact of the Balitora 
of Gray forming a new type, distinguished by a flat head and 


* As these terms have been applied conditionally by Mr. Swainson to 
Mammalia, 1 need make no apology for following the example of so good 
an authority in applying them to fishes. Indeed I have been guided en- 
tirely by the views of Mr. MacLeay, as exhibited in the ‘ Linnzean Transac- 
tions,’ and the works of Mr. Swainson, from beginning to end of this paper. 


120 Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 


other remarkable characters, I propose for it the generic 
name Platycara*. Several specimens of this genus, corre- 
sponding, I suspect, with the spotted species of Gray, P. macu- 
lata, plate 49, fig. 2+, were brought down from Bouton by Mr. 
Griffith, but they were unfortunately in such a decayed state 
when opened that we have been unable to obtain from them 
a very full specific description. I have however, from these 
specimens, been able to satisfy myself on other points con- 
nected with their structure, and find not merely that they are 
distinct from the Gonorhynchs (Garra, Buch.), in consequence 
of their short fleshy abdominal tube, which does not, inelu- 
ding the stomach, exceed the length of the body, while that 
of the Gonorhynchs is equal to eight lengths of the body; but 
that their broad and blunt head is more like that of a St/urus 
than a Cyprinus. Their character is rendered still more re- 
markable by the great breadth and position of the pectorals, 
situated almost beneath the eyes, and the fleshy pedicles or 
arms on which they are placed are decided analogies to nata- 
torial forms. If we compare the characters of the Platycara 
with those of the natatorial types in the other classes, we are 
struck with the analogy—“ a blunt truncated muzzle, an ob- 
tuse head with strong jaws for seizing animal food.” The 
short intestines of the Platycara prove their habits to be car- 
nivorous; and though the mouth is not very large, the jaws 
are remarkably strong, composed, as in the Gudgeons, of two 
limbs soldered in the middle, but much stronger than in the 
instance referred to. Among birds, the Owls, the natatorial 
group of Raptores, and the Fissirostres in the circle of perchers, 
as well as most of the Natatores, are distinguished above other 
birds for their breadth of wing, and the blunt or flattened 
form of the rostrum or the head, as has been proved by the 
philosophical analysis of the class by Vigors and Swainson{. 

46. For the next cr suctorial form (plate 50, fig. 1, 2) we are 


* From platus, broad, and kara, the head. 

+ From the importance here given to these species as forming a new 
type, I have transferred the two figures from Hardwicke’s ‘ Illustrations,’ in 
which there is no description of them, to plate 49. 

Since the above was written, the collectors employed by my friend Mr. 
Griffith in the Kasyah mountains have obtained an additional species; and 
as their liberal employer has no object to serve beyond the interest of sci- 
ence, he has freely permitted me to make use of this or any similar object 
of zoological interest contained in his collections. ‘The species alluded to, 
P. nasuta, is described in Prinsep’s Journal of the Asiatic Society for No- 
vember 1838, plate 55, fig. 2. See also plate 57, fig. 2 of this paper: in this 
species the pectoral pedicles are very slightly developed. 

+ The Peciliane, Schn., to which I have added a subgenus Aplochelus, 
as well as the adjoining genera with flat heads and teeth, [ also refer to the 
same type, plate 42, fig. 2, 3, plate 55, fig. 4. 


Mr. West:vood on the Seves in certain Lucanide. 121 


indebted to two drawings in Buchanan’s collection, which are 
marked “ Stolephorus ;” but the Stolephore (Hngraulis, Cuv.) 
or Anchovies belong to the Clupeide, a family remarkable 
for its narrow or compressed forms. The two figures referred 
to are not compressed nor sharp beneath, so that they could 
not belong to the genus Buchanan had in view when he named 
them on the drawings ; and this mistake he seems afterwards 
to have corrected, as the same two species appear unquestion- 
ably to be those described in the ‘ Gangetic Fishes,’ p. 347-8, 
under the names of Cyprinus Sucatio and Cyp. Balitora*, 

The muzzle of these species is remarkably flattened and 
thin, but there is nothing remarkable about the pectoral fins ; 
and the eyes, instead of being placed on the upper surface of 
the head, as in Platycara, are situated on its edges; the mouth 
is remarkably small, placed far behind the long and thin 
muzzle, without any appearance of cirri, as in the Loaches, to 
which Buchanan supposed them to bear a resemblance. This 
genus, which appears to be the suctorial type, I propose to 
name Psilorhynchus}. The peculiarities just noticed, as well 
as the position of the eyes, which are far back in the head, as 
we see in the Moles, Ant-eaters, and other analogous types 
among quadrupeds, together with their well-formed and fully- 
developed fins, are indicative of powers of rapid motion, such 
as distinguishes the Humming-birds, Cinnyris, Waders, and 
other suctorial types in the same class. Unfortunately we are 
not acquainted with the habits of the two interesting species 
under consideration, further than that they were obtained by 
Buchanan in the northern parts of Bengal, to which they have 
been probably swept from the mountains. The information 
to be derived from their intestines is however of the less im- 
portance as affecting their type, as they would be equally suc- 
torial whether they derived their food from the juices of plants 
or from shell-fish or ova. 


[To be continued. ] 


XV.—-Notice of a hitherto undescribed character distinctive 
of the Sexes in certain Lucanide. By J. O. Westwoopn, 
F.LS. 


DvurineG the late visit of Professor Burmeister to London, he 
mentioned to me, whilst looking over my collection of ento- 
mological drawings, that a Brazilian insect therein represented, 


* It was probably Buchanan’s descriptions of these species Mr. Gray had 
in view when he bestowed the name Balitora on the genus which I now call 
Platycara, 

+ From psilo, thin or attenuated, and rhynchus, a snout or beak, 


122 Mr. Westwood on the Sexes in certain Lucanide. 


and which had been regarded by the Rev. F. W. Hope as a 
species of Pholidotus (Ph. irroratus, H., Trans. Zool. Soc.*), 
and by myself as constituting a subgenus of Pholidotus (Scor- 
tizus, W., in Ann. d. Sci. Nat., 2nd Ser. t. i. p. 119), was na- 
turally referable to the group of Lucanide typified by Figulus, 
MacL. (consisting of the genera Figulus, Nigidius, Cardanus, 
W.., and Ceratognathus,W.), being, like those genera, furnished 
with a corneous hook at the extremity of the mando or in- 
ternal lobe of the maxillz. My drawings comprised a repre- 
sentation of the maxilla, and exhibited this hook ; but in the 
plate published in the ‘ Transactions of the Zoological Society ” 
the figure of this organ was omitted. 

The existence of two other Brazilian species of Lucanide 
closely allied to Scortizus, but of a narrower form, approach- 
ing that of the Figulides, and which also possessed a similar 
hook, appeared to confirm Dr. Burmeister’s views, although the 
general form of Scortizus irroratus, and especially the par- 
tially squamose surface of the body, seemed equally to bring it 
into connexion with Pholidotus. 

Having years ago discovered that the females of Pholidotus 
possess a similar hook +, although it is wanting in the males, 
it appeared to me that this circumstance gave a more direct 
clue to the solution of the question than any other that could 
be offered. The unique specimen, however, in Mr. Hope’s 
collection being a female, it became necessary to examine the 
other sex, and fortunately the valuable collection of Brazilian 
insects of Mr. Miers afforded an example of both sexes ; and 
on dissecting the male, I found, as I had anticipated, that its 
maxille were destitute of any corneous hook, thus proving 
the relationship of Scortizus and Pholidoius. Being further 
anxious to ascertain whether this sexual distinction might 
not also exist amongst the Figulideous species, the specimens 
of which hitherto dissected might possibly have been females 
alone—whilst the males hitherto undissected might have been 
destitute of such hook, which latter is im fact the character 
assigned by Mr. MacLeay to his genus Migulus in the ¢ Horee 
Entomologice,’—I submitted all my exotic Lucanide (except 
those of the genus Lucanus) to the test of dissection, and the 
result has been the discovery of the existence of a similar sex- 
ual distinction in the genus Lamprima; whereas in Nigidius 
and Ceratognathus, W., the males of which are at once recog- 
nisable by the increased size of the mandibles, I found the 


* Lucanus maculatus, Klug, in Nova Acta. 

+ Mr. MacLeay formed the female of this genus into the genus Casignetus 
in the ‘ Horze Entomologicze,’ overlooking however this curious character, 
but suggesting its generic identity with Pholidotus. 


Mr. Westwood on new Insects. 123 


maxillz in this sex furnished with the hook as well as in the 
females. All my specimens of Figulus and Cardanus, W., are 
also similarly provided with the hook, but [ have not distin- 
guished between the sexes ; so that I cannot affirm, although I 
fully believe, that both sexes of those two genera are also fur- 
nished with a hook, and consequently that the description 
of Mr. MacLeay of the genus Figulus is erroneous. 

The genera in which I have found neither sex furnished 
with the hook are Ceruchus, Platycerus, Ceratognathus, W., 
Syndesus and Rhyssonotus. 

In Lepidodes, W., a new subgenus of Lucanus which exhi- 
bits several of the characters of Pholidotus and Rhyssonotus, 
I found the unique female in Mr. Melly’s collection to be de- 
stitute of a tooth. ; 

I also found the females of Chiasognathus and Sphenogna- 
thus similarly destitute of the hook, although, from their close 
relationship with Pholidotus, I fully expected to find that they 
possessed it. 


XVI.—IJnsectorum novorum Centuria, auctore 
J.O. Westwoop, F.L.S. 


Decadis prime Coleopterorum Synopsis*. 

Carenum, Bon.; C. Spencit. Subopacum, nigrum; tibis anticis 
valde palmatis, elytris excavationibus rotundatis numerosis tri- 
plici serie (in utroque elytro) ordinatis; spatiis intermediis ele- 
vatis. Long. corp. lin. 9. NovaHollandia. Mus. Melly. 


Hextora, Mach.; H. Thibetana. Ainea, lateribus cupreo-tinctis, 
valde rugosa et punctata tuberculisque oblongis distincta, elytris 
guttis 4-elevatis fulvis, antennis piceo-luteis, femoribus fulvis, 
apicibus zeneis, tibiis fulvo piceoque annulatis. Long. corp. lin. 4. 
Habitat Thibet. Mus. Melly. 


TrieLatoma}, Westw., in Griff. An. K.; 7. apicalis. Nigra, levis, 
prothoracis lateribus luteis macula oblongo-ovali nigra; elytris 
fascia valde angusta ante medium alteraque pone medium (in 
medio interrupta) et subobliqua luteis; apicibus apiceque ab- 
dominis rufis. Long. corp. lin. 94. Habitat Africa tropicali. 
D. Raddon. Mus. nostr. Elater cecus, Fabr., Pal. B. Col. pl. 
7. £. 4. valde affinis. 


Srernotomis, Perch. (Sternodonta, Dej., Lap.); S. amena. Nigra, 
opaca, pronoto maculis duabus mediis lateribusque, scutello, 
maculis lateribusque elytrorum viridi-lacteis, maculis duabus in 


* Figures and detailed descriptions of these insects are prepared, and will 
be published hereafter. 
{ Kvotylidz oblong, palpis maxillaribus simplicibus, 


124 Mr. Westwood’s Century of new Insects. 


medio elytrorum maximis ; alterisque duabus posticis elongatis 
et valde angustis. Long. corp. lin. 11—16. Habitat Africa 
tropicali. D. Raddon. Mus. Melly, nostr. 


Saperpa, Fab.; S. carissima. Brevis, opaca, supra viridi-lactea, 
pronoto vittis tribus brunneo-fulvis, elytris fascia lata irregulari 
(in medio interrupta) ex humeris fere ad suturam ducta, macu- 
laque magna communi discoidali, brunneo-fulvis; his etiam ma- 
culis 10, nigris rotundatis ornatis. Long. corp. lin. 5. Habitat 
Africa tropicali. Mus. Raddon. 


ParisTEMIA, Westw. (n. g. Longicorn. Lophonocero et Pteracanthz 
Newm. affinis). Antennz breves, crasse, caput parvum, protho- 
rax utrinque obtuse spinosus, elytra lateribus rotundato-dilatatis, 
apicibus simplicibus. Palpi breves.—P. platyptera. Nigra, pro- 
thorace rufo, utrinque striga e capite ad angulos posticos ducta 
nigra, elytris fascia latissima postice angulata et fere ad apicem 
extensa rufa. Long. corp. lin. 125. Habitat Africa tropicali. 
Mus. Raddon. 


Lucanvs, Linn.; L. Dur. Ater, elytris nitidis, capite utrinque rugose 
punctato, pronoto tenuissime punctato, mandibulis longitudine 
capiti et thoraci equalibus, valde curvatis, intus (dentibus 
tribus subapicalibus exceptis) inermibus; capite pone oculos 
utrinque obtuse spinoso, prothorace utrinque bispinoso, angulis- 
que posticis acutis, tibiis anticis apice externo 3-dentato; 4 pos- 
ticis inermibus. Long. corp. cum mandibulis unc. 4, lin. 2. 
Habitat Manilla. D. Cuming. In Mus. Brit. Affinis L. belli- 
coso, Lap., at major, et mandibulis basi intus inermibus. Vix 
varietas D. Alcidis. 

Lucanus DeHaanii. A‘neo-rufescens, elytris pedibusque fulves- 
centibus, capite maximo antice latiori; oculis vix septatis; 
mandibulis elongatis, dente uno ante, alteroque pone medium 
tribusque subapicalibus intus armatis ; antennis valde elongatis, 
clava 4-phylla, 1™° articulo clave maximo; pronoto postice 
angustiori, pedibus longis, tibiis anticis in medio 1-spinosis, 
4 posticis inermibus. Long. corp. cum mandibulis lin. 19. Ha- 
bitat Borneo. Mus. Melly. Conf. LZ. metallicus, Bdyv. Voy. 
Astrol. 

Lucanvs. (S. g. nov. Lepipopres. Corpus punctatum punctis albi- 
do-squamosis, caput ¢ magnum quadratum; mandibulis cras- 
sis, porrectis subrectis intus et ad apicem valde dentatis, protho- 
rax subrotundatus lateribus crenulatis ; oculis omnino septatis, 
antennarum clava 3-phylla ; tibiz anticz 5-dentate, 4 postice 
inermes. L. (Chalcodi) xrato proximus.) L. (L.) rotundicollis. 
Purpureo-fuscus, subnitidus, capite thoraceque dense punctatis, 
punctis albido-squamosis ; elytris tenuissime punctatis et squa- 
mosis. Corpore infra ut supra colorato et squamoso. Long. 
corp. lin. JO—14. Habitat Nova Hollandia. Mus. Curtis et 
Melly. 


Passatus, Fab.; P. fronticornis. Niger, nitidus, subcylindricus ; 
clypeo in cornu longitudine capitis apice emarginato porrecto, 


or 


Mr. W. Thompson on migratory Birds. 12 


mandibulisque porrectis, apertis, longitudine cornu cly pei, intus 
ad basin multi-dentatis, pronoto serie . punctorum margine antico, 
parallela, punctisque duobus majoribus versus angulos posticos. 
Long. corp. 1 unc. Habitat Thibet. Mus. Melly. 


XVII.—WNotice of migratory Birds which alighted on, or were 
seen from, H.M.S. Beacon, Capt. Graves, on the passage 
from Malta to the Morea at the end of April 1841. By 
Wma. THompson, [sq., Vice-Pres. Nat. Hist. Society of 
Belfast. 


Havine been favoured by my friend Capt. Graves, R.N., 
with an invitation to accompany him during the projected 
government survey of the island of Candia, I, with Mr. EK. 
Forbes (who had received from the Admiralty the honorary 
appointment of Naturalist on the occasion), left Malta in 
H.M.S. Beacon on the 21st of April. The first port we sailed 
for was Navarino, for the purpose of watering the ship. The 
passage occupied seven days. It being just the period of the 
year when many species of birds which make Kurope their 
abode only in the more genial seasons, were, after having 
passed the winter in Africa, crossing the Mediterranean to 
their summer quarters, we were often gratified by a sight of 
them, either passing, resting briefly on the rigging, or re- 
maining sometimes so long as a day or more about the ship. 

The following notes were made upon the subject. The 
prevailing wind of the day is set down: the progress noted is 
what we had made at sunset. 

April 22.—Wind W., forty miles E. of Malta. An Owl 
alighted on the vessel and remained a short time. I saw it 
very well and near, but could not be certain of its species. 
Looking over the collection at the British Museum and refer- 
ring to Gould’s ‘ Birds of Europe’ since my return, have not 
satisfied me on the point. Other examples of the same spe- 
cies were seen on the passage, and afterwards in the island of 
Paros. It seems to be the most common of the small migra- 
tory owls to the south of Europe, and I have little doubt is 
the species noticed by Sibthorp in his papers on Greece (pub- 
lished in Walpole’s Memoirs) as the Strix passerina.—Blue- 
headed Wagtail (Motacilla neglecta, Gould): two of these 
birds, both females, were about the vessel all day, and very 
tame; one of them flew into our cabin. It was amusing to 
see them fly-catching on the deck, where they appeared to 
great advantage, and met with considerable success. Their 
manner is, poking out the neck most ludicrously, opening 


126 Mr. W. Thompson on migratory Birds 


wide the bill, and then~ making the unerring dart at their 
victim *. 

Common Swallow (Hirundo rustica). Two remained some 
time about the ship, perching on the rigging, and hawking 
over the deck in pursuit of flies. 

April 23.—Wind S.E., 80 miles from Malta, and 50 
from Cape Passaro, the nearest land. A Lesser Grey-shrike 
(Lanius minor), of which I had a near view several times; a 
Whitethroat (Sylvia cinerea), a Willow-Wren (Sylvia Trochi- 
lus), and a Black-headed Bunting + (Emberiza melanocephala), 
flew on board. Two individuals of the Motacilla neglecta re- 
mained for some time in the vessel, as did a Wheatear (Saz- 
icola Uinanthe) all day. A House Marten (Hirundo urbica) 
flew into the cabin and was found dead shortly afterwards : 
it had not met with any molestation on board. The officers 
of the Beacon have frequently known birds of different spe- 
cies when crossing the Mediterranean thus fly into the cabin, 
secrete themselves and die. A Quail (Perdix Coturnix) was 
captured on board, and appeared to be dying at the time. 

April 24.—Wind S.E., 90 miles E. of Sicily: Syracuse 
the nearest land. Several of the Motacilla neglecta flew on 
board ; one of them entered the cabin very boldly, and enter- 
tained us much by its familiarity. Persons passing in and 
out of the room frighted it not from fly-catching, in which it 
succeeded by running, leaping, or taking short flights at its 
prey : this bird even alighted on ourselves and picked flies off 
our clothes. 

Two or three Hocpoes (Upupa Epops) came on board, 
rested for a short time, and proceeded on their flight ; a Tur- 
tle Dove (Columba Turtur) did the same. 

A flock consisting of twelve Ibises (bis falcinellus, Temm.) 
were seen first at a distance coming from the south-west, flew 
close past the vessel, and continued directly in the same course, 
or towards the north-east, until lost to view. 

April 25.—Wind N.E., 58 miles from Calabria, the near- 
est land: 135 miles from Mount Etna at sunset, when it 
was visible. A Scops-eared Owl (Striv Scops) was knocked 
down and captured just as he had clutched a Lesser White- 
throat (Sylvia Curruca), of which species two or three indi- 
viduals came on board. A Shrike (Lanius ——), which from 


* When, on the 16th of April, on our passage from Marseilles to Malta, 
and about twenty miles southward of the most southern point of Italy, two 
of the Motacilla neglecta, both males, flew on board the steam-packet; they 
were very tame, and remained in the vessel for half an hour. 

+ Acontinental species, and not the bird—Eméeriza Scheniculus—known 
in some parts of the British Islands by this name. 


seen on the passage from Malta to the Morea. 127 


the height it generally kept at I could not see well enough 
to distinguish its species, seized a Sylvia Trochilus, all of 
which it eat except the bill: of the latter species, one which 
was taken by ourselves met with better treatment, and perch- 
ing quietly on the finger was so carried about to feed on flies, 
which, when taken near to, it seized, never leaving the hand 
if the fly could possibly be captured from it. A female Golden 
Oriole (Oriolus Galbula), a Redstart (Phenicura ruticilla), 
and a Lark (d/auda ), of what species I could not be 
certain, came on board—the Redstart was caught. Several 
of the Hirundo rustica about the ship. A Wryneck (Yune 
torquilla) was captured, and on being taken within reach of 
flies, at once picked them up*. When turning about its neck 
in the manner peculiar to the species, this bird was compared 
by some of the officers to a particular species of snake found 
in Greece, and which, like it, has a dark band on the head 
and neck. 

Two or three of the Upupa Epops and a Columba Turtur as 
yesterday flew on board, but did not remain long. “ Large 
and small hawks” were reported to me as seen about the ship ; 
but the Goatsucker and Cuckoo might, from their general ap- 
pearance and mode of flight, be not improbably looked upon 
as “small hawks.” 

April 26.—Wind N.E., 86 miles from Zante, the nearest 
land: 130 miles from Navarino. <A fine male Woodchat (La- 
nius rufus), a White-collared Flycatcher (Muscicapa albicol- 
lis), and one of Natterrer’s Warblers (Sylvia Natterrert) were 
caught on board. 

A Sylvia Trochilus and a Chiff-chaff (Sylvia rufa) were 
found dead in my cabin; they had not been caught or in- 
jured in any way on board, and must, I think, have died from 
fatigue: want of food could hardly have caused their death, 
as there were plenty of flies in the cabin. A Sylvia Curruca, 
a Sub-alpine Warbler (Curruca leucopogon, Gould), a Saxi- 
cola Ginanthe, a Whinchat (Saxicola Rubetra), a Pied Wheat- 
ear (Saxicola leucomela), and an Alauda, of the same species 
as noticed yesterday, flew on board, as did two or three indi- 
viduals of Motacilla neglecta. Several of the Hirundo rustica 
about the vessel during the day, and some remained, perching 
on one of the boats, throughout the night. Three Bee-eaters 
(Merops apiaster) came from the south, and flew close past 
the ship without alighting. I saw four of the Columba Turtur 
come from the south today ; two of them singly, the other two 


* The birds which, in addition to the Wryneck, fed freely on flies, when 
taken within reach of them immediately after capture, were Sylvia Trochilus, 
Motacilla neglecta, Hirundo rustica, and Hirundo urbica. 


128 Mr. W. Thompson on migratory Birds 


in company: one only alighted on the ship, and in the even- 
ing was caught when asleep. 

April 27.—Wind N., 45 miles from Zante, the nearest land, 
and in sight: 60 miles W. of the Morea. A Kestrel (Falco 
Tinnunculus) flew close past the ship, and a “ much larger 
hawk,” which did not come under my own observation, was 
stated to have been seen. 

Two females of the Oriolus Galbula which flew on board 
were captured. Two or three males of the Muscicapa albi- 
collis visited us today, and as many females either of this spe- 
cies or the Pied Flycatcher (Muscicapa luctuosa), but most 
probably the former. 

A Saxicola Rubetra and a Motacilla neglecta came to the 
ship. About a dozen of the Hirundo rustica, which rested last 
night on the rigging, went off this morning. Throughout the 
afternoon and towards evening many more arrived, and con- 
tinued flying about the ship in considerable numbers. 

A few of the Hirundo urbica appeared this morning and re- 
mained through the early part of the day, confining their 
flight to the lee-side of the ship: in the afternoon still more 
were seen hawking about in company with Hir. rustica; as 
flies were numerous, they probably obtained plenty of food: at 
four o’clock p.m. all of this species were gone. 

In the morning a Merops apiaster, coming from the south- 
west, alighted for a moment on the vessel and then flew to- 
wards Zante or in a north-east direction: soon afterwards a 
flock consisting of fifteen came from the same quarter, hawked 
about the leeward side of the vessel for a short time, and then 
proceeded north-east: an hour after their departure (ten 
o’clock) a flock of eight appeared, and alighting on a rope 
astern the ship, remained there for nearly an hour ; they were 
perched close together, and so low down on the rope, that by 
its motion the lowest one was more than once ducked in the 
water, but nevertheless did not let go its hold or change its 
position for a drier one. These birds were but a few yards 
from the cabin-windows, and looked so extremely beautiful, 
that they were compared by some of the spectators to paro- 
quets, and on account of their gaudy plumage not very in- 
aptly. After these left us, others were seen throughout the 
day, but generally singly ; they rarely alighted : all flew in the 
same course*. 

A few Goatsuckers (Caprimulgus Kuropeus) appeared about 
the ship today and alighted ; they were all single with one ex- 


* When not very far to the westward of Cape Matapan on the Ist of May, 
a flock of twenty-nine of the Merops apiaster flew close past the ship to- 
wards the Morea. 


seen on the passage from Malta to the Morea. 129 


ception, when two were seen in company. A few individuals 
of this species were likewise seen within the last two or three 
days. A couple were shot this afternoon. Throughout today 
the Columba Turtur was observed coming from the south, and 
generally singly: very few alighted. 

All the birds seen on migration bore right on in the course 
they had come, whether they rested temporarily on the vessel 
or otherwise. They all came from a southerly direction, 
either due south, S.W. or S.E. The wind was moderate, the 
weather fine and dry during the whole passage, so that all the 
species we saw were in the ordinary course of migration, and 
none driven to the ship by any stress of weather. 


—_— —___—__—_ 


Although not coming within the title of this communica- 
tion, inasmuch as it had already taken up its summer quar- 
ters, I shall here mention the Alpine Switt (Cypselus melba), 
which upon our entering the fine bay of Navarino on the 
morning of the 28th, appeared in great numbers careering 
high overhead. Of the Hirundines generally, it may be re- 
marked, that from our arrival in France on the evening of the 
Ist of April, we did not see any of the species until the 9th, 
when going down the Rhone from Lyons to Avignon. About 
half-way between these places several of the Cyp. melba were 
seen flying over the river, and likewise at all suitable places 
from where they first appeared until we reached Avignon. 
Hirundo rustica and H. urbica were likewise seen several 
times between Lyons and Avignon, but were nowhere nu- 
merous. ‘The first I saw of these species (but which of them 
could not be determined from the distance) was a small flock 
flying northwards, evidently on migration. All indeed which 
were seen today were I think only temporarily here, and 
would, after having got sufficient rest and food, move north- 
wards. A very few Sand Martens (Hirundo riparia) were also 
seen about the Rhone teday. At Malta, on the 17th of April, 
we first met with the Common Swift (Cypselus murarius), 
where, together with the three species of Hirundo just men- 
tioned, numbers were flying low and in company, wherever 
we walked about the island; the day was very fine and warm: 
all four species were about as numerous as 1n their most fa- 
voured haunts in the British Islands. 

On the 18th of April, when walking in the neighbourhood 
of Valetta (Malta), six Little Plovers (Charadrius minor) in a 
flock alighted very near us apparently to rest, and after a 
short time proceeded in their course, which was in a north- 
west direction. 

Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. Ix 


130 Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 


XVIII.—Report of the Results of Researches in Physiological 
Botany made in the year 1839. By F. J. Meyen, M.D., 
Professor of Botany in the University of Berlin*. 

[Continued from p. 35.] 
Anatomy of Vegetables. 

M. Decatsneyt has published a short notice on the structure 

of the wood of the Misseltoe: he could not confirm the state- 

ment of M. Dutrochet, who says that the woody body is 
wanting in the articulation (Gliederung) between the inter- 
nodes, and is only connected by a cellular layer of pith, so 
that, properly speaking, the internodes are connected together 
solely by the bark. According to M. Decaisne’s observations, 
it is exactly in the internodes that the vessels of the bark are 
separated; and he says, that on this fact the articulation of 
this plant depends, but not on the separation of the fibres of 
the wood. The wood of Viscum exhibits no vessels (hereby 
is meant simple spiral tubes.—Mey.), and only in the pith 
were seen annular tubes; the nerves of the leaves did not 

ossess any spirals. The number of the vascular bundles 

(Holzbiindel) in young twigs is regularly eight, seldom seven 

or nine, and each is surrounded, both mwardly and out- 

wardly, with a bundle of bast cells. 

M. Dutrochet{ attempted to demonstrate to the Academy 
that his former statements were correct. 

Already in 1838 M. Morren$ had made some physiological 
observations on a new plant named by him Malaxis Parthoni, 
which, however, I have only lately seen. M.Morren indicates, 
that a colourmg matter similar to indigo must be contained 
in the leaves of this plant, as in the flowers of Calanthe vera- 
trifolia and in the leaves of Mercurialis perennis, &c. 'The 
presence of indigo in the Orchidee was however discovered 
years ago by M. Marquart in Bonn. The air-rootlets which 
were examined by M. Morren were covered with a quantity 
of very fine hairs, consisting of single transparent cells, the 
walls of which were very thin, and exhibited within a rotation 
(cyclosis). [The universal appearance of these rotating 
streams in the root-hairs of Phanerogams I have already 
proved.— Mey. | 

M. Morren observed, that in some of these hairs the glo- 
bules collected together in masses and formed a kind of par- 
tition, by which the cyclosis was prevented ; indeed he be- 

* Translated and communicated by Henry Croft, Esq. 

+ De la Structure ligneuse du Gui. Comptes Rendus 1839, p. 204. 

+ Comptes Rendus, p. 215. 

§ Notice sur une nouvelle espéce de Malaxis, &c. Bull. de l’Acad. de Sci. 
de Bruxelles, tom. v. No. 8. 


Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 131 


lieves that this is as it were the commencement of the forma- 
tion of partitions, which are observed to appear in Conferve, 
&c. for the increase of the cells. I cannot agree to this hy- 
pothesis, for these partitions are formed in quite a different 
manner, and the appearance of a partition by which the cy- 
closis within a utricle is divided into two parts is quite an 
accidental and rare phenomenon. I myself observed it in the 
Chare in 1825 (Linnea, 1827, p. 66), and saw that thereby 
two streams were produced, which lasted until the obstruction 
was carried away. M. Morren observed spiral fibrous cells 
ef various forms in the enlargements of the base of the stalk 
of this new Malazis. 

M. Morren* has published an interesting paper ‘ On the 
Discoid Pith of Plants,’ which had been observed by Grew in 
Juglans regia, by M. Mirbel in Nyssa aquatica and Phyto- 
lacca decandra, as well as by DeCandolle in Jasminum offici- 
nale. M. Morren thinks it very probable that this structure 
of the pith may occur in many other plants ; he himself found 
it in plants belonging to the families Santalacee, Juglandee, 
Phytolaccee, Jasminee, and Bignoniacee; but he remarks, that 
some species of a genus exhibit this formation, while others 
do not. The figures which accompany this treatise of M. Mor- 
ren were drawn from Begonia argyrostigma, Juglans regia, 
Jasminum fruticans,and Phytolacca decandra; the pith in these, 
as in many other plants, exhibits in the earlier periods of 
growth a homogeneous mass of cells, in which, finally, more 
or fewer horizontal clefts (slits) make their appearance. These 
slits are placed in regular order above one another ; they in- 
crease gradually, and are finally separated merely by mem- 
branous dissepiments. M. DeCandolle believed that these ca- 
vities arose from a rupturing of the cellular tissue caused by the 
extension produced by the growth of the plant ; but M. Morren 
has shown that they arise from a regular separation of the 
cells, and are therefore to be compared to the air-passages. 


Mr. Patrick Keith} has made some observations on pith, in 
order to settle the two following questions:— 1st, Does the pith 
appear in any part of the root? and 2ndly, Are the dimen- 
sions of pith changed after it is once fully developed? With 
respect to the first question, observations made on the roots 
of young plants of Acer pseudoplatanus, Fagus sylvatica, and 
Corylus Avellana, showed him that the principal root is also 
furnished with pith. The second question Mr. Keith answers 
by the examination of a three-year-old ash stem which was 


* On the Discoid Pith of Plants, Ann. of Nat. Hist., Oct. 1839, p. 73-88. 
¢ Of the Pith of Plants, Ann. of Nat. Hist., Ap, 1839, p. 77. 
K 2 


132 Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 


almost 9 feet high. The last sprout, or shoot, was 3ths of an 
inch in diameter, and had a pith of 4th of an inch in diameter 
in the thickest part ; the middle shoot was ;%,ths of an inch 
thick, and had a pith of 1th of an inch in diameter ; the oldest 
and lowest twig had Zths of an inch in diameter, and the pith 
was ;/5th of an inch thick. In the same twig the pith was 
not found to be of uniform thickness, but became thinner 
from the upper towards the lower extremity. 


Of the beautiful anatomico-botanical plates which have 
been published by M. Link*, we have now received a third 
number, in which a great many of the most various and 
well-chosen objects are represented. In this number we see 
the great advances which the artist, M. C. F. Schmidt, has 
made as to execution ; some of the plates, particularly tab. viii., 
may be said to belong to the most successful of their kind. 
Most of the figures show the structure of the roots of plants, 
and exhibit the difference therein between root and stem. On 
tab. vil. is found the anatomy of prickles and thorns, of which 
we had as yet scarcely any delineations. 


M. Korthalst+ has communicated some remarks on the glan- 
duliferous hairs of Drosera, with which my own observations 
do not agree. These hairs are said to consist of fibres or ex- 
tended cells, which are covered by a scarcely developed epi- 
dermis, and support on the end a small red globule, which in 
old age falls off, but is also covered by the epidermis. The 
fibres of the hair extend into the cavity of the apex, but be- 
fore their entry are somewhat widened. In the interior of this 
cavity the fibres form a small, egg-shaped, projecting body, 
and round this columella are found a quantity of small, red, 
angular particles, &c. 

As in my paper on the organs of secretion of vegetables I 
have given a description and figures of the glanduliferous hairs 
of Drosera which are totally different from the above, it is 
necessary to enter very fully into the subject; but before I 
attempt to interpret the statements of M. Korthals, I must 
state, that I do not know what he understands by “ epi- 
dermis :” this is unfortunately the result of the change and 
supposed improvement of old, well-known names. In the 
above memoir I have shown that the hairs of Drosera have a 
very complicated structure ; the hair itself exhibits in its in- 
terior a spiral tube which penetrates deep into the apex of the 
gland, but there is no trace of a cavity in this so-called gland- 


* Ausgewiallte anatomisch-botanische Abbildungen. LEerlin, 1839. 
{ Remarques sur les poils du Drosera. Bull. des Sci. &c. en Neerlande, 
p. 49, Rotterdam, 1839. 


Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 133 


head. The hairs which form the stalk of the gland are not 
here, as in most cases, simple excrescences of the upper walls 
of the epidermal cells, but true excrescences of the substance 
of the leaf, and appear very early, and therefore one may cor- 
rectly say, that the whole hair and the head is covered by the 
epidermis. In quite young organs of this kind it may be 
seen very distinctly that the gland-head is nothing more 
than the apex of the compound hair which at a later period 
thickens, and then stalk and head are still covered by a uni- 
form epidermis. Afterwards the stalk (that is, the hair) ex- 
tends to a great length, and thereby all the cells obtain a 
lengthened form, and the outer layer does not differ from 
those beneath it. 

But with the gland-head it is quite different ; the epider- 
mis still retains its small cells, is generally filled with red- 
coloured sap, and exhibits the red angular bodies which M. 
Korthals mentions. With good microscopes one may see di- 
rectly under this small-celled epidermis ten or twelve large, 
elongated, columnar cells, which form the axis of the eland- 
head ; in their completely developed state they often exhibit 
in their interior very plain spiral fibres, and let the spiral 
tubes of the stalk run between them. Even in transverse 
sections there is nothing to be seen of a cavity in the gland- 
head, and that none such is present may be better seen in 
those glands which are found on the edges of the leaves of 
Drosera rotundifolia. ‘These eland-hairs are (I do not know 
whether they are similarly formed in other species of Dro- 
sera) much larger than the others; the stalk is widened at 
the extremity like a spoon, and on the side of this spoon sits 
the glandular organ which effects the secretion. 

It is peculiar to the glanduliferous hairs of Drosera (and 
herein they agree with the similar organs in Nepenthes), that 
here and there on the stalks are found small simple glands 
which consist of two adjoining vesicular cells; they are filled 
with green-coloured sap-globules, while the other cells of the 
stalk generally contain a red sap. It is as if these little glands 
took the place of the two semilunar cells of the cuticular 
glands ; sometimes one sees real single cuticular glands with 
stomata; in Nepenthes, it is true, the structure af these ac- 
cessory organs is different. 

I* had the opportunity of procuring a couple of stems of 
Musa paradisiaca, the flower-stalks of which are (as I have 
already noticed, when at the Sandwich Islands) so very rich 


* Verhandlungen des Vereins zur Beforderung des Gartenbaues in den 
Preuss, Staaten. xiv. 2tes Heft. Berlin, 1839, p. 157. 
I 


134 Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 


in unrollable spiral fibres. The fibres were extracted from the 
flower-stalks of the above stems with all possible care; and 
this was best effected by breaking the stalk into short pieces, 
drawing the ends about an inch or an inch and a half asunder, 
and then taking away the extracted fibres with a pair of 
wooden pincers, and throwing them directly into water, in 
order to free them in the first place from the adhering mucus, 
and secondly, from the tannic acid, from the presence of which 
they acquire a brown tinge when exposed to the air. The 
wool obtained in the above manner is equal to the finest 
sheep’s wool, and surpasses it in whiteness, as also in the finer 
and more regular curling of the single filaments. The quan- 
tity obtained from the two stems was so considerable, that an 
artisan wished to make a glove out of it; and therefore it could 
not be difficult to obtain such large quantities of this material 
in the tropics (where every year thousands of pisang stems 
are cut down in some localities) as to be able to prepare va- 
luable stuffs ; indeed, shawls made of the fibres of the pisang 
could not be so expensive as the Persian ones. 


MM. P. Savi and G. B. Amici* have made some communi- 
cations concerning the stomata of plants. The observations 
of M. de Cesati on the stomata of Ambrosinia Bassii, which 
have not been confirmed by MM. Savi and Amici, were the 
cause of the research. M. de Cesati thought that he had ob- 
served a very peculiar structure in the cuticular glands and 
stomata of Ambrosinia Bassii; he speaks of a glandulous 
matter of which the outer edge of the stoma consists, which 
thereby presses apart the sides of the four inclosing cells. 
The real cleft is destined for the evaporation alone, whilst one 
of the two glandulous pads or circles is destined for the sepa- 
ration of carbon, the other for that of oxygen, &c. M. Savi 
examined Amdérosinia as far as regards its stomata, and found 
them similar in structure to those of other plants, as is shown 
by the figures ; the stomata are usually formed by two semi- 
lunar cells, but they are covered by a second cuticula, which 
also exhibits a longitudinal cleft ; even in the figure of a trans- 
verse section through the middle of such a stoma, this cuticle 
is represented with its slit. M. Amici also, in his answer to 
M. Savi, has confirmed the above statement with respect to 
the structure of the stomata of Ambrosinia. Finally, M. Amici 
proves that the priority of the discovery of the stomata in the 
bottom of the deep pits on the lower surface of the leaves of 
Nerium belongs to him, inasmuch as he communicated this 


* Osservazioni sulla struttura ed esistenza degli stomi in aleune plante, 
&c. Mem. della R. Acad. delle Sc. di Torino, Serie ii. tom. ii, p. 49. 


Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 135 


discovery in a letter to M. Mirbel in August 1830, and this 
letter has been used by M. Brongniart, although the observa- 
tion is rejected. ['The presence of stomata in the hairy pits 
of the Nerium leaves was first published by M. Krocker, jun. 
of Breslau, in his dissertation ‘De Epidermide Plantarum,’ 
1833.—Mey. | 

M. Morren* has examined anatomically several species of 
Hedychium, and has recorded his observations and accom- 
panied them with figures. We receive information concern- 
ing the cells and their contents both in young and old leaves, 
as also on the occurrence of crystals in these different ages of 
the species of Hedychium ; also several forms of crystals are 
mentioned as having been observed in these plants. 

On the walls of the air-cells M. Morven found peculiar cells 
which were provided with green-coloured sap-globules, were 
of various forms, but very often corniform and hamate, some- 
times symmetrical, sometimes umsymmetrical; they are said 
to be similar to the stelliform hairs of the Nymphee, in which 
however I cannot agree, for these cells are nothing else than 
more or less regularly formed stellar-shaped cells, as they 
generally occur in the Scitaminea. M. Morren also thinks 
that he has found tliat evaporation does not assist the forma- 
tion of crystals in plants, inasmuch as it is exactly in the dry 
and peripheric parts of plants that crystals are not found. The 
other communications only confirm that which had been here- 
tofore observed in Hedychium, or in other similar plants. 

From M. Morren?+ we have received a similar work on the 
genus Musa: in it the formation of the stellar-formed cellu- 
lar tissue is fully described, and some remarks are made on 
the acicular crystals found in the Muse and other plants. 
The observations on the formation of the above-mentioned 
tissue confirm my former statements, viz. that those cells are 
produced from ordinary parenchym-cells. M. Morren saw 
the molecular motion in several cells of Musa, and after he 
had observed single parts of the plant in different stages of 
development, he arrived at the conclusion, that substances in 
the interior of the stellar-shaped cells make their appearance 
in the following order :—first appear self-moving gum or fe- 
cula-globules, then motionless chlorophyll (2. e. globules co- 
loured by chlorophyll, Mey.), and then free globules and cry- 
stals: all these matters are formed successively. When 
considering the crystals which are found so frequently in the 


* Bull. de l’Acad. Royale de Bruxelles, t. vi. no. 2. 
+ Observations sur l’Anatomie de Musa,—bBullet. de l’Acad. Roy. de 
Bruxelles, t. vi. no. 3. 


136 Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 


parenchymatic cells of Musa, M. Morren observes, that the 
erystal-bearing cells, which M. Turpin has called Biforines, 
decidedly require a peculiar name, and that in the case of 
Caladium rugosum, where they exhibit only one opening, they 
must be called Uniforines ; and that from the same reason it 
is necessary to call the other cells, without openings, which 
eontain acicular crystals, by a determinate name, and he pro- 
poses for them Clestines (from «Xevos). 

I have shown in the former reports that there is no suffi- 
cient existing reason for giving these cells a distinct name as 
M. Turpin had done ; but I can still less approve of these new 
appellations Uniforine and Clestine, because, if one examines 
the Caladia in regard to these cells, it is soon evident, that in 
different parts one and the same kind of cells is found in one 
place as Clestines, in another as Uniforines, and in others as 
Biforines, and the latter appear always as simple cells when 
in a young state: the different names would only lead us to 
suppose that there was here some actual difference. The 
opening of the so-called Biforines is evidently a purely phy- 
sical phenomenon, as was proved in the former Report (p. 110). 
M. Morren remarks, that in the Clestines of Musa he had ob- 
served a gummous mass, an appearance which I myself have 
observed in other plants. The treatise is accompanied by 
good figures. 


M.S. F. Hoffmann* has continued his observations on the 
hairs in the air-passages; he found them in all the species of 
Limnanthemum he examined, but without dots, and he con- 
vinced himself that they do not exist in Villarsia. Among 
the Nymphee, the genus Huryale ( ferox) exhibited such dotted 
hairs as are found in the air-cavities of the different organs of 
the genera Nymphea and Nuphar. 

M. Hoffmann treats of the same subject in the last part of 
the Tijdschrift of v. d. Hoeven and de Vriese for 1839, p. 269- 
271. In the same volume, p. 257-269, M. Hoffmann gives 
the results of his new researches as to Lemna arrhiza being a 
distinct species, as also anatomico-physiological observations 
on the formation of buds in the different species of Lemna: 
these communications are, however, only to be considered as 
the forerunners of a larger work which M. Hoffmann had sent 
to the press, and has just appeared in the first number for 
1840 of Wiegmann’s ‘ Archiv fur Naturgeschichte ;? we shall 
therefore review it in our next Report. 


* Nachtrag zu des Beobachtung der Luftrohrenhaare bei Limnanthemum, 
Gmelin, and Villarsia, V.— Linnea, xiii. pp. 294, 296. 


et. !. a, a, ae = 


Bibliographical Notices. 137 


M. Hoffmann* examined fresh peduncles of Nelumbium lu- 
teum and speciosum, the air-passages of which have diaphragms 
composed of a stellar-formed cellular tissue, but do not con- 
tain any such hairs as in the Nymphee. M. Hoffmann found 
however that the sides of the air-cavities of these plants were 
covered with groups of crystals, which during their increase 
tear asunder the membranes of the inclosing cells, and in this 
manner project into the cavities, as in Pontederia cordata and 
Myriophyllum, &c. 

[To be continued. } 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 


Naturalist’s Library :—the Natural History of Dogs, vol. ii., and the 
Natural History of Horses. 


TueseE two volumes are from the pen of Lieut.-Col. Chas. Hamilton 
Smith, so well known for his valuable contributions to the volumes 
on Mammalia of Griffiths’s edition of the ‘ Regne Animal.’ 

The author includes in the family Canide, or Dog tribe, the three 
genera Canis, Hyena, and Proteles. ‘The first of these genera he di- 
vides into numerous sections, the characters of which, in many in- 
stances, are far from being satisfactory. 

In a former volume Col. Smith treats of the Canide which are 
diurnal and have round pupils to the eyes, constituting his subgenus 
Chaon, which includes the Wolves and Jackals ; these the author sub- 
divides into no less than ten sections. 

The present volume contains an account of the Domestic Dogs, 
the Foxes, the Hyznas, and the curious genus Proteles. 

The Domestic Dogs Col. Smith does not consider have descended 
solely from a species of Wolves or Jackals, “‘ but from genuine Wild 
Dogs of more than one homogeneous species.” ‘The grounds upon 
which this opinion is founded are discussed in the first volume. 

Although we suspect naturalists will not adopt Col. Smith’s nu- 
merous new subdivisions of the Canide, still we feel sure his volumes 
on the Dogs, as well as the volume on Horses, will be regarded by 
them as most valuable contributions to their branch of science—the 
great research displayed by the author in the treatment of his sub- 
ject has rendered them such. 

Col. Smith combats the opinion expressed by some authors, that 
the aboriginal region where the Wild Horse was first subdued was 
Africa ; and enters into a long argument to prove the original habi- 
tation of the Domestic Horse, considered as a single species, ‘‘should 
be sought in High Asia, about the fortieth degree of latitude, the 
table-land whence riding and charioteer nomads have incessantly is- 
sued, penetrating to the east, the south, and the west, from periods 
evidently anterior to historical record almost to our own times ; that 
from Central Asia, northward and westward, and including, to the 


* Tijdschrift, &e., 1859, p. 271—274. 


138 Zoological Society. 


south, Bactria, the valley of the Oxus, Northern Asia, Chorasmia, 
and probably the whole of Europe, constitute the great primitive ha- 
bitation of the Horse. Far to the north the species has no congener, 
but soon the Hemionus is known to be its companion ; and further to 
the south, the Wild Ass extends eastward across the Indus to the 
Bramaputra, and west into Africa, far up the banks of the Bahar-el- 
Abiad and Atbara. Other congeners there are on this side the 
equator, but they are not sufficiently known, nor is their precise lo- 
cation determined.” 

The author however inclines to the belief that the nations who 
first subdued horses derived each their own race from the wild stock 
in their vicinity, observing in the descriptions by the poets and histo- 
rians of antiquity, the uniformity of colours and characters recorded 
of the primitive breeds, such as the pied variety in the centrai moun- 
tains of Middle Asia, the dark bay southwards of the banks of the 
Jyhoun or Jaxartes, the dun more westward, as far as the Caspian, 
the white on the north shore of the Euxine, and the sooty and black 
in Europe. ‘‘ We shall find,” observes Col. Smith, ‘‘ among these, 
races always clouded of two colours, others constantly marked with 
a black streak along the spine, often cross-barred on the joints, with 
dark or black extremities ; and again, another, where circular spots, 
commonly clearer than the ground-colour, occur—whether they be 
bay, blackish ashy, or gray; the durability of these distinctions, not 
obliterated even in our time, during more than 3000 years of perpe- 
tual crossings of breeds, affords another and a strong argument in 
favour of an aboriginal difference of species in the single form of the 
Domestic Horse.” 


The ‘ Natural History of Fishes,’ vol. u., by J. T. Bushnan, M.D., 
&c., forms an introduction to the other volumes, belonging to the 
series, on this group of animals, treating of Fishes in relation to 
other animals, their natural habitat, structure, locomotion, &c.—the 
ceconomical and commercial uses and advantages arising from our 
fisheries are also dwelt upon. ‘The plates are selected for illustration 
of these various subjects, and therefore do not follow in any order of 
classification, as in the volume on Perches already published. Such 
a volume as the present one was much wanted, and has been ably 
executed by Dr. Bushnan. 


PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 
ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
December 8, 1840.—W. H. Lloyd, Esq., in the Chair. 


Mr. Gould completed the exhibition of his fifty new species of 
Australian birds, and characterized the following new species :— 


A new Entomyza interesting as being the second species of that form. 
Mr. Gould received this bird from Port Essington, and believes that 
it there supplies the place of H. cyanotis, which is common on the 
eastern coast. Its distinguishing characteristics are its rather larger 
size, the markings of its throat being more strongly defined and the 


Zoological Society. 139 


basal half of the primaries being white ; for which reason he proposes 
to characterize it as 


ENTOMYZA ALBIPENNIS. Ent. corpore supra et alis e viridi au- 
reo-olivaceis ; primariis fuscis; pogoniis internis per dimidium 
basale niveis. 

Crown of the head and back of the neck black ; lower part of the 
face, chin and centre of the chest slaty black; a crescent-shaped 
mark at the occiput, a line from the lower mandible passing down 
each side of the neck and all the under surface pure white; upper 
surface and wings greenish golden olive ; primaries brown, the basal 
half of their inner webs snow-white; tail feathers brown, tinged with 
golden olive, all but the two centre ones tipped with white; bill, 
bare space surrounding the eye and feet in all probability the same 
as in #. cyanotis. 

Total length, 12 inches; bill, 15; wing, 6; tail, 43; tarsi, 13. 

Hab. Port Essington on the northern coast of Australia. 

Nearly allied to E. cyanotis, but always distinguishable from that 
species by the white basal half of the primaries. 


A new Myzomela differing from all the other members of the genus 
in its pied colouring and the black band across the chest, which sug- 
gests the specific name of 


MyzomeLa pPrecTorALis. Myz. gutture et corpore subtis albis, 

pectore fascid angustd nigra transversim notato. 

Forehead, crown of the head, the upper surface, wings, tail and a 
narrow band across the chest, black ; throat, upper tail-coverts and 
all the under surface white ; bill and feet black. 

Total length, 44 inches; bill, 3; wing, 23; tail, 14; tarsi, 3. 

Hab. North-west coast of Australia. 


A second example of the genus Dasyornis, inhabiting Swan River, 
which I propose to call 

Dasyornis Lonerrostris. Das. colore ut in D. Australi; differt 

autem staturd corporis minore, rostro grandiore. 

All the upper surface brown; wings, tail-coverts and tail rufous 
brown, the latter indistinctly barred with a darker tint; under sur- 
face gray, gradually passing into the brown of the upper surface ; 
irides bright reddish brown; bill and feet dark horn-colour. 

Total length, 75 inches; bill, 4; wing, 23; tail, 4; tarsi, 7. 

Hab. Western Australia. : 

This is a somewhat smaller bird, but has a longer bill than D. 
Australis. 


An entirely new form, belonging to the family Suazicoline, and 
nearly allied to Petroica, I propose to make the type of a new genus, 
Drymodes, signifying a lover of woodland places :— 


Genus Drymopes. 
Characteres generici.—Rostrum rectum, ad latera apicem versus pauld 
compressum, feré longitudine capitis, apice leviter denticulato, 
basi vibrissis parce instructa. Ale mediocres, rotundatz, re- 


140 Zoological Society. 


migum primo brevissimo, quinto longissimo. Cauda mediocritér 
elongata, paulo rotundata. Tursi longi, graciles, anticé superficie 
integra. Digiti mediocres, externus horum quam internus paulo 
longior, posticus cum ungue quam digitus intermedius cum ungue 
brevior. 


DrymoprEs BruNNEoPYGIA. Dry. fusca; primariis apud pogonia 
interna albo transversim striatis ; uropygio tectricibusque caude 
rufo-fuscis. 

Head and all the upper surface brown, passing into rufous brown 
on the upper tail-coverts; wings dark brown, the coverts and pri- 
maries edged with dull white; primaries and secondaries crossed near 
the base on their inner webs with pure white ; tail rich brown, all 
but the two middle feathers tipped with white ; under surface grayish 
brown, passing into buff on the under tail-coverts; irides bill and 
feet blackish brown. 

Total length, 8 inches; bill, 4; wing, 34; tail, 44; tarsi, 13. 

Hab. Belts of the Murray in South Australia. 

This bird, although of a large size and so sombre in colouring, is 
nearly allied to Petrotca. 


The next is an extraordinary form among the Muscicapide, differ- 
ing from all the other known members of that group in having the 
bill compressed laterally, for which reason I propose to constitute it 
the type of a new genus, with the following name and characters. 


Genus PrezorHYNCHUS. 


Characteres generici.—Rostrum quam caput longius, altius plusquam 
latum, fere cylindraceum, lateralitér compressum, apicem versus den- 
ticulatum. Nares parve, rotundate, basales. Ale breves, remige 
primo mediocri, quarto longissimo. Cauda aliquanto brevis et rotun- 
data. Tarsi mediocriter elongati et pauld debiles. Digitus ex- 
ternus et medius inter se connexi usque ad articulum primum, ex- 
ternus longissimus. 

The only specimen I possess was forwarded to me by E. Dring, 
Esq., surgeon of H.M.S. Beagle, by whom it was procured on the 
north-west coast of Australia. From the glossy nature of its plu- 
mage I propose to name it 


Pirzornyncuus nitipus. Piez. fulgide virescenti-niger. 

All the plumage, including the wings and tail, rich deep glossy 
greenish-black ; bill and feet black. 

Total length, 74 inches; bill, 13; wing, 3}; tail, 33; tarsi, 2. 

Hab. North-west coast of Australia. 

This very curious bird belongs, I conceive, to the Muscicapide, 
and is somewhat allied to Seisura. 

A new Praticola, common on the plains round Adelaide, and form- 
ing the second example of the genus, is 

Praticota camprstris. Prat. fronte et plumis auricularibus rufis ; 

gutture albescente ; corpore subtis et lateribus ex arenaceo luteolis 


fusco striatis. 
Forehead rufous, passing into the reddish brown of the crown and 


Zoological Society. 141 


upper surface, with a stripe of blackish brown down the centre of 
each feather; wings sandy brown; internal webs of the primaries 
dark brown; two centre tail-feathers reddish brown, the remainder 
reddish brown at the base, crossed towards the extremity with a broad 
band of brownish black and broadly tipped with white ; over the eye 
a line of white ; ear-coverts mingled rufous and white; throat white, 
gradually passing into the buff of the under surface ; all the feathers 
of the under surface with a stripe of brownish black down their 
centre; bill blackish, lighter at the base of the under mandible; 
irides rufous brown; feet blackish brown. 

Total length, 4} inches; bill, 3; wing, 24; tail, 2; tarsi, 4. 

Hab. South Australia. 

Closely allied to but much smaller than Calamanthus striatus. 


A new Acanthiza as 


ACANTHIZA INORNATA. Acanth. corpore supra, alis cauddque oliva- 
ceo-fuscis, hdc nigrescenti-fusco late fasciatd ; corpore subtis pal- 
lidé luteolo. 

All the upper surface, wings and tail olive brown; primaries dark 
brown; tail crossed by a broad band of brownish black; all the 
under surface light buff; irides greenish white ; bill and feet black. 

Total length, 34 inches; bill, $; wing, 14; tail, 14; tarsi, 1. 

Hab. Western Australia, particularly the neighbourhood of Swan 
River. 


A new species from Swan River, which, with the Muscicapa ma- 
croptera of Messrs. Vigors and Horsfield, I propose to erect into a 
new genus under the name of Micreca. 


Genus Micreca. 


Characteres generici.—Rosirum quam caput brevius, depressum, ad 
basin latum, gonyide recto, apice incurvo et leviter denticulato. 
Nares rotundate, ad basin rostri vibrissis validis instructam 
posite. Ale longe et fortes, remigum primo brevi, tertio lon- 
gissimo. Cauda aliquanto brevis, et feré quadrata. Tuarsi medio- 
cres, debiles. Digiti debiles; externus quam internus valdé lon- 
gior. 

As the species now exhibited closely assimilates to the M. ma- 
croptera, I propose to designate it as 

Micre@ca assrmitis. Mic. supern’, caude rectricum externorum po- 

goniis internis per partes tres longitudinis a basi fuscis. 

All the upper surface brown; primaries dark brown; tail brown- 
ish black, the tips and the terminal half of the external margins of 
the two outer feathers white, the three next on each side are also 
tipped with white, the extent of the white becoming less upon each 
feather as they approach the centre of the tail; the four middle 
feathers without the white tip; throat, centre of the abdomen and 
under tail-coverts white, passing into pale brown on the sides of the 
chest and flanks; irides reddish brown; bill and feet blackish brown. 

Total length, 43 inches; bill, ;9,; wing, 33; tail, 24; tarsi, 5%. 

Hak, Western Australia. 


142 Zoological Society. 


Nearly allied to but much less in size than Muscicapa macroptera, 
Vig. and Horsf., and from which it may also be distinguished by 
the base of the outer tail-feather being brown. 


Myraera Latirosrris. Myi. corpore supra, alis cauddque intense 
ceruleo-cinereis ; capite et nuchd fulgidé virescentibus ; gutture 
et pectore arenaceo-luteolis ; abdomine albo. 

All the upper surface, wings and tail dark blueish gray, with a 
shining greenish lustre on the head and back of the neck; throat 
and chest sandy buff; under surface white; bill much dilated la- 
terally and black; irides blackish brown; feet black. 

Total length, 6 inches; bill, 3; wing, 22; tail, 23; tarsi, 3. 

Hab. North-west coast of Australia. 

From the collection of Mr. Dring. 


Hirunpo Levcosternvus. Hir. dorso medio, gutiure et pectore 
albis ; abdomine, uropygio, alis cauddque nigris et chalybeio-caru- 
leo-nitentibus. 

Crown of the head brown, bounded with white; back of the neck 
brown; centre of the back, chin, throat and chest white; the re- 
mainder of the plumage black, slightly glossed with steel-blue; bill 
black ; feet brown. 

Total length, 74 inches; bill, *,; wing, 3#; tail, which is deeply 
forked, 23; tarsi, 35: 

Hab. Interior of Australia. 

The only specimen of this bird that has ever come under my 
notice, was given me by Mr. Charles Coxen, who informed me it 
was shot by one of his men while flying in company with another 
over a small pool on the banks of the Namoi. 


A small bird inhabiting the scrubs of the River Murray. It isa 
new form, nearly allied to Acanthiza. ‘The generic term is suggested 
by the ruddy colouring of the throat. 


Genus PyrrHoL&AMUS. 


Characteres generici.—Rostrum quam caput brevius, ad latera pauld 
compressum, ad apicem denticulo vix notando, vibrissis parvulis 
ad basin, naribus linearibus et operculo tectis. Ale breves, rotun- 
date, remigum primo perbrevi, tertio longissimo. Cauda brevis, 
rotundata, concava. Tarsi mediocres ; digitus externus quam in- 
ternus longior. 


PyRRHOLEMUS BRUNNEUS. Pyrrh. superne brunneus; gutture rufo. 

Lores greyish white ; all the upper surface and wings brown; 
tail brownish black, the three lateral feathers on each side largely 
tipped with white ; centre of the throat rufous; the remainder of 
the under surface brownish grey, passing into sandy buff on the 
flanks and under tail-coverts ; bill and feet blackish brown. 
Total length, 4} inches; bill, 4; wing, 24; tail, 4; tarsi, 13. 

Hab. Belts of the Murray in South Australia. 

The female differs in having no red on the throat. 

A highly interesting Pigeon from the north-west coast, which, as 
it differs from all the other forms of its family, and is said to inhabit 


Zoological Society. 143 


the rocks, I propose to make the type of a new genus, with the 
name of 
Genus PrerropHassa. 


Characteres generici.—Feré ut in Peristera. Ale autém et rotun- 
date sunt et admodim breviores; deest etiam color metallicé 
zneus. Cauda magis rotundata. 


PETROPHASSA ALBIPENNIS. Petr. superne fusca; guiture albo- 

guitato; primariis ad dimidium basale albis. 

Crown of the head and neck grayish brown, margined with sandy 
brown; all the upper surface, chest and tail rufous brewn, the 
centre of each feather inclining to gray; lores black; abdomen and 
under tail-coverts chocolate brown; throat clothed with small fea- 
thers white at the tip, black at the base; primaries dark brown at 
their tips, the basal half pure white; bill and irides blackish brown ; 
feet reddish brown. 

Total length, 104 inches; bill, £; wing, 54; tail, 5; tarsi, 2. 

Hab. Western Australia. 

Allied to the members of the genus Peristera. 


Evpromivus Auvstratis. Hudr. colore cervino vel luteolo; abdo- 

mine medio castaneo ; parte inferiore nec non crisso albis. 

Forehead and all the upper surface light sandy buff, the centres 
of the feathers being brown; primaries brownish black with sandy 
buff shafts, and all but the geet four broadly margined with the 
same; throat buffy white, below which a crescent-shaped mark of 
blackish brown ; chest, flanks and under surface of the wing buff, 
passing into reddish chestnut on the abdomen, beyond which the 
vent and under tail-coverts are white; tail brownish black, the cen- 
tre feather margined with buff, the outer ones with white; bill 
dark olive brown ; feet pease brown. 

Total length, 7} inches; bill, $; wing, 5}; tail, 25; tarsi, 12. 

Hab. Interior of South Australia. 

This is a highly interesting species, since it is the only bird ap- 
proaching the form of the British Dottrel found in any part of the 
world. This rare species has been sent me by my friend Captain 
Sturt, who procured it during his late expedition into the interior 
of Australia, behind Adelaide. 


Rarerpura 1surA. Rhip.corpore supra sordidé fusco; caude rectri- 
cum utringue externd albo extrinsecis marginatd et late termi- 
natd, proximé albo ad apicem notatd, iterumque proximd apicem 
versus lined albd tenuissimd. 

All the upper surface dull brown; wings and tail darker brown, 
the outer feather of the latter on each side margined externally and 
largely tipped with white, the next having a large irregular spot of 
white at the tip, and the next with a minute line of white near the 
tip; chin and under surface buffy-white, with an indication of a 
dark brown band across. the chest; bill and feet black. 

Total length, 8 inches; bill, 3; wing, 33; tail, 33; tarsi, }1. 

Hab. North-west coast of Australia. 

In the collection of his Excellency Captain Grey and Mr. Dring. 


144 Zoological Society. 


Rather a large species, and is distinguished from the other mem- 
bers of the genus by the sombre hue of its plumage and the square 
form of its tail. 


Psrtopus cuxricivorus. Psi. abdomine crissoque albis; rectricibus 

caude, duabus intermediis exceptis, albo ad basin late fasciatis. 

All the upper surface olive-brown; wings brown margined with 
olive; two centre tail-feathers brown; the ‘remainder white, crossed 
by an irregular band of black and tipped with brown, the band upon 
all but the external feathers, so blending with the brown at the tip 
that the white between merely forms a spot on the inner web ; lores 
blackish-brown; line over the eye, throat and chest light gray, pass- 
ing into buff on the flanks, and into white on the centre of the ab- 
domen and uader tail-coverts; irides light reddish yellow; bill and 
feet black. 

Total length, 44 inches; bill, 4; wing, 2; tail, 12; tarsi, 3. 

Hab. Western Australia. 

A new species and new form, which | first saw in the streets of 
Adelaide, where it was hopping about and presenting the appearance 
of the Sparrow in London. For this new bird I propose the generic 
and specific terms Xerophila leucopsis. 


Genus XEROPHILA. 


Characteres generici.—Rostrum breve, semiconi instar, ad basin ro- 
bustum, ad apicem haud denticulatum, basi vibrissis anticé ductis 
parce instructa; naribus rotundatis et plumis minutis obtectis. 
Ale mediocres, remigum primo brevi, tertio et quarto longissimis, 
tertiariis latis et pauld elongatis. “Cauda mediocris, ad apicem 
quadrata, et aliquantd concava. Tursi robusti; digitus posticus 
validus, digiti antici debiles, horum externus longissimus. 
XEROPHILA LEUCoPsIs. Xer. facie albd ; corpore superne fusco. 
Forehead and lores white; upper surface olive brown; wings and 

tail brown, the latter passing into black near the extremity and 

tipped with white; all the under surface pale buff; bill and feet 
black. 

Total length, 4 inches; bill, 3; wing, 24; tail, 13; tarsi, 3. 

Hab. South Australia. 

Licmetis pasTinaTor. Lic. albus, loris coccinets ; remigum pogoniis 
internis necnon caude rectricum sulphureis, colore quam in L. 
nasico intensiore cui speciet magnitudine corporis L. pastinator 
magnopere prestat. 

Lores scarlet; general plumage white; the base of the feathers of 
the head and front of the neck scarlet, showing through and giving 
those parts a stained appearance ; the basal half of the inner webs of 
the primaries, the inner webs of all the other feathers of the wing 
and the inner webs of the tail-feathers beautiful brimstone yellow ; 
naked space round the eye greenish blue; irides light brown; bill 
white ; feet dull olive gray. 

Total length, 17} inches; bill, 13; wing, 12; tail, 7; tarsi, 1. 

Hab. Western Australia. 

Nearly allied to Liemetis nasicus, but of a much larger size. 


Zoological Society. 145 


Numenivus uropyeraLis. Num. vertice fusco, lined luteold angusta 
et inequali per medium currente ; uropygio et tectricibus caude 
Susco alboque fasciatis. 

Crown of the head brown, with a narrow irregular stripe of buffy 
white down the centre ; lores and line behind the eye brown; line 
over the eye, neck and breast buffy white, with a brown line down 
the centre of each feather, the brown colour predominating ; centre 
of the back and scapularies dark olive spotted on their margins with 
light buff; wing-coverts the same, but lighter and presenting a mot- 
tled appearance ; primaries blackish brown with white shafts; rump 
and upper tail-coverts barred with brown and white; tail pale brown 
barred with dark brown; chin, lower part of the abdomen and under 
tail-coverts white ; bill blackish horn-colour, fleshy at the base ; feet 
grayish biack. 

Total length, 15 inches; bill, 3; wing, 94; tail, 3; tarsi, 22. 

Hab. South coast of Australia. 

Nearly allied to N. Pheopus but distinguished from that species 
by the brown colouring of the rump. 


NoumeEntius minutus. Num. uropygio tectricibusque caude intense? 
fuscis ; marginibus plumarum albo-guttatis ; corpore subtis luteolo. 

Forehead dark brown mottled with buff; lores and line behind 
the eye buff; back, sides and front of the neck buff, with a fine line 
of brown down the centre of each feather; all the upper surface 
blackish brown, with a series of triangular spots round the margins 
of the feathers of a sandy buff; shoulders, primaries and secondaries 
blackish brown, the latter with white shafts; rump and tail-coverts 
dark brown spotted with white on the margins; tail grayish brown 
barred with black ; chin white; under surface light buff; flanks and 
under surface of the wing deep buff, regularly barred with arrow- 
shaped marks of brown; irides black; bill fleshy at the base, olive 
brown at the tip; feet bluish flesh-colour. 

Total length, 12 inches; bill, 13; wing, 7; tail, 3; tarsi, 14. 

Hab. New South Wales. 

This is one of the smallest species of the genus. I never but 
once saw a flock of this bird; out of which I killed two, on the race- 
course at Maitland on the Upper Hunter. 


Poxpnyrio BeLLus. Porph. capite, collo et corpore subtis intense 
ceruleis; facie, gutture et pectore virescenti-ceruleis ; dorso, alis 
cauddque e fusco nigris. 

Head, neck and all the under surface deep blue; sides of the face, 
front of the throat and chest greenish blue; back, wings and _ tail 
brownish black; shoulder and edge of the wing and outer margins 
of the primaries greenish blue; under tail-coverts white; irides 
bright red; bill red; legs grass-green, except the knees, lower part 
of the tarsi and inside of the feet, which are dark greenish gray. 

Total length, 18 inches; bill, 17; wing 104; tail, 43; tarsi, 35. 

Hab. Western Australia. 

Oris Ausrrarastanus. Of. vertice et occipite nigris ; capitis la- 
teribus, collo et pectore e cinereo-albis fusco adspersis ; singulis 


Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. 


146 Zoological Society. 


plumis crebreé lineis transversis fuscis et tortuosis vel fractis stri- 
atis ; pectore fascid nigrd haud equali ornato. 

Crown of the head and occiput black ; sides of the head, the neck 
and breast grayish white, each feather crossed by numerous fine zig- 
zag bands of brown, giving those parts a freckled appearance ; 
wing-coverts black largely tipped with white; all the upper surface, 
wings and upper tail-coverts brown very minutely freckled with 
reddish brown ; some of the feathers towards the hinder parts of the 
body tinged with gray; tail gray, crossed near the centre by an in- 
terrupted band of white, minutely freckled with white, margined 
with brown and slightly tipped with white; chest crossed by an ir- 
regular band of black, beyond which the under surface is white ; 
under tail coverts grayish black tipped with white; irides brownish 
buff, brown predominating near the pupil; eyelash pale olive yeliow; 
bill straw-white with olive and black culmen; legs and feet straw- 
yellow. 

Total length, 40 inches; bill, 4; wing, 25; tail, 10; tarsi, 74. 

Hab. Plains of the interior of Australia generally. 


Anas N&vosa. Anas intense fusca, plumis albo irroratis et longi- 

tudinalitér notatis. 

The whole of the plumage dark brown, minutely freckled and 
spotted with irregular oblong marks of white in the direction of the 
feathers ; the under surface the same, but lighter and tinged with 
buff ; wings without a speculum ; primaries plain brown; irides light 
brown ; bill greenish gray, becoming much darker at the tip; legs 
bluish green. 

Total length, 17 inches; bill, 2}; wing, 9; tail, 3; tarsi, 2. 

Hab. Western Australia. 

The above is the description and measurements of a female. 


Sutra Avsrrauis. Sula primariis alarum et secondariis necnon 
rectricibus caude duabus intermediis fuliginoso-fuscis ; tarsis antice 
digitisque viridi-flavis. 

Crown of the head and back of the neck beautiful buff; the re- 
mainder of the plumage white, with the exception of the primaries, 
secondaries and four centre tail-feathers, which are fuliginous brown 
with white shafts; irides olive white; bill brownish horn-colour 
slightly tinged with blue; space round the eye leaden blue; bare 
skin at the base of the beak and down the centre of the throat nearly 
black; front of the tarsi and toes sickly greenish yellow; webs 
brown. 

Total length, 32 inches; bill, 51; wing, 19; tail, 10; tarsi, 2. 

Hab. The Tasmanian Seas. 

The specimen exhibited is from the River Derwent. Like the 
other members of its family, this species will allow of its being taken 
with the hand. Some of my specimens were so taken on a rock on 
the Actzon Islands. 


The circumstance of being enabled to bring an entirely new Al- 
batros before the notice of the Society is a source of great gratifica- 
tion to me, since the group to which it belongs had already been 


Zoological Society. 147 


paid much attention to by our early voyagers and later naturalists. 
The present bird differs from all the other species in the extreme 
caution with which it avoids rather than approaches the neighbour- 
hood of vessels at sea. It is rather abundant in Bass’s Straits and 
in all the seas off Van Diemen’s Land. 

From its shyness, I propose to name this species 


DiomepeEa cauta. Diom. vertice albo; faciei colore e margarita 
cinereo ; dorso, alis cauddque cinereo-fuscis ; rostro pallidé vinaceo- 
cinereo ; culmine, ad basin presertim, flavo. 

Crown of the head, back of the neck, throat, all the under surface, 
rump and upper tail-coverts pure white; lores and line over the eye 
grayish black, gradually passing into the delicate pearl-gray which 
extends over the face; back, wings and tail grayish brown; irides 
dark vinous orange; bill light vinous gray, or bluish horn-colour, 
except on the culmen, where it is more yellow, particularly at the 
base ; the upper mandible surrounded at the base by a narrow belt of 
black, which also extends on each side the culmen to the nostrils ; 
base of the lower mandible surrounded by a belt of rich orange, 
which extends to the corners of the mouth; feet bluish white. 

Total length, 31 inches; bill, 4); wing, 21}; tail, 9; tarsi, 3. 

Hab. Bass’s Straits. 

The above are the dimensions of a female ; the male is considerably 
larger. 

Nearly allied to, but larger than D. melanophrys. 

TuHatassipromMA Nereis. Thal. gutture pectoreque fuliginoso- 
cinereis ; dorso, uropygio tectricibusque caude cinereis ; abdomine, 
lateribus et crisso albis. 

Head, neck and chest sooty gray ; lower part of the wing-coverts, 
back, rump and upper tail-coverts gray, each feather very slightly 
margined with white; wings grayish black ; tail gray, broadly tipped 
with black ; under surface pure white ; irides, bill and feet black. 

Total length, 63 inches; bill, 59; wing, 54; tail, 23; tarsi, 14. 

Hab. Bass’s Straits, on the south coast of Australia. 

This beautiful fairy-like Storm Petrel is about the size of Thal. 
Wilsoni, and is remarkable as differing from most of the members 
of the group in haying no white on the rump and in the pure white 
of the under surface. 

Mr. Gould exhibited to the Meeting a new species of Hypsiprym- 
nus, from Swan River, which he characterized under the name of 

Hyrsiprymnus Grau. Hyps. fusco-cinereus ; corpore subtis al- 
bescente ; caudd mediocri, fuscd, flavo lavatd, ad apicem albd ; 
pedibus pallide fuscis ; auribus mediocribus rotundatis. 

une. lin. 


Longitudo ab apice rostri ad caude basin.... 18 0 
CHIE IEE MEE Oe ete ee LE +6 
— tarsi digitorumque (sine unguibus).. 4 3 
ab apice rostri ad basin auris .... 2 4 
— PATE EAD Orne ee. Saka Se a 


148 Zoological Society. 


This species most nearly resembles the Hypsiprymnus rufescens of 
Mr. Gray, but differs in being of an ashy brown colour above, and 
in having the hairs which clothe the back of the ears cf the same 
general colour as those of the head, instead of black, as in the spe- 
cies just mentioned. The fur is long, and soft to the touch; the 
hairs both on the upper and under parts of the body are of a palish grey 
colour at the base ; those on the under parts are dirty white exter- 
nally, and those on the back are dirty white (inclining to ash-colour) 
near the apex, and tipped with brownish black : on the sides of the 
head and body a very faint yellowish hue is observable. The ears 
are sparingly clothed within with small yellowish hairs; externally 
they are clothed with fur, like that on the head. The feet are of a 
very pale brown colour. The tail is brown, tinted with yellowish, 
excepting the apical third, which is covered with longish white 
hairs. 


December 22.— William Yarrell, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 


A letter from Mr. Frembly, R.N., Corresponding Member Z.S., 
was read. It is dated Gibraltar, November 28th, and refers to two 
species of Shark which that gentleman had forwarded for the So- 
ciety’s Museum. 


The following paper, being a continuation of Mr. Broderip’s de- 
scriptions of Mr. Cuming’s new shells, was read :— 


Herrx (Cocuxostyia) Dapunts. Hel. testa ovato-pyramidali an- 
fractibus 5 ventricosis, ultimo ceteros conjunctos excedente ; labit 
limbo castaneo-nigricante, apertura albidd vel purpurascente. 

Var. a. Ochraceo-albida, anfractibus 2 ultimis vittis angustis serie 
duplice dispositis, nigricantibus, cinctis ; fascia sub-basali vittis 
albido-ochraceis interrupta nigricante ; apertura ceruleo-albida. 

Var. b. Sordid? albido-flava vittis fuseis creberrime cincta ; apertura 
albida. 

Var. c. Sub-ochracea, vittis raris distantibus rubro-nigricantibus or- 
nata, anfractu basali fascia lata centrali, rubro-castaned ochraceo 
subinterrupta cincto ; apertura subceruleo-albida. 

Habitant varietates a, 6, c, ad Argao in insula Zebu. 

Var. d. Sordidé ochracea lineis 3 fuscis, medio maximo clariore, 
cincta ; aperturd albidd. 

Hab. ad Sibonga in insula Zebu. 

Var. e. Alhido-flava strigis obliquis fulvis creberrimis ornata, et 
Sasciad basal latiore cincta ; apertura albida. 

Var. f. Albens strigis obliquis creberrimis nigris ornata et maculis 
magnis nigris interdum fucata ; fascia basali angustd nigra ; aper- 
turd ceruleo-albente. 

Habitant varietates e, et f, in insula Siquijod. 

Var. g. Sordid? ochracea, strigis obliquis raris castaneo-nigricantibus 
Ffucata ; basi nigricante ochraceo sordidé fucatd ; aperturd purpu- 
rascente. 

Var. h. Anfractibus 2 primis albidis, tertio et quarto fuscis ; ultimo 


Zoological Society. 149 


sordide albido strigis rarissimis obliquis nigricantibus vix notato ; 
aperturd rubro-purpurascente. 

Habitant varietates g, et h, ad Argao in insula Zebu. 

The general size of this fine species is about 24 inches long by 14 
broad. All the varieties were found by Mr. Cuming in deep forests, 
on the leaves of trees. In none of them hardly do the markings 
commence before the fourth whorl.—W. J. b. 


Hexix (Cocunostyta) Faunus. Hel. testd elongato-subpyrai- 
dali, fuscd, anfractibus 6 subventricosis ; labit limbo nigricante ; 
aperturd ceruleo-albida. 

Var. a. Fusca, strigis obliquis e castaneo-nigricantibus creberrimis 
subobscurioribus ornata, lineis nigricantibus obscurioribus cincta ; 
Sascidé laté basali nigricante. 

Var. b. Fusca, lineis creberrimis obscuris cincta, strigis brevibus 
raris subobliquis juxta suturam notata. 

Long. 2 ad 23; lat. 14 poll. 

Hab. ad Sanctum Nicolam in insula Zebu. 

The variety a. is the shortest. The third specimen is deprived of 
its epidermis, or nearly so, and the ground-colour is exposed. ‘The 
first four whorls are chestnut, gradually deepening in colour, and the 
last whorl is of a rich purple. brown: the shell is obscurely banded, 
especially on the last whorl. 

Mr. Cuming found this species on the leaves of trees.—W. J. B. 


Hexrx (Cocutostyta) Satyrus. Hel. testa subpupiformi anfrac- 
tibus 5 subventricosis, purpureo-castaned, epidermide fuscd ; aper- 
turd ovata, albidd ; labii limbo purpureo-castaneo. 

Long. 2; lat. 14 poll. 

Hab. in insula Tablas. 

Obscure oblique stripes and bands occur in some of the individuals 
of this species, which, though it approaches the last, differs from 
it in many points, especially in the form of the apex and the shape 
and structure of the aperture. 

Found by Mr. Cuming on leaves of trees.—W. J. B. 


BuLInvs. 


Buuinus Aete. Bul. testd fulvd ; anfractu ultimo juxta suturam 
fascia angustd et juxta basin fascia lata medio pallidiore ornato ; 
diaphand, lineis incrementi obliquis creberrime striata ; labii limbo 
castaneo-nigricante ; apertura albente. 

Long. 14; lat. 14. 

Hab. ad Casan in insula Mindanao. 

The first four whorls are very pale, but the last is deep fulvous : 

a white line runs round the suture of the body-whorl. 


Mr. Cuming found this species in a dense forest, on the leaves of 
trees. 


Buuinus partutoipes. Bul. testd pyramidali, nitidd, apertura 


ovata, columelle basi subplicatd, labii limbo complanato, latissimo, 
reflexo, albo. 


Long. 14; lat. $ poll. 


150 Zoolagical Society. 


Var. a. Flava, castaneo-vittata. 

In this pretty variety a single chestnut band borders the base of 
each whorl, and on the body-whorl there is in addition a broad, sub- 
central, chestnut band. 

Var. 6. Castanea, albo vittata.  . 

In this variety the rich chestnut is relieved by a white band that 
borders the upper part of the last two whorls, near the suture. 

Var. c. Castanea, fusco vittata. 

In this variety the upper part of each whorl near the suture is 
banded with brown. 

Hab. in insula Tablas.—W. J. B. 


PLEKOCHEILUS. 


PLEKOCHEILUS GRACILIS. Pl. testa elongata, gracili, anfractibus 4, 
ultimo longissime maximo, subdiaphand, anfractu basali trans- 
versim corrugato, strigis angulatis irregularibus longitudinalibus 
creberrime fucato ; anfractibus ceteris subroseis ; aperturd sub- 
aureo-flavd ; labii limbo lato, reflexo, albo. 

Long. 13; lat. 3. 

Hab. in insulis Feejee dictis ? 

Hitherto this form has only been discovered in the Western World. 
Mr. Cuming received the specimen above described from a captain 
of a ship, who said he had got it from a native of one of the Feejee 
Islands. A glance at the western species will satisfy the observer 
that the species above described is distinct.—W. J. B. 


Mr. Waterhouse exhibited two new species of Birds from the So- 
ciety’s collection, and pointed out their distinguishing characters. 
The first is a small species of Picus, believed to be from the north- 
west coast of South America, and is remarkable for the absence of 
spots and markings, and the brilliant red colour of the upper parts 
ot its body and wings: this red colourmg commences on the back of 
the neck, and is continued to the tail, as well as over the whole of 
the wings ; that is, over the visible portion of each feather, the inner 
shafts being of a brown colour. The whole of the upper surface of 
the head is of a brown-black colour; the sides are pale brown; the 
throat is pure white; the chest and whole of the under parts of the 
body are of a dirty white colour, indistinctly tinted with yellowish. 
The tail is of an uniform blackish brown colour, with the exception 
of the two outer feathers on each side, which are pale brown; on 
the apical half of the external feather there is a very obscure indi- 
cation of bands. ‘The beak is of a very pale horn-colour. 

The principal characters may be thus briefly expressed :— 


Picus catLonotus. Pi. capite pallide fusco, supra fuliginoso ; 
corpore supra alisque sanguineis ; guld, pectore abdomineque albes- 
centibus ; caudd obscure fuscd ; rostro albescente. 

In size and general form this species agrees very closely with the 
Picus minor of Europe, but its beak is rather longer in proportion, 
being nine lines in length. 

The second new species is one of the Icterine group, and in most 


Microscopical Society. 151 


of its characters agrees with that division to which the term Cassicus 
is applied: it has the same stout conical bill, the upper surface of 
which is broadly expanded at the base, and encroaches on to the 
forehead: the aper is pointed. This bird, however, differs from any 
other species of the group to which it belongs, in the great length of 
its wings, which extend considerably beyond the tip of the tail, which 
is of moderate length, broad, and slightly rounded. The colouring 
of the plumage is also remarkable, and particularly the texture of 
the feathers, those of the body having a velvet-like appearance, whilst 
those of the wings have a distinct gloss, such as we see in the plu- 
mage of the Crows. No doubt, according to the views of many or- 
nithologists, this bird would be regarded as a new genus or sub- 
genus; the sectional name Ocyalus is therefore proposed, from 
QyvaXos, in allusion to the swiftness with which it is to be presumed 
a bird with such wings would move. 


Subgenus Ocya.uvs. 


Characteres ut in Cassico, ale autem longissime, et caude apicem 
transeuntes. 


Casstcus (Ocyatus) Popayanus. Oc. niger, corpore purpureo 
relucente ; alis nitore viridi ; capite nuchdque supra castaneo tinc- 
tis ; caudd flava, rectricibus quatuor intermediis in toto nigris, sic 
et apicibus reliquorum ; rostro pallido. 

Long. tot. 11 unc. ; rostri, 14; lat. ad basin, 63 lin.; ale, 85 unc. ; 

caude, 4. 
Hab. Popayan. 


MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 


At a meeting of the Microscopical Society, held August 18th, 
R. H. Solly, Esq., F.R.S., in the chair, a paper was read from Dr. 
Thomas Williams, in continuation of that of the Rev. J. B. Reade, 
on the Stomata of Plants, wherein the author states, that by having 
recourse to the process of charring, as described by that gentleman, 
he satisfied himself that the stomata in plants were closed by a pel- 
licle; but from other experiments he infers, that this pellicle is 
formed by the air contained in the intercellular spaces and cells of 
the stomata, carrying before it, in its dilatation, a bubble of gelati- 
nous mucus, with which the interior of the stomata are covered. The 
summit of the vesicle thus produced, when raised into contact with 
the heated glass, becomes carbonized, and being upon the same plane 
with the common surface, from the pressure of the plate of glass it 
appears as belonging to the epidermis, and extending from one edge 
of the aperture to the other. He concludes by stating, that the na- 
tural condition of the stomata is that of patency ; but in consequence 
of the inspissation of the organic mucus, under certain circumstances 
and in certain genera of plants, a pellicle is generated over their 
orifices. 

The Secretary, Mr. John Quekett, then read a paper by himself 
on the Anatomy of four species of Entozoa of the genus Strongylus 


.) 


152 Microscopical Society. 


from the common Porpoise. The author stated, that the subjects of 
his paper were, with one exception, all found in the lungs of the Por- 
poise. ‘T'wo of them had been long known, and had been described 
by Rudolphi and many others under the names of the Strongylus in- 
flezus and minor ; whilst a third, from the circumstance of its being 
found with the znflerus, had, by all others except Kuhn, been described 
as a younger specimen of that species, but by him as the Strongylus 
convolutus ; whilst the fourth appeared hitherto either to have escaped 
notice, or else to have been confounded with the last; but his exa- 
minations of this Entozoon led him to consider it as a distinct spe- 
cies, and from the circumstance of its being inclosed in a sheath or 
case, he had named it the Strongylus invaginatus, at the suggestion 
of his friend Dr. Willis. The Strongylus inflecus was the largest of 
the Entozoa, and it occurred most abundantly in the bronchial tubes, 
and in such numbers as almost to close them up; but many speci- 
mens were found in the right auricle and ventricle of the heart, and 
in the principal blood-vessels of the lungs as well. The average 
length of the male is about seven inches, whilst that of the female is 
nine inches. ‘The next species was found in common with the last, 
being twisted together in a knot around them both in the bronchial 
tubes and blood-vessels ; it has been noticed as the young of the in- 
flexus, but, on comparison, the author finds that the difference be- 
tween the two is so marked as to leave no doubt of their being di- 
stinct species: Kuhn has named it the Strongylus convolutus. The 
third species is the smallest of the whole, some specimens not much 
exceeding an inch in length, and from this circumstance has been 
named the Strongylus minor. It occurred in the venous sinuses of 
the head and in the cavity of the tympanum, and some of them were 
of a reddish hue, probably owing to their living in blood. The fourth 
species, the Strongylus invaginatus, was found in small eysts in the 
lungs not connected with the blood-vessels, to the number of five or 
six in each cyst, which were easily extracted when the cyst was 
opened: the male was very much shorter than the female, and both 
were inclosed in a transparent sheath or case, which was in contact 
with the body of the worm only at the head and tail. 

After describing the anatomy of each species, the author then pro- 
ceeded to some interesting peculiarities connected with their ova, in 
which the gradual transition from vitelline globules to the perfect 
worm was beautifully seen. He then alluded to the curious fact of 
the Strongylus inflecus and convolutus living in blood and in air, and 
concluded with mentioning some other interesting points connected 
with these Entozoa, and the probable effects they produced in the 
ceconomy of the animal. The paper was accompanied with draw- 
ings and illustrative diagrams. 


Mr. Ross exhibited to the Society a new form of the Microscope, 
in which strength, durability, steadiness, and. cheapness were com- 
bined ; it was capable of exhibiting the usual test-objects, and the 
price only 127. 


Miscellaneous. 153 


MISCELLANEOUS. 
George-Town, July 30. 
*« The industrious traveller, Mr. Schomburgk, arrived in town this 
morning from his first surveying expedition.”’—Guiana Times. 
We are glad to see a very pleasing and faithful likeness of our es- 
teemed friend, with a memoir of his life, in the 3rd volume on Ich- 
thyology in the Naturalist’s Library, which we have just received. 


Mr. W. 8S. MacLeay writes from Sydney, April 28, 1841, that 
he is much occupied with Natural History, and making large addi- 
tions to his collection. He gratifies us with good accounts of the 
health of his excellent Father, who is always most affectionately 
remembered here.—R. T. 


Mr. W. Francis writes to us from the Tyrolese Alps, where he 
is collecting plants and insects. 


ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE HODESUM (IMPROPERLY CALLED 
KOLEHAN). BY LIEUT. TICKELL. 

Singbhoom, including the Kolehan, lies between 2)° 30! and 23° 
north latitude, and 85° and 86° east longitude; it is bounded to the 
north by Chota Nagpoor and Patkoom; to the east by the Jungle 
Mehals and Baumunghatte ; to the south by petty states, or tuppahs, 
subservient to Moherbunj, and by Keonjur; and to the east by 
Gangpoor and Chota Nagpoor. These limits comprise a fine open 
tract of country, in most parts exceedingly productive, in others 
stony and barren, and separated from the circumjacent countries 
above enumerated by rocky hills and jungles. Singbhoom Proper 
consists of an extent of fine open arable land, to the north of the 
Kolehan, above 45 miles east and west, and about 18 in breadth, 
comprising the talooks of Khursawa, Kera, and Seryekela, also a por- 
tion of similar land, about 20 miles square, to the north-east, called 
Koochoong, attached to Seryekela, and along the west of the Kole- 
han, an imperfectly defined extent of mountains and jungles, inclu- 
ding Porahaut and Anundpoor. 

The Kolehan, as now constituted, comprehends a tract of open un- 
dulating country, averaging from sixty miles in length north and 
south, from thirty-five to sixty in breadth. It is divided into two 
departments by a step about 500 feet high, running east and west 
across it. ‘The southern part is rich in soil, and beautiful in appear- 
ance ; but an absence of inhabitants and proper culture gives it an 
air of desolation. This happily is becoming fast remedied by the re- 
turn of large families of Bhooians, former inhabitants, who had been 
expelled by the Hos. The lower country north of the step is exceed- 
ingly populous, but in many parts stony and barren. The westerly 
Peers are situated among hills and vast jungles, containing a few 
fertile valleys ; and Sarnda, in the far south, is one mass of moun- 
tains, clothed in forests, where the miserable inhabitants, few and 
solitary, can scarce struggle for mastery with the tiger. 

The whole of this country is traversed by numerous streams of 
great beauty, but useless as water-carriage, being almost dry in the 
hot weather, and rapid torrents in the rains. The Sunjye, separating 


154 Miscellaneous. 


the Kolehan from Singbhoom, rises to the north-west of Porahaut, 
and enters the Kurkye near the junction of that river with the Soo- 
bum-rekha ; the Roro, twelve miles south of the former, a narrow but 
deep and swift stream, and the Eeleegarra and Toorul still further 
south, take a like course above the step; the Dés Nye runs west- 
ward and falls into the Kolekaro, near its confluence with the Koil; 
and near the southern limits of the Kolehan, the different streams 
take a south and west direction, falling into the Bhundun and By- 
turnee, which last, running through vast and lonely forests, separates 
the Kolehan from Jushpoor and Rorwan in Moherbunj, and Kalka- 
pershaud in Keonjur. ‘There are two water-falls on the borders of 
the Kolehan, which I have never visited, but which, by the descrip- 
tion of the natives, must be well worth seeing. ‘The Bunnye, run- 
ning between Sonepoor and Singbhoom, is said to roll its waters 
into a profound cave, from which spot it pursues its course under- 
ground, and is supposed to join the Kole Karo. ‘The fall is called 
Paraa-ghag, and is a tiruth, but so remote from habitation and buried 
in such deep woods as to be seldom visited, except by the Sonepoor 
Koles and Bhooians of Porahaut and Bundgaon. On the confines of 
Baumunghattee also is a singular cascade, described to me as a single 
thread of water pouring down a wall-like precipice of 200 or 300 feet 
in height. It is called by the Baumunghattee Oorias, Muchkandnee 
Jhurna; and by the Koles, Hakoo-yamdah, meaning in either lan- 
guage, “ The fall of the weeping-fish,” from some whimsical story 
of the fish complaining of the impossibility of scaling the cataract, to 
emerge from the dreary abyss, through which the stream winds below. 
The peculiar distribution of the hills in this country, running in 
parallel ranges, precludes the formation of lakes, which are unknown. 

These ranges are not of very great height, the loftiest, which are 
in Saruda, not appearing above 1000 feet above the plain. They are 
however intersected in parts by profound valleys, which give the 
hills, from that side, an appearance of great magnitude. ‘They are 
chiefly quartz, in all stages of decomposition, permeated by limestone 
rocks ; smaller detached ranges, issuing at right angles to these, are 
commonly of micaceous slate. From Chyebassa, proceeding easterly 
into Koochoong, are low ridges perfectly parallel, about half a mile 
to a mile apart, gradually increasing in height till the series is closed 
by the Choivria hills in Koochoong. They are composed of loose 
rocks, resembling (if they are not) clink stone; but the larger ridges 
are of coarse granite. ‘The northern part of the Kolehan consists in 
a great measure of sterile plains, scattered with quartz boulders, 
stones, and pebbles, some crystallized. The beds of the nullahs are 
a shingle composed of jasper (of all hues), green-stone, quartz peb- 
bles, and flint. The bed of the Byturnee is lined with flattened peb- 
bles and lumps of jasper of bright yellow, red, purple, and black, 
disposed in parallel streaks or ribbons, as if artificially inlaid. The 
corundum is found in great quantities at Juggernathpoor on the up- 
per step of the Kolehan, and several nullahs run through beds of ar- 
gillaceous earth, from the brightest scarlet to pure white, which are 
highly in request among the natives. ‘The whole of these streams 
wash down more or less gold, but the Koles know not how to eollect 


Miscellaneous. 155 


it. In Singbhoom a tolerable quantity is gathered by Hindoos, but 
of a third- or fourth-rate quality, also excellent iron ; of coal I never 
found any traces. 

The open parts of the Kolehan are here and there scattered with 
a scrub-jungle, composed chiefly of the Polass and Assun, on which 
latter the tusser silk-worms are bred. The southern parts, where not 
cultivated, are covered by extensive plains of grass, interspersed with 
bushes; entirely along the west boundary are forests of saul trees, 
small and meagre on the hills, but reaching in the low rich valleys 
to a size perfectly prodigious. In Anundpoor, towards Gangpoor, 
are tracts covered entirely with the wild plantain, and many of the 
hills are clothed densely with bamboos. In marshy spots a strong 
serviceable species of cane or ratan is found. The wild mango tree 
is also very common in these forests, yielding a fruit far preferable 
to the common kind found in the “ topes” throughout India; it is 
small, round, and full of juice, as sweet as honey. The date and 
palm trees are not cultivated by the Koles, but are to be found near 
Hindoo villages in Singbhoom ; cheretta, wild indigo, and arrow-root 
are very common in the jungles. But to enumerate all the beautiful 
flowers which enrich these green retreats—the fruits and roots, to 
every one of which the natives attach some specific virtue or harm; 
the inexhaustible variety of plants, shrubs and fungi, ferns, creepers, 
&c. which clothe, in all varieties of fantastic imagery, the shady dells ; 
or the cool banks of foliage-canopied streams,—would be a task far 
exceeding my powers or the limits of this memoir. 

The animals found in the Kolehan are the same as in other parts 
of Central India, but not nearly so abundant as in better-watered 
jungles ; besides which, the Koles and Oorias are inveterate hunters, 
and their attacks on game of all kinds are pursued on an extermina- 
ting scale. 

The elephant, which is numerous in parts of the Jungle Mehals, 
comparatively close to Medneepoor, is, strange to say, unknown 
among the remote and wild regions of West Singbhoom ; the gowér is 
common in this latter region—two species are described by the na- 
tives, a red and a black kind; the urna and smaller wild buffalo are 
very numerous about Anundpoor; great varieties of deer haunt the 
hills, the saumtir (C. rusa), neelgye (Damalis picta), spotted deer 
(C. avis), barking deer or Muntjac (C. muntjac), chikerac or four- 
horned deer (C. chicquera): all these species, though so shy when 
sought after as to be seldom met with, must be tolerably numerous, 
from the depredations they commit on the fields of gram, boot, moong, 
oorid, &c. which are planted near the jungles. The memina, a spe- 
cies of mouse deer, is also found among rocks and underwood. The 
antelope is confined to the wide open plains of Chynpoor in Sing- 
bhoom, and very limited in number. ‘Tigers and leopards abound. 
Bears infest almost every clump of rocks throughout the plain; they 
are all of the long-lipped species (Ursus labiatus). Hyzenas inhabit 
similar localities, but are rare. There are no wolves, but there ap- 
pear to be two distinct species of the jackal (C. aureus), one of which 
is much larger, stouter and ruddier than what I remember of the 
jackal of Bengal. The cry also is different, and is a wailing sound, 


156 Miscellaneous. 


not much unlike, though infinitely louder than, the mewing of a cat; 
at all events the Koles distinguish the two animals, calling the large 
kind (from its ery) Tow Koola, and the common jackal Kurmcha. 
The little Bengal fox or corsac (Cynalopexr insectivorus) is very nu- 
merous, yapping all the clear nights long during the cold season. 
The Indian badger or ratel (Ratelus melivorus) is found in the woods, 
but rarely. Porcupines (//ystriz) are numerous, but being nocturnal, 
are seldom seen. The short-tailed marus (M. crassicaudata) is met 
with among rocks, but is one of the rarest animals known. ‘There 
are three kinds of squirrels, the common palm-squirrel (Sciurus stri- 
atus), the great red squirrel (Sctwrus macrourus), and a large gray 
flying squirrel, peculiar, I believe, to the Kolehan and the Jungle 
Mehals. This last is exceedingly rare, as it lives on lofty trees in 
profound forests, and only moves forth at night. The wild dog 
(Canis primevus), Koohia and Sona-kookoor of the Oorias, and Tan- 
nee of the Koles, roams through the jungles in packs, occasionally 
visiting the flocks and herds en the plains. Their ferocity, speed and 
cunning have gained them a superstitious veneration among the 
Koles, and dread of their retaliating on their cattle deters the vil- 
lagers from killing them. Of these also there are said to be two 
kinds ; a large dog, in shape and colour like a Scotch greyhound or 
lurcher, which hunts by sight; and a smaller, red, bushy-tailed dog, 
which follows the other in packs of five to twenty, is less speedy and 
hunts by scent. The hare is larger than that of Bengal, inhabits 
gravelly ravines in scrub-jungle, and never takes to grass. Of 
monkeys there are only the two common species, the Lungoor and 
Makor or Bunder (Sara and Gye of the Koles) ; the former live 
among rocks, the latter in dense thickets. Wild hogs are very nu- 
merous in some parts, but so wary as to be seldom killed. The rhi- 
noceros is not known. 

Birds of all kinds are scarce and wild, especially those fit for food, 
on account of the keenness with which the Koles pursue, trap, hawk, 
and shoot them. The double-spurred partridge is found among rocks, 
but is one of the most difficult birds to shoot, as it seldom takes wing, 
but creeps into caves and fissures. The deep moist woods afford im- 
mense varieties to the ornithologist. 

Being a dry and stony country, the Kolehan is peculiarly prolific 
in snakes of all varieties: the covra is not so common as another 
species, the Siarbinja of the Oorias, and Pago jarrus of the Hos 
(Cophias Russelii), which is supposed to be equally deadly and far 
more vindictive ; it is a subgenus of rattle-snake (without the rat- 
tle). A large and beautiful snake, coloured with black and yellow 
rings, the Sakom bing (Pseudoboa fasciata), is met with in ploughed 
fields ; a long thin green whip-snake infests the rank grass-jungles 
at the bottoms of hills; the hartoo, a slender agile species, coloured 
like a ribbon with yellow and coppery purple, infests trees: all 
these are venomous. The Python or Ujgur (Toonil bing) is found in 
every jungle ; it attains to dimensions which I have heard described, 
but which would sound too marvellous to be recorded without better 
proofs. Throughout Singbhoom, Chota Nagpoor, and the surround- 
jng countries, a belief is current of a monstrous species of snake, the 


Miscellaneous. 157 


Garra bing, imfesting rivers swollen by torrents, which destroys 
both men and cattle should they venture in. I mention it, as the 
opinion is so general ; but it is probable that the sudden and myste- 
rious deaths which occur in these mountain-torrents are occasioned 
by what seamen call the ‘‘ under tow” and ‘‘ back water,” caused by 
the violent passage of water over rocks and deep holes. The body of 
a person thus carried away is never seen again, at least in the neigh- 
bourhood, and this total disappearance naturally strengthens the idea 
of his having been swallowed up by some huge animal. 

An entomologist would find an exhaustless field of research and 
discovery in the jungles of this country. The decayed saul trees are 
tenanted by magnificent species of Prionus and Cerambyz ; the rocks 
contain endless beautiful varieties of Coleoptera; the deep woods, 
everywhere during the rainy season brilliant with odoriferous flowers, 
are enlivened by Lepidoptera of the gaudiest colours, and numberless 
varieties of grotesque shapes in the Mantides, Phyllia and Grilli, in- 
fest every thicket ; while tribes of ants, bees and wasps attract at- 
tention by the beauty and ingenuity of their habitations and nests in 
the forests. Of the former, one of the commonest species is remark- 
able for traversing the jungles, and marching along the paths in pro- 
cession two or three abreast, and of prodigious extent. Scorpions 
and centipedes are fearfully common ; of the former, a species infests 
caves and fissures in rocks, and attains such an enormous size, that 
had I not heard the animal described by several people (of different 
classes), and had reason to be satisfied of the general truth of their 
assertions, I should have looked upon the whole as a chimera. In 
dry, konkerous soils, the white ants are a scourge ; they appear, in 
woods, to be a kind of vegetable scavenger, reducing to powder the 
logs which lie on the ground in a short space of time. 

Fish are abundant in every largish stream, retiring in the dry 
season to the deep pools, which are left when the main channel has 
run dry; but the Koles, by poisoning the water, destroy inordinate 
quantities. ‘The mahseer, and the little fly-taking Cyprinus, mis- 
called ‘‘ trout”’ in Upper India, are not found in these lower latitudes. 
Doubtless these running jungle-streams produce many undiscovered 
varieties of fish, but unfortunately, to this branch of natural history 
I turned no attention during my stay in the country. 

The climate of the Kolehan has been found to be on the whole 
healthy, although the station of Chyebassa, which was unfortunately 
selected hurriedly, and without sufficient examination and compa- 
rison with surrounding spots, is not a favourable sample, situated 
on a barren, gravelly plain, interspersed with brushwood, and near 
piles of bare rocks. The heat during the day is excessive, but the 
nights are invariably cool, and the air invigorating and exhilarating, 
in spite of the temperature, owing probably to its peculiar dryness. 
A mile only to the south-east, at the village of Tambore, the coun- 
try rises in undulating meadows, beautiful in appearance as an En- 
glish park, and infinitely cooler than Chyebassa. These advantages 
in forming the cantonment were either overlooked or thought of less 
note than the nearer vicinity of water, Chyebassa being on the banks 
of the Roro. The Hos are more free from disease than any other 


158 Miscellaneous. 


people, in consequence of the precautionary measures they take— 
their nutritive food and drink, and the open airy positions they build 
in. As a guard against infection or fire, their villages are small and 
scattered, and on the first appearance of any epidemic they leave 
their houses and flee into the jungles, living apart from each other. 
Singbhoom, on the contrary, from the obverse manners of the Oorias, 
is yearly scourged by cholera, fevers and small-pox. This latter dis- 
ease, propagated by the Bramin inoculators, has within the last year 
spread with fearful havoc into the Kolehan, and most unfortunately 
simultaneously with the introduction of vaccine, to which the evil 
has alone been attributed. The rains are not heavy in the Kolehan, 
but the monsoon is accompanied by violent storms of wind from the 
north-west, with severe thunder and lightning, causing many fatal 
accidents. None of that sultry oppression incident to Bengal is felt 
at that time of year. The cold season is truly luxurious—“ a nip- 
ping and an eager air” without fogs or mists. March, April and 
May are generally the only unpleasant hot months of the year; du- 
ring this period not a drop of water falls occasionally for upwards of 
six weeks ; the aspect of the country loses every trace of verdure, 
and the dried stony soil reflects with unbearable force the rays of the 
sun. Vegetation is vigorously restored on the commencement of the 
rains, and as these are not accompanied by the gloomy sky and un- 
ceasing torrents which fall in the plains of India, the landscape is 
pleasingly chequered by passing showers, and the tender foliage of 
the forests glistens alternately with golden breaks of sunshine or 
mellowed shades of green. To the south and east of Singbhoom, 
and in the most dreary and deserted parts of the country, are re- 
mains indicative of the former presence of opulent and industrious 
people, but so decayed by time, and engulfed in the labyrinths of 
untenanted forests, as to be unmarked by any record or history, save 
that they must have been of prior origin to the first known Bhooians 
of the country. —Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, No. 19. 


Fossil Foraminifera in the Greensand of New Jersey.—Prof. J. W. 
Bailey, in a recent visit to the cretaceous formations of New Jersey, 
has brought to light the interesting fact, that a large portion of the 
calcareous rock defined by Prof. H. D. Rogers as the third formation 
of the upper secondary, is made up, at the localities where he exa- 
mined it, of great quantities of microscopic shells, belonging to the 
Foraminifera of D’Orbigny, which order includes those multilocular 
shells which compose a large part of the calcareous sands, &c. of 
Grignon and other localities in the tertiary deposits of Europe. 
Since the minute multilocular shells above alluded to were discovered, 
Dr. Torrey and Prof. Bailey have together examined specimens of 
limestone from Claiborne, Alabama, and have found in them Fora- 
minifera, of forms apparently identical with those occurring in New 
Jersey. None of this order except the genus Nummulite have here- 
tofore been noticed in our greensand formation. In this connexion 
we may also announce the interesting discovery recently made by 
Prof. Wm. B. Rogers, of 

A vast Stratum of Fossil Infusoria in the Tertiary Strata of Vir- 


Meteorological Observations. 159 


ginta.—It occurs about twenty feet in thickness, beneath Richmond, 
and is found to be filled with new and highly interesting forms of 
marine siliceous Infusoria.—Silliman’s Journal, July 1841. 


Mr. R. C. Taylor’s Model of the Southern Coal-Field of Pennsyl- 
vania.—At the Second Annual Meeting of American Geologists, held 
in April last, Mr. Richard Cowling Taylor, F.G.S., exhibited a highly 
interesting model in plaster of the Dauphin and Lebanon coal region, 
embracing altogether an area of seven hundred and twenty square 
miles, showing the range of the mountain elevations, with their re- 
lative height and position ; also their elevation above tide level ; the 
dip of the rocks, the position of the coal-seams, and much other 
useful information. 

Mr. Taylor accompanied this exhibition with remarks explanatory 
and statistical in relation to this coal region, and made some obser- 
vations on the importance of this mode of exhibiting the geological 
features of a country, expressing the hope that the day would come 
when models of this kind, representing the several states, and even 
the whole United States, shall be constructed. He also enlarged 
upon the propriety of following as closely as possible the actual con- 
formation of the country in drawing sections, and of adopting uni- 
form modes of illustration by colours, &c., and the importance of an 
equal scale of extension and elevation as far as practicable in such * 
sections.—From Silliman’s Journal, July number, where the remarks 
are published entire, with a coloured section, 


METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR AUG. 1841. 


Chiswick August 1. Slight rain: cloudy and fine. 2. Fine with clouds : rain. 
3. Hazy: cloudy and mild: rain. 4. Cloudy and fine. 5. Fine: slight rain. 
6, 7. Fine. 8. Rain: cloudy and fine. 9. Very fine. 10. Very fine: rain. 
11. Stormy and wet. 12, Fine. 13. Cloudy. 14. Rain: showery: clear at 
night. 15—17. Cloudy and fine. 18. Hazy: fine. 19, 20. Very fine. 21. 
Cloudy. 22. Cloudy: slight rain, 23. Rain: cloudy and fine. 24, Showery : 
clear. 25. Drizzly. 26. Hazy and mild. 27. Heavy dew: cloudy and hot. 
28—30. Foggy in the mornings : very fine: evenings clear. 31, Overcast and 
fine. 


Boston.— August 1. Fine: rainr.m. 2. Fine. 3. Cloudy: rain pw. 4. Fine: 
rain early a.m. 5. Cloudy: rain p.m. 6. Cloudy and stormy. 7. Cloudy : rain 
pM. 8,9. Cloudy. 10. Fine. 11. Cloudy: rain early a.m.: rain p.m. 12. 
Stormy. 13. Cloudy. 14. Cloudy: rain early a.m. 15, 16. Cloudy. 17, 
Fine: rainer.m. 18, 19. Fine. 20. Fine: thermometer 77° half-past two r.m. 
21. Fine: raina.m. 22. Vine. 23, 24. Fine: rain early am. 25. Rain: 
rain early a.m. 26, Cloudy: thermometer 75° three-quarters past two p.m. 27. 
Fine: thermometer 75° quarter-past eleven a.m. 28, 29. Fine. 30, 31. Cloudy, 


Applegarth Manse, Dumfries-shire—August 1. Fair, but cool and cloudy. 
2. Fair and fine. 3. Wet a.m.: cleared and was fine. 4. Fair and fine. 5, 
Rain all day. 6. Wet a.m.: cleared and was fine. 7. Wet, slightly. 8. Fine 
though showery: thunder. 9. Wet a.m.: became fine. 10. Showery. 11. Fair. 
1Z. Showery all day. 13. Partial showers. 14. Wet a.m.: became fine. 15, 
Fine till p.w.: then rain, 16, Wet a.m.: cleared p.m. 17. Fair throughout. 
18, Fair a.m.: wet p.m. 19. Fair and warm: air electrical. 20. Wet nearly 
all day: thunder. 21. Wetr.m.: flood. 22. Fine and fair. 23. Occasional 
slight showers. 24. Wet r.m. and evening: thunder. 25. Showery. 26. Rain 
early a.m.: cleared. 27, Fine: one shower a.m. 28. Wet morning: cleared, 
29, Fine but cloudy. 30. Wet all day. 31. Fair and fine. 


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AND 


MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 
No. 50. NOVEMBER 1841. 


X1X.— Description of some new Species of Ammonites found in 
the Oxford Clay on the line of the Great Western Railway 
near Christian Malford. By SAMUEL PEACE PRATT, Esq., 


F.LS., F.G.S. 
{ With Four Plates. ] 


Tue cuttings for the Great Western Railway between Chip- 
penham and Wootton Basset having been almost entirely in 
the Oxford clay, and having exposed nearly the whole of that 
deposit, numerous fossil remains have been discovered, inclu- 
ding many new species. The Oxford clay, in this neighbour- 
hood, forms three distinct beds, viz. the upper and lower blue 
clays, separated by the ferruginous Kelloway rock; and each 
division has its distinct fossils, although several species are 
common to each of the three divisions. Besides the undescribed 
species, many have been found throughout the series which 
had hitherto been considered as characteristic of either higher 
or much lower beds; thus Ostrea deltoidea and Gryphea vir- 
guia are numerous in both the upper and lower beds, though 
formerly considered to be confined to the Kimmeridge clay ; 
and several shells belonging to the inferior oolite, as Astarte 
modiolaris and Lima proboscidea, with some others, are found 
in the upper beds near Wootton Basset. In the neighbour- 
hood of Christian Malford, about four miles from Chippen- 
ham, the site of the Kelloway rock appears to be represented 
by a bed of gravel a few feet in thickness, which, besides the 
usual fossils of that bed, contains also numerous rolled spe- 
cimens from the neighbouring hills of coral rag and calca- 
reous grit. Bones of the Elephant and other mammalia have 
also been found in it. Beyond the gravel to the N.W., in the 
direction of the rise of the strata, the clay assumes a slaty 
character, and contains numerous fossils, chiefly peculiar to 
the spot, such as ten or twelve species of Ammonites, more 
than half of which are undescribed, several species of Belem- 
nites, Sepiz, Fishes, and numerous shells, which although 
much compressed are beautifully perfect. 

The Ammonites are remarkable for haying the aperture in 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. M 


162 Mr. S. P. Pratt on some new species of Ammonites. 


a nearly perfect condition, but from their flattened state it 
is often difficult to determine their distinctive characters ; this 
has however been attempted in the following descriptions, 
which have been drawn up after an inspection of several 
hundred specimens ; and of a few individuals, which, having 
fortunately been found in indurated nodules in the clay, and 
thus preserved from compression, exhibit characters which 
the usual state of the fossils do not afford. The specimens 
described are partly from the author’s collection, and partly 
from that of the Bristol Institution, which possesses an ex- 
tensive series of fossils found in the same locality, collected 
by the zeal of Mr. S. Stutchbury. Some apology may seem 
necessary for having employed proper names so extensively 
in the designation of the species ; but in a genus, the general 
characters of which are so similar, and in which the species 
are sO numerous, it is difficult to find characteristic distinc- 
tions: this genus has also, by almost general consent, been 
adopted to commemorate the names of individuals, who have 
distinguished themselves either by their discoveries in the 
science, or by their love and patronage of it. 


1. Ammonites Elizabethe. Pl. III. fig. 1, 2, 3, 4. 


Shell angular, arising from a series of spines on each dorsal 
edge, and two rows of tubercles on the sides of the vo- 
lution, one near the middle, another smaller and com- 
pressed near the inner margin ; radiated, the rays varying 
very much in number and elevation, curved or undulated, 
but becoming angular near the aperture of the adult shell, 
which has on each side a long, narrow, spatulate projec- 
tion, the prolonged rays forming waves or loops on its 
surface; volutions six or seven, about 2rds exposed ; 
back narrow, concave, the rays passing over it and form- 
ing low obtuse ridges; siphunculus not visible. 


The number and length of the spines and tubercles, and the 
mode in which they are combined with the rays, appear to 
indicate several distinct species, but on closer examination it 
is seen that all the varieties pass into each other, the same 
specimen sometimes containing more than one form. 

The spines and rays vary from sixteen to upwards of sixty 
on the last volution, and they are large and elongated in pro- 
portion to the smallness of their number; in the simplest 
form, a single irregular ray, terminated on the dorsal edge by 
a long sharp spine, connects it with the tubercles, scarcely 
reaching the inner one in others; two, three, and sometimes 
four rays arise from the spine and unite in the middle tu- 


Mr. S. P. Pratt on some new species of Ammonites. 163 


bercle. The prolongation of the aperture appears to depend 
upon the growth of the shell, and it varies from a slight pro- 
jection to 14 inch long; it is concave externally and convex 
internally. 


2. Ammonites Comptoni. Pl. IV. fig. 1. 


Shell discoidal, radiated, the rays alternately two short and 
one long; the long rays proceeding from the dorsal to 
the inner margin, where they become thickened, the two 
short rays not passing beyond the middle of the volu- 
tion ; they are curved backwards near the dorsal edge: in 
the young shell the rays are close, sharp, and slightly 
elevated; when full-grown the last volution has a few 
obtuse undulations, but is nearly smooth; back rounded, 
with a slight depression in the middle, formed by the 
nearly meeting rays; the whole shell without spines or 
tubercles; volutions 6 or 7, 2rds exposed; aperture ter- 
minated on each side with a spatulate projection about 
13 inch long when fully grown, and of sunilar characters 
with Am. Elizabethe. 


3. Ammonites Stutchburii. Pl. IV. fig. 2 and 3. 


Shell discoidal, radiated; the rays curved, very regular, form- 
ing raised lines which reach from the dorsal edge to about 
the middle of the volution, where they meet a row of 
small, compressed, distant tubercles, beyond which is 
another row near the inner margin ; these tubercles vary 
much in number and relative size; volutions 2rds ex- 
posed; aperture forming a projecting beak, with waved 
striz on its surface; back narrow, marked by the rays 
passing over it, and terminated on each edge by a range 
of serrated sharp points formed by the termination of the 
rays; volutions exposed, showing both ranges of tu- 
bercles. 


4. Ammonites Sedgwickiit. Pl. V. fig. 1. 


Shell discoidal, nearly smooth on the last volution, but having 
a row of tubercles upon the inner margin ; the spaces be- 
tween them twice as large as the tubercles : in the young 
shell sharp raised lines proceed from the rounded back 
to about the centre of the volution, but do not reach the 
tubercles; they become indistinct towards the aperture ; 
volutions ith exposed, the last about half the diameter 
of the shell; aperture not projecting, forming a well- 
defined twice-curved termination. 

M 2 


164 Mr. S. P. Pratt on some new species of Ammonites. 


5. Ammonites Lonsdalii. Pl. V. fig. 2. 


Shell discoidal, radiated (when young) with numerous waved, 


well-defined, raised limes, which become more obtuse and 
fewer as the shell increases in size; near the aperture 
they pass into fine striz ; the rays rise from the dorsal 
edges, and scarcely reach the middle of the side; the 
aperture forms a regular concave termination, except on 
the inner edge, where it bends back like the handle of a 
sickle ; volutions ird exposed, the last more than half the 
diameter of the shell. 


6. Ammonites fluctuosus. Pl. VI. fig. 1 and 2. 


Shell discoidal or lenticular, radiated (when young) with nu- 


merous sharp raised lines, which are alternately long and 
short; the short combining in twos or threes with the 
longer ones about the middle of the side, some remain- 
ing distinct : as the shell advances in age the inner half 
of the long rays becomes much thickened, until they 
form obtuse elevated ridges, with broad, concave, smooth 
spaces between, the short rays gradually disappearing ; 
volutions numerous, {rds exposed; shell reaching 6 
inches in diameter, without any appearance of projecting 
aperture. 


7. Ammonites Brightii. Pl. V1. fig. 3, 4. 


Shell discoidal, nearly smooth, but having several flat, obtuse 


ridges arising from the dorsal edge, which combine a 
little beyond the middle of the volution into a com- 
pressed elongated tubercle which reaches the inner mar- 
gin; the tubercles are about one-third as numerous as 
the ridges, and meet them in a rounded right angle: in 
the young shell they are hardly visible, and also become 
obsolete near the aperture, the sides of which suddenly 
contracting to about one-third, again expand into a trans- 
verse oval projection, finely waved or striated; the back 
of the shell also projects in a point, and forms with the 
sides a concave arch; a sharp ridge on the back marks 
the siphunculus ; volutions about 7, rds exposed. 


8. Ammonites Gulielmi, Sowerby, Min. Con., pl. 311. 
This species differs considerably from the description given 


by Sowerby, although there can be no doubt of its being the 
same shell; when fully grown to about 5 inches in diameter, 
the inner thickened rays form strong, elevated, compressed 
spines or tubercles. 


Mr. Jeffreys on the Mollusca of Shetland. 165 


Ammonites sublevis, Am. lenticularis, and Am. mutabilis, 


and some other indistinct species, are also found in the same 
locality, generally compressed. 


DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATES. 


All the figures are of the natural size, with the exception of Fig. 1. Pl. VI., 


which is about one-half. 
Prate III. Fig. 1, 2, 3. Am. Elizabethe. 


Simplest form. 
. Most usual character. 
. An uncompressed specimen. 
. Exhibits characters proving the specific identity of 
Figs. 1, 2, 3. 


co hoe 


Puate IV. Fig. 1. dm. Comptoni. 


2. Am. Stutchburit. 
3. Part of the aperture of ditto. 


Puate Y. Fig. 1. Am. Sedgwickiz. 


2. Am. Lonsdaliz. 


Puate VI. Fig. 1. 4m. fluctuosus, half the natural size. 


2. Ditto young. 
3. Am. Brightii. 
4, Ditto uncompressed. 


XX.—A List of Testaceous Mollusca collected in the Shet- 


Co bo 


land Isles during a few days’ residence there in the autumn 
of this year, and not noticed by Dr. Fleming in his ‘ History 
of British Animals’ as indigenous to that country. By J. 
Gwyn Jerrreys, Esq., F.R. & LS., &c. 


. Heiiz alliacea (var.). At Lerwick, under stones near the sea- 


shore. 


. Rissoa purpurea (n. s.). At Scalloway. 
. Pyramidella (?) interstincta [Odostomia interstincta, Fleming]. 


In Lerwick Sound, among coral. 
(?) insculpta [Odostomia insculpta, Fleming]. With 


the last. 


(?) pallida [Phasianella pallida, Fleming]. With the 
last. 


. Eulima Donovani [Phasianella polita, Fleming]. Lerwick Sound : 


not uncommon. 


. Natica Helicoides. Dr. Johnson in Trans. of Berwickshire Nat. 


Hist. Society. One specimen (the second which appears to have 
been recorded) was found by me while dredging in Lerwick 
Sound; it presents some generic differences (particularly in 
the aperture and umbilicus) from Natica. ‘The figure in the 
Transactions of the Berwickshire Natural History Society is 
erroneously represented as reversed, and in other respects does 
not give a good idea of the shell. 

usus albus (n. s.). In Lerwick Sound; a single specimen, but 
very distinct from any of its congeners. 


166 Sir F, A. Mackenzie on the Breeding 


9. Trichotropis acuminatus. Jeffreys in ‘ Malacological and Concho- 
logical Magazine,’ No. Il. p. 36. In Lerwick Sound : not un- 
common. I found one specimen of the Chiton albus which was 
half an inch long. 

Pecten obsoletus, var. omnino alba.. In Lerwick Sound ; only one 
specimen. 

10. Crenella elliptica, Brown [Mytilus decussatus, Montagu]. In 
Lerwick Sound: not uncommon. 

11. Arca fusca. In Lerwick Sound : a single valve. 

12. Montacuta substriata, Turton. Lerwick, attached to the ventral 
spines of the Spatangus purpureus, its usual habitat. 

13. ————— ferruginosa, Turton. Scalloway; a single valve. 

14. Lucina lactea. At Scalloway: rare. 

- spinifera [Venus spinifera, Montagu]. In Lerwick Sound : 
rare. 

16. Cyprina minima, Turton. In Lerwick Sound: not uncommon. 

17. Astarte? triangularis [Mactra triangularis, Montagu]. In Ler- 
wick Sound ; one specimen only. 

18. Venus Virginea and var. Sarniensis, Turton. Lerwick: not un- 
common. 

19. Anatina pretenuis. Lerwick and Scalloway: rare 

— intermedia. Jeffreys in ‘ Malacological and Conchological 
Magazine,’ No. II. p. 45. In Lerwick Sound : not uncommon. 

21. Psammobia florida. In Lerwick Sound: not uncommon. 

Swansea, Sept. 1841. 


XXI.—Brief and Practical Instructions for the Breeding of 
Salmon and other Fish artificially. By Sir Francis A. 
MaAcKEnzikz, Bart. 


In the autumn of 1840, having chosen a brook flowing ra- 
pidly into the river Ewe, a hollow spot adjoining to it was 
selected and cleared out, of the following dimensions: length 
23 yards, breadth from 12 to 18 feet ; and all large stones ha- 
ving been taken away, the bottom was covered 1 foot thick 
with coarse sand and small gravel, the largest stones not ex- 
ceeding the size of a walnut. A stream from the brook was 
then led into this hollow, so as to form a pool of about 8 inches 
in depth at the upper and 3 feet at the lower end, thus giving 
it one uniform gentle current over the whole pool; whilst the 
supply of water was so regulated by a sluice as to have the 
same depth at all times, and a strong stone wall excluded all 
eels or trout, so destructive both to spawn and fry. 

On the 13th of November, four pair of salmon, male and 
female, were taken by net from the Ewe, and carefully placed 
in the pool; on the 18th they showed a disposition to spawn, 
but on the 20th the whole were carried away by some ill-dis- 


of Salmon and other Fish artificially. 167 


posed persons, and on examining the pool, only a small quan- 
tity of ova appeared to have been deposited. On the 23rd of 
November four pair of salmon were again caught and placed 
in the pool, which were observed to commence spawning on 
the day following ;—caught them carefully,—squeezed gently 
about 1200 ova from a female into a basin of water, and then 
pressed about an equal quantity of milt from a male fish over 
them ; stirred the two about gently, but well together, with 
the fingers, and after allowing them rest for an hour, the whole 
was deposited and spread in one of the wicker baskets re- 
commended by Professor Agassiz, having about 4 inches of 
gravel below them and 2 or 3 inches of gravel above. A si- 
milar quantity of ova, treated in the same way, was also de- 
posited in one of the copper wire bags, as used by Mr. Shaw, 
and both were then immediately placed under water in the 
pool; a little of the ova was buried in the open gravel at about 
3 inches in depth. In another basket, and also in another 
copper wire bag, 2 or 3 inches of gravel were placed over the 
bottom of each, and both basket and bag laid in the pooi, 
covered with about 4 inches of water. The ova of a female 
and milt of a male were then successively squeezed from two 
fish on the gravel in both basket and bag, and spread over it 
regularly with the hand one after the other ; and after leaving 
them exposed, in this state, to the water for a few minutes, 
the whole was covered with 2 or 3 inches of gravel and left in 
the pool. These four pair of fish afterwards emitted volun- 
tarily a small quantity of spawn which had been left with 
them, and on the Ist of December they were all turned out 
into the river. On the 3rd of December, caught three pair of 
salmon which had already partially spawned in the Ewe;—used 
another basket and also another wire bag, treating the spawn 
in the same manner as last described; these fish were then 
also allowed to deposit voluntarily the little spawn of which 
they had not been deprived, and afterwards turned out into 
the river. On the 19th of February examined the ova, and 
life was plainly observed in the baskets, wire bags, and unpro- 
tected gravel, both where placed artificially and where depo- 
sited by the salmon themselves. 

19th of March, the fry had increased in size and went on 
gradually increasing, much in proportion to the temperature 
of the weather. 

22nd, the eyes were easily visible, and a few of the ova had 
burst, the young fry having a small, watery, bladder-like sac 
attached to the throat. 

18th of April, the baskets and bags were all opened ; the 
sacs had become detached from their throats, the fry measured 


168 Sir F. A. Mackenzie on the Breeding 


about three-quarters of an inch in length, and they swam 
about easily, all marked distinctly as Par. The baskets re- 
commended by Professor Agassiz proved superior to the wire 
bags*of Mr. Shaw. In the latter only about 20 per cent. 
came to maturity, whilst in the former not above 10 per cent. 
proved barren, and in the baskets used 5th of December not 
above 5 per cent. was unproductive. It is impossible to say 
exactly the proportion of ova which came to life either of that 
artificially impregnated and deposited in the open gravel, or 
of what was spawned by the fish themselves naturally, but so 
far as could be judged, they succeeded equally well with that 
in the baskets. Perhaps the baskets may have a preference over 
the other methods tried, as affording more certain protection 
to the spawn during winter; and it is proper to state, that 
the last-described mode of depositing the ova and milt was 
most successful. There can be no doubt, from the success 
which has attended these experiments, that the breeding of 
salmon or other fish in large quantities is, comparatively 
speaking, easy, and that millions may be produced, protected 
from every danger, and turned out into their natural element 
at the proper age, which Mr. Shaw has proved by repeated 
experiments on a small scale to be when they have attained 
about two years of age. When the par marks disappear they 
assume the silvery scales of their parents, and distinctly show 
a strong inclination to escape from confinement and proceed 
downwards to the sea. 

Professor Agassiz asserts, and I fully believe with truth, that 
the ova of all fish, when properly impregnated, can be con- 
veyed in water of a proper temperature even across the At- 
lantic, as safely as if it were naturally deposited by the parent 
fish; so that any quantity of salmon or other spawn can 
(after impregnation on the banks of a river) be carried to other 
streams, however distant, which may be favourable for hatch- 
ing. It may be right to observe, that as the fry are to remain 
two years in the artificial pools where hatched, fresh places 
must be used every second year for the spawn, as even one- 
year-old fry willdestroy spawn, or their more infantile brethren, 
if left together ; old spent salmon are also destructive both to 
spawn and fry. 

It can only be ascertained by experience what kind or 
quantity of food will be required for the fry. Carrion hung 
at the top of the pool in which they are, would, in the opinion 
of Professor Agassiz and Mr. Shaw, supply them with mag- 
gots; but in this there are difficulties, and when tried by 
me this season, a few of the fry were found dead round the 
carrion given to them. The droppings of cattle allowed to 


of Salmon and other Fish artificially. 169 


rest till half dry, and occupied by worms and the ova of insects, 
appear to suit them best. About the lst of September last, 
when on an agricultural tour of Belgium, I visited an esta- 
blishment belonging to King Leopold, and adjoining his 
new palace of Ardennes, on a much more expensive scale 
than that now described, where the breeding of trout had 
been tried for the three previous seasons, though with but 
little success. A very few small trout bred 1839-40 were 
still alive, but the ova of 1841 were a complete failure, chiefly 
from not properly covering the spawn with gravel, and other 
errors. Bread made of brown and white flour mixed was the 
food found best suited to the few living, who, judging from 
their shape as seen swimming about in a small pool, were in 
excellent condition. The trout-breeding establishment of 
Ardennes, however, proves that their spawn, if treated in the 
same way as that of salmon above described, will produce the 
same successful results, and that any one possessing a con- 
venient pond or stream may stock it with the best kinds of 
trout or other fish in one or two years, and by good feeding 
have them in high condition. Where trout already exists of 
small size and inferior quality, I would recommend wholly 
destroying the breed by saturating the water with quick-lime 
or any other mode more advisable, and procuring spawn or 
fry from lakes where the best kinds of trout are found, in 
Scotland or elsewhere. The same may be said of grayling, 
pike, or any other kind of fish suited to ponds or brooks and 
rivers as may be desired by their owners, which renders the 
discovery now made known of value to all, and in all quarters, 
as well as to salmon-fishing proprietors. In conclusion, I 
hope that the above brief account may not only be well under- 
stood, but that the ease and comparatively trifling expense 
at which the breeding of fry can be accomplished may induce 
many this season to try this novel but successful mode of in- 
creasing our stocks of salmon and other fish, and consequently 
adding largely to the wealth of our country.—F. M. 


Should any further information be wanted, Sir F. will 
gladly reply to such inquiries ; and he now expresses a hope, 
that those who may be successful in spring 1842, or after 
years, will communicate to him any account of improvement 
on the mode of breeding, feeding, &c. now described; as, 
though perfectly satisfied with the results of his own expe- 
riments, Sir F. is ready to acknowledge that there exists no- 
thing so perfect devised by man as not to admit of improve- 
ment. 


Conan House, Ross-shire, Oct. Ist, 1841. } 


170 Mr. Stephens on Epilobium angustifolium. 


XXII.—On Epilobium angustifolium, and species which have 
been confounded with it. By Mr. H. O. SrepuHens. 


To the Editors of the Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 


THERE appears to be two species of Epilobium confounded by 
British botanists with H. angustifolium, Linn. ; one is proba- 
bly indigenous, the other certainly so. I shall endeavour to 
furnish discriminating characters. 


st. Epilobium angustifolium, Linn. Leaves scattered, rather 
broadly lanceolate, veined, smooth ; inflorescence subspicate ; 
petals unequal ; genitalia declined ; stigma large, club-shaped ; 
capsule short, turgid. Species Plantar. 493; Aiton, Hort. Kew., 
tom. ii. p. 4; Smith, Eng. Flor., tom. 11. 212; Eng. Bot., tab. 
1947; Hooker, ed. iil. 182; Lindley, 108. #. spicatum, DeCan- 
dolle, Prodrom., pars ii. p. 40. Lysimachia speciosa, &c., 
Raii Synop., 310. Chamenerion, Ger. Emac., p. 477. fig. 7. 

This is the common plant of the gardens, and is figured in 
‘English Botany.’ The leaves are of a very dark green colour, 
rather broadly lanceolate, distantly and faintly serrated, in 
general outline resembling those of Salix alba. The upper 
part of the stem, towards the spike of flowers, very obscurely 
angular ; flowers deep crimson ; capsules short and very turgid. 


2nd. Epilobium macrocarpum. Leaves scattered, linear- 
lanceolate, veined, smooth ; inflorescence subspicate; petals 
unequal; genitalia declined; capsule very long, linear. 

This plant is of a lighter and more elegant habit than the 
former ; the flowers are of a paler shade, inclining to rose-co- 
lour ; upper portion of the stem, towards the inflorescence, of 
a coral-red, and acutely angular. Stigma much smaller than 
in EK. angustifolium, barely club-shaped. Leaves very pale 
green, narrow, lanceolate, distantly and faintly toothed, in ge- 
neral outline resembling those of Salix viminalis. Capsule 
very long, exceeding three inches in length, quite linear, with- 
out the least turgescence. 

This plant differs from Epilobium angustifolium, Linn., in 
the leaves being narrow-lanceolate, of a very pale green, in 
the smaller stigma, paler flowers and more angular stem ; but 
the specific difference consists in the very long linear capsule, 
totally unlike the short and turgid seed-vessel of E. angusti- 
folium, Linn. Modern British botanists deny (unnecessarily, 
I think,) #. anyustifolium to be a native plant ; it was consi- 
dered as such by Gerarde and Ray; and as it abounds in 
Sweden in situations much like those in which it is found 
here, this strengthens the supposition of its nationality. How- 
ever this may be, there can be no doubt that the second spe- 


Flora of Western Norfolk. 171 


cies, E. macrocarpum, is indigenous ; it cannot have escaped 
from cultivation, because the plant so common in gardens is 
E. angustifolium. 

Discovered by my friend Mr. G. K. Thwaites in the lower 
portion of Leigh Wood, Somerset, in a coppice which had 
been cut two years ago, a situation very distant from any ha- 
bitation. 

Henry Oxvey STEPHENS. 
Bristol, 3 Terrill Street, Aug. 26, 1841. ‘ 


XXIII.—A List of Flowering Plants found growing wild in 
Western Norfolk. By the Rev. Gzorce Munrorp*, Cor- 
responding Member of the Botanical Society of London. 


Tue tract of country embraced by the hundreds of Freebridge 
Lynn, Freebridge Marshland, Clackclose and Smithdon, and 
which forms the western side of the county of Norfolk, con- 
tains the remarkable district called Marshland—a part of the 
great level of the Fens, and the higher ground bordering on 
the Wash, which lies between the counties of Norfolk and 
Lincolnshire. 

From the extent and variety of this field, it will easily be 
seen that the botanist will find in it ample space for the ex- 
ercise of his favourite pursuit. 

Local advantages, derived from a residence of almost twenty 
years in the principal and central town of the district, may be 
supposed to enable the compiler of the following list to cor- 
rect, in some few instances, the errors into which others, not 
residing on the spot, may have fallen; and perhaps to point 
out here and there a new locality for some of the rarer plants 
growing in the neighbourhood. 

It is with this view that, with the kind assistance of two or 
three botanical friends also residing on the spot, the attempt 
has been made to give, as far as possible, a correct and per- 
fect list of the plants that are found growing wild in Western 
Norfolk. 

As little more has been done than to collect into one place 
what was previously known, but scattered throughout several 
published works, it may appear that labour and pains have 
been unnecessarily expended ; but the employment itself has 
served to fill up, and very agreeably to amuse, many a leisure 
hour, and will tend to refresh the memory when the power of 
searching for these favourite objects of pursuit in the place of 
their growth shall no longer exist. 


* Read before the Botanical Society of London, 6th August, 1841. 


172 The Rev. G. Munford’s List of Flowering Plants 


The English Flora contains about 1500 vascular and 2800 
cellular plants: 722 vasculars are here enumerated as grow- 
ing wild in the district which forms the western side of the 
county of Norfolk. The writer’s acquaintance with the cel- 
lulars is too limited to admit of his attempting to give any ac- 
count of them in this paper. A catalogue of the plants grow- 
ing in the neighbourhood of Yarmouth, on the opposite side 
of the county, has been published by Mr. James Paget, in 
which are found 725 vasculars and 450 cellulars; and the 
Flora of Central Norfolk, by Mr. R. J. Mann, is printed in the 
‘ Magazine of Natural History,’ New Series, vol. iv. No. 44; 
and in the 7th vol. of the ‘Annals and Magazine of Natural 
History,’ No. 43, an addenda by S. P. Woodward, Esq. 
These two lists contain together 708 vasculars and 121 cel- 
lulars. They are confined to the neighbourhood of Norwich, 
and embrace but a small portion of what may be called central 
Norfolk ; so that the greater part of the county may yet be 
considered as unbeaten ground. 

All the plants previously admitted into works of established 
authority as having been found wild in Western Norfolk are 
included in this list. To all these, and to others which I have 
not myself seen growing, the authority on which they are in- 
troduced is given; while for every species and locality not 
thus marked the compiler is responsible. 

The arrangement made use of is that of Professor Lindley 
in his ‘ Synopsis of the British Flora,’ as best agreeing with 
the advanced state of botanical science in England ; and the 
nomenclature is for the most part that of Sir W. J. Hooker 
in his ¢ British Flora,’ which is generally acknowledged to be 
the best authority in the present day for determining the 
plant intended. 

The geography of plants is of much interest to the bota- 
nist, and every attempt to promote the knowledge of this 
branch of the science is worthy of observation. It is now 
universally admitted, that the geological character of every 
district exercises very great influence over its vegetation. An 
attempt has therefore been made to mark, as nearly as pos- 
sible, the substratum of soil on which the rarer plants in the 
following list are found. Where the place of growth is not 
added, the plant may generally be considered as distributed 
throughout the district. 

By a reference to Woodward’s Geological Map of Norfolk, 
published in 1833, it will be seen that, proceeding eastward 
from Lynn, which is situated on the alluvium, we meet with 
a narrow strip of the Kimmeridge clay and oolite that runs in 
a direction north and south nearly the entire length of the di- 


found growing wild in Western Norfolk. 173 
strict. This is followed by a much wider portion of the car- 
stone, running in the same direction; and parallel with this 
lies about the same quantity of chalk marl. The indentations 
of the eastern side of the district extend into the hard and 
medial chalk, but embrace only a small portion of the latter 
towards the north. 

The annexed tabular view will show, as nearly as possible, 
the geological character of the several habitats in which the 
rarer plants are found. G. M. 


Lynn Regis, 1840. 


Alluyium. Geren Ont: Carstone. | Chalk Marl.) Hard Chalk, | MedialChalk. 
Babingley. Bawsey. Bilney. \Ringstead. |Barton-Bendish. | Berwick. 
Burnham. Blackburgh. Congham. \E. Walton.|Beechamwell. |Bircham. 
Gaywood. Castle-Rising. Crimplesham. Boughton. Brancaster. 
Hardwick. Denver. Dersingham. Caldecot. Docking. 
Heacham. Downham, |Fincham. Castle-Acre. Fring. 
Lynn. Fordham. Hilgay. Gayton. Stanhoe. 
N. Lynn. Middleton. | Hillington. Hunstanton. 

S. Lynn. Mintlyn. Ingoldisthorpe. Leziate. 

W. Lynn. Roydon. Pentney. Marham. 
Outwell. N. Runcton. |Shouldham. Massingham. 
Refiley. S. Runcton. |Stradsett. Narborough. 
Runcton-Holme. Stow. E. Winch. Narford. 
Setch. Thorpland. Sedgeford. 
Snettisham. Wallington. Shingham. 
Terrington. Watlington. 

Tilney. Wimbotsham. 

Titchwell. Wormegay. 

W. Winch. 

Woolferton. 

N. Wootton. 

S. Wootton. 


Class I. VASCULARES. 
Subclass I. DICOTYLEDONES. 
Division I. DICHLAMYDE. 


Order RaNUNCULACES. 


Thalictrum minus ; Ringstead, Marham, Shouldham, Burnham, Nar- 

borough : not common. 
flavum ; Setch, Barton-Bendish : not common. 

Adonis autumnalis; by Denver Sluice, Mrs. Plestow in Eng. Bot. 
No longer found : perhaps it should be erased, as it was probably 
thrown out from a garden: Miss Bell. 

Anemone nemorosa ; Castle-Rising Wood : abundant. 

Myosurus minimus; Hardwick, Wimbotsham, Runcton-Holme, Bough- 
ton: not common. 

Ranunculus Flammula; Castle-Rising, Thorpland, Denver, Wimbots- 
ham, Barton-Bendish, Fincham, 


174 The Rev. G. Munford’s List of Flowering Plants 


Ranunculus (3. reptans ; Barton-Bendish, Fincham : Mr. Dawson Tur- 
ner. 

-——_—. Lingua; N. Runcton: not common. 

Ficaria, sceleratus, bulbosus, hirsutus, repens, acris ; very 

common. 

arvensis ; N. Lynn, Thorpland, Hardwick, Barton-Ben- 
dish, Beechamwell. 

parviflorus ; Gt. Bircham, Burnham, Rev. K. Trimmer. 

—— -—— hederaceus ; Hardwick, S. Wootton, Denver: not common. 

aquatilis; very common. 

Caltha palustris ; very common. 

Helleborus viridis ; plentiful in a plantation at Ingoldisthorpe : Miss 
Bell. 


fetidus ; castle-hill, Castle-Acre. 
Aquilegia vulgaris; thicket behind the Red Mount, Lynn: rare. 
Delphinium Consolida; W. Winch, Docking, Barton-Bendish : rare. 


BrERBERIDE. 
Berberis vulgaris; Narborough, Barton-Bendish : rare. 


NyYMPH#ACES. 


Nymphea alba; Lynn, E. Walton, Shouldham: common. 
Nuphar lutea ; Lynn, E. Walton, Shouldham : common. 


PAPAVERACER. 
Papaver hybridum ; Barton-Bendish, B. G.; Burnham, Miss Bell. 
Argemone, dubium, Rheas ; common. 
somniferum ; borders of Castle-Rising Wood. 
Glaucium luteum; Heacham beach. 
Chelidonium majus ; Gaywood, Congham. 


FuMaRIACES. 


Corydalis claviculata ; Woolferton Wood, Bawsey, Blackburgh. 
Fumaria officinalis ; common. 


CRUCIFERA. 


Cheiranthus Cheiri ; Grey Friar’s Tower, Lynn : not uncommon. 
Nasturtium officinale ; plentiful. 

sylvestre; banks of the Ouse, Stow Bridge, Downham : 
Miss Bell. 

terrestre; Middleton, Stow. 

amphibium ; N. Runcton. 

Barbarea vulgaris ; very common. 

Arabis thaliana; Castle-Rising, N. Runcton. 

hirsuta; S. Gates, Lynn, walls at Downham. 

Cardamine hirsuta, pratensis ; very common. 

amara; Reffley Wood, Pentney: not uncommon. 

Draba verna ; very common. 

Cochlearia anglica ; very common. 

Armoracia ; Outwell, on the banks of the Wisbeach canal. 
Thlaspi arvense; S. Wootton, Mr. Wardall: not common. 


found growing wild in Western Norfolk. 175 


Teesdalia nudicaulis ; Castle-Rising, Wimbotsham, E. Winch. 

Iberis amara; E. Winch: Mr. G. Cooper in N. B. G. 

Cakile maritima ; abundant on Hunstanton. beach. 

Hesperis matronalis ; Castle-Rising, E. Winch, Ingoldisthorpe : rare. 

Sisymbrium officinale, Sophia ; very common. 

Alliaria officinalis ; very common. 

Erysimum cheiranthoides ; Hardwick, Stow, Wimbotsham, Runcton- 
Holme, Downham, Denver: not uncommon, 

Coronopus Ruellii; very common. 

Capsella Bursa Pastoris ; very common. 

Lepidium latifolium ; found at Magdalen a few years ago : Miss Bell. 

— ruderale; N. Lynn, 8. Lynn. 

Isatis tinctoria ; in a field at Barton-Bendish, where it is never known 
to have been cultivated: B. G. 

Brassica Napus, Rapa, campestris ; naturalized. 

Sinapis arvensis, alba, nigra; common. 

tenuifolia; walls by the gas-works, Lynn. 

Raphanis Raphanistrum ; common. 


VIOLACER. 


Viola hirta; Marham, Mr. Crowe in Eng. Fl.; Shingham, Mr. 
Dawson Turner. 

odorata ; not uncommon. 

palustris ; Rey. W. Allen found it at Lynn some years ago : 
not now on that spot. 

canina, tricolor ; common. 


CISTINER. 
Helianthemum vulgare; Hunstanton, Grimstone, Barton-Bendish, 
Beechamwell. 
DRosERACES. 


Drosera rotundifolia; Royden Fen, Dersingham, Marham Fen. 
longifolia ; Rising Heath, Dersingham, Barton-Bendish, 
Marham Fen. 
———. anglica; Barton-Bendish, Shouldham, Roydon, and Marham 
Fens. 
FRANKENIACES, 


Frankenia levis ; salt-marshes, Titchwell, Rev. K. Trimmer: rare. 


PoLyGaLEm. 
Polygala vulgaris ; Hardwick : common. 


MALvACEs. 
Malva sylvestris, rotundifolia ; common. 
moschata; S. Wootton, Mr. Wardall: very rare. 
Althea officinalis ; Tilney, Terrington, and throughout Marshland. 


HyPeERIcinE&. 

Hypericum quadrangulum ; Rising Wood, Mr. Wardall. 
perforatum ; N. Runcton, Barton-Bendish : common. 
dubium ; not unfrequent about Stow and Wimbotsham ; 

Miss Bell in N. B. G. 


176 The Rev. G. Munford’s List of Flowering Plants 


Hypericum humifusum ; Rising, Wimbotsham, Wallington. 
-—————. pulchrum ; Middleton, Heacham, Mr. Wardall. 
elodes; bogs on Rising Heath, Dersingham. 


CARYOPHYLLE. 


Dianthus deltoides ; Swaffham Heath, near Barton-Bendish: B. G. 
Saponaria officinalis; W. Bilney, Hillington; not common. 
Silene anglica; Runcton-Holme, Miss Bell. 
inflata ; Grey Friar’s Tower, Lynn : common. 
—— maritima; Hunstanton, Brancaster. 
noctiflora ; near Stow, Miss Bell; Barton-Bendish, Fincham, 
Mr. Dawson Turner. 
—— Otites; between Swaffham and Narford by the old road-side, 
Mr. Wardall; Barton-Bendish, B. G. 
Lychnis Flos Cuculi, dioica a. red, (3. white; common. 
Agrostemma Githago ; common. 
Spergula arvensis ; common. 
nodosa ; Castle-Rising. 
Sagina procumbens, apetala; common. 
Menchia erecta: Burnham, Miss Bell. 
Arenaria peploides ; Hunstanton beach. 
—— trinervis ; Wallington, N. Runcton, Miss Bell: frequent. 
serpyllifolia; common. 
— tenuifolia; Barton-Bendish, B. G. 
rubra, marina; common. 
Cerastium aquaticum ; Stow, Miss Bell; Barton-Bendish, by the Car, 
Mr. Dawson ‘Turner. 
vulgatum, viscosum ; common. 
semidecandrum; walls at Stow, Miss Bell. 
arvense ; W. Winch, Magdalen, Narford. 
Stellaria uliginosa ; common. 
media ; very common. 
Holostea; very common. 
graminea ; common. 
glauca; S. Wootton, banks of the Ouse: common. 


LINE. 

Linum usitatissimum; Hunstanton, Downham. 
perenne ; Wisbeach, Fincham, Barton-Bendish. 
catharticum ; Barton-Bendish, Shouldham, Hunstanton, Wal- 
lington, Stow. 
Radiola millegrana ; Rising Heath, Runcton-Holme. 

ACERINES. 
Acer Pseudo-platanus ; not very common. 
campestre ; Keffley Wood, hedges: very common. 


GERANIACE. 
Geranium sylvaticum ; Leziate, Mr. Crowe in B. G. 
robertianum, molle, pusillum ; very common. 
pyrenaicum; E. Winch and W. Bilney, Mr. Crowe in 
Eng. Fl. 


—— 


Found growing wild in Western Norfolk. 177 


Geranium dissectum ; common. 
columbinum ; Hunstanton, Snettisham. 
Erodium cicutarium; common. 
OXALIDE. 


Oxalis Acetosella ; Reffley Wood, Stow. 


ILLECEBREA. 
Herniaria glabra; Caldecot, B. G; Beechamwell, Miss Bell. 


PoRTULACES. 


Montia fontana; W. Winch, Hardwick, N. Runcton, Stow Bridge. 


CRASSULACE. 
Tillea muscosa; Roydon, Dersingham Heath. 
Sedum Telephium ; N. Runcton, Wimbotsham. 
acre ; common. 
reflecum ; roofs of cottages at Setch, Rev. J. Bransby. 
Sempervivum tectorums roofs of cottages, &c., but not very common. 


SAXIFRAGES. 
Chrysosplenium oppositifolium; Reffley, Rising. 
Adoxa Moschatellina; Middleton, Stow Wood. 
Parnassia palustris; Roydon Fen, Barton Car. 
Sazifraga granulata; W. Winch, N. Runcton, Wimbotsham. 
tridactylites ; walls and roofs, Lynn, Stow. 


SALICARLE. 

Peplis Portula; N. Runcton, Wimbotsham. 

Lythrum Salicaria; Babingley, Stow, Denver, Barton-Bendish. 
RHAMNES. 


Rhamnus catharticus ; Burnham, Miss Bell. 
Frangula; Blackburgh, Miss Bell; Barton-Bendish, Mr. 
Dawson Turner. 


ILICINES. 
Ilex Aquifolium; Castle-Rising : not common. 
CELASTRINEX. 
Euonymus europeus ; Middleton, Stow: rare. 


LEGUMINOS&. 


Ulex europeus ; abundant. 

Genista tinctoria ; Stow, Miss Bell. 

anglica; Stow, N. Runcton : not unfrequent. 

Cytisus scoparius ; common. 

Anthyllis vulneraria; Hunstanton, Shouldham, Barton-Bendish : 
common. 

Ononis procurrens, spinosa; frequent. 

Astragalus glycyphyllos; old hedges by the church at Shouldham, 
BAG: 


——_ hypoglottis ; Marham, Barton-Bendish, B. G. 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. N 


178 The Rey. G. Munford’s List of Flowering Plants 


Melilotus officinalis; S. Lynn: not common. 
Trifolium repens; abundant. 
subterraneum; Hardwick, Burnham : not common. 

—— ochroleucum ; Runcton-Holme, near the river, Miss Bell. 
pratense; abundant. 
maritimum ; Sunettisham beach, Eng. Fl. 
arvense ; sandy fields : common. 
scabrum ; Wimbotsham, S. Runcton, Miss Bell; Snettis- 
ham beach, Mr. Crowe in Eng. FI. 
fragiferum ; salt-marshes: very common. 
procumbens ; not uncommon. 
filiforme ; N. Runcton: common. 
Lotus corniculatus ; very common. 
major ; Stow, Denver, &c.: very common. 
Medicago lupulina ; N. Runcton, Stow. 

maculata; salt-marshes: not uncommon. 

minima ; Narborough: rare. 
Ervum tetraspermum, hirsutum ; common. 
Vicia Cracca, sativa; common. 
angustifolia; Denver, and in a gravel-pit at Wimbotsham, 
Miss Bell. 
lathyroides ; Wimbotsham Mill Hill, Narborough. 
sepium ; Castle-Rising Wood, Mr. Wardall. 
Lathyrus pratensis ; common. 
Ornithopus perpusillus ; common. 
Hippocrepis comosa; Shouldham, Mr. Dawson Turner; Marham, 

Eng. Fl. 

Onobrychis sativa; Heacham : rare. 


Rosace#. 


Spirea Filipendula; Castle-Acre,Westacre, Mr.Wardall; S. Runcton, 
Miss Bell; Barton-Bendish, Beechamwell, Mr. Dawson Turner. 
Ulmaria; common. 
Prunus spinosa; very common. 
— insititia ; Burnham, Miss Bell. 
—_ Cerasus ; Newbridge Wood, Snettisham, Mr. Wardall; N. 
Runcton, Crimplesham, Miss Bell. 
Rubus suberectus (nitidus) ; Blackburgh Thicket (Mr. Mackay doubted 
this being R. suberectus), Miss Bell in N. B. G. 
fruticosus ; very common. 
corylifolius ; Stow, Runcton-Holme, Miss Bell. 
c@sius ; very common, Miss Bell. 
ideus ; S. Wootton, Barton Car, Blackburgh. 
Fragaria vesca; Reffley, Castle-Rising and Wootton Woods. 
Potentilla anserina; very common. 
argentea ; W. Winch, Middleton, Wimbotsham, Walling- 
ton, Denver, Barton-Bendish: not common. 
reptans ; very common. 
Fragariastrum; Stow Wood, Miss Bell. 
Comarum palustre ; common in fresh marshes. 


Sound growing wild in Western Norfolk. 179 


Tormentilla officinalis ; common. 

Geum urbanum ; very common. 

var. intermedium; Stow Wood, Wallington and Woolferton 

Wood. 

rivale; Reffley and Woolferton Woods : plentiful. 

Agrimonia Eupatoria ; not uncommon. 

Rosa rubiginosa; S. Lynn, Middleton, N. Runcton. 

—— canina; common. 

arvensis ; Stow, Miss Bell. 

Alchemilla arvensis; Middleton, Mr. Wardall; Stow, Wimbotsham, 
Miss Bell. 

Poterium Sanguisorba; Barton-Bendish, Marham, Mr. Dawson Tur- 
ner; Heacham, Mr. Wardall. 

PoMACE&. 
Mespilus Oxyacantha ; very common. 
Pyrus Malus ; not uncommon. 


GROSSULACES. 
Ribes rubrum ; Stow Wood, Miss Bell; Castle-Rising Wood, Mr. 
Wardall. 
grossularia ; Stow Wood, Miss Bell. 


ONAGRARIZ. 
Epilobium hirsutum; very common. 

parviflorum ; Gaywood, Mr. Wardall; Runcton-Holme, 
Miss Bell. 

montanum ; Castle-Rising Wood, Mr. Wardall; Stow, 
Miss Bell. 

tetragonum ; S. Lynn, Mr. Wardall ; Wallington, Denver, 
Miss Bell. 

palustre ; Stow, Miss Bell. 


CIRCHACER. 
Circea lutetiana ; Reffley Wood: common. 


HALORAGES. 
Myriophyllum spicatum ; common. 
Hippuris vulgaris ; Gaywood River : common. 


UMBELLIFERA. 

Daucus Carota ; common. 

Caucalis daucoides ; Fincham, Mr. Dawson Turner; Marham, Mr. 
Crowe. 

Torilis Anthriscus ; common. 

infesta ; S. Runcton, Miss Bell. 

nodosa; common, 

Pastinaca sativa; Castle-Rising, banks of the Ouse. 

Heracleum Spondylium ; very common. 

Angelica sylvestris ; Stow Bridge, Miss Bell; Castle-Rising Wood, 
Mr. Wardall. 

Silaus pratensis; S. Lynn, Stow: rare. 

Feniculum vulgare ; Hunstanton: abundant. 


N-2 


180 The Rey. G. Munford’s List of Flowering Plants 


Aithusa Cynapium ; not uncommon. 
(nanthe fistulosa ; common. 
—— pimpinelloides ; near Lynn, B. G. 
—— peucedanifolia; Runcton-Holme, Miss Bell. 
Phellandrium ; very common. 

Bupleurum tenuissimum ; banks of the Nar, near Lynn, Mr. Wardall. 
Bunium flexuosum ; Wallington, Shingham, Reflley, Hardwick. 
Pimpinella savifraga; Barton-Bendish, Mr. Dawson Turner ; Wim- 

botsham, Miss Bell. 
Sium latifolium ; Barton-Bendish, Mr. Dawson Turner. 
angustifolium ; Stow, Denver: common. 
Helosciadium nodiflorum ; common. 
repens; Stow, Denver: common. 
inundatum ; Watlington, Miss Bell. 
Carum Carui ; marshes north of Lynn. 
Apium graveolens ; very common. 
Aygopodium Podagraria ; Barton-Bendish, Stow, Wimbotsham, Cong- 

ham, Horsley’s Chace, Lynn. 
Anthriscus vulgaris ; very common. 
Cherophyllum sativum ; W. Winch. 
——_——— sylvestris; S. Lynn. 

temulum ; common. 

Scandix Pecten-Veneris ; common. 
Conium maculatum ; common. 
Eryngium maritimum ; Hunstanton beach. 
Sanicula europea; Reffley Wood: plentiful. 
Hydrocotyle vulgaris ; Rising Heath, Barton-Bendish, 


STELLATA. 
Galium cruciatum, palustre ; common. 
——— Witheringii; Wallington, Miss Bell. 
saxatile; N. and S. Runcton, Miss Bell. 
uliginosum ; common. 
erectum ; Middleton. 
tricorne; Barton-Bendish, B. G.; Fincham, Mr. Dawson 
Turner. 

verum ; common. 

parisiense ; on a wall between Fincham and Lynn, B. G. 
—~———. Aparine ; very common. 
— Mollugo ; Burnham, Miss Bell. 
Asperula cynanchica ; Shouldham, Ringstead Yards: rare. 
Sherardia arvensis ; common. 


CAPRIFOLIACER. 
Lonicera Periclymenum ; Blackburgh, Stow, Wallington, &c. 
Viburnum Lantana; Cars, EK. Winch. 
Opulus ; E. Winch, Stradset, Wimbotsham, Barton-Ben- 
dish. 
Sambucus nigra ; common. 
Cornus sanguinea ; common. 
Hedera Helix ; common. 


Sound growing wild in Western Norfolk. 181 


CucurRBITACE. 
Bryonia dioica; common. 
VACCINE. 
Vaccinium Oxycoccos ; Roydon and Dersingham Fens, Bawsey-Bot- 
tom. 
CAMPANULACES. 
Campanula hybrida; Stow, Sedgeford, Fincham, Shouldham : not 
common. 


rotundifolia ; very common. 

Trachelium ; W. Winch. 

glomerata; Fincham, Miss Bell; Barton-Bendish, Mr. 
Dawson Turner. 


LOBELIACE. 
Jasione montana ; Castle-Rising, S. Runcton, Beechamwell. 


VALERIANES. 
Fedia olitoria ; Town-walls, Lynn. 
dentata ; Stow, Wimbotsham, Miss Bell. 
Valeriana dioica ; Reflley Wood, Stow. 
officinalis ; near the Red Mount, Lynn, Wormegay, Stow. 


Dripesace®. 


Dipsacus sylvestris ; frequent. 
Scabiosa succisa ; Middleton. 

columbaria ; Hunstanton, Snettisham, Fincham. 
Knautia arvensis ; Hunstanton, Stow. 


ComMPposiITz&. 


Eupatorium cannabinum ; Babingley, Wormegay, Barton-Bendish. 
Pulicaria dysenterica; very common. 
Aster Tripolium; abundant. 
Erigeron acre; Hunstanton, Barton-Bendish, Beechamwell: not 
common. 
Solidago Virgaurea; Gaywood, Shingham : rather rare. 
Gnaphalium rectum; Wimbotsham, Miss Bell; Barton-Bendish, Mr. 
Dawson Turner. 
uliginosum ; common at Stow, Wimbotsham and Denver, 
Miss Bell. 
minimum, germanicum ; common. 
Senecio vulgaris ; very common. 
tenuifolius ; Holme-near-the-sea, Rey. Mr. Sutton in Eng. 
Bot. 
Jacobea; very common. 
Tussilago Farfara; W. Lynn, Downham, &c. 
Petasites vulgaris; Wimbotsham, Miss Bell; Fincham, Mr. Daw- 
son Turner. 
Bellis perennis ; everywhere. 
Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum; Reffley, Barton-Bendish, Blackburgh. 
—— segetum ; N. Runcton, Bilney, Barton-Bendish, Wor- 
megay, &c. ; common. 
Pyrethrum Parthenium ; Castle-Rising. 


182 The Rev. G. Munford’s List of Flowering Plants 


Pyrethrum inodorum ; N. Runcton, Middleton. 
Artemisia maritima ; river-bank, Lynn, Brancaster. 
Absinthium ; Stow Bridge, Miss Bell. 
vulgaris ; common. 
Tanacetum vulgare ; common. 
Anthemis Cotula; common. 
——— arvensis ; Gayton, Mr. Wardall. 
Achillea Ptarmica; N. Runcton, Stow, Fincham: not common. 
— Millefolium ; very common. 
Bidens tripartita; N. Runcton, Castle-Rising, Stow, Stradset, Bar- 
ton-Bendish. 
cernua; N. Runcton, Watlington, Barton-Bendish. 
Onopordum Acanthium; common. 
Cnicus lanceolatus ; Mr. Wardall. 
palustris, arvensis ; common. 
pratensis ; Roydon Fen, Barton-Bendish : rare. 
acaulis; Ringstead Yards, Beechamwell. 
Carlina vulgaris ; Shouldham, Castle-Acre, Castle- Rising : rare. 
Arctium Lappa ; common. 
Carduus marianus ; Hardwick, Wimbotsham. 
Centaurea nigra, Cyanus ; common. 
Scabiosa; Castle-Rising, Heacham. 
Calcitrapa ; Downham Bridge: rare. 
Carduus nutans ; common. 
acanthoides ; Denver : not uncommon ; Miss Bell. 
— tenuiflorus ; road-side between Stow and Lynn, Miss Bell. 
Sonchus arvensis; Mr. Wardall. 
oleraceus ; very common. 
Lactuca virosa; Castle-Acre, Miss Bell. 
Prenanthes muralis ; road from Narborough. 
Lapsana communis ; very common. 
—_—— pusilla; Wimbotsham Mill Hill, gravel-pits and corn-fields 
at Stow, Miss Bell. 
Leontodon Taraxacum ; very common. 
Barkhausia fetida; Barton-Bendish and Beechamwell in several 
places, B. G. 
Crepis tectorum; very common. 
Picris echioides ; common. 
Hieracium pilosella; very common. 
paludosum ; Hunstanton. 
umbellatum ; wall m Wimbotsham, hedge-banks between 
Stow and Wimbotsham, Miss Bell. 
Hypocheris glabra; Mill Hill, and in a planted gravel-pit at Wim- 
botsham, Miss Bell. 
radicata; N. Runcton, Mr. Wardall; Stow, Runcton- 
Holme, Wimbotsham, Miss Bell. 
Tragopogon pratensis ; common. 
Thrincia hirta ; grass-plot, Stow, Miss Bell: common. 
Apargia hispida; N. Runcton, Mr. Wardall; Stow, Miss Bell. 
autumnalis ; Stow, Miss Bell. 
Cichorium Intybus ; Hunstanton, Barton-Bendish ; common. 


¢ 


found growing wild in Western Norfolk. 183 


BorRAGINE. 


Echium vulgare ; very common. 

Lithospermum officinale; Babingley, Wallington, Shingham: not 
common. 

———_——— arvense ; Hunstanton: common, 

Symphytum officinale ; Outwell, &c.: common. 

Borago officinalis ; Hunstanton: common. 

Lycopsis arvensis ; Castle-Rising : common. 

Myosotis palustris, arvensis, versicolor ; common. 

Cynoglossum officinale ; common. 


CoNVOLVULACE. 


Convolvulus arvensis, sepium ; very common. 
Soldanella ; beach at Hunstanton. 
Cuscuta Epithymum; Rising Hill: rather rare. 


PLANTAGINEZ. 
Plantago major, media, lanceolata, maritima, Coronopus; very com- 
mon. 
PLUMBAGINEX. 


Statice Armeria, Limonium ; very common. 
reticulata ; Holme-by-the-Sea: rather rare. 
spathulata ; Norfolk coast, Rev. K. Trimmer. 


OLEINEZ. 


Ligustrum vulgare ; N. Runcton : not common. 
Fraxinus excelsior ; common. 

ERICER. 
Calluna vulgaris ; Rising Heath: abundant. 
Hrica Tetraliz; Rising Heath: abundant. 
cinerea; Dersingham Heath: abundant. 


PYROLEZ. 
Pyrola rotundifolia ; Roydon Fen: very rare. 


APOCYNEE. 
Vinca minor, major ; Newbridge Wood, Snettisham, Mr. Wardall. 


GENTIANEZ. 
Erythrea Centaurium ; Hunstanton: not uncommon. 


Menyanthes trifoliata ; Rising Heath, Fincham. 
Villarsia nymphioides ; plentiful in the Downham Canal. 


SoLaNE&. 


Datura Stramonium ; N. Runcton, Mr. Wardall. 
Hyoscyamus niger; not uncommon. 
Verbascum Thapsus, var. 3. ; Barton-Bendish, Mr. Dawson Turner in 


Eng. Fl. 
pulverulentum ; Brancaster, Burnham, Castle-Acre : rather 


rare. 
nigrum; S. Wootton, Mr. Wardall; Beechamwell, Mr. 


Dawson Turner. 


184 The Rev.G. Munford’s List of Flowering Plants 


Verbascum pulverulentum, var. 3. nigro-pulverulentum, Eng. FI. ; 
Beechamwell, Mr. Dawson Turner. 

Blattaria ; near Lynn, Hon. F. Howard in Eng. Bot. 

Solanum Dulcamara, nigrum ; common. 

Atropa Belladonna ; Reflley, Castle-Rising, Stow Bridge: not un- 
common. 


PRIMULACES. 


Centunculus minimus ; Rising Heath. 
Glaux maritima ; common. 
Primula vulgaris ; common. 
elatior ; Crimplesham, Barton-Bendish : rather rare. 
veris ; Common. 
Lysimachia vulgaris ; N. Runcton, Barton-Bendish : not common. 
nemorum, Nummularia; common. 
Hottonia palustris ; common. 
Anagallis arvensis ; common. 
cerulea ; [founda single specimen in the Lighthouse lane at 
Hunstanton in 1832, G. M.; I found a single specimen by the 
road side, Stow, Miss Bell. 
tenella; Rising Heath: wet places. 
Samolus Valerandi ; not uncommon. 


LENTIBULARIZ. 
Pinguicula vulgaris; bogs on Rising and Wootton Heaths, and on 
Roydon Fen, between Barton and Fincham. 
Utricularia vulgaris ; Roydon Fen. 
minor; E. Walton: common. 


ScroPHULARINES®. 


Veronica serpyllifolia, Beccabunga, Anagallis ; common. 

—. scutellata; S. Wootton, Mr. Wardall. 

——- officinalis; S. Runcton, Stow, Miss Bell. 

Chamedrys, agrestis, polita, hederifolia, arvensis ; common. 

—— triphyllos; Mill Hill, Wimbotsham, and several sandy fields 
at Wimbotsham and Stow, Miss Bell; fields at Barton-Bendish 
and near Swaffham Heath 

Rhinanthus Crista-galli; common. 

Pedicularis palustris, sylvatica ; common. 

Bartsia Odontites ; common. 

Euphrasia officinalis ; common. 

Linaria Cymbalaria; walls of the White Friar’s precincts at Lynn, 
chalk-pit at Burnham. 

—— Elatine; Hunstanton, Miss Bell. 

vulgaris ; very common. 

——— minor; Heacham, Mr. Wardall; Shouldham, Miss Bell. 

Antirrhinum majus ; on the walls of the Alms-house at Castle-Rising. 

—__—_—— Orontium; Stanhoe, Rev. K. Trimmer; Wimbotsham, 
Miss Bell; Fincham, Mr. Dawson Turner. 

Digitalis purpurea ; Mintlyn, Bawsey, Middleton, Blackburgh: not 
uncommon, 


Sound growing wild in Western Norfolk. 185 


Scrophularia nodosa ; Little Massingham. 
aquatica ; very common. 


ORoOBANCHER. 
Orobanche major ; Heacham, Mr. Wardall. 
elatior ; Snettisham, Mr. Wardall. 
minor ; Stow, Miss Bell; Congham, Rey. J. Bransby. 
ramosa; Outwell, Eng. FI. 


MeELAMPYRACEA. 


Melampyrum arvense; once found at Barton-Bendish by Rev. Mr. 
Forby, Eng. Bot., 51 miles from Lynn towards Gayton; road- 
side, Mr. Wardall. 


VERBENACEZ. 
Verbena officinalis; Hunstanton, Wormegay : not common. 


LaABIATA, 

Salvia Verbenaca; common onand about town-walls, and in church- 
yards. 

Lycopus europeus ; not uncommon. 

Ajuga reptans ; Refley Wood : abundant. 

Teucrium Scorodonia ; Rising Heath: very common. 

Scordium; Stow Bridge, one specimen, Miss Bell. 

Leonurus Cardiaca ; Ingoldisthorpe, Heacham, Ringstead New Road, 
Mr. Wardall ; Wimbotsham, and near Stoke Ferry, Miss Bell. 

Glechoma hederacea; very common. 

Mentha sylvestris ; Runcton-Holme, Wimbotsham, Miss Bell. 

piperita; ditch at S. Runcton; I think escaped from a gar- 

den, Miss Bell. 

hirsuta; Rising Wood: very common. 

——— arvensis; Gaywood, Tilney, Mr. Wardall; Barton-Bendish, 

Mr. Dawson Turner. 

— Pulegium ; Shouldham Thorpe, formerly, Miss Bell. 

Ballota nigra ; very common. 

Marrubium vulgare; Castle Hill, Castle-Acre. 

Stachys sylvatica ; common. 

palustris ; Gaywood, Mr. Wardall; Stow, Miss Bell; Barton- 
Bendish, Mr. Dawson Turner. 

Galeobdolon luteum ; woods at Stow Bardolph, Miss Bell. 

Lamium album, purpureum ; very common. 

amplexicaule; N. Runcton. 

Nepeta Cataria ; C.-Rising, Mr.Wardall ; Runcton-Holme, Miss Bell. 

Galeopsis Ladanum; Ringstead, Hunstanton. 

Tetrahit ; Gaywood, N. Runcton, Barton-Bendish. 

versicolor ; W. Winch, Watlington, Denver, Stow, Barton- 
Bendish. 

Scutellaria galericulata ; Gaywood, Marham Fen: common. 

Thymus Serpyllum ; Ringstead Yards. 

Acinos ; Marham, Downham, Miss Bell; Fincham, Mr. Daw- 
son Turner. 

——— Calamintha; Castle Hill, Castle-Acre. 


186 The Rey. G. Munford’s List of Flowering Plants 


Thymus Nepeta; Snettisham, Mr. Wardall; Barton-Bendish, Mr. 
Dawson Turner. 

Prunella vulgaris ; common. 

Clinopodium vulgare; Burnham and on the Norfolk coast, Miss Bell ; 
Shingham, Mr. Dawson Turner. 

Origanum vulgare; Hillington, Miss Bell; Shingham, Mr. Dawson 
Turner; Green lane between Narford Hall and the road from 
Narborough to Swaffham leading to Marham, Mr. Wardall. 


Division If, MONOCHLAMYDE&. 
SANTALACE. 
Thesium linophyllum ; Limekiln Hill, near Shouldham, Rev. Mr. Forby 
in Eng. Bot. 
THYMELEZ. 
Daphne Mezereum; in a wood at Little Berwick, far from houses, 
Rev. K. Trimmer. 
PoLYGONES. 
Rumex maritimus ; road-sides, Great Bircham, Wormegay, Miss Bell. 
palustris ; road leading to Downham Bridge, Miss Bell. 
pulcher ; road between Stow and Wimbotsham, near Stow 
Bridge, Denver, Wimbotsham and N. Runcton, Miss Bell. 
— obtusifolius, acutus ; S. Lynn, Mr. Wardall; Stow, Miss Bell. 
sanguineus, var. viridis ; Stow, Denver, Miss Bell. 
crispus ; very common. 
—— Hydrolapathum ; banks of the Ouse, Miss Bell. 
—— Acetosa, Acetosella ; common. 
Polygonum amphibium ; common. 
Persicaria ; Fring, Rev. J. Bransby. 
lapathifolium; Stow, Miss Bell; Barton-Bendish, Mr. 
Dawson Turner. 
Hydropiper ; common. 
minus ; Wormegay, Miss Bell. 
Bistorta ; Runcton-Holme, Miss Bell. 
arviculare ; common. 
Fagopyrum ; Castle-Rising, Narborough. 
Convolvulus ; Castle-Rising, Blackburgh. 


CHENOPODES. 
Salsola Kali ; Hunstanton beach. 
Salicornia herbacea ; river-banks. 
procumbens ; Holme-near-the-Sea. 
radicans ; Holme-near-the-Sea, Dr. Sutton in Eng. Fl. 
Chenopodium Bonus-Henricus, urbicum, rubrum; common. 
— murale; Gaywood, Mr. Wardall; Downham, Miss Bell. 
— album; Gaywood, Mr. Wardall. 
olidum ; Mill Fleet, Lynn. 
— maritimum ; salt-marshes. 
fruticosum; Heacham. 
Beta maritima; sea-bank, Lynn. 
Atriplex portulacoides ; sea-bank, Lynn. 


found growing wild in Western Norfolk. 187 


Atriplex laciniata ; Brancaster, Miss Bell. 

patula, angustifolia; Hunstanton. 

—W— /ittoralis ; salt-marshes. 

pedunculata; east-bank of the Ouse just below Lynn, Dr. 
Smith, 1778, im Eng. Bot.; Plukenet in Eng. FI. 


SCLERANTHES. 
Scleranthus annuus ; common. 
perennis ; Snettisham, Mr. Crowe in Eng. FI. 


UrTIcEz. 
Parietaria officinalis ; S. Gates, Lynn, C.-Rising castle. 
Urtica urens, dioica; common. 
Humulus Lupulus; Castle-Rising Wood, N. Runcton, Stow, Gay- 
wood, Shingham. 
RESEDACE. 


Reseda Luteola, lutea; common. 


EvPpHORBIACE. 
Euphorbia Helioscopia; Ingoldisthorpe : common. 
exigua, Peplus ; common. 
Mercurialis perennis ; Reffley Wood: common. 
annua; new burial-ground, Lynn: rare. 


CERATOPHYLLEZ. 
Ceratophyllum demersum; Stow, Miss Bell: common. 


ULMacE2. 
Ulmus campestris ; common, 


Division III. ACHLAMYDEZ. 


AMENTACES. 


Betula alba; Reffley Wood. 

Alnus glutinosa ; common. 

Salix nigricans ; Wormegay Fen, Mr. Crowe in Eng. FI. 

Helix; Runcton-Holme, Miss Bell. 

— Forbiana; Rev. Mr. Forby in Eng. Bot.; osier-grounds near 
Lynn, Mr. Crowe in Eng. FI. 

Croweana ; Cranberry Fen, E. Winch, Mr. Crowe in Eng. FI. 
— fetida, var. 6.; E. Winch and Wormegay Fen, Mr. Crowe in 
Eng. FI. 

Fusca ; E. Winch and Wormegay Fen. 

caprea ; Stow, Runcton-Holme, Miss Bell. 


CuUPULIFERE. 
Quercus Robur ; common. 
— sessiliflora ; Snettisham. 
Corylus Avellana ; Refley Wood. 


Myricex. 
Myrica Gale; Rising and Dersingham Heaths. 


188 The Rev. G. Munford’s List of Flowering Plants 


CALLITRICHINEA, 
Callitriche verna ; very common. 


Subclass II. MONOCOTYLEDONES. 
Division I. PETALOIDEZ. 


AROIDER. 
Arum maculatum ; common. 
TYPHACER. 
Typha latifolia, angustifolia ; Wormegay, Stow. 
Sparganium ramosum ; common. 
simplex ; Denver Sluice, Miss Bell. 


FLUVIALES. 
Potamogeton densus, pectinatus, pusillus, gramineus, crispus, perfo- 
liatus ; Stow, Miss Bell. 
lucens; Fordham, Hilgay, Miss Bell. 
natans; Hunstanton, Miss Bell. 
Zostera marina; Burnham, Miss Bell. 
Ruppia maritima; Burnham, Miss Bell. 
Zannichellia palustris ; Burnham, Miss Bell. 


PISTIACER. 
Lemna trisulca; N. Lynn: not common. 
minor ; very common. 
—— gibba; N. Lynn: rather rare. 
polyrrhiza ; Stanhoe, Rev. K. Trimmer. 


JUNCAGINES, 
Triglochin palustre; marshes, Lynn, Marham. 
maritimum ; salt-marshes, Lynn. 
ALISMACER. 


Alisma Plantago ; very common. 
ranunculoides; Roydon: not common. 
Sagittaria sagittifolia; common. 


HypROCHARIDE. 


Stratiotes aloides ; Lynn, Wimbotsham, Fordham: not common. 
Hydrocharis Morsus rane ; common. 


IRIDE. 
Tris Pseud-acorus ; common. 
OrcHIDE. 


Neottia spiralis; Fincham, Miss Bell. 

Listera ovata; N. Lynn, Stradset, Refiley. 

Epipactis palustris ; im a moist meadow near E. Walton, Rey. J. 
Bransby. 

Orchis Morio ; Stow, Miss Bell; plentiful at Barton-Bendish, Mr. 

Dawson Turner. 

mascula; common. 

ustulata ; Shouldham lime-kiln ; very rare, B. G. 


found growing wild in Western Norfolk. 189 


Orchis latifolia, maculata ; common. 

pyramidalis ; Barton-Bendish, Mr. Dawson Turner; Runcton- 

Holme, Miss Bell. 

conopsea ; Barton-Bendish, Mr. Dawson Turner; Gayton, 

Rev. J. Bransby. 

bifolia; Dersingham Moor, Watlington, Shingham. 

Ophrys apifera ; Ringstead, Snettisham, Barton-Bendish, Stradset : 
rather rare. 

Herminium monorchis ; in a great chalk-pit at Marham, 1779, Eng. 
Fl.; near Snettisham, B. G. 


AMARYLLIDEZ. 
Narcissus Pseudo-narcissus ; Ingoldisthorpe. 


ASPHODELES. 


Allium oleraceum ; in a corn-field at Fincham, Rey. Mr. Forby in 

Eng. Bot. 

vineale ; N. marshes and town-walls, Lynn. 

ursinum ; Refiley and Rising Woods: abundant. 

Ornithogalum nutans ; Wallington: (I have no deubt naturalized from 
the old garden,) Miss Bell. 

Hyacinthus non-scriptus ; Reftley Wood, &c. 


SMILACE. 


Convallaria majalis ; Woolferton Wood : plentiful. 
Tamus communis ; N. Runcton, Stow, Denver, Wimbotsham, Shing- 
ham. 
ButToMEz. 
Butomus umbellatus ; common. 


JUNCE. 
Juncus acutus ; Brancaster, Eng. Fl. 
maritimus ; salt-marshes, Heacham. 
—— glaucus, conglomeratus, effusus ; common. 
squarrosus ; S. Wootton, Mr. Wardall. 
compressus, bufonius ; common. 
uliginosus ; Hunstanton, Stow. 
—— acutiflorus ; N. Runcton, Mr. Wardall. 
—— lampocarpus; S. Wootton, Mr. Wardall. 
obtusiflorus ; Marham. 
Luzula campestris ; N. Runcton, Mr. Wardall; Stow, Miss Bell. 
congesta ; N. Wootton, Mr. Wardall. 
Narthecium ossifragum ; Rising Heath, Marham. 


Division II. GLUMACE, 
CYPERACEZ, 
Rhynchospora alba; west side of Roydon Fen, Mr. Wardall; Der- 
singham, Miss Bell. 
Schenus nigricans ; EK. Walton: common: Mr. Wardall. 
Eleocharis palustris; Gaywood. 
cespitosa ; common. 


190 The Rev. G. Munford’s List of Flowering Plants 


Scirpus lacustris ; 

maritimus ; very common. 

Eriophorum vaginatum ; Bawsey Bottom. 
angustifolium ; Stow, Rising, Dersingham, &c. 

Cladium Mariscus; Marham Fen, Mr. Wardall. 

Isolepis setacea. 

Heliogiton fluitans ; Dersingham, Rev. K. Trimmer. 

Carex dioica; Castle-Rising. 

pulicaris ; Dersmgham, Miss Bell. 

stellulata ; Middleton, Wallington, Bawsey. 

curta; S. Lynn. 

—— ovalis ; N. Runcton, Stow. 

—— remota; Gaywood. 


arenaria; Rising Heath, Burnham. 

intermedia ; N. Runcton. 

divisa; Runcton-Holme, Miss Bell. 

muricata; E. Winch, Wallington. 

divulsa; Stow Wood, Miss Bell. 

vulpina; Lynn, Stow. 

—— teretiuscula; Wormegay, Miss Bell. 

paniculata ; Wormegay. 

sylvatica ; Reffley Wood, Stow Wood. 
Pseudo-cyperus ; Gaywood, Wallington. 

—— limosa; Cranberry Fen, E. Winch, Mr. Crowe in Eng. Bot. 
flava; Runcton-Holme. 

—— (deri; Wet Common at Runcton-Holme, Miss Bell. 
distans : N. Runcton, Stow Bridge. 

precox ; K. Winch, S. Runcton. 

—— pilulifera ; Runcton-Holme, Miss Bell. 

panicea ; N. Runcton, Runcton-Holme. 

recurva ; Runcton-Holme, Miss Bell. 

cespitosa ; N. Runcton. 

stricta; Stow, Miss Bell. 

acuta; N. Runcton, Wormegay. 

paludosa ; Stow, Miss Bell. 

riparia ; Lynn, Runcton-Holme, Stow, &c. 
vesicaria ; Pentney, Wormegay. 

ampullacea ; Pentney. 

—— hirta; Middleton, Stow. 

—— filiformis ; near Stoke, Rey. Mr. Forby in Eng. Bot. 


TI 


GRAMINES. 


Rottbollia incurvata; Heacham, Runcton-Holme, and banks of the 
Nar. 

Lolium perenne ; Hardwick, &c.: very common. 

Nardus stricta; N. Runcton. 

Hordeum murinum ; common. 

pratense. 

maritimum ; sea-bank, Lynn. 

Elymus arenarius ; Hunstanton. 

Triticum junceum ; Hunstanton. 


found growing wild in Western Norfolk. 191 


Triticum repens ; very common. 

caninum ; corn-fields, W. Winch, Mr. Wardall : scarce. 

Digitaria sanguinalis ; sandy fields between Barton and Moundeford, 
B. G. Mr. Borrer has reason to believe that the species in- 
tended is humifusa, not sanguinalis: see ‘ British Flora.’ 

Alopecurus pratensis ; common. 

agrestis ; Runcton-Holme, Wimbotsham. 

geniculatus ; common. 

Phleum arenarium; Narborough, Messrs. Woodward and Crowe in 
Eng. Fi. 

pratense; N. Runcton. 

= Behmeri; Narborough, Messrs. Woodward and Crowe in 
Eng. Fl.; Marham, B. G. 

Phalaris arundinacea ; common. 

Ammophila arenaria ; Hunstanton beach. 

Agrostis Spica-venti; Runcton-Holme, Miss Bell. 

canina, vulgaris, alba; Gaywood, Roydon Heath. 

Calamagrostis lanceolata ; in a run of water by Rising Mill: not 
plentiful: Mr. Wardall. 

Arrhenatherum avenaceum. 

Holcus lanatus, mollis ; common. 

Anthoxanthum odoratum ; very common. 

Cynosurus cristatus ; very common. 

Aira aquatica; N. Wootton : common. 

—— precox ; very common. 

caryophyllea ; Narborough, Mr. Wardall; Wallington, Miss 

Bell. 

Melica cerulea. 

Avena flavescens. 

Setaria viridis ; Barton-Bendish, B. G. 

Arundo Phragmites ; common. 

Dactylis glomerata ; very common. 

Triodia decumbens ; boggy grounds, S. Wootton, Mr. Wardall; Runc- 
ton-Holme, Miss Bell. 

Bromus secalinus ; Stow, Miss Bell. 

mollis, asper, sterilis ; common. 

Festuca ovina, duriuscula ; common. 

- bromoides ; walls and sandy spots about Wimbotsham, Miss 

Bell. 

Myurus ; Wimbotsham, Miss Bell. 

gigantea ; Stow, Miss Bell. 

pratensis ; common. 

Poa fluitans, rigida, aquatica ; common. 

— compressa; Gaywood, Mr. Wardall ; Wimbotsham, Miss Bell. 

— trivialis, pratensis, annua; common. 

— distans ; banks of the Nar near Lynn, Mr. Wardall. 

Briza media; common. 


192 Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 


XXIV.—Indian Cyprinide. By Joun M‘CLELLAND, Assist- 
ant Surgeon Bengal Medical Service. 


{Continued from p. 121.]} 


47. Ir remains to notice the analogical relations of the 
Loaches, an exceedingly numerous group in India, many spe- 
cies of which are common in every pond throughout Bengal 
and Assam. In these fishes we shall find the characters of 
rasorial birds as well as quadrupeds so strongly depicted as to 
leave no doubt of their forming an equivalent type among 
Cyprinide. 

When noticing the difference between the true Loaches 
(Cobitis) and Schisture, I omitted to mention, that in the dis- 
sections of five species of the former—all I have had an oppor- 
tunity of examining—I could find no natatory bladder ; while 
in the only species of the latter which I have been able to in- 
spect, I found that organ, though small and peculiar in its 
form, yet sufficiently developed to lessen considerably the 
specific gravity ; enabling the Schisture to swim with facility, 
though perhaps with less buoyancy and ease than other Cy- 
prinide*. But if a natatory bladder exists at all in the true 
Loaches (Cobitis prop.), or those whose caudal is entire, it 
must be in the manner described by Schneider, very small, 
and inclosed in a bony bilobate case which adheres to the 
third and fourth vertebrae ; but even in this rudimental shape 
I have been unable to find an air-vessel in any Indian spe- 
cies yet examinedf. 

This peculiarity, together with their small and weak fins, 
as well as lengthened and cylindric form, approaching to that 
of the Murenide, afford satisfactory evidence that they are 
less adapted for swimming than any other Cyprinide, and 
may therefore be said to be more terrestrial in their habits, 


* Schistura dario and geta have a membranous air-vessel placed in the 
upper part of the abdomen, as in ordinary Cyprins, but it consists only of a 
single lobe. S. dario, Buch., is the only species of the Linnzan genus 
which I have found to frequent deep waters in the open channels of the 
Ganges and Bramaputra. 

+ Since this was written, I have found the air-vessel in all these species 
situated in a small bony case immediately over the entrance of the cesopha- — 
gus from the mouth. Plate 56, fig. 5, is a magnified representation of the 
organ (which is not larger than the head of a pin) as it occurs in Cobitis 
guntea, Buch., and other neighbouring species of the same subgenus. Fig. 4, 
plate 56, represents the same organ in several of the smaller Schisture, in 
which it is also placed over the entrance of the cesophagus, and in both cases 
probably answers the purpose of the branchial or pharyngeal teeth in the 
Peonomine, especially as the external surface of the bony crust which sur- 
rounds the air-vessel is, as represented in the figures, studded with minute 
spines. 


Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 193 


living chiefly on sandy and muddy bottoms, or in jeels amidst 
aquatic vegetation. 

How nicely does all this correspond with the character of 
rasorial birds and quadrupeds given by Swainson! “ Their 
toes are never united so as to be used for swimming, a pecu- 
liarity which confines them to dry land or to climbing among 
trees.” “This is the type,” says the philosophical observer 
just alluded to, “so remarkable for the greatest development 
of tail, and for those appendages for ornament or defence 
which decorate the head. If we went through the whole class 
of birds and selected those beginning with the Peacock, 
wherein the tail was most conspicuous either for its size or 
for the beauty of its colours, we should unknowingly fix upon 
those birds which analysis has already demonstrated to be ra- 
sorial types. The same results would attend a similar selec- 
tion of quadrupeds and of winged insects; all these collec- 
tively would furnish many hundred proofs by which the uni- 
formity of this type is preserved: appendages to the head, 
whether in the shape of horns, crests, or fleshy protuberances, 
are no less a prevalent character of the group now before us*.” 

48. These peculiarities will be found exactly to apply to 
Cobitis prop., which I shall now prove. 

First with regard to tail, the Loaches are the only group of 
Cyprinide in which the caudal is not bifid or divided by a fis- 
sure into two lobes, reducing its size and power as an organ 
for propelling the body forward ; and on the tails of several, 
especially Cobitis pavonacea, J. M.+, we have even the zoned 
or eye-like spots exactly resembling those of the Peacock, 
although no instance of the kind is to be found in any other 
group of Cyprinide: and in all Loaches the caudal is barred 
and otherwise ornamented, while that of every other species 
in the same family is perfectly plain tf. 

Next, as to soft appendages to the head, the Loaches sur- 
pass every other group in the same family in the number and 
uniformity of these appendages ; and lastly, the Loaches and 
Schisture present the very extraordinary relation to the tribe 
of Ruminants, and especially to the Cervide, or Stags, in hav- 
ing articulated to the orbitar process of the frontal bone on 
either side, a formidable horn which can be raised at pleasure 


* Geog. Dist. and Class. Quad., p. 258. hehe. ft. 1. 

t This as well as all similar analogies afforded by the structure of Cypri- 
nid@ were developed in the course of my examination of species, before 1 had 
ventured to form any general views on the subject, and even before I had 
studied those of Mr. MacLeay, or perused the works of Mr. Swainson, 
which have taught me the importance of characters, which although noted, 
I felt totally at a loss how to use. 


Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. O 


194 Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 


from a suborbitar sinus analogous to the suborbitar sinus in 
Antelopes, the use of which in them is conjectural. The horn, 
which is concealed in this sinus in the Loaches, appears to be 
equivalent to the suborbitar chain in the Perch, and to the 
corresponding plates in the ordinary Cyprinide; it is some- 
what flattened or palmated, as in many of the Deer tribe, 
ending in a sharp point which is directed forward: on the an- 
terior margin, and near the base of the horn, a strong antler 
is given off; this is also very sharp, and turned forward like 
the point of the horn itself. 


49. I have shown that Cyprinide is a natural group, that 
it is circular* in its affinities; that, for mstance, in setting out 


* «They might as well be called oval or square.” ‘‘ Why not linear?” 
The researches of zoologists during the last twenty years have fortunately 
left me nothing original to say in reply to this criticism, which perhaps de- 
serves notice as coming from a member of the committee of papers, Mr. 
C Speaking of describing natural objects in the order in which they 
succeed each other in nature, Cuvier and Valenciennes observe, ‘‘ He alone 
could build up such a pretension who would attempt to place animated na- 
ture on a single line, a project which we have long since renounced as one 
of the most false that could be entertained in natural history.” — Histoire 
Naturelle des Poissons. 

On the same subject another authority observes :—‘ The day is now hap- 
pily gone past when zoologists thought that the infinite variety of animals 
which inhabit this globe owed their origin to the unsuccessful efforts of na- 
ture before she could attain the human structure as her term of perfection.” 
—MacLeay, Linn. Transac. 

“ As to the rule of natural progression, is it linear? The idea of a simple 
scale in nature had long been discussed and finally abandoned.” —Swain- 
son’s Discourse on the Study of Natural History. 

As all natural objects have three relations of affinity, it is clear the chain 
that connects them cannot be straight, and not being straight, the next sim- 
plest form is circular; but there is no objection to the progression of affini- 
ties being square or oval, provided they can be proved to be so; it is less 
the form than the circumstance of the opposite extremes of a natural series 
meeting that is insisted on. 

Some notion of circular affinities appears to have existed from an early 
date. Hermann, in his ‘ Tabula Affinitatum Animalium,’ published in 1783, 
as Mr. MacLeay points out, refers to an earlier writer, who like himself 
seems to have had a glimpse of the same truth (‘ Linn. Transac.’, vol. xiv. 
p- 49). M. Lamarck detected the existence of a double series, which setting 
out in opposite directions from a given point, met togetherin another. Un- 
acquainted with the result to which Lamarck had been led, Prof. Fischer, in 
1808, perceived a tendency in the series of affinities to form a circle; but 
these obscure intimations were first established by analyses in the ‘ Hore 
Entomologice ’ of Mr. MacLeay, published in 1819. Since then Mr. Vigors 
submitted a general analysis of the whole class of birds to the Linnzan So- 
ciety, in all the groups of which he found the affinities to confirm what had 
been observed by Mr. Macleay during his examination of insects, as well as 
the views contained in a subsequent publication recorded in the ‘ Linnzean 
Transactions,’ in which the same principles were applied by Mr. MacLeay to 
the whole animal kingdom. The birds of New Holland were subsequently 
examined by Messrs. Vigors and Horsfield with the same result (vide ‘ Lin- 


Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 195 


from the Gonorhynchs, we pass through a succession of spe- 
cies connected together by direct relations, and after arriving 
at an opposite point (Opsarius), at which the forms, habits, 
and structure differ totally from those with which we set out, 
we are led back again through a succession of different forms 
from those through which we passed at first, to the point 
from which we started. 

It has resulted from Mr. MacLeay’s views applied to the 
analyses of the classes of birds, quadrupeds, and insects, that 
“the contents of such a circular group are symbolically (or 
analogically) represented by the contents of all other circles 
in the animal kingdom ;” but as such analyses have not yet 
been carried through fishes and reptiles, the conclusion just 
quoted has been submitted rather as a proposition by the 
distinguished author of the ‘ Geography and Classification of 
Animals,’ whose next proposition is, “That the primary divi- 
sions of every group are characterized by definite peculiarities 
of form, structure and ceconomy; which, under diversified 
modifications, are uniform throughout the animal kingdom, 
and are therefore to be regarded as the primary typesof nature.” 
1 shall now merely copy from the work referred to one of the 
tabular views of the parallel relations of well-known groups of 
Mammalia and birds, adding in the first column what appears, 


nan Transactions,’ vol. xvi.), and the whole of these observations have 
since been confirmed and their results more fully made out by Mr. Swain- 
son, who also has extended his views to the Mammalia. About the same 
period with the publication of the ‘ Horze Entomologicz,’ the progression of 
affinities began to acquire additional interest among botanists. M. Agardh 
and M. DeCandolle both published their views on the subject, the first in his 
‘ Botanical Aphorisms,’ and the second in the ‘ Mémoires du Muséum ;’ when, 
without knowing what had been done by Mr. MacLeay, Mr. Fries an- 
nounced the same results in the Fungi, attained by a different form of 
analysis. Similar views have since been more extensively applied to plants 
by Professor Lindley, in the last edition of his ‘ Introduction to the Natural 
System.’ 

Writers on natural history in the present day may be divided into three 
classes ; first, those who recognise no rules but such as appear to be laws of 
nature, and taking nature as their guide, form their views according to the re- 
sult of observations which are not confined to external characters, but embrace 
all that concerns natural objects. The second class consists of naturalists 
who pursue the easier course of following authorities, but their works con- 
sist chiefly of technicalities derived from external characters indiscriminately 
applied to genera and species; their higher groups are consequently con- 
structed according to rule rather than nature. The third class comprises 
describers of species, whose books are only remarkable for their size and 
expense. Nor can I altogether overlook upon this occasion another class of 
persons, who, though they are not naturalists, and scarcely even allow us 
to call them writers, yet exercise but too often an influence in societies de- 
trimental to the objects of such institutions and the real advancement of 
science. 

O 2 


196 Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 


from my analysis of Indian Cyprinide, to be equivalent groups, 
and thus show at once how far this family of fishes is calcu- 
lated to exemplify the great leading principles of analogy dis- 
covered by Mr. MacLeay. 


Fam. of Analogical Characters. Orders of the Orders of Tribes of 


Cyprinide. Typical. Mammalia. Birds. Insessores. 


(Pre-eminent in their) 
| powers of prehension, | 
Peer ees) and in general organi- }Quadrumanz. Insessores. Conirostres. 
zation; claws, spines or | 
L_ nails not acute. 


Subtypical. 
Rapacious, feeding upon 
live animals; claws or 


other organs of torture 
acute. 


Sarcoborine... Perey titan Raptores.  Dentirostres. 


Aberrant. 
Natatorial. 
Head or rostrum flat and) 
large; anterior extre- | 
Platycara ae mities more developed 


Poscihians ® in proportion than the pCetacea ...... Natatores. Fissirostres. 


posterior—habits car- j 
nivorous. 
Suctorial. 
Size diminutive; upper 
> 


: 
vane) Lee i ple vay ee Scveceee Grallatores. 'Tenuirostres. 
’ , b] 


swim very fast. 
Rasorial. 


{ Head ornamented either) 
| with horns or soft ap- | 


Cobitine ......< pendages—habits gra- >Ungulata...... Rasores. Scansores. 
| nivorous or herbivo- | 
L rous. e) 


50. It would be too much to expect from the materials of 
one zoological province to demonstrate satisfactorily all the 
properties of natural groups in the minor divisions of this fa- 
mily. That its typical and subtypical groups are circular is 
plain enough, from the diminution in the length of the intes- 
tinal canal we experience in passing from the Cirrhins to the 
Barbels ; and again, from the Barbels through the Gono- 
rhynchs to the Gudgeons that canal becomes longer, indi- 
cating an union between the latter and the group from which 
we set out. 

The same thing is observed in passing from the Systoms 
through the Opsarions, Perilamps and Leuciscs ; a tendency 


Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 197 


between the former and latter to unite is indicated, thus form- 
ing the subtypical group (Sarcoborine) into a circle. 

A similar thing may be seen in the aberrant group (Apa- 
lopterine), in which the Schisture form one extremity and the 
Platycara the other, the intermediate space being occupied 
with the Peciliane, Psilorhynchi, and true Loaches. The en- 
tire caudal of the former points out their relation to Coditis 
prop. ; but until analysis be extended to all known species, 
European and American, the attempt to reduce the smaller 
groups to anything like precision would be difficult and un- 
certain, from the greater chance there is of the series being 
less complete than in the higher groups, of which we might 
always hope to possess at least a specimen of each genus. 
I shall therefore content myself with having submitted the 
preceding tabular view of the principal group, referring to the 
elucidation of genera for further details, in the confident ex- 
pectation that what has already been demonstrated will induce 
naturalists to investigate the subject from the materials of 
other countries as well as of this. 

We are far from being prepared to point out the most cha- 
racteristic types even of our Indian groups of this family. In- 
deed there may yet be some unexpected forms unknown to us, 
the discovery of which would necessarily derange any attempt 
we could now make to trace in further detail the parallel rela- 
tions of the minor groups among themselves. Six species 
collected in the mountain-streams at Simla by Dr. MacLeod, 
and obligingly submitted to me, have proved to be all unde- 
scribed, and one of them affords the type of a new genus, 
Oreinus, or Mountain Barbels, of which I had before received 
from Mr. Griffith a species from Boutan (O. guttatus) ; but as 
there was but one specimen in Mr. Griffith’s collections, and 
that considerably injured, I hesitated to form from it alone the 
characters of a new group*. ‘This genus has the form of 
Gonorhynchus ; the mouth is situated in like manner under 
the head, but the alimentary canal is considerably shorter, 
and the dorsal is preceded by a spine, as in the Barbels. 

51. Iam uncertain as to the habits of the European Breams, 
not having examined them myself; but from all that I can 
glean on the subject, they appear to be insectivorous, and in 
the best figures I can find of them the mouth appears to be 
directed upward, and the anal fin to be long: these charac- 
ters may prove to be analogies rather than affinities to the 
Perilamps ; and until the point be decided, the parallel rela- 


* Cyprinus Richardsonii figured in Hardwicke’s ‘ Illust.,’ tab, 94, fig. 2, 
is an Oreinus, and may be appropriately named OQ. punctatus. 


198 Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 


tions of the two groups cannot be made out. The only Indian 
Bream I am acquainted with (Cyp. cotis, Buch.) has the cha- 
racter of the Perilamps both in the form of its mouth and 
length of its alimentary canal; while, on the other hand, the 
old genus Leuciscus is not a natural group, some of the Euro- 
pean species, as Cyprinus cultratus, beimg doubtless an Op- 
sarius*, while others are certainly herbivoroust+, and might 
perhaps be referred to the Gudgeons; but until all these 
points be settled, it would be idle to dwell further on the par- 
allel relations between the typical and subtypical groups. 

52. Cyprinide, of all fishes of equal importance, are those 
that appear to have occupied least the attention of naturalists ; 
a circumstance the more curious, as, in consequence of their 
being peculiar to fresh waters, they are more universally dis- 
tributed in the interior of continents, where they ought to be 
more familiar and useful to man than any other family of the 
same class. 

Regarding their distribution, little has hitherto been made 
known. It would not appear that there is any one species 
common to Europe and America; it is not however to be sup- 
posed that we are yet prepared to form an accurate compari- 
son between the Cyprinide of the Old and New Worlds, since 
the majority of species in either seems as yet to be but ill 
defined. Nor is it to be supposed that ichthyology has yet 
been prosecuted in America to an extent at all likely to make 
us acquainted with the numerous species that must inhabit 
the extensive lakes and rivers of that continent. Of African 
species, few only are referred to by Cuvier, while the Nile is 
known to present some species that are not found in the south 
of Europe. The Chinese species may yet be said to be al- 
most unknown, with the exception of a few determined by 
Cuvier from the very doubtful data afforded by paintings ; 
although it is seldom that so favourable an opportunity is 
afforded for collecting information on any branch of natural 
history as that which the British embassies in China pos- 
sessed for investigating the peculiarities of the freshwater 
fishes of that empire, from the length of time they passed in 
boats on some of the principal rivers. Nor is anything what- 


* Leuciscus ceruleus, Yarrell, and L. erythrophthalmus, Cuv., appear to be 
Perilamps ; L. doubla, L. Lancastriensis, Yarr., and Z. alburnus are also 
insectivorous. I have mentioned this in a letter to Mr. Swainson in October 
last, and I have no doubt the hint will be sufficient to direct the attention 
of this philosophical naturalist to an examination of the whole of the English 
species. 

+ Leuciscus vulgaris, L. idus and L. rutilus are probably herbivorous, and, 
according to the length of their intestine, may either be added to one or 
other of the groups here indicated. 


Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 199 


ever known, as far as I am aware, of the existence of Cyprins 
in New Holland, or any of the Polynesian Islands*. In India 
the fishes of several of the great rivers yet remain to be in- 
vestigated, as those of the Irrawaddi, the Indus, and the Ner- 
budda. A collection of drawings of the fishes of the Indus, 
prepared during a scientific mission under Capt. Burnes, has 
recently been deposited in the museum of the Asiatic Society ; 
and Mr. Griffith, to whom every branch of science is as dear 


* This and other blanks in our knowledge of the animals of New Hol- 
land are now about to be supplied by Mr. MacLeay himself, who, in Au- 
gust last, embarked with the intention of pursuing researches in every de- 
partment of the natural history of New Holland. On his departure from 
England, Mr. MacLeay intimated his desire to receive at Sydney, where he 
may remain for three or four years, insects, crustacea, and other neglected 
objects of a similar nature from India, in exchange for the productions of 
New South Wales, which he would be happy to supply. Few who enter- 
tain a just pride for the scientific character of our country, which Mr. Mac- 
Leay has been the means of elevating, would require the stipulation pro- 
posed to induce them to forward the views of one of our countrymen who 
has already been the means of exalting zoological pursuits to the highest 
place among intellectual occupations. Considering the intimate intercourse 
now established between Calcutta and Sydney, it is to be hoped that an ap- 
peal to India from such a quarter will not have been made in vain, and that 
all who are interested in the advancement of natural history will collect and 
forward whatever objects their particular localities may afford, with a view 
to facilitate the researches of the illustrious author of ‘ Hore Entomologice.’ 
Mr. MacLeay writes from London, 12th August 1838 : “I am now on the eve 
of embarking for Sydney, where I intend to remain for the next three or 
four years; and what I would ask of you is, to exchange invertebrated ani- 
mals, collected in India, as the Annelida, Annulosa, Cirripedes, Radiata, 
and Acrita, for other objects collected in New Holland; insects, spiders, 
and crustacea of India I at present desire above all, and shall feel obliged 
by any notes on their metamorphosis or ceconomy. With regard to such 
notes, I need not say I shall bear in mind the axiom ‘Suwm ecuique.’ If you 
will point out your particular desiderata in natural history, I will endeavour 
to add to your collections.” 

Mr. Swainson also writes as follows:—‘‘ At present I am engaged in 
ichthyological volumes, but as these will be published before you would 
have time to render me any assistance, I will rather entreat your aid in the 
class of Insects, which will next succeed in the ‘ Cabinet of Natural History.’ 
My cabinet is remarkably deficient in the entomology of India, particularly 
among the smaller and less showy species. ‘The best way of preserving 
beetles or coleopterous insects, as well as spiders, is by putting them into 
spirits ; all other insects should be stuck upon cork. Common bazaar spirits 
answers the purpose of preserving insects very well, if it be strong enough 
to burn, which it would be well to try always before trusting to it; and in- 
stead of cork, remarkably light and convenient trays may be made of a com- 
mon species of Zischynomene, called in Bengal Sola, and may be made so 
that a number of them fit into a box. The paste with which the Sola is 
fastened might be poisoned, and a little camphor rolled up in thin paper 
placed in each tray as a security against ants. I shall be happy to afford 
my aid to any friends of science in India, by forwarding any collections that 
may be entrusted to me for the eminent persons who have applied to us.” 


200 Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 


as the one in which he is fast rising to the highest station, is 
now engaged in making extensive collections of, and obser- 
vations on, the fishes of the same river. The museums of 
Paris must already be well stored with Indian species col- 
lected by Messrs. Duvaucel, Jaquemont, and DeLessert, but 
I doubt if any of our British museums contain many of the 
commonest species of the Ganges. 

Natural history is now assuming a station so important in 
the highest scale of intellectual pursuits, that any remarks at all 
calculated to impress on the minds of those who are connected 
with missions into new countries a lively sense of the inter- 
est that attaches to its most minute details, will not, we may 
be assured, be taken amiss. Information, however carefully 
collected on such occasions as those referred to, becomes com- 
paratively useless when unaccompanied with specimens of the 
things to which it relates. We should ever recollect, that 
the easiest and best way to promote our own fame, and con- 
tribute at the same time to the advancement of natural history, 
is by making collections ; nor are we without examples of the 
highest awards having been, though somewhat prematurely, 
conceded to collectors. Nevertheless, to render collections of 
the highest degree of real value in the present advanced state 
of science, those who make them should gather at the same 
time as much information as possible regarding the circum- 
stances under which the various objects comprised in them 
live or occur; and it is in this that the intelligence of the na- 
turalist may be best and most profitably displayed during his 
journeys in new countries. 

53. The following tabular view of the distribution of Cypri- 
nide, though avowedly imperfect, will serve to show how the 
leading groups are generally dispersed. Cirrhins, for instance, 
appear to be peculiar to India, or at least to the tropical parts 
of Asia, and the Catastoms to America; while both are repre- 
sented in Europe by the true Carps. From the number of 
Gangetic species, the Barbels, like the Cirrhins, would seem 
to have their metropolis in India, from whence the genus is 
extended over the Caspian Sea and the Nile into Europe. 

The Gonorhynchs would also seem, as a group, to be na- 
tives of the East, one species only having been found in South 
Africa, none in Europe, and eleven in India. 

The greater part of the Sarcoborine are probably also East- 
ern fishes, with the exception of the Breams and Leuciscs, 
although some of the European forms set down under the 
latter genera may be found to belong either to the Perilamps 
or Opsarions. 

The small subgenera of Pecilia appear to be equally distri- 


Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 201 


buted in all parts of the world, one having been already found 
in Africa, two species in India, where a few more may be ex- 
pected, seven species in America, and seven in Europe ; but 
in every case the species of one continent have been found to 
be distinct from those of another. 

The Loaches (Coditis prop., Linn.) afford another instance 
of the concentration of numerous species in India, while three 
only are found in Europe, and none whatever in America. 
The annexed table exhibits the general distribution of the fa- 
mily. 


Cyprinide, Cuv. 


> 
iS] 
) 


femniy. Genus. Subgenus. E Z| $ | 3| Ey é By s 
SVensraea 
| O 
Grin ngs. CUoews aoers| hi 3005s Saas Se ewes keaa weeds | rey TZ |e. |Seelscateen| US 
WabeosCuvs.c..chcecccccee pee eal 1] 1} 5 
(g AtASLOUUNS WOCSEUI co2)- cos ondndansccccyee sssecconsaes aie |) Wee bed HA bbe eee (PC) 
S| | Barbus, Cuv. .........)..e-ceeceeeesseseseseeerreceeees AN ae TW ere| motel 18 
aS Oreinus, M‘Clell. ......... circa! badead pocloaa il 2! 
5 S| | Cyprinus prop., Cur. |.....seeeeeeccseeeseeseesesssnes 6 |---|. 47)42)...1... +(14? 
& GO DIOM Ome castrate |nsiecitclsace sac e'sitsoiceclscseaeritcter: sl onal | KB oa bad lee Bealls rks} 
eA Tineas Owes Be A VT al ep ae Pat 
Gonorhynchus, G7on.|.......2.++ AROCOSOSMODECE malice S01 09|| 1) Pool Boal pl sae fen LI 
Systomus, M‘Clell. ...)...ceecececeeesos Ne asneenenine on aca lbec 12)... Ae alles Real] al. 
Ay IAramiss) Cuosacecens dese: oelED | 1} 1]...]-0.]--. Pelee 
=| | Rhodeus, Agass. ee : Si f h 

EB S| 4 Apius, Ayass. ..|Fossil genera in the lacustrine deposit of @iningen. 
S& Perilampus, W‘C7ell. .|....... ardodeadoscpcnsoceoousens: B06 ||Soal| UPA Rel bor) oes |---| 12 
5 MECEISEHS PALE, 05-4|-< cee. asacsastetecees sae doancns: 132/42] 9)...]...}... |...|262 
e @Mpsaritiss MCI, ¢.s3he.5; <2.34adiaeouss Saracens Be |b Rey a te ica so eal 12 
(peak THRO thy SAL. Sacllioce ||) 4has6 | Bod boa ocd bec eZ! 
| aebiass Guns .wseeessseehece 110 PF Fe Fe a 
cn , Fundulus, Lacép.......... BE) Al coe aba Boallesa 7 
[ Peecilia, M‘<Cleill. ...... 4 Wolmesit Leseur. ...... Sc Mie! hace bagel Se ee 1 
ey) Cyprinodon, Lacép. ...| 2 | 4)... }...}...Je0. Lule «6 
Ams Aplochelus, M‘C7ell. ...)...}...] 3]...!.-. wraleee las 
os Anableps; Bis ess-ssccsesene: eae Pose ters leon ie | 
ae Bl atycaraeinc Olle el ereveaceneses cocucmasente docs c- HEE SSM eRIOR 3 
“og | | Psilorhynchus,M‘Clel.|........+...0essseeseeessesseess ce lMee eh Zip sclz.stene peal” 2 
= ae ; Cobitis propria, M‘ Cell.) 3 }...| 12)...!.../..- 15 
spc ear Schistura, M‘Clell. ......| o.oo.) Uf. lee-feeelocs] 1 
Votalsiee-ceeeses = [42 /37)139) 4) 2) 4) 1/229 


The American species of this family referred to in the 
* Regne Animal’ only amount to thirty-three; but Dr. Richard- 
son, in his report on North American Zoology, mentions 
nearly as many more, imperfectly indicated by Rafinesque- 
Schmaltz and other writers as belonging to the rivers and 
lakes of the New World*; still however the preponderance of 


* I have not yet seen the volume of ‘ Fauna Boreali-Americana,’ by Dr. 
Richardson, which is devoted to ichthyology, the volume on birds being the 
only part of that important work which has reached India. 


202 Mr. J. M‘Clelland on Indian Cyprinide. 


species in favour of India is so remarkable, that it is only by 
extending our consideration to other genera of the order 
Malacopterygii abdominales, that we find the equilibrium re- 
stored in the distribution of freshwater fishes. Thus the 
Salmonide, which form a large proportion of that order in the 
rivers of both Europe and America, are in India quite un- 
known; not one species of that extensive family having yet 
been found in this country, where the blank appears to be 
filled up by the excessive development of the Cyprinide. 

54. One species of Tench*, four Leuciscs+, and one Gud- 
geon{, are enumerated among the fossils of CGiningen by 
M. Agassiz, who also describes two new genera, Rhodeus 
and Apius, nearly allied to, but distinct from, the Perilamps 
and Systoms. They are distinct from the first by the 
dorsal and ventral margins being equally arched, and the 
caudal and anal fins being less developed; and from the 
second, by the absence of spines in either of the latter fins: 
both belong however to Sarcoborine, and will serve to render 
that group far more complete than it appeared to me to be 
before I saw M. Agassiz’s splendid work. Two fossil species 
of Cobitine are also found in the same locality ; one of these, 
C. cephalotus, Agass., belongs to Schistura. The marlstone 
in which these remains are found is justly considered by M. 
Agassiz to be a lacustrine deposit, and supposed to be coeval 
with the molasse of Switzerland and the sandstone of Fon- 
tainbleau, and consequently to correspond with the miocene 
or early tertiary period. 

55. That the external covering of animals indicates the 
medium in which they live, we know by the hairy coat of the 
Mammalia, the feathers of birds, and the scales of fishes and 
Amphibia; nevertheless there are several families of fishes 
without scales, and many terrestrial Mammalia that are sup- 
plied with them instead of hair. In the naked fishes the 
body is defended by a copious oily mucus, which saves it no 
less effectually than scales from the abrasive influence of the 
dense medium through which they are destined to move ; 
while their habits and form render the necessity for a scaly 
armour less essential to their safety, being capable of con- 
cealing themselves from enemies in sand and mud, as the 


* Tinca leptosoma, Agass., ‘ Recherches sur les Poissons Fossiles,’ vol. v. 
tills 

+ Leuciscus papyraceus, Agass., vol. v. t. 36; L. leptus, Agass., vol. v. 
t.57; L. pusillus, id. 1.c.; LZ. Gningensis, id. and L. heterurus, idenlere: 

t Gobio analis, Agass., t. 57. 

§ Rhodeus elongatus, Agass., t. 54, and R. latior, id. ].c. Of the genus 
Apius, M. Agassiz describes A. gracilis and A. Brongniarti, vol. v. t. 59; 
but the latter, as well as Leuciseus papyraceus, are from the lignites of 
Ménat. 


Mr. Westwood on new Insects. 203 


Rays (Raia) and Eels (Murena), or are of such a formidable 
character as to render any security against the injuries of 
their class unnecessary ; such are the Squalide or Sharks, 
which may be said to be predominant among the fishes of 
the ocean, and the Siluride, which maintain a | corresponding 
place in freshwater lakes and rivers. Notwithstanding this 
diversity, M. Agassiz has turned the external covering of 
fishes to a happy account in the study of fossil species, of 
which the scales alone are often the only vestiges that remain; 
thus a knowledge of eight hundred extinct species has been 
attained that could not have been characterized by ordinary 
means. Although the researches of M. Agassiz have added 
largely to the science of zoology, they have done still more if 
possible for geology, by “ introducing a new element” into 
our calculations*; no one however is more aware than M. 

Agassiz himself, ofthe error into which some are led in sup- 
posing the lepider mal system to be based on principles that 
are in any way at variance with the natural classification of 
animals. By that system M. Agassiz has extended our know- 
ledge of the natural characters of species, and introduced to 
the calculations of the zoologist as well as geologist a new 
element by which we must be guided in the study of fossil 
fizhes, rather than a principle opposed to the classification of 
these or other animals according to their structure and habits. 


XXV.—IJnsectorum novorum Centuria, auctore 
J. O. Westwoop, F.L.S., &c. 


Decadis secunde, ex ordine Coleopterorum, Synopsis. 


1. CrcinpExa cupreola, W. C. nigro-cuprea, purpurascenti tincta, 
sericans, capite magno, inter oculos striatulo ; prothorace sub- 
cylindrico lateribus vix rotundatis, anticé et posticé parum con- 
stricto, elytris concoloribus immaculatis subvariolosis, punctis 
nonnullis majoribus aureis, lateribus nitidis, lineaque obliqua 
mediana in singulo quasi elevata et magis cuprea; pedibus 
fuscis, femoribus articuloque 1™° antennarum luteis, labro ¢ 
inermi, ? tridenticulato. Long. corp. lin. 4. Habitat in insula 
Mauritii, D. Desjardin. Mus. Westw. 


2. CictnpELa (Megalomma, W. 8S. g. nov. Caput maximum, oculis 
valde prominentibus. eaten magnum, anticé integrum. Man- 
dibule dentibus duobus inter apicem et dentem magnum basa- 
lem. Palpi labiales articulo penultimo valdé inflato. Antenne 
et pedes longissimi. Prothorax capite multo angustior subglo- 
bosus, anticé et posticé constrictus. Elytra subbrevia. Tarsi 


* Dr. Buckland’s Bridgewater Treatise, p. 270. 


204 


Mr. Westwood on new Insects. 


antici ¢ articulis 3°"S basalibus subtus setis clavatis obsitis.) 
C. (M.) vigiluns, W. Nigro-znea; capite inter oculos purpu- 
rascenti longitudinaliter striatulo, prothorace nitido eneo, an- 
nulo postico et elytrorum basi subaureis, elytris obscuris punc- 
tatis postice magis xneis, antennarum articulo 1™°, supra et 
subtus albido, palpis albidis articulo ultimo nigro, pedibus fuscis, 
femoribus ad basin coxis mandibulisque albidis, harum dentibus 
piceo-nigris. Long. corp. lin. 4. Habitat in insula Mauritii, 
D. Desjardin. Mus. Westw. 


Obs. C. viridula, Quens., Sch. 1. 243, ex India orientali valdé af- 


finis : differt imprimis tibiis tarsisque luteis. 


3. GoxratHus (Hudicellus) ignitus, W.  Viridi-cupreo micans; 


capite ¢ tricorni, cornu medio capite plus duplo longiori, por- 
recto recurvo bifido luteo-brunneo, ramis divergentibus apice 
tuberculatis, elytris concoloribus immaculatis, tibiis castaneis, 
tarsis antennisque nigris. Long. corp. (corn. capit. excl.) lin. 
174. Lat. ad basin elytr. lin. 8. Habitat Gold Coast, Africa 
occid. Mus. Raddon. 


4. GouratTuus (Eudicellus) auratus, W. Leete viridi-aureus; an- 


tennis et clypei marginibus nigris; hujus margine antico ? 
subrecto; elytris maculis duabus parvis triangularibus hume- 
ralibus alterisque duabus apicalibus nigris ; marginibus fulvo- 
aureis, tibiis tarsisque aureo-viridibus. Long. corp. lin. 163. 
Lat. ad basin elytr. lin. 8. Habitat Cammaroons River, Africa 
occid. Mus. Turner. 


5. Gouiaruus (Eudicellus) frontalis, W. Lete viridis, subaureo ni- 


tens; capite ¢ tricorni, cornu medio fulvo, capite paullo longiori, 
basi crasso ante medium in ramos duos subparallelos lateribus 
serrulatis apiceque recurvis, diviso elytris flavo-circumdatis, ma- 
culisque duabus humeralibus alterisque duabus apicalibus nigris ; 
clava antennarum fulva, ? clypeo antice feré recto fulvo. Long. 
corp. ¢ (corn. cap. excl.) lin. 17, 2 lin. 16. Habitat Gold 
Coast, Africa occid. Mus. Turner. 


6. Parastasia, W. (gen. nov. Asiaticum! Rutelidarum). Corpus 


breve crassum valdé gibbosum ; clypeo bifido mandibulisque an- 
gulo supero in dentem porrectum abienti; maxille dentibus 
acutis armate ; tibiz antice 3-dentatz, dentibus 2"5 basalibus 
inter se approximatis, apicali remoto ; unguibus inequalibus, uno 
bifido.—P. canaliculata, W. P. nigra nitida, elytris fulvo-va- 
riegatis, plagis duabus elevatis obliquis utrinque (canali divisis) 
versus scutellum positis. Long. corp. lin. 94. Habitat in in- 


sulis Philippinarum, D. Cuming. Mus. Hope. 


7. Aturnus, Fabr. ; A. Cassideus, W. Niger, pronoto utrinque luteo 


setoso, elytris feré cordiformibus parum convexis luteo-fulvis, 
margine tenui nigro, plaga maxima triangularie basi ad medium 
extensa et cum fascia transversa (posticé 4-furcata), media, con- 
nexa. Long. corp. lin. 12. Habitat in Mexico. Mus. Melly. 


8. Cassipa (Calaspidea, Hope); C. Alurna, W. Nigra, pronoto in medio 


Mr. G. R. Waterhouse on names of Carabideous Insects. 205 


parum carinato, elytris parum convexis, feré rotundatis, medio 
nigris areolatis ; lateribus late luteo-fulvis, intus irregularibus, 
maculis 5 vel 6 rotundatis nigris in utroque, margineque tenui 
nigro. Long. corp. lin. 10. Habitat Mexico. Mus. Melly. 
Obs. Hee duo insecta sese mutuo singulariter repreesentant. 

9. Tanopema, Laporte., Erichs.; T. cincta, W. Czruleo-nigra, pro- 
noto 3-carinato, abdomine nigro segmentis 1—4 fascia lata in 
margine postico rufa (in medio interrupta) segmentoque apicali 
rufo, labro in medio fisso, scutello elongato-triangulari articulo- 
que 4°, tarsorum posticorum magno. Long. corp. lin. 104. 
Habitat Brasilia. Mus. Melly. 

10. Amrepus, Meg.; A.perpulcher, W. Fulvo-rufus, leviter punctatus, 
scutello et elytris lete ceruleis tenuissime punctatis, tarsis an- 
tennis (articulo basali fulvo excepto) abdomineque nigris tarso- 
rum articulis 3"S basalibus subtus laminiferis, antennis articulis 
2 et 3 minutis. Long. corp. lin. 10. Habitat Africa tropicali. 
Mus. Melly. 


XXVI.—On the names Promecoderus, Cnemacanthus and 
Odontoscelis, as applied to certain genera of Carabideous 
Insects. By G. R. Warernouse, Esq., Curator to the 
Zoological Society of London. 


To the Editors of the Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 


GENTLEMEN, 

You will oblige me by inserting in the ‘ Annals’ the follow- 
ing observations upon some remarks contained in the ‘ Revue 
Zoologique.” In that periodical I am accused of adopting a 
generic name given by one of my own countrymen in prefer- 
ence to one previously given to the same group by a French 
entomologist. It is stated that “ M. Waterhouse, par un 
esprit national que nous devons respecter, a adopté le nom de 
Odontoscelis, Curtis, de préférence a celui de Cnemacanthus, 
Brullé, quoique ce dernier fut bien antérieur.” 

This is the first time I have been accused of this esprit 
national, which M. Reiche considers ne serait rien moins 
gue respectable*. These remarks I should not have noticed, 
but the editor of the ‘ Revue’ has inserted a kind of defence 
of my proceedings, giving me an opening for escape on the 
score of ignorance of certain facts, which facts however, 
strange to say, were first pointed out by myself in the very 
paper in which I am supposed to have committed myself. 

It would be supposed from what has been stated, that the 
name Cnemacanthus originated with M. Brullé; it so happens 


* M. Reiche endeavours to exonerate me from the charge, for which I 
owe him many thanks, though I do not consider he has succeeded in the 
attempt. 


206 Mr. G. R. Waterhouse on names of Carabideous Insects. 


however that that name has never been given by that author 
to any genus of insects, but was adopted by him by mistake 
—he supposing that certain Carabide of South America be- 
longed to the genus Cremacanthus, founded by Mr. G. Gray 
upon an insect which proves to be a native of Australia, which 
insect had previously received the generic name Promecode- 
rus by Dejean. But in the notice in the ‘ Revue,’ before men- 
tioned, M. Guérin seems to think I may be excused, “ne sa- 
chant pas que le Cremacanthus figuré par M. Gray était un 
vrai Promecoderus*.” Now I will venture to assert that the 
author of those remarks learnt those very facts from my paper, 
for they were there pointed out for the first time ; and in the 
‘Magazine de Zoologie’ he describes several species of Odon- 
toscelis as members of Mr. Gray’s genus Cnemacanthus. To 
make the matter more clear, I may mention that, according to 
the views of Dejean and Brullé, the genus Cnemacanthus or 
Promecoderus (these being synonymous) belongs to the fa- 
mily Harpalide, having the intermediate as well as the ante- 
rior tarsi dilated, and the genus Odontoscelis belongs to the 
family Feronide. 

We will call the first of these genera A, and the second B. 
In 1829, Dejean names the genus A, Promecoderus, and in 
1832 Gray names the same genus Cnemacanthus. In 1835 
Brullé uses the name Cremacanthus (quoting Gray as his au- 
thority for that name) for the genus B; and in 1838 Guérin 
follows Brullé in using the name Cnemacanthus (also quoting 
Gray as his authority for the name) for genus B, neither of 
these entomologists being aware that the insects they described 
belonged to a different section to that described by Gray under 
the name Cnemacanthus, though they might have suspected 
as much from the difference of habitat given. 

In 1838 (published in 1839) genus B receives a name for 
the first time, viz. Odontoscelis+. 


* To show how ignorant I was of this fact, I will quote two passages from 
my paper—“ Cnemacanthus of Gray (which is the Promecoderus of Dejean).” 
Again, ‘‘ Cnemacanthus gibbosus of Gray appears to me to be the Promeco- 
derus brunnipes of Dejean, which is from Van Diemen’s Land, and perhaps 
from some other parts of Australia, and not from Africa, as has been stated. 
The genus Cuemacanthus of Guérin and Brullé, being synonymous with Mr. 
Curtis’s genus Odontoscelis, the species of which are from South America, 
must not be confounded with Cxremacanthus of Gray.” 

+ 1 was not aware, when my first paper was written, that the name Odon- 
toscelis had been previously used for a genus of Hemipterous insects (not 
that this in any way affects the question at issue) ; this fact I however soon 
afterwards had pointed out tome by Mr. White, and in my next paper 
I called Mr. Curtis’s attention to it, and begged of him to propose some 
other name in its stead. To this request Mr. Curtis paid no attention; I 
shall therefore propose that the name Scaritidea be used to designate the 


Capt. S. E. Widdrington on the Eel. 207 


In 1840, Mr. Waterhouse having some new species of genus 
B to describe, characterized them under the name Odontoscelis, 
and did not call those insects Cnemacanthus simply because 
they did not belong to that group. 

In 1841 Mr. Waterhouse is accused of partiality for his 
own countrymen’s names, in adopting the term Odontoscelis 
instead of Cnemacanthus (a practice allowed to be of most per- 
nicious consequences to the science) ; but both of these names 
being given by his own countrymen, the accusation is absurd. 

Yours, &c. 
G. R. WaTERHOUSE. 


XXVII.—On the Eel, and on the Freshwater Fish of 
Austria. By Cart. 8. E. Wipprineton*, R.N. 


On the Eel. 


In his account of this genus, Mr. Yarrell quotes a writer who 
appears to have paid some attention to the subject, and who 
states that its susceptibility of cold prevents its inhabiting 
various northern rivers, amongst others the Danube. Not- 
withstanding this high authority, being aware of the habits of 
the fish of burying itself in the mud during the winter, I con- 
fess I was not quite satisfied with this theory, and considered 
that if they were wanting in the Danube, some other cause 
must be found than the one assigned. 

During a recent tour in Germany I was surprised to see eels 
put upon the table at Wurtzburg, which is high up the Mayn, 
and in avery cold country, during winter. I was subsequently 
informed that they are abundant at Hanau, lower down the 
same river, the waters of which must be at least as cold as 
those of the Danube. 

On arriving at Vienna I mentioned the circumstance to 
Professor Heckel, who has charge of the ichthyological de- 
partment, who informed me that great numbers were brought 
to Vienna from Ulm, which is high up the river, but that they 
had never been seen lower down. Subsequent inquiry, and 
having ascertained the very great pains which have been taken 
in investigating the natural history of the river, satisfied me 
that this account was true, and that it is next to impossible 
they should not have been detected had they frequented the 
Lower Danube. 


genus of which I published a monograph, under the name Odontoscelis— 
unless M. Guérin is willing to use his sectional name Cnemalobus in a ge- 
neric sense for the same group. 

* Late Cook. Read in the Section of Zoology and Botany at the meeting 
of the British Association, Plymouth, and communicated by the Author. 


208 Capt. S. E. Widdrington on the Eel, 


The fish-market at Vienna is held on the river, well-boats 
being moored to the shore, whence the inhabitants of that 
luxurious capital are supplied with the most delicious fish 
brought from all sides. These people informed me that they 
drew part of their supplies of eels from Ulm, but that the 
greater part came from Bohemia, consequently from the head 
waters of the Elbe, which ought to be a still colder river 
than either the Rhine or Danube! This winter the thermo- 
meter was at 19° at Vienna, whilst at Dresden I was told it 
fell to 24° Reaumur. 

Now, assuming the case to be as I have stated, that the ha- 
bitat of the genus is confined to the upper streams of the Da- 
nube, we have the fact, that migration is not necessary to 
them”, although it is certainly their habit in this country. It 
must be remembered that Ulm is in a very cold country, 
being considerably higher than Vienna. There can be little 
doubt that the eels there hybernate in the mud. But why 
do they not remove to the more genial region, and to the 
admirable locality of the delta of that great river? The reason 
I take to be the following: the waters of the Danube may be 
divided into three classes ; first, those of the Black Forest and 
that vicinity, and those which fall into the river from the 
left, towards Bohemia. These waters are more or less rich 
and fat, and of the description which afford the most abun- 
dant nutriment to fish, especially of the genus we have under 
consideration. Below Ulm, however, a change soon becomes 
visible; the great tributaries from the Alps begin to pour in, 
and soon alter the character of the water. These Alpine 
streams may be divided into two classes, those which proceed 
at once from the glaciers and the upper valleys, without meet- 
ing with large lakes to filter and purify them, like the Rhine, 
Rhone, and some others: these waters are charged with the 
comminuted particles of the rocks they have passed over, and 
are not only rapid, but have a peculiar strength and rawness, 
which I consider, combined with the want of food, renders 
them uninhabitable by the eel and by many other sorts of 
fish; even the trout are scarce and of bad quality which are 
taken from them, and the only good trout in the Alps are 
those from the lakes or the streams of the plains, where better 
nourishment is afforded to them. The second class of Alpine 
waters are those which have passed through and been purified 
by the lakes, from which they issue clear, softer and warmer 
than those we have mentioned. Even these rivers are not fa- 
vourable to the propagation of fish in general, and I was sur- 


* A paper by Chr. Drewsen, on the Migration of Young Eels, is to be 
found in Kréyer’s Tidskrift, vol.i. 


and on the Freshwater Fish of Austria. 209 


prised to find, that in the country so eloquently described by 
Sir H. Davy, and which I expected to find teeming with fish, 
that it was scarce and dear, though full of the most beautiful 
lakes and rivers. 

I was first struck with the difference of these filtered and 
unfiltered waters at Geneva, by bathing successively in the 
Rhone and in the Arve, and have often experienced it since 
in alpine travelling, where the difference is very sensible in 
fording the terrents. In descending the Danube, after the 
Ivar and some minor torrents have joined it, the Inn rolls in 
its magnificent stream, of the true alpine character. The vo- 
jume is so great, that it is the true, or as the Arabs would 
have termed it, “the great river,” and with the assistance of 
the Traun, Inn, and some minor streams, the Danube arrives 
at Vienna so completely alpine in its character, that any one 
unacquainted with the geography, but familiar with the moun- 
tain-streams, would immediately pronounce it to be an alpine 
river at no great distance from its sources. 

Lower down the Save and Drave add their waters to this 
mighty stream, which although probably rather warmer, are 
exactly of the same character as those of the northern Alps. 

It is this vast volume of alpine water, which is not only un- 
favourable to, but I really believe uninhabitable by the eel, not 
from the temperature, but from the want of food and the ra- 
pidity of its current, which I conceive to be the cause of the 
fact I have stated, and that the genus is unwilling to encoun- 
ter the inconvenience of the long passage to the comparatively 
genial coast of the Black Sea, where the locality would appear 
to be perfectly suited to their production to any extent. 

The same character of water applies to the Rhine, which is 
completely alpine until it has received the Moselle and other 
tributaries of a lower country ; and it will afford a curious sub- 
ject for investigation, whether the eels of the Mayn migrate or 
remain in the upper country during the winter. The Elbe is 
quite different, not receiving a true alpine stream during its 
whole course ; and it is equally desirable to ascertain whether 
the tribe remain stationary in Bohemia, or visit the shores of 
the North Sea like their congeners on the other side of it. 


On the Freshwater Fish of Austria. 


Allusion has been made to the care which has been taken 
to investigate the ichthyology of the Danube, and which I have 
great satisfaction in announcing has been extended to every 
part of the Austrian dominions. Some idea may be formed 
of the variety of this family, when it is mentioned, that in the 
Danube no less than seven species of Sturgeon have been 

Ann. § Mag. N. Hist. Vol. vi. P 


210 Information respecting Travellers. 


made out, all different from the Acipenser, that of the North 
Sea, and that last year a new genus was discovered in Dal- 
matia. In fact, the extent of the rivers and lakes, and the 
variety of climates and situation in the Austrian monarchy, 
probably make it the richest country in freshwater ichthy- 
ology in® Europe. Nearly one hundred species haye been 
made out, and are on the point of being made known to the 
public, by M. Heckel, to whose zeal and intelligence the 
science will be deeply indebted. The genera and species 
which have not been figured elsewhere are given with a 
degree of accuracy which it is impossible to excel, and which 
will form an epoch in designing. 

The figures are drawn by a sort of pantograph, of M. 
Heckel’s owninvention, which performs its office with a minute 
precision I believe hitherto unknown, especially for the de- 
tails of the scales. The more common species are given sim- 
ply in outline, and the work, which is far advanced, is of ex- 
traordinary low price. 


XXVIII.—Information respecting Zoological and Botanical 
Travellers. 


Private letters from Demerara, of date 18th of August, inform us 
of the return of Mr. Schomburgk in safety from his first expedition. 
That gentleman writes, “‘ The object of my last journey was to mark 
the boundary between British and Venezuelan Guiana, and in this 
object I have succeeded ; but with regard to scientific researches, very 
little has been done. We had the most unfavourable weather ; rain 
every day, and the rivers having inundated their banks contributed 
to our ill success. My brother is just about to despatch to Berlin 
such collections as he has made, viz. 220 species of birds, 800 in- 
sects, and 288 species of plants, with about 200 different objects in 
spirits.” 

«] procured” (he continues) “ today a skin of that scarce animal 
the Black Tiger, Felis nigra; it is unfortunately much mutilated by 
the Indian who shot it, the tail and legs being cut off; bad as it is, 
it is another proof of the existence of that animal, of which we pos- 
sess such uncertain knowledge. The skin measures from the nose 
to the insertion of the tail 4 feet 5 inches; at first sight the colour 
appears a glossy black ; but on inspecting it closer, it will be observed 
that the ground-colour is a dark brown, covered with a number of 
spots of a shining jet, which are closer to each other than I have ob- 
served in any of the American Feline. ‘These dark spots, which are 
of a less size than a shilling, extend still closer from the eyes to the 
region of the shoulders. On the abdomen and interior of the thighs 
the colour is lighter, and a slight admixture of strong white hairs is 
observed. ‘T'o judge from the length of the skin, the animal it came 
from must have been approaching in size the greater Jaguar. I have 


Bibliographical Notices. | 


a skin of the latter before me, which measures from the nose to the 
tail 4 feet 5 inches, the width of the skin being 2 feet 8 inches ; while 
that of the Black Tiger, which is half an inch less in size, measures 
in width 2 feet 10} inches. This may arise from the skin being more 
stretched ; it proves nevertheless the strong make of the animal. I 
do not observe the tawny spot above each eye mentioned in my de- 
scription of a skin from a similar animal given in the ‘ Annals’ (iv. 
p. 325) ; this spot may vanish with the more advanced age of the 
animal.” 

The next journey which our traveller, at the date of his letters, was 
about to undertake, would last for a period of from eighteen months 
to two years, the expedition proposing to winter at Pirara. 


Mr. Forbes.—Letters received from Mr. Forbes, dated Paros, 
Sept. 26th, inform us that he is successfully prosecuting his inves- 
tigations among the Greek islands. 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 


A Manual of the British Alge. By William Henry Harvey, Esq. 
London, 1841. 8vo. Van Voorst. 


We hail with pleasure another of Mr. Van Voorst’s excellent publi- 
cations on natural history—A ‘ Manual of the British Alge,’ by Mr. 
Harvey. ‘The author remarks in the Introduction, p. 53, 


“ The want of a work in the English language, entirely devoted to the 
British Algz, in which fuller descriptions should be given than the scope of 
Hooker’s ‘ British Flora’ admitted of, and in which all the known species 
should be included, has long been felt by lovers of this branch of botany. 
Had my friend Dr. Greville completed, as was once his intention, his ad- 
mirable ‘ Algze Britannicz,’ no room would have been left for my humble 
labours, nor should I for a moment wish to take the subject out of such able 
hands. But his work unfortunately stopped short with the ‘ inarticulate ’ 
tribes, nor has he at present any intention of resuming it. ‘The task has 
consequently fallen on my shoulders, and my object will be gained and my 
ambition fully satisfied, if, in the following pages, I have succeeded in af- 
fording any assistance to the researches of my fellow-students. I could have 
wished, and indeed had intended, that the work should be illustrated with 
figures, at least of the genera; but my limited stay in Europe did not afford 
time to prepare them, and it does not now appear desirable to delay the 
publication till they could he got ready. However they might have added 
to the beauty of the book, the student will experience little loss by their 
omission who takes this Manvuau for what I wish it to be, a companion to 
the ‘Arca Damnoniensss, published and sold by Mary Wyatt, dealer in 
shells, Torquay ;’ a most important work, now extending to four volumes, 
with a Supplement, composed of specimens of 234 species, beautifully dried 
and correctly named. These volumes furnish the student with a help, such 
as no figures, however correctly executed, can at all equal—Nature’s own 
pencil illustrating herself.” 


Mr. Harvey’s Manual is got up in the style and typography of the 
‘English Flora’ of Sir J. E. Smith, and will range with it as a sup- 
plementary volume. 

That a work such as the one now before us, embodying all the 
species added to our catalogue since the publication of the 2nd vol. 


P2 


212 Bibliographical Notices. 


of the ‘ British Flora’ (or ‘ English Flora,’ vol. v. part 1.), the ‘ Flora 
Hibernica,’ and Berkeley’s ‘Gleanings of British Algze,’ was very 
much required, will at once be evident when we enumerate the great 
accessions made to this most attractive department of our native bo- 
tany. ‘These are really most surprising, when it is considered that 
the works just named have all been published within the last very 
few years. 

We have in this Manual thirty species described for the first time 
—these are, three Ectocarpi, a second species of Myriotrichia, a 
Nitophyllum, a Polysiphonie, a Ceramium, four Conferve, a Scytonema, 
a Calothriz, three Palmelle, a Nostoc, a Meloseira, a Styllaria, a Gom- 
phonema, seven Schizoneme, and three Cymbelle. 

Eleven species before known only as foreign, and belonging to as 
many genera, are for the first time added to the British flora,— 
they are Laminaria fascia, Ag., Mesogloia moniliformis, Griff. (M. 
attenuata, Ag.), Polysiphonia formosa, Suhr., Callithamnion barba- 
tum, Ag., Thorea ramosissima, Bory., Conferva refracta, Ag., Hydru- 
rus Ducluzelii, Ag., Hygrocrocis Rose, Ag., Meloseira varians, Ag.?, 
Styllaria bidentata, Ag., and Schizonema ramosissimum, Ag. Ten 
species, announced in different scientific periodicals since the pub- 
lication of the three works just alluded to, here for the first time, 
in a consecutive work on the British Algee, fall into the ranks in 
systematic order. The genera Thorea and Hydrurus are published 
for the first time as British, whilst Aphanizomenon and Anabaina 
make their earliest appearance in a systematic work upon our 
Alge. Anew genus which he calls Eutomia is proposed by the 
author for the Echinella rotata, Grev., and Ech. oblonga, Grev. ; and 
he proposes to substitute Helminthocladia for Trichoeladia of the 
‘Flora Hibernica,’ in consequence of the latter so nearly approach- 
ing Trichocladus in sound. The much-disputed plant lastly named 
Delesseria alata, var. 2B. angustissima (‘ Brit. Fl.’ vol. 11. p. 286), is 
raised to the rank of a species by the name of Gelidium ? rostratum, 
but it still remains a desideratum to what genus it belongs ! 

What will perhaps be almost equally interesting to many of the 
lovers of this delightful portion of our flora, will be found in Mr. Har- 
vey’s volume in the additional localities enumerated for species with 
which they have already become familiar ; and here we particularly 
mark the progress that has been made since the excellent introduc- 
tion to Greville’s ‘ Algze Britannic’ appeared—genera and species 
there particularized as known only to the British Islands, from being 
found on the southern shores of England, being now ascertained to 
range to the northern coasts of Ireland. 

We are greatly pleased with the comprehensive manner, the en- 
tireness with which the general subject of Algz is brought before us 
in the Introduction. This extends to fifty-seven pages, and affords 
a most gratifying illustration of the addition made to our know- 
ledge as the stream of time rolls on. Already in our language have 
Dr. Neill in his Encyclopedia article on Fucz, and Dr. Greville 
in the introduction to his ‘ Algz Britannicz,’ treated admirably of 
the general subject; but here we have it brought down to the pre- 
sent period, and by a botanist, than whom perhaps no one living is 


Bibhographical Notices. 213 


better suited to the task, both in regard to his having been of late 
years the chief describer of the collections of Alge brought to this 
country from all quarters of the globe, and to his study ef the living 
plants in a subtropical as well as a temperate climate. At p. 15 ot 
the Introduction we have the personal observation of the author on 
the Sargassum or “ Gulf-weed.”” He remarks :-— 


“‘T have made the voyage three times, and only once met with sea-weed 
in sufficient quantity to claim any attention. It did not then oceur in strata 
resembling fields, but rather in ridges, from ten fo twenty yards broad and 
of great length, stretched across the sea. The species invariably found in 
these was S. bacciferum. Of a large quantity that we dredged up for se- 
veral successive days, not a particle belonged to S. vulgare ; and I am much 
inclined to suspect that most, if not all, of the stories related by voyagers as 
of that species, belong to S. baeciferum, a plant which has never been found 
in any other situation than floating about in the deep sea; whereas S. vul- 
gare (the Fucus natans of Turner) is well known in many tropical countries 
to grow on the rocks, within the reach of the tide, like others of the genus. 
It is therefore much to be regretted that the name of natans was not re- 
tained for S. bacciferum, to which it is chiefly, if not only, applicable. 
Authors who have written on this /ucus have much disputed, both respect- 
ing its origin and whether it continues to grow whilst floating about. No- 
thing at all bearing on the former question has yet been discovered ; for 
though species of Sargassum abound along the shores of tropical countries, 
none exactly corresponds with S. bacciferum. ‘That the ancestors of the 
present banks have originally migrated from some fixed station is probable, 
but further than probability we can say nothing. That it continues to 
flourish and grow in its present situation is most certain. Whoever has 
picked it up at sea, and examined it with any common attention, must have 
perceived, not only that the plants were in vigorous life, but that new fronds 
were continually pushing out from the old, the limit being most clearly de- 
fined by the colour, which in the old fronds is fuxy-brown, in the young 
shoots, pale, transparent olive. But how is it propagated? for it never pro- 
duces fructification. It appears to me that it is by breakage. The old 
frond, which is exceedingly brittle, is broken by accident, and the branches, 
continuing to live, push out young shoots from all sides. Many minute 
pieces that I examined were as vigorous as those of larger size, but they 
were certainly not seedlings, and appeared to me to be broken branches, all 
having a piece of old frond, from which the young shoots sprung. As the 
plant increases in size it takes something of a globular figure, from the 
branches issuing out in all directions as from a centre. On our own shores 
we have two species analogous to S. bacciferum in their mode of growth, 
namely, Fucus Mackayi, and the variety 8. sub-costatus of Fucus vesicu- 
losus (F. balticus, Ag.). Neither of these has ever yet been found attached, 
though they often occur in immense strata ; the one on the muddy sea-shore, 
the other in salt-marshes, in which situations, respectively, they continue to 
grow and flourish ; and itis remarkable that neither has ever yet been found 
in fructification, in which respect also they strikingly coincide with S. bacci- 
Jerum. And if it be hereafter shown that F'. Mackayi is merely F. nodosus, 
altered by growing under peculiar circumstances, may it not be inferred that 
S. bacciferum—which differs about as much from S. vulgare as F. Mackayi 
does from /. nodosus—is merely a pelagic variety of that variable plant ?’’ 


That Fucus Mackay? is a legitimate species, or anything more than 
a remarkable variety of F’. nodosus, we never could believe, and have 
been further strengthened in this opinion by finding near one of the 


214 Bibliographical Notices. 


localities noted for #. Mackayi, an equally anomalous state of that 
plant (at least, as we considered), when it appeared growing in 
dense round balls of various size, but generally such as could be 
spanned by the hands—the fronds were extremely narrow, vesicles 
generally, and receptacles entirely wanting. 

At p. 44 (Introduction) it is remarked, under the head of ‘ wses” of 
Algze, that—‘‘ On many of our coasts, as along the west coast of Ire- 
land, the poorer classes are almost entirely dependent for the culti- 
vation of their potatoes on the manure afforded by their rocky shores 
and frequent gales of wind.’ Of this we had a notable example 
when at the town of Galway some years ago. Turf-boats were dis- 
charging their cargoes of sea-weed (Laminariee) at the quay ; and on 
inquiring whence it was brought, we learned, from Slyne Head, a 
place distant between fifty and sixty miles, and that some of the pur- 
chasers were, for the purpose of manure, about to convey it inland 
thirty miles ! 

At p. 36 the author observes, with reference to a passage extracted 
from the ‘Algz Britannicz’—‘‘ Several of these [species], it is worthy 
of remarking, which are in England confined to the coasts of Devon 
and Cornwall, are found in Ireland along the shores of Clare and 
Galway, where the Land Flora, it will be remembered, contains se- 
veral species otherwise peculiar to the South of Europe.” There is, 
however, this important difference to be noted ; that, while the Land 
Flora of the west of Ireland produces a few of the south European 
species which are not found elsewhere in the British Islands, and are 
their most northern stations, the Marine Flora has not presented us 
with any one of the southern piants which are not found upon other 
parts of the British shores. Mr. Harvey is silent upon one point which 
we could have wished he had adverted to, namely, the causes of the 
comparatively gigantic size that species attain in particular localities. 
At p. 41 it is remarked that—‘ The Delesserie appear in greatest 
perfection about 52° and 53°, those from the north of Ireland being 
much larger than individuals of the same species from the southern 
coasts of England.” And again—‘‘ The Nitophylla are also chiefly 
northern, six being found in the Atlantic basin, and in greatest per- 
fection on the north coast of Ireland.’’ Now we cannot believe (and 
perhaps the author does not intend that we should) that the mere 
difference in latitude between the south of England and north of 
Ireland, or more strictly speaking, the county of Antrim, can so 
affect the size of these plants. We are instead rather disposed to 
attribute the magnitude which they attain in the latter locality, at 
least in part, to the limestone or chalk on which they grow, corrobo- 
rative of which it may be mentioned, that on the different geological 
formation of the neighbouring coast of Down, the same species do 
not exceed one-third of the size. We have remarked too, though in 
a less degree, a difference of the same kind between the northern 
and southern shores of the Isle of Wight, the chalk of the latter pro- 
ducing examples of the same species incomparably finer and larger 
than the different formation of the other portion. The influence 
of different rocks upon Algve, as affecting their distribution, growth, 


Bibliographical Notices. 215 


&c,, is a highly interesting inquiry, which has not yet met with the 
attention it deserves. It would be a pleasure to us to comment on 
many parts of Mr. Harvey’s Introduction, but we must spare our 
readers, and refer them to what will be found much more to their 
taste—the book itself. Here they will find the subject amply dis- 
cussed under the different heads—definition of Alge; their colour 
and its characteristics ; structure ; propagation ; geographical distri- 
bution ; uses ; the species resorted to for human food, for medicine, 
the fine arts, &c. 

We have evidenée of the care bestowed by the author upon the 
work, in now for the first time separating plants hitherto overlooked 
as identical, and again, bringing others together which had no claim 
to rank as distinct species. In both respects we are much gratified 
to find our own views very generally confirmed. We will look to 
some of these points. The second species of Myriotrichia we are 
pleased to see, having been long under the impression, (but without 
critical examination,) that the form now described as M. filiformis was 
distinct from M. claveformis. Nitophyllum punctatum and N. ocel- 
latum are judiciously brought together—in the same specimen we 
occasionally find both united. Rhodomenia ciliata and R. jubata run 
so into each other, that we are not satisfied of the propriety of keep- 
ing them distinct. The different seasons at which they are said to 
bear capsules—the former in winter, the latter in summer—seems a 
good reason for so considering them ; but this is not a constant cha- 
racter, as we have found typical examples of R. ciliata, with fronds 
three-fourths of an inch in breadth, producing fruit plentifully 
throughout the month of August. These were procured on the 
southern coast of the Isle of Wight, where the species grows in re- 
markable luxuriance. Rhodomenia sobolifera we can hardly consider 
otherwise than a form of R. palmata: we have gathered it in pro- 
fusion in two British localities, in one of which, both on stones, stems 
of Laminaria, &c., it takes the place of the ordinary R. palmata, 
which is nowhere to be found. Ceramium Agardhianum, or rather 
C. Deslongchampii (see note to p. 100), now for the first time noticed 
in a British work, has always seemed to us so different from C. dia- 
phanum, particularly that of ‘ English Botany,’ that we kept them se- 
parated in our herbarium. Mr. Harvey believes them however not 
to be specifically distinct. 

Need we dwell on the unparalleled advantages our ‘‘ island home” 
presents for this attractive study, or observe, that whilst many of our 
flowering plants are unfortunately, when dried, but ‘“‘ mummies,” as 
has been well observed, of their former selves, and generally in beauty 
yield to those of warmer climes, most of our Algz retain in the 
Hortus Siccus their pristine loveliness, and in delicacy of form and 
splendour of colouring rival those of any country on the globe ? Torn 
from their places of growth, and scattered abroad by the waves, they 
inspire 

“« A rapture on the loneliest shore.” 
But it is in their natural places of growth that they are especially to 
be admired. How beautiful to gaze upon the variety of foliage 


216 Bibliographical Notices. 


waving in the basins of the rocky coast, when rendered approachable 
by the retiring tide! and here we shall occasionally perceive the fronds 
of the Chondrus tipped with a ‘‘paly flame” of bluish phosphoric 
light. A little deeper, we may sail over beds of Cystosetra ericoides 
clothed with iridescence so as strongly to resemble a tract of heath 
with its dew-drops presenting the hues of the rainbow at early sunrise. 
Still deeper appear the woods, as they may comparatively be called, 
of the Laminurie with numerous fishes moving gracefully about, or 
quietly sheltering beneath their palm-like umbrage; whilst amid 
hosts of ‘‘ creatures of the element,” the beautiful sea-urchin conspi- 
cuously presents itself, moored to their stems or leaves. Even from 
their annihilation, from the smoke of the kelp-fire, the wild marine 
landscape occasionally derives its only image of softened beauty. 
Often on the lofty mountain’s top, when enraptured with the ma- 
jesty of nature, has the column of smoke, rising at a distance above 
the bleakest and least frequented shores, pointed out to us the pre- 
sence of man and his labours, when none else was visible. 

But it is not necessary to go to the sea for Alge. In the fresh- 
water and on the land—nay, within our houses—they are likewise 
to be found. 


‘The stream that with a thousand crystal bubbles 
Bursts from the bosom of the desert rock 
Tn secret solitude,” 


displays them on the first pebbles that it moistens ; and in all our 
waters, from the petty drain to the expansive lake, do they occur, and 
many species are of considerable size and beauty. But the most 
minute sometimes enact the greatest part, as appears in former vo- 
lumes of these ‘Annals.’ Glaslough (or Green-lake) in Ireland derives 
its name, according to Dr. Drummond, from a minute Oscillatoria 
that colours it* ; and more recently Mr. Thompson has shown that an 
Alga belonging to a different tribe, and whose full length is but one- 
fortieth of an inch, is distributed in such quantity through a lake 
near Belfast, as to impart to the whole of its waters a dull green hue 
for a portion of every year+. 

The reputation of Mr. Harvey as a botanist, and one who has 
especially studied the class of plants which forms the subject of the 
volume before us, is so high, that it would be quite supererogatory to 
dwell upon the excellent manner in which every part is executed. 
Again do we hail with sincere pleasure the appearance of this Manual, 
the first work which, containing full descriptions of every species, has 
been devoted solely to the British Algee. A work upon our Mosses— 
‘ Muscologia Britannica’—reached a second edition long since : one 
treating of our Fungi has been some years in existence ; and we hope, 
that at no very distant day, the volume at present under considera- 
tion will be followed by one illustrative of our native Lichens. 


* Annals of Nat. Hist., vol. i. p. 1. + Id., vol. v. p. 75. 


Entomological Society. 217 


PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 


March lst, 1841.—W. W. Saunders, Esq., F.L.S., President, in 
the Chair. 


Mr. Parry exhibited a variety of new Coleoptera, especially several 
fine Cetoniide, from New Holland. 

Mr. Westwood exhibited dried specimens of a Chinese larva, from 
the back of the neck of each of which a slender fungus, twice as long 
as the body of the insect, had been produced. ‘This insect, when 
thus attacked, is esteemed of great efficacy as a drug in China, where, 
from its very great rarity, it is only used by the emperor’s physicians ; 
and an extract from Du Halde’s History of China was read, in which 
its virtues are elaborately detailed, being especially serviceable in cases 
of bodily debility, particularly when a smail portion of it is boiled in the 
body of aduck. The Chinese philosophers consider it as a herb during 
the summer season, but as soon as winter appears it changes into a 
worm. It is named Hia Tsao Tong Tchong in Du Halde’s Gen. Hist. 
of China done into English, 8vo, 1736, 4 vols., vol. iv. p. 41-42; 
the first two names meaning summer-herb, and the last two winter- 
worm. In Rees’s Cyclopedia it is called Hiastaotomtchom ; but its 
proper name (according to Mr. Reeves, who had forwarded a number 
of specimens to the Linnean Society from Canton) is Hea Tsaon 
Taong Chung. It is brought to Canton tied up in small bundles, 
each containing about a dozen individuals, and where it is better 
known under the name of Ting Ching Hea'T’sam, which seems but a 
transposition of the former name. The parasitic plant (which is 
analogous to that which infests the larve sent from New Zealand, 
of which notices have been brought before the Society on former 
occasions) is the Clavaria Entomorhiza. 

Mr. Westwood also exhibited two remarkable moths from Assam, 
collected by Mr. Griffith, and forming part of Mr. R. H. Solly’s 
collection, which had all the appearance of black species of the genus 
Papilio with red spots (Kpicopeia Polydora and Philenora, W., in 
Arcana Entomol., No. 2, pl. 5.). 

A letter was read from Dr. Cantor, addressed to the Rev. F. W. 
Hope, from Sincapore, dated May 21, 1840, giving an account of his 
proceedings and travels. 

A communication was read from the Rey. F. W. Hope, relative to 
the formation of committees for undertaking the investigation of the 
entomology of various regions of the globe ; but as he was not pre- 
sent, the consideration thereof was deferred until his return to En- 
gland. 

A letter was read, announcing that the next meeting of the Italian 
naturalists would be held at Florence. 

The completion of Mr. Westwood’s memoir on the Linnzan Sta- 
phylinide was read. 

A memoir was also read, containing descriptions of the species of 
the Curculionideous genus Pacuyruyncuus, Sch., collected by H. 


218 Entomological Society. 


Cuming, Esq., in the Philippine Islands. By G. R. Waterhouse, 
Esq., V.P.E.S. 


Sp. 1. Pachyrhynchus venustus, W. Niger, levis ; capite maculd 
unicd inter oculos, thorace maculis duabus supra, maculdque und 
ad utrumque marginem, elytris viginti-duobus ovatis ornatis ; his 
a squamis auratis, vel aureo-cupreis, effectis. 

Var. (2. differt elytris maculis octodecim ornatis. 

Var. y. differt elytris maculis sexdecim ornatis. Long. corp. lin. 

104 ;— 73. 

Sp. 2. Pachyrhynchus gemmatus, W. Niger vel cupreus, levis ; 
capite supra maculis duabus, thorace supra tribus, infra duabus, et 
elytris sexdecim (duabus apud sutwram) ornatis ; his maculis a 
congerie squamarum metallice splendentium effectis ; squamis cen- 
tralibus nitidé viridibus, circumgyrantibus aureo-rubris, et indée_ 
ocellos efficientibus. 

Var. f. differt elytris maculis viginti-duobus ornatis. 


Sp. 8. Pachyrhynchus perpulcher, W. Niger, levis; thorace 
maculis (subocellatis) supra quatuor, subtis duabus, elytris octo- 
decim ornatis ; his a squamis metallice viridibus et cupreis effectis. 


Sp. 4. Pachyrhynchus Cumingii, W. Splendidé cupreus ; elytris 
levitér punctato-striatis ; rostro notd transversd basali, capite 
maculis oblongis tribus, harum und interoculari, und utringue 
suboculari ; thorace lineis marginalibus, et supra lineis tribus, et 
und transversd interruptd, notato ; elytris lined marginali, l- 
neisque duabus longitudinalibus dorsalibus, necnon lined transversd 
per medium excurrente, atque lineis duabus abbreviatis et ad an- 
gulos basales et ad subapicales ; his lineis maculisque pallide 
cyaneo-viridibus. Long. corp. lin. 62. 


Sp. 5. Pachyrhynchus speciosus, W. Splendidé cupreus, vel niger ; 
elytris punctato-striatis ; capite lineis tribus longitudinalibus no- 
tatis ; thorace annulis tribus elongato-ovatis ; elytro utroque fasciis 
duabus transversis humeralibus ad marginem elytrorum externum 
confluentibus et prope suturam ; duabus centralibus et ad sutu- 
ram et ad marginem externum ductis necnon confluentibus ; et lined 
aream semilunarem circumdante apicali, ornato. — 


Sp. 6. Pachyrhynchus decussatus, W. fer, lined transversd 
apud thoracis medium et pone hanc lineis tribus longitudinalibus, 
necnon margine externo aureo-viridibus ; elytris, lined centrali 
transversd, lineis quatuor ad basin longitudinalibus, et pone trans- 
versam, lineis duabus longitudinalibus, his lineam parvulam incur- 
vam lateralem emittentibus ; lineis omnibus sic et marginibus elytro- 
rum splendidé aureo-viridibus. Long. corp. lin. 73. 


Sp. 7. Pachyrhynchus phaleratus, W. After, lined transversd apud 
thoracem medium, ad utrumque latus in duos ramulos divisd spa- 
tium inequale circumdantes ; pone transversam, lined centrali lon- 
gitudinali ; elytris lined medid transversd, lineis duabus ad basin 
longitudinalibus, et pone transversam tribus longitudinalibus ; his 


Entomological Society. 219 


sic et marginibus externis et basalibus, aureo-viridibus. Long. 
corp. lin. 73. 

Sp. 8. Pachyrhynchus Scheenherri, W. Splendidé cupreus ; capite 
maculis tribus, earum und interoculari, und utringue suboculari ; 
thorace nitido, dorso binotato, ad latera lineis duabus ; elytris octo- 
decim punctis, (duobus apud suturam) ornatis ; his notis, lineis 
maculisque pallide viridibus. Long. corp. lin. 54. 

Sp. 9. Pachyrhynchus Erichsoni, W. Aneus ; capite maculis 
tribus, earum und interoculari, und utringue suboculari; thoracis 
dorso binotato, lateribus bimaculatis ; elytris maculis sexdecim 
ornatis ; maculis omnibus colore flavo. Long. corp. lin. 6. 


Sp. 10. Pachyrhynchus Eschscholtzii, W. Afer, nitore violaceo ; 
thorace maculis duabus ; elytris maculis quatuor rotundatis ad 
basin ; sex ad medium, sex prope apicem, duabusque ad apicem, 
albescentibus. 


Sp. 11. Pachyrhynchus striatus, W. Alter; elytris profunde 
punctato-striatis ; capite maculd inter oculos ; thorace supra tri- 
maculato ; elytris duodecim maculatis ; maculis aureis ; illis ely- 
trorum ad basin quatuor, et ad apicem quatuor elongatis, ad me- 
dium quatuor, scilicet duabus externis rotundatis, et duabus dorsa- 
libus transversis. Long. corp. lin. 6. 


Sp. 12. Pachyrhynchus roseomaculatus, W. Niger; elytris dis- 
tincté punctato-striatis ; capite maculd inter oculos ; thorace supra 
trimaculato ; elytris undecim maculatis ; his maculis roseis ; ple- 
risque oblongis; maculd und suturali obcordatd. Long. corp. 
lin. 64. 

Sp. 13. Pachyrhynchus jugifer, W. Alter; capite maculd viridi 
inter oculos, et alterd utrinque sub oculos; thorace medio lined 
transversd, et pone hanc lined longitudinali a transversdé usque ad 
marginem posticum thoracis excurrente, his e squamis purpureo- 
aureis effectis, quibus latera quoque thoracis obtecta sunt ; elytris 
squamis purpureo-aureis indutis, ared majusculd rotundatd prope 
scutellum, et fascid transversd in medio elytrorum, ad latera et ad 
suturam dilatatd, necnon lined per suturam a fascid transversd 
ad notam apicalem currente, his notis denudatis. 


Sp. 14. Pachyrhynchus reticulatus, W. Niger; capite lineis tri- 
bus longitudinalibus notatis ; thorace elytrisque lineis splendide 
viridibus vel cupreis areas polygonas circumdantibus reticulate 
ornatis. 

Sp. 15. Pachyrhynchus multipunctatus, W. <Ater ; capite maculis 
tribus, earum und interoculari, und utrinque suboculari ; thorace 
nitido, dorso binotato, ad latera lineis duabus ; elytris punctis plu- 
rimis ornatis; his lineis punctisque viridibus. 

Sp. 16. Pachyrhynchus inornatus, W. Alter; elytris leviter punc- 
tato-striatis. 


Sp. 17. Pachyrhynchus moniliferus, Esch. 
Sp. 18. Pachyrhynchus chlorolineatus, W. <Aler; thorace medio 


220 Entomological Society. 


lined transversd, et pone hanc lined longitudinali ; elytris lined 
transversd centrali, lineis duabus longitudinalibus, et lined margi- 
nali, his viridibus, nonnunquam splendidé aureis, vel cupreo-viri- 
dibus. 

Sp. 19. Pachyrhynchus orbifer, W. Niger; thorace medio lined 


transversd, et pone hanc lined longitudinali a transversd usque ad 
marginem posticum thoracis excurrente, his e squamis ceruleo- 
viridibus effectis ; elytris squamis ceruleo-viridibus indutis, areis 
rotundatis denudatis. 

This species I suspect, as well as that described under the name 
P. chlorolineatus, is but a local variety of P. moniliferus. In speci- 
mens from some localities, the scales forming the markings are of a 
beautiful golden green colour. I have before me individuals in which 
the scales on the elytra arrange themselves into bands—one at the 
base of the elytra, one in the middle, and one near the apex; the 
first and last of these bands are curved. Such specimens make an 
approach to the P. moniliferus, but differ in the bands being much 
broader. Again, there are specimens connecting this intermediate 
variety more closely on the one hand with the P. orbifer (where the 
elytra are covered with scales with the exception of three circular 
areas arranged in a transverse line near the base of the elytra, three 
a little behind the middle, and one near the apex), and on the other 
with the monitiferus. 


Sp. 20. Pachyrhynchus rugicollis, W. After; thorace distincte 
rugoso-punctato, punctis squamis viridibus ornatis ; elytris rufo- 
piceis, vel piceis, leviter punctato-striatis et ad apicem quasi squa- 
mis viridibus pulverulentis. 


April 5th.—W. W. Saunders, Esq., President, in the Chair. 


The President exhibited various splendid species of moths from 
Northern India. 

Mr. Bainbridge exhibited several species of insects found in cigars, 
including a small species of Latridius and a species of Haltica, 
which Mr. Waterhouse stated to be very similar to a unique Bri- 
tish species. Some masses of excrement, apparently of a Lepido- 
pterous larva, were also found. Mr. Gutch stated that it was che- 
roots and not Havannah cigars that were attacked by these insects. 

Mr. Westwood exhibited some singular Coleopterous insects from 
the collection of Mr. Melly, including Acropis tuberculifera, Burm., 
and a new genus allied to Lyctus with remarkable antenne, &c. 

Some larve of Trogosita Caraboides were forwarded to the Society 
by Messrs. Norton, Kilburn, and Co., which were found among some 
China raw silk recently imported from Manilla, to which they had 
caused considerable injury, the silk having been eaten or gnawed in 
many places, by which the value of some bales was depreciated to 
the extent of twenty-five per cent. 

An extract was read from a letter addressed to Mr. Westwood by 
Mr. James Duncan, relative to a silk coccon which is attached by 
a long peduncle to the twigs of trees in India, and suggesting the 


Entomological Society. 221 


great advantages which would result, in a commercial point of view, 
from the discovery of a chemical solvent for the gum, by which the 
silk threads of the cocoons of various large species of exotic moths 
are glued together. Mr. Westwood added, that the cocoon of the 
Indian Phalena Paphia, described and figured by Roxburgh in the 
Linnean Transactions, agreed with the description given by Mr. 
Duncan. 

A memoir was read by Mr. G. R. Waterhouse, containing de- 
scriptions of various Coleopterous insects brought from the Philippine 
Islands by Mr. Cuming. 


Section LAMELLICORNEs. 
Mycreristes, Laporte, Hist. Nat. Ins, ii. p. 162. [Philistina, Macl..] 


M. Cumingii, W. Viridis nitore resplendente ; elytris pedibus et 
corpore subtis flavescente lavatis; capite § cornu erectum exhibente 
ad apicem latum et subemarginatum ; thorace convexo, antice por- 
recto in cornu validum ad apicem bifidum supra caput pendens ; 
tibiis $scopuld pilorum subtis instructis et externe haud denticu- 
latis*. Long. corp. ¢ lin. 124, ? lin. 94. 

Mr. Waterhouse considers this insect as allied to the genus Ma- 
cronota (and not to Goliathus), approaching nearest to M. Rhinophyl- 
lus, and that it forms the type of a distinct subgenus (especially 
from the difference in the structure of the feet), for which the name 
of Phedimus is proposed. 


Lomaptera cupripes, W. Viridis, elytrorum marginibus pedibusque 
cupreis, Long. corp. lin. 14-15. 
“This approaches very nearly L. valida, G. and P., but the club 
of the antenne is black and not yellow, as in that species.” 


Lomaptera nigro-zenea, W. Nigro-enea, corpore subtis, antennis 
pedibusque nigris. Long. corp. i unc. 
“ Like L. cupripes in form, but of a smaller size and eneous black 
colour.” 
Macronota Philippinensis, W. Nigra; antennis, palpis, tibiis tarsis- 
que piceo-rubris ; capite lineis duabus, thorace lineis tribus, scu- 
tello elytrorumque maculis 5 lineisque duabus auratis. 


Macronota nigro-cerulea, W. Nigra nitida, indistincte ceruleo- 
tincta. Long. corp. 1 unc. 1 lin., lat. 6 lin. 
‘“‘ This species is remarkable for its uniform bluish black colour, and 
is rather larger than M. Diardi, G. and P.”’ 


Section Loneicornes. 
Family Sarperpip# ? 

Douiors, W, Caput quam thorace angustius, paulo productum et 
postice cylindraceum, oculi reniformes, palpi mediocres articulis ter- 
minalibus oblongo-ovalibus et subtruncatis ; antenne 11-articulate 
breves et graciles articulo basali elongato, 2do brevi, 3tio perlongo, 
et ad apicem dilatato articulis reliquis mediocribus. Thorax sub- 


* Figures of both sexes of this fine insect, with details, have been published 
by Mr. Westwood in the ‘Arcana Entomologica,’ pl. 1. 


222 Zoological Sociely. 


globosus posticé constrictus. Elytra perbrevia valde conveva, 
humeris prominulis. Pedes paulo grandes femoribus in medio 
crassescentibus, tibiis latis compressis ; tarsis brevibus latis. 


Doliops curculionoides, W.* Obscure viridi-eneus, indistincté ce- 
rulescens, capite lined albd longitudinali ; elytris 14 guttis flaves- 
centi-albis adspersis corporeque subtis eodem colore maculato. 
Long. corp. lin. 54. 

The resemblance which this insect bears in size, form and colour- 
ing to a species of Pachyrhynchus (one of the Curculionide), which 
Mr. Cuming found in the same locality, is remarkable. From the short 
ovate form of the body it seems at first sight allied to Dorcadion, but 
in the form of the head, slender antennz and feet, it appears to ap- 
proach certain Saperde, and especially to Colobothea. 

Mr. Cuming, who was present, stated that the ladies-in Manilla 
keep specimens of the splendid Agestrata luzonica in cages, feeding 
them upon sugar-cane. 


ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
Jan. 26, 1841.—W. Yarrell, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 


Prof. Owen read his description of a new genus and species of 
sponge, which he proposes to name Huplectella Aspergillum. 

«“Mr.Cuming has entrusted to me for description,” says the author, 
‘one of the most singular and beautiful, as well as the rarest of the ma- 
rine productions with which his researches in the Philippine Islands 
have enabled him toenrich the zoological collections of his native coun- 
try. This production is, however, a member of the very lowest class of 
the animal kingdom, if even it be permitted to rank in that division 
of organized nature. After repeated examination and much reflec- 
tion, I can arrive at no other conclusion than that the object about 
to be described is the skeleton or framework of a species of sponge 
belonging to that division of the class called Horny, in opposition to 
the calcareous and siliceous groups, and to the Alcyonoid family. It is 
a hollow, cylindrical, slightly conical, and gently curved case or tube, 
resembling a delicate cornucopia, with the apex removed. It 
measures eight inches in length, two inches across the base, and one 
inch and a quarter across the apex, which is truncated. ‘The base 
or wider aperture of the tube is sub-elliptical, and is closed by a cap 
of coarse and somewhat irregular network, gently convex externally, 
the circumference of which is divided from the walls of the cylinder 
by a thin projecting plate, standing out like a ruff or frill. This 
marginal plate varies in breadth from one to three lines. The pa- 
rietes of the circular cone consist also of a network of coarse fibres, 
but these exhibit the greatest regularity of disposition, and intersect 
each other at definite and nearly equal distances throughout the 
course of the cone. They consist of longitudinal, transverse, and 
oblique fibres, the latter being of two kinds, winding spirally round 


* A figure of this remarkable insect has been published by Mr. Westwood 
in the ‘ Arcana Entomologica,’ pl. 15, fig. 1. 


Zoological Society. 223 


the cylinder, but in opposite directions. The strongest fibres are 
the longitudinal and transverse ones, which are arranged at intervals 
of about a line and a half, and mark out regular square spaces 
of the same diameter: these spaces are kept of pretty equal size 
throughout the cone, from the circumstance of the longitudinal fibres 
diminishing in number as the cone decreases in size; the mode of 
diminution is not, however, by abrupt termination, but by the gra- 
dual convergence and final interblending of two contiguous longitu- 
dinal fibres, and the regularity of the interspaces is therefore disturbed 
at the intervals of such converging fibres. ‘The fibre resulting from 
this union of two fibres bears a proportionate thickness to the addi- 
tional material entering into its composition. The nature of such 
material is demonstrated at the apex of the cone by the resolution 
of the longitudinal fibres into their component filaments, each of 
them dividing at about two-thirds of an inch from their extremity 
into a fasciculus or pencil of extremely delicate, stiff, glistening, 
elastic threads, resembling the finest hairs of spun glass. The trans- 
verse fibres, in like manner, are resolved at the truncated apex of 
the cone into their component filaments, which intersect those pro- 
ceeding from the longitudinal fibres, as well as similar pencils from 
the oblique filaments, the whole forming an irregular silky tuft, which 
almost closes the apical aperture of the cone. 

“The longitudinal fibres are external to the transverse ones, to 
which they are connected by both the spiral fibres, and by smaller and 
less regular intersecting fibres at the angles of the squares ; the area of 
each square is thus reduced more or less to a circular form: at about 
one or two inches from the apex, these connecting reticulate fibres 
begin to rise in the form of narrow ridges from the general surface 
of the network, and sooner on the convex than on the concave side 
of the bent cone. These ridges at first are short and interrupted ; 
they are then more extended, but irregular in their course, some 
being transverse, others undulated or curved ; but as they approach 
the base of the cone they are continued into broader ridges, which 
follow, with more or less regularity, the course of the oblique spiral 
fibres ; the broadest of these ridges would measure two lines and a 
half. Their structure presents an extremely fine and irregular net- 
work, disposed, for the most part, in two plates, which converge as 
they recede from the general wall of the cone, and terminate in a 
sharp and well-defined edge. ‘The component fibres of these reticu- 
lations, like those of the main network, are resolved into the fine 
silky filaments above mentioned. The fibres of the coarse irregular 
network which closes the basal aperture of the cone, and which con- 
stitutes the main characteristic of this Aleyonoid sponge, appear to 
be directly continued from, and, as it were, to include all those which 
enter into the composition of the longitudinal, transverse and ob- 
lique fibres of the wall of the cone; the frill-like ridge above de- 
scribed defining the line of transition from the one to the other. 
The inner surface of the reticulate parietes of the cone is even; not 
interrupted by any ridges or processes like those on the outer sur- 
face. The number of the longitudinal filaments at the base of the 


224 Zoological Society. 


cone is 60; that at the smaller end, where they begin to resolve 
themselves into their constituent filaments, is 30. The diameter of 
the longitudinal fibres is about th of an inch; that of the trans- 
verse fibres is somewhat less. The oblique fibres, where they are 
most regular, average ;/,th of an inch; the longitudinal fibres, where 
they begin to resolve themselves into their component filaments, ex- 
pand in the direction of a line passing to the centre of the cone, and 
not in the direction of the plane of its circumference ; maintaining, in 
the latter respect, nearly the same breadth to their entire unraveling ; 
whilst in the other dimension they equal one line in breadth before 
they are wholly decomposed. Small portions of a finely reticulate 
plate were loosely attached to some parts of the internal surface. 
The fibres of these pieces consisted of minute filaments, irregular in 
their course, branching, anastomosing, and sending off abrupt pro- 
cesses like thorns. The component filaments of the parietal fibres 
are of two kinds; the one simple, cylindrical, and smooth ; the others 
barbed at pretty regular distances through their whole course, like 
the hair of certain caterpillars. I have also observed a long filament, 
simple at one extremity, and becoming barbed at the other. They 
consist of material like the dried gluten of marine plants, containing 
a small proportion of azote, and burning away to a charry residuum. 

«If the basal aperture of the cone were open, the resemblance to 
many of the beautiful reticulate Aleyonoid sponges would be very 
close: its closure by the reticulate convex cap, in the present in- 
stance, establishes the generic distinction; and in the exquisite 
beauty and regularity of the texture of the walls of the cone the 
species surpasses any of the allied productions that I have, as yet, 
seen, or found described.” 


A letter from G. T. Vigne, Esq. was read. In this letter, at the 
request of the Society’s Curator, Mr. Vigne furnishes the following 
list of Birds constituting part of a collection this gentleman had formed 
during his travels in Thibet, Cashmere, &c. 

Aquila Bonelli, Gould. Cashmere and Lower Himalaya. 

Buteo ? Cashmere. 

Accipiter fringillarius, Ray. Cashmere. 

Falco biarmicus ? Temm. | Common in the plains under the Alpine 

Chicquera? Lath. Panjab. 

Athene Cuculoides, Gould. In the Alpine Panjab. 

Caprimulgus Asiaticus, Lath. Plain of Attok. 

Merops Apiaster, Linn. Cashmere and Persia. 

Alcedo Bengalensis, Gmel. Cashmere. 

Smyrnensis. Alpine Panjab. 

Phenicornis brevirostris, Vig. 1b. 

Muscipeta castanea, Temm. 6. 

Turdus atrogularis, ‘Temm. Ib. 

Oriolus galbuloides, Gould. Io? 

Ivos leucogenys (Brachypus leucogenys of Hardwick and Gray’s ‘ In- 
dian Zoology’). Cashmere. 

Note.—An allied species, differing in having red instead of yellow 

under the tail, is found in the plains of India. 


bo 
to 
Or 


Zoological Society. 


Lanthocincla variegata, Gould. Alpine Panjab. 
Petrocincla saxatilis, Vig. Ib. 
— Pandoo, Sykes. Ib. 
Enicurus maculatus, Vig. Cashmere. 
Phenicura leucocephala, Vig. Ib. 
Motacilla lugubris, Pall. Ib. 
Coccothraustes Icteroides, Vig. Alpine Panjab. 
Pastor Mahrattensis. Ib. 
Garrulus lanceolatus, Vig. 1b. 
Fregilus graculus, Cuv. Himalaya tops; Little Thibet. 
Nucifraga hemispila, Vig. Cashmere. 
Cuculus micropterus, Steph. Cashmere. 
Dendrocopus Himalayanus. Alpine Panjab. 
Picus nuchalis, Wag]. Ib. 
Chrysoptilus squamatus, Swains. Ib. 
Bucco grandis, Linn. Ib. 
Tichodroma phenicoptera, Temm. Cashmere, Alpine Panjab, and 

Little Thibet. 
Columba leuconota, Vig. Thibet mountains. 
Turtur auritus, Ray. Alpine Panjab. 
Phasianus Stacei, Vig. Chumba. 

albocristatus, Vig. Alpine Panjab. 
Pucrasia, Vig. Ib. 

Lophophorus Impeyanus, Vig. Cashmere and Himalaya. 
Tetraogallus Nigellii, Gray. Snow range, Cashmere and Little Thibet. 
Pterocles arenarius, Temm. Plains of Panjab. 
Francolinus vulgaris, Gould. Alpine Panjab and Indus. 
Perdix Chukar, Lath. Thibet. 
Coturnix Sinensis. India and Panjab. 
Ardea cinerea, Lath. Panjab. 
Ibis Falcinellus, Cuv. Little Thibet. 
Scolopax rusticola, Linn. Dodah, near Cashmere, 

Note.—A second species, nearly allied to the Scolopax major, Linn., 

is found in Cashmere. 

Totanus ? Thibet. 
Parra Sinensis, Lath. Cashmere. 
Querquedula Crecca, Steph. Ib. 
Fuligula Nyroca, Steph. Little Thibet. 


Mr. Vigne’s letter also contains the following notes, relating to a 
species of Hare from Little Thibet, which was exhibited to the Meet- 
ing, and which he had presented to the Society :-— 

“The Hares of Little Thibet, which is a barren country, are found 
almost exclusively within, or within reach of, sandy valleys, through 
which a stream flows, creating on its flat banks just verdure enough 
for them to feed upon. They lie in forms, under rocks and stones ; 
sometimes, when pursued, will take to any natural hollows beneath 
them, and are occasionally, and, in fact, frequently, sheltered by the 
thick bushes of Turtarian furze, with which the valleys of Little Thibet 
abound, more or less. They do not burrow, but scratch away a 
deep form under a stone or rock. In some respects this species re- 


Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. 


226 Zoological Society. 


sembles the Alpine Hare, but the latter has a small ear, whilst the 
present animal has a very large, broad, and open ear. I never heard 
that these Hares were gregarious, excepting from the necessity of 
seeking the same places in quest of food, and those being few and far 
between. ‘The nature of the country would prevent any migration, 
such as that of the Alpine Hares. 

‘7 never heard it utter any peculiar cry, and should think it not 
unlikely that the varieties said to exist in Tartary by Bewick, and 
to whistle sharply, like the chirping of a sparrow, must be the large 
Drun (?) or Thibetian Marmot, of which Jacquemont says he received 
a skin, and of which I and Dr. Falconer also have seen plenty. I 
had the skeleton of one, but unfortunately lost it.” 

Mr. Vigne moreover observes, that there are no Hares in Cashmere, 
though it is a country which appears to be particularly fitted for 
them ; neither are there any gray or black Francolins, though all are 
found within four or five days’ march of the Valley. 

The Hare exhibited, Mr. Waterhouse observed, was an undescribed 
species*, and he proceeded to characterize it under the name of 

Lepus Tiseranus. Lep. cinereus, pilis flavescenti-albo nigroque 
annulatis ; abdomine albo; pedibus supra sordidé albis, subtis sordideé 
flavescenti-fuscis, pilis densis indutis ; cauddé mediocri, alba, supra ni- 
gricante ; auribus longis, ad apicem nigricantibus : nuchd sordidé alba, 
indistincte fulvo-lavatd. 


une. lin 

Longitudo ab apice rostri ad caude basin.... 18 0O 
COUT Torta Wee tt. soc o ct sic teen 

CORSE DW State 8s tele bake ee 5 0 

- CUTTS YT 5 Gos tehecin inte atete etneal cca eens 4 6 
ab apice rostri ad basin auris .... 3 8 


The Thibet Hare, compared with most other species of the genus, is 
most remarkable for its pale grayish colouring, and the almost total 
absence of brown or yellow tints in its fur. On the upper parts of 
the body the fur is of a pale gray hue next the skin; the hairs are 
blackish beyond the middle, and at the point, and broadly annulated 
with white or cream colour near the point ; but interspersed with the 
ordinary fur on this part of the body are numerous hairs which 
are white at the base, though annulated like the others on the apical 
portion. The fur on the chest is also pale gray at the base, but ex- 
ternally it has a faint fulvous hue, though it might almost be de- 
scribed as dirty white, and the occiput and back of the neck are of 
the same hue. On the belly the fur is white, even next the skin. 
The legs and feet are almost white; a slight ashy tint is observable 
on the outer side of the hinder pair; they are rather densely clothed 
with fur, and that on the under side is of a yellowish-brown hue, but 
not very dark. ‘The ears are very large, and well clothed with hairs ; 
on the outer part, in front, these hairs have the same colouring as 
those on the back of the animal, but on the hinder part they are 
white, or nearly so, and the apical portion of the ear is broadly mar- 
gined with black. 

* At p. 234 we give Mr. Hodgson’s description of this animal from the 
Journal of the Asiatic Society, dated February 1841. 


Microscopical Society. 227 


The skull, compared with that of the common Hare, differs, in 
being much smaller, and proportionally narrower; the upper in- 
cisors have the groove rather more near the middle of the tooth. 
Following are the principal dimensions of the skull :— 


in. lin. 
Totallength 25... -% eet 3.4 
VA Le SET: Sates BIE a 1 7 
Width between orbits ...... LO 
Length of nasal bones ...... 1 5 
Widthent base? fet eRe. 0 8 
Length of bony palate ...... 1 22 


Mr. Gould exhibited and characterized a new species of Himan- 
topus, which he had received from New Zealand. 

Himantorus Novaz Zeranpixz. Him. fuliginoso-niger, dorso, alis 
cauddque nitore virescente tinctis. Exempla, fronte, loris, mento, 
collo antice, et ad latera, sic et pectore crissoque albis, nonnunquam 
obveniunt. 

The whole of the plumage sooty black, with the exception of the 
back, wings and tail, which are glossed with green: examples some- 
times occur with the forehead, lores, chin, front and sides of the 
neck, chest, and under tail-coverts white ; bill black; feet pink-red. 

Total length, 16 inches; bill, 3; wing, 94; tail, 34; tarsi, 34. 

This bird is interesting, not so much for its beauty, but as adding 
another species to the very limited genus Himantopus, of which, 
until lately, only one was known. Mr. Gould regretted that no other 
information accompanied the specimens than that they were killed 
at Port Nicholson. From the great difference in their colouring it 
might be supposed that they are distinct, but he inclines to believe 
that they are either the result of age or season; in all probability 
the black plumage is that of summer, 


MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY. 


At a meeting of the Microscopical Society, held October 20th, 
Richard Owen, Esq., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. The Secre- 
tary, Mr. John Quekett, read a paper by himself, “‘ On the Minute 
Structure of Bat’s Hair.”’ After alluding to the great beauty of the 
hairs of different animals, as developed by means of the microscope, 
the author described briefly the formation and mode of growth of 
hairs generally, and stated that his attention was directed to those 
of the Bat tribe, in consequence of having on more than one occa- 
sion used a knife to separate them from the skin ; and on examination 
subsequently it was seen that the curious markings on their sur- 
faces, which render these hairs so interesting, were destroyed in some 
parts, but were still present in others. By repeating the scraping 
process it was found that minute scale-like bodies were detached, 
which were not unlike in shape the scales on the wing of a butterfly, 
but were very much smaller, and presented no trace of striz on their 
surfaces ; and it was on the arrangement of the scales, and on their 


Q2 


228 Miscellaneous. 


being more prominent in some species than in others, that the beau- 
tiful appearance of Bat’s hair depended. ‘The scales might be pro- 
cured either by scraping the hair with a knife in a direction frem the 
apex towards the root, or more easily by pressing them between 
glasses previously moistened by the breath. Many of them ap- 
peared to terminate in a quill, like that observed on the butterfly’s 
scale; some few were flat, whilst others were curved, so as to fit the 
shaft of the hair, and presented a serrated edge. The scales were 
absent near the bulb, but abounded in all parts of the shaft situated 
above the skin; and when removed from many of the larger hairs, 
the fibrous nature of the shaft and its cellular interior were well dis- 
played. He spoke of the hair of an Indian Bat, of which a small 
portion had been given him by Mr. Powell, in which, without any 
preparation, the scales could be beautifully seen, both detached and 
still adherent to the shaft ; and he was led, from repeated observation, 
to consider a Bat’s hair as composed of a shaft invested with scales, 
which are developed to a greater or less degree, and vary in the mode 
of their arrangement in the different species of these animals ; and 
concluded by stating that Bats resembled quadrupeds principally in 
their mode of reproduction, and birds in their mode of progression, 
but resembled both in the structure of their hair. 

Some discussion followed the reading of the paper, in which the 
President and others took a part. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


Cyclostoma elegans, Lam., an Irish Shell.—In my catalogue of the 
Land and Freshwater Mollusca of Ireland, published in the 6th vol. 
of the ‘ Annals,’ it is considered that there are not sufficient data for 
ranking Cyclostoma elegans with our indigenous species. I have lately 
seen a number of specimens of this shell, and am now enabled to an- 
nounce it as such, although not so satisfactorily as could be wished. 
These were found by Mrs. W. J. Hancock washed up by the tide 
upon the strand at Mullaghmore, near Bundoran, on the western 
coast. Whether the Cyclostoma tenants the neighbouring sand-hills, 
or is brought from a distance by rivers to the ocean and then cast 
upon the beach where the examples here mentioned were obtained, 
is yet to be learned. Fully a hundred of them were collected in 
one day. 

In reference to a Cyclostoma which Dr. Turton stated had been 
found in the west of Ireland, I troubled Mr. Jeffreys with some 
queries, which were replied to as follows, m a letter dated Swansea, 
Aug. 30, 1841 :—‘* The specimen of Cyclostoma productum (Turton) 
which I received from Mr. Clark as forming part of the late Dr. Tur- 
ton’s collection is well figured in his ‘ Manual,’ but it does not agree 
with the figure or description of C. sulcatum of Draparnaud, to which 
Dr. Turton doubtfully referred it. I have no doubt that it is an 
exotic shell, and that Mr. Gray’s account of it (in his edition of ‘Tur- 
ton’s Manual) is correct.” —Wwm. THompson. 

Belfast, Sept. 1841. 


Miscellaneous. 229 


Entophytes.—Cryptogamous Plants developed on the internal surface 
of the air-cells of an Eider Duck (Anas mollissima) whilst alive. 
From a letter of M. E. Deslongchamps to M. V. Audouin (Comptes 
Rendus, 1841, June 14). 


The growth of Cryptogamous vegetables upon living animals has 
been placed beyond douht by the researches of MM. Audouin and 
Bassi on the disease of Silk-worms called Muscardine, and which 
those naturalists have shown to be attributable to the metamorphosis 
of the fatty tissue of the insect into the radicle or thallus of a new 
cryptogamic plant, which M. Audouin has named Botrytis bassiana. 
Some analogous facts have since then been collected*. M. Deslong- 
champs had occasion to open an Eider Duck, which having been taken 
by some fishermen in nets placed on the coast of the Channel, was 
in a certain degree tamed, and lived some months in a poultry-yard 
in company with domestic ducks. It died after having for near a 
month appeared to suffer greatly from an increasing difficulty of 
breathing. M. Deslongchamps found the air-cells lined within by 
large patches of mould. Those of the left side exhibited mould of 
long standing and in full maturity, for the sporules were fully deve- 
loped, of a deep dull green, and united in capitula supported upon 
straight filaments. In those of the right side the mould appeared 
recent, and without a green tint. They appeared under the micro- 
scope as transparent filaments, not articulated, little or not at all 
branched, forming a felting which appeared more compact the nearer 
they were to the false albuminous membrane which served to support 
them, and where their diameter was exceedingly small. A great 
quantity of minute globular or oval vesicles appeared everywhere in 
this felted mass, of the same diameter as that of the filaments, and 
which are doubtless the sporules. They were sometimes white, 
sometimes of an ashy greenish colour. In the mould-spots of the 
longest standing were some erect filaments, isolated from the felt, 
some of them supporting at their extremity a rounded agglomeration 
of greenish sporules, others terminated by a flat margined disc, which 
appeared to be the state of the filament after the fall of the sporules. 

It seems that this fact of the presence of Moulds in the air-cells 
of a bird, satisfactorily proved as it appears to be by the observations 
of M. Deslongchamps, must often occur in domestic poultry that live 
in places where these vegetable productions are abundant, and de- 
vour bodies that are covered with them, and whose respiratory or- 
gans must often be exposed to the contact of sporules suspended in 
the air. But it is very possible, as the author himself remarks, that 
the-phznomenon is less rare than it appears to be; and that if it has 
escaped observation till now, it has arisen from the circumstance that 
in general no interest is taken in investigating the cause of the death 
of domestic fowls, and that it will probably be by chance if a similar 
case to that discovered by M. Deslongchamps should be met with. 


The above is the abstract given in the ‘ Bibliothéque Universelle’ 
of M. Deslongchamps’s letter in the ‘ Comptes Rendus,’ a transla- 


* See the notice of fungi on insects in our present Number, p. 217. 


230 Miscellaneous. 


tion of the whole of which will be found in Jameson’s Edinburgh 
New Phil. Journ. vol. xxx1. (No. 62.) p. 371. But the writers are 
mistaken in supposing that this phenomenon had hitherto escaped 
notice, as a similar fact observed in the Flamingo was communicated 
to the Zoological Society by Prof. Owen in 1832. As it appears 
that the dissection of the Eider Duck was performed almost before 
it was cold, the doubt suggested in the Editor’s note, whether the 
mucor may not have formed after death, is obviated, especially as a 
part of it was found in full maturity. 

“August 28th, 1832.—-Mr. Owen read some Notes on the Ana- 
tomy of the Flamingo, Phenicopteris ruber, Linn.: they were de- 
rived from the examination of an individual which died about three 
months since in the Society’s menagerie. 

«‘The principal diseased appearances were in the lungs, which 
were filled with tubercles and vomice. I was much struck with 
finding the inner surface of the latter cavities, and that of most of 
the smaller ramifications of the bronchial tubes, covered over with a 
green vegetable mould, or mucor. As the individual was examined 
within twenty-four hours after its death, it seemed reasonable to 
conclude this mucor had grown there during the life-time of the 
animal, Thus it would appear that internal parasites are not ex- 
clusively derived from the animal kingdom, but that there are En- 
tophyta as well as Entozoa.” 


[‘‘ The fact here stated must be regarded as a very interesting and re- 
markable one: there is no reason, @ priori, why Entophyta should not 
exist; butin the case now before us,—as a certain number of hours did inter- 
vene between the death and the examination of the Flamingo, and we have 
reason to believe that mwcor will occasionally form very rapidly on dead 
animal substances, while the vomice and bronchial tubes of the animal must 
have contained matter in a high degree susceptible of being organized 
(whether by seeds and ova or otherwise) into either mucor or animalcula,— 
it is equally probable, perhaps, that the formation ef the mucor did not take 
place until after death.—Eprr.””} 


Philosophical Magazine, Jan. 1833, New Series, vol. ii. p. 71. 


On some Mammalia, Birds and Fishes lately observed in the neigh- 
bourhood of Aberdeen.—Daubenton’s Bat, Vespertilio Daubentonit, 
Leisl., lately added to our Northern fauna by my father (Edin. 
New Philos. Journ., October Number), occurs plentifully in the Ca- 
thedral here ; a few weeks ago I found two clusters of about eighty 
individuals attached to the roof, since which time they seem to have 
retired to their winter quarters. Specimens from the locality in 
question will shortly be exhibited in the British Museum. An ap- 
parently undescribed Nycteribia was parasitical upon the bats, but 
seemed to be rare: an Acarus infested the wings, in which I have 
often found its nidus. Three species of Shrew have occurred this 
summer. Sorex remifer was taken but once ; S. tetragonurus, Herm., 
and S. rusticus, Jen., more frequently, and in about equal numbers. 
Seven specimens of the two latter were procured from the stomach of 
a Short-eared Owl, which I lately shot in this neighbourhood. It may 
here be mentioned, that the owl alluded to was infested with an 


Miscellaneous. 231 


Ornithomyia differing from all the Eproboscideous insects hitherto 
described as British. 

On the 25th of September I met with a pair of the Lesser White- 
throat, Sylvia sylviella, at Don-Mouth, and shot one; it seems to be 
a very rare bird in Scotland, though plentiful further south. On the 
same day (after an easterly gale) I found on the beach a Pomarine 
Jager, Lestris pomarinus, a young bird of the year, with the central 
tail-feathers scarcely projecting beyond the rest. The Little Tern, 
Sterna minuta, is common here, there being a breeding-place of this 
species a few miles to the north of Don-Mouth. The only other lo- 
calities in Scotland where I have observed it are Guillon Point and 
Tyne-Mouth, in East Lothian, where it occurs in small numbers. 

A Shark 74 feet long was lately taken from a bag-net at the end 
of Aberdeen Pier, and was publicly exhibited for a few days. It 
seemed to me to differ in several respects from the Porbeagle, Lamna 
cornubica, and to agree best with the Beaumaris Shark of Pennant, 
which however is by many considered as a variety of, or even iden- 
tical with, the species first named. The teeth, for example, were not 
serrated as they are in the Porbeagle*, and the snout was less elon- 
gated, being short and obtuse, Along with the shark was displayed 
an enormous Fishing Frog or Angler, Lophius piscatorius, which the 
fishermen say is not uncommon upon this coast.—Joun Maceit- 
LIVRAY. 


On the Common Hare of the Gangetic Provinces, and of the Sub-Hi- 
malaya ; with a slight notice of a strictly Himalayan species. By 
B. H. Hodgson, Esq., Resident at the Court of Nepal. 

(Lervus macrortvs et Oiostotvs, nobis.) 

It has often been remarked, that the ordinary type of the genus 
Lepus in the Gangetic provinces differs materially from that of En- 
gland, and it has been further alleged, that the Hare of the Sub-Hi- 
malayan ranges of hills is not similar to that of the plains below 
them. No one however has, I believe, heretofore been at the pains 
to verify or refute these allegations, which I therefore now propose 
to test, and to show that the former is sound, the latter unsound. I 
have specimens of the ordinary Hare of the plains and of the hills 
now before me, and after the most careful comparison, can discern 
no difference between them in size, proportions, or even in intensity 
of hue in the colours, further than as such everywhere varies with 
age, health and seasons. The type therefore of this genus in the 
mountains and in their subjacent plains (on this side the Ganges at 
least) is the same ; and of this species, which we shall call macrotus 
(from the large size of its ears), the females are, as usual, somewhat 
larger than the males, being from snout to rump 19 to 20 inches, 
with an average weight of 6 lbs. and a maximum of 81 to 9, whilst 
the males fall short by 1 inch or more of this size, and seldom sur- 
pass 5 lbs. in weight. The general structure and proportions are 
those of Lepus timidus, but the size is much less, the English hare 


* See Dr. Johnston’s description in Parnell’s ‘Fishes of the Frith of 
Forth,’ probably taken from Yarreil’s standard work, 


232 Miscellaneous. 


being ordinarily 8 Ibs. and frequently reaching 12 lbs. ; and if I may 
trust my notes, as well as the fresh specimens now on the table be~ 
fore me, the females of macrotus invariably have six teats, of which 
two are placed on the very top of the thorax, and four remotely from 
them in a parallelogram in the central part of the abdominal region. 
This is a noticeable circumstance, if the six to ten mamme of authors 
be ascribed to the genus with sufficient care, and if timidus, or the 
European type, may be thence presumed to have ever more than six. 
If so, the invariably restricted number of mamme in macrotus will 
form one feature of specific independency ; another will be deduced 
from its inferior size ; and a third from the greater length of the ears 
as compared with ¢imidus, to which, in its general proportions and 
colours, it certainly bears a close resemblance ; even in colours how- 
ever, there is at least one material and constant difference; that 
whereas the dorsal aspect of the scut or tail in ¢imidus is black, in 
macrotus it is of similar hue with the back, but paler. Nor do I 
notice in macrotus any peculiarity of structure in the hair (towards 
tips enlarged, acuminate, and recurved) such as is ascribed to that 
of timidus. The general colour of the Indian Hare is a deep cin- 
namon-red, copiously mixed with black on the body superiorly, but 
unmixed upon the limbs and front of the neck and chest, and also 
on the nape and dorsal aspect of the neck near it; pure white upon 
the head and body below, as well as upon the insides of the limbs near 
it, upon the genital region, posterior margin of the buttocks, and 
whole inferior and lateral surfaces of the tail. The front of the up- 
per lip, the margin of the mouth, a circle round the eye, and a line 
thence to the nostril are always pale, rufescent, hoary, or purer 
white, and so also the bases of the ears dorsally, and a strip thence 
continued towards the shoulders, and bounding the purely ruddy hue 
of the soft nape. The superior margin of the ears on both sides is 
black, but the general hue of the fur on the ears anteriorly is similar 
to that of the head, whilst posteriorly and interiorly the ears are nearly 
nude. The mustachios (which are not undulated) are half black and 
half white, and though the arms or cubits are usually unmixed with 
black, yet this is not always the case, the animal in very high fur 
having the cubits, like the tibiz (externally), powdered with black. 
The fur in general is very rich, full and soft, both the woolly and 
hairy portions, the former of which seldom exceeds an inch in length, 
whilst the latter varies from 14 to 1} inch. The hair has mostly 
four rings from the base, thus—bluish hoary, black, red and black. 
The wool wants the terminal black ring everywhere, and is for the 
most part white, but ruddy apically : the hair wants it on the purely 
red parts of the animal, such as the abdominal aspect of the neck 
and the limbs ; and both wool and hair are devoid of all rings, and 
wholly white upon the belly and parts adjacent, as well as upon the 
inferior surface of the head. Some hairs are wholly black or dusky 
on the back ; but in general, besides its bluish hoary base, every hair 
on that surface of the animal has two black rings divided by a red 
one, which latter is of a deep cinnamon hue, almost exactly, or if the 
reader pleases, brownish red. The buttocks posteriorly are less dashed 
with black than the middle of the back, which in fine furred animals 


Miscellaneous. 933 


is very dark; but the ordinary dorsal colouring of the hair and wool 
prevails on the buttocks, as well as on the dorsal aspect of the tail, 
both parts being like the back, though somewhat paler. Occasionally 
the wool and base of the hair are dusky rather than hoary, and the 
intensity of the red hue, as well as the quantity of black tipt hairs, de- 
pend on health, age and season, both in the hills and the plains. There 
are of course five digits on the fore extremities and four on the hind 
ones, but the thumb consists of a nail only, and the other anterior 
digits are gradated, as in our hand; whilst in the posterior extremi- 
ties the central digits are equal, and of the laterals the interior is the 
longer. ‘The mustachios are ample, extending much beyond the 
base of the ears, not harsh, nor adpressed, nor undulated as in fi- 
midus, and of many lengths. Above the eye are four to six lesser 
bristles, and two or three longer ones below it on each cheek. Eyes 
remote, and much nearer to the ears than to the snout; ears consi- 
derably (or 4th) longer than the head, so that when pulled forward 
they may be extended from 14 to 2 inches beyond the tip of the 
nose. Head compressed, and arched entirely along the vertical line. 
Scut without the hair extending only half way from the knee to- 
wards the heel of the straightened leg, and with the hair falling con- 
siderably short of the os calcis. 

The following dimensions will complete the illustration of this 
species as found in the mountains and plains :— 


Plains. Hills. 

Mas, Mas. Fem. 
SHOUL tONbASe Of SCHL. ....... 5. 1-6 1-6 1-7 
Snout to occiput straight ........ 4 4 4} 
Ditto BIEEO, Dy CURVE. c0.3 Fash, en 4 45 plus 4? 
Snout to fore angle of eye ........ Ayeless; 42ei plus, 52 
Thence to anterior base of ear .. 1 14 13 
Hare slenetn irom skill: 27.2% 2. s/s 3% 43 45. 5 
Ditto, ditto from anterior inner base 33 33 4} 
Width between eyes .........4.. 1} 14 15 
Scut only 34 33 33 
Seutand hair 1.3) 3: Seg iachoeac it 47 5 5 
Olecranon to carpus .......... os dit 312 344 
Thence to tip, long finger (not nail). 2 2 23/5 
Tibia or knee to os calcis ........ qik 4) 535 
Thence to tip long toe (not nail) .. 4), + 4} 
Girth behind shoulder .......... 94 93 103 


Weight (very thin).......... 4flbs. 5 Ibs. 


The following specific character may perhaps serve to distinguish 
our animal : 

Lepus macrotus, with black tipt ears longer than the head. Ge- 
neral colour full cinnamoneous red, shaded above with black; tail 
dorsally concolorous with the buttocks; head below and belly pure 
white; in size less than ¢imidus. Snout to rump 18 to 20 inches, 


aS 

bole 
— 
ao 
ue 


234 Miscellaneous. 


and weight 5 to 7 lbs. Head (straight) 4. Ears 5 inches. Habitat. 
Gangetic plains and Sub-Himalaya. 

Of the Tibetan species I possess only some wretched remains, 
which enable me however to indicate the species thus :— 

Lepus Oiostolus*, with fur consisting almost wholly of wool, consi- 
derably curved, and interspersed rarely with very soft hairs. Slaty 
gray-blue for the most part and internally, but externally fawn- 
tinted above, and whitish below and on the limbs: some hairs on the 
back tipt with black beneath a subrufous ring. Tail white, witha 
gray-blue strip towards the back. Apparent size of the last. Ha- 
bitat, the snowy region of the Himalaya, and perhaps also Tibet. 

Hares of the first species are exceedingly abundant in the Nepa- 
lese Tarai and British districts near it, but less so in the mountains, 
though there also they may be found in most districts wherein the 
declivities of the mountains are not very precipitous nor wholly co- 
vered with dense forests. Hares love the lower and more level tracts 
within the mountains, where grassy open spots are interspersed with 
copsewood, under which they may safely rest and breed; for in the 
mountains the hare never resorts to holes or burrows; nor, I believe, 
voluntarily in the plains, though I have heard the assertion that it 
does so. In the plains, patches of grass interspersed with cultivation 
are the favourite resorts of this species, or Jhow shrubberies fringing 
the banks of nullahs, where occasionally the animals congregate in 
numbers wholly unknown to the mountains. The Indian Hare, or 
macrotus, breeds frequently during the whole year, and produces 
usually two young ones at a birth. The young are born with the 
eyes open, and furnished with teeth. In June 1835 I took two 
from the left horn of the uterus (none in the right) of a female; and 
these young, though unborn, had the eyes open, and the fur quite 
perfect. In fact, the young follow their dam as soon as they are 
born. 


Cathmandoo, February 1841. 
Nepal, March Ist, 1841, 


The account of the Hares which I sent you was written currente 
calamo, and without my being at the trouble to look (shame on me!) 
at my own Catalogue of Mammals apud ‘ Linnean Transactions,’ 
where the Hare of the plains is named Jndicus, and that of the Hi- 
malaya Gimodius. These names might do, and changes are bad; but 
tropical appellations are objected to, and in the plains there is another 
Hare, nigricollis, wherefore the names affixed to my paper with you 
should perhaps stand; but a note at the foot of the page should 
identify them with Jndicus and Gimodius respectively of the Catalogue: 
thus, ‘“‘ These species are named respectively /ndicus and Gimodius 
in my published Catalogue. Nor perhaps was it worth while to drop 
the local appellations, though nigricollis constitute a second species 
in the plains of India.””—B. Hopeson. 

Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, vol. ix. p. 153. 


* As the Tibetan Hare had previously been described by Mr. Water- 
house, we presume that Mr. Hodgson’s name Ozostolus must give place to 
Tibetanus. See p. 226 of the present Number.—Ep. 


Miscellaneous. 235 


THE HOOPOE—UPUPA EPOPS. 

A fine specimen of the Hoopoe was shot at Longton, not far from 
Preston, on the 23rd of September last. I saw the bird in the hands 
of a bird-stuffer in Preston, therefore there can be no mistake re- 
specting its identity. I never heard of one being taken before in 
these parts*. JoHN SKAIFE. 

8 Union Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, 

Oct. 21, 1841. 


THE HOOPOE.—THE ARCTIC GULL. 

On September 25th last, a specimen of the Hoopoe (Upupa epops) 
was shot near Great Rolbright, Oxon; it had been seen in the 
vicinity three or four days, and when shot was very wild; first start- 
ing up from a wet furrow in a wheat-stubble field, and settling on a 
bare space in a turnip-field adjoining, where it would not suffer an 
approach near enough to be shot, but flew to a sainfoin ground ad- 
joining, where, at a long distance, it was brought down on the wing. 

On the 28th of the same month a young individual of Lestris pa- 
rasiticus, Arctic Gull, was shot in this neighbourhood, which I have 
preserved.—T. GoaTLey. 

Chipping Norton, Oct. 20, 1841. 


ORNITHICHNITES, OR FOOT-MARKS OF EXTINCT BIRDS. 


At the first meeting of the Association of American Geologists, 
founded in Philadelphia, on the 2nd of April 1840, (Prof. Hitchcock, 
Chairman, and Prof. Beck, Secretary,) among other proceedings, 
specimens were presented of the sandstones of Massachusetts, ex- 
hibiting the fossil foot-marks, so called+, and observations made 
in regard to them. This subject was of so much interest as to induce 
the Association to appoint a committee to visit the localities and to 
report their conclusions. These were delivered at the next meeting, 
April 7, 1841. 


Report on the Ornithichnites or Foot-marks of Extinct Birds in the 
New Red Sandstone of Massachusetts and Connecticut, observed and 
described by Prof. Hitchcock, of Amherst. 


The undersigned, forming the committee to whom the subject of 


* We have recorded two instances of its occurrence in the course of 1840: 
—in May, near Swansea, vol. vi. p. 236; and in September, near Halifax, 
ib. p. 159.—Eb. 

+ On the subject of these fossil foot-marks see Prof. Hitchcock’s paper 
entitled ‘ Ornithichnology,” in Silliman’s Journal for January 1836, vol. 
xxix. art. xx., and the plates by which it is illustrated ; also for April 1837, 
vol. xxxii. p. 175. 

The account of Mr. Cunningham’s and Sir P. G. Egerton’s communica. 
tions to the Geological Society, Nov. 21, 1838, (see ‘ Philosophical Maga- 
zine ’ for Feb. 1839, p. 148,) relative to the impressions at the quarries of 
Storeton Hill, near Liverpool, had been thus noticed in Silliman’s Journal 
for July 1839, p. 394:—** We have recently received from Prof. Buckland 
fine copies of these impressions, and it is no more possible to doubt the 
genuineness of their originals, than those of the most recent impression of a 
foot made in any yielding surface of the present hour. The same is true of 
the impressions of Prof. Hitchcock, whatever doubt may have been felt by 
some persons who have never examined them.” 


236 Miscellaneous. 


the origin of the bird-tracks of Prof. Hitchcock was assigned, beg 
leave to present the following brief report : 

It may be well previously to state, that the object of the meeting 
in appointing this committee was founded solely upon the desire to 
produce, if possible, unanimity of opinion, there being a few of the 
members who dissented from the views published by Prof. Hitch- 
cock. In our country, the subject, as it undoubtedly ought, had at- 
tracted considerable attention. It had been very favourably received 
and republished in Europe, and from its great importance to Palzo- 
zoic geology, an attempt should be made to settle the question ; for 
were the views of our highly respected member correct, we were 
made acquainted with the earliest period in which biped animals ex- 
isted whose foot-marks were analogous to, if not identical with, those 
of the tread of birds. On the contrary, if wrong, we were presented 
with another class of facts, which show that certain appearances, sup- 
posed to belong solely to animal life, were held and presented by the 
vegetable kingdom likewise. 

We shall now state, in a few words, what we suppose are the ge- 
neral facts upon which Prof. Hitchcock’s views were founded, and 
then the facts of those who assumed the opposite opinion. 

The first and most obvious impression upon the mind, on looking 
at the indentations or marks, is their thin tripartite form, resembling 
the tread or foot-mark of those kinds of birds which show three toes, 
the fourth one being rudimental, and are referable to no other known 
kind of animal. The tracks or foot-marks in several localities are 
arranged in a determinate order, like those of a bird or fowl moving 
in a straight line, the toes or marks in all such cases being alternate ; 
that is, if the right foot be presented on the rock, the left would next 
follow, and thus right and left in regular succession, sometimes with 
many repetitions. In other instances the foot-marks presented no de- 
terminate direction or order, as might naturally be supposed of a bird 
or any other animal having no particular place or object in view. 

In all cases where a succession of tracks was observed, there was 
an uniform correspondence as to size, and considerable regularity as 
to distance between the tracks. Whatever deviations were observed, 
they were not greater than might be supposed to take place in ani- 
mals possessed of voluntary motion. 

On some surfaces, not unfrequently one or more different kinds of 
track were exposed, belonging, as was reasonably conjectured, to dif- 
ferent species and genera of ornithichnites. 

That the slaty material of the rock showed that the impressing 
body possessed force or weight, for frequently the thin layers or la- 
minz were bent downwards for an inch or more, and that the mud 
of which the slate was formed was of a highly adhesive or tenacious 
character. 

Tn all cases the foot-mark, or part impressed, was the fixed part 
of the rock; the part removed when the lower side was turned up- 
wards showed the cast, or what corresponded with the toes or foot. 
That no trace of any organic matter could be perceived occupying the 
cavity or mould, the cast or part in relief being in all respects like 
the material of the rock of which it formed a part. 


Miscellaneous. 237 

Finally, that the foot-marks belonged to a group of rocks which 
must be considered to have been produced by the same general causes 
which gave rise to the new red sandstone of Europe, and referable 
only to that sandstone. This sandstone presents foot-marks in many 
localities, though comparatively but a few years have elapsed since 
attention has been called to them. Some of the specimens have 
reached this country, and had they not, the information is well given 
by Dr. Buckland in his Bridgewater Treatise. The most remark- 
able of these foot-marks is that of the Chirotherium from the quarries 
of Hessberg, near Hildburghausen in Saxony, and greatly resembles 
a fleshy human hand. ‘These, in the drawing and in the specimen 
which we have seen, are alternately right and left. Other foot- 
marks have been observed by Mr. Linse in the same sandstone, 
having made out four species of animals, some of which are con- 
jectured to belong to gigantic Batrachians. Near Dumfries, the 
foot-marks of animals, probably tortoises, were obtained from the 
same sandstone, but as yet no tracks like those of New England 
have been discovered. 

The facts, &c. which led to a different conclusion are these. First, 
that the forms assumed by fucoidal plants were numerous and imi- 
tative, some resembling the tail of a rooster, the cauda galli; another, 
which was like a large claw or paw, and which may have been a dusus 
nature ; and the two specimens on the table of the Association, which 
present in relief a distinct tripartite form. As these all appertain to 
rocks of great antiquity in comparison with those of New England, 
it appeared more reasonable to believe that there might be resem- 
blances as perfect, as the fossils with a tripartite character were ap- 
proximations to the forms in question. 

That no trace of organic matter could be discovered by the eye in 
the greater number of the Fucoides. In some, such as the Harlani, they 
have been seen to be made up of small pebbles, presenting no little 
difficulty, not to the manner only in which the organic matter was 
replaced, the external form being complete, but the nature of this 
material, which could make so definite an impression and preserve 
its form entire. 

There were other facts which showed resemblances, such as that 
the part in relief was the part removed when the Fucoid was at- 
tached to the sandstone at its upper part. It may also be stated, 
that the appendages to the heel of some of the New Engiand tracks 
might have been caused by a bird whose legs were feathered, but 
not a wader; and they favoured their vegetable origin, for the ap- 
pendages might readily be conceived to be either leaves or radicals, 
or both. 

From a comparative examination of the facts on both sides, your 
committee unanimously believe, that the evidence entirely favours 
the views of Prof. Hitchcock, and should regret that a difference had 
existed, if they did not feel assured it would lead to greater stability 
of opinion. To liken things to what we know, is the nature of mind; 
the error from this tendency increases with ignorance, and dimi- 
nishes as knowledge increases ; so that he that knoweth all things, as 
is self-evident, can commit no error when following this instinct of 


238 Miscellaneous. 
*» 

his being. The discoveries of Prof. Hitchcock were published at a 
period when the minds of those who embraced the negative side of 
the subject were pre-occupied with the anomalous vegetation with 
which many of the Silurian rocks of New York abound, and to which 
provisionally the name of Fucoides had been given. From this imi- 
tative character, and from finding a few specimens presenting a tri- 
partite or trifurcate form, &c. it appeared not only possible but pro- 
bable, that the impressions from Massachusetts and Connecticut 
were with greater propriety referable to fucoidal bodies, than to those 
which Prof. Hitchcock had assigned them. 

We may here remark, how essential it is that truth, or the facts 
which make manifest any truth, should first be presented to us; so 
readily is the mind impressed when not pre-occupied; and when a 
strong impression is made, be it ever so false, it is no easy matter to 
free ourselves from it. From this circumstance we can readily foresee 
the advantage which future generations will possess over those of 
the present and especially those of former times. As the progress 
of knowledge is certain, each day will lessen error and enlarge the 
domains of truth ; and should man be true to his permanent interests, 
error finally will cease to have existence. 


(Signed) Henry D. Rocers, Larpner VanuxeM, Ricwarp C. 
Tay tor, EBENEZER Emmons, T. A. Conran. 


[Notr.—We have just seen an engraving ofa large Fucoid which 
has very lately been found by Mr. Cunningham in the same Store- 
ton quarry that has afforded Labyrinthodon and Rhyncosaurus foot- 
marks, plainly showing how little resemblance an actual Fucoid bears 
to the Ornithichnites.-—Epir. | 


NATURAL HISTORY AS A BRANCH OF EDUCATION. 
To the Editors of the Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 


Dear Srrs,—It may be interesting to some of your readers to know, 
that the importance of Natural History as a branch of education* for 
the Christian ministry, has been recognised by the different Presbyte- 
rian bodies of this part of the empire. To the Reformed Presbyte- 
rian Synod (the Covenanters) belongs the honour of being the first 
to assign to this study a place in the College curriculum of its stu- 
dents. Bya letter from the Natural History Society of Belfast, the 
subject was brought before the General Assembly of the Presbyte- 
rian church in Ireland at its late annual meeting in this town; and 
their College Committee, to whom the matter was referred, passed 
a resolution strongly recommending the students under its care to 
make themselves ‘‘ extensively acquainted with Natural History in 
its several departments, not only on account of the great importance 
of the science, but of its special bearing on the sublime sphere of 
the Christian ministry.” 

The same subject was, in like manner, brought under the consi- 

* [Mr. Patterson’s Pamphlet on Natural History as a Branch of Educa- 


tion will be found reviewed in the preceding volume of the Annals, p. 498. 
—Ep. } 


Meteorological Observations. 5.239 
deration of the Association of Irish Non-subscribing Presbyterians, 
at their recent triennial meeting held in Newry ; and a Committee 
of that body was appointed to consider and suggest to the proper 
authorities any improvements in the Undergraduate course which 
may appear desirable ; and directions were given, that in the contem- 
plated improvements, the study of Natural History should not be 

fogotten. 

When the sober-minded Presbyterians of the north of Ireland are 
thus giving their deliberate testimony to the importance of the study, 
may we not hope that a time may yet come when it shall be univer- 
sally,introduced as a regular branch of education both in our schools 


and colleges ? I am, your very obedient, 
Belfast, 27th Sept. 1841. Ropert PatTTERsON. 


METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR SEPT. 1841. 


Chiswick.—Sept. 1. Very fine. 92. Slight fog: very fine: clear. 3. Very 
fine: showery: heavy rain. 4. Stormy and wet. 5. Cloudy and fine: rain: 
cold fog. 6. Dense fog: hazy: foggy at night. 7. Foggy: rain. 8. Fine. 
9. Overcast. 10,11. Foggy: very fine. 12,13. Very hot for the period of the 
season. 14, Dry haze: very fine. 15. Very fine: rain at night. 16—20. Very 
fine. 21. Hazy: very fine. 22. Rain: very fine. 23. Heavyrain. 24. Cloudy: 
rain. 25. Showery. 26. Showery : stormy with rain at night. 27. Fine: light- 
ning and very heavy rain at night. 28. Rain: boisterous. 29. Boisterous : 
clear at night. 30. Boisterous, with rain: clear and fine. 


Boston.—Sept. 1. Foggy: rain yesterday p.m. 2. Fine. 3. Rain: heavy rain 
ym. 4. Cloudy: stormy, with rain rp.m. 5. Cloudy: rainr.m. 6. Fine. 7. 
Cloudy: raine.m. 8. Cloudy. 9. Fine. 10. Cloudy: thermometer 74° three 
o'clock. 11. Cloudy. 12. Fine: thermometer 80° half-past eleven o’clock a.m. 
13. Fine: thermometer 74° three o’clock e.m. 14. Fine. 15. Cloudy. 16. Fine: 
rain a.M. 17. Fine. 18. Foggy. 19—21. Cloudy. 22, Cloudy: rain a.m. 
23. Rain a.m. 24. Cloudy: rain early a.m. 25. Fine. 26. Cloudy: rain 
early a.M.: rainp.mM. 27. Fine. 28. Stormy: rainearly a.m. 29. Stormy. 30. 
Cloudy: rain early a.m.: rain P.M. 


Applegarth Manse, Dumfries-shire-—Sept. 1. Fair till p.m., then rained. 2. 
Continued raine.m. 3. Fairand fine. 4. Fairand fine, butcloudy a.m. 5. Fair 
and fine. 6. Fair and fine: hoar-frost a.m. 7. Cloudy a.m: raine.m, 8. Wet 
a.M.: Cleared up. 9. Wet nearly all day. 10. Wet throughout. 11, Cloudy 
A.M.: wet p.m. 12. Hot sun: fiery wind: thunder. 13. Clear: fiery wind: 
thunder. 14. Showery a.m.: wet p.m.: thunder. 15. Cloudy, but fair: 
thunder. 16. One shower. 17. Fair and clear. 18, 19. Fair and fine. 20, 
21. Fair and fine, though windy. 22. Shower in the afternoon. 23. Fair and 
fine. 24,25. Showers. 26. Wet a.m.: cleared and was fine. 27. Fair but 
threatening. 28. Heavyshowers. 29. Heavy rain allday: thunder. 30. One 
or two slight showers. 

Sun shone out 26 days. Rain fell 15 days. Thunder 5 days. Frost, hoar, 2 
days. 

Wind North-north-east 1 day. North-east 1 day. East-north-east 1 day. 
East 7 days. East-south-east 4 days. South-east 4 days. South-south-east 1 
day. South 4 days. South-south-west 2 days. South-west 2 days. West- 
south-west 1 day. West-north-west 1 day. North-west 1 day. 

Calm 9 days. Moderate 9 days. Brisk 4 days. Strong breeze 8 days. 

Mean temperature of the month ............ 53°°90 
Mean temperature of Sept. 1840 ...........- 53)°30 
Mean temperature of spring-water ......... 50 °80 


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MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 
No. 51. DECEMBER 1841. 


XXIX.—WNotice of a new genus of Mammalia discovered by 
J. Stuart, Esq., in New South Wales. By W.S. Mac- 


Leay, Esq. SOLE. OCC, 
[With a Plate.] 


DuRinG a residence of two years in this colony, the expe- 
rience of each day shows me that as yet but little is known 
of the productions of New Holland. The natural history of 
the interior of this vast island may indeed be considered as 
altogether unknown ; and with respect to the coast, we can 
only be said to be in a considerable degree acquainted with 
the birds and phznogamous plants of certain of its particular 
districts. An animal lately discovered by Sir T. L. Mitchell, 
and called Cheropus ecaudatus, appears to connect the genera 
Perameles and Hypsiprymnus. Being so singular in the 
dentition and the structure of its feet, this animal may lead 
us to imagine the sort of novelties that exist inland; but it is 
also very sure that the neighbourhood of Sydney still offers 
the discovery of many new quadrupeds to the research of an 
active collector. The marsupial called by the colonists “the 
Red Shrew Mouse,” and which has been supposed by Sir 
T. L. Mitchell to be a Myrmecobius, proves now to be a 
new and minute species of Perameles ; that is, if I may be 
allowed to judge from the feet of the two stuffed specimens 
in the Colonial Museum, the only ones I have seen*, Al- 
though not giving much attention to the study of the species 
of Mammalia, I hear frequently of the occurrence of small 
Marsupials, which I suspect will prove, when described, en- 
tirely new to zoologists. One thing is certain, that many 
small Rodents remain undescribed, from their having been 
confounded with the rats and mice imported from Europe ; : 
and | think sufficient reasons will be given in the present 
notice for believing that a new insectivorous quadruped is to 
be found in the immediate vicinity of Sydney. The cause of 
the small quadrupeds having so long escaped notice appears 
to be, that they are all, whether marsupial or not, in their 
habits nocturnal; but the truth also is, that few persons here 
have leisure to look for them. Birds, however worthless for 


* The teeth are not visible in either of the specimens. 


Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. vii. 


242 Mr. W. S. MacLeay on a new Quadruped. 


the table, afford practice and amusement to the sportsman ; 
but these minute Mammalia are despised even by the native, 
who moreover, from his custom of suspending all chase of 
game after dark, is little likely ever to fall in with them. 

J. Stuart, Esq., is a surgeon in the army, who has been 
frequently employed by the Colonial Government in super- 
intending the quarantine to which vessels arriving unhealthy 
in Port Jackson are subjected. On entering between the 
heads of this noble firth, every vessel is boarded by the 
medical officers, and if found in a sickly state, instead of sail- 
ing up to Sydney, a distance of about seven miles, she is 
carried off to the right, and enters Spring Cove, where the 
passengers are landed at a Lazaretto, established on the 
north shore. Here they remain under the care of a surgeon 
for the necessary period; and Mr. Stuart, who has often un- 
certaken this painful charge, has, by means of his admirable 
skill in drawing cbjects of natural history, and his powers of 
accurate observation, been enabled to employ to the advan- 
tage of every department of science those spare hours, which 
otherwise, in the midst of contagion and disease, would have 
proved so dreary. 

From among several great novelties which I have found in 
his collection of drawings, I have selected the representation 
(natural size) here given, Pl. VII., ofa quadruped which I shall 
call Antechinus Stuartii, and of which Mr. Stuart killed one 
male specimen at Spring Cove in August 1837. As this 
specimen has been unfortunately lost, and I have never seen 
it, | am obliged to describe it from his notes, hoping that the 
attention of naturalists will be drawn to the animal, and that 
some further knowledge may soon be acquired with respect 
to the habits and structure of the species. 


Genus ANTECHINUS. 
3— 


ieee 6 5a ii 3 4—4 4, 
Dentes incisores |; canini;— ; pseudomolares =, ; molares , = 44. 


Caput elongatum, rhinario valdé producto. Aures grandes ad apicem 
angustiores obtuse. Oculi mediocres prominuli. Corpus pyri- 
forme anticé angustius. Cauda teres pilosa gracilis. Pedes 
digitis liberis plantigradi; antice pentadactyli; digitis tribus 
intermediis longioribus ; postice pentadactyli digitis secundo 
et tertio longioribus, pollice brevi, unguibus brevibus acutis. 

ANTECHINUS STUARTII. 
Antechinus fulvus abdomine artubusque subtus albescentibus, cauda 


feré corporis longitudinem zquante. 
Long. tot. usque ad apicem caude 93 unc. 


This genus appears, in its system of dentition, to approach 
Phascogale, but it differs from that and all other carnivorous 
Marsupials in the formula of the incisors ; for those carnivo- 


Mr. KE. Forbes on new Marine Animals. 243 


rous Marsupialia of which the dentition is known, have all 
more incisors in the upper than in the lower jaw. In the 
number of incisors and canines, Antechinus agrees with 
Centenes among Insectivora, and with the Urside, Canide, 
and Felide in general. From its number of teeth and general 
aspect, I conceive it will, when better known, be indubitably 
assigned to the group of Insectivora. 


XX X.—On two remarkable Marine Invertebrata inhabiting 
the Aigean Sea. By Eywarp Forses. M.W.S., For. Sec. 
208; 6c. 

[With a Plate. ] 


Tue harbour of Nousa, in the island of Paros, though of 
small extent, is extremely rich in marine animals, abounding 
in Fish of various kinds, Mollusca, Annelida, and Radiata. 
As the surveying’ ship Beacon, Capt. Graves, has made this 
bay its summer quarters, I am enabled to examine its zoology 
under very favourable circumstances ; and, through the kind 
assistance of the commander and his officers, especially Lieut. 
Freeland and Mr. Sprat, a number of rare and interesting 
animals undergo a careful examination daily. 

The depth of the bay generally is from seven to ten fathoms ; 
the bottom sand and weed, chiefly Zostera; at the entrance 
there is deeper water, from seventeen to thirty fathoms, with 
a bottom of corallines. The animais are different, according 
to the bottom and depth. The coast is generally of rock; in 
some places mica-slate, in others white marble. There are 
also a number of sandy bights, which in places where streams 
run in are crowded with Cerithia, in others are inhabited by 
sand-burrowing bivalves. Mixed with the sand are great 
numbers of minute Testacea and Foraminifera. In these 
sandy nooks live two animals, the one an Annelide, the 
other a Polype, so remarkable on account of peculiarities of 
form or habit that I have thought it might prove interesting 
to transmit this short notice of them to the Association, re- 
serving the general natural history of the bay for a connected 
view of the marine zoology of the Cyclades, which I hope to 
submit to the Association at a future meeting. 

The animals in question are, Ist. a Zoophyte of the family 
Actiniade which is free and vermiform, and which lives in a 
tube of its own constructing, a combination of characters, as 
far as I know, hitherto unnoticed among the Helianthoid Po- 
lypes; and 2nd, a tubicolar Annelide which lives in a strong 
gelatinous tube, bearing a remarkable analogy to the sac of 
certain Entozoa. 


* Read in the Section of Zoology and Botany at the Meeting of the British 
Association, Plymouth, and communicated by the Author. 


R 2 


244 Mr. E. Forbes on two remarkable Marine Invertebrata 


I notice them together, as, in each case, the peculiarity of 
the organization and habit is the result of a similar adaptation 
of form in two very distant tribes to a similar locality. 

The body of the Actinia is cylindrical, terminating poste- 
riorly in an obtuse extremity, anteriorly in a disc, in the cen- 
tre of which is a circular mouth surrounded by numerous, 
rather short, linear tentacula, which spring from its internal 
margin. Round the margin of the disc is another circle of 
tentacula, thirty-two in number, very long, tubular and sim- 
ple, resembling the tentacula of an ordinary Actinia or An- 
thea. These tentacula cannot be drawn within the mouth, 
but are highly contractile, and can be shortened to small di- 
mensions. The disc and oral tentacula are white, the mar- 
ginal tentacula are banded with yellowish brown ; the neck or 
upper part of the body is white, and the remainder to the 
extremity yellowish brown. The body can be greatly length- 
ened, so as to assume the form of a worm or Holothuria. It 
is protected by a membranous tube, which is itself strength- 
ened by an incrustation of gravel and shells in the manner of 
a Terebellum. In this tube the Actinia can move up and 
down freely ; and when kept for some time in sea-water, the 
tube being injured, it came out of it altogether, and moved 
about, twisting its body in the manner of some Annelides. 
On being supplied with sand and gravel it proceeded to con- 
struct another tube, rolling itself in the sand, and secreting 
glutinous matter for the membranous lining. It eats vora- 
ciously, and attacks other animals that come within reach of 
its tentacula. It lives buried in sand, in places a few inches 
below the sea-level. Internally its structure is similar to that 
of others of its tribe. There are eight yellowish ovaries ter- 
minating in as many long, contorted threads. 

In its habit of protecting itself by sand and gravel it resem- 
bles Actinia viduata and some other species, none of which, 
however, construct a regular tube. In its being free, and 
having no adhesive disc at its posterior termination, it re- 
minds us of J/wanthos, a genus of Actiniade which I dis- 
covered three years ago on the Scottish coast, and which I de- 
scribed and figured in the ‘ Annals of Natural History,’ vol. v. 
p.- 181. It is evident the animal I now describe fills up an 
important gap among the Polypes, and leads to analogical 
considerations of great interest to the philosophical zoologist. 


Whether the second animal I would notice, the tubicolar 
Annelide, be described, 1 do not know, but have reason to 
think it is not. It is one of the most beautiful creatures in a 
beautiful but much-neglected family. It lives in sand where 
the sea is three or four feet deep, and its position is indicated 
by funnel-shaped cavities. At times, in sailing over their ha- 


inhabiting the Aiyean Sea. 245 


bitat, the sea-bottom seems studded with dark brown sea-ur- 
chins; but, on touching these supposed sea-eggs, they in- 
stantly shrink into the sand. These are expanded tufts of 
branchiz which adorn the head of the animal. It lives in a 
tough gelatinous case of its own construction, which case is 
smooth within and without, and of considerable length and 
thickness. The inhabitant is quite free within, and moves up 
and down with facility ; but the hinder part of the case, which 
tapers into an acute tail, is solid for some way, and probably 
is so in consequence of the creature filling it up as it grows 
older and larger. The worm has a highly extensile body, 
composed of above 140 rings, blunt anteriorly and tapering 
posteriorly. The rings are of a reddish brown hue, the belts 
between paler, and there are two very narrow pale lines on 
the margins of each. They are very contractile. Each of 
them is furnished with a minute tuft of bristles on each side, 
serving as feet. There is no well-defined head, nor eyes, nor 
tentacula; but there is a broader and more prominent whitish 
band at the junction of the branchial funnel with the body 
than elsewhere. ‘The funnel consists of two fasciculi of long 
setose filaments, about twenty-eight in each bundle ; each of 
these filaments (which are all webbed together, saving near 
their extremities,) is furnished with a comb of long finer fila- 
ments on the inner margin, which project into the interior of 
the funnel, and define its shape very prettily. Up and down 
the funnel currents of water may be seen flowing with great 
rapidity. These are caused by the cilia which cover the se- 
condary filaments, and which are of considerable size. The 
secondary filaments are notched at regular intervals, and are 
very flexible, twisting about like worms when separated from 
their origin. 

In the absence of works of reference, though I believe both 
these forms to be new, generically as well as specifically, I have 
abstained from naming them at present. 

DESCRIPTION OF PLATE VIII. 
Actinia. 
fig. 1, 2, 3. Attitudes of the animal freed from the tube. 


Fig. 4, The animal in its tube. 
fig. 5, The animal leaving its membranous case. 


Annelide. 
Fig. 6. The animal within its tube. 
Fig. 7. Head and branchiz expanded, protruded from the tube in the 
sand. 
fig. 8. Animal out of the tube extending itself. 
fig. 9. Animal contracted. 
Fig. 10. Segments magnified, showing the feet. 
tig. 11. One of the pinnated branchiz. 
fig. 12. A pinna magnified, showing the cilia and the joints, 


246 Mr. W. A. Leighton on Epilobium angustifolium. 


XXXI.—On Epilobium angustifolium, Linn., and species 
which have been confounded withit. By W. A. Le1euton, 
Ksq., B.A., F.B.S.E., &c. 


Wirnout wishing to derogate in the most remote degree from 
the merit of Mr. H. O. Stephens and Mr. G. K. Thwaites as 
the discriminator and discoverer of Hypilobium macrocarpum, 
I deem it but an act of simple justice to mention, that Mr. 
George Jorden, of Bewdley, has for very many years past ob- 
served two Epilobiums growing wild in the Shropshire portion 
of the Forest of Wyre, which he has always considered as speci- 
fically distinct; one, a large-flowered plant with a short stout 
capsule, and the other with smaller flowers and a very long 
capsule, which he considers an undescribed species. From the 
acute and careful observation to which Mr. Jorden has sub- 
jected these plants in the constant opportunities he has availed 
himself of in studying their habits and structure in their na- 
tive localities, his opinion of their being distinct species is en- 
titled to very considerable weight, more especially as he has con- 
firmed it by the experience of long cultivation. He writes :— 
“'To me the specification of plants is not very clear and defi- 
nite: those plants which are distinct in their Generation ought 
to be considered Specifically distinct, which, I believe, these 
two plants ever have been and ever will remain, and likewise 
in their structure, in the greater size of the flowers and seed- 
vessel. If I rightly understand the true meaning of Variety, 
it is the differing of a plant from its parent, and such differ- 
ence not hereditary. Nature will not be shackled by rules nor 
bound by systems. I have grown these two plants between 
thirty and forty years in a highly manured soil, and regularly 
compared them with specimens growing in their native lo- 
calities, but never found any perceptible difference in their 
structure, except that last year the stamens ran into petals 
from excess of nutriment. I suspect the large-flowered plant 
is not indigenous. to this country by not producing fertile 
seeds, and its not being found but in few places except gar- 
dens ; probably it is a continental plant, the plant [E. angus- 
tifolium| of Linnzeus. The small-flowered plant [#. macrocar- 
pum] is undoubtedly indigenous, and propagates itself by seed 
abundantly. This latter plant is grown, I find, in gardens 
in the neighbourhood of London: I never find it in gardens 
here, but only the large-flowered plant [E. angustifolium], 
probably furnished from the very old locality near Bewdley, 
and considered wild by botanists.” 

In July last Mr. Jorden kindly sent me living specimens 
and roots of these two plants, from which I then drew up the 


Mr. W. A. Leighton on Epilobium angustifolium. 247 


following descriptions, which although agreeing in all essen- 
tials with Mr. Stephens’s characters, will perhaps afford a few 
additional particulars not altogether uninteresting, as evincing 
the very close approximation of the two plants in everything 
except size of the flowers and the form and size of the capsules. 
Their chief differences are marked in ¢éalics. 


#. angustifolium, Linn. 


Stem 3—4 feet or more high, roundish, glabrous, shining, simple, 
virgate, branched. Leaves alternate, on very short petioles, linear, 
acuminate, more or less rounded at the base, mucronate, shallowly 
but distinctly calloso-denticulate, with a strong central rib, from 
which smaller lateral ribs are given off in an oblique direction, 
which again unite in curves at a short distance from the margins, 
dark opake green and wrinkled with veins on the upper sur- 
face, pale glaucous green beneath, glabrous. Racemes terminal 
and axillary, simple, leafy, smooth, slightly pubescent above. 
Flowers solitary, on simple densely pubescent peduncles about 
equal to the germen, lower ones in the axils of the upper leaves 
which diminish upwards into bracteas, arcuate in flower, more 
or less erect afterwards. #lower-buds linear-oblong, obliquely 
acute. Sepals 4, linear, acute, one-third shorter than petals, spread- 
ing, pubescent externally, glabrous within, purplish-red, 5—7- 
nerved. Petals 4, spreading, orbicular, suddenly contracted into 
a short claw, emarginate, wavy or wrinkled at the margin, pale 
pinky purple withdarker veins. Filaments dilated and converging 
at the base, declined upwards, thickened immediately beneath 
the anther. Pollen triquetrous, occupying four divisions in 
length on a micrometer of ;>!55th of an inch, pale whitish green. 
Capsule scarcely an inch long, linear -oblong, subattenuate at both 
ends, slightly curved, subpatulous, distinctly tetragonous. Prstil 
filiform, dilated upwards, hairy above the base, at first as long as, 
afterwards one-third longer than, the stamens, decurved, 4-cleft ; 
segments circinato-revolute. 


E. macrocarpum, Steph. 


Stem 3—4 feet or more high, roundish, glabrous, shining, simple, 
virgate, branched above. Leaves alternate, on very short petioles, 
linear-lanceolate, acuminate, somewhat attenuate at the base, acute, 
entire, obsoletely calloso-denticulate, with a strong central rib, 
from which numerous lateral ribs are given off in a nearly hori- 
zontal and very slightly oblique direction, which are again united 
in curves at a short distance from the margins ; dark opake green 
and wrinkled with veins on the upper surface, pale glaucous 
green beneath, glabrous. Racemes terminal and axillary, simple, 
leafy, smooth, slightly pubescent above. lowers solitary, on 
simple densely pubescent peduncles shorter than the germen, 
lower ones in the axils of the leaves, which gradually diminish 
upwards into bracteas, arcuate in flower, more or less erect 


248 Mr. W. A. Leighton on Epilobium angustifolium. 


afterwards. Flower-buds obovate, somewhat attenuate at the base, 
suddenly contracted at the apex into a compressed curved point. 
Sepals 4, linear-lanceolate, attenuate into an acute point, as long 
as or slightly longer than the petals, spreading, pubescent on the 
exterior, purplish red, glabrous within, 3-nerved. Petals 4, 
spreading, subrotundo-obovate, subattenuate into a short claw, 
emarginate, wavy or wrinkled at the margin, bright and deep 
rose-colour with darker veins. Filaments dilated and conver- 
ging at the base, declined upwards, thickened immediately be- 
neath the anther. Pollen triquetrous, occupying three divisions 
in length on a micrometer of ;,,,th of an inch, pale, nearly 
white. Capsule about 24 inches long, linear, straight, erect, nearly 
parallel with the stem, tetragonous, the angles rounded and nearly 
obsolete, covered with pale dense minute pubescence. Pistil fili- 
form, swollen upwards, with a few hairs a little above the base, 
at first shorter than, afterwards as long as, or slightly longer 
than, the stamens, decurved, 4-cleft; segments at first erect, 
finally revolute. 


Some of these fresh specimens I forwarded with my de- 
scriptions to Mr. Borrer, who replies, (August 11, 1841,) “1 
have been used to the sight of a larger and a smaller E. an- 
gustifolium, the former in gardens and the latter in our Sussex 
forests, but it never came into my mind to compare them. I 
now find the latter to be your No. 1. [macrocarpum] ; the 
former I have no doubt is your No. 2. [angustifolium], but I 
am not aware that it is in any Henfield garden. In my own 
I have the wild one only lately brought in. It agrees, as do 
my dried specimens, with your No. 1. in every respect, except 
that the flower-bud has not the remarkable pinched point, or 
in a few flowers only and in a very slight degree, and the se- 
pals have traces, varying in distinctness, of a second lateral 
pair of nerves. I have a dried specimen of No. 2. from Mr. 
Dalton, labelled by him ‘ E. angustifolium, without any men- 
tion of the place it came from. Upon the whole, notwith- 
standing the very remarkable *, I cannot persuade myself 
that the plants are specifically distinct. I suspect that we 
have No. 2. [angustifolium] wild in the west of Sussex, which 
I must take the first opportunity of ascertaining.” 

It would be very desirable that the plants in the Linnzan 
Herbarium should be ascertained. The synonomy of conti- 
nental botanists will be difficult to be determined by reason 
of the form of the capsule not entering into their characters, 
at least in such writers as I have means of consulting. 


W. A. LEIGHTON. | 
Shrewebury, Nov. 1, 1841. 


* Hiatus in Mr. B.’s letter.—Ep. 


Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 249 


XX XII.— Report of the Results of Researches in Physiological 
Botany made in the year 1839. By F. J. Meyen, M.D., 
Professor of Botany in the University of Berlin*. 


[Continued from p. 137.] 


M. ScHLEIDENf, in a treatise on the spiral formations in the 
cells of plants, has collected together the results both of former 
observations and also of his own. His views respecting the 
metamorphoses of the spiral tubes are certainly for the most 
part correct: he says, “ The layers which are deposited upon 
the primary structureless cellular membrane have in every 
case, at their first appearance, a regular arrangement which 
may be made evident in different ways, and a spiral band or 
fibre as their foundation, and from this basis all the different 
forms of the walls of the so-called vessels and cells are de- 
veloped ; but the one cannot be considered as a stage of trans- 
ition to the others.” M. Schleiden then gives a view of the 
phznomena which occur during the growth and metamor- 
phoses of the cells of plants. In the first period, the simple 
membranes which form the cell increase throughout their 
whole substance by true intersusception; but whether the 
same kind of growth takes place at a later period could not be 
determined, although in some cases it cannot be denied that 
it is so. Now the deposition of new layers on the inner sur- 
face which follows is in the form of one or more spiral closely 
wound bands, and M. Schleiden thinks that from some as yet 
imperfect observations, he may conclude that originally two 
such bands at least occur, which correspond to the ascending 
and descending streams of the gummous formative substance. 

According to M. Schleiden’s views, it is from these second- 
ary deposits that all the various formations of the walls of 
cells and vessels proceed according to the influence of the 
following causes :— 

1. Either the cell has or has not reached its full extension 
when the secondary deposits commence, and upon this ap- 
pears to depend the production of the spiral vessels and of 
the porous formations. Then are mentioned the different 
cases which may occur during the formation of the spiral 
fibres, and from this is derived the production of different 
forms of simple and metamorphosed spiral tubes. Here how- 
ever many statements are put forward, which partly contra- 
dict existing observations, and which partly open a wide field 
for discussion. 


* Translated and communicated by Henry Croft, Esq. 
t Flora von 1839, pp. 321—334 and 337—344. Translated in our Journal, 
vol, vi. p. 35. 


250 Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 


2. A circumstance which need only be cursorily mentioned 
here is the form of the cells in the different intervening steps 
in combination with the actual perforation of the primary 
membranes by resorption. 

3. Another circumstance is more important. Generally 
several spiral deposits appear, and the rule is here that the 
succeeding deposits are arranged conformably with the pre- 
ceding ones; however some exceptions are known, as for in- 
stance, after the first spiral deposit has become changed by 
the extension of the cell, a new layer is deposited over the 
whole inner surface and assumes the porous form. The dif- 
ferent metamorphoses which are exhibited in such a striking 
manner by the spiral tubes in the fibro-vascular bundles of 
Monocotyledons, are explained by the author as resulting from 
a different extension of the several single elementary organs 
of these bundles. The distant banded annular vessels are said 
to be formed first, and in the form of spiral vessels; by the 
extension of the internodium the development is said to ex- 
tend towards the exterior, and therefore the outer spiral tubes 
are wound so closely because the extension of the cells longi- 
tudinally is already nearly completed when the spiral depo- 
sits take place. 

M. Schleiden comes next to the explanation of the produc- 
tion of the annular ducts, concerning which there has been so 
much written and disputed: he thinks that he has observed 
that the annular vessels are the cells in which the spiral de- 
posits are earliest formed. 

By drawings from the bud of Campelia Zannonia, Rich., M. 
Schleiden endeavours to explain the production of the annu- 
lar ducts ; they are formed out of spiral vessels: two whole 
whorls of the spiral fibre grow together and form a per- 
fect rmg, while the connecting ends of the fibre are corroded 
and at length completely absorbed by the cell; all the stages 
of transition are often visible in one and the same vessel, but 
in more advanced vessels the connecting volution is wholly dis- 
solved. ‘This is M. Schleiden’s new hypothesis ; I have read 
it through several times, but am not able to form an idea 
how rings can be produced from spiral volutions, if the free 
(eroded, or torn off, or absorbed) ends of the single whorls of 
the late spiral fibre do not join together. In the porous cells 
of the Conifere M. Schleiden thinks he has seen, in Pinus sy/- 
vestris, even in the latest zones, the cambium-cells before the 
formation of pores divided by fine black lines into narrow spi- 
ral bands, and these vanish when the pores are formed; of 
course, adds M. Schleiden, the primary wall of the cell being 
perfectly homogeneous. [] may be allowed to ask here, how 


Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 251 


M. Schleiden convinced himself of the homogeneousness of 
this membrane. I formerly made known, that in old coniferous 
wood there is often an actual splitting of the entire walls of 
the cellular membrane, always in the direction of the juncture 
of the spiral bands of which the walls are composed, and that 
these clefts, which are often very large, always pass through 
the pores. | 

' The reticular figures on the bast-cells of the Apocynee, M. 
Schleiden derives from the superposition of two very fine lay- 
ers which consist of oppositely wound spirals; and finally, he 
makes some remarks on the direction of the windings of spi- 
rals. M. Schleiden has laid down the following rule :—Of all 
spiral formations which are developed simultaneously, those 
which lie together in the direction of the radius are homodro- 
mous, those which lie together in the direction of the parallels 
to the periphery are heterodromous. As exceptions are men- 
tioned the annular and spirally fibrous cells of the Cacti; but 
as confirmatory of the first statement, the general crossing of 
the pore-clefts of neighbouring cells, which was first observed 
by me, is brought forward. 


M. Mohl* has endeavoured to disprove some of the views 
of M. Schleiden with which he does not agree, particularly 
that one, as M. Mohl says, which has extended to the present 
time, but is perfectly false, viz. that the annular vessels are 
produced from spiral vessels. He says, that even since the ap- 
pearance of Schleiden’s new theory, he still adheres to his 
former statements with regard to their origin. 

M. Mohl first gives some descriptions of the structure of 
the spiral and annular fibres in their perfect state, in order to 
make clearer some points which M. Schleiden in his observa- 
tions on the formation of the annular tubes had stated incor- 
rectly ; he describes particularly the lines and grooves which 
are often seen on the broad fibres of the Commelinee. Some- 
times these lines and grooves penetrate the whole thickness 
of the fibre, so that it is divided in some places into two or 
three fibres, and these either proceed in their course parallel 
to each other, or then join again after a longer or shorter 
course, or one of these fibres passes in a more perpendicular 
direction than the others, and joins the next whorl of the fibre. 

The direction of the winding of the spiral fibre is next 
spoken of: he had formerly shown that the spiral vessels are 
generally wound to the right, and he states that he cannot 
agree with M. Schleiden and other phytotomists who main- 


* Flora von 1839, p, 673—685, &c. ‘Translated at p. 16 of our present 
volume : see also Dr. Schleiden in reply at p. 25. 


252 Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 


tain that spiral vessels are indifferently wound either right or 
left. He finds left-wound vessels so extremely rare, that they 
may rather be regarded as exceptions to the rule. In a vas- 
cular tube in a gourd, M. Mohl saw that the different divi- 
sions of the spiral fibre which are separated from each other 
by rings were wound in opposite directions. 

M. Schleiden demonstrated his new view of the formation 
of the annular ducts principally by means of the young shoots 
of Campelia;M. Mohl found, however, the roots of Commelina 
tuberosa much better, and gives excellent figures on the sub- 
ject. All the modifications which have been observed under 
which the rings appear in the vascular tubes of this plant are 
fully described, and their connexion with the spiral fibre ex- 
plained. According to my idea, M. Schleiden had quite cor- 
rectly stated that the line of division in the broad spiral fibres 
of the Commelinee is caused by two whorls of the fibre grow- 
ing together, or in other words, that those spiral fibres con- 
sist of two fibres which lie close and parallel to each other ; 
however M. Mohl makes objections to this, but which I can- 
not quite clearly understand. 

M. Mohl found, as others have done, that the rings in the 
annular tubes are generally quite unconnected with each other, 
but that the connecting fibres of the rings (when such exist) 
do not stand in any determinate relation to the breadth 
of the annular fibres. [This is however in general the case 
only in the broad and compound spiral fibres of the Comme- 
linee.—Mey.| During the formation of the annular tubes in 
the stem of Commelina tuberosa, M. Mohl thinks that he ob- 
served distinctly that these tubes at their first appearance 
were not spirally wound, but that the fibres formed, as in the 
perfect vessels, isolated rings of different breadths, or else rays 
between which were seen some spiral fibres, so that, with ex- 
ception of the small thickness and the short distance between 
the rings, there was no difference between these young ves- 
sels and the fully developed ones. This formation could be 
still better followed, step for step, in the roots of the Comme- 
lina ; and from these observations M. Mohl draws the conclu- 
sion, that annular ducts, spiral vessels, and reticular vessels 
are three very nearly related forms which pass into each other, 
but that they cannot be regarded as temporary grades in the 
metamorphosis of the same vascular tube. 

Much has been said in the former reports concerning this 
metamorphosis of the spiral into annular fibres, and it is to be 
hoped that the discussion will soon be ended ; all that M. Mohl 
has brought forward against the new theory of Schleiden I 
myself can fully confirm, if that were necessary, both by former 


Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 253 


and also by new observations, and I have often declared that 
no one has ever seen the tearing of the spiral fibres ; but that 
the reticular spiral tubes are produced from developed annu- 
lar tubes, I think I may positively assert; Jmpatiens Balsa- 
mina, and the flower-stalk of Musa, showed me this very 
plainly. 

In the cells of the outer layer of the capsule of Hepatice, 
where rings only are almost always found, and interrupted, 
inasmuch as they do not extend over the outer wall of the 
cells, one can see that they are really original, and are not pro- 
duced by the resorption of isolated ends of the spiral fibres*. 


M. Decaisne}+ has laid before the Academy at Paris a trea- 
tise on the structure of the beetroot, on which M. Brongniart 
has given a report. M. Decaisne observed the development 
of the beet from the germination of the seed up to its perfect 
state; he saw that the beet consisted as it were of two parts 
of distinct origin ; the upper part formed out of the enlarged 
stipes, the lower out of the rootlets of the embryo. The se- 
paration of both parts may be seen in sections of the root by 
means of the pith, which is continued in the form ofa cone as 
far as the commencement of the root, but is wanting in the 
true root. Round about the pith are true spiral tubes, but 
in the true root there are only reticular tubes. 

The vascular bundles stand in regular circles, and their 
number increases toward the exterior ; outwardly they are sur- 
rounded by fine elongated cells which represent the woody 
tissue of plants. In the beet there are three different tissues : 
1. Parenchyma, which is colourless in the common beet, but 
in others is filled with a red or yellow sap. 2. The reticular 
spiral tubes. 3. Elongated cellular tissue, which is very fine 
and transparent, and accompanies the spiral tubes, but is ge- 
nerally deposited towards the exterior. 

This tissue represents, by the position it occupies as well as 
by the lacteous vessels it contains, both the ligneous tissue and 
the bast of the bark. That the parenchyma of the beet con- 
tains little or no sugar is well known; it may be distinguished 
by the taste alone, that the cellulo-vascular parts of the beet 
are sweeter than the others. M. Raspail’s hypothesis, that 
the sugar is found in the spiral tubes, is, as might be expected, 
completely disproved by M. Decaisne’s researches, and he con- 
cludes that the sugar is formed principally in the fine tissue 
which surrounds the spiral tubes. The upper part of the root 


* Vide Miiller’s Archiv, 1839, tab. xiii. fig. 47. 
+ Rapport fait 4 Académie par M. Ad. Brongniart, Janv. 14, 1839.— 
Annales des Sciences Nat., x1. p. 49. 


254 Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 


which projects out of the earth contains the smallest quan- 
tity of sugar, but often exhibits a large number of crystals, 
which are also very commonly found in the leaves of this 
plant. 


In the report published in Berlin, 1838, p. 21, we an- 
nounced M. Decaisne’s excellent work on the Lardizabalee, 
which has now appeared*. M. Decaisne speaks at large on 
the anatomical structure of the stem of the Menispermee and 
the Aristolochia, in order to show that the arrangement of the 
natural families cannot be effected by means of the structure 
of the plant. The porous tubes of the Conifere and Cycadee 
have been found in Gnetum and Tasmannia, &c.; he more- 
over shows that Prof. Lindley made a great mistake in stating 
the structures of the Menispermee and Aristolochia to be 
similar, and that the want of zones in the stems which he ex- 
amined led him to consider the Menispermee as standing in 
the middle between the Mono- and Dicotyledons. M. Decaisne 
then describes the structure of the wood of Aristolochia la- 
biosa, Ar. sypho, Ar. clematitis ; the latter is exactly similar to 
the first. He also examined Menispermum canadense and 
Cocculus laurifolius, and draws the following conclusions :— 
1. That the Menispermee are developed differently from the 
other Dicotyledons: annual zones are not present; each lig- 
neous fascicle remains simple, and the bast when once formed 
does not visibly enlarge. 2. That the single ligneous fascicle 
of the Menispermee cannot be compared with those of the 
Monocotyledons, as is done by Prof. Lindley, for they increase 
annually, and are placed regularly around the pith; moreover 
the bast takes no part in their formation. 3. Some plants, as 
for instance Cocculus laurifolius and Cissampelos Pareira, have 
a very anomalous structure; and M. Decaisne here describes 
that of the stem of Cocc. laurifolius, which is quite similar to 
that of Cissampelos which I have described in my ‘ Physiology,’ 
vol. 1. p. 374. In Cocc. laurifolius, as in the Dicotyledons, 
a layer of spiral tubes the fibre of which could be unrolled 
was found only in the first deposit of wood, and close to the 
pith. Finally, 4. M. Decaisne declares that the Aristolochia 
cannot, on account of their structure, be so strictly classed 
with the Menispermee : their ligneous fascicles divide towards 
the bark ; and the bast, which in a young state forms a circle, 
divides afterwards into two nearly equal parts, and these di- 
vide and subdivide again as the diameter of the branch in- 
creases ; but the bundles of bast always bear a relation to 


* Archives du Museum d’ Hist. Nat., i. Paris, 1839, p. 143. 


Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 255 


the number of the ligneous bundles which have been formed 
by the above-mentioned division. 


M. Schleiden has published ‘ Botanical Notices’ (Wieg- 
mann’s Archiv, i. p. 211), in which several points of anatomy 
and physiology are treated of; | must refer the reader to the 
original treatise. 


Observations on the presence of certain assimilated and secreted 
substances in Plants. 


M. Morren* has published a short memoir on the presence 
of fatty and volatile oils in the cellular tissue of different 
plants, wherein attention is directed to several new facts. 
The author first gives a view of the results of observations on 
this subject, extracted from my works, and mentions that fatty 
or fixed oils are only formed within the cells, while the zthe- 
real oils make their appearance in peculiar, more complicated 
organs, as in glands, oil-channels, &c. M. Morren says, that 
from this one might believe that the ethereal oils, on account 
of their many peculiarities, are more perfectly elaborated, and 
therefore require peculiar organs for their formation, while the 
simple fatty oils are produced in the common cells. However 
these statements are not complete, for in my ‘ Physiology,’ 
vol. 11. p. 493, it is stated expressly, “ The secretion of these 
volatile oils takes place in peculiar glands, either simple or 
compound ; but in greater quantity in the internal glands. 
In general however the volatile oil is deposited in the common 
cells of the different parts of the plant, where it appears in the 
sap more or less plainly in the form of small oily drops or even 
in large masses. ‘This is almost always the case in the petals, 
and it is very rare that the oil is secreted in internal glands.” 
M. Morren observed the presence of drops of an zthereal oil 
in the cells of the epidermis of the stamens of Sparmannia 
africana, where it was first yellow and afterwards became 
red, and it is stated, that during the formation of this oil, the 
walls of the cells became thickened. Also in the cells of the 
epidermis of the upper surface of the leaf of Ophrys ovata, M. 
Morren found an ethereal oil, but it appears that it is only 
there during the time the plant is in blossom. [In another of 
the Orchidee, namely, in Pleurothallis ruscifolia, in the cells 
of the upper epidermis of the leaves, I have observed an oil, 
which had some similarity with a fatty oil—Mey.] For ata 
later period M. Morren could not discover it, and therefore 
he says that these observations prove to a certainty that the 
ethereal oil is formed in the cells and preserved there some 


* Bulletin de l’Acad. Roy. de Bruxelles, vi. No. 6. 


256 Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 


time, until it is absorbed in order to grease the cuticle (le 
derme), so that it may not be wetted by the rain. As yet, it 
has always been believed that the bluish wax-like substance 
which is found on plums executes this office ; however he now 
begins to believe that it is the ethereal oil which is formed 
in the cells and then exudes. 

In the epidermal cells of the leaves of Colchicum autumnale, 
M. Morren also found an oil (in spring), which did not move 
in water as the oils in the two above-mentioned plants did, 
and therefore it is probably a fatty oil; M. Morren thinks that 
this also exudes through the walls of the cells to the cuticle 
and protects it from rain. In the oily seeds of Linum austri- 
acum, Papaver spectabile and Brassica campestris oleracea, it 
appeared to M. Morren that the oil was between the cells, 
and that within them there was no trace of it. Finally M. 
Morren mentions the large-stalked glands of Passiflora fetida 
as secreting an ethereal oil on the surface. This is however 
by no means uncommon, and is the case more or less with all 
such stalked compound glands, and I have described the 
same in the simple glands on the surface of Melissa offici- 
nalis. 

In a short memoir M. Morren* has described the circum- 
stances under which gum is found in the reservoirs in the 
leaf-stalk of the Cycadee ; he remarks, that when one cuts off 
the frond (wedel) of this plant so that more or less of the leaf- 
stalks remain on the stem, the gum exudes on this surface 
from the gum-passages ; and that from this it follows that the 
gum ascends from the stem into the frond, but does not, as 
physiologists have up to this time believed [? ?], descend from 
the leaves into the stem. If the stumps of the leaf-stalks are 
only two or three inches long, the gum exudes in the form of 
a long vermicular body ; M. Morren observed it two or even 
above four centimetres long ; in all experiments the gum was 
seen to proceed upwards, but not downwards. I have repeated 
several of these experiments and certainly found them to be 
correct, but I have also made some others which perhaps like- 
wise explain the phenomenon. If a strong frond be bent into 
pieces six to eight inches long, and these inverted in water, the 
exudation of gum from the openings of the reservoirs is ob- 
served; but here it passes downwards, and it seems to me that 
it may be explained by assuming an absorption of water by 
which the gum is expanded, and thus a quantity is forced out of 
the upper opening. When the gum exudes from the stumps left 
on the stem, one may suppose that a quantity of the nutritive 


* Bulletin de l’Acad. Roy. de Bruxelles, vi. No. 8. 


On the Phosphorescence of Zoophytes. 257 


sap of the stem is absorbed by the gum which thereby ex- 
pands and at length exudes from the openings ; but it appears 
to me that the facts with which we are as yet acquainted do 
not allow us to assume an actual motion of the gum in the 
containing vessels. 

M. Morren assumes that this gum is formed by the meta- 
morphosis of the amylum in the interior of the stem, and that 
it thence passes into the frond. Although this assumption 
appears to me as yet groundless, still I can myself bring for- 
ward an observation which shows that a very large quantity 
of gum is contained in the interior of the pith of the stem of 
Encephalartos Frederici Gulielmi. A cavity had been formed 
in the interior of the pith into which the amylum metamor- 
phosed into gum flowed from the neighbouring cells, and was 
collected in a considerable mass, which gradually increased 
the size of the cavity. 

M. Morren describes moreover the position of the gum-pas- 
sages in the frond of Cycas revoluta: they are found both in 
the centre and in the circumference in considerable numbers, 
and may easily be seen by means of a simple microscope in 
every transverse section of the leaf-stalk. 

In the leaves these passages are found only on either side 
of the nerve. M. Morren saw the ramification of a gum-pas- 
sage in the leaf-stalk ; in the bark of the stem it was already 
known. The former statements concerning the production 
of the gum-vessels and on the structure are also confirmed. 
Finally, M. de Coninck has examined chemically the gum from 
the leaves of Cycas revolutu, but for this purpose he could not 
obtain a perfectly pure substance: the incinerated leaves con- 
tained 4°95 per cent. of inorganic substances consisting prin- 
cipally of carbonate of lime, which was probably produced 
from the oxalate ; moreover free oxalic acid was found in the 


leaflets. 
[To be continued. ] 


XXXIII.—On the Phosphorescence of Zoophytes. By the 
Rey. Davip LanpssorouGu, of Stevenston, in Ayrshire. 


In Dr. Johnston’s ‘ History of British Zoophytes,’ he quotes, 
in his description of Sertularia pumila, the following passage 
from Stewart :—‘“ This species, and probably many other S, 1 
some particular states of the atmosphere, gives out a phos- 
phoric light in the dark. Ifa leaf ofthe above Fucus serratus 
with the Sertularia upon it, receive a smart stroke with a 
stick in the dark, the whole coralline is most beautifully illu- 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. vii. S 


258 The Rev. D. Landsborough ox 


minated, every denticle seeming to be on fire.” I have lately 
discovered that it is not only probable that many others ex- 
hibit the same phznomenon, but that it is absolutely certain 
that they do so. I had thought that in making the experi- 
ment it would be necessary to put the sea-weed to which the 
Sertularia was attached into a vessel of sea-water, but I find 
that it can be made with less trouble. 

About two months ago I brought from the shore in a 
pocket vasculum or tin box, some Zoophytes attached to sea- 
weeds, and laid the vasculum on the lobby table till I should 
have leisure to examine them. When night came I put my 
hand into the vasculum to remove some of the Zoophytes for 
inspection, and on moving them I found to my surprise.and 
delight that they began to sparkle. Remembering what I had 
read in the extract given above, as I took them up, I gave 
them a hearty shake, and they instantly became quite bril- 
liant, like handfuls of little stars or sparkling diamonds. To 
ascertain what were the Zoophytes that emitted this phos- 
phorescent light, it was necessary to take them up singly by 
candle-light, and afterwards to make the experiment in the 
dark. The first I tried was Valckeria cuscuta, with which I 
was successful. From Sertularia polyzonias and Cellularia 
reptans little light arose ; Laomedea geniculata was very lumi- 
nous, every cell for a few moments becoming a star; and as 
each polype had a will of its own, they lighted and extin- 
guished their little lamps, not simultaneously, but with rapid 
irregularity, so that this running fire had a very lively ap- 
pearance. Flustra membranacea also was very beautiful, 
though very different from the former ; for as the cells are so 
closely and regularly arranged, it exhibited, when shaken, a 
simultaneous blaze, and became for a little like a sheet of fire. 
With Flustra pilosa I was very successful. That variety of 
it which is spread on a flat surface, and which, from the form 
that the polypidom assumes, is the Memdranipora stellata 
of Thompson, on being bent or shaken, became doubly enti- 
tled to the name of stellated, for every polype in its cell 
lighted up a very brilliant little star, and for a short time the 
polypidom became like an illuminated city. 

After some days, I repeated the experiment with other 
Zoophytes, and with similar success. A third time I brought 
home a well-filled vasculum ; but as I happened to be other- 
wise occupied, it was allowed to lie unopened for five or six 
days, when, thinking that the Zoophytes would be dead, I cast 
them out along with the sea-weeds to which they were ad- 
hering. They lay in the open air for a night and a day, and 
as it rained heavily during the whole time, weeds and Zo- 


the Phosphorescence of Zoophytes. 259 


ophytes were constantly drenched. When the second night 
had set in, I thought I would try whether there were any 
symptoms of remaining life. I shook Laomedea geniculata, 
but its tiny fires were quenched. Membranipora stellata 
lighted up just one bright star; and Flustra membranacea 
shed one faint gleam of light, and refused to repeat the fire, 
however much shaken. 

About a week after, I brought home a fresh supply ; and 
on repeating the experiment, not only did the Zoophytes 
sparkle, but my fingers in handling them became brilliant, 
being adorned with little stars. 

The next time I made trial of these “ minims” was in the 
end of October, when a very frosty morning had been suc- 
ceeded by a very sunny day. On that occasion Sertularia po- 
lyzonias, Cellularia reptans, Flustra membranacea, and Mem- 
branipora steliata would emit no light. As the specimens 
had lain for hours on the shore exposed to the morning frost 
and the midday sun, it is probable that the polypes were dead. 
Laomedea geniculata was taken up quite moist and fresh, ha- 
ving been covered with sea-weeds ; and when the darkness of 
evening came, not only did they brightly sparkle when roughly 
handled, but they emitted a strong smell of phosphorus. On 
being allowed to rest, they immediately ceased to be luminous ; 
and though on being shaken or pressed with the fingers 
they shone forth again, if often repeated the light became 
fainter. 

On this occasion I made an experiment with a creature 
belonging to another department. Having found a very large 
specimen of Botryllus Schiosseri, one of the Mollusca tuni- 
cata, I subjected it to the experimentum crucis by shaking it 
roughly in the dark, and I had the satisfaction of seeing that 
it was as much disposed as the Zoophytes to resent the in- 
sult. In this case, however, it was not the sparkling wrath of 
a pigmy multitude, but the overspreading glow of one massy 
creature, which all shone, though with a lurid and sullen- 
looking fire. 

The last time I repeated the experiment was in the begin- 
ning of the present month of November. I tried Sertularia 
pumila, the Zoophyte mentioned by Mr. Stewart as phospho- 
rescent ; but though roughly shaken, it remained dark. I was 
equally unsuccessful with several others; but the tiny polypes 
had lain for hours on the shore, under a November sky, and 
the spark of life I suppose had become extinct. A specimen 
of Laomedea geniculata, which from being covered was quite 
fresh, was as brilliant as usual, and emitted as formerly its 
phosphoric odour. I tried for the first time the elegant Plu- 

S2 


260 Dr. R. Wight on the Fruit of the 


mularia cristata, and though it had been too long exposed to 
the cold air, it emitted, on being shaken, a little light. Only 
a few of the denticles sent forth their stars, and they were 
very minute, and of a darker red. 

from these experiments, may we not surmise that the 
power of emitting phosphoric light is more generally pos- 
sessed by the inhabitants of the deep than we are apt to 
imagine? We are not yet at liberty to say that it is pos- 
sessed by all marine Zoophytes; but certain it is that it is 
by many. Neither are we entitled to say that it is possessed 
by all Mollusca tunicata; but we know for certain, what I 
think was not known before, that it is the property of one of 
them; and what is possessed by one, may also belong to 
more. As little are we entitled to say that it is possessed by 
all the little Meduse which as transparent jellies abound in 
the sea; but as it is known that it is possessed by some of 
them, may they not in general be phosphorescent when agi- 
tated? And as they are at times very numerous in the sea, 
may not the beautiful phosphorescence of sea-water at certain 
seasons, when put in motion, be owing to them and to marine 
Infusories, which in numbers numberless are found in the 
deep? And is it certain that it is not possessed by some 
fishes? The first time I spent a summer night at sea was in 
the herring fishing season ; and the sailors showed me how to 
ascertain whether the herring shoals were near at hand. 
When a smart blow was given to the vessel, the percussion 
was communicated to the deep, and immediately a flash of 
light was seen at a considerable depth, and this the sailors as- 
sured me was from the shoal of herrings. If this was phos- 
phoric light emitted by these finny wanderers, then is this 
phosphore escent quality possessed by Zoophytes, Meduse, 
Mollusca tunicata, and fishes. DoE 


XXXIV.—Remarks on the Fruit of the Natural Order Cucur- 
bitacee. By Ropert Wient, M.D., F.LS., &c.* 


THE order Cucurbitacee is perhaps one of the most curious 
and inexplicable in the system of plants, and though at differ- 
ent times much studied by several eminent botanists, is still 
imperfectly understood; at least if we may judge from the 
fact, that no two writers on the distribution of plants accord- 
ing to their natural affinities seem to agree as to what families 
are its nearest allies. It is not now my intention to examine 


* From the Madras Journal of Literature and Science, No. 28, p. 43. 


Natural Order Cucurbitacez. 961 


this question, for which, indeed, I have not at present leisure, 
even supposing I possessed the requisite materials, which I 
do not; but merely to offer a few observations on the general 
character of the family and fruit, introductory to a Conspectus 
of the genera of the order, with which Dr. Arnott kindly 
favoured me, and at the same time permitted me to place on 
the pages of the [Madras] Society’s Journal, should I deem 
that desirable. Deeming the conspectus really a most desi- 
rable addition to our Indian botanical literature, I have much 
pleasure in submitting it for that purpose, in the hope that 
the Society may be of the same opinion. 

The Cucurbitacee are a tribe of plants so very unlike the 
rest of the vegetable kingdom, that I think I may safely say, 
no one having the slightest knowledge of family likeness 
among plants could ever mistake so far as to refer one of 
them to any other family. Though thus isolated from all 
around, and without a single near relation with whom they 
can be justly compared or confounded, they yet stretch their 
more remote affinities on all sides ; hence the difficulties which 
systematic writers find in decisively referring them to any one 
place, more than another, in the series of orders. Nearly all, 
however, now agree in placing them among orders having pa- 
rietal placentz, that is, among plants the ovary of which is 
one-celled. 

To any one who will take the trouble to look attentively at 
a slice of a young cucumber this must appear strange, but is 
yet not the less true. In one of the latest and best introduc- 
tions to botany in the English language, Dr. Lindley’s, a pe- 
ponida, the peculiar fruit of the order, is thus defined :— 
“ One-celled, many-seeded, inferior, indehiscent, fleshy ; the 
seeds attached to parietal pulpy placente. This fruit has its 
cavity frequently filled at maturity with pulp, in which the 
seeds are imbedded; their point of attachment is, however, 
never lost. The cavity is also occasionally divided by pro- 
jections of the placentz into spurious cells, which has given 
rise to the belief that in Pepo macrocarpus there is a central 
cell, which is not only untrue but impossible.” 

Dr. Arnott, in the article Botany, ‘ Encyclop. Brit., ed. 7, 
gives a different account of it, but still, it appears to me, far 
from a correct one, namely,—“ A pepo or peponida is a fleshy 
inferior fruit, either indehiscent or bursting irregularly, and 
consisting of about three carpels, each of which is divided into 
two cells by its placentiferous margin, being so introflexed as 
to reach the dorsal suture. The sides of the carpel, and even 
sometimes the introflexed portion, usually become extremely 
thick and fleshy, forming the great mass of the ripe fruit, so 


262 Dr. R. Wight on the Fruit of the 


that by losing the general character of dissepiments they 
might almost be said to disappear; and thus at first sight a 
pepo would be said to be, and has been so described, a one- 
celled, fleshy, indehiscent fruit, with parietal placenta, that 
send out sometimes false dissepiments towards the axis, as the 
cucumber and gourd.” 

This view, therefore, is essentially different from Dr. Lind- 
ley’s; for, according to Arnott, the placentz are virtually 
central, not parietal; the only difference between a pepo and 
an apple being, according to him, that the placentiferous 
margins of the carpellary leaf are introflexed, and extend out- 
wards nearly to the parietes of the fruit, in place of remain- 
ing in the axis. Lindley, on the other hand, views a pepo 
simply as a one-celled fruit with parietal placentz, the cavity 
being occasionally divided into spurious cells by projections 
of the placentz. Neither are altogether consonant with ap- 
pearances, though that of Arnott appears the most so; but 
both, in common with all others that have yet been promul- 
gated, are incorrect both as to theory and fact. 

While our ideas of the structure of the most essential or- 
gan of the plant, with reference to natural affinities, are thus 
vague, can it be matter of surprise that we are unable to trace 
its relations, and determine its affinities in the system of 
plants ? 

What then is a peponida? I have said above that it is 
neither a one-celled fruit with parietal placentz, nor a three- 
celled one with introflexed central placenta. But before I 
can say what it is, and point out the difference between it and 
a fruit of the usual construction, it is necessary to state what 
the usual structure is. This I shall do by means of a short 
extract from Lindley’s ‘ Key to Structural Botany.’ 

“354, A CarpEt is formed by a folded leaf, the upper sur- 
face of which is turned inwards, the lower outwards; and the 
margins of which develope one or a greater number of buds, 
which are the ovules. 

“355. When the carpels are stalked, they are said to be 
seated upon a thecaphore, or gynophore; Kx. Cleome, Passiflora. 
Their stalk is analogous to the petiole of a leaf. 

355 a. When the carpels are all distinct, or are separable 
with facility, they are apocarpous ; when they all grow into a 
solid body, which cannot be separated into its constituent 
parts, they are syncarpous. 

“©3556. The ovary is the lamina of the leaf. 

“357. The style is an elongation of the midrib (174.). 

358. The stigma is the denuded, secreting, humid apex of 
the midrib. 


Naturai Order Cucurbitacee. 263 


“ 359, Where the margins of the folded leaf, out of which 
the carpel is formed, meet and unite, a copious development 
of cellular tissue takes place, forming what is called the p/a- 
centa. 

“360. Every placenta is therefore composed of two parts, 
one of which belongs to one margin of the carpel, and one to 
the other. ; 

“ 361. As the carpels are modified leaves, they necessarily 
obey the laws of arrangement of leaves, and are therefore de- 
veloped round a common axis. ‘ 

“© 362. And as they are leaves folded inwards, their margins 
are necessarily turned towards the axis. The placenta, there- 
fore, being formed by the union of those margins, will be in- 
variably next the axis.” ; 

From this we learn, in few words, that the carpellary leaf is 
always so folded that its midrib is towards the circumference, 
or forms the dorsum of the cell or carpel, while the placent1- 
ferous margins are placed in the axis ; that the difference be- 
tween a one-celled and many-celled fruit merely consists 1n 
the placentiferous margins of the carpellary leaves of the 
former not extending inwards to the axis, but stopping in the 
circumference and bearing their ovules attached to the walls 
of the cell—hence parietal. This position of the carpellary 
leaf is so constant, that the possibility of an inversion of this 
order of things in a pepo seems never to have entered into 
the calculations of any one of the numerous botanists who 
have given their attention to the investigation of the structure 
of this curious fruit; and yet such is simply the case. Ina 
pepo the normal position of the midrib of the carpellary leaf 
is reversed, that is, is placed in the axis, and the placentife- 
rous margins towards the circumference. That such is actually 
the case requires no argument to prove; we have only to cut 
the ovary of any true cucurbitaceous plant to be made sen- 
sible, at a glance, that it is so; though I confess that in none 
have I seen it so clearly made out as in Coccinia indica, owing 
to the carpels of that species remaining distinct, merely held 
together, not as usual by cohesion between the respective car- 
pels, but by the tube of the calyx in which they are enclosed. 
Did I wish to illustrate the theory by means of a diagram, I 
could not devise one more perfect than a simple section of the 
ovary of that plant, merely extending the natural divisions, 
by dividing the calyx, so as to allow each of the carpels to be 
slightly separated in the representation, to facilitate the de- 
monstration. This, however, is I think even unnecessary, for 
with the clue to the true structure which this species fur- 
nishes, there can no longer be any difficulty in understand- 


264 Dr. R. Wight on the Fruit of the 


ing it from the examination of any genuine species of the 
order*. 

What effect this new exposition of the structure of the ova- 
rium may have on the determination of the affinities of this 
order, I am, up to the present time, quite unprepared to say; 
but of this I feel certain, that, in so far as structure is con- 
cerned, they are as far removed from all their now reputed al- 
lies, as their peculiar habit removes them from all the parietose 
families, except Passiflore, among which Bartling, Endlicher 
and Lindley have placed them. This very unusual structure, 
in short, marks them as a peculiar order, the affinities of which 
have still to be sought for. 

I am equally unprepared to say to what extent this unlooked- 
for structure may influence our views in regard to other ano- 
malous orders, especially those with solitary carpels ; since, 
having established the fact that the usual stracture may be 
inverted, it will naturally lead to new investigations, which 
may prove that the solitary carpels of Leguminose are not, as 
now supposed, necessarily the result of constant abortion of 
one of two carpella, but may be explained on some other 
theory more consonant with the almost invariably observed 
structure in that large and interesting order ; which, like Cu- 
curbitacee, stands an isolated family in the system of plants, 
through this one remarkable peculiarity,—a peculiarity so 
constant, in this tribe, that it goes far to prove the existence 
of that botanical nonentity, a terminal leaf. But, being un- 
prepared to offer any matured opinions on these points, I for- 
bear further speculation, and shall at once proceed with the 
Conspectus ; trusting however, ere long, to be able to re-enter 
more at large on the consideration of this interesting inquiry. 


The subjoined remarks I copy from the article Cucurdi- 
tacee in my forthcoming Number of the ‘ Illustrations of In- 
dian Botany.’ 

“The following explanatory extracts from the letter which 
accompanied the Conspectus may not inappropriately be in- 
troduced. 

«¢ T have lately been revising our East Indian Cucurbitacee, 
in consequence of Schrader’s paper in the ¢ Linnea,’ vol. xii. 
At first I was inclined to consider it worse than useless to sub- 
divide old genera, especially Bryonia, as he has done; but 


* After this paper was in the printer’s hands, it was suggested that some 
illustrations were desirable to render the verbal description more easily un- 
derstood. The accompanying figures representing the three different forms 
of ovaries—one-celled with parietal placentz, several-celled with central 
placentz, and a peponida—were therefore prepared. 


Natural Order Cucurbitaceze. 265 


when I came to consider his sectional characters, and that the 
form and position of the stamens and anthers and stigma and 
fruit are really the only characters hitherto employed for ge- 
nera by other botanists; and that all Schrader has done, is to 
keep only those species in their old genera that agree with the 
character, and turning out and making new genera of those 
that do not, then I felt inclined to go great lengths towards 
adopting his views. I intend here to give you a Conspectus, 
or abridged generic characters, which I have drawn up, not 
only for the Indian, but also for the whole world, which I shall 
not object to your publishing as ‘ abridged characters of the 
genera of the tribe Cucurbitee of Schrader.’ ’ 

* At the conclusion of the Conspectus he continues,— 
‘These seem to be all the genera known that truly belong to 
Cucurbitee ; they have all unisexual flowers. Gronovia has 
them bisexual, but is otherwise very closely allied. Allasia 
cannot be of this order unless we suppose the description 
quite erroneous; and if so, Loureiro may have had _ before 
him, in part at least, the Telfairia pedata; Myrianthus cannot 
belong to Cucurbitacee. 

“<< Thladianthus Runge is imperfectly described as to the 
stamens, but may perhaps form a seventh tribe. 

“¢T have laboured under great difficulty in making out 
these characters, partly because the published descriptions 
were very imperfect, partly because I had not several of the 
genera, and partly from the extreme difficulty of examining 
the anthers after being dried and pressed. I would therefore 
suggest to you and other Indian botanists to re-examine all 
the Indian ones on living plants, and have drawings made, 
paying particular attention to the representation of the anthers. 

* ¢ At first you may, as I did, confuse section 7 with section 
9; butif you will compare the flower of Citrullus, Momordica 
or Lagenaria with Cucurbita or Coccinia, you will readily see 
the difference. In section 7 the connectivum is lobed, and the 
anther-cells are placed along the edge of the lobes ; in sections 
8 and 9 the connectivum is not itself lobed, but the anther- 
cell is bent (it winds upwards and downwards along the back 
of the connectivum).’ 

“Warned by the concluding paragraph of the difficulty at- 
tending the description of these plants from dried specimens, 
I took occasion, as opportunity offered, to compare some of 
the sectional characters with recent specimens, and feel dis- 
posed to think the sections too numerous and not sufficiently 
distinguished. I have not yet succeeded in comparing the 
whole, but would suggest the following alterations, which I 
think would improve the arrangement. 


266 Dr. R. Wight on the Fruit of the 


“ Section 6 might with advantage be suppressed, and its 
only genus referred to section 5. Sections 7 and 9 would be 
better united, the anthers being the same in both; transfer- 
ring, however, Cucurbita to section 8, on account of the an- 
thers, which are similar to those of Trichosanthes, making the 
insertion of the filaments a matter of secondary consideration 
—a generic, not a sectional distinction. 

“'The difference between sections 7 and 8 would then be, 
not that in the former the anther is lobed and in the other 
entire, but that in section 7 the back is traversed by an ele- 
vated gyrose ridge, on the top of which the long gyrose anther 
is placed ; while in section 8 there is no such elevation, the 
anther-cell being sunk into the substance of the connectivum, 
not elevated on a ridge with a deep furrow between each bend. 
To this may be added, that the connectiva in section 8 are 
elongated ; hence, from the union of the three, a cylinder re- 
sults, while in the other their union produces a sort of capi- 
tulum. 

“ Bryonia Garcini, doubtfully referred to Bryonia, is anew 
species of Pilogyne: Bryonia leiosperma, I find, from the ex- 
amination of dried specimens, is a second species of Mukia, 
with which it agrees well in habit. 

* Notwithstanding these differences of opinion, it is not my 
intention to alter the Conspectus, but print it simply as it 
reached me, the few additions I have to make being included 
within brackets—thus [ ]. Before proceeding further it may 
be well to explain what is meant by the term tri-adelphous, as 
applied to this family, which is of such frequent occurrence in 
the following characters. The normal structure of Cucurbi- 
tace@ is to have five stamens, in place of which we usually 
find only three ; but when these are carefully examined, it ap- 
pears that two of them are twice the size of the third, and are 
actually made up of two united: each set is then called an 
adelphia or brotherhood, and the three together, tri-adelphous. 
This structure is readily seen in the Pekunkei (Cucumis acu- 
tangulus, Ainsley), where the anthers do not cohere. In those 
where they do cohere it is not so clearly seen, as they then 
require to be separated artificially before it can be made out. 

“In some genera the anthers are described as being one- or 
two-celled: these characters require to be used with caution, 
as being generally of very difficult application in practice. 
Theoretically every anther is two-celled; and here, in exami- 
ning a number of instances with particular care, under a high 
magnifier, I have found most of them actually two-celled, 
though on less careful examination they appeared only one- 
celled. If such is the case when examined with fresh speci- 


Natural Order Cucurbitacez. 267 


mens, how much more liable to error must we be when work- 
ing with dried ones! 


CONSPECTUS, OR ABRIDGED CHARACTERS OF THE GE- 
NERA OF THE TRIBE CUCURBITEA* OF SCHRADER. 


§ 1. Filaments 5, inserted on the throat of the corolla; anthers 
distinct or 3-adelphous, anticous, straight ; fruit baccate, few- 
seeded. 

1. Conranpra (Schrad.). Corolla 5-partite ; connectiva conniving, 
oblong, conical; fruit beaked. South Africa. 

2. Cyrronema (Schrad.). Limb of corolla 5-partite; filaments 5, 
incurved; connectiva incrassated, 3-adelphous ; anthers fixed 
laterally under the apex. South Africa. 


§ 2. Filaments di- or tri-adelphous, inserted on the tube of the 
corolla ; anthers lateral, straight, 2—3-adelphous. 


3. Sicyprum (Schlecht). Corolla 5-petaled, petals undivided ; fila- 
ments 3-adelphous, dilated and incurved at the apex ; anthers 
without a beak. Mevxico. 

4. Bryonopsis (Arn.). Corolla 5-partite ; lobes obovate, entire, un- 
dulated ; filaments 3-adelphous, inserted on the throat, straight ; 
anthers pointless; stigma fringed; berry few-seeded. Kast 
Indies—Courtallum. 

. AcuMaANpDRA (Arn.). Lobes of the corolla undivided ; filaments 
tri-adelphous, very short; anthers anticous, inserted along the 
margins of the connectivum, linear, oblong ; connectivum pro- 
longed into a short beak beyond the anther; fruit baccate (al- 
ways?) beaked. Hast Indies. Bryonia epigea, rostrata, del- 
toidea, and an undescribed species from Malabar. 

Obs. Perhaps this and the two last genera might be joined to 
Melothria. 

6. Metoruria (Linn.). Lobes of the corolla undivided, denticu- 
lated ; filaments 3-adelphous ; connectivum pointless ; fruit bac- 
cate, not beaked. America. 

Obs. Schrader notices an East Indian one, but that may perhaps 
be an Achmandra. 

. CeraTosanTuEs (Schrad.). Lobes of the corolla linear, bifid ; 
filaments 3-adelphous. America. 

8. Aneuria (Linn.). Lobes of the corolla entire; stamens di-adel- 

phous; fruit somewhat 4-angled. America. 


or 


~“I 


§ 3. Filaments 3-adelphous, inserted on the top of the tube ; anthers 
all cohering by means of their connectiva, and applied at the 
back along the margins of the connectiva, sigmoid. 2-celled. (?) 


9. Scuizostiema (Arn.). Style simple ; stigma peltate, fleshy, cleft 


* This tribe contains all the East Indian genera except Zanonia. 
Schrader refers Erythropalum of Blume to Cucurbite@, but that genus is 
very closely allied to Mackaya (Arnott in Jardine’s Mag. of Zool. and Bot., 
vol. ii.), and dues not belong to the order. 


268 Dr. R. Wight on the Fruit of the 


into 10—12 radiating linear lobes. Andes of Mendosa. (Cucur- 
bita asperata, Gill.) 


§ 4. Filaments distinct or 3-adelphous, inserted on the throat of 
the corolla ; anthers 6- or 3-adelphous, gyrose, anticous. 


10. SpHENANTHE (Schrad.). Mezico. 


§ 5. Filaments 3-adelphous, inserted at the base of the corolla ; 
anthers lateral, straight, 3-adelphous. 


11. Prnoayne (Schrad.). Calyx campanulate ; segments of the co- 
rolla patent, much longer than the calyx; anthers 1-celled ; 
style entire; stigma 1, pileate; fruit baccate, few-seeded, ob- 
tuse. South Africa. (Hast Indies—Bryonia Garcini ?] 

12. Zenneria (Endl.?). Lobes of the corolla quite entire ; style 
trifid ; stigmas 3, flabelliform, quite entire ; fruit baccate, few- 
seeded, blunt. South Africa, East Indies, and ? Norfolk Island. 
—Bryonia Mysorensis, B. Hookeriana. 

Perhaps this is only a subgenus of Pilogyne. 

13. Karrivra (Arn.). Calyx urceolate; corolla scarcely exserted ; 
lobes minute, quite entire ; anthers 2-celled; style entire ; stigma 
pileate, 3-fid; fruit a peponida, many-seeded, blunt, or with a 
short thick beak. Hast Indies, Bryonia umbellata. B. amplesxi- 
caulis. 

14. Rayncnocarpa (Schrad.). Lobes of the corolla denticulate, 
ciliated ; style trifid ; stigmas 3, jagged and toothed ; fruit with 
along slender beak. Guinea. 


§ 6. Filaments tri-adelphous, inserted at the base of the corolla ; 
anthers all cohering, posticous, linear, straight. 


15. Mura (Arn.). Style entire ; stigmas 3, more or less cohering, 
erect; anthers distinct, l-celled, lateral: [connectivum pro- 
longed, forming a projecting point: a globose abortive ovary in 
the bottom of the calyx.] Hast Indies—Bryonia scabrella. [B. 
leiosperma. | 
§ 7. Filaments 5- or 3-adelphous, inserted at the base of the co- 

rolla; connectiva toothed or lobed ; anthers applied at the back 
along the margins of the connectivum, and therefore flexuose, 
gyrose, or anfractuose. 

16. Bryonta (Linn.). Corolla 5-cleft; anthers tri-adelphous, 1- 
celled ; style trifid ; stigmas subreniform or bifid ; fruit ovoid or 
globose, baccate, few-seeded. Hurope and Kast Indies—B. la- 
ciniosa, India. B. alba, B. dioica, Europe. Perhaps also B. Gar- 
cini and leiosperma, but of these I have no male flowers by me 
to examine. [B. Garcini. Stamens tri-adelphous, 1-celled; cells 
linear, marginal, not sigmoid, anticous ; style one; stigma di- 
lated, peltate; ovary few-seeded; pepo inverse, reniform, 2- 
seeded. This is probably a new genus ; but if not, seems to be- 
long to Pilogyne rather than any other here. It cannot pos- 
sibly belong to Bryonia.] 

In the European plants, the type of the genus, there are two ovules 


Natural Order Cucurbitacez. 269 


in each of the three cells of the ovary: nearly all Blume’s spe- 
cies belong to other genera. 

17. Crrruiyus (Schrad.). Corolla persistent, 5-parted, subrotate ; 
anthers tri-adelphous, bilocular; style trifid; stigma obcordate, 
convex; fruit a fleshy or dry and fibrous, many-seeded pepo- 
nida. Africa, Hast Indies—Cucurbita Citrullus and Cucumis co- 
locynthis. 

18. Ecsariam (Rich.). Corolla 5-cleft; anthers tri-adelphous ; 
ovules in 2 rows in each cell; stigmas 3, 2-horned; fruit an 
elastically and irregularly bursting peponida. Hurope-—Momor- 
dica Elaterium. 

19. Momornpica (Linn.). Petals 5, adnate to the base of the calyx, 
deciduous ; anthers all cohering; ovules in a single row* in 
each cell ; stigma 2-lobed ; fruit a capsular, elastically bursting, 
3-valved peponida. Hast Indies, South Africa and America. 

To this genus seem to belong Muricia, Loureiro, and Neurosper- 
mum, Raf. 

20. Lurra (Cay.). Petals 5, inserted in the base of the calyx, de- 
ciduous ; anthers all distinct or di-tri-adelphous; style 3-fid ; 
stigma reniform or bipartite ; fruit a peponida, at length dry and 
internally fibrous, usually opening by a terminal lid, rarely in- 
dehiscent. Hast Indies and Arabia. ‘There are three sections 
of this genus. 

lst. Stamens distinct, Luffa pentandra, acutangula, and Kleinii. 

2nd. Stamens 3-adelphous. LL. amara, Roxb., and nearly all the 
species of Turia, Forsk. 

3rd. Stamens di-adelphous—L. tuberosa, Roxb. 

21. Brenrycassa (Sav.). Corolla (yellow) 5-parted, patent ; anthers 
3-adelphous ; style undivided, very short; stigma large, thick, 
irregularly lobed and plaited; peponida fleshy, indehiscent. 
Asia. 

22. Lacenaria (Ser.). Corolla (white) 5-petaled; anthers 3-adel- 
phous ; style almost none; stigmas 3, thick and 2-lobed ; pepo- 
nida fleshy and indehiscent. India, South Africa. 


§ 8. Filaments 3-adelphous, inserted on the tube of the corolla ; 
connectiva entire; anthers 3- or mon-adelphous, posticous, linear, 
bent upwards and downwards ; calyx long, tubular. 


23. Tricnosantues (Linn.). Segments of the corolla lacerated and 
fringed; anthers 3-adelphous? or all united; style trifid; 
stigmas oblong, subulate ; fruit a peponida, many-seeded. Last 
Indies. 

[In all the species I have had arf opportunity of carefully examining, the 
anthers are mon-adelphous or united. The style is not trifid, nor pro- 


* This, though practically correct, is not theoretically so, the carpellary 
structure being the same here as in others ; each margin has its placenta and 
ovules: and though at any one section only one row appears, we do not find 
the ovules always attached to the same line of placenta on slicing the ovary 
successively from end to end, but sometimes on the one, sometimes on the 
other side of the cell; such, at least, I find it in Momordica Charantia, 


27 


I 


0 Dr. R. Wight on the Fruit of the 


perly speaking the stigmas subulate, as they cohere nearly to the apex 
by their central face, though the stigmatic surface extends for some di- 
stance outwardly, and presents a somewhat subulate outline. ] 

reunite Jnvolucrarea to this as a mere section depending on the 
bracteas, the character taken from the anther not holding good, 
at least T. cucumerina has frequently the anthers all united, and 
I suspect also T. anguina; perhaps they only become tri-adel- 
phous after fecundating. 


[In 7. anguina they are never tri-adelphous, the anthers cohere to the 


last as represented in the accompanying figure. This last species, with 
T. globosa and trifoliata, Blume, and Jnvolucrarea, Serange (7. Wal- 
lichana), form avery characteristic section, perhaps a subgenus, distin- 
guished by their curiously bracteated male flowers.-—R. W.] 


. Gymnoretatvo (Arn.). Calyx constricted at the mouth; co- 


— 


BS 


25. 


26. 


27. 


28. 


Pte 


rolla (yellow) 5-parted; segments quite entire; anthers all 
closely cohering; fruit baccate, ovate, beaked, few-seeded ; 
seeds large, roundish, with a blunt margin. Hast Indies. There 
are two species :— 


. G. Ceylanicum (Arn.). Leaves deeply 5-lobed; perianth gla- 


brous. Bryonia tubiflora. W. and A. 
G. Wightii (Arn.). Leaves 3—5, angle-lobed ; perianth hairy. 
Courtallum. 


§ 9. Filaments usually tri-adelphous, inserted at the base of the 
perianth ; connectiva entire, unless when produced into append- 
ages beyond the anthers ; anthers linear, posticous, bent up- 
wards and downwards (calyx campanulate or rarely infundibu- 
liform). 

Cucumis (Linn.). Corolla 5-parted ; anthers tri-adelphous, or 

all of them slightly cohering, with appendages at the apex ! 

Peponida fleshy, indehiscent, or rarely irregularly dehiscent, po- 

lyspermous; seeds ovate, compressed, sharp-edged. Asia, 

Africa and America. 

Cucurszira (Linn.). Corolla campanulate, 5-cleft; filaments 

tri-adelphous at the base, or quite mon-adelphous ; anthers all 

cohering, without appendages ; peponida fleshy, indehiscent, 
polyspermous ; seed with a slightly thickened edge. Asta and 

America. 

Exarerium (Linn.). Petals scarcely united at the base ; fila- 

ments mon-adelphous ; anthers all cohering ; style thick ; stigma 

capitate ; fruit a coriaceous, 1-celled, few-seeded capsule, burst- 
ing elastically by two or three valves. America. 

ScuizocarpPeum (Schlch.). Corolla infundibuliform, quite en- 

tire ; filaments 3-adelphous ; anthers all cohering; peponida 

many-seeded, bursting by several valves that cohere by their 
apex. Mezico. 

Coccrnia (W. and A.). Corolla campanulate ; segments acu- 

minated ; filaments mon-adelphous; anthers tri-adelphous, comni- 

ving, without appendages; peponida somewhat baccate, many- 
seeded. [Usually of an oblong oval shape, and bright red when 
ripe.] Hast Indies. 


Natural Order Cucurbitacee. 271 


§ 10. Filaments mon-adelphous, connate into a column, which is ca- 
pitate at the apex, and then bearing the gyrose posticous anthers. 
30. CepHatanpra (Schrad.). South Africa. 


EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURES. 

Fig. 1. A tricarpellary 1-celled ovary; that is, the placentiferous margins 
of the carpellary leaves meeting in the circumference, and bearing 
their ovules on the walls or parietes of the cell. 

a. Supposed position of the midrib. b. Placentz parietal. 

Fig. 2. A tricarpellary 3-celled ovary, the laminz of the carpellary leaves 
folded inwards until they meet in the axis, and there produce 
ovules. 

a. Supposed position of midribs. b. Placentz axillary. 

Fig. 3. An imaginary section of a pepo explanatory of Dr. Arnott’s theory 
of its construction ; copied, but with some modification, to render 
it more explanatory, from his figure in the Encycl. Brit. 

a. Supposed position of the midrib. 
b. The placentiferous margins represented introflexed, reaching nearly 
to the dorsal suture, dividing the carpel into two cells. 

Fig. 4. Section of the: ovary of Coccinia indica; the calyx divided in the 
line of the partitions of the carpella, by which they are permitted 
to fall apart. 

Fig. 5. Section of the same; the parts in situ. 


Obs.—The original is also a¢companied by dissections of Mo- 
mordica Charantiu, Trichosanthes anguina, Cucurbita maxima, Coccinia 
indica, Lagenaria vulgaris, and Mukia scabrella, prepared with the 
view of showing that sections 7 and 9 are not distinguishable by the 
characters assigned, the anthers being lobed or entire ; and that, by 
taking our characters rather from the form of the anthers than the 
insertion of the filaments, Trichosanthes and Cucurbita might be ad- 
vantageously placed in the same section, leaving the character taken 
from insertion available as a generic distinction between them. 


272 Mr. Westwood on new Insects. 


XXXV.—IJnsectorum novorum Centuria, auctore 
J. O. Wesrwoop, F.L.S., &c. 


Decadis tertia, ex ordine Dermapterorum, DeG., Synopsis. 


Familia Manrip#. 


Vates (Burm. = Theoclytes, Serv.) Ashmolianus, W. Fuscus, ca- 
pitis vertice rotundato, antennis gracillimis, prothorace longis- 
simo angusto, lateribus serrulatis; hemelytris et alis abdomen 
haud tegentibus, cercis analibus latis foliatis, pedibus 4 posticis 
brevibus, femoribus ad apicem 3-foliatis tibiisque ante medium 
supra partm foliatis. Long. corp. unc. 44; (prothor. unc. 12.) 
Habitat ? In Mus. Ashmol. Oxon. 


Toxopera (Serv.) tenuipes, W. Fusca, tegminibus brunneis posticé 
pallidis, alis infumatis, nigro fasciatis cyaneo-iridescentibus, 
coxis anticis longis anticé lobatis et spinosis, femoribus anticis 
basi vix crassioribus, femoribus 4 posticis longis apice subtus 
foliolis duobus minutis instructis, supra inermibus, cercis anali- 
bus latis foliatis, ut videtur 6-articulatis. Long. corp. unc. 5. 
Expans. tegmin. unc. 44. Habitat in Senegallia. Mus. Hope. 


Familia Locustipz&. 


Mastax vitrea, W. Fusca, facie fulvescente abdomine medio palli- 
diori, pedibus fuscis, femoribus posticis pallidius fasciatis, tegmi- 
nibus et alis hyalinis partm infumatis. Long. corp. unc. 1. 
Expans. tegmin. unc. 13. Habitat in msula Java. Mus. Hope. 


Masrax apicalis,W. Lutea, capite supra, thoracis et abdominis dorso 
nigricantibus, hoc fascia pone medium apiceque extremo luteis, 
pedibus luteis nigro-maculatis, tegminibus et alis hyalinis, ad 
apicem tenuiter fusco-coloratis. Long. corp. unc. #3. Expans. 
tegmin. unc. 1#. Habitat in insula Sumatra, D. Raffles. Mus. 
Soc. Zool. Lond. 


Mastax guttata, W. Nigricans, subtts paulld pallidior, facie ge- 
nisque luteis vertice angulato; abdomine ¢ ad apicem valde 
clavato, femoribus posticis fulvo oblique bifasciatis, tegminibus 
fuscis, nitidis, guttis duabus versus apicem hyalinis, postica 
majori et ad marginem posticum extensa ; alis hyalinis margine 
postico fusco. Long. corp. lin. 7. Expans. tegmin. lin. 144. 
Habitat in Sumatra, D. Raffles. Mus. Soc. Zool. Lond. ; et in 
ins. Philipp., D. Cuming. Mus. Britann. 

Obs. Genus Mastaz, antennarum articulis paucis capiteque elevato 
Proscopiam approximat. 


Orsomata gladiator, W. Luteo-fusca, virescenti partum tincta, ca- 
pite antice in rostrum (prothorace feré duplo longius) producto, 
antennis gracilibus, rostro brevioribus, prothorace carina mediana 
fere obliterata, tegminibus pallidé fuscis, angustis, alis hyalinis 
vix incoloratis, abdomine longissimo, pedibus 4 anticis brevissi- 
mis, posticis vix abdomine longioribus. Long. corp. unc. 34. 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 273 


Long. capitis ante oculos, unc. 3. Expans. tegmin. unc. 33. 
Habitat in Sierra Leone. Mus. Hope. 


Terrix laticeps, W. Fusca, capite lato, oculis valde prominentibus, 
facie carina elevata, antennis longioribus 10-articulatis, nigris, 
articulo ultimo albo, prothorace abdomine multo longiori apice 
gracili parim recurvo, dorso (supra thoracem) in folium mem- 
branaceum elevato, lateribus inter pedes 4 anticos in spinam 
utrinque productis, pedibus posticis scabris, supra dentatis tarsis 
articulo basali et basi articuli ultimi albis. Long. ad apicem pro- 
thoracis, lin. 7. Habitat in Brasilia. Mus. Westwood. 


Terrix ensifer, W. Fusco-ferruginosa opaca, prothorace supra ca- 
put in rostrum compressum (dimidii abdominis longitudine) por- 
rectum apice subbifido ; dorso longitudinaliter carimato, parte 
postica abdomine longiore, supra abdomen oblique carinato, apice 
acuto, femoribus posticis supra tuberculatis. Long. ad apicem 
prothoracis, lin. 9. Habitat in insulis Philippinensibus, D. Cu- 
ming. Mus. Britann. Variat rostro prothoracico subtis in 
spinam, faciem impendentem, producto, dorsoque supra abdo- 
men impressionibus varilis ovalibus, magnitudine decrescentibus. 
Long. lin. 10. 


Terrix dimidiata, W. Fusco-ferruginosa opaca, prothorace sub- 
compresso, dorso feré recto acuto, supra caput partim porrecto, 
apice antico deflexo, apice postico dimidium abdominis haud su- 
perante, subtruncato, femoribus posticis supra vix tuberculatis. 
Long. ad apicem abdominis, lin. 9. Habitat cum precedente, 
D. Cuming. Mus. Britann. 


Tetrix areolata, W. Fusco-arenosa rugosa opaca, setis brevibus 
fuscis induta, prothorace supra caput cucullato, margine antico 
biemarginato, dorso acute carinato carina subsinuata, parte pos- 
tica (supra abdomen in areas angulatas, lineis elevatis divisa ; 
lateribus supra basin pedum posticorum puncto pallido margi- 
nali) ad apicem abdominis extensa, extremo apice subbifido, fe- 
moribus tuberculatis. Long. ad apicem prothoracis, lin. 8. 
Habitat cum precedente, D. Cuming. Mus. Britann. 


Obs. Figures and detailed descriptions of the insects described in 
this Century are already prepared, and will be published hereafter. 


XXXVI.—The Birds of Ireland (Family Fringillidz), By 
Wma. Tuompson, Esq., Vice-Pres. Nat. Hist. Society of 
Belfast. 


[Continued from vol. i. p. 195.*] 


Tue SKYLARK, Alauda arvensis, Linn., 
Is common throughout Ireland. Judging from works in 
which this bird is treated of, its song, recommenced in the 
* Bonemran Wax-wina. An example of this bird killed in Ireland, is 


here erroneously stated to be in the collection of Dr. R. Graves, of Dublin. 


Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. fh 


274 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


autumn, would seem to be continued further into the winter 
in this island than elsewhere, a result attributable to the hu- 
midity and mildness of the climate. Its song may be heard 
as frequently in fine bright days during the month of October, 
and in the bird’s most elevated haunts in the mountain pas- 
tures about Belfast, as at any other season. One note may 
be given on this subject : under the date of November 7, 1835, 
the following appears in my journal—I never heard more sky- 
larks singing at any period of the year than in the early part 
of this day in the high pastures bounded by the heath in the 
Belfast mountains. The day was very fine and bright; the 
ground very wet from continued rain throughout the days and 
nights of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, early part of the 5th, and oc- 
casionally since, up to this morning. The skylark is gene- 
rally noticed by authors as singing merely upon the wing, but 
it not very unfrequently does so when upon the ground, and 
an intelligent observer mentions that he has often seen it 
perched on whins when pouring forth its song. Montagu 
remarks, that this bird is “rarely seen on the extended moors 
at a distance from arable land,” and later British authors re- 
peat the observation. This may be of general application to 
England, but in Ireland the wild mountain pasture is a fa- 
vourite abode, and there, as mentioned in the following note, 
the “most sweet voice” of the skylark may occasionally be 
heard at a rather late hour mingling with the bleating of the 
snipe:—June 22, 1840. When at half-past seven o’clock 
this evening on the highest part of the old road from Belfast 
to Crumlin (perhaps 850 feet above the sea), larks were bu- 
sily engaged in singing on every side at the same time that 
snipes (Scolopax Gallinago) were bleating and giving utter- 
ance to their other calls. The mingling of their notes, which 
are so very dissimilar, had a singular but very pleasing effect. 

In hard winters our indigenous larks congregate in large 
flocks, which remain with us unless the weather become ex- 
traordinarily severe, when they move more or less southwards: 
even when the winter is mild in the north of Ireland, these 
birds, generally in small or moderate flocks, migrate hither 
from Scotland, and have repeatedly been seen crossing the 
Channel by my friend Capt. Fayrer, R.N., during the several 
years that he commanded the government mail-packet which 
plies between Portpatrick and Donaghadee. Although the 
autumn of the year 1832 had been very fine and mild, so 
early as the 17th of October [ saw a very large flock of larks, 
which had doubtless migrated to this country. In the winter 
of 1837-38, larks remained in flocks to a late period—on the 
24th of March I remarked not less than sixty congregated. 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 275 


An observant friend has on different occasions known several 
circular holes to be made by pairs of these birds, before fixing 
upon one for their nest. The skylark occasionally exhibits 
variety in its plumage, though less frequently than some 
others of our small birds. The collection of my friend Wm. 
Sinclaire, Esq., of Milltown, near Belfast, contains one of a 
black colour, which was shot in a wild state among a flock, 
and a white one is reported to me by a correspondent as in 
his possession. The stomachs of several larks which I exa- 
mined, especially in winter, contained seeds and the remains 
of other vegetable matter, with an occasional insect-larva: 
they all exhibited fragments of stone. 

As a sporting friend was shooting upon his moors in Ayr- 
shire in the month of October, a lark pursued by a merlin 
(Falco Aisalon) came from the distance of about a hundred 
yards directly towards him and his servant, and alighted near 
their feet, apparently for safety—when it reached the ground, 
it is represented to have been so exhausted as to be unable 
to close its wings. A lark which had its liberty within the 
green-house of a relative, lived eight years there, and was 
eventually lost to him, by effecting its escape. 

Nowhere perhaps is the skylark more sought for as a 
cage-bird than in Ireland, and the song given forth “ right 
merrilie” from the little patch of green-sward within its pri- 
son seems to imply that the bird bears confinement well. 
Nevertheless, it is always with regret that we see the lark, 
whose nature is to pierce the clouds when singing, so circum- 
scribed, and we cannot but wish for its own sake that it had 
the freedom of “ fresh fields and pastures new;” yet we do 
not, like a class of persons in the world, think only of the 
skylark. To the poor artisan in the town this bird is of 
great service in enlivening him with its song, associated with 
which in his mind are doubtless scenes in the country, the 
love of which is instinctive to the human breast. The lark 
too is generally treated with affectionate care, and the first 
walk of its master in the very early morning before the day’s 
task begins, has for its object the providing of a “ fresh sod ” 
for his pet bird*. 


* The following anecdote, communicated by my venerable friend Dr. 
M‘Donnell of Belfast, shows the high value once put upon a skylark :— 
“A rather poor chandler in Belfast, called Huggart, had a lark remarkable 
for its song. Mr. Hull, a dancing-master and great bird-fancier, going into 
his shop one day, said, he came fo purchase his bird. ‘Indeed,’ replied the 
other, ‘1 donot think, Mr. Hull, you are likely to get home that bird, which 
delights all my neighbours as well as myself.’ ‘ Well, I think lam,’ was the 
reply : ‘here are five guineas for it.’ The sum was instantly refused, when 
ten guineas were offered, but also rejected. He was then ‘told, ‘It is now 


T?2 


276 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


Late in April in the present year I saw the skylark about 
Navarino, and at the end of the following month observed it 
near Smyrna. 


Toe Wooptark, Alauda arborea, Linn., 


Is one of those unobtrusive species which is little known 
except to the lover of nature, and by him perhaps valued the 
more on that account. Jn flocks it is not at all to be met 
with, like the skylark. It is so very choice in the place of 
its abode as to be quite a local species, and in the counties of 
Down and Antrim frequents districts where the soil is warm, 
the country well cultivated and wooded, or scenery, which, 
like its song, is of a sweet, soft character;—cold clay districts, 
though equally improved and sheltered, cannot, so far as 
known to me, claim it for a tenant. In its favourite localities 
here, the Woodlark may be heard singing almost daily, and 
chiefly in the morning from September to June. 

This species is enumerated as one of the birds of Dublin 
in Rutty’s Natural History of that county, and has a similar 
place in Smith’s ‘ History of Cork.’ In the latter county, Mr. 
R. Ball informs me that it is not unfrequent, and being much 
prized for its song, is greatly sought after by bird-catchers. 
A friend living near Belfast kept woodlarks for a year or more 
in his aviary in company with other birds, but they never sang. 


Tue Snow-Buntine, Emberiza nivalis, Linn. (genus Plec- 
trophanes, Meyer.), 


Is a regular autumnal migrant to the more northern parts of 
Ireland. Towards the south it becomes gradually scarcer, 
and in the extreme portions of that quarter, although the 
highest mountains in the island are situated there, it can only 
be called a rare and occasional visitant*. Its numbers are 
stated similarly to decrease from the north to the south of 
England. The island of Achil should perhaps, from its far 
western position, be particularized as being regularly visited 


by this bird—a fact communicated by my friend W. R. Wilde, 


the fair-day, and the market full of cattle: go and purchase the best cow 
there, and I shall pay for her:’ but Huggart still declined, and kept his 
lark.” 

* In a catalogue of the birds of the south favoured me by Dr. Harvey of 
Cork, the snow-bunting is noticed merely as having been met with at Duns- 
combe Wood, near that city. Dr. Burkitt, of Waterford, in a list of the na- 
tive birds known to him obligingly sent to me since this paper went to press, 
notices it only as shot in the neighbourhood of that city in January 1832. 
To Mr. T. F. Neligan of Tralee, it was unknown as a bird of that quarter 
in 1887, but Mr. Wm. Andrews of Dublin informs me that specimens were 
obtained near Dingle during the last winter, 1840-41. 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. Pare | 


Ksq. Early in the month of October, snow-buntings make 
their appearance in the north of Ireland, and occasionally re- 
main until the end of March. Their haunts in mild weather 
are chiefly the mountain-tops, whence one night’s severe frost 
has been known to drive them to the nearest roads for food. 
Occasionally in the lower grounds and even on the sea-shore 
they may be met with when there is neither frost nor snow: 
to the last they are obliged to resort when the weather sets 
in very severe. During the great snow-storm of March 1827, 
flocks appeared in the outskirts of the town of Belfast; and 
such numbers were killed on the sea-shore in its vicinity, 
that they were purchased by Mr. Sinclaire as the cheapest 
food he could procure for his trained peregrine falcons. AlI- 
though of regular passage to the Belfast range of mountains, 
snow-buntings are much more numerous in other and less 
frequented mountainous districts in the county of Antrim, as 
about Newtown-Crommelin and Clough. At the former of 
these places, where the Rev. G. M. Black was several years 
resident, he always observed them during the winter in very 
large flocks, and in which not more than one in twenty were 
adult individuals. From the other locality, examples have 
been brought to me by Mr. James Garret, who also supplied 
the following note under date of January 4, 1834:—“ When 
shooting today about two miles from Clough, I met with an 
immense flock of snow-buntings, out of which I killed thirty 
at one discharge as they flew past me. Their call resembled 
the chirping of the grey-linnet, and the number of wings 
made a considerable noise, as the flock consisting of several 
hundreds swept by: some were nearly white, and others of a 
dark brown colour.” In any of the flocks which have come 
under my own observation, the adult males bore only a small 
proportion to the females and immature birds, but, except in 
very small flocks, were always present throughout the win- 
ter*. This speties, under the name of Cherry-chirper!, is 
mentioned in Rutty’s ‘Natural History of Dublin’ as “ found 
on our strand in December 1747 and kept in a cage until 
December 1748, and fed with oats, hemp-seed and cuttlings.” 
—Vol. i. p. 317. 

Wilson, Audubon, and Dr. Richardson give most interest- 
ing notes upon this bird from their personal observation in 
North America, and the last author had the gratification of 
meeting with it in its breeding-haunt in that continent. Mr. 


* In some of the latest works on British ornithology, the adult birds are 
stated to appear in Great Britain only late in the winter, or when the wea- 
ther is very severe. On the 23rd of October I once received a fine adult 
male bird, which was shot on the Belfast mountains. 


278 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


Selby too gratifies us with the result of his observations on the 
species in the north of England. The snow-bunting is truly 
a most attractive bird, not only from its pleasing form and 
finely-varied plumage, but as one of the very few species met 
with in the depth of winter on the mountain-top, where, as it 
flits overhead uttering its pleasingly wild chirp, it brings be- 
fore the mind the far-distant region within the arctic circle, 
whence it may have come. 

In ascending in the month of July above the perpetual snow- 
line in the Alps of Switzerland, to the height of 11,000 feet, the 
greatest elevation I have reached, the snow-finch (Fringilla 
niwalis), a bird which at a little distance, in size, marking, and 
note, reminded me of the snow-bunting, was almost ever-pre- 
sent; and its little voice, with occasionally that of the Alpine 
Accentor (Aecentor alpinus), seemed, im one sense, strangely 
out of unison with the stern grandeur of the scenery, where 
rarely any other sound broke upon the ear than the rent of 
the glacier or the distant fall of the avalanche. 


Tue Common Buntinea, Emberiza Miliaria, Linn., 


Is found throughout the island, and is permanently resi- 
dent. On reading the opinion expressed by Sir Wm. Jardine 
some years ago (in his edition of White’s ‘ Selborne’), that 
there is a migration of buntings to Great Britain in winter, 
I thought it might be likewise applicable to Ireland; but on 
subsequent consideration, did not see good reason to believe 
that there is any increase to the numbers of these birds bred in 
the country. The change from the summer to the winter haunts 
of the bunting might lead to such a supposition, as about the 
time that our winter birds of passage are arriving, flocks of 
buntings make their appearance in localities—often hedges 
along road-sides—which frequenting through the winter, 
they “leave on the genial approach of spring: so late as the 
end of March they occasionally remain congregated. Their 
song may be heard in the north throughout the greater part 
of the year, including occasionally the months of November 
and December. 

My observation is quite in accordance with that of White, 
who in his ‘ History of Selborne’ remarks of the bunting, that 
—“in our woodland enclosed districts it is a rare bird.” It 
is rather an inhabitant of simply arable than of the rich and 
wooded parts of the country, and where some little portion of 
wildness still exists, such as is implied in the common name 
it bears in the north of Ireland of Briar-Bunting. The ditch- 
bank run wild with “briars ” or brambles has more charms 
for this bird than the “neat trim-hedge,” and within the shelter 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 279 


of such humble underwood it nestles. In severe frost and 
snow, buntings not only betake themselves to the roads for 
subsistence, but at such times may be seen in the less-fre- 
quented streets and stable-yards of the town of Belfast. The 
plumage of this species is very liable to be varied with white 
or cream-colour, and when with the latter, some examples 
which I have seen were of a very rich and handsome appear- 
ance. On opening some of these birds killed in winter, I 
have generally found them filled with grain ;—the species is 
sometimes called the Corn-Bunting. 


Tue REED oR BLACK-HEADED BuntTineG, Emberiza Sche- 

niculus, Linn., 
Is a resident species distributed over the island, which 
from the prevailing humidity is peculiarly well suited to it. 
The reed-bunting ‘is one of those birds which is nowhere 
numerous, and owing to the places of its abode—among the 
shrubby underwood and herbage in moist places and at the 
edge of waters—is not very commonly or popularly known. 
It is particularly interesting from being an inhabitant of lo- 
calities in which comparatively few other birds are to be 
seen :—it has often been highly pleasing to me to observe a 
few of these birds gathering in to roost for the night upon 
the exposed roots of alders or willows that overhung the 
gently-flowing stream, and in a vicinity unsuitable to any of 
their congeners. Like them, however, reed-buntings will 
betake themselves during the snow-storm to the public roads 
for food. 

In different parts of Ireland, the reed-bunting still has 
the undue reputation of being a sweet songster of the night, 
and is believed to be the veritable “Irish Nightingale,” a 
name bestowed on the mysterious bird, be that what it may, 
which sings through the summer night, but which, in strict 
justice, may be claimed by the sedge-warbler. Montagu, 
with his usual acuteness, long since accounted for this error, 
and in the following words :—* It is somewhat extraordinary 
that the manners and habits of, so common a bird should re- 
main so long in obscurity ; even modern authors tell us it is 
a song-bird, that it sings after sunset ; and describe its nest 
to be suspended over the water, fastened between three or 
four reeds. There can be no doubt, however, that the nest 
as well as the song of the sedge-warbler have been taken 
and confounded for those of this bird; for, as they both fre- 
quent the same places in the breeding-season, that elegant 
little warbler is pouring forth its varied notes concealed in 
the thickest part of a bush; while this is conspicuously 


280 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


perched above, whose tune is not deserving the name of 
song; consisting only of two notes, the first repeated three 
or four times, the last single and more sharp*.” Reed-Spar- 
row and Black-cap are the names commonly bestowed on 
this bird in the north of Ireland. 


YELLOW Buntine, Emberiza Citrinella, Linn. 

This handsome bird, differing from the last-noticed species 
in being a constant resident about the farm and the precincts 
of the rural dwelling, is very well known in Ireland, over 
which it is diffused in suitable localities. Its monotonous, 
and to my ear, mournful song, is heard in mild weather 
throughout much the greater part of the year. The nest, 
from being placed in an open hedge or rather bare grassy 
ditch-bank, is often easily discovered ; but a person who from 
practical observation is well versed in the sites chosen by 
birds for their nests, remarks, that he has more frequently 
found that of the yellow bunting in whins than elsewhere. 
In a friend’s garden near Belfast, a pair of these birds built 
their nest at the edge of a gravel-walk, and brought out four 
young, three of which were soon destroyed. In consequence 
of this, the nest containing the fourth was for greater safety 
placed in a bank a few feet distant, and the single young one 
was so well provided by its parents with food as quickly to 
grow to an extraordinary size. <A similar fact in the case of 
the redbreast is mentioned in one of the preceding papers 
of this series ; but in that instance the young one died, it was 
presumed, from over-feeding. The stomachs of such of these 
birds as have come under my observation in winter, generally 
contained grain. Yellow Yorlin is the common name be- 
stowed on this species in the north of Ireland. 


Tue CHarrincu, Fringilla Celebs, Linn., 


is a common resident species throughout the cultivated 
and wooded parts of Ireland. It frequents the squares and 
gardens of the town, where occasionally its song is heard. 
The beauty of the nest of this bird, with lichens and moss 
intermingled in its formation, has often been commented on, 
and truly it is a very picturesque object ; but the lichen is in 
many localities of necessity left out, and the moss becomes 
externally the component material. Particular notes of seve- 
ral nests are before me, all of which, except one that was built 
in a whin, were placed on the branches of trees: one other 
only is worthy of special notice. This came under the ob- 
servation of my friend at Cromac, who reports it to have 


* Ornithological Dictionary. 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 281 


been built against the stem of the common pine, and resting 
on one of the branches, to which it was bound with a piece 
of fine whip-cord, both ends of which were firmly interwoven 
in the material of the nest: the cord was taken but once 
round the branch. 

Chaffinches feed chiefly on seeds and grain through the 
winter, as testified by my opening many specimens. Early 
in the month of May, when a choice of food was before them, 
I have on different occasions remarked these birds suddenly 
dart from the branches of trees after flies in the manner of 
the spotted flycatcher. During the winter and early spring, 
a flock consisting of both sexes was observed by a young 
friend regularly to frequent a merchant’s yard situated on 
one of the quays of Belfast for the purpose of feeding on 
flaxseed, of which there was always some scattered about the 
place. Chaffinches sometimes congregate in large flocks be- 
fore winter actually sets in: at the end of October I have 
thus remarked them, and occasionally in company with 
ereen-linnets. There has been much written from actual 
observation both on the Continent and in Great Britain, and 
from Linneus to the present time, on the subject of the se- 
paration of the sexes of chaffinches in the winter. Montagu, 
writing from Devonshire, says, the sexes do not separate with 
us, and Mr. Knapp makes a similar remark with reference 
to Gloucestershire. In Hampshire, White frequently ob- 
served large flocks of females about Selborne. In Northum- 
berland, Mr. Selby has noticed the females as keeping apart 
from the males, and Sir Wm. Jardine remarks respecting 
the south of Scotland, that young males are intermixed with 
the females. In the north of Ireland I have seen very large 
flocks in which there were no males, and once during frost 
in the month of December, killed nine out of a flock, all of 
which proved to be females. Again, I have observed flocks 
of moderate size consisting of a fair proportion of both sexes, 
and which I have always believed to be our indigenous 
birds. The others, from never having met with flocks of male 
birds, I am disposed to believe have migrated to this island 
from more northern latitudes and there left their mates be- 
hind them :—in the north of Europe, associations consisting 
of males only have been observed during winter. 

In July 1840, Mr. R. Davis, jun., of Clonmel, forwarded 
to Belfast, for my inspection, a bird shot in that neighbour- 
hood, which he remarked had been sent him as a white 
chaffinch. It had frequently been seen in company with 
this species, along with some of which it had been shot in 
the preceding month of May. This individual was singu- 


282 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


larly and beautifully marked: it is thus described in my 
notes :— This bird is of the full adult size of the chaffinch 
in every measurement. The prevailing colour of its plumage 
is pure white, but the head is tinted with yellow ; the entire 
back is of the richest canary-yellow; wing- and tail-coverts 
are likewise delicately tinted with canary-yellow. A few 
blackish-gray and cinnamon-brown feathers appear as fol- 
lows: one or two on the head, some on the back, and some 
very few on the wings and tail, but altogether they are in- 
conspicuous; these are the ordinary chaffinch feathers. The 
primaries and the long tail-feathers, together with their 
shafts, are pure white. The plumage altogether partakes as 
much of that of the canary as of the chaffinch.” . 

The description of this species and its propensities, as ob- 
served by the author of the ‘ Journal of a Naturalist,’ is ad- 
mirable. 


Tue Mountain Finen, Fringilla montifringilla, Linn., 
Is a species, which, from personal observation, and notes col- 
lected from various quarters, I could not have announced as 
a regular winter visitant to Ireland. The Rev. G. M. Black, 
however, informs me, that for several winters successively 
he has remarked a few at least of these birds on the 
mountains about Newtown-Crommelin, but in mid-winter 
only ; they were occasionally in company with chaffinches. 
Almost every winter for many years past I have been 
aware of their occurrence in the north in very limited num- 
bers, and have learned from correspondents in all quarters of 
the island that they are everywhere of occasional, but ge- 
nerally unfrequent occurrence, and have been met with in 
the most southern parts. On the 18th of October I once re- 
ceived a mountain finch which was shot in the neighbour- 
hood of Belfast, and in November the species has been seen 
here associating with green-linnets and chaffinches, when 
for some time before and after the weather had been mild. Such 
birds had evidently come hither in the ordinary course of mi- 
gration; but that others have been compelled to visit this island 
by severity of weather, I in one instance had interesting 
circumstantial evidence. This was a day or two before the 
very great snow-storm in the beginning of January 1827, 
when one of these birds, which was secured and sent to me, 
alighted on the Chieftain steam-packet when on the passage 
from Liverpool to Belfast. This had most probably been 
the forerunner of the many which, during the deep snow 
immediately following, were seen about the last-named 
place. The snow-storm as usual had commenced earlier in 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 283 


an easterly direction than in Ireland, which to birds flying 
before it westerly would be the last place of resort in its lati- 
tude in the eastern hemisphere. In like manner, mountain 
finches may have crossed the Irish Sea in the very severe 
weather early in the present year (1841), as Mr. R. Davis, 
writing to me from Clonmel, states, that a flock of them were 
seen near that town, and several shot on the 5th of February * 
—he had not known them as visitants to that neighbourhood 
before. I have seen specimens of this bird which were shot 
during frost in the spacious yard of the Royal Society House, 
Dublin; and by T. W. Warren, Ksq., of that city, have been 
assured, that at the most inclement period of the severe winter 
of 1837-38, some of these birds took shelter in the houses in 
the town of Dundalk. A pair of mountain finches kept in 
a very large cage with other species in a greenhouse attached 
to the dwelling ofa relative near Belfast, screamed so con- 
stantly throughout moonlight nights as to disturb the family, 
and consequently they had to be expelled the place. 


Tue House Sparrow, Fringilla domestica, Linn., 


Is common in Ireland. This bird is in some places much 
persecuted by individuals, who, knowing only the injury com- 
mitted on the grain-crops and in the garden, are yet ignorant 
of the great benefit it confers by the destruction of caterpillars, 
&e. A notable illustration of a sparrow-destroying order 
which was given forth in our juvenile days may here be men- 
tioned. An old soldier, who had been in the Peninsular War, 
was selected from the farm-labourers as being of course the 
best shot. With plenary instructions to destroy all sparrows, 
he spent day after day in going about the corn-fields for the 
purpose of shooting them. Although reports of the gun were 
frequently heard, there appeared no testimony to convict him 
of the shedding of blood. We spent one day with him, and 
whenever he saw that two or three sparrows had alighted 
together on the standing corn sufficiently near to him, and 
this was by no means seldom, he fired at them. Often as he 
did so, we can attest that not a bird fell, though how much 
of the grain was thereby sacrificed we cannot take upon our- 
selves to say, for i¢ could not be missed. The shooter would 
not believe that this was owing to his want of skill, and more 


* When lately at Freshwater Bay, in the Isle of Wight, I saw several 
stuffed specimens of the mountain finch on sale at the ‘ Museum,” as it 
is called. I learned that they had been shot in the vicinity during the 
frost and excessive cold above noticed, when many of them made their ap- 


pearance, a circumstance of such rare occurrence that their species was un- 
known. 


284 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


than once trampled down the grain to look after the fallen 
birds, which were then rejoicing afar off at their escape. When 
the wages of this sportsman and the value of ammunition he 
expended, together with the grain destroyed by him, are consi- 
dered, there can be little doubt that the amount of damage 
which the sparrows could have done (and nevertheless did 
in this case do) must be trivial in comparison. Doubtless 
there have been similar cases. Many well-attested accounts 
have been published of the destruction of crops by insects in 
consequence of small birds, and sparrows in particular, being 
destroyed for their pilfering propensities ; and when lately in 
France I was made acquainted with a recent instance of this 
kind. In the fine rich district of Burgundy lying to ‘the 
south of Auxerre, and chiefly covered with vineyards, small 
birds had been some time before destroyed in great numbers. 
An extraordinary increase of caterpillars, &c. soon became ap- 
parent, and occasioned such immense damage to the crops, 
that a law was passed prohibitory of the future destruction of 
the birds. 

The boldness and impudence of sparrows in’ obtruding 
themselves everywhere are somewhat redeemed by the comi- 
cality of their manners. Every one must have remarked in- 
stances of this. I was once much amused by observing a 
sparrow literally “dancing attendance” on a pet squirrel, 
during his breakfasting on bread in the wheel of his cage ; 
the sparrow hopping about all the while and eagerly picking 
up the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. 

The freedom from all fear on the part of sparrows is par- 
ticularly manifest in their feeding close to animals of all 
kinds in zoological gardens. They make themselves quite at 
home too in the company of the most gorgeous-plumaged 
birds: I recollect them regularly breaking through the meshes 
of a net (merely large enough to admit their bodies) covering 
over an aviary in which a friend kept a number of golden 
pheasants, that they might feed along with them. Under 
date of June 27th is a note in my journal to the effect that 
the cock-sparrow has quite gained on my affections of late 
by the assiduity with which he feeds his progeny. I have 
observed several of them on the highway attended by their 
young, generally three in number, and which, with quivering 
wings, besought and followed them for food, and never in 
vain. The parents too, by their fine erect carriage—which 
even cock-sparrows can assume—evidently showed much 
pride in their progeny. 

The sparrow, though not an early rising bird, is awake be- 
times, and as a colony will keep chattering for perhaps an 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 285 


hour about their roosting-place before retiring for the night, 
so in the morning do they make known their “whereabouts ” 
by the same means, some time before they show themselves 
to the day :—I once noted on the 11th of June, and likewise 
a few mornings previously, that on awakening at ten minutes 
past three o’clock, a colony of these birds frequenting the 
ivy which covered a town-house were heard loudly chatter- 
ing, and that for half an hour afterwards none stirred out. 

Loud complaints have been reported to me from the pro- 
prietor of the nearest fields of grain to Bélfast on one side of 
the town and a mile distant from it, which are attacked when 
ripening by hosts of town sparrows that go there early in 
the morning, and after satisfying their appetites at his ex- 
pense, return and spend the day in town. In our own gar- 
den, these birds were for a number of years very destructive 
to growing peas, almost living upon and amongst them 
(perching on the pea-rods), and with their strong bills break- 
ing through the pods to get at the peas, which alone they 
eat, and just when they were in perfection for the table. I 
have several times seen sparrows in chase of the large white 
garden-butterfly (Pontia brassice), whose caterpillars are so 
destructive, and once remarked an individual fly against the 
stem of a dandelion and weigh it to the ground that it might 
feed upon the seeds. 

These birds sometimes prove very annoying, especially in 
lofty houses, by choosing the spout for their nestling-place, 
where the base of their domicile stops the course of the 
rain. From a country-house whence their nests were always 
torn for this reason, they resorted to the adjacent trees, to 
erect there, their large and untidy, though domed nests, and 
preferred for this purpose the branches of the Balm of Gilead 
and Spruce Firs, which naturally offered a firmer and more 
compact basement than those of the deciduous trees: when 
the latter were resorted to, the Larch-Fir was generally 
chosen. At this place they were much persecuted, and I 
have more than once known nearly fifty to be killed at a 
single shot. It need hardly be remarked, that they fre- 
quently build in rookeries, as well as occupy the nest of 
the house marten. This is generally noticed by authors as 
a very dishonest proceeding; and though it is not my de- 
sire to be the apologist of any of the manifold errors of the 
sparrow, still justice has not been done to the bird; for the 
“pendent bed” of the marten is generally tenantless when 
taken possession of, and the sparrow may have no anticipa- 
tion of the rightful owner coming across the seas to claim his 
property. In like manner, the sparrow occasionally takes 


286 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


possession of the burrow of the sand marten before the ver- 
nal return of this species to the place of its birth; and cer- 
tainly the intruder, perched at the entrance of its neigh- 
bour’s burrow, peers about and chatters with as much confi- 
dence as if the domicile were its own by “right of descent.” 
But few writers on natural history would seem to have ob- 
served the sparrow in such ‘situations, but I have frequently 
done so, and when the sand-bank was in the close vicinity of 
trees and houses. 

On account of the propensities heretofore alluded to or il- 
lustrated, the sparrows are perhaps the most amusing of our 
small common birds; but all bounds of propriety seem to be 
exceeded, when, so out of character with the scene, they, all 
begrimed, squat and chatter, and take up their abode on the 
stupendous cathedral of St. Paul’s in London, under the ca- 
nopy of which the ashes only of the mightiest among our- 
selves find a domicile. 

Examples of this bird partly and altogether white some- 
times occur; and a friend informs me that he once saw three 
white individuals in one nest. In his ‘ Catalogue of the Birds, 
&c., of Donegal,’ Mr. J. V. Stewart remarks—“1 have had 
a milk-white sparrow in confinement for two years; it was 
taken from the nest, is very sprightly and a female. At its 
moults there has been no change in the colour of its plu- 
mage: it has got the eyes of all albinoes*.” Mr. R. Davis, 
jun., of Clonmel, mentions in a letter, that in February 1841 
he “ got a singularly deformed female sparrow, in which the 
upper mandible is slightly twisted to one side, the lower one 
nearly two inches long and turned down like that of a cur- 
lew: the bird was seen to feed by laying the side of its head 
to the ground.” 

In his ‘ Familiar History of Birds,’ the Bishop of Norwich 
treats very pleasantly of the sparrow, as in the ‘ Journal of 
a Naturalist’? does Mr. Knapp in his usual graphic manner. 
Bewick too waxes warm and eloquent in its defence against 
the sweeping denunciation of Button. 


THe Grospeak or Hawrincn, Fringilla Coccothraustes, 
Linn. (genus Coccothraustes, Briss.), 
Is an occasional winter visitant to Ireland. A fine exam- 
ple in the collection of my friend, Wm. Sinclaire, Ksq., of 
Milltown, near Belfast, was shot some years ago in the neigh- 
bourhood of Hillsborough, county of Down. The Rey. G. 
* Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. v. p. 583. 
+ Fringilla montana appears in Templeton’s ‘ Catalogue of Irish Verte- 
brate Animals’ as “a doubtful native.” ‘To my ornithological friends and 
myself it is quite unknown. 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 287 


M. Black has informed me, that in the winter of 1832-33 ? he 
for a long time witnessed a pair of these birds feeding upon 
the haws of some old thorn-trees at his seat Stranmillis, near 
Belfast ;—he managed to approach within about fifteen paces, 
so as to see them very well. In his paper on the Birds, &c. 
of Donegal, Mr. J. V. Stewart gives an interesting account of 
two of these birds which he killed and examined anatomically. 
A portion of his observations are to the following effect. The 
communication is dated from Ards House, December 4, 1828: 
“1 shot a pair of these birds a few days ago, in fine plu- 
mage. * * * A few hours after they were dead, I took a 
strong pair of scissors and a knife, using them as levers to 
force open their bills, and found the muscles had so firmly 
contracted, that, to effect my purpose, I had to use a wedge; 
a forcible proof it will be allowed of their strength. Their 
bills alone, however, are formed as a pair of nut-crackers, as 
the muscles of the neck, unlike those of the woodpeckers, 
are not strong*.” Dubourdieu, in his ‘ Survey of the County 
of Antrim,’ observes, that “the grosbeak (Lowia), like a green- 
linnet, but larger, often resorts to the wooded farms in its 
neighbourhood [Lough Neagh] in winter.” The crossbill is 
most probably here alluded to, and not the species under con- 
sideration. ‘That the latter cannot be so, at least correctly, 
seems to me sufficiently evident from the circumstance that 
Mr. Templeton knew and corresponded with Dubourdieu, 
and in his catalogue of our native birds, he makes no mention 
whatever of the grosbeak. The Phcenix Park, Dublin, where 
there are literally woods of venerable hawthorns, has, above 
all places in Ireland, produced examples of this bird. Notes 
of its occurrence there in the following years are before me— 
in 1828-29, when the first individual (as I learn from Dr. J. 
D. Marshall) was obtained on the 6th of November, and 
about a dozen more altogether at various dates through the 
winter: in 1830?, when numbers were killed and supplied to 
my informant, a bird-preserver in the metropolis, who pur- 
chased them for a shilling each: in 1831, when the Rev. T. 
Knox records three individuals from this locality +: in 1832- 
33 I have been made aware of several having been killed; 
T. W. Warren, Esq., alone received four examples: and 
lastly, in January 1837. The Phoenix Park—the natural 
beauty of whose scenery is admirably depicted by Lady Mor- 
gan in her ‘ O’Briens and O’Flahertys’ as a prelude to its 
being the scene of “The Review ”—is very well adapted to 
be the permanent residence of the grosbeak; and although 


* Mag. Nat. FHist., vol. v. p. 582. 
+ Ibid., p. 734. 


288 Information respecting Scientific Travellers. 


the greater portion of it may be too much frequented for so 
shy a bird as this is reported to be*, still it may be a plea- 
sing task for some of the resident members of the Natural 
History Society of Dublin to ascertain whether, in any of the 
most retired glades or other portions of this spacious park 
which would afford freedom from molestation, such a remark- 
able and attractive species may not “increase and multiply.” 
By the late T. F. Neligan, Esq., of Tralee, I was informed 
that a grosbeak was shot near Milltown, in the county of 
Kerry, at the latter end of October 1830 (?). 


XXXVII.—IJnformation respecting Scientific Travellers. 
DR. CANTOR’S VISIT TO CHUSAN. 
To the Editors of the Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 
GENTLEMEN, 

By the last Indian mail I received a letter from my friend Dr. Can- 
tor, a part of which relating to the natural history of Chusan seems 
to me so highly interesting, that 1 take the liberty of making the 
following extract for your pages. 

‘Immediately on my return from Chusan I sent you a roughly 
drawn up catalogue of my collectionst. Owing to my severe ill- 
ness there and tedious recovery, I have been obliged to work much 
slower than I used to do. You know that I was sent to China with- 
out being allowed time to procure one single article necessary for 
collecting, yet I succeeded in getting something, and that truly in- 
teresting. Up to this moment I have finished descriptions in sections 
of a few new forms of Animalcula; the rest are identical with 
European and Indian. Of terrestrial and freshwater Mollusca, from 
twenty to twenty-five new forms, and interesting as links, were pro- 
cured: Benson has undertaken to describe them. The Reptilia are 
new, and of tropical forms totally distinct from the Japanese. The 
Batrachia are European, Rana esculenta and R. temporaria, Hyla arbo- 
rea. The Fishes, with which I am now occupied, are new, and mostly 
tropical forms. The Jnsects I have sent to London. Of Mammalia and 
Birds 1 have very few, as already mentioned in the catalogue. With 
the Plants Griffith is at present engaged. ‘The zoology of Chusan 
(80° N. L.) is, notwithstanding the vicissitudes of the climate, deci- 
dedly tropical or Indian. The flora appears to be Himalayan with 
European forms. Tueo. Cantor,” 

Calcutta, Sept. 26, 1841. 

It is gratifying to learn that such prompt measures have been taken 
by Dr. Cantor for making known the results of his collections in 
Chusan, though from the briefness of his stay, and bad health when 
there, these must necessarily be but limited.—W™m. Tuompson. 

Donegal Square, Belfast, Nov. 15, 1841. 

* See an excellent account of the species by Mr. Doubleday in vol. i. of 


the Mag. Zool. and Bot. 


+ This I am sorry to say has not been received. 


Information respecting Scientific Travellers. 289 


MR. MURCHISON’S SECOND GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF RUSSIA. 


To Richard Taylor, Esq. 
Dear Sir, 


Ir was my earnest wish to have complied earlier with your 
request when I left this country, to send you from the spot 
some account of my distant wanderings; but the desire to 
avoid communicating early conceptions which might be mo- 
dified by subsequent observation, induced me to stay my pen 
until I could offer something worthy of a place in your An- 
nals. ‘The short sketch which follows was written at Moscow 
near the close of the journey, and is, with some very slight 
alterations, the translation of a letter addressed to M. Fischer 
de Waldheim, the venerable and respected President of the 
Society of Naturalists of that metropolis. Since then, besides 
the official report to the Minister of Finance, the Count de 
Cancrine, 1 have submitted to His Imperial Majesty, a tabu- 
lar view of all the formations in Russia, accompanied by a 
general map and a section from the Sea of Azof to St. Peters- 
burgh. These documents, which will be engraved in the 
course of the winter, are to be considered only as the prelude 
to a long memoir with full illustrations of the organic re- 
mains, mineral structure and physical features of the country, 
which will be laid before the Geological Society of London, 
as soon as, with the assistance of my fellow-labourers, I shall 
have prepared the materials for the public eye. In the mean 
time the friends of science must be happy to learn, that the 
Emperor, his ministers and officers have powerfully and kind- 
ly contributed to these results by every possible aid and 
support which geologists could receive. Desirous that this 
inquiry should be rendered as perfect as circumstances will 
admit, His Imperial Majesty has graciously authorized the Mi- 
nister of Finance, the Count de Cancrine, to permit Count 
Keyserling to visit this country during the winter, to coope- 
rate with myself, whilst General Tcheffkine, the chief of the 
Staff of the Mining Corps, and so well known to many of my 
English friends, has obtained permission for Lieut. Koksharoff 
to be among us for a season, to complete his studies, and ac- 
quire a correct knowledge of those British strata with which 
the deposits of our ancient allies and kind friends have been 
compared. 
I remain, dear Sir, yours most faithfully, 
16 Belgrave Square, Roperick Impey Murcuison. 
Nov. 5, 184). 


Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. U 


290 Scientific Travellers. 


Letter to M. Fischer de Waldheim, Ex-President of the Society 
of Naturalists of Moscow. 
( Translation.) 
My pear Sir, Moscow, Oct. 8, 1841. 

As you have taken a lively interest in the success of the 
geological expedition which I have just completed, accom- 
panied by my friends M. de Verneuil, Count de Keyser- 
ling, and Lieutenant Koksharoff, I hasten to communicate to 
you some of its chief results; and I do so with real pleasure, 
because in requesting you to present them to the Society of 
Naturalists of Moscow, I acquit myself of a duty towards a 
distinguished body which has done me the honour of placing 
my name in the list of its foreign members. : 

The wide extension in the North of Russia of the Silurian, 
Devonian and Carboniferous Systems, as proceeding from the 
last year’s survey, by the same observers and our friend the 
Baron A. de Meyendorf, is already known to you from the 
abstracts of memoirs communicated to the Geological Societies 
of London and Paris. Our principal objects this year were, — 
Ist. To study the order of superposition, the relations and geo- 
graphical distribution of the other and superior sedimentary 
rocks in the central and southern parts of the empire. 2nd. 
To examine the Ural Mountains, and to observe the manner in 
which that chain rises from beneath the horizontal formations 
of Russia. 3rd. To explore the carboniferous region of the 
Donetz, and the adjacent rocks on the Sea of Azof. 

Our last year’s survey had pretty nearly determined the li- 
mits of the great tract of carboniferous limestone of the North 
of Russia. On this occasion we have added to its upper part 
that remarkable mass of rock which forms the peninsula of the 
Volga near Samara, and which, clearly exposed in lofty, vertical 
cliffs, and charged with myriads of the curious fossils Fustlina, 
constitutes one of the striking features of Russian geology. 

The carboniferous system is surmounted, to the east of the 
Volga, by a vast series of beds of marls, schists, limestones, 
sandstones and conglomerates, to which I propose to give the 
name of ‘ Permian System,” because, although this series re- 
presents asa whole, the lower new red sandstone (Rohte todte 
vegende) and the magnesian limestone or Zechstein, yet it can- 
not be classed exactly (whether by the succession of the strata 
or their contents) with either of the German or British sub- 
divisions of this age. Moreover the British lithological term 
of lower new red sandstone*, is as inapplicable to the great 


* See Silurian System, p. 54. 


Scientific Travellers. 291 


masses of marls, white and yellow limestones, and gray copper 
grits, as the name of old ved sandstone was found to be in re- 
ference to the schistose black rocks of Devonshire. 

To this ** Permian System” we refer the chief deposits of 
gypsum of Arzamas, of Kazan, and of the rivers Piana, 
Kama and Oufa, and of the environs of Orenbourg; we also 
place in it the saline sources of Solikamsk and Sergiefsk, and 
the rock salt of Iletsk and other localities in the government 
of Orenbourg, as well as all the copper mines and the large 
accumulations of plants and petrified wood, of which you have 
given a list in the ‘ Bulletin’ of your Society (anno 1840). Of 
the fossils of this system, some undescribed species of Producti 
might seem to connect the Permian with the carboniferous 
wera; and other shells, together with fishes and saurians, link 
it on more closely to the period of the Zechstein, whilst its pe- 
culiar plants appear-to constitute a Flora of a type intermediate 
between the epochs of the new red sandstone or “ trias” and 
the coal-measures. Hence it is that I have ventured to consi- 
der this series as worthy of being regarded as a * System.” 

The overlying red deposits which occupy a great basin in 
the governments of Vologda and Nijni Novogorod, have not 
as yet been found to contain any organic remains except minute 
Cyprides and badly preserved Modiole ; but when we take into 
consideration their thickness, geological position, and mineral 
characters, we are disposed to think that they may at some fu- 
ture day be identified with a portion of the “ Trias” of German 
geologists. I am strengthened in this opinion by Count Key- 
serling’s discovering, during our tour at Monte Bogdo, certain 
fossils which are unknown in other parts of Russia, but which 
are associated with the Ammonites Bogdoanus already described 
by Von Buch, and which that distinguished g geologist refers to 
the type of the muschelkalk. 

True lias does not exist in Russia, as ae Buch had de- 
cided from an examination of fossils sent to him, but the Ju- 
rassic or oolitic series is divisible into two stages. ‘The lowest 
of these, which is much more developed than the upper, never 
occupies any considerable tract of country, being either dis- 
tributed in patches, or hidden by newer accumulations. From 
the eastern flanks of the Ural chain in the 64° of N. latitude to 
the Caspian Sea, it preserves nearly the same mineral and fos- 
silcharacters. ‘This formation represents the inferior and mid- 
dle oolite. The ferruginous sands, calcareous grits, and black 
schists of the Moskwa are of this age; and also those beds 
which we examined last year on the Volga between Kostroma 
and Kinshma, at Makarief upon the Unja, as well as those 
shales and sands which we have seen this year in many other 

U2 


292 Scientific Travellers. 


localities, particularly between Arzamas and Simbirsk, between 
Syzran and Saratoft, at Saragula, and on the river [ek near 
Orenbourg. 

The upper oolitic group occurs in several situations along 
the Donetz, where it was first recognized by Major Blode. 
It is calcareous, often oolitic, of light yellow colour, and 
contains many Zrigonia, Nerinee, &c., which enable us to 
compare it with the upper Jura of the Germans, or Port- 
land and Coral rag division of my own country. 

The cretaceous system, though composed of very different 
beds of marls, white chalk, sands and grits (sometimes green), 
offers for the most part the fossils of the white chalk of Eu- 
rope, such as the Jnoceramz (Catillus), Belemnites mucro- 
natus, Ostrea vesicularis, Terebratula carnea*. 

Above the cretaceous system, we have not been able to dis- 
cover in any part of Russia, except in the Crimeea, the ‘*num- 
mulite limestone” which there sets on, and acquires a great 
importance in its range through Georgia, Egypt, and the 
Mediterranean basin. 

The equivalents of the lower tertiary formations (Eocene of 
Lyell) seem to exist in one part only of your country (S. of 
Saratoft). On the other hand, the middle and upper ter- 
tiaries (Miocene and Pleiocene) cover large surfaces on the 
Lower Volga, in Podolia, Volhynia, and also along the shores 
of the Sea of Azof and the Black Sea, where the youngest of 
these strata, very much resembling the ‘upper crag” of 
Norfolk, are beautifully displayed. 

I have not time to enter upon the numerous and inter- 
esting phznomena of the Ural Mountains, the examination 
of which occupied us nearly three months. We there studied 
alternately the wonders of the gold alluvia, the sites of the 
entombment of your great mammalia, and sought for the causes 
of the astonishing metamorphism of the sedimentary rocks 
of that chain. For an explanation of the last class of phaeno- 
mena, the works of Humboldt and Gustaf Rose must always 
be consulted. I will on this occasion simply say, that far from 
being primztive, as was supposed, this chain, with the excep- 
tion of its eruptive masses, is entirely composed of Szlurian, 
Devonian and Carboniferous rocks, more or less altered and 
crystallized, but in which nevertheless we have been able to 
recognise in a great number of localities my own Pentamerus 


* After this letter was written, we found in the collection of Professor 
Eichwald at St. Petersburgh, a fine specimen of Exogyra and other -fossils 
in a green sandstone from the Lower Volga, sent to him from a locality well 
known to us, which leaves little doubt of the existence also of a true re- 
presentative of our greensand.—R. I. M. 


Scientific Travellers. 293 


Knightii*, and many fossils which clearly define the age of 
the other strata. ‘These rocks, though much broken up, are 
arranged in parallel bands, the mean direction of which in 
the North Ural is from N. and by W. to S. and by E., 
whilst in the South Ural, trending N. and S., they assume a 
fan-shaped arrangement, spreading out towards the southern 
steppe of the Kirghis, where, interlaced with porphyries and 
other trap-rocks, they are often converted into the far-famed 
jaspers of this region. 

Still less can I now pretend to treat of the great carbonife- 
rous region of the Donetz; for without entering into details 
concerning this southern tract, so valuable te the future in- 
terests of Russia, I cannot render it the justice which it merits. 
Still I may say to you as a geologist, that its numerous beds 
of coal (bituminous and anthracitic), with its grits and shales, 
are completely subordinate to the mountain limestone series, 
and represent in no sense the coal-fields of Great Britain, Bel- 
gium, and France. 

In concluding, however, I must tell you of a very inter- 
esting discovery we made in returning from Taganrog to 
Petersburgh. Count Keyserling took the line of Voroneje 
and the Don, and M. de Verneuil and myself that of Koursk, 
Orel and the river Oka, and on meeting at Moscow our results 
completely agreed+. It was, as you know, generally believed 
up to this moment, that central Russia presented a regular 
succession from older to younger deposits as you proceeded 
from north to south. This is not the case. A great axis of 
Devonian rocks or old red sandstone, having a width of at 
least 120 miles, rises in the heart of the country around Vo- 
roneje and Orel, and stretches to the W.N. W., in which 
direction it probably connects itself with deposits of the 
same age in Lithuania and in Courland. This discovery 
seems, indeed, to have an intimate relation to one which we 
made in entering Russia early in the spring, near to Schavli 
in Lithuania, of much red ground and a band of upper Silu- 
rian rocks. In fact it also explains the cause of the great 
difference which exists between the deposits of the carbonife- 
rous basin of the Donetz and those of your Moscow region, 
now proved to constitute a vast basin. For as the two seas, in 
which these deposits were accumulated from high antiquity, 
were separated by the ancient lands in question, so must we 
infer that the conditions and nature of their shores, their rivers, 


* Silurian System, p. 615. 

+ Colonel Helmersen, so distinguished for his geographical and geologi- 
cal researches in Russia, also examined the tract near Orel in the course of 
the summer, and had come to the same conclusions as our party. I wa: 
however unacquainted with his opinion when I wrote this letter.—R. I. M 


294 Bibliographical Notices. 


their currents and bottoms (on which of course the nature of 
marine deposits depend), must have been essentially different. 

This discovery also proves the symmetry of the opposite 
edges of the Moscow basin; since in advancing from the 
governments of Tula and Kaluga on the south, we see the 
same ascending order as that which we before described 
in the Waldai Hills on the north. In both tracts the De- 
vonian or old red rocks, with Holoptychius nobilissimus, and 
many fishes and shells of that system well known in the Bri- 
tish Isles*, pass under the lowest strata of the carboniferous 
era, and serve as a base line to those thin beds of poor coal 
associated with Unio sulcatus and Productus gigas (hemispheri- 
cus, Sow.), which are at present the subject of new researches 
on the part of the Russian Government. 

The enormous space we traversed and examined, in all 
between 13 and 14 thousand miles, might well astonish you, if 
I did not assure you, that the arrangements for this journey, 
undertaken under the auspices of the Minister of Finance, 
Count de Cancrine, were admirably prepared by General 
Tcheffkine, whose clear directions, united to that spirit of hos- 
pitality which characterizes all Russians, and above all the in- 
habitants of the Ural and Siberia, rendered every enterprise 
feasible, and enabled us to overcome every obstacle. _ 

I shall communicate to you at alater date, and before our 
large memoir is prepared, the general table of the order of su- 
perposition of all the formations of Russia, with sections ft. 

Accept, dear Sir, the assurance of the affection and esteem 
of your devoted servant, 

Rovenick Impry Murcuison, 
President of the Geol. Society of 
London, 


To His Excellency M. Fischer de Waldheim. 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 


Catalogue of British Plants (Part \st containing the Flowering Plants 
and Ferns). By J.H. Balfour, M.D., Reg. Prof. of Botany, Glas- 
gow; C. C. Babington, Esq., M.A., F.L.S.; and W. H. Camp- 
bell, Esq., Sec. Bot. Soc. Second Ed. Printed for the Botanical 
Society of Edinburgh, 1841. 


Tue names of the distinguished botanists to whom the Botanical 
Society of Edmburgh have delegated the task of preparation, are an 
abundant guarantee for the patient care, skill, and critical accuracy 


* See Silurian System, p. 599. 
+t These documents, which were laid before His Imperial Majesty in 
MSS., are now in the hands of the engraver. 


Bibliographical Notices. 295 


which have been exercised in the compilation of this excellent Cata- 
logue, which for usefulness and comprehensive completeness very 
far exceeds the former edition, and indeed every other existing cata- 
logue. It is, in fact, a perfect Manual of British Botany. The ar- 
rangement is alphabetical, each genus having its authority appended 
with the Linnean Class and Order, and the Natural Order according 
to the classification of Dr. Walker-Arnott in the article ‘ Botany,’ 
in the new edition of the ‘ Encyclopzedia Britannica.’ The species 
are similarly arranged, with the additions of the authority, nature, 
habit, duration, periods of flowering, and their relative scarcity or 
abundance and condition in the flora of Edinburgh. In the deter- 
mination of the nomenclature it has been the aim of the compilers to 
make that of our British plants correspond, so far as possible, with 
that adopted by the best continental writers, which has necessarily 
rendered many important alterations necessary. In these amend- 
ments they have been chiefly guided by the works of DeCandolle, 
Koch, Nees von Esenbeck, Kunth and Leighton. ‘To render con- 
fusion impossible in consequence of such changes either in genera or 
species, reference is constantly made to the names under which they 
appear in the 4th edition of Sir W. J. Hooker’s ‘ British Flora.’ The 
sources whence new species are derived are indicated by references 
to the works from which they are taken, and when they are still un- 
published as British plants they are marked as additional species. 
The works thus referred to are ‘Supplement to English Botany,’ 
Babington’s ‘ Primitiz Flore Sarnice,’ Leighton’s ‘Flora of Shrop- 
shire,’ and ‘ Transactions of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh.’ 

By far the most important feature of the Catalogue is the informa- 
tion which it affords to us of the accelerating progress of British bo- 
tany. The number of Phanerogamous plants enumerated are, genera, 
523; species, 1594 ; varieties, 230: and of Ferns, genera, 22 ; species, 
55; varieties, 9: giving a total of genera, 545; species, 1649; va- 
rieties, 239. Of these more than 70 species are not included in the 
last edition (4th) of Hookeyr’s ‘ British Flora,’ published in 1838 (we 
mean bond fide additions not arising from mere change of name), and 
among them are 24 species which are new and unpublished as British 
plants, and consequently not comprised in any other lists of our na- 
tive flora. ‘These new plants are as follows :—Alyssum calycinum, 
Linn. ; Carex irrigua, Sm.; Centranthus Calcitrapa, Dufr. ; Cerastium 
pumilum, Curt. ; Hchinospermum Lappula, Lehm.; Hpilobium lanceo- 
latum, Seb. ; Eranthis hyemalis, Salisb. ; Erysimum virgatum, Roth. ; 
Galium insubricum, Gaud.; Gentiana Germanica, Willd. ; Linaria pur- 
purea, Mill.; Malcolmia maritima, Br.; Melissa officinalis, Linn. ; 
Nasturtium anceps, Reich.; Oralis stricta, Linn. ; Pinguicula longi- 
cornis, Gay?; Ranunculus circinatus, Sibth.; Ranunculus fluitans, 
Lam. ; Scirpus parvulus, R. et 8.; Scrophularia Ehrharti, C. A. 
Stev.; Teucrium regium, Schreb.; Trifolium Bocconi, Sav.; Urtica 
Dodartii, Linn. ; and Vicia gracilis, Lois. 

The typography, which is very free from material errors, is re- 
markably clear and distinct, and by its admirably contrasted variety 
and disposition all confusion is avoided, the eye at once alighting 


296 Bibliographical Notices. 


upon that which it is in search of, a most material assistance in re- 
ference. We do not quite coincide with the compilers in all their 
rejections and admissions of species and varieties ; but where there is 
so much to commend generally, it would be invidious to point out 
what may appear to us (and perhaps only to us individually) a few 
minor faults. We could however have wished that the indication of 
the relative scarcity or abundance and condition of the species had 
been extended to the whole kingdoms, and not confined to the flora 
of Edinburgh. In conelusion, we cordially anticipate that this ad- 
mirable Catalogue will be the standard one in use with all botanists, 
whether as an index to the herbarium or for correspondence. 


Arcana Entomologica, or Illustrations of new, rare, and interesting 
Exotic Insects. By J. O. Westwood, F.L.S., &c. Nos. 2, 3, 
and 4. 


Since our former notice of this work three more numbers have made 
their appearance, at intervals of two months, and fully keep up the in- 
terest of the first number in the beauty and singularity of the insects 
represented. Amongst them we may particularize two splendid 
moths from Assam, contained in the collection of R. H. Solly, Esq., 
of large size, having all the appearance of species of the true genus 
Papilio; some curious Tenthredinide from New Holland and tropical 
Africa; a gigantic walking-stick insect; several new species of Pa- 
ptlio, chiefly from India, and a figure with details of that most ano- 
malous animal the Hypocephalus armatus, accompanied by a series of 
observations from the pen of Dr. Burmeister on its affinities. The 
last number also contains a monograph of the Dipterous family Mz- 
daside, containing descriptions of not fewer than fifty species, nearly 
half of which are new, and of which a great number are figured. 


Naturhistorisk Tidskrift, edited by Henrik Kréyer. Copenhagen, Vol. 
III. 1840-41. 


The volume which we have just received contains the following 
articles,—and as some are continued through successive Numbers, 
the pages are added. 


C. Staeger, Systematic Catalogue of the Diptera found in Denmark, 
pp. 1, 228.—J. W. Hornemann, Essay towards a Catalogue of Plants 
not cultivated, but which have been introduced in Denmark in former 
times, and of those of which the origin is uncertain, pp. 59, 118.—Re- 
view of new zoological works, p. 85.—Liind, On the ancient animals 
of the Brazils before the last revolution of the world, pp. 85, 214. 
(From the ‘ Acta’ of the Royal Society of Copenhagen.)—Eschricht, 
Cirrhoteuthis Mulleri, a new species of Cephalopod, p. 95. (From 
the ‘Nova Acta Acad. Nat. Cur.,’ vol. xviii. p. 11.)—G. Schiddte, 
{chneumonidaruin ad Daniz Faunam pertinentium genera et species 
nove, p. 96. (From Guérin, ‘ Magazin de Zoologie, d’ Anatomie com- 
parée et de Paléontologie, 1839.’)—T. Cantor, Spicilegium Serpen- 
tium Indicorum, p. 100. (From the ‘ Proceedings of the Zoological 
Society, 1839.’)—Eschricht, On the Porpoise and its Entozoa, p. 220. 
Eschricht, On the Salpa cordiformis, p. 223. (From the ‘Acta’ of 
the Royal Society of Copenhagen.) —H. Kroyer, Bopyrus abdominalis, 


Entomological Society. 297 


pp. 102, 289.—F. Boie, On the history of the Reptiles of Denmark 
(Pelias berus, Li. ; Coronella austriaca, Gm. ; Lacerta crocea, Wolf. ; 
Lacerta agilis, L. ; Bufo variabilis, Pallas ; Molge cristata, Hyla ar- 
borea, L.).—Reinhardt, On new Greenlandic Fishes, p. 225 (Micro- 
stomus grenlandicus, Cottus bicornis).—H. Kroyer, On the metamor- 
phosis of the Pycnogonides, p. 299 (Pycnogonum littorale, Nymphon 
grossipes, L.; Phozichilus femoratus.)—J.H. Bredsdorf, Some re- 
marks on the System of Plants by Reichenbach, p. 307.—F. Boie, 
Entomological Contributions, p. 315.—J. C. Schiéddte, On the De- 
velopment of Azote in some warm springs in Iceland, p. 329.—J. C. 
Schiddte, A Journey in the mountains of Iceland in the summer of 
1840, p. 331.—V. Strém and J. Lange, Communications on Natural 
History, p. 395.—S. Drejer, Some additions to the Danish Flora, p. 
409.—S. Drejer, Revisio critica Caricum borealium in terris sub im- 
perio Danico jacentibus inventarum, p. 423.—H. P.C. Miiller, Re- 
marks on the genus Limacina, Linn., p. 481.—Steenstriip, Notes on 
the manner of living of Danish animals and the places where they 
are found, p. 490 (Bufo fuscus, Podiceps auritus and cornutus, Lat., 
Fuligula cristata (Anas fuligula, L..), Merops apiaster, Sorex pygmeus, 
Pallas).—--S. Drejer, Some additions to the Danish Flora, p. 496. 


PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
May 5th, 1841.—W. W. Saunders, Esq., President, in the Chair. 


Mr. Samuel Stevens exhibited a monstrous specimen of Harpalus 
rufimanus, taken by Mr. Bond, in which one of the hind femora was 
furnished with two anomalous appendages. 

Mr. Westwood exhibited several portable cases formed by the 
larve of a large species of Chlamys (a splendid Brazilian genus of 
Chrysomelide), from the collections of Messrs. Hope and Miers. 
These nests are composed of a short cylindrical curved tube, having 
a constriction at the hinder extremity which terminates in a globose 
knob; the other extremity is open and very oblique: at a short di- 
stance in front of the constricted part there arises a thin appendage, 
of similar materials with the rest of the case, which is dilated on each 
side into a very large and conical hollow mantle, fitted however to 
the mouth of the case, which thus exhibits a singular appearance. 
It is within this case that the larve undergo their transformations. 
Dr. Burmeister had described the nest of another species of Chlamys, 
which, like the present, is formed of the excrement of the insect, but 
had not noticed the peculiar bipartite structure observable in those 
now exhibited, and of which it is difficult to conceive the mode of 
construction. 

Mr. Westwood also exhibited, from the collection of Mr. Miers, 
several nests formed by the larvz of the equally splendid Brazilian 
genus Lamprosoma. ‘Yhese nests had been found attached to the 
bark of the Bombax trees, and closely resemble in appearance the 


298 Entomological Society. 


dead bud of a tree; they appear to be constructed of the same ma- 
terial as the nests of the Chiamys. The insects undergo these changes 
within the nests, the larva fastening the orifice to ‘the stem of the 
tree, and then turning itself round so as to escape (when arrived at 
the imago state) from the opposite end. In one of these nests a 
number of parasitical [chneumones adsciti were found. 

A note was read from the Rey. R. A. Cox, relative to the appear- 
ance of immense numbers of minute black caterpillars on the surface 
of pasture grounds in the parish of West Camel, Somerset, to the 
extent of twenty acres. The caterpillars were regarded by Mr. 
Stephens as those of a species of Melitea, which are known occa- 
sionally to congregate in great numbers. 

The following memoirs were read : 

*« Description of a new genus of Carabideous insects from tropical 
Africa,” by G. R. Waterhouse, Esq. 


DispHericus, W. Caput elongatum, labrum brevissimum, anticeé 
emarginatum, labium apice subemarginatum, palpi articulo externo 
obtriangulari, antenne longe, subcrassiores, thorax valdé convexus 
Sere globosus. Femora antica crassiora, tibie intis emarginate. 


Disphericus Gambianus, W. Afer nitidus, thorace globoso ; dorso 
canaliculato, elytris ovatis valde convexis profundé striato-punc- 
tatis interstitiis converis. Long. corp. lin. 8, lat. 3. Habitat 
in Africa tropicali, Gambia. In Mus. D. Melly. 

This insect is remarkable for the spherical form both of the thorax 
and abdomen, and is considered by Mr. Waterhouse to be the con- 
necting link between Cychrus and Potamophilus. 

«A monograph of the genus Panorpa, together with descriptions 
of species of various allied genera,” by J. O. Westwood, F.L.S. 

After alluding to the recent monograph of Dr. Klug upon the 
family Panorpide, the author gives the following monograph upon 
the typical genus Panorpa. 

A. Species Europee. 

1. P. communis, Linn. Fusco-nigra, meso- et metathorace linea 
media lata lutea, abdominis apice rufo ; alis ad apicem subacutis, 
hyalinis, venis, fasciis, maculisque nigris, stigmate elongato ; vena 
Ima longitudinali pone stigma, ter furcata. 

2. P. Germanica, Linn. Fusco-nigra, meso- et metathorace linea 
media lutea, abdominis apice rufo-luteo ; alis ad apicem rotundatis, 
hyalinis, venis, fasciis maculisque nigris, stigmate breviori, vena 
Ima pone stigma, bis furcata. 

3. P. rufo-stigma, W. Fulva, thorace luteo, lateribus nigris, alis 
hyalinis fusco-maculatis apiceque fusco, stigmate magno rufo, vena 
Ima longitudinali post stigma, bis furcata. Exp. alar. lin. 13. 
Habitat in Albania. D. S. S. Saunders. An var. P. Ger- 
manice ? 

B. Species Asiaticz. 

4, P. appendiculata, W. Nigra, capite thoraceque fulvis, abdo- 

minis segmento 2do in 4 appendiculo tenui valde elongato, alis 


Entomological Society. 299 


nigris albo variis. Exp. alar. 1 unc. Habitat in Madras. D. 
W. Elliott. In Mus. Britann. ¢ ?. 


5. P. Javanica, W. Nigra, thoracis abdominisque lateribus rufes- 
centibus, alis sublatis, hyalinis, fascia parva, postice dentata ante 
medium ale, fascia altera lata postice furcata pone medium, api- 
ceque lato nigris. Exp. alar. lin. 133. Habitat in insula Java. 
D. Horsfield. 

6. P. angustipennis, W. Nigra, rostro rufo, lobis latecralibus tho- 

racis luteis, alis valde elongatis basi angustis, fascia tenuissima ante 

medium alteraque versus apicem postice furcata, apice lato, postice 
abbreviato nigris 2. Habitat in insula Java, vel ‘“‘ Tennasserim 

Coast.” 


. P. fureata, Hardwicke in Linn. Trans. 
. P. Charpentieri, Burmeister Handb. d. Ent., ii. 958. 
. P, Japonica, Thunberg. 


oon 


C. Species Americane. 
10. P. rufa, G. R. Gray in Griff. Ann. K.  (P. fasciata, Klug.) 
11. P. lugubris, Swederus. (P. Scorpio, Fabr.) 


12. P. nebulosa, W. Obscure luteo-fulva, abdominis segmento 5to 
3S inermi, alis subcinereo-hyalinis, puncto magno nigro ad basin 
stigmatis, venisque brevibus transversis nebulosis. Exp. alar. lin. 
11. Habitat in America boreali. D. Doubleday. 

13. P. punctata, Klug. 

14. P. terminata, Klug. 

15. P. Americana, Swederus. (P. fasciata, Fabr.) 


16. P. venosa, W. Obscure fulva, meso- et metathoracis lateribus 
obscuris, abdomine obscuro, linea dorsali pallidiori, alis pallide 
flavo-luieis, venis transversis, fasciis apiceque nigricantibus 2 . 
Exp. alar. lin. 12. Habitat in Georgia. 

17. P. confusa, W. Fulva, alis luteo-hyalinis, venis nigricantibus, 
venis transversis fusco-tinctis, fasciis apiceque tenuibus nigrican- 
tibus, abdominis segmento 5to g supra spina longa armato, 6to ad 
basin haud incisog 2. Exp. alar. lin. 11. Habitat in Massa- 
chusetts. 

18. P. debilis, W. Luteo-fulva, abdominis basi supra nigro, seg- 
mento 5to, cornu brevi obliquo armato, 6to basi supra emarginato, 
alis pallidis fasciis apiceque fuscis. Exp. alar. lin. 11. Habitat in 
America septentr. 

19. P. subfurcata, W. Obscure fulva, capite magis rufescente, ab- 
domine supra ad basin obscuro, segmento 5to, cornu brevi dorsali 
armato, alis fusco-fasciatis, vena pone stigma ad apicem vix fur- 
catag 9. Exp. alar. lin. 11-13. Habitat in Nova Scotia. 

Eurnania, W. Caput prothorace haud occultatum infra in probos- 
cidem longitudine mediocri productum. Antenne longitudine alis 
e@quales. Ale longe elongato-ovate, antice costa dilatata haud 
areolata, disci venis longitudinalibus fere ut in Panorpa dispositis. 


300 Entomological Society. 


Ungues tarsorum acuti basi tantum serrulati, pulvillo magno in- 
termedio. 


1. Euphania luteola. Fulva, antennis nigris basi fulvis, meso- et 
metathorace piceis ad latera rufescentibus, abdomine piceo, segmen- 
tis 4 apicalibus fulvis pedibus piceis, femoribus fulvis, alis pallide 
luteis, ad basin magis fulvis, venis discoidalibus fuscis, basalibus 
fulvis, stigmate fusco. Exp. alar. lin. 155. Habitat ? In 
Mus. Britann. 


Merorrg, Newman. 
Merope tuber, N. in Ent. Mag., v. 180. Habitat “ Trenton 
Falls,’ Amer. septentr. 


Birracvs, Latreille. 
1. B. affinis, W. Testaceus, abdominis apice tarsisque posticis 
obscurioribus, alis pallide fuscescentibus, stigmate fusco, venisque 
parum fusco-tinctis. Exp. alar. lm. 194. Habitat in Brasilia. 


2. B. punctiger,W. Fulvescens, femoribus setis paucis nigris e guttis 
minutis fuscis prodeuntibus, armatis ; alis paulld latioribus nitidis 
flavido-hyalinis, stigmate fere concolori guttisque numerosis paulld 
obscurioribus. Exp. alar. lin. 20. Habitat in Georgia Americe. 


3. B. pallidipennis, W. Totus fulvo-luteus, tibiarum summo apice 
nigricanti, alis pallidissime luteis, unicoloribus, stigmate vix ob- 
scuriori. Exp. alar. lin. 165. Habitat ? 


4. B. pilicornis,W. Pallid? fusco-luteus, pedibus lutescentibus, alis 
hyalinis, stigmate viz colorato, antennis longe pilosis. Exp. alar. 
lin. 183. Habitat in America septentr. D. Doubleday. 


June 7th.—W. W. Saunders, Esq., President, in the Chair. 

The Rev. F. W. Hope exhibited a variety of new and splendid Co- 
leopterous insects obtained by him during a recent visit to Paris. He 
also exhibited a piece of iron-stone, forwarded by Wm. Stephenson, 
Esq., Surgeon, Donnington, exhibiting impressions somewhat resem- 
bling those of the wing of a butterfly, but which the President con- 
sidered to be the leaf of one of the fossil ferns (Holopteris t); 
the veins being quite unlike those of any insect. 

Mr. 8. Stevens exhibited a small collection of Indian Coleoptera 
which he had recently acquired, including three species of Pausside, 
Platyrhopalus denticornis, P. aplustifer, W., and a new species, since 
described by Mr. Westwood in the Proceedings of the Linnzan Society 
under the name of Paussus Stevensii. Mr. Stevens also exhibited 
living specimens of several rare British Coleoptera, recently taken in 
Hainault Forest, namely, Leptura scutellata, Calosoma Inquisitor, 
Elater balteatus, &c. He also brought for distribution amongst the 
Members a number of living specimens of Trichius nobilis. 

Mr. Marshall exhibited a portion of the comb of the honey-bee 
entirely destroyed by the larva of Achroia alvearia, which had now 
arrived at the perfect state, and observed, that the cocoons, when first 
formed, are of a pure white silk, but are soon afterwards found to be 
coated over with black particles of excrement. He noticed the diffi- 
culty which he experienced to account for this, unless, as he believed 


Entomoloyical Society. 301 


was the case, the larva leaves a hole open at the end of the cocoon, 
and is in the habit, before its transformation, of going out at this 
aperture in order to deposit its excrement. He also noticed the ex- 
treme rapidity with which the moth vibrates its antenne. 

Mr. A. White exhibited some cocoons of an insect from Hon- 
duras, one end of which was furnished with a flat trap-door, fastened 
by an admirably contrived hinge, and which he conceived was formed 
either by a Coleopterous or Cimbicideous insect. He also exhibited 
a drawing, made by Mr. Angers, of a splendid Papilio in the collection 
of the British Museum, which, if new, he proposed to name Papilio 
Tswara. 

The completion of Mr. Westwood’s memoir on the Panorpide was 
read. 
July 5th.—The Rev. F. W. Hope, V.P., in the Chair. 

Mr. J.F. Stephens exhibited specimens in illustration of the natural 
history of Nematus Ribesii, St., which had this year committed great 
devastation upon currant-trees in the neighbourhood of London, 
stripping trees entirely of their leaves, and being in some places so 
numerous that not a single currant-tree has escaped. The female 
deposits its eggs upon the veins of the leaves, upon which the larvie 
feed as soon as hatched. He had counted as many as fifty-seven 
upon a single leaf: so rapid was their consumption of the leaves, 
that he had had a currant-bush completely stripped in a single night. 
They had first appeared in May, and the larvee now exhibited were 
the third brood this season. ‘The larva forms its cocoon on the sur- 
face of the ground. 

Mr. 8. Stevens exhibited several nests of Apoderus Coryli which 
he had found upon oak-trees. 

Mr. Westwood exhibited a new species of Wstrus from India, 
and a new genus of Mantide with conical eyes from Senegal, the 
latter from the collection of the Rev. F. W. Hope. 

Mr. Walton exhibited a living specimen of Monochamus Sartor ?, 
taken in a new house at Islington, and two specimens of Hylobius 
Abietis found crawling in the parlour of his own house, the floor of 
which had been newly laid down, from which he supposed they had 
escaped. Likewise a species of Micronyx, Sch. (a Curculionideous 
genus not hitherto introduced into the native lists), which had been 
described by Mr. Curtis in the ‘ Annals of Nat. Hist.’ vol. v. p. 280. 
as a species of Pissodes (P. pygmeus). He also exhibited a new Bri- 
tish species of Tychius. 

Mr. White exhibited some exotic species of Arachnida and Cimi- 
cide, including a new species of the genus Agapophyta from the 
collection of Mr. James Wilson, and also some new species of Cur- 
culionide found in Scotland by Mr. Greville, namely, Magdalis phieg- 
maticus, Little, Ceutorhynchus viduatus, a new species near C. polli- 
naris, and Anthonomus pubescens. 

Mr. F. Bond brought for distribution amongst the Members a 
number of specimens of Callidium violaceum, taken by himself from 
an old larch post near Kingsbury, Middlesex. 

Mr. Westwood mentioned the destruction committed by the larvee 


ivy) 


02 Entomological Society. 


of Tenthredo testudinea upon young apples, devouring the interior of 
the fruit, being the only instance yet known of such habits amongst 
the Tenthredinide, although the larve of Nematus intercus and some 
allied species inhabit the interior of galls upon willow-leaves, upon 
the substance of which they subsist. The larvee of the former msect 
emit a very powerful scent, similar to that of the bed-bug, and quit 
the apple as soon as it is fallen to the ground, in order to undergo 
their transformations in the earth, the eggs being deposited on the 
young fruit whilst the trees are yet in flower. 


‘The followmg memoirs were read :— 
‘Descriptions of some nondescript Lamellicorn beetles in his col- 


lection,” by the Rev. F. W. Hope, F.R.S., &c. 


1. Nigidius grandis, H. Niger auriculatus mandibulis brevibus ro- 
bustis, externe in cornu luniferum elevatis, elyiris fortiter sulcatis, 
thorace sparsim excavato punctatis. Long. corp. lm. 10. Hab. 
Sierra Leone. D. Strachan. 


2. Lucanus Burmeisteri, H. Niger, mandibulis capite thoraceque 
longioribus dentibus binis ad apicem minoribus tertio fer in medio 
multo fortiori, capite antice elevato, thoracis lateribus in medio 
acuminatis, elytris castaneis, ad basin triangulo nigro variis, femo- 
ribus tibiisque inermibus. Long. corp. (mandib. incl.) 3 une. 4 
lin. Hab. Mysore, India. 


3. Doreus Darwin, H. Atrofuscus, mandibulis dentatis nigris, 
capite postice lato, subspinoso, thoracis disco in medio elevato, 
elytris convexis multipunctatis, tibiis anticis denticulatis, 4 posticis 
in medio unispinosis. Long. corp. lin. 74. Hab. Chili. 


4. Valgus argillaceus, H. Fuscus, capite flavo-tomentoso, thorace 
antice subcornuto denticulato, postice angulis rotundatis, ano gra- 
nulifero tomento asperso, corpore infra argillaceo, tibiis binis an- 
ticis dilatatis. Long. corp. lin. 34. Hab. India orient. 


5. Gnathocera Natalensis, H. Smaragdina, capite fere quadrato, 
marginibus elevatis nigris, thorace viridi varioloso, elytris viridi- 
opalinis crebrissim® punctulatis, podice postice aureo, tarsis piceis. 
Long. corp. lin. 7. Hab. Natal. 


6. Dicheros ornatus, Burmeister’s MSS. Niger, capite medio 
excavato, postice tridentato, thorace nigro, fascia obliqua rubra fereé 
interrupta, elytris nigris, macula lata flava, basi apice suturaque 
nigricantibus, pedibus nigris, femoribus rubro-corallinig. Long. 
corp. lin. 8. Hab. India orient., Mysore. 


7. Celorrhina concolor, Burmeister’s MSS. Smaragdina aut 
viridi-opalina, clypeo antice valde emarginato, elytris concoloribus 
striato-punctatis humeris nigricantibus, corpore infra viride, seg- 
mentis abdominis medio opalinis. Long. corp. lin. 12. Hab. 
Sierra Leone. 


8. Schizorhina succinea, H. Flava, capite antice luteo, posticé ni- 
gricante punctulato, thorace fusco-flavo maculis duabus discoidali- 
bus, elytris suecineis, pectore nigricanti, femoribus flavis, tibiis 


Entomological Society. 303 


tarsisque atro-piceis. Long. corp. lin. 94. Hab. Nova Hol- 
landia. 

9. Cetonia Indra, H. Rubro-punicea, clypeo subemarginato, thorace 
quadrimaculato, elytris acuminatis atro-puniceis macula irregulart 
ochraceo-flava in medio disci alteraque minori fere ad angulum 
externum ; corpore infra rubro-puniceo, pectore segmentis abdo- 
minis utringue ochraceo maculatis. Long. corp. lin. 12. Hab. 
Manilla. 

10. Agestrata Withillii, H. Nigra nitida glabra, thorace binis 
foveis parum distinctis fer ad scutellum positis, corpore infra 
atro pectore segmentisque abdominis aurantio maculatis. Long. 


corp. lin. 19. Hab. Bombay. 


11. Agestrata Gagates, H. Nigra nitida, thorace lobato subcon- 
vexo glabro, corpore infra atro-nitido, segmentis abdominis utrinque 
aurantio maculatis. Long. corp. lin. 16. Hab. India orient., 
‘Travancore, 


12. Macronota vittigera, H. Nigra, capite linea media aurantia, 
thorace trivittato vittis aurantiis, elytris bivittatis vittis ante 
apicem abbreviatis, podice in medio nigro lateribus flavis. Long. 
corp. lin. 134. Hab. India orient., Mysore. 


13. Pacuytricaa, H. Corpus magnum obesum converum ; labrum 
porrectum bifidum ; antenne 10-articulate ; macille apice valde 
penicillate ; mandibule recte apice obtuse ; mentum apice valde 
emarginatum ; ungues intus dentibus duobus instructi. 

This genus is regarded by Burmeister as intermediate between 

Glaphyrus and Chasmatopterus. 

P. castanea, H. Picea, capite valde acuminato, thorace anticé utringue 
spinoso, scutello piceo, elytris castaneis, podice brunneo, pedibus 
piceis. Long. corp. lin. 15. Hab. Nova Hollandia. 


A memoir was also read by Mr. Westwood, ‘‘ On the Australian 
genus Cryptodus, and upon Parastasia, the Asiatic representative of 
the Rutelide.” 

After noticing the singular character of the genus Cryptodus, and 
its location by Mr. MacLeay, at first in the family Trogide, and lat- 
terly, in Dr. Smith’s African Researches, as one of the primary forms 
of the Cetoniide, including Cremastocheilus, Genuchus, &c. as its sub- 
genera, the author institutes a comparative examination of its struc- 
ture in detail with the last-named groups, as well as with the Tro- 
gide, and also with the Phileurideous Dynastide, which last are re- 
garded by him as the true affinities of Cryptodus. The nine-jointed 
antenne, upon which so much stress has been laid by Mr. MacLeay, 
is proved to be only a specific character, Mr. Westwood describing 
a new species with the following characters. 

Cryptodus Tasmannianus, W. Niger, nitidus, oblongus, punctatus, 

antennis 10-articulatis, mento basi recte truncato, prosterno an- 

tice producto, margine antico fere recto. Long. corp. lin. 94. 

Hab. Terra Van Diemenii. Mus. Westwood, &c. 
Parasrasia, W. Gen. noy. Asiaticum! e familia Rutelidarum. 


304 Entomological Society. 


Corpus valde gibbosum, pedibus brevissimis ; caput anticé bitubercu- 
latum ; antenne 10-articulate; mandibule cornee ad apicem extus 
curvate, angulo externo in dentem subrecurvum prominentem pro- 
ducto ; mazille lobo externo producto tridentato. 

This genus appears to be confined to the islands of the Indian 
Ocean, especially those of the Philippine range. It is the first in- 
stance on record of a Rutelideous insect found in that quarter of the 
globe. 

Sp. 1. Parastasia canaliculata, W. Nigra, nitida, elytris fulvo-va- 

riegatis plagis duabus elevatis, obliquis utrinque versus scutellum. 
Long. corp. lin.95. Hab. Philippine Islands, Cuming. Mus. Hope. 


Sp. 2. Parastasia bipunctata, W. Nigra, prothorace rufo, nigro- 
bipunctato, elytris nigris, basi fulvis, singuli maculis duabus nigris. 
Long. corp. lin. 84. Hab. Philippine Islands, Cuming. Mus. 
Brit. 

Sp. 3. Parastasia discolor, W. Nigra, prothorace rufo, elytris 
castaneo-rufis, basi scutelloque obscurioribus. Long. corp. lin. 
7i. Hab. Philippine Islands, Cuming. Mus. Brit. 


Sp. 4. Parastasia nigriceps, W. Luteo-fulva, capite, prothoracis 
maculis duabus alterisque duabus ad basin elytrorum tarsisque 
nigris. Long. corp. lin. 55. Hab. Philippine Islands, Cuming. 
Mus. Brit. 

Sp. 5. Parastasia confluens, W. Nigra, prothorace in medio rufo 
et impresso, elytris obscure rufis, singulo maculis duabus luteis 
ovalibus contiguis ante medium positis. Long. corp. lin. 53. 
Hab. Philippine Islands, Cuming. Mus. Brit. 

Sp. 6. Parastasia binotata, W. Nigra, elytrorum singulo macula 
magna, prope scutellum fulva. Long. corp. lin. 8}. Hab. Java. 
Mus. Melly and Curtis. 

Sp. 7. Parastasia Westwoodii, Waterh. MSS. Piceo-brunnea, 
sordide opaca, thorace utrinque plagis obliquis fasciaque obscura 
in medio elytrorum nigris antennis basi femoribus tibiisque lucidi- 
oribus. Long. corp. lin. 53. Hab. Sumatra. Mus. Zool. Soc. 


Sp. 8. Parastasia Horsfieldii, W. Nigra, elytris postice piceis. 
Long. corp. lin. 94. Hab. Java, Horsfield. Mus. East Ind. Comp. 


Sp. 9. Parastasia bicolor, W. Nigra, prothorace miniato. Long. 

corp. lin. 6. Hab. Java, Horsfield. Mus. East Ind. Comp. 

Mr. Westwood also exhibited figures of many new Lamellicorn 
groups, which he had for some time past been preparing for publica- 
tion. 

Professor Burmeister (who was present) stated, in confirmation of 
Mr. Westwood’s observations on the relation of Cryptodus with the 
Dynastide, that he had observed that the tarsi and ungues in that 
genus were dissimilar in the sexes, as in some of the aberrant Dy- 
nastide, and that the genus Trionychus of Dejean appeared to him 
the nearest relation to Cryptodus, which he considered to be in no 
wise related to the Cetontide, as regarded by Mr. MacLeay. 


Geological Society. 305 


A note was also read by Mr. Tulk on the habits of a large toad 
which he had found confined in a hole, out of which it was impossible 
for it to make its escape, and the intestines of which he found filled 
with the remains of various Carabide, especially Steropus madidus, 
which had sought shelter in the same place, and which had scarcely 
undergone any change whilst in the stomach of the toad. This in- 
duced Professor Owen to observe, that an examination of various 
kinds of Coprolites of animals analogous to the toad would probably 
lead to the discovery of many extinct species of insects of which we 
are now ignorant. 


GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 


Feb. 24, 1841.—A paper entitled ‘‘ Description of parts of the 
Skeleton and Teeth of five species of the genus Labyrinthodon, 
from the new red sandstone of Coton End and Cubbington Quar- 
ries; with remarks on the probable identity of the Cheirotherium 
with that genus of extinct Batrachians,” by Richard Owen, Esq., 
F.G.S., F.R.S. 

In a paper read on the 20th of January, Mr. Owen described the 
peculiarities in the structure of the teeth of the Labyrinthodon ; and 
having been favoured by Dr. Lloyd, since that paper was written, 
with the loan of all the reptilian remains obtained from the new red 
sandstone of Warwick and Leamington, deposited in the Museums 
of those towns, and having been liberally permitted by the Com- 
mittees of the Institutions to examine the teeth by the microscopic 
test, he gives, in this paper, a minutely detailed description of the 
fragments submitted to his examination, and points out their rela- 
tive connexion to each other, and the laws by which he has been 
enabled to determine that they all belong to the genus Labyrin- 
thodon, and [are] confirmatory of the Batrachian nature of the 
Wurtemberg fossil. 

The specimens which Mr. Owen has examined are referable to 
five species, to which he has applied the names,—1. Labyrinthodon 
salamandroides, 2. L. leptognathus, 3. L. pachygnathus, 4. L. ven- 
tricosus, and 5. L. scutulatus ; and he describes successively the cha- 
racters exhibited by the bones assignable to the 2nd, 8rd and Sth 
species. 

Labyrinthodon leptognathus.—The remains which Mr. Owen con- 
siders as portions of this species, consist of fragments of the upper 
and lower jaws, two vertebra, and a sternum. ‘They were found in 
the sandstone quarries at Coton End, near Warwick. 

The portions of the upper jaw show that the maxillary or facial 
division of the skull was broad, much depressed and flattened, re- 
sembling the skull of the gigantic Salamander and of the Alligator ; 
and the outer surface of the bones was strongly sculptured, as in the 
Crocodilian family, but of a relatively larger and coarser pattern. 
The fragment described contains the anterior moiety of the single 
row of small teeth, or 30 sockets, and the base of one of the great 
anterior tusks. The bases of the serial teeth project directly from 

Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. D, ¢ 


306 Geological Sociely. 


the outer wall of the shallow socket, there being no alveolar ridge 
external to it. The large anterior fang is three times the size of the 
first of the serial teeth, and the size of these gradually diminish as 
they are placed further back ; the length of the common-sized being 
about two lines, and the greatest breadth one-third of a line. The 
apical two-thirds of each tooth is smooth, but the basal third is fluted, 
and anchylosed to the outer wall of the socket. The breadth of the 
upper jaw, opposite the middle of the dental series, was two inches 
six lines; in proceeding backwards the jaw gradually expands to 
three inches, and in proceeding forwards narrows, but in a less 
degree towards the anterior extremity, and then slightly widens or 
inclines outwards on account of the large tusks. Where the upper 
jaw is entire, a portion next the median suture, four lines in breadth, 
is separated from the maxillary bone by a longitudinal harmonia, 
and corresponds with the position of the nasal bone in the Crocodile. 
On comparing the structure of the cranium of the Labyrinthodon 
with the Batrachian condition of the same part, Mr. Owen shows 
that an important difference will be found to exist. In both the 
caducibranchiate and perennibranchiate species, the upper maxillary 
bones do not extend horizontally over the upper surface of the skull, 
but leave a very wide interval between the maxillary and nasal 
bones ; and the palatal processes of the former contribute as little to 
form the floor of the nasal cavity: in the Crocodiles, on the contrary, 
the palatal processes of the maxillary bones extend horizontally in- 
wards, and meet at the middle line of the roof, forming an unbroken 
floor to the nasal cavity. In the Labyrinthodon the superior max- 
illary bones, as already shown, extend inwards to the nasal bone, 
constituting with it a continuous roof to the nasal cavities ; but the 
palatal processes, instead of reaching to the middle line, as in the 
Crocodiles, are very narrow, as in the Batrachia. ‘The osseous roof 
of the mouth is principally composed of a pair of broad and flat 
bones, analogous to the divided vomer in Batrachia, but of much 
greater relative extent, approaching, in this respect, those of the 
Menopome, and defending the mouth with a more extensive roof of 
bone than exists in any Lacertian reptile : ‘‘ physiologically, there- 
fore,’ observes Mr. Owen, ‘‘the Labyrinthodon, in this part of its 
structure, comes nearest to the Crocodile; but the structure itself, 
morphologically, is essentially Batrachian.”” In the Menopome and 
gigantic Salamander, a row of small teeth extends transversely 
across the anterior extremity of the vomerine bones: and the occur- 
rence in the Labyrinthodon of a similar row, consisting in each 
palatine bone of three median small teeth and two outer larger ones, 
marks most strongly its Batrachian nature; and from the outer- 
most tooth a longitudinal row of small and equal-sized teeth is con- 
tinued backward along the exterior margin of the palatine bone. 
The whole of this series of palatal teeth is nearly concentric with 
the maxillary teeth. 

In Lacertine reptiles the examples of a row of palatal teeth are 
rare, short, and situated towards the back of the palate, upon the 


Geological Society. 307 


pterygoid bones, as in the Iguana and Mosasaur. In Batrachia the 
most common disposition of the palatal teeth is a transverse row 
placed at the anterior part of the divided vomer in Frogs, the Meno- 
pome and gigantic Salamander, and at the posterior part in certain 
toads. In the Amphiume, on the contrary, the palatal teeth form a 
nearly longitudinal series along the outer margin of the palatine 
bones. The Labyrinthodon, as already shown, combines both these 
dispositions of the palatal teeth. The posterior palatine apertures 
are more completely circumscribed by bone than in most Batrachi- 
ans, occupying the same relative position as in the Iguana. The 
posterior margin only of one of the anterior apertures is exhibited 
in this specimen, but from its curve Mr. Owen infers that the two 
apertures were not confluent, as in the Crocodile, the Frceg, or the 
Menopome, but that they were distant, as in the Iguana. 

From the physiological condition of the nasal cavity Mr. Owen 
is disposed to believe that the Labyrinthodon differed from the Ba- 
trachians and resembled the Saurians, in having distinct posterior 
nasal apertures surrounded by bone, and that its mode of respiration 
was the same as in the higher air-breathing reptiles. In the shed- 
ding and renewal of the maxillary and the transverse palatal teeth, 
Mr. Owen shows that the process took place alternately in each 
row, as in many fishes, whereby the dental series is always kept in 
an efficient state. 

The author then describes a portion, sixteen inches long, of the 
left ramus of an under jaw from the Warwick sandstone, and con- 
sidered to belong to the same species as the bone just described. It 
is slender and straight, and the symphysial extremity is abruptly 
bent inwards, and it presents, Mr. Owen says, almost as striking a 
Batrachian character as any of the bones just mentioned. The an- 
gular piece is of great breadth, extending on both sides of the jaw, 
and is continued forward to near the symphysis, forming the whole 
of the inferior part of the jaw, and extending upon the inner as far 
as upon the outer side of the ramus, the inner plate performing the 
function of the detached os operculare in the jaw of Saurians. ‘The 
dentary bone is supported upon a deep and wide groove along the 
upper surface of the angular piece, which also projects beyond the 
groove, so as to form a strong convex ridge on the external side of 
the jaw, below the dentary piece. This character, which in the 
large bull-frog (Rana pipiens) is confined to the posterior part of the 
maxillary ramus, is in the Labyrinthodon continued to near the an- 
terior extremity. The teeth are long and slender, gradually dimi- 
nishing in size towards the anterior portion of the jaw, and the 
fragment presents a linear series of not less than fifty sockets, placed 
alternately a little more internally; and at the anterior inflected 
part of the jaw is the base of the socket of a large tooth. The an- 
terior portion of the jaw being broken off, it is uncertain if the serial 
teeth were continued externally to the anterior tusk, a remarkable 
ichthyic character noticed in another species of Labyrinthodon. 

The sockets of the teeth are shallower than in the upper jaw ; the 
outer wall is more developed than the inner, and the anchylosed 


X 2 


308 Geological Society. 


bases of the teeth more nearly resemble, in their oblique position, 
those of existing Batrachia. Mr. Owen then describes the micro- 
scopic structure of the teeth, and he shows that, between the apex 
and the part where the inflected vertical folds of the cement com- 
mence, the tooth resembles, in the simplicity of its intimate struc- 
ture, that of the entire tooth of ordinary Batrachia and most rep- 
tiles ; and in the lower or basal half of the tooth the structure 
described in the previous memoir commences, and gradually in- 
creases in complexity. From the long and slender character of this 
ramus, Mr. Owen shows that the length of the head, as compared 
with the breadth, approximates more nearly to Crocodilian propor- 
tions than to the ordinary Batrachian ones; but that among existing 
Batrachia it resembles most nearly the Amphiume. 

A dorsal vertebra from Coton End, which is next described, pre- 
sents still further evidence of the Batrachian nature of the Laby- 
rinthodon, in having concave but not deep articular cavities at the 
extremities of the body, a condition now known among existing rep- 
tiles only in the Gecko, and in the lower or perennibranchiate divi- 
sion of Batrachians. The body of the vertebra is elongate and sub- 
compressed, with a smooth extended, but not regularly curved sur- 
face, terminating below in a slightly produced, longitudinal, median 
ridge; and it exhibits the same exceptional condition in the Repti- 
lian class as do the vertebree of existing Batrachians, in having the 
superior arch or neurapophysis anchylosed with the centrum. From 
each side of the base of the neural arch extends obliquely, outwards 
and upwards, the remains of a thick and strong transverse process ; 
and from their strength and direction Mr. Owen gathers indications 
of a necessity for an expanded respiratory cavity, and that they sup- 
ported ribs. 

A symmetrical bone, resembling the episternum of the Ichthyosau- 
rus, is also described. It consists of a stem or middle, which gradu- 
ally thickens to the upper end, where cross-pieces are given off at 
right angles to the stem, and support on each a pretty deep and wide 
groove, indicating strongly the presence of clavicles, and thus point- 
ing out another distinction from Crocodiles, in which clavicles are 
wanting. 

In concluding the description of these remains of the Labyrintho- 
don leptognathus, Mr. Owen says, that they prove the fossil to have 
been essentially Batrachian, with striking and peculiar affinities to 
the higher Sauria, leading, in the form of the skull and the sculptu- 
ring of the cranial bones, to the Crocodilian group, and in one part 
of the dental structure, in the form of the episternum, and the bi- 
concave vertebre, to the Ichthyosaurus; while in the bony palate 
there is a deviation from the Batrachian character, and a resemblance 
to the Lacertian type. Another marked peculiarity in this fossil is 
the anchylosis of the base of the teeth to distinct and shallow sockets, 
by which it is made to resemble the Sphyrena and certain other 
fishes. From the absence of any trace of alveoli of reserve for the 
successional teeth, Mr. Owen believes the teeth were reproduced, as 
in many fishes, especially the higher Chondropterygii, which formed 


Geological Society. 309 


the Amphibie natantes of Linnzus, in the soft mucous membrane 
which covered the alveolar margin, and subsequently became fixed 
to the bone by anchylosis, as in the Pike and Lophius. No remains 
of the locomotive organs of the L. leptognathus have yet been found. 

Labyrinthodon pachygnathus.—In detailing the remains of this spe- 
cies, consisting of portions of the lower and upper jaws, an anterior 
frontal bone, a fractured humerus, an ilium with a great part of the 
acetabulum, the head of a femur, and two unguial phalanges, Mr. 
Owen dwells on further Batrachian characters and certain peculi- 
arities of structure, and shows the points in which it agrees with the 
L. leptognathus. A portion, nine and a half inches long, of a right 
ramus of a lower jaw is first described; and in addition to the cha- 
racters common to it and the fragment of the lower jaw of the 
L. leptognathus, in the structure of the angular and dentary pieces, 
the author shows that the outer wall of the alveolar process is not 
higher than the inner, as in Frogs and Toads, the Salamanders and 
Menopome, in all of which the base of the teeth is anchylosed to the 
inner side of an extérnal alveolar plate. ‘The smaller serial teeth 
are about forty in number, and gradually diminish in size as they 
approach beth ends, but chiefly so towards the anterior part of the 
jaw. The sockets are close together, and the alternate ones are 
empty. The great laniary teeth were apparently three in each sym- 
physis, and the length of the largest is considered to have been one 
and a half inch. A section through the base of the anterior tusk 
above the socket exhibits the structure described in Mr. Owen’s first 
memoir ; but a section of the second tusk, also taken above the socket, 
exhibited averysimplified modification of the labyrinthic arrangement, 
presenting a disposition closely analogous to that at the base of the 
teeth of the Ichthyosaurus. ‘The apical half of the tusks has a smooth 
and polished surface, and the pulp-cavity is continued, of small size, 
into the centre of this part of the tooth. In the serial teeth, which 
in other respects, except size, correspond with the preceding descrip- 
tion of the tusks, the central pulp-cavity is more quickly obliterated, 
but the alveoli are large, moderately deep and complete: the texture 
of the teeth is dense and brittle. The base of each tooth is anchy- 
losed to the bottom of its socket, as in Scomberoid and Sauroid 
fishes; but the Labyrinthodon possesses, Mr. Owen says, a still 
more ichthyic character in the continuation, preserved in this speci- 
men, of a row of small teeth anterior and external to the two or three 
larger tusks. A double row of teeth thus occasioned does not exist 
in the maxillary bones, either superior or inferior, of any Batra- 
chian or Saurian reptile; in Mammalia it has been noticed only in 
the upper jaw of the hare and rabbit, and in Fishes only in the 
lower jaw. 

A fragment of the superior maxillary bone is also described, and 
its chief deviation from the Crocodilian type of structure is the con- 
tinuation of the palatal plate of the intermaxillary bone for about 
an inch to the outer side of the base of the external plate or pro- 
cess ; while in the Crocodiles the external wall of the intermaxil- 
lary bone is united by the whole of its outer margin with the 


310 Geological Society. 


maxillary, and is thence continued along the whole outer contour 
of the intermaxillary bone. Now in the Labyrinthodon the inter- 
maxillary bone presents the same peculiar modification of the Ba- 
trachian condition of this bone as in the higher organized Batra- 
chia, the palatal process of the intermaxillary extending beyond the 
outer plate both externally and, though in a less degree, internally, 
where it forms part of the boundary of the anterior palatal foramen, 
whence the outer plate rises in the form of a compressed process 
from a longitudinal tract in the upper part of the palatal process ; 
it is here broken off near its margin, and the fractured surface gives 
the breadth of the base of the outer plate, stamping the fossil with 
a Batrachian character conspicuous above all the Saurian modifica- 
tions by which the essential nature of the fossil appears at first 
sight to be marked. 

In the anterior frontal bone, Mr. Owen says, there are also indi- 
cations of Crocodilian structure. Its superior surface is slightly 
convex, and pitted with irregular impressions ; and from its poste- 
rior and outer part it sends downwards a broad and slightly con- 
cave process, which the author considers the anterior boundary of 
the orbit. ‘This process presents near its upper margin a deep pit, 
from which a groove is continued forwards; and in the correspond- 
ing orbital plate of the Crocodile there is a similar but smaller fora- 
men. 

From these remains of the cranium of the Labyr. pachygnathus, 
it is evident, Mr. Owen states, that the facial or maxillary part of 
the skull was formed in the main after the Crocodilian type, but 
with well-marked Batrachian modifications in the intermaxillary 
and inferior maxillary bones. The most important fact which they 
show is, that this Sauroid Batrachian had subterminal nostrils, 
leading to a wide and shallow nasal cavity, separated by a broad 
and almost continuous palatal flooring from the cavity of the mouth ; 
indicating, with their horizontal position, that their posterior aper- 
tures were placed far behind the anterior or external nostrils ; 
whereas in the air-breathing Batrachia the nasal meatus is short 
and vertical, and the internal apertures pierce the anterior part of 
the palate. Mr. Owen therefore infers that the apparatus for 
breathing by inspiration must have been present in the Labyrintho- 
don as in the Crocodile ; and hence still further, that the skeleton of 
the Labyrinthodon will be found to be provided with well-developed 
ribs, and not, as in the existing Batrachia, with merely rudimentary 
styles. Since the essential condition of this defective state of the ribs 
of Batrachia is well known to be their fish-like mode of generation 
and necessary distention of the abdomen, Mr. Owen likewise 
directs attention to the probability that the generative economy of 
these fossil reptiles may have been similar to that of existing cro- 
codiles. 

A fragment of a vertebra presents analogous characters to the 
vertebra of the L. leptognathus previously noticed. 

Of the few bones of the extremities which have come under Mr. 
Owen's inspection, one presents all the characteristics of the corre- 


Geological Society. Sh 


sponding part of the humerus of a toad or frog, viz. the convex, 
somewhat transversely extended articular end, the internal longi- 
tudinal depression, and the well-developed deltoid ridge. The length 
of the fragment is two inches, and the breadth is thirteen lines. 
The ridges are moderately thick and compact, with a central medul- 
lary cavity. In its structure as well as in its general form, the 
present bone agrees with the Batrachian, and differs from the Croco- 
dilian type. 

Again, in the right ilium, about six inches in length, and in the 
acetabulum, there is a combination of Crocodilian and Batrachian 
characters. The acetabular cavity is bounded on its upper part bya 
produced and sharp ridge as in the frog, and not emarginate at its 
anterior part, as in the crocodile. Above the acetabulum in the frog 
the ilium gives off a broad and depressed process, the lower ex- 
tremity of which is separated from the acetabulum by a smooth con- 
cave groove, both of which are wanting in the crocodile, there being 
only a slight rising of the upper border of the acetabulum. ‘These 
characters, however, are well developed in the Labyrinthodon: but the 
process, instead of being depressed is compressed, and its internal 
extremity is pointed and bent forwards, representing the rudiment 
of the long anterior process of the ilium in the Batrachia anoura ; 
but it does not attain in the Labyrinthodon the parallel of the an- 
terior margin of the acetabulum, and the bone terminates in a 
thick truncated extremity a few lines anterior to the acetabulum ; 
an essential feature of resemblance to the Crocodiles and difference 
from the Batrachians. But the most marked difference in this fossil 
from the crocodile is the length of the ilium. posterior to the aceta- 
bulum, in which it agrees with the analogous portion of the frog 
and other tailless Batrachia; while, on the contrary, there is an 
agreement with the Crocodilian type in the mode of articulation to 
the vertebral column. In the frog a transverse process of a single 
vertebra abuts against the anterior extremity of the produced ilium. 
In the crocodile the transverse processes of two vertebre are thick- 
ened and expanded, and joined to a rough, concave, articular surface 
occupying the inner side of the ilium, and a little posterior to the 
acetabular cavity. In the Labyrinthodon is a similar well-marked, 
rough, elongated, concave, articular surface, divided by a non-arti- 
cular surface, and destined for the reception of the external extremi- 
ties of two sacral ribs. The Labyrinthodon likewise agrees with 
the crocodile in the lower part of the acetabulum being completed 
by the upper extremity of the pubis, the anterior and inferior part 
of the ilium offering an obtuse process at the posterior part of the 
lower boundary of the acetabular cavity. 

As the fragment of the ilium was discovered in the same quarry 
as the two fragments of the cranium and the portion of the lower 
jaws, Mr. Owen thinks they may have belonged to the same animal ; 
and if so, as the portions of the head correspond in size with those of 
the head of a crocodile six or seven feet in length, but the acetabu- 
lar cavity with that of a crocodile twenty-five feet in length, then 
the hinder extremities of the Labyrinthodon must have been of dis- 


312 Geological Society. 


proportionate magnitude compared with those of existing Saurians, 
but of approximate magnitude with some of the living anourous 
Batrachia. That such a reptile, of size equal to that of the reptile 
whose remains have just been described, existed at the period of the 
new red sandstone, Mr. Owen says, is abundantly manifested by the 
remains of those singular impressions to which the term Cheirothe- 
rium has been applied. Other impressions, as those of the Cheiro- 
therium Hercules, correspond in size with the remains of the Laby- 
rinthodon Salamandroides, which have been discovered at Guy’s 
Cliff. ‘The head of a femur from the same quarry in which the 
ilium was found, is shown to correspond in size with the articular 
cavity of the acetabulum. The two toe-bones, or terminal phalanges, 
are stated to be strictly Batrachian, presenting no trace of a nail, 
and from their size are referred to the hind-feet of the L. pachygna- 
thus. 

Thus, observes Mr. Owen, all these osseous remains from the 
Warwick and Leamington sandstones agree in their essentially Ba- 
trachian nature, and, in this interesting conclusion, with the fossils 
of the German keuper ; and he concludes this portion of the memoir 
with some observations respecting the so-called Cheirotherium foot- 
steps. He has long believed that they were the foot-prints of a Ba- 
trachian, and most probably of that family which includes the toad 
_and frog, on account of the difference of size in the fore and hind ex- 
tremities ; but, in consequence of the peculiarities of the impressions, 
he has always considered that the animal must have been quite 
distinct in the form of its feet from any known Batrachian or other 
reptile. Now then, he observes, we have in the Labyrinthodon 
also a Batrachian reptile, differing as remarkably from all known Ba- 
trachia and from every other reptile in the structure of its teeth: both 
the footsteps and the fossils are, moreover, peculiar to the new red 
sandstone ; and though the generic name Labyrinthodon may be 
susceptible hereafter of being expanded to the appellation of a family, 
yet, he asks, may it not be justifiable to consider the term Cheirc- 
therium as one of the synonyms of Labyrinthodon ? 

Labyrinthodon scutulatus—The remains, to which this specific 
designation has been applied by the author, composed a closely 
and irregularly aggregated group of bones imbedded im sandstone, 
and manifestly belonging to the same skeleton; they consist of four 
vertebre, portions of ribs, a humerus, a femur, two tibiz, one end 
of a large flat bone, and several small osseous, dermal scuta. The 
mass was discovered in the new red sandstone at Leamington, and 
was transmitted to Mr. Owen by Dr. Lloyd in the summer of 
1840. 

The vertebre present biconcave articular surfaces similar to those 
of the other species. In two of them, the surfaces slope in a parallel 
direction obliquely from the axis of the vertebrz, as in the dorsal 
vertebree of the frog, indicating an habitual inflexion of the spine, 
analogous to that in the humped back of the frog. The neurapo- 
physes are anchylosed to the vertebral body. The spinous process 
rises from the whole length of the middle line of the neurapophysial 


Geological Society. 313 


arch, and its chief peculiarity is the expansion of its elongated sum- 
mit into a horizontally flattened plate, sculptured irrregularly on the 
upper surface. A similar flattening of the summit of the elongated 
spine is exhibited in the large atlas of the toad. The body of the 
vertebree agrees with that of the L. leptognathus. The humerus 
is an inch long, regularly convex at the proximal extremity, and 
‘expanded at both extremities, but contracted in the middle. A 
portion of a somewhat shorter and flatter bone is bent at a sub- 
acute angle with the distal extremity, and resembles most nearly 
the anchylosed radius and ulna of the Batrachia. 

The femur wants both the extremities; its shaft is subtrihedral 
and slightly bent, and its walls are thin and compact, including a 
large medullary cavity. The tibie are as long, but thicker and 
stronger than the femur. They had lost their articular extremities, 
but exhibited that remarkable compression of their distal portion 
which characterizes the corresponding bone in the Batrachia: they 
likewise have the longitudinal impression along the middle of the 
flattened surface. The length of the more perfect shaft is 2 inches 
l line. The precise nature of the broad flat bone, Mr. Owen had 
not determined. 

With respect to the osseous dermal scuta, Mr. Owen remarks, 
that though they form a striking instance of the Crocodilian affinities 
of the Leamington fossil, yet as these detached superficial bones are 
the most liable to be separated from the fragmentary skeleton of the 
individual they once clothed, the negative fact of their not having 
been found associated with the remains of the Labyrinthodon in 
other localities proves nothing in regard to a difference of dermal 
structure between the Leamington and Warwick species. Indeed 
no anatomist, he says, can contemplate the extensive development 
and bold sculpturing of the dermal surface of cranial bones in the 
Labyrinthodon pachygnathus and L. leptognathus without a suspi- 
cion, that the same character may have been manifested in bony 
plates of the skin in other parts of the body. Admitting for a 
moment this structure to be proved, to what extent, asks Mr. 
Owen, does it affect the claims of the Labyrinthodon to be admitted 
into the order of Batrachians, in which every known species is 
covered with a soft, lubricous and naked integument, without scales 
or scuta? In reply, he says, that the skin is the seat of variable 
characters in all animals; and, apart from the modifications of the 
osseous and dental systems, and other intimate organs, is apt to 
mislead the naturalist who is in quest of the real affinities of a 
species: and he instances the Trionyx, as an example of a soft- 
skinned animal among Chelonian reptiles. Lastly, Mr. Owen 
shows, that, previously to the discovery of the fossils described in 
this memoir, the only Batrachian remain which had been found in 
beds anterior to the epoch of the Molasse is the fragment of a 
skull, on which Prof. Jaéger founded his Salamandroides giganteus. 


314 Miscellaneous. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


Three new species of Monkey ; with Remarks on the genera Semnopi- 
thecus e¢ Macacus. By B. H. Hodgson, Esq. 


Whoever has occasion to refer to the family of the Simiade in 
works of zoology, will, I think, be struck with the fugitive and 
doubtful manner in which several proximate forms are generically 
separated from each other; and this impression is peculiarly likely 
to arise, if the reference be made with a view to classifying the ordi- 
nary Indian species. Are the larger ones (Langoors) Semnopithect 
or Cercopitheci? Are the smaller ones (Bander) Macaci aut alium 
quid? It is universally laid down, that the Semnopithecit and Cerco- 
pithect both have cheek-pouches; yet is there not really any trace 
whatever of these pouches in their prototypes, the Langoors of India, 
not at least in those of Nepal: and whilst Cuvier’s type of the former 
genus has andromorphous canines, Horsfield’s has these teeth as 
formidably developed as in the true Carnivora; the difference in this 
case being consequent only on nonage or feminity, though insisted 
on by authors as essentially diagnostic of separate types or genera. 

Again, what animal exhibits the typical characters of Macacus ? 
If Rhesus, then are our Indian Banders not Macaci, as generally al- 
leged, for they have neither the elongated snout nor the very short 
tail of that species: nor are their canines longer than in the Lan- 
goors, to which they bear a strict likeness in the outline of the pro- 
file and in the facial angle; the only differences in these respects 
being caused by the greater dip between the brows at the base of 
the nose, owing to the superior saliency of the orbital bones, and by 
the shortness of the round terminal nares. 

Without further preface, I shall now proceed to give a summary 
description of our Nepalese species of Langoor and of Bander, pre- 
fixing to each an amended indication of the generic character, for the 
reasons above assigned. 

SimrapD2. 


Genus SEMNOPITHECUS. 


Generic character. Facial angle 45 to 50; face flat; nose short, 
with long, narrow, lateral, nares; head depressed ; limbs long; thumbs 
small, remote; callosities large; no cheek-pouches ; fifth tubercle 
on the last molar present or absent (a trivial idle mark) ; canines va- 
riable, large only in grown males, for the most part; stomach sac- 
culated and banded as well as intestine; tail very long, commonly 
tufted, and usually exceeding the length of the animal. Very agile; 
grave deportment ; gregarious ; not docile. 

Species new. Schistaceus hodie (Nipalensis of Catalogue). Habit 
of Maurus. Dark slaty above; below and the entire head, pale yel- 
low ; mere hands and feet somewhat darkened or concolorous with 
the body above ; a pencil of black hairs radiating upwards from the 
brows, concolorous ; tail longer than the body, and more or less 
tufted; skin black; nude on face, and on last phalanges of anterior 
digits ; hair on the crown short and radiated, on the cheeks long, 


Miscellaneous. 315 


directed back, and hiding the ears ; piles or fur of one sort, nor harsh 
nor soft, more or less wavy, three to five and a half inches long on 
the body, closer and shorter on the tapered tail ; thirty inches long : 
tail without the hair, thirty-six ; hand, six and a half; foot, eight and 
a half. Females smaller, with shorter canines. 

Hab. Tarai forest and lower hills, rarely the Kachar also. 


Genus Macacvs. 
Pithex (MliOné, antiq.) nobis. 

Generic character. Facial angle 50. Muzzle not elongated ; cal- 
losities large ; buttocks often nude ; structure compacter, but gene- 
rally resembling that of Semnopithecus, only that the thumbs are 
larger, the orbits more salient, the head rounder; cheek-pouches 
distinct and large ; the canines similarly variable, being large and 
grooved in grown males only ; the nares short, round and terminal ; 
the stomach simple, though the cecum and rectum be sacculated ; 
and, lastly, the tail shorter, though usually equal to half the length 
of the animals. Agile, lively, gregarious, familiar, intelligent, and 
very docile in confinement. 

Ist. Species, new : Oinops (otvwl) nob. (Nipalensis* of Catalogue), 
Tail, without the hair, half the length of the entire animal ; ears par- 
tially exposed ; buttocks posteally nude, and like the face, carneous 
red ; colour of fur a full brownish yellow-red or deep rusty, passing 
into slaty grey on the anterior quarters, and purpurescent slaty in- 
ternally. “Twenty-two inches long. ‘Tail, without the hair, ten ; 
hand four and a half; foot six ; pile or fur of one sort, as in the last, 


Head of Macacus Oinops. 


and of like quality and set generally : two to three and a half inches 
long on body, shorter on the tapered, untufted tail, and not radia- 
ting on the crown of the head. Females smaller, with less canines. 
Hab. Tarai and lower hills. 

2nd. Species, new: Pelops (xydos et wl) nob. Structure and aspect 
similar to the last. Colours more sordid or purpurescent, slaty, par- 
tially merged in rusty ; buttocks posteally (except the callosities) 


* Topical names dropt, as seldom appropriate, 


316 Miscellaneous. 


clad ; face nude and dusky, flatter than in the last. Twenty inches 
long. ‘Tail, less hair, nine and a half; hand four and a quarter; 
foot five and seven-eighths. Hab. Northern region of hills exclu- 
sively. Fur fuller and more wavy than in Oinops. 

N.B. In all the above three species the digits are basally con- 
nected by membrane, which in the posterior extremities reaches for- 
ward beyond the first phalanges. In the first, the thumb scarcely 
reaches the base of the metacarpus ; in the second and third species, 
it extends only half way down the first phalanx of the index. In the 
posterior extremities the same digit has a size and strength, espe- 
cially in the Macaci, more analogous to those of the thumb in our 
hand. In Semnopithecus this digit extends a little beyond the base 
of the metacarpus; in the Macaci to the end of first phalanx of 
proximate digit.—Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, vol. ix, 
p. 1211. | 

Nepal, March 1841. 

PILOT FISH. 


To the Editors of the Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 


GenTLEMEN,—As an illustration of natural history, I send you 
an account of a Pilot-fish (Naucrates ductor) which I obtained No- 
vember 8th, to which a singularity attaches, in its having been 
caught in fresh water. ‘The person who sent it to me was passing 
Plympton St. Mary Bridge, in this neighbourhood, and observed se- 
veral individuals vainly endeavouring to catch a strange fish in a 
shallow part of the river (Tory-brook, a branch of the Plym), but 
which vigorously evaded their efforts ; he instantly cut a rod from the 
hedge, and after some time succeeded in spearing it. I got it the 
same day, quite fresh, and observed that it displayed several variations 
from Mr. Yarrell’s description (‘ British Fishes,’ vol. i.), not sufficient 
however to constitute specific differences: thus, the circular bands 
did not appear to surround the body of the fish, being not at all di- 
stinguishable on the back, which was a fine purplish black ; on a side- 
view the bands scarcely reached above the lateral line; the iris, in- 
stead of being of a golden yellow, was a fine deep brown, and the ex- 
treme points of the pectorals, ventrals, and tail were white and trans- 
lucent ; the fish was 12 inches long, 14 high, 7 inches round at the 
vent, and weighed 114 ounces. In a day or two however, as the 
colours faded, the beautiful metallic blue of the abdomen turned to 
a dull iron-gray, the bands became easily distinguishable all round 
the fish, and the brown-coloured pigment of the iris gradually con- 
tracted, leaving beneath a shining yellow circle; I therefore infer 
that Mr. Yarrell’s account was taken from a specimen not perfectly 
fresh. 

The Pilot-fish is by most writers stated to be rare among us, but 
of all the Mediterranean species I think it is the most numerous. 
Mr. Yarrell (‘ Brit. Fish.’) mentions instances of several being ob- 
tained here in 1831 and 1833, in addition to which I have notes of 
several others ; thus, in July 1835, two were caught, one of which is 
in the museum of the Plymouth Institution. In October 1838, two 
followed a ship into Catwater, one of which I caught myself; and 


Miscelianeous. 317 


another, obtained in 1889, is in the museum of the Natural History 
Society here. 

I have observed that these fishes are generally to be found when- 
ever mackerel, herrings or pilchards abound on the coast, at which 
time it is known that the various species of sharks (the companions 
of the Pilot-fish) are to be met with: this is the first occasion how- 
ever that I have known of its occurrence in fresh water, the spot at 
which it was taken being a narrow stream rising from Dartmoor, 
and 14 mile above the highest point of the Plym at which the tide 
reaches. No doubt this was an accidental deviation from its usual 
element, which would soon have occasioned its death, as on dissec- 
tion I found nothing in the stomach but a glairy mucus. 

Your obedient servant, 
Epwarp Moors, M.D., F.L.S., 
November 13, 1841. Secretary to the Plymouth Institution. 

[The drawing sent us agrees with the best representations of the 

fish.—Ep.] 


VITALITY OF SEEDS. 


GenTLEMEN,—Should the following instance of tenacity of life in 
the seeds of Sambucus niger be considered interesting and well at- 
tested, it may be desirable to notice it in the Magazine of Natural 
History. 

The subjects of remark were derived from the dregs of some elder 
wine, and were strewn as manure over a flower border, where hun- 
dreds of them germinated. The plants I saw myself. 

I know intimately the lady with whom it happened, and respect 
her love of truth : from her I learned that they had twice been boiled 
in making the wine; had been present during the vinous fermenta- 
tion; at the end of which the wine was drawn off, but the dregs re- 
mained bunged up in the cask* till next wanted, a period of twenty 
months, and, it would appear, without sustaining any material harm. 

220 Regent Street, November 18th, 1841. W. Hemineway. 


LITTLE AUK. 

A specimen of the Little Auk (Alca Alle) was taken alive in this 
town on the 14th inst., but died shortly after its capture. 

Thinking the above communication might interest some of your 
numerous readers, I have sent it for insertion if approved of. 

Ipswich, Suffolk, November 15, 1841. Cuarues T. TownsEnp. 


BIRDS OF KENT. 

Margate, Sept. 24, 1841. 

GeEnTLEMEN,—I have to record the capture of the Little Ringed 
Plover, Charadrius minor. This rare bird I shot on the 22nd Septem- 
ber, at a place called Newgate Gateway, about a mile from Margate ; 
it was in company with another, which unfortunately I could not 
procure. On dissection it proved to be a female ; it is a beautiful 
specimen. I have also captured a specimen of Montague’s Harrier, 
Buteo apivorus, Jenyns; this is a young female; also a very fine 
Hen Harrier, Buteo cyaneus, a young male ; several Pigmy Curlews, 


* It is a common notion that this practice keeps the barrel sweet. 


318 Miscellaneous. 


Tringa subarquata : these, as well as the Knott, Tringa canutus, are 
very plentiful at this season of the year. On their first arrival they 
are very tame, and fall an easy prey to the fowler. 

I have seen a pair of the Common Skua, Lestris Cataractes, but 
was not able to procure either of them, though I followed them in a 
boat for several hours. 

As soon as time will allow me, I will send you an account of my 
journey to Orkney. At present, as the season is now coming on 
for collecting aquatic birds, I shall be occupied in supplying the 
wants of any of my correspondents. 

November 14, 1841. 

I killed on the Sth of this month, a beautiful specimen of Arctic 
Skua (Lestris parasiticus), about two miles from hence, on the road 
to Kingsgate; it was alone in a ploughed field, and allowed me to 
approach within thirty yards before it offered to rise. According to 
Mr. Jenyns it is apparently of rare occurrence in this country. Mr. 
Thompson says it has repeatedly occurred in the Bay of Dublin and 
near Belfast. I have seen them on three occasions about Sandwich 
flats, but never been able to obtain one before. My bird is a young 
female, with the central tail-feathers projecting about two inches. 

Onthe 12thinst. lobtainedasplendid specimen of the CommonSkua, 
(Lestris Cataractes) ; it was shot near Sandwich flats, where it was 
in company with another. Though numerous in the Shetland Islands, 
it is rare in the southern parts of Britain. A short time since I saw 
five, and have often heard of their being seen by fishermen, who call 
them Dung-birds, from their habits of pursuing other birds and com- 
pelling them to disgorge their food. During the late windy wea- 
ther, on the 28th of October, I obtained three specimens of the Com- 
mon Rotche (Mergulus Alle). One was taken alive, at Newgate, about 
half a mile from Margate; it was found in a hole in the cliff, and 
did not show the least inclination to fly ; another was found dead on 
the rocks near the Reculvers. They are good specimens. 

On che 18th of October, whilst out near Richborough Castle, about 
two miles from Sandwich, suddenly there got out of the lonely grove 
a beautiful specimen of the Golden Oriole (Oriolus Gulbula). It 
immediately alighted on some neighbouring trees, and by a little of the 
manceuvring which is requisite in collecting, I succeeded in shooting 
the bird. It is a male, and forms a good pair to the one I procured 
last spring for the Margate Museum. 

November 21. 

I have now to add the capture of another rare species,—Richard’s 
Pipit (Anthus Richardi), shot near Birchington, about a mile from 
the spot where I shot one last year, as mentioned at p. 398 of your 
6th volume, and, from its extreme youth, I have every reason to 
believe it was bred at no great distance. I am certain that it was 
not able to take a long journey, for, as the bones were very soft and 
not perfectly set, and many of the quills or stubs are not passed 
into feathers, I am sure it was not more than ten weeks old; I shall 
therefore look closely after the parent birds. In spring I intend to 
visit the Shetland Islands for the purpose of collecting. 

3, Bath Road, Margate. S. Mummery. 


Meteorological Observations. 319 


DUROCHER AND BOWMAN ON GLACIAL OR DILUVIAN PHZ NOMENA. 


The remarkable appearances which have been ascribed by Seft- 
strém (Taylor’s Scientific Memoirs, Part IX.) to diluyial and by 
Agassiz to glacial action, have engaged the attention, among others, 
of Mr. Bowman and M. Durocher. 

M. Durocher states, as the result of an examination of the great 
valleys of the Pyrenees, of the Ariége, the Garonne, the Adour, &c., 
that he has observed in their diluvian phenomena the three kinds of 
fundamental facts that characterize the diluvium of the North, and 
that of the Alps; viz., polish of the rocks, accompanied with streaks 
and furrows, the transport of erratic blocks, and the deposition of 
gravel on the sides of the upper parts of the valleys, and in level 
terraces as they descend to the plain.—Comptes Rendus, Nov. 2. 

Mr. Bowman has also been engaged during the summer in an 
examination of the valleys of the Dee and the Conway, with a view 
to the investigation of similar phenomena in Wales, the result of 
which he has published in the ‘ Philosophical Magazine.’ 


METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR oct. 1841. 


Chiswick.—October 1. Thick haze: cloudy. 2. Very fine. 3. Cloudy: rain. 
4, Fine: rain at night. 5. Cloudy: rain. 6. Fine: cloudy: clear at night. 
7. Fine: rain. $8. Overcast: slight rain. 9. Cloudy: rain. 10. Overcast: 
rain. 11, Very fine: rain. 12. Heavy showers. 13. Fine: stormy with rain 
at night. 14. Boisterous. 15. Heavy rain. 16. Rain: densely clouded : rain 
at night. 17. yA stormy. 18. Clear and windy: rain at night. 19. 
Cloudy : fine. . Clear: frosty at night. 22, 23. Overcast: rain at night. 
24. Cloudy. n peace foggy. 26. Foggy: stormy with rain at night. 27. 
Boisterous with very heavy rain. 28—30. Rain. There were only four days in 
the month on which rain did not fall, leaving a proportion of wet days perhaps 
unequalled in the neighbourhood of London. 


Boston.—Oct. 1. Fine: rain yesterdayr.m. 2. Fine. 3, 4. Fine: rain p.m. 
5 Rain: rainearly a.m. 6. Cloudy: rainearly a.m. 7. Fine. 8. Fine: rain 
pM. 9. Fine. 10. Cloudy: raine.m. 11. Fine. 12, Cloudy: rain early a.m. 
13. Fine: rain p.m. 14. Cloudy. 15. Cloudy: rain early a.m. 16. Rain: 
rain early a.m. 17, Rain: rain early a.m.: stormy night. 18. Stormy. 19, 
Cloudy: rain early a.m. 20. Stormy: rain atnight. 21, 22. Fine. 23. Rain. 
24. Cloudy: rain early a.m. 25,26. Fine. 27. Cloudy: rain p.m. 28, 29, 
Stormy: rain early a.m. 30. Stormy: rain early a.M.: raine.mM. 31. Cloudy. 


Applegarth Manse, Dumfries-shire—Oct. 1. Rain for anhour. 2 Fine clear 
sunshine. 3. Dull, cold and rainy. 4. Fair but dull. 5. Showery afternoon. 
6. Wet nearly all day. 7, &. Dropping day. 9. Fair but threatening. 10. Wet 
all day. 11, Wet afternoon. 12. Heavy rain a.m.: cleared up. 13, 14. Heavy 
rain P.M. 15—17. Showers. 18. Fair throughout. 19. Showery afternoon: 
frost a.M. 20. Very heavy rain. 21. Fair and frosty. 22. Frost a.m.: cloudy 
and moist e.m. 23. Showers. 24. Fair but cloudy. 25. Fair and bene 26 
—28. Fair and bracing. 29. Fair and bracing: frost. 30. Fair a.m., but 
showers p.m. 31. Slight showers. 

Sun shone out 26 days. Rain fell 19 days. Frosty mornings 4 days, 

Wind north 2 days. North-north-east 2 days. North-east 6 days. East- 
north-east 1 day. East 14 day. LEast-south-east 1 day. South-east 2 days, 
South-south-east 2 days. South 1 day. South-south-west 2 days. South-west 
4. days. West 2 days. West-north-west | day. North-west 1} day. North 
north-west 14 day. 

Calm 3 days, Moderate 9 days. Brisk 10 days. Strong breeze 6 days, 
Boisterous 2 days. Stormy 1 day. 


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*2.u1us-savt uno ‘asun mr wainSaddr an wyanonc ein fo nup ‘uoIs0og IN TIWTA*ITAT Ao Suonnorr snaon Syamenn an Kravana animamnweasarran9 thr 


THE ANNALS 


AND 


MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 


No. 52. JANUARY 1842. 


XXX VIII.—On the Sazvifrages of the Robertsonia or London- 
pride group which are found in Ireland. By Cuaruess C. 
BABINGTON, KEsq., M.A., F.L.S., F.GS., &c. 


[ With a Plate.] 


Havine been induced to state, in rather a positive manner, 
my opinion that Savifraga umbrosa is a native of Ireland*, 1 
think it due to Mr. Bree, and also to the readers of these § An- 
nals,’ now to publish the results of an extremely careful study 
of the Robertsonia group of Saxifrages which I had the satis- 
faction of making during the month of July last in the county 
of Kerry. In that county I gathered the four plants consi- 
dered as species by Mackay (Fl. Hibern. 64 and 65), and it 
will perhaps be the best plan to take each of these separately 
and note the results of my examination of the growing plant. 

1. S. wmbrosa.—I saw no plant in Kerry that would agree 
well with the Linnzan character for this species, “foliis.... 
cartilagineo-crenatis,” nor with specimens from the Pyrenees, 
nor with the figure in Reichenbach’s ‘ Iconographia,’ t. 620, 
made from a Pyrenzean specimen. These specimens and that 
figure correspond well with the Linnzean description, and the 
form of their leaves will be seen in my fig. 1. (Plate XI.) taken 
from a Pyrenzan specimen. In it the leaves are obovate, with 
large blunt crenations and a very decided cartilaginous margin. 
My fig. 2. and 3. represent the leaves which most nearly ap- 
proach to those of the true plant; and it will be observed that, 
although they have the cartilaginous margin, still their cre- 
nations (if crenations they can be called) are acute, or are 
rather, in the words of Smith, ‘ sharp cartilaginous notches.” 
Fig. 2. is a rare form gathered some years since at Delphi in 
Mayo. Fig. 3. is also rare, and was obtained from Connor 
Hill, near Dingle, Kerry, and in Cunnamara, Galway. Fig. 
4. and 5, from the lower part of Turk Mountain, near Kil- 
larney, are very common in that county. In this form the 
leaves are always nearly round, and have deep, sharp, tooth- 

* Vol. vii. p. 47. 


Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. vin. ¥ 


322 Mr. Babington ox the Savifrages 


like serratures ; they are also nearly erect, or at least ascend- 
img, not prostrate and placed in a rose-like manner as is the 
ease in the preceding forms ; their foot-stalks also are consi- 
derably longer. This is the var. punctata of Don, and pro- 
bably the S. punctata of Linnzus; it is well represented by 
tab. 622. and 623. of Reichenbach’s ‘ Iconographia.’ 

Fig. 6. from ‘Turk Mountain, and fig. 7. from the Gap of 
Dunloe, are remarkably common in the neighbourhood of 
Killarney : in them the leaves are always oval, with deep, acute, 
tooth-like serratures ; they are erect or ascending, and have 
usually long foot-stalks. This is the var. serratifolia of 
Mackay, figured by Reichenbach in his tab. 624. 

All the preceding I consider as forms of S. umbrosa, al- 
though in punctata and serratifolia the cartilaginous margin 
is scarcely observable. In all of them the leaves taper off into 
the dilated flat foot-stalks, which are remarkable for being 
quite flat above and scarcely convex even below (fig. a.). 

2. S. elegans.—We have here a plant which I can scarcely 
persuade myself to consider as a species; and yet, if not one, 
it is very difficult to say to which of the species it should be 
referred. Mr. Don considered it as a form of S. Geum; but 
from that its truly round leaf (fig. 8.) and its foot-stalks, which 
are flat above and convex below (fig. b.), but not semicylin- 
drical, appear to separate it. From 8S. wmbrosa it is distin- 
guished by its leaves not contracting into their foot-stalks and 
by the convex under-side of the latter. In cultivation and in 
“exposed situations” its foot-stalks are about as long as the 
leaves and spread in a “ stellate form,” but when growing, as 
was the case with my specimens obtained from near to the 
summit of Turk Mountain, in the hollow of a rock, the foot- 
stalks are often twice as long as the leaves, all of which turn 
themselves towards the light. Upon the whole, it appears to 
me to be better to consider this as a species until further ob- 
servation may have determined the value of its claims to that 
rank, It is figured in tab. 625. of Reichenbach’s ‘ Icono- 
eraphia.’ 

3. S. hirsuta.—This again is considered as only a variety 
by many botanists, in which case it is always referred to S. 
Geum; but it has so very different an aspect when growing, and 
its oval leaves (fig. 9, 10.), with linear foot-stalks which taper 
slightly from below, present so manifest a character, that I 
cannot do otherwise than consider it as a species. Its foot- 
stalks (fig. ¢.) are semicylindrical and channelled above and 
very hairy. I have gathered it in the Gap of Dunloe and on 
Connor Hill. 

4. S. Geum.—This is a very marked species, characterized 


of the London-pride group found in Ireland. 323 


by having transversely oval or somewhat kidney-shaped leaves, 
never contracted below and never longer than broad, com- 
bined with semicylindrical hairy foot-stalks which are chan- 
nelled above. Several varieties are recorded, depending upon 
the presence or absence of hairs upon the surfaces of the 
leaves, or upon their under-side being reticulated with purple, 
but they appear to be scarcely worthy of separate description. 
Fig. 11, 12, 13, and d. represent the leaves and foot-stalks of 
this plant, which is very common in Kerry, and found but 
rarely in Cunnamara. ; 

Reichenbach states concerning all these plants, viz. S. punc- 
tata, 8. serratifolia, S. elegans, S. Geum, and S. hirsuta, “ heec 
....€ Seminibus sine mutatione educte.” 


The following are what I consider as their respective spe- 
cific characters :— 


1. S. umbrosa (Linn.). Leaves obovate, with cartilaginous crena- 
tions, or sharp notches tapering at the base into dilated flat 
foot-stalks; panicle racemose; capsule superior. a. crenata, 
leaves bluntly crenate, spreading (not a native of Britain). i. 
crenato-serrata, leaves acutely crenate or subserrate, spreading. 
y: punctata (Don), leaves nearly round, acutely serrate, erect. 
6. serratifolia (Mackay), leaves oblong, acutely serrate, erect. 
Eng. Bot., t. 663; Reich. Iconog., t. 622, 6238, 624.—Found in 
Mayo, Galway, and Kerry, Ireland. Var. a. introduced from 
the Pyrenees. This variety may have been found wild in En- 
gland, but I believe it to have always been an escape from cul- 
tivation. 


2. S. elegans (Mackay). Leaves round, smooth, shining, acutely ser- 
rate ; foot-stalks broad, flat above, convex below; panicle race- 
mose; capsule superior. Reich. Icon., t. 625.—Grows on the 
summit of Turk Mountain, near Killarney, in very small quan- 
tity. 

3. S. hirsuta (Linn.). Leaves oval, acutely serrate ; foot-stalks linear, 
semicylindrical, channelled, hairy; panicle racemose ; capsule 
superior ; foot-stalks slightly tapering upwards. ng. Bot., t. 
2322; Reich. Icon., t. 621.—Gap of Dunloe and Connor Hill, 
Kerry. 

4. S. Geum (Linn.). Leaves transversely oval or reniform, acutely 
crenate or serrate; foof-stalks linear, semicylindrical, chan- 
nelled, hairy ; panicle racemose; capsule superior. Lng. Bot., 
t. 1561; Reich. Icon., t. 628. Leaves always rather broader 
than long, usually hairy, sometimes glabrous, often beautifully 
reticulated with purple beneath.—Plentiful in Kerry, rare in 
Galway. 

St. John’s Coll., Cambridge, Nov. 29, 1841. 


[See vol. vi. pp. 217, 314, 401 ; and vol. vii. p. 48.—Ep. ] 
"2 


324 Mr. W.S. MacLeay on Bird-catching Spiders. 


XX XIX.—On doubts respecting the Existence of Bird-catch-~ 
ing Spiders. By W.S. MacLeay, Esq., F.L.S., &c. 


To Richard Taylor, Esq. 
Dear Sir, 


Some time in the beginning of 1840 I observed here, in the 
grounds of Elizabeth Bay, a young bird suspended in the 
geometrical web of an enormous spider which belongs to the 
same section as the European Epeira diadema. Although 
very common in the neighbourhood of Sidney, it remains as 
yet an undescribed species. The bird was the Zosterops dor- 
salis (of Vigors and Horsfield), which is so destructive to fruit 
in the gardens of this colony, and from the state of its feathers 
was evidently just flown from the nest. It was, when observed, 
already half-eaten, and the spider was in the act of sucking 
its juices. It appeared to have been dead two or three days. 
On recounting the circumstances to my father, he told me 
that he had already been witness of a similar fact. Having 
occasion about that time to write to Mr. Shuckard on another 
subject, I mentioned the fact to him, being anxious, from the 
love of truth, to retract a remark which I had made in a paper 
of mine printed in the Transactions of the Zoological Society 
some years before, namely, that “I disbelieved the existence 
of any bird-catching spider.” 

I have long desisted from noticing mis-statements of what 
I have published ; because I now always hope that a reference 
to my publication will enable unprejudiced persons to arrive 
at the truth of my meaning. It is very different however with 
respect to my private letters; and I find, on a perusal of Mr. 
Swainson’s late volume on Entomology in Lardner’s Cyclo- 
peedia, that Mr. Shuckard, in referring to the above-men- 
tioned private letter, has so singularly misunderstood my 
meaning, as to leave me no other resource than to request of 
you to publish in your ‘ Annals’ the followimg correction of 
his mistakes. 

Mr. Shuckard (page 382) says, that “the fact of Mygale 
catching birds in their nets and feeding upon them has been 
doubted; but the ‘probability of this has been substantiated 
and confirmed by a communication recently received from 
W.S. MacLeay, Esq., who informs us, that in the vicinity of 
Sidney he has met with a true bird-catching spider; ha- 
ving himself found one of the Hpetride actually devouring the 
young of a Gasterops that had no doubt lately flown from the 
nest; and which is not a solitary instance, as his father had 
previously observed a similar fact. He therefore retracts his 


Power of Quadrupeds to endure cold. 325 


observations upon Mygale in the Zoological Transactions.” 
Now this passage is, I grieve to say, a tissue of mistakes, 
which perhaps might have been avoided by a reference to my 
paper in the Zoological Transactions, and by a more accurate 
reading of myletter. In the first place, the bird was a Zosterops, 
not Gasterops ; and in the second place, the only words in my 
printed paper on Mygale which I ever meant to retract, when 
{ hastily mentioned what I considered to be a curious fact to 
Mr. Shuckard, were the following: “T will even go so far as 
to add my utter disbelief in the existence of any bird-catching 
spider.” How Mr. Shuckard should imagine that I meant 
to retract all my observations on Mygale I know not ; but | 
beg here to declare that I retract none of them, except the 
above-mentioned disbelief: I deny that the tale of Mygale 
catching birds is either “substantiated or confirmed” by an- 
other spider of totally different habits having been observed to 
catch them. Mygale is a subterranean spider, and makes no net. 
In short, my conviction is, that Madame Merian has told a 
willful falsehood respecting Mygale, or rather has painted a 
falsehood ; and that her followers have too hastily placed con- 
fidence in her idle tales. My conviction is, that no Mygale 
can catch birds in its net; for, as I have said in the paper 
printed in the Zoological Transactions, it makes no geome- 
trical net. Nay, further, I have proved that the genus Ne- 
phila, which lives in a geometrical net, does not catch birds 
either here or in the West Indies’; and moreover, I have ascer- 
tained that birds are not the proper food of this New Hol- 
land Epeira, but that the observation of my father and my- 
self is an exception to the general rule of its insectivorous 
habits ; an exception indeed so rare, that as far as I can learn, 
no other person here has ever yet witnessed the fact in ques- 
tion but ourselves. I acquit Mr. Shuckard of course of any- 
thing like an intentional misrepresentation ; but I must ex- 
press my regret, that when he referred to my private letter he 
did not use the words of it, although I dare say they were 
hastily written. I am, dear Sir, &c., 


Elizabeth Bay, near Sidney, W.S. MacLeay. 
8th July, 1841. 


XL.—On the degree of Cold which the principal Mammalia 
of hot countries are capable of enduring. By the Rev. Ro- 
BERT Everest, in a Note to J. KE. Gray, Esq., F.R.S., &c. 


Dear Sir, 
-Havine always taken an interest in the much-vexed geo- 
logical question of “ climate,” I looked forward to a winter 


326 The Rev. R. Everest on the power of enduring Cold 


residence in the Himalaya as a means of enabling me to de- 
termine the extremes of cold which the principal Mammalia 
of a hot country were capable of enduring. 

I dwelt in a lonely house in the middle of the oak-forests 
which overlooked the broad valley of the Dehra Dhoon, about 
4000 feet perpendicular below. It had been the head-quarters 
of the Surveyor General, and its height above the sea had 
been most unexceptionably determined trigonometrically and 
barometrically at about 6800 feet. The N. lat. was 30° 26!. 
The mean temperature in the month of December observed at 
sunrise was 37°7, and at half-past two for the same period, 45. 
For the month of January for the same times it was 35:9 
and 42°5, making the general mean for the two months 40°3 
Fahr. 

Snow generally falls there late in November or early in De- 
cember; but the season I was there we had none till Christmas, 
after which we had several falls, and on the northern slopes 
the ground remained covered with it until I left, early in Fe- 
bruary. 

Flocks of the large Monkey of the plains (the Hunaman of 
the Hindoos, and the Semnopithecus Entellus of naturalists) 
inhabited the oak-woods around, feeding upon the acorns, 
of which they appeared very fond. In the severest weather 
they seemed quite as much at their ease as at other times, and 
made no effort to descend to the warm valley of the Dhoon 
beneath, though such a change would have cost them but little 
exertion. I left this spot for the interior of the Himalaya 
early in February, and, late in that month, near the sources 
of the Touse, met with a large flock of these animals. It was 
on the northern slope of the valley. The cold was very severe, 
and full three foot of snow upon the ground. They were in 
a forest of Deodar and Morinda, busily feeding on the seeds 
of the fir-cones. The height above the sea could not have 
been less than from 8000 to 9000 feet. 

The common Leopard* of the plains (Felis Pardus anti- 
quorum) was also numerous in the oak-forests during Decem- 
ber and January. I caught one in a trap, and saw the tracks 
of them constantly on the snow following those of the Ghooral. 
While near the sources of the Touse in February and March, 
I also observed their tracks at great heights, indeed above 
the limit of forest, 2. e. near 12,000 feet above the sea, follow- 
ing those of the Wild Goat or Taare (Capra Jemlica). 

The Tiger is very scarce in the Himalaya, even in summer- 


* Mr. Everest has very kindly presented the specimens mentioned to the 
British Museum collection.—J. E. Gray. 


in the Mammalia of Hot Countries. 327 


time, being too large and unwieldy an animal to follow the 
Caprine races over the precipitous ground. I however met 
with their tracks on the snow near my house; and while 
shooting in the oak-forest, from 5000 to 6000 feet above the 
sea, had one of my people carried away by one. They can go 
wherever the Stag (Cervus Hippelaphus) can obtain a footing, 
and remain on a mountain north of Massoori (Nagtiba, near 
10,000 feet in height) all the year round. They live princi- 
pally on stags and also bears. 

The Hyzena is very rare in the Himalaya, and I only once 
saw one. It was early in March, about 6000 feet above the 
sea. 

The common Wolf is numerous in the plains, but I have 
never seen or even heard of them in the Himalaya. 

The Jackal is rare there, and I have never met with them 
but in the low and warm valleys. 

The Fox of the Himalaya is much larger than the dimi- 
nutive fox of the plains, and greatly resembles the English 
one. 

The Wild Elephant is not found beyond the base of the 
hills, but the slopes there are so steep that it would be im- 
possible for so heavy an animal to obtain a footing. However, 
at avillage called Burkote, about twenty miles from the source 
of the Jumna, young elephants are reared for the Rajah of 
Tisee. The spot is within the limit of Deodar Forest and also 
that of winter snow. The animals remain in an open shed 
during the year. 

Before concluding, I will not omit calling your attention to 
the high temperature of Dehra in the Dhoon, which, in N. 
lat. 30° 19’, and 2380 feet above the sea, has a mean annual 
temperature of 70° to 71° Fahr., being the same as that of 
the summit oi the hill on the island of Penang in N. lat. 
5° 15/, and at nearly the same height above the sea, viz. 2280 
feet. 

This may be attributed to three causes :—1st, the situation 
of Dehra at the foot of the southern slope of the Himalaya, 
screened from the north by enormous mountains; next, its 
position, several hundred miles from the sea, and its conti- 
guity towards the south to very wide sandy plains which are 
intensely heated by the sun; and lastly, the circumstance that 
almost all the rain there falls during the summer-time. The 
south-west monsoon blows nearly from the equator, and brings 
with it aqueous vapour at a high temperature, which is depo- 
sited and soaks into the ground very deep, communicating its 
temperature to the soil. 

Be the causes what they may, the circumstance of the tem- 


328 Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 


perature of the year being the same in the sixth degree of N. 
lat. and the thirty-first is remarkable, as showing the great 
extent to which climate may be modified by locality. 


RosBert EVEREST. 


XLI.—Report of the Results of Researches in Physiological 
Botany made in the year 1839. By F. J. Meyen, M.D., 
Professor of Botany in the University of Berlin*. 


Observations on the presence of certain assimilated and secreted 
substances in Plants, continued from p. 257. 


M. Huneretp?¢ has with great diligence attempted to prove 
the presence of amylum in the flowers of plants; he found it 
in the flowers of Calendula officinalis, in which plant it has 
been already proved to exist by other chemists. M. Hiune- 
feld then mentions thirty other plants in whose flowers he 
discovered amylum with more or less distinctness ; whether 
however, he adds, the amylum of flowers always becomes blue 
by iodine, he must still leave undetermined ; in the flowers of 
Calendula it becomes blue, but in the others the colour was 
more of a dark green. It appeared probable to M. Hinefeld, 
that it was the yellow colour of the flowers only which caused 
this green tint ; but he has left this important point undeter- 
mined, although it were easy to settle by a good microscope. 
He contradicts himself in his statements, for globules in 
the flowers which are not coloured blue by iodme cannot 
be considered as amylum. Amylum, even that from mosses, 
is always coloured blue ; and even when it becomes brown by 
iodine, it is modified amylum. M. Hiinefeld mentions Tro- 
peolum majus as one of the few plants which contain amylum 
in the stem; this however is a tolerably common phznomenon. 
Decoctions of the flowers of Calendula, Tropeolum, Helianthus, 
&c. exhibited no trace of amylum, which is easily explained 
by the microscopical examination of the parts thus treated ; 


the amylum swells within the cells, but does not pass through 
their walls. 


M. P. Savit of Pisa has published some observations on 
the physical phenomenon seen in the leaves of Schinus Molle 


* Translated by Henry Croft, Esq., teacher of Chemistry in London. 

+ Erdmann’s and Marchand’s Journal fiir praktische Chemie, 1839, 1° 
band, p. 87—90. 

{ Memorie Vaidarnesi per cura del Dott. Corinaldi. Pisa, 1839, p. 42— 
48. 


Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 329 


when cast on water, in order to prove the falsity of DeCan- 
dolle’s (‘ Phys. Veget.’ i. p. 38.) view of this subject. M. Savi 
says, when small pieces of the green organs of Schinus, or of 
any other of the Terebinthacee, are thrown upon water, they 
are seen to move quickly, and as it were backwards, for a de- 
terminate time on a short space, and in a direction constantly 
opposite to their fractured surface; and at the same time is 
observed near this fractured surface an intermittent expansion 
of a fluid which extends over the surface of the water in fine 
circular iridescent rings, and drives away all small bodies 
floating on its surface. 

M. DeCandolle supposed that the intermittent emission of 
the volatile oil out of the leaves of that plant might be pro- 
duced merely by some contraction of the cells containing the 
sap, but M. Savi correctly states that the peculiar sap emitted 
[It is a liquid resin.—-Mey.]| is, in the case of Schinus, con- 
tained, not in cells, but in vessels. By vessels M. Savi under- 
stands the resin-passages, which I have found to be very si- 
milar, both in their structure and course, in Schinus and other 
Terebinthacee, to the resin-passages of the Conifere. They 
are long canals which run lengthways, both in the bark of the 
leaf-stalk and of the stem, and also in the leaflets, and now 
and then give off branches ; in the bark particularly they are 
of so large a size, that the efflux of the still liquid resin is 
quite natural. 

If, says M. Savi, we examine a fine section of the bark of 
Schinus, the peculiar vessels are seen therein as fine indefi- 
nitely long tubes with complete thick and very transparent 
walls [7. e. a whole layer of cells.—Mey.], in which (if by the 
section they have not already emptied the sap which they 
previously secreted and contained) the sap is seen in the form 
of different-sized globular drops, but closely packed together, 
which flow slowly out at the sides where the vessel has been 
torn and where the evacuation takes place. From this one 
may conclude: 1. That if the phenomenon were an effect of 
the contractility of the tissue, the action could not be ascribed 
to the walls of the cells, because the exuded sap is con- 
tained in vessels [Harzgangen, Mey.|]. 2. That the reaction 
against the force with which the liquid streams out of the 
leaves is not the cause of their rapid and intermittent motion, 
for. the exudation takes places very slowly and regularly. 
3. That the fibres of the bark of Schinus consist of proper 
vessels ; a fact which may serve as a confirmation of Mirbel’s 
hypothesis, viz. that the bast of plants consists of proper 
vessels and parenchym. [1 cannot ratify the above statement 
of M. Savi.—Mey.| 4. That the sap of these vessels in Schi- 


330 Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 


nus is mixed with water [to which I also cannot agree.—Mey.], 
and thereby the drops are prevented from coalescing into one 
single mass. From this fact one might also conclude that the 
juices which separate within these vessels are of two different 
kinds, or that the sap, by its action on the plant, is changed 
partially into one more liquid and transparent, which has ex- 
actly the appearance of lymph. 5. Lastly, that the walls of 
the vessels press, by their elasticity, on the sap which they con- 
tain and drive it towards the opening, just in the same man- 
ner as a bladder or a gut which is filled very full with water, 
lets it escape as soon as a puncture is made in its side. M. 
Savi proceeds to say, that the second phenomenon aboye- 
mentioned is easily observed when a small quantity of the 
resinous sap of Schinus is poured on the surface of water; we 
see directly that the sap expands with great celerity into a 
thin plate or layer; if small pieces of the dried leaves of any 
plant be then thrown on this thin oily plate, they are seen 
to be driven about as by strong impulses, and to move back- 
wards from the spot on which they were thrown. This pro- 
perty of expanding itself is common not only to the liquid 
resin of Schinus, but also to all the Terebinthacee, Euphor- 
biacee, Urticee, Asclepiadee, and also, according to Carradori, 
to the fatty and volatile oils. The latter ascribes this pro- 
perty to the attractive force which is exerted upon the above 
fluids by water, by which each drop of the liquid on the sur- 
face is forced to extend itself as far as the cohesive power of 
the fluid will allow. M. Savi speaks at length on this point ; 
but the existing facts are quite sufficient to prove that this 
motion of the Schinus leaves on water is not to be explained 
by a contractility of the tissue. Finally, I must remark, that 
the phznomenon with the green parts of Schinus does not 
always show itself, but only when the plant is in luxuriant 
growth. 


A paper by Prof. Lindley * was read before the Linnean So- 
ciety on the anatomy of the roots of the Ophrydee, in which he 
shows, that salep which is prepared from the roots of certain 
Ophrydee does not consist chiefly of amylum, as is generally 
supposed by authors of the present day (?), but that it is com- 
posed of a substance like bassorin. After Dr. Lindley has 
mentioned the opinions of the most recent authors, he gives 
the results of his own microscopical investigations ; from which 
it appears that the tubes of the Ophry ydee univer sally contain 
long cartilaginous nodules of a mucilaginous substance which 
is not coloured by iodine, and also some amylum globules 


* Phil. Mag., vol. xiv. p. 462. 


Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 331 


which are contained in the parenchym surrounding the no- 
dules. The tubers of several South American Ophrydee when 
dried have the appearance of a bag filled with pebbles, or as 
if the epidermis had contracted over the hard interior body. 
A transverse section of a fresh root of Satyrium pallidum ex- 
plains the above appearance : the hard nodules, as transparent 
as water, are mingled together with the soft parenchym, and 
they are twenty times as large as the neighbouring cells. 
These nodules are easily separable, and appear as hard as horn; 
on section they appear perfectly homogeneous ; cold water has 
scarcely any effect upon them, but in hot water they become 
tumid, and are partly changed into a transparent jelly. An 
aqueous solution of iodine has no visible effect on them in their 
natural state. On charring some slices of salep, Dr. Lindley 
found that these apparently homogeneous nodules consisted 
of very minute cells, filled with a substance of the same re- 
fractive power as themselves. Finally, Dr. Lindley declares, 
that the error of considering salep to consist chiefly of starch, 
arose from the mode of preparation. The tubers of the 
Orchidee are first parboiled and then dried; by this means 
the starch which surrounds the nodules is dissolved, and on 
drying is precipitated upon their surface, and hence they be- 
come blue when treated with iodine. Dr. Lindley’s state- 
ments with regard to the structure of these roots are so very 
peculiar, that I felt it necessary to examine the subject my- 
self. The examination of two kinds of salep-roots, as also 
comparative observations of a fresh tuber of Orchis milita- 
ris, soon showed, that in the structure of the Orchideous 
roots there is nothing differing from the general rule. Those 
hard horny nodules are nothing more than hardened masses 
of tragacanth gum which fill the individual cells, which in this 
case are often of a large size ; Berzelius had already referred 
the salep mucilage to tragacanth gum, and in different Orchi- 
dee this substance appears to differ only according to its 
several degrees of hardness. In the cells of the roots of Or- 
chidee is universally observed the presence of a cellular nu- 
cleus, and round this is formed a thick mucilaginous mass, as 
also a greater or smaller number of minute, nearly round glo- 
bules, which are generally coloured yellowish brown by iodine, 
but sometimes bluish. The mass of this thick mucilage, as 
also that of the globules, continually increases within the cells, 
and in those tubers which can be advantageously used for the 
preparation of salep, the contents of the single, often very 
large, cells assume a gelatinous consistency, and on drying 
become as hard as horn, and may then easily be mistaken for 
nodules. I have now before me some sections of dried salep- 


332 Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 


roots which contain within this hardened mucilage a large 
quantity of starch, for the whole substance is coloured violet 
by iodine, and indeed throughout the whole mass, which does 
not accord with Lindley’s observations. All the cells are filled 
with balls of tragacanth gum; some of them are ten or fifteen 
times larger than the neighbouring ones, but there are no 
cells which contain solely amylum grains ; but out of a great 
number of sections, single large gum nodules may be found, in 
which the globules, similar to those of starch, may be easily 
distinguished lying round the old nucleus in the interior of 
the nodule. 

Very remarkable is the fact, that most of the walls of these 
large cells containing gum appear as if composed of smaller 
cells, by which these membranes often assume a very beautiful 
appearance ; on closer examination I found that this apparent 
net of cells consisted of superficial deposits, similar to the cell- 
like formations on the surface of pollen grains. Even in very 
young tubers traces of these formations may be seen on the 
znner surface of the membranes of those large parenchym cells 
which are rich in gum. 


M. E. Meyer* read a paper to the Physico-Giconomic So- 
ciety of KGnigsberg on the 18th of September, 1839, on amy- 
lum, in which he explains fully the appearance and structure 
of the amylum grains according to former observations, and 
mentions their use; he, however, incorrectly states that it is 
not yet clearly determined whether the layers of the globules 
are deposited from without, for the genesis of the globules 
with which we are acquainted shows this quite clearly. M. 
Meyer communicates an interesting fact, viz. that in the 
summer of 1838, on account of the excessive moisture in that 
part of the country, that rare malformation, the production 
of tubers on the parts of the potatoe plant which are in the 
air, was very abundant ; this malformation extended itself over 
whole fields, and M. Meyer saw some specimens which were 
covered to the top with tuberculous swollen sprouts, and were 
partly covered with real tubers. The statement, that potatoes 
possess the largest grains of starch yet known, is probably 
only a slip of the pen; but it is a curious statement, that the 
pith of plants never contains amylum, as also that the stems 
of Palms and Cycadee never have pith, whence it would re- 
sult that sago could not be prepared from their pith. 


M. Fr. Tornabene Casineset has written a treatise on the 
* Frorieps Neue Notizen, Nos. 253, 254, Nov. 1839. 


+ Sull’ bumore crystallino nelle foglie seminali delle piante. Memoria sopra 
aleuni fatti di anatomia e fisiologia vegetale. Catania, 1838. 4to, p. 3—28. 


Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 333 


‘crystalline moisture” or fluid in the cotyledons. He says 
he has observed, that at certain hours in the day, as also 
about midday, a transparent fluid of a silvery lustre is found 
on the surface of the cotyledons, which he calls the “ crystal- 
line moisture.” The drops of this fluid are so small that they 
are only to be seen by the microscope, sometimes, however, 
by the naked eye. These shining points are not to be con- 
founded with those described by Saussure, nor with the glands 
of other authors, &c., but this crystalline moisture is a liquid 
which is found on all cotyledons, as on the species of Mesem- 
bryanthemum, and particularly on M. crystallinum. 

The spiral tubes are destined, according to M. Casinese, to 
allow the descent of a fluid, which, by means of the enlivening 
action of light, is drawn by the leaves through the stomata. 
The spiral tubes are therefore organs of respiration ; and from 
the meeting of the saps of these descending and other ascend- 
ing vessels which takes place in the leaves, a chemical process 
ensues, 2. é. the oxygenized part or oxygen becomes free, and 
makes its appearance on the transparent silvery epidermis, 
and this is the “ crystallme moisture”!! M. Casinese says 
a great deal concerning this moisture, as also about the func- 
tions of the different elementary organs of vegetables ; how- 
ever, it is evident that he has commenced his study of vege- 
table anatomy by the help of some old, and, at the same time, 
very bad books ; among the writings of later authors, those of 
Turpin seem to have interested him most, and he therefore 
calls him ‘‘ The Immortal.” 


M. Fr. Godbel* has given a very valuable chemical ex- 
amination of the principal Halophytes of the Caspian steppe 
with regard to the quantity of potash and soda they contain: 
the research was undertaken, partly in order to learn whether 
the quantities of potash and soda vary with the age of the 
plants, and partly to settle the question whether plants are 
capable of converting the one alkali into the other. The prin- 
cipal results are as follows :— 

The young plants give a much larger quantity of impure 
soda than the old fully developed ones, but the substances so- 
luble in water contained in the rough soda do not differ much 
from one another in quantity. 

In the case of Halimocnemis crassifolia it appears that du- 
ring growth a part of the chloride of sodium is converted 
into earbonate and sulphate of soda, as is seen by analysis. 
The young plants of Salsola clavifolia contain no chloride of 


* Reise in die Steppen des siidlichen Russlands, von Goébel, Claus und 
Bergmann. Dorpat, 1838. 4to. Zweiter Theil, p. 108—138, 


334 Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 


sodium, but considerable quantities of chloride of potassium ; 
while in the old plants there is less chloride of potassium, but 
a nearly equivalent quantity of chloride of sodium. 'The quan- 
tity of carbonate of soda is nearly equal in both young and old 
plants. The young plants of Salsola brachiata also contain 
less chloride of sodium than the old ones, while the quantity 
of carbonate of soda remains the same. 

M. Gobel thinks it is perfectly immaterial whether young or 
old plants are used for procuring soda, for the quantity of car- 
bonate of soda is the same in both cases. The plants might 
therefore be burnt at any time, and the value of the impure 
soda would not materially differ. The analyses of Halimo- 
cnemis crassifolia, Salsola clavifolia and brachiata, both in their 
young and old state, show “that the quantity of soda has 
remained nearly constant in all.’ The quantity of potash is 
always greater in the young plants than in the old ones, and 
strikingly so in Salsola clavifolia ; so that one might really be 
led to believe, “that in the course of the vegetative process 
potash is metamorphosed into soda, or, at least, is got rid of 
in some manner or other.” If this were correct, it would cer- 
tainly be a wonderful discovery, but I may be allowed to pro- 
pose a question which is not answered in M. Gobel’s treatise : 
Were the old specimens of the three above-mentioned plants 
(which M. Gobel did not collect himself) from exactly the 
same spot as that from which, in the same manner, M. Gobel 
gathered the young ones? Probably this was not the case, 
and as all these salts are extracted from the soil, a difference 
therein will of course make a change in the results of the ana- 
lyses. We must therefore consider this metamorphosis of 
one substance into the other as yet unproved. M. Gobel also 
states, that in other plants the quantity of potash is larger in 
the young than in the old ones. With respect to the relative 
value of the Halophytes for the fabrication of soda, M. Gobel 
gives the following list:—1. Salsola clavifolia, young dried 
individuals, 42 per cent.; 2. Halimocnemum caspium, young 
specimens, 22°9 per cent.; 3. Salsola Kali, young specimens, 
25 per cent.; 4. Kochia sedoides, old specimens, 9°16 per 
cent.; 5. Salsola brachiata, young specimens, 33 per cent. ; 
6. Halimocnemis crassifolia, young specimens, 30 per cent. ; 
7. Tamarix lava, young specimens, 33°6 per cent. ; Anabasis 
aphylia, young specimens, 19 per cent., &c. 


On the movement of Saps in Plants. 
The so often advertised prize-essay of M. C. H. Schultz * 


* Extr. des Mém. de l’Acad. des Sciences, tom. vii. des savants étrangers. 
1839. 


Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 335 


has at length appeared; it is written without any regard to 
the literature which already exists on this subject, so that pro- 
bably many persons who are not so perfectly acquainted with 
the literature of vegetable physiology may be deceived by the 
supposed novelty of the numerous observations here brought 
forward. 

The work would certainly have been very valuable if it had 
been printed directly ; but now, at a time when the more deli- 
cate anatomy has made such great advances, and since the ge- 
nesis of almost all the elementary organs of plants is tolerably 
well known, we look in vain in this treatise for all those true 
improvements of our science; but, on the other hand, the 
number of the actually incorrect observations (which may 
easily be shown) is so very large, that I might fill whole pages 
with an enumeration of them. M. Schultz has purposely se- 
parated all the vessels which are figured from the plants by 
maceration, and of course there must thus arise a great num- 
ber of mistakes in the figures ; indeed several of them must be 
considered as ideal sketches, not as representations of nature. 

The purpose of this treatise is—to prove the existence of a 
peculiar vascular system in plants in which the circulation or 
a peculiar sap, viz. the lacteous sap (Milchsaft) or latex, takes 
place: M. Schultz denominates this circulation “ Cyclosis,” 
but every one who is acquainted with the subject will proba- 
bly find this new name quite unnecessary. 

On the existence of this circulation of the latex it is well 
known there has been much discussion, and my readers will 
remember that the subject has often been mentioned in the 
former Reports*; there are however, unfortunately, but few 
botanists who regarded the observations on this subject with 
an impartial eye, and I believe that M. Schultz and myself are 
the only ones who have always endeavoured to prove its ex- 
istence. In different notices I have circumstantially described 
how the experiment is to be made with a good microscope, in 
order to discern the circulation in uninjured plants ; but some 
elder botanists, who saw clearly that Schultz’s view was not 
correct, would not see this movement ; indeed the opposition to 
the new theory went so far, that when one wished to show it 
them they made off, and for several days were not visible. 

M. Schultz has in this treatise done all in his power to 
prove that the latex moves in a peculiar system of vessels, 
like the blood of animals in the capillary vessels, and he has 
given a quantity of figures from different plants to illustrate 
their mode of anastomosing. Notwithstanding all this, one may 
read, in the Regensburg ‘Botanical Journal of 1839, p. 277, 


* See Mr, W. Francis’s translation, London, 1839, p. 33. 


336 Meyen’s Report for 1839 on Physiological Botany. 


that this subject was talked over at the meeting at Freiburg, 
and that several botanists, as M. Treviranus, Von Martius, &c. 
declared that they had seen this motion of the latex only in 
injured plants. M. de St. Hilaire, who was present, was asked 
whether the members of the French Academy had convinced 
themselves of the correctness of M. Schultz’s statements, and 
he replied, that “ For the present they had only translated the 
paper, but had as yet formed no judgement thereupon.” 

Rather contradictory to the above are several of the state- 
ments made by M. Schultz in a late paper on the results of 
his work, in which, among others, he very modestly says, 
“ We will satisfy ourselves with having made the beginning, 
and with having pointed out the principles of a determinate 
direction of the science, the further development of which the 
judgement of the French Academy will promote not less than 
the publication of the memoir.” 

There are two things which it appears to me, from my own 
observations, M. Schultz has represented very incorrectly, viz. 
the three hypothetical stages of development of the vessels of 
the latex, the contracted (vasa laticis contracta), the expanded 
(vasa laticis expansa), and the articulated (vasa laticis articu- 
lata) ; and moreover the bringing together of the most differ- 
ent formations under the common name of the latex-vessels, 
or “ vessels of the vital sap.” 

The contracted latex-vessels are said to form the youngest 
state of the vessels, and in them there is the greatest vital ac- 
tivity ; they possess (it is said) the power of expanding and 
contracting themselves, and indeed to such ‘an extent, that 
they almost disappear [!]. In the expanded latex-vessels the 
expansion predominates, but they still possess a contractile 
power. Ata later period, by means of the interrupted con- 
tracted parts of the latex-vessels, they become articulated, and 
the contracted and expanded parts have now become perma- 
nent. 

From my own observations, I must declare the whole de- 
scription of the different stages of development of the latex- 
vessels to be entirely false : the latex-vessels can neither con- 
tract nor expand; and that the articulation is not caused by 
contraction, may be seen by a simple observation of such cells 
as lie one above the other and are filled with latex. Indeed 
the whole description is so strange, that I did not know for se- 
veral years what M. Schultz meant by his contracted latex- 
vessels, until he published the remarkable treatise mentioned 
in the former Report, p.74. Herein it was seen that M. Schultz 
had denominated “contracted latex-vessels” those fine cur- 
rents of gum which are so often seen in the cells of plants, 
both in the Fungi and the Phanerogams, and which are to be 


Mr. W.S. MacLeay on his Antechinus Stuartil. 337 


classed together with the rotating currents of the Chare, Val- 
lisneria, &e. This treatise, under the title of ‘ Nouvelles ob- 
servations sur la circulation dans les plantes,’ is printed as an 
appendix to the above prize-paper; and, in the ‘ Botanical 
Register’ for 1839, p. 48, there is an extract from this im- 
portant work of M. Schultz, under the title of § Circulation of 
the blood in plants.’ The author of this extract is anonymous, 
probably because he very well knew that in this subject he was 
not capable of forming any judgement ; the title alone shows 
evidently that he knows nothing at all about the matter. 

The second point in this prize-paper to which I cannot 
agree, is the bringing together of the most different formations 
under the one name of latex-vessels. M. Schultz believes 
that he has discovered that the bark as well as the wood con- 
tains a peculiar vascular system, which forms the central point 
of every development. In the ligneous fascicles of the mono- 
cotyledons, M. Schultz considers the soft long cells which 
are filled with a mucilaginous fluid, and w hich Mohl calls 
vasa propria, as latex-vessels ; though it is so very easy, even 
in succulent plants of this kind, to observe the true latex- 
vessels near the ligneous bundles,-and which have no simi- 
larity to those in the interior of the bundles. M. Schultz even 
considered the small cells of the ferns which are filled with 
starch as latex-vessels; they surround the fascicle of spiral 
tubes, and are deposited on the. inner surface of the bast- 
tubes, &c. M.Schultz has by no means correctly understood 
the peculiarity of the latex-vessels of the Huphorbiacee, which, 
as I have long since shown, possess the structure of the bast- 
tubes of the Apocynee and Asclepiadee, and also occupy the 
place of the bast-tubes (which are wanting in the Huphor- 
biacee), and still contain latex, while the bast-tubes of the 
Apocynee, which do not ramify, contain but very little latex ; 
but here there is a true vascular system a little on the outside 
of the bast-tubes, whose stems exhibit anastomoses, and con- 
tain only a little opake latex. 

[To be continued. } 


XLII.—Additional Particulars respecting Antechinus Stu- 
artii, a new Marsupial Quadruped. By W.S. MacLeay, 
Ksq., F.L.S., &c. 

To Richard Taylor, Esq. 
Dear Sir, 


Srince I wrote you* concerning what I had reason at that 
time to think might possibly prove to be a new quadruped 


* See our preceding Number, p. 241. 


Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. Z 


338 Mr. Westwood on the Sexes in Cetoniide. 


belonging to the group of Insectivora, I have had an oppor- 
tunity of examining a skeleton, now in the possession of 
Major Christie, and which Mr. Stuart himself had prepared 
at the time the animal was killed. This skeleton, by the pre- 
sence of the marsupial bones, distinctly shows that the qua- 
druped in question belongs to the group Marsupialia. It also 
demonstrates that there was an important error in the dental 
formula as given me in the MS. of Mr. Stuart,—the very 
error, indeed, which led me to think that the animal might 
eventually be found to belong to the Insectivora. The true 
dental formula, as taken by me from the skeleton, is as fol- 
lows:— 

Incisors <=; + canines 7= -+ pseudomolars > + mo- 
lars => = 46. 

Now this formula is that of Phascogale, from which genus 
our animal however differs in the three lateral incisors of the 
upper jaw being of equal size, and also in the pseudomolars 
being all of equal size. I am however in hopes of soon pos- 
sessing a specimen from Spring Cove, when I shall be able to 
determine how far this animal differs from the genus Phasco- 
gale, or whether it may not be safely assigned to it. 

I remain, &c. 


Elizabeth Bay, near Sidney, Aug. 9th, 1841. W.S. MacLeay. 
a 


XLIII.—Notice of a hitherto unobserved Character distinctive 
of the Sexes in certain Cetoniide. By J. O. Westwoop, 
Ksq., F.L.S., &c. 


In a short notice published in these ‘ Annals’ for October last, 
I communicated the curious discovery, that whilst the females 
in certain groups of Lucanide possess a short horny tooth at 
the extremity of the basal or internal lobe of the maxillz, their 
males are destitute of this character. I have now to announce 
the existence of precisely the same sexual distinction in cer- 
tain groups of Cetoniide. Until very recently the maxillz of 
the species in this family have been described as possessing 
entirely membranous lobes, with the exception of Cremasto- 
cheilus, in which this organ is horny, and armed in both its 
lobes with strong curved corneous teeth. More recently Gory, 
Perchéron, and MacLeay have detected corneous teeth in the 
maxilla of other Cetoniide, which character has accordingly 
been employed, especially by the last-named author, to cha- 
racterize many of the groups which he has proposed in his 
quinarian arrangement of the family, published in Dr, Smith’s 
‘ African Zoological Researches.’ 


Mr. Westwood on the Sexes in Cetoniide. 339 


None of these authors were however aware that the pos- 
session of a corneous tooth in the mando or inner lobe of the 
maxillze is in some cases a sexual character ; and consequently, 
as they have omitted to notice from which sex their descrip- 
tions have been derived, the characters of all their groups will 
require a careful revision before they can be considered as 
satisfactorily established. : 

Having some years ago, whilst making the dissections of the 
typical Goliathi for the ‘ Coleopterist’s Manual,’ ascertained 
the remarkable dentation in the maxillz of the types of that 
group, which differ so materially from all the other Cetoniide 
in this respect, I have carefully examined these organs in 
the other allied Cetoniide, especially as I had determined to 
figure some of the more curious forms in my ‘ Arcana Ento- 
mologica.” For this purpose I made, in the spring of the pre- 
sent year (1841), drawings of several species and of their ana- 
tomical details, some of which were published in the first 
number of the work just mentioned, which appeared on 
the Ist of May. We here find the maxillze of Mycteristes 
rhinophylius, male, armed on the upper lobe with several 
teeth ; and the same is the case in both sexes of M. Cuminygii ; 
the maxilla of the female of that insect being like that of the 
male, I did not figure it. In Dicronocephalus Hardwickii 3 
the lower lobe of the maxille is quite simple, and the upper 
lobe corneous, straight, and acute at the tip. So far, it is true, 
no sexual variations were observed ; but on dissecting the male 
Goliathus (Eudicellus) Morgani, of which Mr. Hope possesses 
both sexes (in April 1841), I observed that the maxilla was 
destitute of any tooth on the lower lobe; whereas I found the 
females of G. (£.) frontalis and aurata, in Mr. Melly’s cabinet, 
armed with a strong tooth on this part ; and on returning to 
town from Liverpool (which I had visited in company with 
Dr. Burmeister, in order to study Mr. Melly’s collection), I 
found the same character in the female of G. (#.) Morgani in 
Mr. Hope’s collection*. I likewise detected the same character 
in the mando of the female of G. polyphemus in Mr. Turner’s 
collection, and also in the female of G.torquatus in Mr. Hope’s ; 
whereas in the male of the latter species, as Prof. Burmeister 
informs me, the inner lobe of the mando is unarmed. 

Since Dr. Burmeister’s departure from England, I have 
been much engaged in dissecting the majority of the genera 
and a great number of the species of the Cetoniide, with the 
view of investigating the natural classification of that family, 

* I have recently received a letter from Prof. Burmeister, dated Nov. 14, 


1841, in which he mentions his having discovered this sexual distinction in 
Gol, (Ludicellus) Daphnis, Smithti, and the species allied thereto. 


340 Mr. Westwood on the Sexes in Cetoniide. 


and have discovered analogous differences in several other 
species. In Stephanorrhina (Burm.) guttata, Oliv., the male 
has the mando unarmed, whilst it is furnished with a short 
acute horny tooth in the female. 

In Jumnos Roylii (Cetonia R., Hope, in Prof. Royle’s work 
on the Himalaya), the male* has the apex of the inner lobe of 
the maxilla scarcely produced beyond a straight litte ; whereas 
in the female it is armed with a strong curved tooth. In the 
Rhomborrhine (Cetonia opalina, Mellii, &c.) the males have the 
lower lobe almost unarmed, whilst in the females it is strongly 
hooked. In Cetonia (Coryphe) elegans both lobes of the 
maxilla are obtuse in the male, but much more acute in the 
female ; whilst in C. (Trigonophorus, Hope) Hardwicki the 
apex of the lower lobe is much more acute in the female than 
in the male, although conical and corneous in the latter. 

In Goliathus (Dicronorrhina, H.) micans, on the other hand, 
the lower lobe is unarmed in both sexes; and the same may 
be said to be the case in the three fine African species unknown 
to Gory, Perchéron, and MacLeay, which constitute a small 
group, to which I have given the name of Tmesorrhina (Arc. 
Knt., pl. 19), except that in the females the mando is slightly 
produced into a small point. In Coryphe MacLeait the mando 
is produced in both sexes into an angulated point, rather more 
acute in the female than in the male; but in Coryphe umbonata 
and Diceros bicornuta, I have not found any distinction in the 
maxillee of the opposite sexes. The same is also the case in 
the interesting African Schizorrhina cyanea, Oliv., only here 
the maxillz are of different form. 

To those who have investigated the structure of the trophi 
of insects, a difference of the kind, mentioned in this and my 
former notice as occurring in some Lucanide, will be consi- 
dered interesting, because, of all the organs, none exhibit so 
constant an uniformity of structure as the maxilla. “ Maxil- 
lam constantissimam invenimus, vix in congeneribus variat””— 
and “ Maxillz et labium tune constantissima, semper simil- 
lima,” observes Fabricius ; and Mr. MacLeay places it in the 
least variable position in his table of the variation of the or- 
gans of insects (* Hore Ent.,’ p. 5). The only notice I have 
found of a sexual difference in this part is in the genus Ne- 
mognatha, belonging to the Heteromerous Coleoptera, where 
the upper lobe is exceedingly elongated, which character has 
been surmised to be sexual (K.andS8., Introd., vol. ili. p. 317). 

The discovery of this sexual distinction will render neces- 


* The male of this insect agrees with Jumnos Ruckeri dé, as figured in 
the Transactions of the Entomological Society, in the curious toothing of 
the fore-tibiz. It is the female which is figured in Dr. Royle’s work. 


Mr. Hassall on the Phosphorescence of Zoophytes. 341 


sary a careful investigation of the structure of the maxilla in 
both sexes of the types of the different subgenera and genera 
of Cetoniide, in order to learn their natural relations. Beyond 
this, however, there are various other particulars which are 
requisite to be determined before we can introduce a single 
species of Melitephila into its natural position with respect to 
the others. It will be serviceable to give these in the words 
of Burmeister’s letter :—* In the first place, it is necessary to 
determine whether the specimen under description be a male 
or female ; the former sex may be known by the channelled 
ventral surface of the abdomen, the convex perpendicular py- 
gidium, and the anterior tibiz, which are often narrower and 
toothless, whilst the female has two or three teeth on the out- 
side. The maxilla must then be examined to determine 
whether the galea or upper lobe be corneous, arcuated, trigo- 
nate, with simple or cleft apex ; or membranous, arcuated, or 
truncated at the apex, and of smaller size. In like manner 
the lower lobe or mando must be examined to determine whe- 
ther it be armed with a tooth or unarmed, according to the 
sex :—the form of the clypeus, the mesosternum, prosternum 
(whether it possess a spine in front of the coxz or not) ; the 
tarsi (whether longer or shorter than the tibiz) ; the tibize, de- 
termining the number and position of the teeth according to 
the sex; the emargination of the elytra above the coxe, whe- 
ther very deep as in Schizorrhina, or very feeble as in Golia- 
thus. The form of the under lip is also very important in the 
Cremastocheilide.” Besides these characters, the form of the 
mandibles, the outline of the prothorax, and the existence of 
onychize between the ungues of the tarsi; and lastly, the va- 
riation in the form of the antenna, according to the sexes, 
must be noticed. 

Unless such particulars as these are attended to, we may as 
well content ourselves with the Linnzan or Fabrician state of 
the science, instead of doing our utmost to give to it a higher 
and more philosophic tone. 


XLIV.—On the Phosphorescence of Zoophytes. By ArtHuR 
Hite Hassacu, Esq. M.R.C.S.L., Corresponding Member 
of the Dublin Natural History Society. 


To the Editors of the Annals of Natural History. 


GENTLEMEN, 
Own reading the Rey. D. Landsborough’s paper on the Phos- 
phorescence of Zoophytes in your last Number, p. 281, I am 
led to refer to my paper read before the Natural History 
Society of Dublin, November 6, 1840, and published in your 


342 Mr. Hassall on the Phosphorescence of Zoophytes. 


journal for June last, as detailing similar observations made 
three months before the reading of the paper. 
The passage is the following :— 


‘“‘T have ascertained that all the more transparent Zoophytes,”’ 
(under which title I include the marine orders of the Hydroid, As- 
teroid, and Ascidian classes, which embrace all the species indivi- 
dually noticed by Mr. Landsborough) “ possess highly luminous pro- 
perties. This fact I first discovered in a specimen of Laomedia gela- 
tinosa, and subsequently in a great variety of other species. If a 
portion of it, adhering to the sea-weed to which it is attached, be 
taken from the water and agitated, a great number of bright phos- 
phorescent sparks will be emitted ; these sparks proceed from each of 
the denticles of the coralline containing polypi, and the phenomenon 
is equally apparent whether the specimen be in or out of water. 
The imagination could scarcely conceive a more beautiful spectacle 
than would be furnished by the shining of countless myriads of these 
tiny lamps, lighting up the dark recesses and caves of the ocean.” 
Bidar “The fact of the phosphorescence of one species of Sertularia, 
S. pumila, was, I have lately learned, discovered by Stewart some 
time since; but the announcement of it did not, it appears, lead to 
further inquiries into this interesting subject.” 


From a perusal of the above account, to which I shall add 
some additional observations, it is manifest that priority of 
upwards of a year, of the discovery of the general phospho- 
rescence of Zoophytes, is due to me, and not to Mr. Lands- 
borough. 

I have stated that the phosphorescence is equally apparent 
whether the specimen be in or out of water, that is, in air or 
water ; and this is the fact, the only requisite in either case for 
its development being the friction of motion. 

Numerous friends, among others G. J. Allman, esq., of 
Bandon, can bear witness to the exceeding brilliancy of the 
phosphorescent light emitted by a great variety of species 
which I was frequently in the habit of exhibiting to them. 
Once each week I received from the master of a trawling ves- 
sel on the Dublin coast, a large hamper of Zoophytes in a re- 
cent state; in the evening these were taken into a darkened 
room, and the spectators assembled; I then used to gather 
up with my hands as much of the contents of the hamper as 
I could manage, and tossing them about in all directions, 
thousands of little stars shone out brightly from the cbscu- 
rity, exhibiting a spectacle, the beauty of which to be appre- 
ciated must be seen, and one which it has been the lot of but 
few persons as yet to have looked upon. Entangled among 
the corallines were also numerous minute luminous Anne- 
lides, which added their tiny fires to the general exhibition. 

Provided the Zoophytes had not been exposed to wet or 


Mr. Hassall on the Phosphorescence of Zoophytes. 343 


frost, which destroys their vitality, the same appearance could 
be repeated on the second and third night, but with dimi- 
nished brilhancy. 

With respect to the phosphorescence of some Fishes, Mol- 
lusca tunicata, and the Meduse, spoken of by Mr. Landsbo- 
rough, instances of it in all these are I believe on record; and 
of the phosphorescence of the latter distinct mention is made 
by Professor Rymer Jones in his ‘ Outlines of the Animal 
Kingdom ;’ and indeed it is to the Acalepha, the animals com- 
posing which class vary in size from particles almost imper- 
ceptible from their transparency to creatures exceeding a foot 
in extent, that the ocean is principally indebted for its lumi- 
nous properties. I well remember the admiration, not un- 
mixed with wonder (for then I knew not to what agencies the 
power by which water seemed suddenly to kindle and glow, as 
though turned to liquid fire, was to be attributed), which I felt 
when first I viewed the beautiful phosphorescence phenomenon 
of the ocean. Beautiful as this spectacle is even in our own seas, 
in warmer latitudes, and in the Mediterranean, it is far more 
splendid ; but to be seen at all it is necessary that the water 
should be disturbed in some way—the slightest breeze curling 
the surface of the tranquil ocean, calls forth from its waters a 
flash of phosphorescent fire as it sweeps along—the wave, as it 
falls from the vessel’s side and breaks into ten thousand pieces, 
reveals innumerable globes of animated fire suddenly called 
forth from the darkness which enveloped them—each stroke 
of the dripping oars scatters thousands of living gems around 
them, unequalled in brilliancy by the glittering of a kingly 
diadem —a golden path of light, increasing in breadth as the 
distance becomes greater, follows, like an attendant comet, 
the wake of the vessel urged onwards by the impelling wind 
—and the fisher’s net, just raised to the water’s edge, and 
laden with spoil collected from the secret beds and hiding- 
places of the great deep, seems converted into a golden frame- 
work set with precious jewels, by the presence of numerous 
zoophytes entangled in its meshes. Indeed, in whatever way 
the water is agitated, the same beautiful appearance follows ; 
if a little be placed even in the palm of the hand, and shaken, 
bright scintillations will be emitted; but, of course, the phe- 
nomenon will be more striking in proportion to the quantity 
ot water put into commotion. 

ARTHUR Hiti Hassa.u. 

Cheshunt, Herts, Dec. 8th, 1841. 

[Nors. In publishing Mr. Landsborough’s paper, we might, with 
great propriety, have taken occasion to direct the attention of our 
readers (and it was perhaps an oversight on our part to have omit- 
ted it) to that passage in Mr. Hassall’s, in which he had detailed his 


344 Excerpta Botanica. 


interesting observations of the luminous properties of Zoophytes. 
At the same time, it does not appear that Mr. Landsborough, in com- 
municating his observations, has laid any claim to priority. Not 
having seen Mr. Hassall’s paper, his record of phenomena of the same 
class which have come under his personal notice has still its indepen- 
dent value. The observations of each of our correspondents will be 
most acceptable to the lovers of natural history ; and the degree of 
originality which they may possess will no doubt be duly estimated 
by those who are most extensively acquainted with what has been 
written upon the subject. Both agree in stating that the inquiry was 
suggested to them by the remark of Mr. Stewart.—Eb. ] 


XLV.—Excerpta Botanica, or abridged Extracts translated 
Srom the Foreign Journals, illustrative of, or connected with, 
the Botany of Great Britain. By W. A. Letcuron, Esq., 
BAg gE Bick, sec: 


No. 7. Notes on the genus Corylus. By Ep. Spacu. (Ann. 
des Sc. Nat. n. s. xvi. 98.) 


GENERIC CHARACTERS. 


Flores monoici, hiemales, foliis multd preecociores : masculi 5- ad 8- 
andri, aperianthi, in amenta squamosa, ebracteolata, cylindracea, 
gracilia, multiflora, jam estate preteriti anni nascentia moxque 
perulis denudata dispositi; feminei perianthio adnato preediti, 
staminibus (imo rudimentariis) omninod orbati, in glomerulos 
parvos sub-multifloros, sub anthesi gemmaceos sessiles perulis 
(per acta anthesi tandem deciduis) obtectos, post anthesin de- 
mum in ramulum foliatum excrescentes aggregati, singuli in- 
volucrati. 

Amenta mascula lateralia v. lateralia terminaliaque (in ramulis pre- 
teriti anni), e singulis gemmis ad rachin breviusculam nunc 
gemina (rar solitaria), nunc 3 ad 6-spicata, jam virginea pen- 
dula. Squame staminifere pluriseriatim imbricate, uniflore, 
concave, unguiculate, haud peltate, subverticales, subcoriacee, 
ciliolate, staminibus longiores, cuneato-obovate, mucronate, 
antice appendicibus 2 (squamz subconformibus et pauld longi- 
oribus) inferné cum ungue confluentibus instructe. Stamina 
secus squamarum basin inordinatim inserta. Fi/amenta brevia, 
capillaria, indivisa, estivatione recta. Anthere monothece, 
elliptice, 2-valves, dorso affixe, apice barbate. [Filamentis 
indivisis, antheris monothecis, staminibusque igitur quasi di- 
midiatis, Corylus a ceteris affinibus generibus omnibus differt. ] 

Glomeruli feminei solitarii, sub anthesi laterales (ad ramulos preeteriti 
anni, nune ex isdem axillis ac amenta mascula, nunc ex axillis 
inferioribus, semper autem ex aliis gemmis), squamosi. IJnvo- 
lucra (sub anthesi minima, perulis obtecta, setulis rigidis si- 
mul ac ovaria densissime vestita) subcampaniformia, varie divisa, 
in rachi brevissima spicata, imbricata, geminatim inserta, plera- 
que postea aborfientia ; par quodvis bractea solitaria herbacea 


Excerpta Botanica. 345 


persistente accrescente stipatum. Ovarium (sub anthesi movu- 
latum, vix conspicuum, intus solidum) demim biloculare (nunc 
3-loculare) (loculis contextu celluloso-carnoso omnino repletis), 
limbo perianthino minuto marginiformi coronatum. Ovula ana- 
tropa, in quovis loculo solitaria, secus dissepimenti apicem ap- 
pensa. Stigmata (sola pistilli jam sub anthesi pars rité evoluta) 
2, exserta, filiformia, colorata, divergentia, marcescentia, basi 
in stylum brevem confluentia. 

Involucra fructifera subcampaniformia v. tubulosa, nunc monophylla, 
nunc 2- v. rarO 3-partita, segmentis v. limbo plus minusve aut 
dentatis, aut laciniatis, foliacea (basi incrassata, carnosa, rugosa), 
monocarpa, ad apicem pedunculi incrassati (ramulum foliatum 
plus minusve elongatum terminantis) solitaria, aut gemina, aut 
plura (nunc fasciculata, nunc glomerata), bracteis multiformibus 
involucrisque abortivis stipata. 

Nuzx subexserta vy. involucro obtecta, istius fundo inserta, subcom- 
pressa, v. obscure 3- v. 5-gona, v. subcylindrica, ossea, levi- 
gata, plus minusve striata, evalvis, obtusiuscula, ecoronata, 
(limbo perianthino demiim subobsoleto), basi derasa, abortu 1- 
locularis et 1-sperma, demum sine involucro decidua. 

Semen nucis cavitati conforme, inadhzrens, crassum, exalbumino- 
sum, dissepimenti reliquiis afixum. Integumentum tenue, 
membranaceum, venosum. 

Embryo rectus, carnosus, oleosus, albidus ; cotyledones magne, co- 
herentes, plano-convexe, haud plicate, subovales, basi et apice 
rotundate, germinatione hypogee ; radicula supera, brevis, co- 
nica, obtusa, ex toto immersa. 

Arbores v. frutices dumosi. Gemme distiche, perulatee ; masculi- 
floree aphyllze ; foeminiflorze simul foliigenze. Ramuli subcylin- 
drici, flexuosi, epidermide subreticulatim rimuloso, mox deci- 
duo. Folia 2-stipulata, disticha, brevé petiolata, annotina, 
tenuia, conspicué penninervia, plicata, plus minusve rugosa, 
dentata v. crenata simulque sepius angulosa y. inciso-angulosa 
(variatione nonnunquam pinnatifida), varliformia (in quovis in- 
dividuo) basi equali v. inaquali, seepius cordata. Petiolus cy- 
lindricus y. subtrigonus, ecanaliculatus. Stipulz laterales, ca- 
duce, forma variabili. Amenta mascula elongata. Squamz 
staminiferze luteo et fusco variegate, sub anthesi laxiuscule. 
Aunthere virgineee purpurez, sub anthesi citrine. Stigmata 
purpurea. 


The generic characters ascribed to Corylus, even in the 
most recent works, are in many points more or less faulty. 
Some authors regard the appendages of the staminiferous 
scales in this genus as a perianth of two leaves adnate to the 
scale ; but as these appendages also occur on the floral scales 
of the male catkins of the Betulacee, which, moreover, possess 
a true perianth, this view is manifestly incorrect. The num- 
ber of stamens is variable and not constantly eight; they are 
inserted without any apparent order towards the base of the 


346 Excerpta Botanica. 


scales, and not superposed in two regular series. The brac- 
teas at the base of the female involucres, far from being always 
oval or entire, are on the contrary various in form, sometimes 
entire, and sometimes more or less cut. These bracteas are 
persistent and accrescent, whilst in the nearly allied genera 
Carpinus and Ostrya they are deciduous shortly after flower- 
ing. The female involucres are constantly one- and not two- 
flowered, not sometimes one- and sometimes two-flowered. 
They are not aggregated without order, but are always in- 
serted in pairs in the depressions (fossettes) of a very abbre- 
viated rachis, each pair being accompanied by a bractea. The 
limb of the perianth of the female flowers is never completely 
obliterated, but is always perfectly visible on the young fruit 
under the form of a subapicular, pubescent, undulated, or ir- 
regularly denticulate swelling. The inferior flowers of each 
cluster are almost always abortive, as is also the case with a 
greater or lesser number of the superior flowers; consequently 
the fruit borne on one peduncle are very variable in number, 
and frequently reduced to one or two. Lastly, the fructife- 
rous involucres are neither always tubular nor always bipar- 
tite. 

The hybernal flowering, the appendages of the staminiferous 
scales, the single-celled anthers, the accrescence of the brac- 
teas of the female flowers, and the hypogeal cotyledons, con- 
stitute, conjointly with the female inflorescence and the struc- 
ture of the fructiferous involucre, the chief essential characters 
by which Corylus is distinguished from the two nearly allied 
genera Ostrya and Carpinus. In these latter genera the 
flowering is vernal, the staminiferous scales are without ap- 
pendages, the anthers two-celled, either completely disunited 
or at least parted in the middle. The whole, or greater por- 
tion of the female flowers are fertile, and produced in large 
pendent spikes. Their accompanying bracteas are fugacious, 
and the cotyledons are developed into seminal leaves. 


Sectio 1. AVELLANA, Spach. 


Involucrum fructiferum inerme, 2-partitum (raro 3-partitum, non- 
nunquam uno latere tantim usque ad basin fissum), subcampani- 
forme; segmentis inciso-dentatis, v. palmatis. Nux involucro 
longior v. brevior. 

1. CORYLUS COLURNA, Linn. Wats. Dendr. Brit., tab. 99.— 
Corylus byzantina, Seb. Mus. 1. tab. 27. fig.2.—Corylus byzantina 
et Corylus Colurna, Hortul. Arborea, corticis stratis exterioribus 
in lamellas crassas deciduas solubilibus. Involucris fructiferis 
(seepissimeé 2-partitis) nucibus subduplo (plusve) longioribus : 
segmentis conniventibus, multifido v. multipartito-palmatis. 


Excerpta Botanica. 347 


Hab. in 'Vhracia (ex auctoribus antiquioribus) ; in Bannatu Hun- 
gariz (ubi, ex cl. Rochel, sylvas extensas efficit) ; in Italia su- 
periori (ex cl. Reichenbach. Flor. Germ. excurs.). 

This species is thus characterized by Willdenow :—* C. sti- 
pulis lanceolatis, acuminatis ; calyce fructus duplici: exteriore 
multipartito, interiore tripartito, laciniis palmatis; foliis sub- 
rotundo-ovatis, cordatis.” By Poiret (Encycl.), “ C. stipulis 
linearibus, acutis ; calycibus profundeé dissectis; fructu max- 
imo:” and by Reichenbach, “C. nuce abbreviata; calyce 
fructus patentissimo, duplici: exteriore multipartite ; interiore 
tripartito ; laciniis palmatis ; foliis subrotundo-ovatis cordatis 
inciso-angulatis.” Many of these characters are incorrect, 
and none of them sufficiently constant for specific definition. 

The fructiferous involucres, or calyx of the above-cited au- 
thors, is in this, as in all the other species, simple ; that which 
has been incorrectly taken for an exterior involucre or calyx 
being nothing more than the involucres of the abortive flowers 
and the bracteas of the fertile ones, which are equally found at 
the base of the fruit in the other species. The involucres of 
the abortive flowers always remain very minute. The form 
and size of the bracteas vary infinitely in all the species, and 
afford no good character. According to Reichenbach, the 
fructiferous involucre of C. Colurna is very patulous ; but that 
distinguished botanist appears to have fallen into error from 
the examination of badly dried specimens, since the involucre 
is constantly straight and connivent up to the summit or 
nearly so, as we have determined from an examination of a 
great many different varieties in a living state. This struc- 
ture of the fructiferous involucre is in fact the sole character 
by which the fruit of C. Colurna can be distinguished from 
that of certain varieties of C. Avellana; for although, in general, 
the segments of the ivolucre of C. Colurna are much more 
deeply laciniated than is ordinarily the case in C. Avellana, 
still there are some varieties of the former which have the 
segments split only to one-third, or at most to one-half, and 
some very common varieties of C. Avellana which have the 
involucral segments very deeply palmatifid. The involucre of 
C. Colurna is sometimes ed glabrous, sometimes more or 
less pubescent, sometimes almost cottony, and often bristled 
with hairs or glandular bristles. Its size is as variable as in 
CU. Avellana, or rather as in all the species. The straps (/a- 
nieres) of its segments are very entire, or Jagged, or inciso- 
dentate, or bi- or tri-furcate, more or less acuminate, or only 
pointed, very frequently more or less divaricated at the sum- 
mit, generally narrow, being either linear, linear-lanceolate, 
demi-lanceolate or subfale iform, less frequently very broad < and 


348 Excerpta Botanica. 


falciform, or demi-lanceolate, or oblongo-lanceolate. Accord- 
ing to Willdenow and Reichenbach, one of its distinctive cha- 
racters was the tripartite involucre ; but an examination of a 
large quantity of the fruit has demonstrated that this is only 
an accidental variety which occurs also in C. Avellana, and 
which is very much rarer than the normal condition, in which 
the involucre is divided to its base into two nearly equal seg- 
ments. Another variety, much more common both in Co- 
lurna and Avellana, has the involucre divided only on one side 
down to its base, as in that of Carpinus. 

The nut, as in all the species, is either more or less com- 
pressed, or subcylindrical, or obscurely 3- or 5-gonous, some- 
times subglobose, sometimes obovate, oval, ovoid or oblong, 
whilst in size it is equally variable. The number of fruits 
borne on each peduncle aftords no distinctive character, being 
in all the species either solitary or aggregated, from 2—7 or 
rarely more. 

The male catkins of C. Colurna are generally longer than 
those of its congeners, but in other respects their structure is 
similar. This is not the case however with the fertile flowers. 

The most variable organs of Corylus are undoubtedly the 
leaves and stipules; and their different modifications of form, 
size, and pubescence are so inconstant on each individual, as 
to render it vain to employ them even as characters of va- 
rieties. 

The leaves of most species are generally suborbicular or 
ovali-orbicular, though frequently oboval, oval, oval-oblong, 
elliptico-oblong or oblong ; in general they are suddenly term1- 
nated in an acute, more or less elongated point ; less frequently 
they are obtuse or gradually tapered into a point. Their base 
is cordate (sometimes slightly so, sometimes more or less 
deeply so); less frequently rounded, rarely pomted, some- 
times nearly equal, and sometimes more or less unequal. 
Their margins, from base to summit, are doubly or unequally 
dentate, or crenulate, or jagged, often moreover more or less 
strongly angular or incised, or sometimes even pinnatifid ; 
sometimes plane, and sometimes undulated or crisped. Both 
surfaces are sometimes more or less pubescent, sometimes so 
only on the under surface; sometimes, though very rarely, 
glabrous on both surfaces, except the axils of the nervures of 
the inferior surface, which are always more or less strongly 
bearded. The petiole is cylindrical or obscurely trigonous, 
not channelled, more or less short, hairy, pubescent, hispid or 
glabrous. The hairs or bristles sometimes glandulose, some- 
times not so. These variations of pubescence occur also on 
the stipules, young shoots and peduncles. 


Excerpta Botanica. 349 


The stipules are very variable in form and size’ in all the 
species and on each individual, according as they pertain to 
the leaves of the flowering branches or to the leaves of the lux- 
uriant shoots (pousses gourmandes) {barren shoots?|. Those 
of the floral branches are very fugacious, membranous, sub- 
scariose, chiefly liguliform; those of the luxuriant shoots 
(pousses gourmandes) being on the contrary less caducous, 
subherbaceous, oval, ovali-oblong, ovali-lanceolate, oblongo- 
lanceolate, oblong or sublinear, obtuse or pointed, or acumi- 
nate. 

Certain modifications of the fructiferous involucres of C. Co- 
lurna, having been found to be very constant, appear sufficiently 
remarkable to establish the following varieties, though it is not 
pretended that intermediate varieties may not exist as well as 
other varieties equally distinct. Those here noted, with the 
exception of one form referred to, that figured by Watson, 
were observed on six trees in the Jardin du Roi. 


a. brachycarpa, Spach.—Corylus Colurna, Wats., Dendr. Brit., tab. 
99. Involucre (15—2 inches long) three times longer than nut, 
pubescent (not setiferous) ; segments divided beyond the middle 
into linear-lanceolate or demi-lanceolate straps (/anivres), very 
acuminate, generally very entire. 

B. trichochlamys, Spach. Involucre (15—18 lines long) one- 
half longer to twice as long as nut, hispid, glandular ; segments 
divided beyond the middle into linear-lanceolate or subfalciform 
straps, rather broad, acuminate, some bi- or tri-furcate at the 
summit, others very entire or dentate. 

y. macrochlamys, Spach. Involucre (2 inches long) 2—8 times 
longer than nut, downy, not setiferous ; segments divided for 
3rd into linear-lanceolate or falciform straps, acute, unequal, 
slightly jagged. 

6. leptochlamys, Spach. Involucre (about 1 inch long) 3—H longer 
than nut, not hispid, cottony ; segments divided nearly to their 
base into denticulate or dentate or very entire or 3-furcate 
straps, acute, generally linear and narrow. 

e. avellanoides, Spach. Involucre (about 15 lines long) 4rd longer 
than nut, downy, glandular, not hispid; segments divided for 
3rd into mostly broad, oblongo-lanceolate, acute, inciso-dentate 
lobes. 


2. CORYLUS AVELLANA, Linn.—Corylus americana, Mich.! Flor. 
Bor. Amer. (et auct. Americ. plurimis*).—Corylus Avellana et 


* This pretended species is absolutely identical with C. Avellana of Europe. 
Michaux distinguished it by its amplified (7. e, much longer than the nut) 
involucre, unequally multifid, bristled with glandular hairs ; but this strue- 
ture of the involucre is equally very frequent with the European C, Avel- 
lana; and moreover we have seen specimens of this same species gathered in 
the United States, in which the involucre was perfectly similar to that of 


350 Excerpta Botanica. 


Corylus cmericana, auctor. plur. (non? Willd.*).—Corylus hetero- 
phylla, Fisch. !+.—Corylus Turtschaninovii, Bess. in Flora, 1834, 
Beybl. vi.—Corylus bulbosa, Turtsch. (ex Bess., 1. c.).—Corylus 
alba, C. americana, C. arborea, C. Avellana, C. barcelonensis, C. 
bicarpa, C. corymbosa, C. crispa, C. glomerata, C. grandis, C. he- 
terophylla, C. laciniata, C. maxima, C. minor, C. nana, C. ovata, 
C. pedemontana, C. pumila, C. rotunda, C. rubra, C. striata, C. 
subconica, C. sylvestris, C. tenuis, and C. urticefolia, Hortul. 

Fruticosa, dumosa, v. rarius subarborescens et unicaulis. Cortice 

levigato v. demtm rimuloso, nunquam deciduo. Foliis sepits 
suborbicularibus v. ovato-subrotundis. Involucris-fructiferis (se- 
pissime bipartitis) nucibus subbrevioribus, v. pauld longioribus 
(rarits subdimidio longioribus); segmentis inciso-dentatis v. 
palmatifidis, demtim plis minusve patulis. 

The characters generally attributed to this species are, sti- 
pules oval or oblong, obtuse; leaves cordiform, orbicular, 
acuminated; fructiferous involucre inciso-dentate, and spread- 
ing at the summit. This definition, with the exception of 
the inconstant characters, is no otherwise defective than in 
seeming to indicate that the fructiferous involucre of C. Avel- 
lana is not bi- or tripartite as that of C. Colurna, and that 
this structure of the involucre constitutes the difference of 
the two species; but, as before mentioned, the involucre of 
C. Avellana differs essentially from that of C. Colurna in its 
segments being more or less patulous and not connivent ; 
for in the most usual, and consequently the normal state, 
the involucre of C. Avellana is likewise divided to the base 
into two nearly equal segments; less frequently this involucre 
is divided to the base on one side only, as in the Yoke-Elms, 
(Charmes); and very rarely it is divided to the base in three 
unequal segments. As to the other pretended distinctive cha- 
racters of C. Avellana, they are as inconstant as those of C. Co- 
lurna, and consequently are valueless as specific distinctions. 
We shall therefore merely repeat, that the leaves, stipules and 
nut of C. Avellana present all the variations of form and size 
above described; that its fructiferous involucre varies in pu- 
bescence like that of C. Colurna, and the hairs of the inyo- 
lucre, petioles, peduncles, and young shoots are in like man- 


one of the commonest varieties in our woods, viz. with an involucre scarcely 
as long as the nut, slightly or not at all glandulose, and slightly inciso-den- 
tate. 

* The C. americana of Willd. (Spec.) has been since considered by its 
author himself as a distinct species from C. americana, Mich., and he has 
named it C. pumila. This is unknown to us, but, judging from the definition 
of its author, it can scarcely be anything else but anew synonym of C. Avel- 
lana. 

+ We cannot detect any difference between C. heterophylla, Fisch., and 
the ordinary C. Avellana. 


Excerpta Botanica. 351 


ner either terminated by a gland or not; that the involucre is 
sometimes shorter than, sometimes as long as, and sometimes 
longer than the nut; that nevertheless it rarely exceeds the 
nut by more than one-third, whilst in C. Colurna the nut is 
often two to three times shorter than the involucre ; and lastly, 
that the segments of this involucre, slightly inciso-dentate in 
certain varieties, are, on the contrary, more or less deeply 
palmatifid in other varieties, not only in those in cultivation, 
but also in those which are very common in woods; and in 
this latter case the secondary segments (laniéres secondaires) 
are sometimes equal, sometimes more or less unequal, very 
entire, or jagged, or inciso-dentate, or pinnatifid ; in form sub- 
linear, or linear-lanceolate, or lanceolate, or semi-lanceolate, 
or oblongo-lanceolate, or suboval, or deltoid, and sometimes 
acute, sometimes acuminate. 

The more notable modifications of the fructiferous invo- 
lucre afford the following varieties :— 


a. brachychlamys, Spach.—Corylus Avellana sylvestris et Corylus 
Avellana ovata, Willd.—Involucre a little shorter or a little 
longer than the nut; segments irregularly inciso-dentate; nut 
obovate, or oval, or oblong; involucre pubescent, or hispid, 
glandular, or non-glandular. ‘This variety appears to be com- 
moner than all the others in the woods. 

. schizochlamys, Spach.—Involucre generally as longas, or about 1rd 
longer than the nut; segments palmatifid as far as the middle or 
beyond ; straps (/aniéres) chiefly jagged or inciso-dentate. Nut 
variable in form. Involucre sometimes hispid and glandular, 
sometimes only pubescent with or without glands. This variety 
is common in the woods in the environs of Paris. 

y. macrochlamys, Spach.—Corylus Avellana glomerata, Hort. Kew. 
—Corylus Avellana maxima, Audib. Cat. Involucre large (often 
about 18 lines long and as many broad), one-half longer than 
the nut; segments palmatifid; straps (/aniéres) inciso-dentate, 
or subpinnatifid, broad, acute. Nut large, subglobose. Culti- 
vated variety. 

cylindrochlamys, Spach.—Corylus Avellana grandis, Hort. Kew.— 
Corylus Avellana maxima, Willd. Involucre (15—18 lines long) 
subcylindrical, a little longer than the nut; segments inciso- 
dentate atthe summit. Nut obovate or subglobose, or ellipsoid, 
very large. Cultivated variety known by the name of Filbert. 


Of the numerous variations of the leaves of this species, the 
two following alone merit special notice :— 


Corylus Avellana urticefolia, Audib. Cat.—Corylus laciniata et Co- 
rylus urticefolia, Hortul. Leaves deeply sinuato-pinnatifid ; 
segments acute, inciso-dentate. 

Corylus Avellana crispa, Loud.—Corylus crispa, Hortul. Leaves 
inciso-angular and crisped. 


> 


— 
v 


o4 


S52 Excerpta Botanica. 


Sectio I. TUBO-AVELLANA, Spach. 


Involucrum fructiferum inerme, monophyllum, ultra nucem in tubum 
nune bifidum, nunc trifidum, nunc uno latere tantiim fissum, ore 
clausum, apice dentatum v. laciniatum productum. 


3. CORYLUS TUBULOSA, Willd. Guimp. et Hayn. Deutsch. Holz. 
tab. 152.—Corylus maxima, Mill.—Corylus arborescens, Duroi ; 
Meench.—Corylus rubra, Borkh.—Noisetier franc, Poit. et Turp. 
Arbres fruitiers, tab. 12. Fruticosa, dumosa, v. rarius sub- 
arborescens. Cortice levigato v. demtm rimoso nunquam de- 
ciduo. Foliis sepits subrotundis v. ovato-subrotundis. Invo- 
lucris-fructiferis conoideis, nucibus nunc paulo, nunc subdimidio 
longioribus. 

Hab.in Austria, Hungaria, Italia superiori (Reich. Fl. Germ. ex- 
curs.), nec non in australioribus Europe regionibus. 

}. purpurea.—Corylus tubulosa purpurea, Audib. Cat.—Corylus 

purpurea, Hortul. Foliis involucrisque purpureo-fuscis. Va- 

rietas hortensis. 


The C. tubulosa, known under the name of the true Filbert 
(Noisetier franc), has been considered by many authors as 
only a variety of C. Avellana; but it appears to us incontest- 
ably distinct, from the structure of its involucre, although we 
have been utterly unable to discover other differences between 
these two species. The leaves and stipules vary as in C. Avel- 
lana. The fructiferous involucre is 14—2 inches long, downy 
or hispid, generally glandular, sometimes bi- or trifid, some- 
times divided on one side only, and irregularly inciso-dentate 
or laciniated at the summit. Nut oblong, or oval-oblong, or 
oval, more or less compressed, sometimes violet, sometimes of 
a brown-red colour. The integument of the seed is purple 
or white. 


4. CORYLUS ROSTRATA, Hort. Kew. ; Willd. Arb. tab. 1. fig. 2. 
Corylus americana, Walt. Carol.—Corylus cornuta, Duroi. Fruti- 
cosa, pumila. Foliis seepits oblongis y. oblongo-obovatis, du- 
plicato-serrulatis (vix aut ne vix angulosis). Involucro-fructi- 
fero basi subgloboso, superné longé cylindraceo-tubuloso, nuce 
multo longiore, sepitis hispidissimo. (V. s. sp.) 

Hab. in Americe septentrionalis montibus Alleghanies. 

This species, according to the authors of the ‘ Flora of 
North America,’ does not rise to more than three or four feet. 
The leaves are much smaller than those of the preceding 
species, slightly cordiform at the base. The tube of the 
fructiferous involucre is in length about eighteen lines, 
slender, ordinarily bifid as far as the middle, with laciniate 
segments. 


or 
Ov 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 3 
Sectio III. ACANTHOCHLAMYS, Spach. 


Involucrum fructiferum, 2-partitum, segmentis laciniatis, spinosis. 
5. CORYLUS FEROX, Wall. Plant. Asiat. Rar. tab. 87. Arborea. 
Foliis spits oblongis, acuminatis. Nuce durissima, compressa, 
involucro dupld breviori (Wall. l. c.). 
Hab. in Nepaliz montibus. 


A tree twenty foot high and two foot in circumference. 
Branches slender, smooth, brownish. Leaves three to four 
inches long, pubescent on both surfaces, hairy on the ner- 
vures, similar to those of the elm. Fruit aggregated in pen- 
dent heads. Involucre hairy. Nut with a very thick shell. 
(Wallich, 1. c.) 


XLVI.—The Birds of Ireland. By Wm. Tuompson, Esq., 
Vice-Pres. Nat. Hist. Society of Belfast. 


[Family Frincitiipa, continued from p. 288. ]} 


Tue GREEN GRosBEAK OR GREEN-LINNET, Fringilla Chlo- 
ris, Temm. (Genus Coccothraustes, Briss.), is common and 
resident in suitable localities throughout Ireland. This bird 
is generally described simply as found in cultivated districts, 
but this gives no correct idea of the true haunts of the species 
or of its partialities. These I have seen set forth with the nice 
discrimination and fullness which are so desirable, in one work 
only—the ‘ British Birds’ of Sir Wm. Jardine. 

This author remarks on the green-linnets “ frequenting cul- 
tivated districts in the vicinity of gardens and limited planta- 
tions. During winter they congregate in large flocks, feeding 
on the stubble ground on various small seeds, and resorting 
towards night-fall to the vicinity of the plantations or ever- 
greens surrounding some mansion * * *. In spring, when 
paired, they resort to the garden and shrubbery.” The words 
in italics mark the nice discrimination alluded to, and are in 
entire accordance with my own observation on the favourite 
haunts of the green-linnet, and to it alone will they strictly 
apply. By the plantation of shrubberies, I have known this 
handsome bird to be attracted to a rather wild district in 
which it had hitherto been a stranger, and soon become plen- 
tiful, the Portugal Laurel with its dense foliage being its 
favourite resort. This species is usually described as a ‘late- 
breeding bird ; but in the locality just alluded to, and which is 
at a considerable elevation, a journal-note of April 4th, 1832, 
mentions busy preparations for nestling going forward in 
glen, shrubbery, and garden. A nest of this species, found 
in a beech-hedge, was so tastefully lined as to be considered 

Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. 2A 


354 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


worth preserving. Outwardly it was constructed of roots 
interwoven with mosses, but in the lining of the nest, mixed 
with black and white hairs, were swans-down and thistle- 
seed, this last evidently made use of on account of its plumed 
appendages, all of which remained attached to the seed. It 
was late in the autumn when this nest was observed, so that 
the period at which the thistle-seed was obtained is unknown. 
A correspondent remarks, that he has removed nests contain- 
ing the young to a considerable distance without their being 
forsaken by the parent birds. My friend at Cromac supplies 
a note to the effect that he once took all the eggs, three in 
number, out of a green-linnet’s nest and put in their place a 
similar number of those of the titlark: the next morning he 
found that a fourth egg had been laid by the green-lnnet, 
which he afterwards saw several times on the nest, but further, 
the result is unknown to him. 

That green-linnets collect into flocks, and remain so for the 
winter is well known, and I have so remarked them about 
Belfast feeding in the highest cultivated fields adjoining the 
heath of the mountain-top, and again in low-lying tracts some- 
what distant from any plantation or place where they would 
roost for the night. In summer likewise they are occasionally 
congregated. Two excellent observers have noticed them as 
follows—one, in the vicinity of the town just mentioned, re- 
marked a flock of not less than thirty, feeding on a moun- 
tain pasture on the 27th of June; and the other saw them 
come in numbers at the same season to meadows at the 
sea-side when ready for cutting, and he conjectured, for the 
purpose of feeding on the seed of the dandelion (Leontodon 
Taraxacum), which plant was there very abundant—both 
localities were near to tilled ground and plantations of trees 
and shrubs. 

A correspondent mentions, that by placing one of these 
birds in a cage-trap he has caught numbers. I have known 
some, when taken young and caged, and after being so kept 
for some little time, to be given their liberty every morning, 
when they returned to their cage in the evening to roost as 
regularly as in a perfectly wild state they would have done to 
their favourite tree or shrub. 

The only food which I have found in the stomachs of a 
number of these birds killed during winter was grain and 
seeds of different kinds. 

Tue Gouprincn, Fringilla Carduelis, Linn., though 
found over the four provinces of Ireland, is by no means ge- 
nerally distributed, and in some extensive districts which seem 
in every respect most favourably circumstanced for it, is not 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 355 


to be found at all, or only as an occasional visitant. Of all our 
indigenous birds, the beautiful goldfinch seems the most ca- 
pricious. In one instance it is known to me as entirely de- 
serting a part of the country which it had regularly fre- 
quented, after a small portion of a mountain-side covered with 
thistles from time immemorial had been reclaimed and planted 
with forest trees. From other localities too, I have known the 
goldfinch without any apparent reason flit away, and, unlike 
many other birds, never revisit the place of its nativity. As 
the country around Belfast has become more populous, their 
number has decreased. The romantic neighbourhood of Cush- 
endall, about forty miles distant, is now their stronghold in 
this quarter, and there the goldfinch is the most common bird. 
It is pleasing to witness the social manner in which they feed, 
several being often engaged regaling upon the seed of a single 
thistle ; and on a moderate-sized plant of the more humble 
knapweed (Centaurea nigra) I have seen four of them thus 
occupied at the same time—the seed of the ragwort or rag- 
weed (as it is called in the north of Ireland) is a favourite 
food. They are very easily alarmed when feeding, and fly off 
hurriedly in little companies uttering their pleasing and lively 
call. 

Although this species will frequent gardens and well-kept 
grounds, especially for the purpose of nestling, it seems to 
prefer such parts of the country as are in some degree wild, 
and its visits to the farm are certainly not to be considered as 
complimentary to the owner, for when most out of order and 
run to weeds it is most attractive to the goldfinch. During 
snow, these birds have been taken in trap-cages baited with 
flax-seed, and sometimes in company with chafiinches. For 
two years successively, goldfinches nestled in a cherry-tree 
within ten paces of a house in which I lived, when they and 
their young (in each instance four in number) proved most 
interesting—I have seen their nests in willows and pear-trees, 
and in one of the latter of moderate size, the goldfinch and 
thrush at the same reared their broods, both of which in due 
time escaped in safety. One correspondent mentions his ha- 
ving had their uests in the elder, and another, in noticing apple- 
trees in which he had observed them, remarks that they were 
generally placed on the outer portion of the branches. 

In addition to seeds of various kinds found in the sto- 
machs of examples killed in the months of January and Fe- 
bruary, I have observed the remains of coleopterous insects, 
but only very rarely. The goldfinch is treated of in avery in- 
teresting manner in the ‘ Journal of a Naturalist.’ 

Siskin, Fringilla spinus, Linn.—-Templeton, in his ¢ Cata- 

ZA 


356 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


logue of the Vertebrate Animals of Ireland,’ calls this bird a 
“yare visitant,” and to my ornithological friends and myself 
it is known only as a winter bird of passage resorting at un- 
certain intervals to this island. Rutty, in his ‘ Natural History 
of Dublin’ (1772), says, that siskins “ come to us in the be- 
ginning of winter and go away the beginning of spring,” im- 
plying their regular periodical appearance. That they may 
occasionally even breed in some parts of the county of Wick- 
low, and certam suitable localities in the north, is not im- 
probable. 

I first saw this species in a wild state in the neighbourhood 
of Belfast, in the winter of 1826 or 1827, probably the latter, 
as in that year siskins were met with (and for the first time) 
by Sir Wm. Jardine in Dumfries-shire. On November 22, 
1828, my brother shot one near Belfast when feeding on a 
thistle, and m March 1829, he saw about eight of these birds 
in our Botanic Garden very busily engaged in feeding among 
the branches of some larch-firs then partially in leaf. Early 
in the winter of 1835 many—both old and young—taken 
alive about the town of Antrim, were brought to Belfast for 
sale, and an example was shown to me which had been killed 
with a stone out of a flock consisting of from twenty to thirty 
individuals near Ballymena in the same county. On the 
Christmas-day of that year, an intelligent observer saw about 
twenty feeding together on thistles in the county of Down: 
on the 25th of February 1836, I met with a couple, one of 
which was an adult male, on the wooded banks of the river 
Lagan near Belfast, where the alder predominates, and so late 
as the 6th of April, saw one which had been then obtained in 
the last-named county ;—during the winter of 1835-36 these 
birds were unusually plentiful from the north of the island te 
the neighbourhood of Dublin, where, and in the adjacent 
county of Wicklow, large flocks were seen and numbers killed: 
examples were likewise procured that season in the county of 
Cavan. Early in the winter of 1836-37 some of these birds 
were shot in the counties of Dublin and Wicklow, and again 
in the winter of 1829-30. A friend who has numbered nearly 
eighty years and knows the siskin well, recollects its visiting 
the north of Ireland occasionally throughout his life, and its 
frequenting in some numbers a large garden attached to a 
store in the town of Belfast to feed on flax-seed, of which some 
was always strewn over one of the walks. The same gentle- 
man saw several of these birds about Ballantrae in Ayrshire, 
a few days before Christmas 1839. 

Of those before mentioned as brought alive to Belfast, some 
were purchased by my friend Wm. Sinclaire, Esq., who thus 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 357 


reports upon them: “ The siskin is a very pleasing cage-bird ; 
it is extremely lively and active in all its movements ; its song, 
though not a highly finished performance, is very varied and 
continuous, yet not too loud for a room. When several are 
in one cage they all sing together in a most rambling and dis- 
cursive manner.” 

Tue Lesser Reppo we, Fringilla Linaria, Linn., is found 
from north to south of Ireland. Late in May or early in June, 
it has been seen by Mr. R. Ball on the banks of the river 
Blackwater in the county of Waterford, where he presumes 
that it nestles; and Mr. R. Davis, jun., of Clonmel, informs 
me that it breeds in his neighbourhood ;—in the north of En- 
gland only is it said todo so. Although resident over the 
island, it is more plentiful in the north, but from the nature 
of its haunts is not very commonly known like the grey-lin- 
net. Here in summer it chiefly frequents the picturesque and 
wooded glens, building commonly in the Conifere ; but in a 
friend’s garden contiguous to such a locality, an humble 
gooseberry-bush once sufficed for this purpose, and the nest 
is stated to have been lined with feathers. A person conver- 
sant with the species reports his having had its nest in a 
thorn-tree, that the eggs were very small and of a blue colour, 
with the markings described by Selby. In winter the lesser 
redpole is dispersed very generally, and often in rather small 
flocks, about twenty in number, over plantations from the 
highest on the mountain-side to those which are but little 
elevated above high-water mark. The late John Montgomery, 
Esq., of Locust Lodge, near Belfast, informed me that he had 
remarked this bird in winter engaged in feeding upon the 
seeds of the tree-primrose ((Znothera) and crown-imperial 
(Fritillaria imperialis) in his garden. 

It were idle to dwell longer on this interesting bird—its 
partiality to the seed of the alder; the varied and graceful 
attitudes all so full of animation and life assumed by a group 
when feeding ; and the indifference shown to the close prox- 
imity of man at such times; for these points have been fully 
expatiated on by Mr. Selby. 

THe Common or GREY-LINNET, FringiHa cannabina, 
Linn., is one of the most common birds throughout Ireland 
at every season. In nearly all kinds of localities, except the 
lofty mountain-ridge, it is to be met with. This species, keep- 
ing generally by itself or associating with the other linnets 
(Linarie) (though I have seen many in company with chaf- 
finches), is partial to neglected pastures or other grounds 
where “ weeds” are permitted to flourish, and where it ren- 
ders the farmer a great service by feeding on their seeds. The 


358 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


cultivator of flax in the north of Ireland, by placing no value 
on the home-grown seed, unwittingly presents a rich autumnal 
treat to the grey-linnet. After this plant has been subjected 
to steeping, the seed parts freely from the stem when the 
bundles are flung out of the pool upon the neighbouring 
banks, and here these birds may be seen congregated to feed 
upon it so long as any seed is left. The linnet has always 
seemed to me to have a predilection for deserted quarries (espe- 
cially of limestone), doubtless for the sake of the seeds of 
the various plants which spring from the debris—and also for 
the borders of the sea-shore unaffected by cultivation, where 
many hundreds may often be seen associated together. So 
early as the 10th of July I once saw several flocks, some con- 
taining fifty individuals, on the marine sand-hills at Portrush, 
near the Giant’s Causeway: one of these birds which fed 
within six paces of me was regaling on the seed of a dande- 
lion, which it extracted with great rapidity ; on rising from 
the ground its call was uttered and repeated for some time on 
the wing*. Under date of September 21, the following note 
appears in my journal :—For some time past I have daily seen 
flocks of from two to three hundred grey-linnets about the 
rocks at the sea-side near Bangor, county of Down. When 
perched today (which was very fine) on low rocks whose bases 
were washed by the sea, they kept up a pleasing concert, re- 
minding me of that produced by an assembled multitude of 
redwings (Zurdus Iliacus) on fine days in the early spring.— 
On the shore of Belfast bay I have seen this bird at the end 
of April perched on the top of fucus-covered stones—the le- 
gitimate haunt of the rock pipit—singing most vigorously, 
though whin-covered rocks, a favourite resort of the species, 
were “quite contiguous. When in the month of June visiting 
low rocky islets in the sea, the breeding-haunts of terns 
(Sterne), I have met with this bird. Occasionally in 
autumn as well as spring, the true song of the linnet may be 
heard trilled forth by individuals which form part of a large 
flock. On the lst of September I have remarked the red 
upon the breast to be as bright as in June. To witness a flock 
of grey-linnets feeding is a very pleasing and interesting 
sight. Several may be seen in different attitudes busied in 
extracting the seed from a single thistle or ragweed, which 
all the while keeps moving to and fro with their weight. The 
ear too is at the same time gratified with the lively call, which 
is constantly uttered by one or more of the party. When two 

* In this respect the lesser redpole is said by Mr. Selby to differ from the 


grey-linnet, which he considers to be silent on the wing, but in the north of 
ireland there is not this distinction between the species. 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 359 


or three are engaged on the petty surface of a ragweed- 
top, and others fly to it, some of the first comers, apparently 
on the principle that the world is wide enough for all, gene- 
rally move off and leave it to the later guests; occasionally, 
indeed, the interruption produces a little buffeting, but which 
soon terminates, and in this respect is unlike the general mé- 
lée of the sparrow, where the row, originating with a pair, 
soon becomes general ; or the regular “ stand-up fight” of the 
robin, a couple of which, when feeling “ blown” after a set-to, 
literally stop to take breath, after the approved manner of the 
Fives-Court, and this done, are at it again as hard as ever, 
until the victory is decided. 

Sir Wm. Jardine has very pleasingly remarked in a note to 
his edition of Wilson’s ‘ American Ornithology,’ that “ every 
one who has lived much in the country must have often re- 
marked the common linnets congregating towards the close 
of a fine winter’s evening perched on the summit of some bare 
tree, pluming themselves im the last rays of the sun, chirrup- 
ing the commencement of their evening song, and then burst- 
ing simultaneously into one general chorus, again resuming 
their single strains, and again joining, as if happy, and re- 
joicing at the termination of their day’s employment.” In 
one locality where I had daily the gratification of thus ob- 
serving them, the effect was heightened by the trees—black 
Italian poplars, stunted from growing in a retentive clay—on 
which they alighted and dotted with their numbers to the very 
apex, having pyramidal-formed heads, and accordingly pre- 
senting several pyramids of birds, each giving forth its peal of 
music. When this ceased, the birds descended to roost in fine 
large Portugal laurels growing beneath and around the trees. 
The time, &c. of their resorting to these poplars was noted on 
a few occasions during one season, thus—on February 16th, 
a great number appeared at four o’clock ; on the 9th of March, 
kept up their strain until half-past five o’clock ; March 30th, 
did the same until half-past six o’clock, and though their num- 
bers have become much thinned, 120 were reckoned on this oc- 
casion. So late as the 5th of May some came in flocks to roost ; 
this evening fifteen were observed in company. The whin is 
the grey-linnet’s favourite plant for nestling in, and next to it 
the hawthorn may be ranked, whether in a hedge or growing 
singly. This is a favourite cage-bird in the north of Ireland, 
where it is consequently much sought after by bird-catchers, 
who call it simply grey. 

Tut Mountatin-Linnet, Fringilla montium, Gmel., is one 
of the least known of our indigenous Fringillide, and was be- 
lieved by Mr. Templeton to be only a “ winter visitant.” But 


360 M. Dumas on the Chemical Statics of Organized Beings. 


it nestles in the heath-clad mountains of at least the more 
northern parts of the island*, and from its occurrence to me 
in such localities in mid-winter, I am disposed to believe that 
severity of weather only drives it from such haunts. It is di- 
stinguished in the north of Ireland from the other linnets (Li- 
narie) by the name of “ Heather-grey.” A friend frequently 
before alluded to, remarks that he has seen these birds every 
winter for some years past in large flocks about Clough, in the 
county of Antrim, where they chiefly frequent the stubble-fields 
in the neighbourhood of the mountains. A person conversant 
with this species states, that he has frequently had its nests 
among heath on the top of the Knockagh, a mountain near 
Carrickfergus: in this plant they were generally placed, but 
in some instances were built in dwarfed whins which grew amid 
the heath. A venerable sporting friend has always met with 
these birds about their nests (which he remarks were placed 
in “ tufts of heather”) when breaking his dogs on the Belfast 
mountains preparatory to grouse-shooting. Krom the county 
of Fermanagh I have had specimens of this bird. Mr. R. Ball 
includes it among the species found in the neighbourhood of 
Dublin. 


[Lo be continued. | 


XLVII.—Extracts from a Lecture by M. Dumas on the Che- 
mical Statics of Organized Beings +. 


Ir, in the dark, plants act as simple filters which water 
and gases pass through; if, under the influence of solar light 
they act as reducing apparatus which decompose water, car- 
bonic acid and oxide of ammonium, there are certain epochs 
and certain organs in which the plant assumes another, and 
altogether opposite part. 

Thus, if an embryo is to be made to germinate, a bud to be 
unfolded, a flower to be fecundated, the plant which absorbed 
the solar heat, which decomposed carbonic acid and water, all 
at once changes its course. It burns carbon and hydrogen ; 
it produces heat, that is to say, it takes to itself the principal 
characters of animal life. 

But here a remarkable circumstance reveals itself. If barley 
or wheat is made to germinate, much heat, carbonic acid and 
water are produced. ‘The starch of these grains first changes 
into gum, then into sugar, then it disappears in producing 
carbonic acid, which the germ is to assimilate. Does a potato 


* Since the above was written, Mr. R. Davis, jun., of Clonmel, has in- 
formed me that it is common and breeds in the county of Tipperary. 

+ The lecture from which these are extracts has appeared in the Philo- 
sophical Magazine for November and December 1841. 


M. Dumas on the Chemical Statics of Organized Beings. 361 


germinate, here also it is its starch which changes into dex- 
trine, then into sugar, and which at last produces carbonic 
acid and heat. Sugar, therefore, seems the agent by means 
of which plants develop heat as they need it. 

How is it possible not to be struck from this with the 
coincidence of the following facts ?— Fecundation is always ac- 
companied by heat; flowers as they breathe produce carbonic 
acid. ‘They therefore consume carbon ; and if we ask whence 
this carbon comes, we see in the sugar cane, for example, that 
the sugar accumulated in the stalk has entirely disappeared 
when the flowering and fructification are accomplished. In 
the beet root, the sugar continues increasing in the roots until 
it flowers; the seed-bearing beet contains no trace of sugar 
in its root. In the parsnep, the turnip and the carrot, the 
same phenomena take place. 

Thus at certain epochs, in certain organs, the plant turns 
into an animal; it becomes like it an apparatus of combus- 
tion; it burns carbon and hydrogen; it gives out heat. 

But at these same periods, it destroys in abundance the 
saccharine matters which it had slowly accumulated and 
stored up. Sugar, or starch turned into sugar, are then the 
primary substances by means of which plants develop heat as 
required for the accomplishment of some of their functions. 

And if we remark with what instinct animals, and men too, 
choose for their food just that part of the vegetable in which 
it has accumulated the sugar and starch which serve it to 
develop heat, is it not probable, that, in the animal ceconomy, 
sugar and starch are also destined to act the same part, that 
is to say, to be burned for the purpose of developing the heat 
which accompanies the phenomenon of respiration ? 

To sum up, as long as the vegetable preserves its most ha- 
bitual character, it draws from the sun heat, light, and che- 
mical rays. From the air it receives carbon, from water it 
takes hydrogen, azote from the oxide of ammonium, and dif- 
ferent salts from the earth. With these mineral or elementary 
substances, it composes the organized substances which accu- 
mulate in its tissues. 

They are ternary substances, ligneous matter, starch, gums 
and sugars. 

They are quaternary substances, fibrin, albumen, caseum, 
and gluten. 

So far then the vegetable is an unceasing producer; but if 
at times, if to satisfy certain wants, the vegetable becomes a 
consumer, it realizes exactly the same phenomena which the 
animal will now set before us. 

An animal in fact constitutes an apparatus of combus- 


362 M. Dumas on the Chemical Statics of Organized Beings. 


tion from which carbonic acid is continually disengaged, in 
which consequently carbon undergoes combustion. 

You know that we were not stopped by the expression 
cold-blooded animals, which would seem to designate some 
animals destitute of the property of producing heat. Iron, 
which burns vividly in oxygen, produces a heat which no 
one would deny; but reflection and some science is necessary 
in order to perceive, that iron which rusts slowly in the air 
disengages quite as much, although its temperature does not 
sensibly vary. No one doubts that lighted phosphorus in 
burning produces a great quantity of heat. Unkindled phos- 
phorus also burns in the air, and yet the heat which it de- 
velops in this state was for a long time disputed. 

So as to animals, those which are called warm-blooded 
burn much carbon in a given time, and preserve a sensible 
excess of heat above the surrounding bodies; those which 
are termed cold-blooded burn much less carbon, and conse- 
quently retain so slight an excess of heat, that it becomes 
difficult or impossible to observe it. 

But nevertheless, reflection shows us that the most constant 
character of animal existence resides in this combustion of 
carbon, and in the development of carbonic acid which is the 
result of it, beginning also in the production of heat which 
every combustion of carbon occasions. 

Whether the question be of superior or inferior animals ; 
whether this carbonic acid be exhaled from the lungs or from 
the skin, does not signify ; it is always the same phenomenon, 
the same function. 

At the same time that animals burn carbon, they also burn 
hydrogen; this is a point proved by the constant disappear- 
ance of hydrogen which takes place in their respiration. 

Besides, they continually exhale azote. I insist upon this 
point, and principally in order to banish an iilusion which I 
cannot but believe to be one of the most prejudicial to your 
studies. Some observers have admitted that there is an ab- 
sorption of azote in respiration, but which never appears un- 
accompanied by circumstances that render it more than doubt- 
ful. The constant phenomenon is the exhalation of gas. 

We must therefore conclude with certainty, that we never 
borrow azote from the air; that the air is never an aliment 
to us; and that we merely take from it the oxygen necessary 
to form carbonic acid with our carbon, and water with our hy- 
drogen. . 

The azote exhaled proceeds then from the aliments, and it 
originates from them entirely. This, in the general ceconomy 
of nature, may in thousands of centuries be absorbed by 


M. Dumas on the Chemical Statics of Organized Beings. 363 


plants, which, like Jerusalem artichokes, draw their azote di- 
rectly from the air, 

But this is not all the azote which animals exhale. Every 
one gives out by the urine, on an average, as M. Lecanu has 
proved, 230 grains of azote a day, of azote evidently drawn 
from our food, like the carbon and hydrogen which are oxi- 
dized within us (que nous brilons). 

In what form does this azote escape? In the form of am- 
monia. Here indeed, one of those observations presents it- 
self which never fail to fill us with admiration for the simpli- 
city of the means which nature puts in operation. 

If in the general order of things we return to the air the 
azote which certain vegetables may sometimes directly make 
use of, it ought to happen that we should also be bound to 
return ammonia, a product so necessary to the existence and 
development of most vegetables. 

Such is the principal result of the urinary secretion. It is 
an emission of ammonia, which returns to the soil or to the air. 

But is there any need to remark here, that the urinary 
organs would be changed in their functions and in their vi- 
tality by the contact of ammonia? the contact of the carbo- 
nate of ammonia would even effect this ; and so nature causes 
us to excrete urea. 

Urea is carbonate of ammonia, that is to say, carbonic 
acid like that which we expire, and ammonia such as plants 
require. But this carbonate of ammonia has lost of hydro- 
gen and oxygen, so much as is wanting to constitute two mo- 
lecules of water. 

Deprived of this water the carbonate of ammonia becomes 
urea; then it is neutral, not acting upon the animal mem- 
branes; then it may pass through the kidneys, the ureters, 
and the bladder, without inflaming them; but having reached 
the air, it undergoes a true fermentation, which restores to it 
these two molecules of water, and which makes of this same 
urea true carbonate of ammonia; volatile, capable of ex- 
haling in the air; soluble, so that it may be taken up again by 
rain; and consequently destined thus to travel from the earth 
to the air and from the air to the earth, until, pumped up by 
the roots of a plant and elaborated by it, it is converted anew 
into an organic matter. 

Let us add another feature to this picture. Jn the urine, 
along with urea, nature has placed some traces of albuminous 
or mucous animal matter, traces which are barely sensible to 
analysis. ‘This, however, when it has reached the air, is there 
modified, and becomes one of those ferments of which we find 
so many in organic nature; it is this which determines the 
conversion of urea into carbonate of ammonia. 


364 M. Dumas on the Chemical Statics of Organized Beings. 


These ferments, which have so powerfully attracted our 
attention, and which preside over the most remarkable me- 
tamorphoses of organic chemistry, ] reserve for the next year, 
when I shall give youa still more particular and full account 
of them. 

Thus we discharge urea accompanied by this ferment, by 
this artifice, which acting at a given moment, turns this urea 
into carbonate of ammonia. 

If we restore to the general phznomenon of animal com- 
bustion that carbonic acid of the carbonate of ammonia which 
of right belongs to it, there remains ammonia as the charac- 
teristic product of urine. 

Thus, By the lungs and the skin, carbonic acid, water, azote ; 

By the urine, ammonia. 

Such are the constant and necessary products which exhale 
from the animal. 

These are precisely those which vegetation demands and 
makes use of, just as the vegetable in its turn gives back to 
the air the oxygen which the animal has consumed. 

Whence come this carbon, this hydrogen burnt by the 
animal, this azote which it has exhaled in a free state or 
converted into ammonia? They evidently come from the 
aliments. 

By studying digestion in this point of view, we have been 
led to consider it in a manner much more simple than is 
customary, and which may be summed up in a few words. 

In fact, as soon as it was proved to us that the animal cre- 
ates no organic matter; that it merely assimilates or expends 
it by burning it (en la brilant), there was no occasion to seek 
in digestion all those mysteries which we were quite sure of 
not finding there. 

Thus digestion is indeed but a simple function of absorp- 
tion. The soluble matters pass into the blood, for the most 
part unchanged; the insoluble matters reach the chyle, 
sufficiently divided to be taken up by the orifices of the chyli- 
ferous vessels. 

Besides, the evident object of digestion is to restore to the 
blood a matter proper for supplying our respiration with the 
ten or fifteen grains of coal, or the equivalent of hydrogen 
which each of us burns every hour, and to restore to it the 
grain of azote which is also hourly exhaled, as well by the 
lungs or the skin as by the urine. 

Thus the amylaceous matters are changed into gum and 
sugar; the saccharine matters are absorbed. 

The fatty matters are divided, and converted into an emul- 
sion, and thus pass into the vessels, in order to form depots- 
which the blood takes back and burns as it needs. 


M. Dumas on the Chemical Statics of Organized Beings. 365 


The neutral azotated substances, fibrin, albumen and ca- 
seum, which are at first dissolved, and then precipitated, pass 
into the chyle greatly divided or dissolved anew. 

The animal thus receives and assimilates almost unaltered the 
azotated neutral substances which it finds ready formed in the 
animals or plants upon which it feeds; it receives fatty matters 
which come from the same sources; it receives amylaceous 
or saccharine matters which are in the same predicament. 

These three great orders of matters, whose origin always 
ascends to the plant, become divided into products capable 
of being assimilated, fibrin, albumen, caseum, fatty bodies, 
which serve to renew or recruit the organs with the com- 
bustible products, sugar and fatty bodies which respiration 
consumes. 

The animal therefore assimilates or destroys organic mat- 
ters ready formed; it does not create them. 

Digestion introduces into the blood organic matters ready 
formed; assimilation employs those which are azotated ; 
respiration burns the others. 

If animals do not possess any peculiar power for producing 
organic matters, have they at least that special and singular 
power which has been attributed to them of producing heat 
without expenditure of matter ? 

You have seen, while discussing the experiments of MM. 
Dulong and Despretz, you have positively seen the contrary 
result from them. ‘These skilful physicists supposed that an 
animal placed in a cold water calorimeter comes out of it with 
the same temperature that it had on entering it; a thing abso- 
lutely impossible, as is now well known. It is this cooling of 
the animal, of which they took no account, that expresses in 
their tableaux the excess of heat attributed by them and by all 
physiologists to a calorific power peculiar to the animal and 
independent of respiration. 

It is evident to me that all animal heat arises from respira- 
tion; that it is measured by the carbon and hydrogen burnt. 
In a word, it is evident to me that the poetical comparison of 
a rail-road locomotive to an animal is founded on a more se- 
rious basis than has perhaps been supposed. In each there 
are combustion, heat, motion, three phenomena connected 
and proportional. 

You see, that thus considering it, the animal machine be- 
comes much easier to understand; it is the intermediary be- 
tween the vegetable kingdom and the air; it borrows all its 
aliments from the one, in order to give all its excretions to 
the other. 

Shall I remind you how we viewed respiration, a phzeno- 
menon more complex than Laplace and Lavoisier had thought, 


366 M. Dumas on the Chemical Statics of Organized Beings. 


or even Lagrange* had supposed, but which precisely, as it 
becomes complicated, tends more and more to enter into the 
general laws of inanimate nature? 

You have seen that the venous blood dissolves oxygen and 
disengages carbonic acid; that it becomes arterial without 
producing a trace of heat. It is not then in becoming arterial 
that the blood produces heat. 

But under the influence of the oxygen absorbed, the soluble 
matters of the bleod change into lactic acid, as MM. Mit- 
scherlich, Boutron-Charlard and Fremy observed; the lactic 
acid is itself converted into lactate of soda ; this latter by a real 
combustion into carbonate of soda, which a fresh portion of 
lactic acid decomposes inits turn. This slow and continued 
succession of phenomena which constitutes a real combustion, 
but decomposed at several times, in which we see one of the 
slow combustions to which M. Chevreul drew attention long 
ago, this is the true phenomenon of respiration. The blood 
then becomes oxygenized in the lungs; it really breathes in 
the capillaries of all the other organs, there where the com- 
bustion of carbon and the production of heat principally 
take place. 

To sum up, then, we see that of the primitive atmosphere 
of the earth three great parts have been formed : 

One which constitutes the actual atmospheric air; the se- 
cond, which is represented by vegetables, the third by animals. 

Between these three masses, continual exchanges take place: 
matter descends from the air into plants, enters by this route 
into animals, and returns to the air according as these make 
use of it. 

Green vegetables constitute the great laboratory of organic 
chemistry. It is they which, with carbon, hydrogen, azote, 
water and oxide of ammonium, slowly build up all the most 
complex organic matters. 

They receive from the solar rays, under the form of heat 
or of chemical rays, the powers necessary for this work. 

Animals assimilate or absorb the organic matters formed 
by plants. They change them by little and little, they de- 
stroy them. In their organs, new organic substances may 
come into existence, but they are always substances more sim- 


* The reader will no doubt admire how entirely M. Dumas passes by 
all English philosophers,—even him with whom these trains of investigation 
originated. ‘ This beautiful discovery [of the chemical action of light, heat, 
and the component parts of atmospheric air upon plants], for the main prin- 
ciples of which we are indebted to Dr. Priestley, shows a mutual depend- 
ence of the animal and vegetable kingdoms on each other which had never 
been suspected before his time.”—Sir J. E. Smith’s Introduction to Botany, 
see p. 162—170. 


Bibliographical Notices. 367 


ple, more akin to the elementary state than those which they 
have received. By degrees these decompose the organic mat- 
ters slowly created by plants; they bring them back little by 
little towards the state of carbonic acid, water, azote and am- 
monia, a state which allows them to be returned to the air. 

In burning or destroying these organic matters, animals 
always produce heat, which radiating from their bodies in 
space, goes to supply the place of that which vegetables had 
absorbed. 

Thus all that air gives to plants, plants give up to animals, 
and animals restore it to the air,—an eternal circle in 
which life keeps in motion and manifests itself, but in 
which matter merely changes place. 

The brute matter of air, organized by slow degrees in 
plants, comes, then, to perform its part without change in ani- 
mals, and serves as an instrument for thought; then van- 
quished by this effort and broken, as it were, it returns brute 
matter to the great reservoir whence it came. 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 


A List of the Genera of Birds, with their Synonyma, and an Indica- 
tion of the typical Species of each Genus. By George Robert 
Gray. Second Edition. Svo. London, 1841. 


Mr. Gray’s ‘Genera of Birds’ is a systematic catalogue of all the 
generic groups which have been proposed by ornithologists, with 
their synonyms, and a reference under each genus to some one well- 
ascertained species by way of type. Having on a former occasion 
(see Annals of Nat. Hist., vol. vi. p. 410, vol. vil. p. 26) published 
a commentary on this work when it first appeared, I am induced to 
offer a few further remarks on this new and improved edition. If 
the former work was deserving of high praise as a first attempt to 
introduce order and system into a chaotic mass of scattered observa- 
tious, this edition may be still further commended on the ground of 
the great additional accuracy and completeness which it exhibits. 
In these days of hasty and superficial book-making, it is rare to 
meet with a work in which so much labour and research is con- 
densed into so small a space, and as a tabular index of the present 
state of ornithology, it is one of the most complete works ever pro- 
duced in any branch of zoology. 

A work of such a nature is well adapted to supply statistical re- 
sults. The actual number of genera enumerated in it amount to 
1119. To these genera no less than 1961 Latin or systematic names 
have been given by different authors, so that 842 superfluous generic 
names have already been introduced into the science of ornithology. 
Yes! it is a humiliating fact, that into this most fascinating portion 
of Nature’s Eden, no less than 842 weeds have been deliberately 
planted by the hands of those who professed to be the cultivators of 


368 Bibliographical Notices. 


the soil; weeds which, though they may be rooted out of the syste- 
matic arrangement, must yet, in the shape of synonyms, continue 
for ever to choke up the writings and load the memories of ornitho- 
lcgists, throwing a dusky veil of human mystification over the fair 
face of Nature. Does not this fact prove the necessity of naturalists 
agreeing upon some general rules and principles to be followed in 
constructing their nomenclatures? It is not, I think, asserting too 
much to say, that if ornithologists had had a good code of laws for 
their guidance, and had not in many cases yielded to personal vanity 
or to an indolent neglect of the labours of their predecessors, nearly 
the whole of these 842 useless generic names might have been spared 
to the science, and would have been available in other departments 
of zoology, from which they are now for ever excluded. Mr. Gray’s 
work, if diffused as widely as it deserves to be, will, it may be hoped, 
go far in checking the daily growing evil of multiplying words with- 
out multiplying facts; and we may hope that this work will have 
many imitators in other branches of natural history, some of which 
are even in a more chaotic state than ornithology. 

The principle of priority which Mr. Gray has followed in select- 
ing his nomenclature is now daily gaining ground among judicious 
naturalists, but there are one or two points in which I think he has 
carried his principle too far, on which I now proceed to remark. 

In his former edition, Mr. Gray extends the law of priority (with 
a few exceptions) no further back than 1760, the date of Brisson’s 
work, but in the present edition he gives the benefit of this law to 
Meehring’s ‘ Genera Avium,’ published in 1752, and to the first edi- 
tion of Linneus’ ‘ Systema Nature,’ in 1735. Now if this arrange- 
ment had worked well there would have been no good ground of ob- 
jection to it, but it happens unfortunately that these two works 
have lain almost dormant from the time of their publication till 
1841, when Mr. Gray has drawn them from their dusty shelves. In 
the mean time, many of the generic names found in these old works 
have been used in totally different senses by later authors, and have 
been now current for thirty or forty years. ‘To these later genera 
Mr. Gray gives new names, and restores their former names to the 
old genera of Mcehring and of Linnzus’s first edition, from which 
they have been so long removed. For instance, he follows Mcehring 
in giving the generic name Spinus to the common Bunting, Trago- 
pan to a Hornbill, Scops to the Demoiselle Crane, Cinclus to the 
Turnstone, Catarrhactes to the Guillemot, So, after Linnzeus’s first 
edition, he applies the name Grus to the Balearic Crane, Numenius 
to the Snipes, and Graucalus to the Cormorants. The ornithologist 
will immediately remark that these names have long been applied to 
genera widely different from those here mentioned, genera upon which 
Mr. Gray is obliged to impose fresh names, either selected from later 
authors or new-coined for the occasion. He gives, for instance, 
the new name Megalornis to the common Crane, and Cracticornis to 
the Curlew. 

These alterations of names so long established are not merely in- 
convenient, but it is to be feared that they will fail of their desired 
effect, that of producing uniformity of nomenclature. We cannot, 


Bibliographical Notices. 369 


I think, expect that the majority of naturalists will sufficiently ap- 
preciate the claims of such rare and obscure works as Mcehring’s 
‘Genera Avium,’ and the first edition of Linnzus, as to alter a no- 
menclature which they have employed all their lives in favour of one 
which has been forgotten for a century. Here is, I think, a strong 
case made out for establishing a “‘ statute of limitation.” Let na- 
turalists agree, once for all, to draw an absolute line at the date of 
1760, when the elaborate standard work of Brisson appeared, and 
when the “‘ binomial method ” was first dawning on the mind of the 
great Linnzus, and let them admit no genera on the authority of any 
prior author, nor even of the earlier works of Linnzus himself. 

Unless some such restriction be made, it is to be feared that the 
principle of priority, instead of producing uniformity of nomencla- 
ture, will, from the want of a fixed point of departure, lead to greater 
confusion than now exists. 

Another respect in which I think Mr. Gray has rather over-legis- 
lated, is that of altering names on the ground, not of their identity, 
but only of their similarity to others previously used. He cancels, 
for instance, the names Astur, Brachypterus, Tyrannula, Stelleria, 
Calliste, on account of their resemblance to the names Aster, Bra- 
chypteryx, Tyrannulus, Stellaria, Callistus, previously employed in 
other branches of science. For such changes he cites the authorities 
of Dr. Horsfield and Mr. Swainson, but I think it is very question- 
able whether it would be prudent for naturalists to allow this prac- 
tice to become a law. The total number of generic names which 
have been proposed in natural history is probably not less than 
30,000, and we may be well satisfied if, amidst this vast multitude, 
we can guard against the repetition of identical terms, without being 
too fastidious as to those which are only similar. Indeed, the num- 
ber of duplicate identical names is now becoming so considerable, 
that some naturalists (with whom I am far from agreeing) are be- 
ginning to plead for their preservation when they occur in distant 
departments of organic nature. It is then hardly to be expected 
that the majority of naturalists wil] consent to the cancelling esta- 
blished names on the ground of mere resemblance to previous ones. 
And the extension of science has now caused so much division of 
labour, that a student in one department is seldom even aware of 
the existence of these allied terms in other branches of natural hi- 
story, much less is he likely to be led into error by them. ‘he an- 
cient Latins could distinguish muscus from musca, or ovis from ovum, 
without falling into error, and why may not the moderns? 

A further argument against this practice is, that it is impossible 
to define what amount of resemblance between two words shall jus- 
tify the cancelling one of them. When the same name is repeated 
twice over, the case does not admit of dispute; but if mere simi- 
larity were declared illegal, the litigation would be endless. If 
Stelleria cannot coexist with Stellaria, what is to become of Otus 
and Otis, Lepus and Lepas, Sylvia and Silpha, Sturnus and Sterna, 
Colymbus and Columba, Hirundo and Hirudo, &c. &c.? 

It appears to me far better to retain all generic names which ex- 


Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. 2B 


370 Bibliographical Notices. 


hibit, when correctly spelt, a difference from all preceding ones, 
though it amount only to a single letter. 

At the same time, the principle proposed by Mr. Gray should ope- 
rate as a caution to naturalists, when constructing new generic names, 
to avoid, as far as possible, such terms as closely resemble those al- 
ready adopted. 

The number of generic groups enumerated in this work amounts, 
as before stated, to 1119. It is to be hoped that this number will 
in future be increased only by the discovery of new forms. It is 
after all a mere matter of taste, how far the process of forming new 
genera by subdividing old ones shall be carried. Subdivide as we 
may, the diversities of structure will never be exhausted until each 
species is made into a genus, for there is rarely an instance of two 
species, however closely allied, that precisely agree in the proportions 
of all their parts. We may therefore cease from subdividing when 
we think that the limit of convenience has been attained ; and most 
persons will admit that it has been reached, if not exceeded, in the 
case before us, where about 5000 species (for no more are known 
with accuracy) are distributed into no less than 1119 genera. Mr. 
Gray is of opinion that these genera might be advantageously con- 
densed to the number of about 800, and in this I quite agree with 
him. 

The systematic classification adopted by Mr. Gray is considerably 
improved in this edition, though there are still several groups which 
I think might be better arranged. Most of these cases were pointed 
out in my former commentary ; and as the question of affinities is, in 
the present state of our knowledge, in great measure open to opi- 
nion, it is very natural that Mr. Gray’s views should occasionally differ 
from mine. 

The alphabetical index is a valuable appendage to the present edi- 
tion, but one thing is still needed, a list of the books which have 
been consulted in compiling this work. Many of the authorities for 
genera have been extracted with great perseverance from works of 
extreme rarity in this country, and it would have been a great aid to 
the student if the titles of these works had been enumerated in Mr. 
Gray’s book. I would suggest that this defect might be in some 
degree supplied if Mr. Gray would send such a list to this Magazine. 

I now proceed as before to remark on the details of Mr. Gray’s 
volume, but it will be seen, that from the far greater accuracy of the 
present edition, my criticisms will be much less numerous than on the 
former occasion. 

At page ix of his preface, Mr. Gray states, through an oversight, 
that the number of genera of birds in Linnzus’ last edition is 104, 
when in fact they are 78. It follows that the calculations deduced 
therefrom are erroneous. The proportion of species to genera in the 
‘Systema Nature’ will be twelve to one, not nine to one. 

Page 7 of the text. For the reasons above stated, I trust that the 
name Scops will be retained for the genus of Owls which has so long 
borne it, in which case the type should be called Scops zorca (Gm.), 
not Scops aldrovandi, Bon. 


Bibliographical Notices. aya 


P. 8. The name Asio, Briss., 1760, should supersede Otus, Cuv., 
1799, and the type will then stand as Asio otus (Lin.). 

The genus Glaucidium belongs to the subfamily Surnine. 

P.10. The name climacteris, applied to the type of Scotornis, is, 
I believe, a mistake for climacurus. 

P. 12. Erolia, Less., 1831, should give way to Peltops, Wagl., in 
Oken’s ‘Isis,’ 1829. 

P. 13. In my former criticism on the use of the word Capito I was 
misled by its erroneous application in Mr. Gray’s first edition to the 
_ Bucco tamatia of Gmelin. Mr. Gray has now cleared the difficulty 
by showing that Capito and its synonym IVyctactes are equivalents 
of Micropogon, Tem., and he has therefore given a new name, Chau- 
nornis, to B. tamatia, Gm. in a supplementary note, p. 102, Mr. 
Gray points out that this genus ought in strictness to bear the name 
of Bucco, Lin., as the only species of Bucco mentioned by Linneus 
belongs to this group. ‘here is indeed no denying that modern 
authors have departed from the original type of Bueco, Lin., in re- 
stricting that name to the East Indian Barbets ; but this application 
of the term (though incorrect) is now so universally adopted, that I 
decidedly think it has acquired a prescriptive right which it would 
be very injudicious to set aside. 

P.18. Heliothryx should be written Heliotiricz. 

P. 20. It appears from Cuvier’s ‘ Reg. Anim.’ that the Merops 
moluccensis, Gm., is the type of Commerson’s genus Philedon, and 
that name is long anterior to Philemon, Vieill. 

P. 23. Dendroma, Sw., cannot be synonymous with Diglossa, 
Wagl., as it is described by Swainson with the margins of the beak 
entire. Dendroma appears to me to be equivalent to Philydor, Spix, 
and to include his three species superciliaris, albogularis, and rufi- 
collis. 

P., 24. The earliest specific name of Xiphorhynchus procurvus 
seems to be ¢rochilirostris, Licht., and that of Sitiasomus sylviellus 
is erithacus, Licht. 

P. 26. Thriothorus should be written Thryothorus (from Opvor, a 
reed, Oopéw, to leap). 

Thryothorus arundinaceus, Vieill., should be called T. ludovicianus 
(Lath.). 

According to my observations, the Edela ruficeps, Less. (Ortho- 
tomus edela, Tem., P. C. 599. f. 2.), is the same as Motacilla sepium 
of Raffles, but is not the Orthotomus sepium of Horsfield. 

P. 28. The earliest binomial specific name of Locustella is rayi, 
Gould. It is a misapprehension of Ray’s meaning to call the bird 
Locustella avicula, Ray. He uses the word avicula not as being less 
general than Locustella, but more so. He intended to say, ‘a small 
bird called Locustella,” and not “the species of Locustella called avi- 
cula,” which would be his meaning if avicula were a specific name. 

The genus Erythropygia, Smith, ought, I think, to be separated from 
Aedon, Boié, notwithstanding the similarity of plumage. Hrythropygia 
is a South African group connecting Cossypha, Vig., with Savicola, 
while Aedon is an European genus near Acrocephalus. 

2B2 


372 Bibliographical Notices. 


Mr. Gray quotes Pl. Enl. 651. f. 1. both under Phyllopneuste hip- 
polais and Phylloscopus trochilus. 'The latter citation is the correct 
one. 

The genus Phyllopneuste, as typified by P. hippolais, ought, F 
think, to be united with Acrocephalus. 

The name Lusciniola, Gray, 1841, should not supersede Calamo- 
dyta, Bon., 1838. Lusciniola is not used generically either by Bris- 
son or Ray; andI have before remarked, that if we cross the bound- 
ary line of modern science fixed by the introduction of the binomial 
method, we must carry back our nomenclature not merely to Ray or 
Aldrovandus, but to Pliny and Aristotle, nay to Hesiod, Homer, and 
Moses. 

P. 29. The genus Adornis, Gray, 1841, ought to retain the name 
Curruca, Bechst. (restricted), used also by Meyer, Cuvier, Fleming, 
Bonaparte, Swainson, &c., both on the ground of priority and be- 
cause it includes the bird called Curruca by Brisson, which is the fe- 
male of Curruca orphea (Tem.). he Motacilla hortensis, Gm. (Sy/- 
via hortensis, Lath.), and the figure of Buffon, Pl. Enl. 579. f. 1, 
also refer to C. orphea, fem. The true “‘ Pettychaps”’ (C. hortensis, 
auct.) is the Sylvia hortensis, var. 3. of Latham, which was first 
clearly distinguished by Bechstein. 

P. 31. Mr. Gray gives no synonyms for Jora scapularis, Horsf., 
but it ought to stand as Jora tephia (Lin.), Vig.; Sylvia zeylonica, 
Lath. ; Fringilla multicolor, Gm.; Muscieapa cambayensis, Lath. ; 
Tora scapularis, Horsf. ; Motaeilla subviridis, Tickell. 

P. 33. It does not appear why Helinaia, Aud., 1839, is used in- 
stead of Vermivora, Sw., 1827. 

The bird figured by Gould, ‘ Birds of Europe,’ pl. 138, is not the 
Anthus aquaticus, Bechst., of South Europe, but is the British and 
North European species A. obscurus (Gm.), Tem.; Alauda petresa, 
Mont.; Anthus rupestris, Nils. See Temminck, ‘ Man. Orn.,’ pt. 4. 
p. 628. 

P. 35. Why is the name Hemme cosyp ls: 1826, preferred both to 
Monticola, 1822, and Petrocincla, 1825 ? 

P. 37. Garrulax belangerii, Less., is a sy nonym of G. leucolophus 
(Hardwick), not of G. perspicillatus (Gm.). The earliest synonym 
of Malacocercus striatus is Turdus griseus, Gm. 

P. 39. The following genus should be inserted near Pycnonotus : 
Oreras, Tem., 1838, < In0s, Tem. Type, O. azureus,'Tem., Pl. Col. 
274. 

P. 40. The following genus should be inserted near Alectrurus : 
Corurvs, Strickland, 1841, < Platyrhynchus, Spix, < Muscipeta, 
Cuy. ‘Type, C. filicauda (Spix), Av. Braz., vol. 11. pl. 14; Musci- 
capa leucocilla, Hahn. 

P. 41. The reference Buff., Pl. Enl. 276, belongs to Pitangus sul- 
phuratus, and Pl. Enl. 212. to Scaphorhynchus pitangua. 

he earliest specific name of the North American Tyranaus, PI. 
Enl. 676, is carolinensis, Gm.; the next in date is pipiri, Vieill., Ois. 
Am. pl. 44. This bird is not the Lanius tyrannus, Lin., which is 
the T. dominicensis, Briss., Vieill., O. Am. pl. 46. 


Bibliographical Notices. 373 


Miloulus savana is the Muscicapa tyrannus, Lin., and should bear 
the latter specific name. 

P. 43. The Muscicapa flabellifera of Gm. and Lath. is not the 
Rhipidura flabellifera of Vigors and Horsfield, which last is the R. 
albiscapa of Gould. 

P. 44. The earliest synonym of Liothrixr furcata is Tanagra si- 
nensis, Gm. 

P. 46. Mr. Gray is fully justified in removing the name Ampelis 
from the American genus which has borne it of late years, and re- 
storing it to the Waxen Chatterer of Europe. The latter bird is 
clearly the type of the genus Ampelis of Linnzeus, who took this 
name from the old authors, and Vieillot ought therefore to have re- 
tained this title to the Waxen Chatterer, instead of the new one 
Bombycilla. We may the better reconcile ourselves to this change 
as it happens fortunately that the American Chatterers are already 
provided with aname by Brisson, who in 1760 defined for them the 
genus Cotinga. 

I have seen reason to reverse the opinion I formerly expressed re- 
specting the genera Tersa, Vieill., and Chasmorhynchus, Tem., each 
of which claims to be the lineal descendant of the old genus Proc. 
nias, Ill., and consequently to bear its name. The question is, what 
type did Illiger adopt for his genus? Now he cites three species of 
Procnias, as follows :—‘ Ampelis variegata, carunculata ? Lin., Gmel., 
Hirundo viridis, Tem. Catalog.” The first two belong to Chasmo- 
rhynchus, and the last to Tersa; therefore, if we assume the first on 
the list to be the type of Illiger’s genus, the title of Procnias will de- 
volve upon Chasmorhynchus. But in determining an author’s type, 
other points must be considered besides the order in which he enu- 
merates his species. If we suppose with Temminck, that Illiger’s 
mark of interrogation refers to both the first and second species on 
his list, we must assume the third to be the one about which he had 
no doubt, and from which the characters of his genus were taken. 
That such was the case, will be evident from the characters which 
he has assigned to the genus Procnias, among which we find “ Ros- 
trum brevius; nares basales, membrana plumis frontalibus aut 
setis obsita, clause; ale mediocres.’’ Now all these characters 
strictly apply to Tersa, Vieill., but do not suit Chasmorhynchus, Tem. 
Moreover, the name Procnias clearly alludes to the swallow-like 
form of Tersa (which induced Temminck at that time to call it 
- Hirundo viridis), which cannot be asserted of Chasmorhynchus. I 
think, therefore, that we ought to follow Temminck in retaining the 
name Chasmorhynchus for the one genus, and conferring the name 
Procnias, Ill. (restr.), on the Tersa of Vieillot. 

The type of Cotinga does not require a new specific name. The 
blue-banded species or variety, Pl. Enl. 188, was called A. cincta by 
Kuhl in 1820, and the plain-breasted one, Pl. Enl. 186, is the A. 
ceérulea of Vieillot, 1824. 

P. 47. The Chibia barbata, Gray, is the Corvus hottentottus, Lin., 
and the Criniger splendens of Tickell, 1833. 

P. 48. For Telophorus read Telophonus (from rye and gwyy). 


374 Bibliographical Notices, 


P. 53. Insert the genus Enopss, Tem., 1838.—Lamprotornis, Tem. 
Type, E. erythrophrys, Tem., Pl. Col. 267. 

P. 56. Erase Oriolus caudacutus, Gm., from the synonyms of Do- 
lichonyz, as it is also cited under Ammodromus caudacutus, p. 61. 

P.57. Add Chlorion, Tem., 1838, to the synonyms of Emberi- 
zoides. 

P. 59. Citrinella serinus, Bon., should be called C. brumalis (Gm.), 
and Petronia rupestris, Bon., should stand as P. stulta (Gm.). 

P.61. The true Fringillaria capensis (Lin.) is figured in Pl. Enl. 
158. f. 2, and is distinct from F. flaviventris (Vieill.) (F. flavigaster, 
Rupp.), Pl. Enl. 664. f. 2. 

P. 62. The specific name of Agrodroma should be campestris 
(Bechst.), not rufescens. Temminck makes it an <Anthus, not an 
Alauda, and it unquestionably should be placed next to, if not in, 
the genus Anthus, and not among the A/audine, into which group it 
was forced by Mr. Swainson, in order to fill a gap in the quinary 
system. 

’ P. 63. Crithagra should stand in the Fringilline next Serinus. 

P. 69. Mr. Gray’s new name Laimodon should be written Lemo- 
don, ac in Greek becoming @ in Latin. (See Linneus, Phil. Bot., 
§ 247.) 

Is Mr. Gray correct in quoting Bucco barbatula, Tem., under his 
Barbatula nana? Levaillant’s pl. 56. (the basis of B. barbatula, 
Tem.) seems very different from the description of Bucco parvus, 
Gm. (the basis of Barbatula nana). 

Calorhamphus fuliginosus (Tem.), mihi, is certainly not the Bucco 
lathami, Gm. See Lath. Syn. pl. 22. 

P.70. Is not the genus Sasia, Hodgs., identical with Micro- 
colaptes ? 

P. 73. Pseudornis, Hodgs., is more allied to Cuculus than to Ozy- 
lophus, but seems to be sufficiently distinct from both to deserve a 
generic rank. 

P.77. Latham describes his Phasianus leucomelanus with a black 
crest. It must therefore be the Lophophorus cuvieri, ‘Tem., and not 
the Euplocamus hamiltoni, as stated at p. 102. 

P. 80. I do not find a ‘“‘ Perdix olivacea”’ in Latham’s ‘ Index 
Ornithologicus ;’ therefore, if the name olivacea originated with 
Hodgson, it should give way to the prior name megapodia, Tem. 

P. 88. Independently of the objections which exist to our re- 
viving the obsolete nomenclature of Linnzus’ first edition, there can, 
i think, be no doubt that the Curlew, and not the Snipe, should be 
regarded as the type of his genus Numenius. ‘The latter name was 
given to the Curlew in allusion to the crescent-shaped form of the 
beak, (from véos, new, and j4yn, moon,)a character which does not 
apply to the Snipes. 

Those who retain the Whimbrel as a distinct genus should call 
it Pheopus vulgaris, Flem., but there is certainly no good ground 
for separating it generically from the Curlews (Numenius, Lath.). 

The Scolopar pygmeus, Gm., is said by Temminck to be the 
same as Pelidna platyrhyncha, and as nothing is said of its having 


Bibliographical Notices. 375 


three toes, it cannot be referred with certainty to Hrolia. The lat- 
ter bird should therefore be called Hrolia variegata, Vieill., 1816 
(not H. varia, Vieill., 1824). 

P. 89. Pelidna subarquata ought not to be distinguished as a genus 
from Pelidna cinclus. Both have the beak curved, though not quite 
in the same degree. 

P. 90. Microptera, Nuttal, is synonymous with Philohela, Gray. 

P. 95. Camptolaimus should be written Camptolemus. 

P. 99. If the claims of Mozhring to a share in our modern no- 
menclature be disallowed, then the name Gavia, Boié, 1822, may be 
restored to the G. eburnea (Gm.). H. E, Sreicknanp. 


Works lately Published. 


Bartlett’s Index Geologicus, or Geology at One View; published 
under the auspices of the Geological Section of the Devon and Corn- 
wall Natural History Society; a Diagram, 3 ft. 6 in. by 2 ft. 9 in., 
in Case, or mounted,on Rollers and varnished, with a coloured Sec- 
tion of Strata, on copper; showing the relative position of all the 
different stratified and unstratified Rocks, with the classification 
and arrangement, im situ, of Animal and Vegetable Fossil Remains, 
with the mineral accompaniments of each stratum. 

My. Clifford of Tunbridge Wells has just republished ‘ Flora Tun- 
brigensis,’ with an additional list of new plants, and a life of the au- 
thor, the late T. F. Forster, Esq., F.L.S., communicated by his son, 
Dr. T. Forster, F.L.S., &c. 

Dr. Forster has also just published ‘ Observations on the Abnormal 
Affections of the Organs of Sense and Intellect,’ &c. 8vo. 

Vegetable Organography; or, an Analytical Description of the 
Organs of Plants ; by Professor DeCandolle. Translated (unabridged) 
by Boughton Kingdon, Esq. 

A History of British Forest Trees, indigenous or introduced; by 
P. J. Selby, Esq., of Twizell. 

A Treatise on the Management of Freshwater Fish, with a view 
to making them a source of profit to Landed Proprietors ; by Gottlieb 
Bocchius. 

A new edition of Lambert’s Genus Pinus, including all the new 
species of this important family of Trees, with direction for their cul- 
tivation, &c. Royal 8vo. 

British Moths and their Transformations; in a Series of Plates 
by H. N. Humphreys, Esq., with Descriptions by J. O. Westwood, 
Esq., F.L.S. 

Transactions of the Manchester Geological Society. Vol. I. 
Preparing for Publication. 

Tur Grotocy anp M1nERALOGY OF ENGINEERING ; comprehend- 
ing the elements of the sciences of G2conomic Geology and Minera- 
logy applied to the Arts. By E. W. Brayley, Jun., Fellow of the 
Linnean and Geological Societies, Associate of the Institution of 
Civil Engineers, Corresponding Member of the Royal Geological 
Society of Cornwall, &c. 


376 Zoological Society. 


PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 


ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 


February 9, 1841.—William Horton Lloyd, Esq. in the Chair. 


A letter from P. C. Blackett, Esq., dated January 27, 1841, was 
read. It relates to the parent stock of the domestic Dog (Canis fami- 
liaris of authors), and gives some account of the habits of the Eu- 
ropean Wolf. The pups of this animal, it is said, were considered 
valuable about sixty or seventy years back, and that they were easily 
domesticated, and became as familiar and attached to their master 
as the common domesticated Dog. 


A monograph on the geuus Nematoptera, by J. O. Westwood, 
Esq., F.L.S., was read. 

In this monograph numerous new species are added to those 
already characterized by Dr. Klug and others. The genus Nema- 
toptera (Nemoptera, Latr.) was placed by its founder, Latreille, in the 
family Panorpide, owing to the rostrum being elongated as in that 
family ; but Mr. Westwood agrees with Drs. Klug and Burmeister, in 
arranging the species in the Hemerobiide, since they agree with this 
family, not only in the structure of the mouth, but also in the ge- 
neral arrangement of the nervures of the wings. 

Following are the chief characters of the species :— 


Sectio 1™4. 


Ale antice latissimz ovate, colorate, serie duplici vel triplici cellu- 
larum in area anali. 


Sp. 1. Nemaroprera Petiverr. Nem. alis anticis ovatis, pallide 
flavis ; fasciis quatuor sinuatis ; costa ad basin immaculata ; ma- 
cula oblonga ante mediam, altera media tertiaque subapicali, ni- 
gris, punctisque nonnullis versus marginem internum et in discum 
ale ejusdem coloris. 

Expans. alar. antic. 2—24 unc. Long. alar. postic. 1{—1% unc. 

Syn. The Feather-tailed Smyrna Adderbolt, Petiver, Gazoph. 

tab. 7a. stale 

Phryganea e Moldavia, Linneus, Kongl. Vetensk. Handl. 1747. 

p- 176—178. tab. 6. fig. 1. 
Ephemera Coa, Hasselquist, Iter Paleestinum, p. 423. (1757). 
Panorpa Coa, Linneus, Syst. Nat. Edit.x. Ditto, Edit. xi. vol. ii. 
p- 915. Fabricius, Syst. Ent. p.314. Ent. Syst. Suppl. p. 208. 
Panorpa halterata, Fabr. Mantiss. Ins. p. 251. 
Nemoptera sinuata, Olivier, Enc. Méth. viii. p.178. Lamarck, 
Hist. Nat. iv. p. 419. Klug, Monogr. Panorp. p.13. No. 2. 

Sp.2. Nemaroprera Coqurpertil. Nem. alis anticis latissime 
ovatis, pallidiori-flavescentibus ; fasciis tribus valde sinuatis ; costa 
in areas angustas divisa, singula area linea obscura notata, macula 
media costali, altera intermedia, 3tiaque versus apicem coste ob- 
scuris ; disco et bast punctis numerosis nigris ; areaque anali lata 
duplici serie punctorum et unica strigarum nigrarum. 

Expans. alar. antic. 1—12 unc. . Long. alar postic. 14 une. 


Zoological Society. 377 


Syn. Panorpa Coa, Coquebert, Illustr. iconogr. i. p. 15. tab. 3. 

fig. 3. 
pieauplers Coa, Olivier, Enc. Méth. tom. viii. p. 178. Klug? 

Mon. Panorp. p. 12. No. 1. Burmeister ? Handb. d. Entomol. ii. p. 987. 

Nemoptera lusitanica, Rambur. Faune Andal. tom. ii. pl. 9. f. 1. 

The extraordinary breadth of the fore-wings (which are as broad 
as those of the preceding species, although of considerably less ex- 
panse) is alone sufficient to distinguish this from the two other 
species of this Section. 


Sp. 3. NEMATOPTERA BIPENNIS. Nem. alis anticis latis, margine 
antico fere recto; late flavis, brunneo variis ; punctis numerosis 
fasciisque tribus valde sinuatis brunneis ornatis ; costa in cellulas 
quadratas divisa ; singula cellula puncto rotundo notata ; macula 
oblonga paulld pone medium coste apiceque toto brunneis, et in hoc 
apice macula parva subcostalis elongata alteraque magna ovalis, 
area anali serie unica punctorum alteraque strigarum. 

Expans. alar. antic. 2—2} unc. Long. alar. postic. 1$— 9 unc. 

Syn. Panorpa bipennis, J//ig. Ahrens Faun. Ins. Eur. i. 16. 

Nemoptera lusitanica, Leach, Zool. Misc. ii. tab. 85. fig. sup. Klug, 
Monogr. Panorp. p. 13. Burmeister, Handb. d. Ent.ii. p. 987. Nec 
Rambur. Faun. Andalusia. ii. pl. 9. f. 1. 

Nemoptera Coa, Latr. Hist. Nat. Crust. et Ins. t. xii. pl. 97. bis 
fig.2. Gen. Crust. ill. p. 186. Savigny, Déscr. de Egypte, Neur. 
pl. 2. fig. 15. 

Diptita lusitanica, Hoffm. MSS. quoted by Leach. 

This species (to which I have restored Illiger’s specific name, 
which has been overlooked by all subsequent authors, although 
several years prior to Leach’s) is at once distinguished from the 
two preceding species by the shape of the fore-wings, of which the 
anterior margin is almost straight, at least for two-thirds of the 
length of the wing; they are consequently not so greatly dilated as 
in the two preceding. ‘The colour of the wings is also of a much 
richer yellow, and the markings are fine brown, instead of obscure 
black. 

Sectio 244, 


Alze anticze angustiores hyaline; serie unica cellularum oblongarum 
in area anali. 
Subsectio 1. 
Ale postice pone medium subito bis aut semel dilatatz. 


Sp. 4. Nemaroprera ExteNnsA. Nem. alis anticis hyalinis ; costa 
paulld obscuriori punctoque minuto fusco supra conjunctionem 
vene mediastine cum postcostali ; alis posticis ante apicem apice- 
que rotundato, valde extensis et infuscatis. 

Expans. Alar. antic. 12 unc. Long. alar. postic. 12 unc. 

Syn. N.extensa, Olivier, Enc. Méth. viii. p. 178. Guerin, Icon. d. 
Regne An. Ins. pl. 61. f. 1. Klug, Monogr. Panorp. p. 13. 
Burmeister, Handb. d. Ent. ii. p. 987. 

The short description given above is taken from a specimen in my 

collection, which was captured by Olivier himself near Bagdad, and 
for which I am indebted to my friend Audouin. 


378 Zooloyical Society. 


Sp. 5. Nemaroprera piratata. Nem. fusco-brunnea ; alis anticis 
hyalinis; posticis ante apicem biextensis fuscis; apice angusto 
lacteo, 
Expans. alar. antic. 2. unc. Long. alar. postic. 1, une. 
Syn. N. dilatata, Klug, Monogr. Panorp. p. 14. tab. annex. fig. 1. 
Burmeister, Handb. i. p. 987. 

This very distinct species has the hind wings comparatively short, 
with the expansions considerably larger than in N. extensa. It is 
from South Africa. 


Sp. 6. Nemaroprersa Forsxartuu. Nem. alis anticis hyalinis, vena 
postcostali flava ; alis posticis “ triclavatis”’; stylo flavo ; clava 1™ 
Susco-flavescenti ; 24 dimidio minori cerulea; 3% terminali ob- 
longa cerulea; apice extimo obtuso. 

“Corp. long. poll.” Als postice, ‘‘3 poll. vel corpore. tripld 

longiores.”’ 

Syn. Panorpa halterata, Forskall, Descr, Anim. p. 97. tab. 25. 
fig. E. (copied in Encycl. Méth. pl. 98. fig. 1., under the name of 
Panorpe d orient). 

Nec N, halterata, Fabr., Olivier, Dumeril, Klug. 


Sp. 7. NemarorrerA BARBARA. Nem. alis erectis pallidis ; costa 
late fusca ; posticis linearibus longissimis subbiclavatis nigris apice 
dilatatis in medio coarctatis ; fasciis tribus albis, intermedia minori. 

Syn. Panorpa Coa, Fabricius, Mantiss. Ins. i. p. 251. 

Panorpa halterata, Fabricius, Ent. Syst. Suppl. p. 208. 

Nemoptera barbara, Klug, Monogr. Panorp. p. 14. 

Sp. 8. Nemaroprera pALuipa. Nem. alis anticis hyalinis imma- 
culatis venis fulvescentibus punctoque minuto stigmaticali albo ; 
posticis longissimis linearibus albis apice viz latioribus, fascia tamen 
Susca dilatata pone medium ale. 

Expans. Alar. antic. 1,4, unc. Long. alar. postic. ;% une. 

Syn. N. pallida, Olivier, Enc. Méth. vii. p. 179. 

N. halterata, Klug, Monogr. Panorp. p. 14?. 


Subsectio 2. 
Ale postice absque dilatatione. 


(a.) Fasciate. 


Sp. 9. Nemarorrera arricana. Nem. corpore luteo, brunneo 
vario ; alis anticis apice rotundatis hyalinis ; spatio inter venam me- 
diastinam et postcostalem luteo; his venis fulvo-testaceis, umbra 
fuscescenti apicali post stigma albidum ; alis posticis basi palli- 
dioribus ; fascia fusca ante apicem album. 

Expans. alar. antic. 2 unc. Long. alar. postic. 24 unc. 

Syn. Nemopteryx africana, Leach, Zool. Misc. vol. il. p. 74. tab. 

85. fig. inf.; Griffith, Animal Kingd. vol. xv. p. 324. pl. 105. fig. 4. 


Sp. 10. Nemartoprera BAcrLLAris. Nem. pallida, dorso brunnea 
vario; alis hyalinis, anticis (apice angustioribus subacutis) costa 
pullida, ad apicem infuscata; stigmate albo; posticis linearibus 
longissimis, basi pallidis, ante apicem late fuscis ; antennis longi- 
tudine alarum anticarum. 


Zoological Society. 379 


Expans. alar. antic. 24 unc. Long. alar. postie. 25 unc. 
Syn. N. bacillaris, Klug, Monogr. Panorp. p. 15. tab. annex. 
fig. 2. Burmeister, Handb. d. Ent. 1. p. 986. 


Sp. 11. Nematroprrera LATIPENNIS. Nem. rufo-testacea; linea 
- dorsali media fusca ; alis anticis dilatatis rotundatis ; umbra cine- 

rea post stigma album ; posticis in basi rufescentibus ; fascia fusca 
ante apicem album. 

Long. corp. 6’; alar. antic. 10/”. 

Syn. N. latipennis, Burmeister, Handb. d. Ent. ii. p. 986. 

This species inhabits South Africa, and is described by Burmeister 

from the Museum of Halle. 


Sp. 12. Nemaroprera ancutata. Nem. pallida, brunneo varia ; 
antennis fuscis longitudine alarum anticarum ; alis anticis apice 
angulatis, hyalinis ; vena mediastina et postcostali fulvis (spatio 
intermedio luteo), punctoque parvo in cellula singula aree costalis 
fulvo; stigmate fusco; alis posticis longissimis feré linearibus, 
dimidio basali brunneo ; fascia lata ante apicem album fusca. 

Expans. alar. antic. 2} unc. Long. alar. postic. 25 unc. 

Syn. Nemoptera angulata, Westw. in ‘Trans. Ent. Soc. vol, i. 

Journal of Proceedings, p. 75. 

Inhabits South Africa. 

Sp. 13. Nematoprera costauis. Nem. lutea, brunneo varia ; 
antennis luteo-fulvis, alis anticis multd brevioribus ; alis anticis 
apice rotundatis hyalinis ; vena mediastina et postcostali fulvis 
(spatio intermedio luteo), punctoque parvo in cellula singula aree 
costalis fulvo ; stigmate fusco ; nubila apicali alba, interne umbra 
tenui lutea marginata ; alis posticis albidis ad basin fuscescentibus ; 
fascia fusca ante apicem album. 

Expans, alar, antic. 2 unc. Long. alar. postic. 24 une, 

Syn. N. costalis, Westw. in Trans. Ent. Soc. i. yxxv. 

Inhabits South Africa. 


Sp. 14. Nemaroprera ouiviert1. Nem. corpore testaceo brunneo- 
que variegato ; alis hyalinis ; anticis valde angustis ; costa pallideé 
Susca, lineaque (are@ costali postice conjuncta) tenui stigmateque 
albidis ; posticis linearibus basi fasciaque testaceis. 

Expans. alar. antic. 14 une. 

Syn. N.halterata, Olwier,Enc. Méth.vii. p.178. (nec Forskallii). 

N. costata, Klug, Monogr, Panorp. p, 14. 


(b.) Ale postice setacez haud fasciate. 


Sp. 15. Nemarorrera seTacea. Nem. pallida; dorso pedibusque 
Suscescentibus ; alis anticis hyalinis, ad apicem subinfuscatis macula 
alba ; posticis setaceis apice albis. 
Long. corp. lin. 6. Expans. alar. antic. 12—13 lin.; alar. postic. 
14—15 lin. 
Syn. Nemoptera setacea, Klug, Monogr. Panorp. p. 15. tab. an- 
nex. f.3. Burmeister, Handb. d. Ent. ii. p. 986. 
Inhabits South Africa. 


Sp. 16. Nemaroprera capituaris. Nem. pallida; dorso luteo va- 


380 Zoological Society. 


rio ; alis anticis hyalinis, nervis fusco alboque variegatis, reticu- 
lutis ; macula ad marginem anticum ante-apicali alba ; posticis lon- 
gissimis setaceis albis ; basi hyalinis reticulatis. 
Long. corp. lin. 4. Expans. alar. antic. 103 lin. Long. alar. 
postic. 134. 
Syn. N. capillaris, K/ug, Monogr. Panorp. p.16. tab. annex. fig. 4. 
Burmeister, Handb. d. Entomol. 1. p. 985. 
Inhabits Arabia. 


Sp.17. Nemaroprera aristaTa. Nem. albida; alis albo-hyalins ; 
anticis macula ante-apicali fusca ; posticis setaceis. 
Long. corp. lin. 24. 
Expans. alar. antic. 9. Long. alar. postic.47+. 
Syn. Nem. aristata, Klug, “Monogr. Panorp. p. 16. tab. annex. 
fig.5. Burmeister, Handb. d. Ent. 1. p. 985. 
Inhabits Ambukohl. 


Sp. 18. Nemaroprera ALBA. Nem. alba immaculata; oculis solim 
nigris ; alis anticis hyalinis, venis albidis ; posticis longis setaceis 
et coloris albi paullo obscuri. 

‘** 7 ou 8 lignes de largueur les ailes étendues,”’ Oliv. 

Syn. Nem. alba, Olivier, Enc. Méth. viii. p.179. Klug, Monogr. 

Panorp. p. 16. 

Inhabits Bagdad. Found in the houses in the evenings of May. 

Sp. 19. NemarTorreRa FILIPENNIS. Nem. luteo-fusca ; alis anticis 
albo-hyalinis ; stigmate fusco ; posticis longissimis, basi nigrican- 
tibus latioribus ; apice albo filiformi. 

Long. corp. lin. 33. Expans. alar. antic. lin. 113. Long. alar. 

postic. 1 une. 3 lin. 


Habitat in India orientali. In Mus. D. W. W. Saunders, F.L.S. 


Mr. Gould exhibited to the Meeting fine specimens, male and fe- 
male, of the Macropus laniger of Quoy and Gaimard, and a species of 
Hypsiprymnus nearly allied to the H. minor, but which differs con- 
siderably in the form of the skull, and especially in having the muzzle 
broader, the sides being swollen; it also differs from H. minor in 
having the tail and tarsi proportionally shorter. This species being 
new, Mr. Gould characterized it as follows, under the name 

Hypsrprymnus Gitgerti. Hyps. colore corporis superné e cine- 

reo, fusco, nigroque commiztis, lined nigrescente a naso ductd cum 
colore frontis se intermiscente ; corpore subtis e cinereo albo. 


une. lin. 

Longitudo ab apice rostri ad caude basin.... 16 O 
COUU Gaerne ete A cave techn aban Olas 

ORE IEC SCAR Be Bhs eae STOPS 3 0 


This species was procured by Mr. Gould’s assistant, Mr. Gilbert, 
at King George’s Sound. 


The following two papers, being a continuation of the descriptions 
of Mr. Cuming’s shells, were read. 

The first of these papers is by W. J. Broderip, Esq. 

Buxinus Macuuirervus. Bul. testd plerumque sinistrorsd, elongato- 


Zoological Society. , 381 


pyramidali, anfractibus sex subventricosis, ultimo longé mazimo, 
lineis incrementi oblique longitudinaliter striatd ; aperturd ovata ; 
labro sub-patulo reflexo albo. 

Var. A. Griseo-brunnea strigis griseo-subpurpureis et maculis albis 
griseo-subpurpureisque irregulariter notata ; anfractu basali su- 
perne suturam juzta albo vittata. 

Bulinus maculiferus is figured in Sowerby’s Conchological Illus- 

trations, but has not hitherto been described. 

Var. B. Griseo-albens vel subflavescens strigis frequentibus, irregu- 
laribus, subangulatis, sordide subpurpureis ornata. 

This seems to be the shell figured by Petiver, Tab. Ixxvi. fig.5. 
Described by him as ‘‘ a rare Luzone-shell, with its mouth to the 
right. Cat. 224. Its waves brown, the rest yellow and white.” 

Var. C. Flavescens, ochraceo-brunneo strigata. 

Var. D. Albido-brunnescens ; anfractibus prioribus strigis obscuris 
undulatis, ultimo strigis distantibus oblique longitudinalibus roseis 
albo limbatis, ornatis. 

Var. E. Tota alba.* 

Var. F. Devtrorsa alba vel subflavescens strigis purpureo-brunneis 
presertim in anfractum ultimum creberrimis et subirregularibus 
ornata. 

Length about 24 inches. Breadth about 1} inch. 

Legit H. Cuming in sylvis. 

Locality. All the varieties, except Var. C., were found in the 
province of Misamis, in the island of Mindanao. Var. C. was found 
at Gindulman, in the isle of Bohol. All were taken on the trunks 
of trees. 

This is a handsome species; the ivory-like appearance of the 
apex, with its dark border, in most of the varieties, except the white 
one, is remarkable. In fine specimens, the inside of the mouth has 
a satin-like nacreous lustre, bordering on iridescence, something like 
that often seen upon the tendon of a muscle.—W..J.B. 

Buiinus EVANESCENS. Bul. testd obtuse conico-pyramidali, sub- 
pupiformi, anfractibus 5, lineis incrementi creberrime striatd ; labro 
subreflexo. 

Var. A. Albido-flavescens ; anfractu penultimo et ultimo purpureo- 
brunneo suturam juxta superne vittata ; strigd basali ad columellam 
approximante purpureo-nigrd. 

Long. 1}. Lat. $ poll. cire. 

Var. B. Gracilior, alba, strigd basali subpurpured. 

Var. C. Tota alba. 

Legit H. Cuming in insula Lucon. 

Var. A. was taken at Lual, in the province of Pangusinan, on 
leaves of bushes; the other two varieties at Catananan, in the 
province of Tayabas, on leaves of trees.—W.J.B. 

Buuinvus veuatus. Bul. testd subpupiformi, anfractibus 5, ultimo 
ceéteros equante flavescente ad suturas rubro-brunneo vittatd, an- 
Sractu basali fascia obscura subcentrali cincto, epidermide albente 
meatibus plend, velatd; strigd basali et labii vir reflexi limbo 
rubro-brunneis ; aperturd albd. 


382 Zoological Society. 


Long. 1,4. Lat. ;% poll. circ. 

Hab. in insula Camote. 

Legit H. Cuming in sylvis, foliis arborum adherentem. 

In a great number of the beautiful land-shells of the Philippine 
Islands, collected by Mr. Cuming, and herein-before described, the 
pattern, upon immersion in water or other fluid, becomes entirely 
obliterated till evaporation restores the colours to all their pristine 
brilliancy. In the species now before us, the very reverse is the re- 
sult of immersion. The external whitish porous epidermis which 
veils the shell when dry, suffers the bright colours to shine out when 
immersed in water. Bul. velatus is described above, as it appears 
on immersion, and before it becomes dry: but in the latter state 
the beauties of the shell are shrouded, and the colour of the sutural 
bands, peeping out between interstices in the epidermis, gives to 
these bands a moniliform appearance. 

I sent to Sir David Brewster, as the highest authority on such 
subjects, four or five species of those land-shells from which the 
pattern disappears upon immersion ; but I have not as yet forwarded 
to him any upon which the colours come out when so treated. Sir 
David has been so obliging as to send me the following letter, 
which I now lay before the Society :— 

“Dear Sir,—I beg to return you my best thanks for the very 
interesting specimens of land-shells from the Philippine Islands, 
which you have been so kind as to sendme. ‘The disappearance of 
the white pattern by immersion in water or any other evaporable 
fluid, and its subsequent reappearance when the shell is dry, are 
phenomena perfectly analogous to those of hydrophanous opal, taba- 
sheer, and other porous substances. 

«« The phenomenon in the land-shells is still more beautiful when 
we examine them by transmitted light. ‘The pattern which is white 
by reflected light, is dark by transmitted light, and vice versd. This is 
particularly beautiful in the Helix pulcherrima, where the ground of 
the white pattern is almost black by reflected light, and of a light 
reddish colour by transmitted light, the pattern which is white by 
reflection having a dark red colour by transmitted light. 

“‘ In all these shells, the difference of structure by which the pat- 
tern is produced, does not exist in the shell, but in the epidermis, 
and hence the pattern may be wholly obliterated by removing the 
epidermis. It appears to me, from very careful observations, that 
the epidermis consists of two layers, and that it is only the upper 
layer which is porous wherever the pattern is white. These white 
or porous portions of the epidermis differ from the other parts of the 
upper layer only in having been deprived of, or in never having 
possessed, the element which gives transparency to the mem- 
brane, in the same manner as hydrophanous opal has become white, 
from the expulsion of its water of crystallization. 

«« When the shell is immersed in water or any other fluid, the fluid 
enters the pores of the white epidermis, and having nearly the same 
refractive power as the epidermis, no light is reflected at the sepa- 
rating surface of the water and the pores which contain it, so that 


Zoological Society. 383 


the light passes through the membrane, which thus loses its white 
appearance. When the water escapes from the pores by evapora- 
tion, or is driven from them by heat, the membrane again reflects 
white light from the numerous surfaces of its pores. 

«* As the colouring matter resides in the shell itself, its peculiar 
colour is seen through the epidermis as distinctly where it is porous 
as where it is not porous, when the porous portion has been ren- 
dered transparent by the absorption of a fluid. 

“« If we apply oil or varnish to the white pattern, we may oblite- 
rate it permanently, or we may change it into a pattern entirely dif- 
ferent from the original one. 

‘If these observations appear to you to have any interest, you 
are welcome to make any use of them you please. 

“I am, dear Sir, ever most faithfully yours, 
“ D. Brewster.” 

It will be observed, that Sir David Brewster points out how the 
application of oil or varnish to the white pattern may obliterate it 
permanently ; such a case has already happened more than once: 
persons who have become possessed of some of the species whose 
patterns are lost on immersion, not content with their natural 
beauties, and unaware of their peculiarity, have had recourse to art, 
and by applying oil or varnish, have spoiled their specimens,—a 
proper punishment for trying to mend nature. 


Jan. 26, 1841.—William Yarrell, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 


A continuation of Mr. G. B. Sowerby’s descriptions of new species 
of shells, collected by H. Cuming, Esq. in the Philippine Islands, 


was read. 


He1ix Monocuroa. Hel. testd suborbiculari, tenuiusculd, subpal- 
lescente brunned, haud nitente; spird mediocri ; anfractibus quatuor, 
ventricosis, rugulosis, ultimo maximo, ceteris multd majori ; fasciis 
binis medianis saturatioribus, binis pallidioribus ; suturd distincte 
impressa ; apertura subelliptico-semilunari, intus albdé ; labio ex- 
terno latiusculo, rotundato-reflexo, eatis subfusco ; labio interno 
tenuissimo, columellari subdilatato, umbilicum mediocrem partim 
tegente. 

Long. 1°3, lat. 2° poll. 

Hab. ad insulam Tablas dictam. 

This species appears to be very distinct from any of those given 
by De Férussac, as well as from the Helix Cailliaudi of Deshayes, 
with which I have compared it. Besides the rugulosities which 
cover the external surface, oblique lines of growth are easily distin- 
guishable, which are stronger near the suture. 


Hexix cutorocuroa. Hel. testa globoso-suborbiculari, tenuiusculd, 
pallide brunned, haud nitente ; spird elevatiusculd ; anfractibus 43, 
ventricosis, levibus ; striis solim incrementi tenuibus insculptis, ul- 
timo maximo, ceteris multd majori ; fascid unica albida mediand ; 
suturd distincté ; aperturd rotundato-sublunari, intis alba ; labio 
externo rotundato-reflexo, fuscescente, interno tenui ; labio columel- 
lari lato, albicante, subsinuoso, profund2 ineunte ; umbilico nullo. 


384 Zoological Society. 


Long. 1:6, lat. 2° poll. 

This species bears a general resemblance to the last, though it 
may easily be distinguished by its more elevated spire and the ab- 
sence of an umbilicus. Besides the lighter-coloured band, the shell 
is usually mottled with paler light-brown markings. A variety oc- 
curs of a much darker colour, but similarly marked. 


Hextix Spuzrion. Hel. testa globoso-orbiculari, tenui, levi, uni- 
coloris, haud nitens ; spird brevi, paululim elevataé ; anfractibus 
quatuor, ventricosis ; striis soliim incrementi, tenuibus insculptis, 
ultimo maximo, ceteris multi majore ; suturd lined alba distinctd ; 
apertura rotundatd, anfractu ultimo tenuiter modificatd, intis albi- 
cante ; labio externo fuscescente, antice paululim reflexo ; labio colu- 
mellari albo, latiusculo, profundé ineunte. 

Long. 1:3, lat. 1°6 poll. 

Hab. supra folia arborum propé 'Tanauan ad insulam Leyte dictam 

Philippinarum. 

This species is most like H. Coccomelos, but may be distinguished 
from that by its thin, scarcely reflected outer lip. Two varieties in 
colour have been found, one of which is of a very dark chocolate- 
brown, and the other of a pale yellowish brown. Another variety, 
very much resembling this last, has been found at Lobock, in the 
island of Bohol, which differs only in the lip being rather more re- 
flected. 


Hewix mrirasitis, De F. Hel. testd subglobosd, imperforatd, levi, 
nitidd, candida, epidermide olivaceo-lutescente indutd ; spird eleva- 
tiusculd, obtusa ; anfractibus 45 rotundatis, ultimo maximo, ple- 
rumque fasciis duobus rufo-fuscis cincto ; suturd distinctd ; aper- 
turd subobliqud, elliptico-rotundatd ; peritremate albo, latiusculo, 
reflexo ; columella albd, latiusculd, antice sinuatd; labio interno 
tenui. 

Long. 1°6, lat. 1°3 poll. 

Hab. supra folia arborum prope Albay, provinciz Albaiensi ad in- 

sulam Lucon Philippinarum. 

Syn. Helix galactites, Lam. (Hist. Nat. des Anim. sans Vert. vi. 
part 2, p. 69. April 1822). 

Helix mirabilis, De Férussac (Hist. Nat. gen. et part. des Mol- 
lusques Terr. et Fluv., t. 31, f. 4, 5, 6. 1819). 

A representation of this fine species, without the epidermis, was 
published by De Férussace in 1819, under the name of Helix mira- 
bilis; his name is therefore here adopted. But Lamarck in 1822, 
although he quotes De Férussac’s name and plate, has given it the 
name of H. galactites, which of course must give way to De Férus- 
sac’s. 

It appears extremely probable that both Lamarck and De Férus- 
sac have confounded with this species a variety of Helix metaformis, 
De F., the latter author having figured a var. of that species under 
the name of H. mirabilis, var. See his Tab. 104, f. 6 et 7, and La- 
marck, describing his var. (3. as “‘ testd superne in conum elongatd.” 

« T must here acknowledge my obligations to M. Valenciennes, who 


Zoological Society. 385 


has informed me in a note that the species I have described under 
the name of decipiens is identical with this species, H. mirabilis, De F. 
I suspect that he may be right in his opinion, and will take the ear- 
liest opportunity of re-examining all the varieties of both, together. 

«« At present I will proceed to describe the principal varieties which 
have occurred to Mr. Cuming, and which are unquestionably refer- 
able to the mirabilis of De F.” 

a. Shell rather thick and strong, with three dark bands, one of 
which is close to the suture, and much narrower than the others. 

6. Shell very thin, with bands similar to the last. 

c. Shell with the spire much produced, and with three dark bands, 
of which the middle one is very slender. 

d. Shell very thin, with a narrow sutural band, and a broader cir- 
cumferential band. 

e. Shell thick and strong, with only a very narrow antesutural band. 

f. Shell thin, and entirely destitute of bands. 


Hexix rutcens. Hel. testd globoso-pyramidali, crassiusculd, im- 
perforata, levi, nitida, albida; spird prominuld, obtusd ; anfractibus 
4£ ventricosis, castaneo-nigroque fasciatis ; lineis incrementi tener- 
rime insculptis ; apertura suborbiculari, intis alba ; fasciis nigris 
subconspicuis ; peritremate reflexo, albo ; columella latiusculd, alba, 
profunde ineunte. 

Long 1°5, lat. 1°15 poll. 

Hab. ad Puerto Galero insule Mindoroensis Philippinarum. 

Two principal varieties of this brilliant species have been found 
by Mr. Cuming; the one has black and chestnut-coloured bands, 
beautifully relieved on a light-coloured ground, and the other has 
the posterior part of each volution nearly white, one dark band close 
behind the circumference, and three close-set dark bands in front. 


Heurx curysocnertus. Hel. testa subglobosd, crassiusculd, levi, 
nitida, imperforata ; spird mediocri, obtusa ; anfractibus quinque, 
ventricosis ; lineis incrementi tenuiter insculptis, epidermide palles- 
cente indutis ; apertura suborbiculari, intis alba ; peritremate in- 
crassato, reflexo, aurantiaco ; columella latiusculd, aurantiaca, pro- 
Sunde ineunte ; labio interno tenui. 

Hab. supra folia arborum ad Banqui provincize [locos septentrio- 

nalis ad insulam Lucon Philippinarum. 

A very beautiful species, and apparently very distinct from any 

that have hitherto been noticed. It is extremely rare. 


The second paper is by G. B. Sowerby, Esq. 
Helix metaformis. De F. var. 


It seems proper to notice the following additional varieties of this 
species, varieties which have been found by Mr. Cuming in the 
Philippine Islands, viz.— 

a. Shell pale yellow brown, irregularly covered with a very pale 
hydrophanous epidermis; circumference of the columella nearly 
black; one pale brown band anterior to the circumference of the 
shell; apex white. Found on leaves of trees near Manilla. 


Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. 2C 


386 Zoological Society. 


b. Shell pale yellow brown; apex white; circumference of the 
columella nearly black; a pale brown band close behind the suture 
of the first volutions. Found on leaves of trees near Manilla. 

c. Shell light brown, paler near the apex, which is reddish brown ; 
circumference of the columella nearly black; two narrow brown 
bands, one of which is placed at the circumference of the shell, and 
the other close to the suture in front. Found on leaves of trees 
near Manilla. 

d. Shell light brown, with a dull hydrophanous epidermis, paler 
toward the apex, which is dark mahogany brown; circumference of 
the columella nearly black; two broad, very dark brown bands, one 
of which is placed at the circumference of the shell, the other close 
to the suture in front. Found on leaves of trees at San a in 
the province of Tondo, isle of Lugon. 

e. Shell brown, with a lighter coloured irregular hydrophanous 
epidermis; paler near the apex, which is dark brown ; ; circumference 
of the columella very dark brown; two brown bands nearly similar 
to those in var.c. This is rather a coarse variety, and appears to 
be a slight example of monstrous growth, its spire being rather un- 
usually elevated, and the volutions consequently more prominent. 
Found on leaves of trees near Dolores, province of Pampamga, isle 
of Lugon. 


Hewix crncrnnirormis. Hel. testa ovato-oblongd, pyramidali, tenui, 
levigatd, striis incrementi tenuissimis solim insculptd, apice spire 
obtuso ; anfractibus quinque tenuitéer rotundatis ; suturd distinctd ; 
apertura obtuse subtrapezoidali, postice acuminata ; peritremate 
tenuiter reflexo, albo ; columella rectiusculd, subincrassatd, alba. 

Long. 1:8; lat. 1-2 poll. 

Hab. Supra folia arborum ad insulam Luban, Philippinarum. 

Mr. Cuming has obtained three varieties of this species, viz. :— 

a. Colourless. 

b. White, a broad nearly black belt surrounding the columella, a 
pale reddish brown band at the circumference of the shell, and a 
darker brown antesutural band articulated with white hydrophanous 
specks of epidermis; apex dark brown. 

c. Shell white, with a broad nearly black belt surrounding the 
columella, a spiral dark brown band in the centre of the last volu- 
tion and continuing to the apex, and an antesutural dark brown 
band, articulated with whitish specks of hydrophanous epidermis. 


ELIx LEUcoPHmA. Fel. testd ovato-oblongd, subpyramidali, cras- 
siusculd, levi, obscurd, brunned ; epidermide hydrophand pallescente 
indutd ; apice obtuso ; anfractibus senis, subrotundatis ; apertura 
rotundato-subtrapeziformi, postice acuminatd, labio externo crasso, 
reflero, albo, margine fusco ; columelld subincrassatd, rectiusculé 
alba, antice subsinuata. 

Long. 2; lat. 1°2 poll. 

Hab. Supra folia arborum ad montes Igorrotes insule Lucon, 

Philippinarum. 
This species has occurred in several localities, and there are seve- 


Zoological Society. 387 


ral varieties, all remarkable for a more or less russet brown hydro- 
phanous epidermis. ‘They are 

a. Shell of a nearly uniform colour, rather jighter near the suture, 
and very irregularly speckled with dark brown shining spots, caused 
by the partial abrasion of the epidermis. From the mountains of 
the Igorrotes, in the northern part of the island of Lucon. 

6. Shell of an uniform brown, with a nearly white sutural band 
interrupted with brown shining spots. From the same locality. 

c. Shell of a light brown colour, with a dark band surrounding 
the last volution. Found on leaves of trees at Sual, in the province 
of Pangusinan, island of Lu¢on. 

d. Shell of an uniform light brown, speckled with dark brown, 
and with a dark brown antecircumferential band. Found on leaves 
of trees at Dolores, in the province of Pampamga, isle of Lucon. 

e. Shell small, of an uniform brown, with a nearly white ante- 
sutural band, and a pale band near the circumference of the last 
volution. From the mountains of the Igorrotes. 

f. Shell brown, longitudinally streaked with nearly white, and 
having a nearly white antecircumferential band. Found on leaves 
of trees at Gattananga, in the province of Cagayan, island of Lucon. 

g. Shell of an uniform dark brown. This appears to be a dwarf 
variety, being much shorter in its proportions than the others. 
Length 1°5; breadth 1:05 of an inch. Found on leaves of trees at 
Sinait, in the province of South Ilocos, in the island of Lucon. 


Feb. 23.—William Yarrell, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 


Mr. G. B. Sowerby’s deseo Daou: of the shells collected by H. 
Cuming, Esq. were continued. 


Hevix conumsBaria. Hel, testa suborbiculari, rotundato depressd, 
leviuscula, fulvescente, brunneo-varie-zonatd, sepius prope suturam 
albido tessellata ; spira brevi, obtusa ; anfractibus quinis plis mi- 
niisve rotundatis ;, peripherid rotundatd; aperturd transversd 
subauriformi ; peritremate incrassato, continuo, reflexo, subsi- 
nuoso, intis antice nonnunquam unidentato; dente obtuso ; umbilico 
parvo, partim obtecto. 

Long. 0°73; lat. 1°4 poll. 

Obs. Testa pone aperturam sepius coarctatd. 

Hab. Sub lapidibus et ligno putrescente apud Calauan, provincie 

Laguna, insule Lucon, Philippinarum. 


The following varieties of this interesting and elegant species have 
occurred to Mr. Cuming :— 

a. Shell somewhat striated, striz forming the lines of growth, 
many of those on the under side white, pale brown with brown bands 
(one at the periphery, one close to the suture, and one beneath). 
Distant, squarish, striated patches of white epidermis ornament the 
broad band in front of the suture: aperture white: found at Ca- 
lauan. 

6. Shell slightly striated, strize as in the last, forming the lines of 
growth; ground colour pale yellowish brown, with a rather darker 
brown band close in front of the suture, a narrow brown band at the 

2C2 


388 Zoological Society. 


periphery, and a broad one beneath, where this variety is also orna- 
mented with brownish white mottlings: peritreme white, with a sin- 
gle white tooth within at the lower part. From Calauan. 

c. Pale brown, darker, and articulated with brownish white patches 
in front of the suture; a narrow brown band at the periphery, where 
it is mottled with brownish white; peritreme flesh-colour, with a 
single white tooth within at the lower part. From Albay. 

d. Light brown, having a brown antesutural band, articulated with 
brownish white, a brown band at the circumference and a broad 
brown band beneath ; and brownish white mottlings spread over both 
these last-mentioned bands; peritreme as in the last. Found at Al- 
bay. 

Hexix concinna. Hel. testa oblongo-pyramidali, tenui, levigatda, 
epidermide fuscd albido-marmoraté induta ; spire apice obtuso ; 
anfractibus senis, planulatis ; suturd distincta ; apertura rotundato- 
subtrapeziformi ; labio externo incrassato, tenuiter reflexo, fusco ; 
columella alba, subincrassatd, anticé subsinuatd. 

Long. 1°3; lat. 0°75. 

Hab. Supra folia arborum ad Sanctam Jaun, provincie Cagayan 

Insule Lucon, Philippinarum. 

The ground colour of this very elegant little shell is of a dark 
chestnut-brown, and this is covered all over, except a small portion 
about the aperture, with an hydrophanous epidermis of various 
shades of brown, beautifully marbled with white and brownish white. 
Near the apex the shell is lighter coloured, but the apex itself is 
darkish brown. 


Hrurx curta. Hel. testa subovatd, pyramidali, tenuiusculd, levi- 
gata, epidermide superneé pallescente, subtis fusca indutd ; spire 
apice obtuso ; anfractibus subsenis, rotundatiusculis ; suturd di- 
stinctd ; apertura sublunari, ad latus columelle sinuatd ; labio 
externo reflexo, latiusculo, albo ; columella obliqud, lata, antice 
oblique truncata, alba. 

Long. 1:2; lat. 0°9 poll. 

Hab. Supra folia arborum apud Bauang, provincie Pangusinan 

insule Lucon, Philippinarum. 

The shell itself is of a pale yellow-brown colour, lighter at the 
third volution, where it begins to put on a pale tint of chestnut- 
brown, which becomes darker as it approaches the apex, which is 
brown. 


Hexrx Mererrix. Hel. testd suborbiculari, rotundato-depressd, 
crassiusculd, levi, fulvescente, brunneo-varie-zonatd, albidoque 
marmorata ; spird brevi, obtusa ; anfractibus quinis, subrotundatis ; 
peripheria rotundatd ; apertura transversa, subauriformi ; peritre- 
mate incrassato, continuo, reflero, subsinuoso ; umbilico mediocri, 
partim obtecto. 

Long. 0°65; lat. 1:4 poll. 

Hab. Supra truncos arborum apud Sual, provincia Pangusinan, 

insule Lucon, Philippinarum. 

Shell with a low, depressed spire, of a yellow-brown colour, with 


Royal Society. 389 


three very dark brown, nearly black bands (one at the periphery, 
one before, and one behind it); aperture posteriorly subsinuated, 
white ; upper part of the shell with irregular radiating, broadish 
white streaks. 


ROYAL SOCIETY. 


June 17, 1841.—‘* On the Organs of Reproduction and on the 
Development of the Myriapoda.” By George Newport, Esq. Com- 
municated by P. M. Roget, M.D., Sec. R.S. 

The author commences his paper by stating that great interest 
attaches to the study of the Myriapoda, from the already known fact 
that their mode of development, by an increase in the number of 
segments, is directly the reverse of that of true insects in which 
the development of the perfect individual is accompanied by an ap- 
parent diminution in the number of these parts. He remarks, that 
although the development of the Myriapoda has already been ex- 
amined by several eminent naturalists, such as Degeer, Savi, Gervais, 
and Waga, some of the most important facts relating to it have; 
nevertheless, escaped their notice, and he proposes, therefore, to lay 
before the Society the result of his own investigations on this sub- 
ject, and also his examinations of the organs of reproduction. 

The paper is divided into four sections. In the first, the author 
describes the organs of reproduction, and shows that the parts de- 
scribed by Treviranus, both in the male and female Julus, are only 
the efferential ducts in the male, and the oviduct in the female; 
that in the former there are developed, from the sides of the efferen- 
tial ducts, a large number of sacs, the structure of which he de- 
scribes, and states his opinion that these are the proper secretory 
organs in the male, but remarks that he has not been able to follow 
out the organs to their fullest extent. In the female, he shows that 
the oviduct described by Treviranus is covered by an immense num- 
ber of ovisacs, each secreting only a single ovum; that many hun- 
dreds of these exist around the duct, a large proportion of which 
never reach maturity, being retarded in their growth by the deve- 
lopment of others immediately around them ; and that the ova, when 
matured, are passed from the ovisacs into the duct, and are then all 
deposited at one time. He adverts especially to the remarkable condi- 
tion of the female oviduct being a single organ, throughout the 
greater part of its extent, but having a double outlet ; and shows its 
analogy in the internal portion of the organs to those of some in- 
sects, and in its double outlet to the Crustacea and Arachnida. He 
also institutes a comparison between the structure of the male and 
female organs in this Myriapod, which, from their simplicity, admira- 
bly illustrate the uniformity of origin of these structures ; more espe- 
cially the analogy between the ovisacs in the female and the ceca in 
the male, and also their conformity in the absence, in the latter, of se- 
parate vesiculz seminales, and, in the former, of spermatheca. 

The second section is occupied by a short account of the structure 
of the ovum, in which the author observes the germinal vesicle and 
macula. He notices especially the presence of the yelk in the ear- 


390 Royal Society. 


liest stages of development, together with the vesicle and the mem- 
branes of the ovum at a later period, as showing in this low form of 
animal the conformity of structure and laws with those which pre- 
vail in the higher forms. 

In the third section, the author speaks of the deposition of the 
ova, and of the habits of the species, as observed in specimens col- 
lected and preserved by him for that purpose. These habits he re- 
gards as particularly curious. ‘The female excavates for herself a 
burrow, by digging with her mandibles in the soil, which she has 
previously moistened with a fluid, supplied, as the author believes, by 
her immense salivary glands. With this she forms a soft pellet, which 
she removes from the burrow with her mandibles and anterior legs ; 
and thence, after being brought to the top of the hole, it is passed 
on to the next pair, and by these on to the next in succession, until 
it is entirely removed out of the way ; after which, she deposits her 
eggs and closes the burrow with moistened clay. Great difficulty was 
experienced in preserving the eggs during the observations, from 
the circumstance that their shell is soft, and dries quickly when ex- 
posed to the air. To avoid this, the author had recourse to the plan 
of inclosing the eggs in a glass tube, filled with clay, and closed 
with a cork; the eggs being placed in a cell next to the glass. 

The fourth section, which constitutes the most important part of 
the paper, gives the history of the evolution of the embryo. The 
process is divided by the author into different periods. After a few 
observations on the earlier changes of the egg, and the proof that they 
consist in an alteration in the size and appearance of the cells out of 
which the embryo is formed, he states his having observed that the 
egg bursts at the end of twenty-five days, by means of a fissure along 
the dorsal surface, as described by Savi and Waga; and that, in oppo- 
sition to the remarks of Degeer, the young Julus, as first stated by 
Savi, is perfectly apodal. The author has also discovered a singular 
fact, entirely overlooked by all who have attended to the development 
of these animals, namely, that the young Julus at this time is still an 
embryo, and is completely inclosed in a shut sac, which terminates 
in a distinct funis at the extremity of the body, and in the proper 
amnion, or foetal envelope of the animal. He finds, also, that the funis 
enters at the posterior penultimate segment of the dorsal surface of 
the body, and not at the dorsal surface of the thoracic region, as 
seen by Rathke in the Crustacea. The embryo, he says, is retained 
in connexion with the shell, between the two halves of it, for seven- 
teen days, by means of the funis, which is continuous with a second, 
or external membrane, the chorion, which lines the interior of the 
shell. He states that the liberation of the embryo from the shell is 
not effected by any effort of its own, but by the expansive force of 
the growth of its body. He describes, also, another important fact 
which had been overlooked by previous observers, relating to the mode 
and place of origin of the new segment of the body in the Julide. 
The new segments are always produced in a germinal membrane im- 
mediately before the penultimate segment, which segment, with the 
anal one, remains permanent throughout the life of the animal. The 


Geological Society. 391 


production of the first set of new segments is commenced even be- 
fore the animal has burst from the amnion. After leaving the am- 
nion, the young Julus possesses six pair of legs, as stated by Savi 
and Waga; but the author remarks, in addition, that, notwithstand- 
ing this, it is still inclosed in another tunic, the proper skin of the 
embryo, beneath which new segments are being formed, and which 
begins to be detached before the embryo has left the amnion. He 
suggests whether this may not be the representative of the proper 
tunic of the germinal vesicle. After minutely describing the em- 
bryo, and showing that its body is still formed of cells, he states 
that four pairs of new legs are forming beneath this tunic, and that, 
on the twenty-sixth day, the young animal throws off this cover- 
ing, and the legs are developed, and also the six new segments, to a 
further extent. The animal then takes food, the segments become 
developed to the same extent as the original ones, until the forty- 
seventh day, when it again changes its skin, new segments are again 
produced, and new legs to those segments last formed. In this way 
it passes through several changes, developing first segments and then 
legs. 

One remarkable circumstance stated is, that the production of 
segments is sertuple in the Julide; but this does not hold in other 
genera, in some of which it is quadruple, and in others double ; but 
these peculiarities appear in all.cases to be characteristic of each 
distinct genus. In conclusion, he confirms the observation already 
made by M. Gervais, that the number of eyes is increased as the 
animal advances in its transformations. The author concludes by 
stating that he proposes continuing these observations on the My- 
riapoda at some future period. 

The paper is accompanied by drawings of the parts described, 
and of the successive changes which take place during the deve- 
lopment of the animal. 


GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 


April 7, 1841.—A paper was read, entitled ‘‘ A Notice on the 
Occurrence of Triassic Fishes in British Strata,” by Sir Philip Grey 
Egerton, Bart., M.P., F.G.S. 

Were the muschelkalk abstracted from the continental series of 
beds called the Trias, and the keuper made to rest on the bunter 
sandstone, Sir Philip Egerton says, it would be difficult, if not im- 
possible, to define the proper limits of these formations. The new 
red sandstone of England, the equivalent of the trias, presents this 
difficulty, every endeavour to find the muschelkalk having failed ; 
and therefore geologists are compelled either to consider the keuper, 
the upper member of the trias, to be also wanting, or to be merged 
in the mass of alternating marls and sandstones comprising the new 
red series, Lithological structure, consequently, being of no value, 
paleontological evidence, the author says, becomes of great import- 
ance. ‘The beautiful results arrived at by Mr. Owen respecting the 
Batrachian remains found near Warwick, tend, Sir Philip Egerton 
states, to render the existence of the keuper extremely probable, 


392 , Microscopical Society. 


though a specific identification with the analogous fossils of the 
German keuper has not been ascertained. ‘The only instances on 
record of muschelkalk fishes found in Great Britain, are scales from 
the Bone Bed at Aust Cliff, and referred by Professor Agassiz to 
Gyrolepis Albertii and G. tenuistriatus, common continental muschel- 
kalk fishes. This bed it is well known occurs at the base of the lias, 
and rests conformably on the green and red marls of the new red 
sandstone. A thin stratum replete with remains of saurians and 
ichthyolites occupies a similar stratigraphical position near Axmouth ; 
and Prof. Agassiz, during his visit to England in the autumn of 1840, 
identified in a series of specimens obtained by Miss Mary Anning, 
one Placoid, two Lepidoid, and one Sauroid fish, with well-known 
muschelkalk species. He also determined the existence of fifteen other 
species from this deposit, none of which have been yet noticed in 
the continental Triassic group. Two, if not three, of the above 
muschelkalk ichthyolites are also found at Aust; and a comparison 
of the Aust and Axmouth species gives five as common to the two 
localities, twelve as confined to the former, and two to the latter. 
The only conclusion, Sir Philip Egerton states, which he feels justi- 
fied in advancing from the facts adduced in this communication is, 
that the beds in question, hitherto considered as belonging to the 
lias, must be removed from that formation, inasmuch as they pre- 
sent a series of fishes not only specifically distinct from those of 
the lias, but possess in the Ganoid genera the heterocerque tail, 
an organism confined to the fishes which existed anterior to the lias. 

Appended to the paper is a systematic catalogue, compiled from 
the ‘ Poissons Fossiles,’ of the Ichthyolites hitherto described, from 
the keuper and muschelkalk of the Continent, together with those 
recently discovered at the Aust Passage and near Axmouth. The 
following extract from that document contains the species common 
to the Continent and England :— 

Continental Localities 


Order. Genus and Species. English Localities, and Formations. 
Placoid. Hybodus plicatilis. Axmouth. Passim. Muschelkalk. 
Ganoid. Gyroepis Albertii. Ibid.—Aust. Passim. Ibid. 

ss — tenuistriatus. Ibid.—Ibid. Passim. Ibid. 
3 Saurichthys apicalis. Ibid. Bayreuth, Ibid, 


MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 


At a meeting of the Microscopical Society, held November 24th, 
N. B. Ward, Esq., in the Chair, a paper was read from the Rev. 
J. B. Reade, entitled, “‘ A Postscript to the Rev. J. B. Reade’s paper 
on the Process of Charring Vegetable Tissue as applied to the Sto- 
mata in the Epidermis of Garden Rhubarb ;”’ in which the author, 
after alluding to the experiments of Dr. Williams, as communicated 
to the Society in August last, which appeared to lead to the conclu- 
sion, that the process of charring was of very doubtful efficacy in de- 
termining delicate structure, suggests that the overlying membrane 
in stomata was really nothing more than an inspissation of gelatinous 
mucus raised by heat into contact with the glass, and by the pressure 


Microscopical Society. 393 


extending as a carbonized pellicle from one edge of the aperture to 
the other. With reference to the point in dispute, there was sent 
with the communication a portion of cuticle, which, after being im- 
mersed in alcohol, distilled water and dilute hydrochloric acid, was, 
when perfectly dry, examined by a high power and the membrane 
distinctly seen; it was more evident after the process of charring, 
which process was so conducted as to obviate all error arising from 
pressure. The tissue was placed on a slip of glass, and submitted to 
the action of heat without being covered by another slip. Thus 
both the supposed sources of error were avoided ; the one by the pre- 
vious removal of organic mucus, and the other by a different mani- 
pulation. 

The paper was accompanied with sketches of the stomata by Mr. 
Lewis Aldous, the power employed being about 2000 linear ; and the 
author concluded by stating, that Dr. Williams, after seeing the 
membrane under this power, immediately approved of the process 
which rendered it so distinctly visible. 


A paper was read descriptive of three species of Sponge, con- 
taining some new forms of organization. By J. S. Bowerbank, Esq. 

The first specimen described is a Halichondria, which the author 
has named Johnstoniana, in honour of Dr. Johnston of Berwick-on- 
Tweed. 

The sponge is sessile, massive, and has a smooth encrusted sur- 
face of a dark iron-gray colour; the interior is of a dull yellow co- 
lour and much resembles the crumb of bread. This sponge is re- 
markable for the great variety in the forms of the siliceous spicula ; 
of which the author describes three distinct kinds, each of which is 
characteristic of a separate part of the animal :—l1st. Those of the 
skeleton, which are mostly simple and slightly curved, having he- 
mispherical terminations ; but occasionally they are triradiate or 
multiradiate, and frequently branched. 2ndly. Those of the inter- 
stitial fleshy matter of the sponge; these are minute stellate bodies, 
having their rays attenuating regularly to their apices, the number 
of the rays varying from three to ten or twelve. 3rdly. The spicula 
of the crust or surface of the sponge ; they are very minute, some- 
what fusiform, terminate abruptly, and have their surfaces regularly 
tuberculated. 

The author also describes a fine vascular tissue which he observed 
on the surfaces of the great excurrent canals. The gemmules are 
oval bodies, having a siliceous crust which is filled with minute spi- 
cula. This species was found attached to the Thatcher rock, near 
Torquay, Devonshire. 

The second sponge described belongs to the new genus Duseideia, 
proposed to be established by Dr. Johnston in his ‘ History of Bri- 
tish Sponges.’ 

This species was sent from Sidney, Australia, by Rupert Kirk, 
Esq., after whom it is named Kirkii. It is sessile, massive, and some- 
what compressed. ‘The skeleton is coarsely fibrous and coralloid in 
appearance, having numerous grains of sand separately imbedded in 
its substance. ‘he grains are not imbedded in the fibre from pres- 


394 Miscellaneous. 


sure through the external surface, but they occupy its very centre ; 
each grain being separately encysted by the cartilaginous matter of 
the skeleton, the whole being surrounded by a thick coating of the 
same substance. The author describes at length the mode in which 
this curious structure appears to have been built up, and illus- 
trates his descriptions by highly magnified drawings of the manner 
in which the grains are built into the fibrous skeleton. Spicula were 
of rare occurrence in this specimen; when observed they were im- 
bedded in the external coating of the cartilaginous fibres; they are 
short and comparatively thick in proportion to their length, decrea- 
sing very slightly from the middle to near the points, and are termi- 
nated acutely but somewhat abruptly. 

The third species is the Spongia fragilis of Montague, or Duseideia 
fragilis of Johnston’s manuscript. It is massive, variable in form, 
of a dull ochreous yellow colour, and has the surface asperated by 
the projection of fibres, which contain numerous grains of sand im- 
bedded in a manner similar to those described in treating of the last 
species. There are also other fibres which are tubular in their struc- 
ture, containing few or no grains of sand, but an abundance of spi- 
cula remarkable for their great variety in form and size. 

No spicula were found in the fleshy matter of the sponge, but a 
considerable number of round or oval bodies were present, which pre- 
sented every appearance of being cytoblasts. 

The author concludes his paper by some observations on the pre- 
sent state of our knowledge of the structure of the Spongide, and 
notices certain changes that will become necessary in their systema- 
tical arrangement when our information regarding their structure is 
more matured. 

The paper was illustrated by drawings of the Sponges, and the 
various descriptions of spicula contained in their structures. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


NIGER EXPEDITION.—MR. FRASER. 


A letter has just been received, by the Zoological Society, from 
Mr. Fraser, the naturalist to the Niger expedition, dated from the 
mouth of the river Nun, West Africa, August 14, 1841. In the first 
part of his letter Mr. Fraser alludes to a collection of specimens 
which he had formed during his passage out, and forwarded to 
England. The collection consists of three mammals, twenty-eight 
reptiles, fifty birds, upwards of thirty fishes, and about forty boxes, 
bags, &c., containing insects and shells. The letter contained some 
interesting facts relating to the habits and localities of several dif- 
ferent species, and the writer expressed a hope that they would not 
be regarded as a specimen of what might be expected, as he had 
purposely abstained as much as possible from using his materials for 
preparing specimens until his arrival at the Niger. 


Little Auk.—In the ‘ Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist.’ for December, 
I perceive a notice by Mr. Townsend of the occurrence of Mergulus 


Miscellaneous. 395 


Aile at Ipswich, and three more examples are mentioned by Mr. Mum- 
mery as having been met with near Margate. It would appear that 
the strong northerly winds which prevailed at the end of October 
caused a considerable number of these birds to take refuge in the in- 
terior of our island. I have heard of no less than nine instances in 
this part of England, six of these birds having been picked up in 
Worcestershire and three in Shropshire. The whole of these were 
obtained on or about the 28th of October, the very day mentioned 
by Mr. Mummery as that on which his specimens were procured. 
At the same time a young Stercorarius Richardsoni and a young Sula 
bassana were obtained near Worcester, and have been added to the 
rich ornithological collection of the Natural History Society in that 
city. 

I have further heard of two or three instances of the occurrence of 
Mergulus Alle near Oxford, during the last week in October. 

H. E. SrricKLanp. 
Worcestershire, Dec. 4th, 1841. 


New Crustacean Animal.—We learn that at Kerguelen’s Land 
Captain Ross had found a Crustacean animal, which of all yet 
known appears to come the nearest to the extinct group of Trilo- 
bites. Captains Ross and Crozier left Sidney early in August, de- 
termined, if possible, to pass the winter in the vicinity of the Ant- 
arctic pole. 


Mus agrestis, Linn.—In a recent communication by M. de Selys- 
Longchamps to the Academy of Sciences at Brussels*, he has stated 
his belief that the Mus agrestis of Linnzus is a distinct species from 
the M. arvalis of Pallas, and from all the other Europzean Arvicole de- 
scribed by him in his ‘ Etudes de Micromammalogie.’ This opinion 
is founded upon the examination of a skin lately sent him from Stock- 
holm; and he thinks it probable that it is identical with the A. neg- 
lecta of Thompson, described in a former Number of this Maga- 
zine t.—L. J. 


DISAPPEARANCE OF THE SYLVIA RUBECOLA IN PARTS OF BELGIUM 
AND GERMANY. 


To the Editors of the Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 


The disappearance, of late years, of that familiar warbler the 
Redbreast, Sylvia rubecola, is a circumstance worthy of being re- 
corded in your ‘Annals.’ Being occupied for some time past in 
making out the ornithology of Belgium, I have been struck, during 
my researches, with the absence of this bird, which used to be com- 
mon when I first visited the continent in 1819, though even then 
not so frequent as it is in England. For several years it has totally 
disappeared from the provinces of Brabant, and East and West Flan- 
ders, and is so scarce in parts of Germany that it is difficult to meet 
with a specimen. Unwilling to rely on my own judgement alone, I 


* See L’Institut, No. 413. p. 404. 
+ No. for June 1841, p. 270. 


396 Miscellaneous. 


questioned several of our Flemish bird-catchers, who told me that for 
near ten years this bird has been getting scarce, and is now no more 
seen as a winter visitant of our gardens, a few only appearing in the 
forest of the Ardennes in summer, but disappearing in autumn. The 
bad habit of eating this and other song-birds which practised by the 
poor, may have contributed to drive away this interesting species from 
our countries. I should like to know whether the same thing has 
been observed in other districts. Yours, &c., 
T. Forster. 


Chair of Entomology.—The following names were presented by 
the Section of Anatomy and Zoology of the Académie des Sciences 
as Candidates for the Chair of Entomology at the Museum of Na- 
tural History, vacant by the death of M. Audouin :— 

1. M. Milne Edwards: 2. M. Straus-Durckheim: 3. M. Guérin 
Menneville. 

At the following sitting, Dec. 13, M. Milne Edwards was elected. 


Menura superba.—Mr. Gould gives the following account of the 
Menura or Lyre-bird of Australia. This bird, like the Brush Turkey 
(Talegalla Lathami, Gould), has been classed by ornithologists in vari- 
ous groups, but perhaps most generally it has been regarded as one 
of the Gallinaceous order. Mr. Gould’s observations, however, all 
tend to prove that it ought to be arranged among the Insessores, 
and is most nearly allied to certain South American genera of 
Ground Thrushes, such as Pteroptochos, Scytalopus, &c. 

The Menura is a terrestrial bird, and but rarely takes to the wing. 
When pursued it generally escapes by running into the thick brush- 
wood: it is so extremely shy, the author observes, that of all the 
birds he ever met with the Lyre-bird is by far the most difficult to 
procure. 

Whilst among the brushes he has been surrounded by these birds, 
pouring forth their loud and liquid calls, for days together without 
being able to get a sight of them, and it was only by the most de- 
termined perseverance and extreme caution that he was enabled to 
effect this desirable object, which was rendered the more difficult by 
their often frequenting the almost inaccessible and precipitous sides 
of gullies and ravines. Its food appears to consist principally of in- 
sects, especially those of the Coleopterous order, and Centipedes, 
Mr. Gould also found the remains of shells of snails in the gizzard, 
which he remarks is strong and muscular. The nest is placed either 
on the ledge of a projecting rock, at the base of a tree, or on the 
top of a stump, but always near the ground. 

The natives state that the eggs are two in number, and of a light 
colour, freckled with red.—Proc. Zool. Soc. May 11, 1841. 


Anthus Richardi.—Mr,. Mummery informs us of his having shot 
another specimen of Richard’s Pipit, in the neighbourhood of Birch- 
ington, in the Isle of Thanet, where he had before taken specimens 
in 1840, and in November last. 


Obituary : Professor Don. 397 


OBITUARY :—PROFESSOR DON. 


It is our melancholy duty to record in the present Number 
the death of our able and estimable colleague Professor Don, 
which took place at the house of the Linnean Society in 
Soho Square, on Wednesday the 8th of December. 

The brief account of this distinguished naturalist and 
amiable man which we subjoin is from an Edinburgh Journal, 
from the pen, we believe, of one of his early friends, and may 
be acceptable to our readers until an ampler tribute to his 
memory can be furnished. 


“He was the second son of the late Mr. George Don, whom some 
of our readers will remember as long the Curator of the Royal 
Botanic Garden, Leith-walk. Mr. David Don came to London in 
1819, bringing with him letters of introduction from his friend Dr. 
Neill to the celebrated Robert Brown. ‘This gentleman soon per- 
ceived and duly appreciated the merits of the young Scotch botanist, 
and through his powerful recommendation he was successively ap- 
pointed Keeper of the Lambertian Herbarium and Librarian to the 
Linnean Society. In 1821 he accompanied Dr. Neill to Paris, and 
thus formed acquaintance with some of the most eminent continental 
naturalists, among whom were Humboldt, Cuvier, and Delessert. 

«Mr. Don’s ‘ Prodromus Flore Nepalensis,’ and various excellent 
papers in the Linnzan Transactions having brought him promi- 
nently into notice in the botanical world, he was chosen Professor of 
Botany in King’s College, London, and commenced his first course 
of lectures there in May 1836.” 

In Mr. Don the Editors of these ‘Annals’ have had a most 
able coadjutor, since he was distinguished no less for his skill 
in systematic and descriptive botany than for his ample ac- 
quaintance with the vast and well-cultivated field of vegetable 
physiology. It was in consequence of his spontaneous and 
disinterested offer of assistance, dictated at once by his zeal 
for science and his friendly disposition, that the Botanical de- 
partment was committed to his superintendence, and he was 
anxious to continue his aid as long as his declining strength 
permitted. This he was enabled to do until a late period 
from the readiness with which the editorial labours have been 
shared by some of our botanical friends. Among these we 
are bound especially to express our thanks to Mr. Bennett, 
Mr. Babington, Mr. Leighton, and the Rev. Mr. Berkeley, for 
their kind and able assistance. 


The following is as complete a list of Mr. Don’s writings as we 
are at present enabled to give :— 
Descriptions of several new or rare native Plants, found in Scotland, 


chiefly by the late Mr. George Don of Forfar. (Mem. Wern. Nat. Hist. 
Soc., vol, iii. 1821.) 


398 Obituary : Professor Don. 


Descriptions of several new Plants from the Kingdom of Nepaul, taken 
from Specimens preserved in the Herbarium of Aylmer Bourke Lambert, 
Esq.— (Mem. Wern. Nat. Hist. Soc., vol. iii. 1821.) 

An Illustration of the Natural Family ef Plants called Melastomacea.— 
Ibid, vol. iv. 1828. : 

A Monograph of the Genus Pyrola.—Ibid, vol. v. part 1. 1824. 

Memoir on the Classification and Division of Gnaphalium and Xeranthe- 
mum of Linneus.—Jbid, vol. v. part 2, 1826. 

Prodromus Flore Nepalensis. 12mo, Lond., 1825. ; 

Description of the genus Malesherbia, of the Flora Peruviana, &c. (irom 
the Edinb. New Philos. Journ., 1827.) 

Descriptions of Columellia, Tovaria, and Francoa.— Ibid. 

Observations on Philadelphie@ and Granatee.—Ibid. 

On the Affinities of the Empetree.—Tbid. 

On the Characters of Darwinia, Brunsfelsia, &c.—Ibid. 

Attempt at a new Classification of the Cichoracee.—Ibid. 

On the Affinities of Vellosia, Glaux, &c.— Ibid, 1830. 

Monograph of the Family of Plants called Cunontacee.—Ibid. 

On the Characters and Affinities of certain genera, chiefly belonging to 
the Flora Peruviana.—ZJbid, 1831-82. 

Remarks on the Rhubarb of commerce, the Purple-coned Fir of Nepaul, 
and the Mustard-tree.—Jbid. 

Descriptions of some new species of Malesherbia, Kageneckia, Quillaja, 
and of a new genus of the order Salicari@.— Ibid, 1832. 

Note on the Cow-tree of the Caraccas.—Jbid. 

On the Characters and Affinities of the genus Codon.-—Ibid, 1833. 

On the connexion which subsists between the calyx and ovarium in cer- 
tain Plants of the order M/elastomaceea.—Ibid. 

Attempt at a new arrangement of the Hricacee@.—Ibid, 1834. 

On the anomalous structure of the leaf of Rosa berberifolia.— Ibid. 

Monograph of the genus Saxifraga.—Linn. Trans., vol. xiii. 

Descriptions of nine new species of the genus Care, natives of the Hi- 
malaya Alps in Upper Nepaul.—/did, vol. xiv. 

Description of Cowania, anew genus of Plants, and of a new species of 
Steversia.—Lbid. 

Description of a new genus belonging to the natural family of Plants called 
Scrophularine.—Ibid, vol. xv. 

On the Origin and Nature of the Ligulate Rays in Zinnia; and on a re- 
markable multiplication observed in the parts of fructification of that genus. 
—Tbid, vol. xvi. 

Descriptions of the new genera and species of Composite belonging to 
the Floras of Peru, Mexico, and Chili.— bid. 

On the Plant which yields the Gum Ammoniacum.—Zbid. 

Observations on the 7ropeéolum pentaphyllum of Lamarck.—Jbid, vol. xvii. 

Additional Observations on the Zropeolum pentaphyllum of Lamarck.— 
Ibid. 

On the modifications of Astivation observable in certain Plants formerly 
referred to the genus Cinchona.—Ibid. 

Remarks on some British Ferns.—Jbid. 

Descriptions of five new species of the genus Pinus, discovered by Dr. 
Coulter in California.—Jbid. 

Descriptions of Indian Gentianee.— Ibid. 

Descriptions of two new genera of Conifere.—Jbid, vol. xviii. 

Description of a new genus of Bignoniacee (Catophractes).—Ibid. 

Descriptions of the Indian species of Jris.—Jbid. 

Account of the Indian species of Juncus and Luzula.—Ibid. 


Meteorological Observations. 399 


A Monograph of the genus Disporum.—Linn. Trans., vol. xxviii. 

A Monograph of the genus Streptopus.—Ibid. 

The new Series of Sweet’s British Flower Garden was conducted by Mr. 
Don solely. [Commenced about 1830. ] 

List of the Plants collected by Mr. Fellows in Asia Minor, with descrip- 
tions of the new species.—1841. 


J. E. BOWMAN, Esa. 


We have also to notice with sincere regret the decease of our 
much-respected friend and correspondent J. E. Bowman, Esq., 
F.L.S. & G.S. In our last Number we had occasion to mention the 
result of investigations in which he had been engaged in Wales du- 
ring the past summer, upon the question of the traces of glacial or 
diluvial agency, relative to which in Scotland he had formrely fa- 
voured us with some communications. We shall have a future op- 
portunity of noticing his contributions to natural science. 


METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR NOVEMBER 1841. 


Chiswick.—November 1. Rain. 2. Hazy: fine: foggy. 3, 4. Foggy: hazy. 
5. Hazy. 6—8. Hazy: very fine. 9. Overcast: windy at night. 10. Overcast 
and fine. 11. Very fine. 12. Showery. 13. Cloudy: clear and fine: rain. 
14. Rain: stormy: clear. 15. Frosty: hazy: sleet. 16. Frosty: clear. 17. 
Sharp frost: clear. 18. Stormy with sleet: cloudy and cold. 19. Densely over- 
cast: rain: clear. 20. Foggy: overcast. 21. Stormy with rain. 22. Rain: 
clear at night. 23. Clear: overcast. 24, 25. Clear and fine. 26. Frosty and 
foggy. 27. Foggy: rain at night. 28. Hazy and damp: heavy rain at night. 
29. Heavy rain. 30. Boisterous: barometer very low. 


Boston.—Nov.1. Cloudy: raine.m. 2. Cloudy. 3,4. Foggy. 5,6. Cloudy. 
7—9. Fine. 10. Cloudy. 11. Fine: rain early a.m. 12. Cloudy: rain early 
Am. 13. Fine, 14. Stormys 15—17. Fine. 18. Cloudy. 19. Snow and 
stormy: rain a.m. and p.m. 20. Foggy: rain p.m. 21. Rain. 22. Fine: 
rainr.M. 23—26. Fine. 27. Cloudy: rain early a.m.: rainv.m. 28, Cloudy. 
29. Cloudy: rain early a.m. 30. Rain and stormy: rain early a.m. 


Sandwick Manse, Orkney.—Nov. 1. Cloudy: clear. 2. Frost a.m.: clear. 
3, 4. Clear. 5. Clear: aurora borealis. 6. Rain. 7, 8. Showers. 9. Rain. 10. 
Clear shower: aurora borealis. 11. Cloudy. 12, Cloudy: rain. 13. Snow 
showers. 14—-17. Snow lying: showers. 18, 19, Snow lying. 20. Snow ly- 
ing: rain. 21. Showers. 22. Rain. 23, 24. Fine. 25. Frost: clear. 26. 
Showers. 27, 28. Frost. 29, 30. Rain. 


Applegarth Manse, Dumfries-shire.—Nov. 1. Slight rain. 2. Hard frost. 3, 
4. Slight frost. 5. Moist after frost. 6. Cloudy a.M.: rain p.m. 7, 8. Dull: 
sbowery p.m. 9, 10. Dark and squally: rain p.m. 11. Showery but mild. 12, 
Showery but boisterous. 13. Showery: snow on hills. 14. Snow shower: frost 
all day. 15. Hard frost. 16. Hard frost: clear and fine. 17. Hard frost: 
cloudy. 18. Milder: slight snow. 19. Thaw: fine and mild. 20, 21. Wet. 
22. Fair but dull. 23, 24. Showery and squally. 25. Frosty and clear. 26. 
Frosty but cloudy. 27. Rain. 28. Drizzling. 29, 30. Very wet and squally. 

Sun shene out 20 days. Rain fell 17 days. Frost 9 days. Snow 2 days. 

Wind North 1 day. North-north-east 1 day. North-east 5 days. East-north- 
east 2 days. East 6 days. South-east 1} day. South 2 days. South-south- 
west 1 day. South-west 34 days. West-south-west 1 day. West 3 days. West- 
north-west 1 day. North-west 1 day. North-north-west 1 day. 


Calm 9 days, Moderate 9 days. Brisk 6 days. Strong breeze 4 days. Boiste- 
rous 2 days. 


Mean temperature of the month ........ SBD BOLIC DOOEEDOOEE 88°67 
Mean temperature of November 1840.........ssseeseseees 41 -20 
Mean temperature of spring-water ......sscsessseeeseeeees 45 *60 


Mean temperature of spring-water, November 1840... 45 -60 


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TE Ae N'NAedaS 


AND 


MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 


No. 53. FEBRUARY 1842. 


~<— 


XLVIIi.—On Epilobium angustifolium, Linn., and species 
which have been confounded with it. By W. A. LeiguTon, 
sq; B.A. FBS. H:, &c. 


Since my last communication on this subject, Mr. Hewett 
C. Watson, and Mr. Kippist have most kindly taken upon 
themselves the trouble of comparing my descriptions of the 
two Epilobiums (see p. 247) with the single specimen of FH. 
angustifolium in the Linnean Herbarium, the result of which 
examination has been the identification of the plant named by 
Mr. H. O. Stephens EH. macrocarpum (see p. 170), and de- 
scribed by me under that name (see p. 247), with the true E. 
angustifolium of Linneus. The herbarium of Sir J. EH. Smith 
also contains three specimens, one of which, from the Pyre- 
nees, labelled “persicifolium, Pour.,”’ proves to be the true #. 
angustifolium, Linn., also. The remaining two specimens (one 
marked “ England,” and the other, “a garden specimen,”) 
are different from the first, though similar to each other ; but 
as they are merely tops of stems and too imperfect and un- 
characteristic, it is scarcely possible to determine anything 
with certainty concerning them; though, from the distinctly 
rounded base of a separate leaf marked as belonging to the 
former of the two specimens, they are both, in all probability, 
referable to the plant described by me, at p. 247, as E. angus- 
tifolium, and which consequently, if it is to be retained as a 
distinct species, must receive a new name. As the relative 
size of the capsule in the two plants forms the most pro- 
minent character, it may be advisable to adopt some term ex- 
pressive of this difference. I propose therefore to name it_ 
Epilobium brachycarpum, which term will be available and 
expressive whether it remain a distinct species or be ulti- 
mately degraded to a variety of the true angustifolium. 

Mr. Watson also communicated the particulars of specimens 
in his own herbarium, from a dozen or more different localities 
in England and Scotland. Many of these specimens appear 
however either too immature or imperfect to decide very con- 

Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. 2D 


402. Mr. W.A. Leighton on Epilobium angustifolium. 


clusively on their appropriation, although, upon the whole, I 
incline to refer them all, with the exception of three or four 
doubtful ones, to the true angustifolium. Below I have in- 
serted their localities, with a view of directing the attention of 
botanists in their respective neighbourhoods to their more 
correct and certain appropriation by subsequent examina- 
tions.. One highly interesting result however is, that as so 
many of these specimens are in ail probability referable to the 
true angustifolium, and as their localities range from the ex- 
treme south of England far into Scotland, the right of this 
species to be regarded as indigenous to Britain appears to be 
clearly established; whilst the occurrence of brachycarpum 
generally in gardens renders it probable that its naturalization 
in the habitats where it occurs has been originally from the 
outcasts or escapes of cultivation. I have looked into all the 
books, British and continental, within my reach in the hope 
of elucidating the synonymy, but with little success. The 
figure of ‘ English Botany’ is evidently our brachycarpum, the 
form of the capsule and the direction of its peduncle being 
very characteristic ; and as the locality from whence the spe- 
cimen figured was gathered bears very suspicious marks of 
being anything but a wild station, it seems highly probable 
that the other habitats of the Cheviot Hills, Teesdale, and 
the north of England there mentioned, are rather referable to 
the true anyustifolium. The descriptions of Smith’s ‘ English 
Flora’? and Hooker’s ‘ British Flora’ are necessarily too un- 
certain for accurate appropriation. The description of E. an- 
gustifolium, Linn., and its variety 8. bracteatum, in Wimm. 
and Grab. ¢ Fl. Siles.,’ vol. i. p. 368, leaves no doubt that these 
writers were acquainted with both our plants, notwithstanding 
they make no mention of the capsules. Their E. angustifo- 
lium is the true angustifolium, Linn., and their variety 8. brac- 
teatum is as certainly our brachycarpum, since they thus de- 
scribe the former: “ Folia brevissimé petiolata, lineari-lan- 
ceolata acuminata basi attenuata, . . . . integerrima superne 
obsolete denticulata. Sepala petala equant. Petala breviter 
unguiculata subrotundo-cuneiformia;” and the latter, “Corollis 
amplis sepala superantibus, foliis minus acuminatis basi ro- 
tundatis.” Mention is also made of the bracteas being larger 
in their variety 8. than in the species, a circumstance which 
likewise occurs in our brachycarpum, but apparently not with 
sufficient constancy to be applicable as a character. To our 
brachycarpum I am also disposed to quote the EH. angustifolium 
of Bertoloni, ‘ Fl. Italica,’ vol. iv. p. 291, from the apparent 
correspondence of the description of the capsule and the di- 
rection of its peduncle: “ Pedunculi post anthesim ascendenti- 


Mr. W. A. Leighton om Epilobium angustifolium. 403 


patuli. Capsula crassiuscula.” From the Shropshire spe- 
cimens noted in my ‘Flora’ of that county as having been seen 
by me proving to be brachycarpum, and from my knowledge 
of the situation of the other localities quoted in that work 
rendering it probable that the plants growing therein are not 
truly wild, but rather outcasts or escapes, I cannot refrain 
from adding the E. angustifolium of Fl. Shropsh. as a syno- 
nym of brachycarpum. 

For the present, however, the characters, &c. may stand as 
follows :— 

E. angustifolium, Linn. 


Leaves linear-lanceolate, acuminate, somewhat attenuate at the 
base, acute, entire, obsoletely calloso-denticulate ; peduncles 
shorter than the germen ; sepals as long as, or slightly longer 
than, the petals; pistil as long as, or slightly longer than, the 
stamens, segments at first erect, finally revolute ; capsule very 
long (23 inches), linear, straight, erect, nearly parallel with the 
stem, tetragonous, angles rounded and nearly obsolete. ‘“ Sp. 
Plant. 493.” Linn. Herb. a. Wimm. et Grab. FI. Siles., vol. i. 
p. 368.— E. persicifolium, Pour.,” Smith. Herb.—E. macro- 
carpum, H. O. Stephens in Ann. Nat. Hist., vol. viii. p. 170. 
Leighton, ib. p. 247. 

Wyre Forest, Shropshire! Mr. G. Jorden. Cauldron Snout! 
Prof. Henslow. Leigh Wood, Somersetshire. Mr. G. K. Thwaites. 
Sussex Forests. Wm. Borrer, Esq. Forfarshire. Dalnacardoch, 
Perthshire. Loch Lubnaig, Perthshire. Aberdeenshire. By a rivulet 
at foot of Cheviot. Singleton, Chichester? Esher, Surrey. Shirley 
near Southampton. Coola’s Castle, Shanklin, Isle of Wight. Wat- 
son Herbarium. In meadows near Sheffield, and in several other 
places in the north. Ray. On the Cheviot Hills. Mr. Winch. 'Tees- 
dale. Rev. Mr. Harriman. South of Scotland, frequent. Hooker. 


E. brachycarpum, Leighton. 


Leaves linear, acuminate, more or less rounded at the base, mu- 
cronate, shallowly but distinctly calloso-denticulate ; peduncles 
about equal to the germen; sepals shorter than the petals ; 
pistil Zrd longer than the stamens, segments circinato-revolute ; 
capsule short (about 1 inch), linear-oblong, subattenuate at both 
ends, slightly curved, subpatulous, distinctly tetragonous.— 
EE. angustifolium (non Linn.). E. Bot. t. 1947. No. 2 and 3 
Smith. Herb. Bertoloni, Fl. Ital., vol. iv. p. 29]. Stephens in 
Ann. Nat. Hist., vol. viii. p. 170 (excl. syn.). Leighton, ib. p. 
247. Leighton, Fl. Shropsh. p. 166.—/3. bracteatum, Wimm. 
et Grab. Fl. Siles., vol. i. p. 369. 

Near Bewdley! Mr. G. Jorden. Trapp’s Coppice, Buildwas, 
Shropshire! Miss Moseley. Near Preston Boats, Shrewsbury! Rev. 
W. R. Crotch. Red Barn near Shrewsbury! FV. Shropsh. Between 
Capel Cerrig and Cernioge, North Wales ! Miss Moseley. Near Esher, 
Surrey, possibly originating froma garden? Moffat Water? Falcon 

2D 2 


404 Mr. J. Alder on Lottia virginea. 


Clints, Durham? Banks of the Swale, Richmond, Yorkshire. Wat- 
son Herbarium. On arising ground beyond Robin Hood Inn in the 
road to Kingston-upon-Thames. Eng. Bot. 


In conclusion, I would mention a suggestion of Mr. H. C. 
Watson’s, which to my mind is of very primary importance, 
and the resolution of which by cultivators of our British 
plants will go far to settle the question of the real claims of 
E. brachycarpum to the rank of a species. I will quote Mr. 
Watson’s own words: “ It may be worth ascertaining whether 
luxuriance at root does not enlarge the leaves and shorten 
the capsule. Fruit is often imperfect when roots are strong 
and well nourished, especially in creepers.” In the roots of 
the plants forwarded to me by Mr. Jorden, I did not observe 
any perceptible difference of luxuriance; but Mr. Jorden’s 
observation, that EH. brachycarpum never produced fertile 
seeds, so confirmatory of Mr. Watson’s remark, must be care- 
fully borne in mind, as it goes far to render such luxuriance 
under cultivation very probable. 

W. A. LerGuTon. 

Dec. 24, 1841. 


XLIX.—Remarks on Lottia virginea. By Josu. ALDER, Esq. 


Somer misunderstanding has lately arisen concerning the 
characters and synonyms of the little mollusk whose shell 
has been long known to British conchologists as the Patella 
parva of Da Costa. This species was referred by Maton and 
Rackett, and by Montagu, to the Patella virginea of Muller ; 
an opinion which was generally adopted by succeeding authors, 
until Dr. Johnston, in a short article published in the second 
volume of the ‘ Magazine of Zoology and Botany,’ gave some 
reasons for supposing it to be incorrect. Audouin and Milne 
Edwards having stated that the animal of the “ Patelles roses” 
found in the English Channel differed entirely in the structure 
of the branchie from the true Patelle, Dr. Johnston was in- 
duced to examine the Patella virginea of our shores, and “ [ 
soon satisfied myself,” he says, “ that those found on the coast 
ot Berwickshire at least were formed like the true Patella, the 
cloak of the animal being ciliated all round with a fringe of 
short equal filaments. The accuracy of this observation I 
have recently had occasion to confirm in company with my 
friend Mr. J. Alder. It follows, therefore,” he adds, “ that 
the shell usually called Patella virginea by British concholo- 
gists is not that so named by Muller, but is probably his Pa- 
tella tessellata, in which the margin of the cloak is ciliated.” 
The opinion that our species is the Patella tessellata of Mul- 


Mr. J. Alder on Lottia virginea. 405 


ler has been since adopted by Mr. Forbes, who published it 
as such in his § Malacologia Monensis ;’ and in the same work 
he describes another species which he considers new, referring 
it to a different genus under the name of Lottia pulchella. 
Having been brought forward as a witness to a fact, the 
conclusion drawn from which | now believe to be erroneous, I 
think it incumbent upon me to state the result of some further 
and more accurate observations recently made upon the same 
species, which is not uncommon on the coast of Northumber- 
land, where I have had frequent opportunities of collecting it 
alive of all sizes during the last and preceding summers. 
When examined attentively with a magnifier of moderate 
power, a falciform process may be seen issuing from a cavity 
on the back of the neck, proceeding behind the head and ter- 
minating in a curve on the right side of it. This process is 
capable of great extension and contraction, and a free action 
from side to side of the cavity, at the will of the animal. When 
withdrawn it is not visible from below, a circumstance which 
may account for its having been overlooked. It contains two 
large vessels running on opposite sides through its whole 
length; these are again crossed at right angles by smaller 
ones forming projecting rings. Thus when seen at a side, the 
edges appear smooth as in fig. 1; but when viewed either on 


Fig. 2. Fig. 3. 

the back or front, it assumes a strongly pectinated or plumed 
appearance (fig. 2 and 3). The whole surface is seen to be 
ciliated under a high magnifier. There cannot be a doubt 
that this process is the true branchiz of the animal ; in addi- 
tion to which, however, there is, as remarked by Dr. Johnston, 
a dense fringe of filaments completely surrounding the cloak, 
and bearing a strong resemblance both in position and ap- 
pearance to the branchial fringe of Patella. Its situation how- 
ever is nearer the margin of the cloak, and instead of being 
composed of flat leaflets as in that genus, it consists of nearly 
linear filaments of unequal length with thickened ends. It is 
banded with pink at intervals corresponding with the mark- 
ings of the shell. The function of this fringe I have not been 
able satisfactorily to ascertain. It is possible that the fila- 
ments may be accessory branchie, thus forming an interme- 
diate link between Lo¢tia and Patella, so nearly allied in all 


406 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


other points of structure. Not having succeeded, however, 
in detecting vibratory cilia upon their surface, I rather incline 
to consider them as corresponding to the tentacular filaments 
which are found at the extreme edge of the cloak in all our 
British Patelle as well as in Lottia testudinalis, though en- 
tirely wanting in this species, to which the term “ margine in- 
tegerrima*” may therefore very appropriately be applied. 

In tracing this species through all its stages, I find that in 
its very young state the red markings of the shell are not in 
regular lines, but have a tessellated or chained appearance ex- 
actly similar to those of Mr. Forbes’s Lottia pulchella; in 
fact, I cannot perceive any difference between my shells and 
ebesunens of Lottia pulchella kindly presented to me by Mr. 
“orbes. 

That the specimens collected on this coast are really the 
young of the larger species I can have no doubt, having ob- 
served it in all stages of growth, and traced the transition of 
the chained markings of the centre until they become linear 
at the edges of the half-grown shells. In more advanced 
stages of growth, however, the apex becomes thickened and 
the early markings obliterated. 

from what has been stated, then, I think J am warranted 
in coming to the conclusion, that this species is a Lottia of 
Gray (Patelloidea, Quoy); that L. pulchella of Forbes is the 
young state of the same; and, after an examination of the 
figures and description in the ‘ Zoologia Danica,’ I must also 
add, that I consider it to be the true Patella virginea of 
Muller +. 

Neweastle, Dec. 9, 1841. 


L.— The Birds of Ireland. By Wu. Trompson, Esq., Vice- 
Pres. Nat. Hist. Society of Belfast. 


[Continued from p. 360.] 
No. 9.—Fringillide ; Sturnide ; Corvide. 


Toe Buuurincnu, Pyrrhula vulgaris, Temm., is one of those 
birds which is distributed over the island, but is at the same 
time, in one sense, a local species. Mr. Selby observes that it 
is ** common in all the wooded districts of these islands,’—but 


* See Muller’s description of Patella virginea. 

+ Patella tessellata, Mull., appears to me to be a variety of Lottia testudi- 
nalis, which sometimes approaches very near in appearance to L. virginea. 
The tessellated markings, the distinct longitudinal striz, and the brown im- 
pression inside the shell, are all characters of the former species, and consti- 
tute the principal difference between them. The cloak of L. testudinalis is 
also (as I have stated above) fringed with filaments at the external margin, 
while that of J. virginea is entire. 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 407 


this will not apply toIreland. In many of the artificially wood- 
ed districts, it is either not to be found at all, or is only known 
as an occasional visitant ; but where any extent of indigenous 
or natural wood remains, and there is sufficient growth of the 
more shrubby trees, the bullfinch may be looked for almost 
with certainty. In some picturesque and extensive glens in 
the county of Antrim and near Belfast, this bird was common 
so long as the hazel and holly of natural growth maintained 
their ground, but as these were swept away, the bullfinch 
deserted such localities as abodes, and “ few and far between” 
are now even its temporary visits. In the neighbouring county 
of Down, this bird finds a home in sequestered situations 
where the hazel predominates, and in this shrubby tree com- 
monly nestles. In “nature’s wild domain,” the bullfinch looks 
eminently beautiful, and can be admired without the alloy as- 
sociated with its appearance in the garden or the orchard, 
where it proves so destructive. Its call-note and song have 
generally met with little admiration from the historians of 
the species, but being sweetly plaintive, are to me extremely 
pleasing. 

Small seeds were the only food in the stomachs of a few 
bullfinches which came under my observation in winter. 

Mr. Selby (in his * Illustrations of British Ornithology ’ and 
the ‘ Naturalist?) and Mr. Knapp, give very interesting ac- 
counts of the bullfinch from personal observation, and parti- 
cularly with reference to the plants which it attacks. 

Pine Buuurinen, Pyrrhula Enucleator, Temm.—See An- 
nals, vol. vil. p. 478. 

CrossBiuy, Lovia curvirosira, Linn.—This bird has long 
been known as an occasional visitant to Ireland. In Harris’s 
‘ History of the County of Down’ (1774), it is remarked of 
crossbills, that “ many of them were seen at Waringstown in 
1707.” Smith, in his ¢ History of Cork’ (1749), observes, that 
“these birds have been seen in this county, but are rare.” 
Rutty, in his ‘ Natural History of Dublin’ (1772), says of the 
crossbill—“ it has been seen at Ireland’s Kye, and we have had 
several flights of them to the counties of Wicklow and Dublin, 
particularly in 1714.” Mr. R. Ball informs me, that during his 
residence at Youghal, this species was known to him as occur- 
ring but once in the south, upwards of thirty years ago, when 
it committed great devastation in the orchards: its appear- 
ance in the south of the county of Cork, about twenty-nine or 
thirty years ago, has been reported to me by others, who state 
that it was looked upon as an extraordinary rarity—probably 
the same flight of birds is alluded to by all. Mr. Ensor, in an 
article contributed to the 6th vol. of the ‘ Magazine of Natural 


408 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


History’ (p. 81), and dated Ardress, county Armagh, re- 
marks—* there was a flight of these birds in my plantations 
for weeks in 1813 or 1814*%.” In 1821, when crossbills were 
so abundant in Scotland, they visited Ireland also, and some 
were killed about Belfast—here a venerable friend has from 
his early years known them as occasional winter visitants, and 
has captured them when feeding, by means of fishing-rods 
smeared with bird-lime. 

Since my own attention has been given to the subject, the cross- 
bill is recorded either in my notes or otherwise as occurring at the 
following times and places :—‘‘ in the county of Wicklow, about De- 
cember 1828” (Dr. J. D. Marshall) ; and on the 26th of this month, 
when an example was obtained near Belfast ; it was on the top of a 
larch-fir, apparently feeding on the cones when fired at, and being only 
wounded, clung so tenaciously to the branch that it was with diffi- 
culty got down; in the winter of this same year the species was shot 
in the county of Tyrone or Armagh—near Belfast in the winter of 
1829-30; in the month of January in this latter year, specimens 
were procured in the county of Wicklow;—Dr. Burkitt, of Waterford, 
writes to me that “ crossbills visited us in 1831, and were said to be 
very destructive to orchards near the city ;’—near Belfast in July 
1833, when several in red plumage were obtained ;—December 22, 
1835, one was shot at Crumlin, county of Antrim, and about the 
same day another was killed when feeding in company with a few 
others in larch-firs near Lurgan, county of Armagh ;— about the Ist 
of February 1836, two, shot near Tanderagee in the last-named 
county, came under my inspection; the point of the lower mandible 
extended beyond the profile of the upper in one of them; their sto- 
machs were filled with larch-seed : a specimen was shot near Belfast 
in the same month. When visiting Tollymore Park, county of Down, 
this year (1836), in the month of August, I was informed by the in- 
telligent gamekeeper that a pair of crossbills had bred there in the 
summer just then passed ; he saw them with their three young ones : 
although he had before observed this species here in the winter, he 
had not done so in summer until that time ;—July 1837, I saw two 
examples in Dublin which were shot in the neighbourhood of the 
Dargle, county of Wicklow, at the end of June, when many more 
were in company with them: they attracted attention by their noise, 
which was described to resemble that produced by the breaking of 
sticks, and the observer on looking up saw the birds hanging to the 
upper branches of fir-trees engaged in opening the cones for the seed. 
—AIn the winter of 1837-38, the following note of specimens which 
were sent to Dublin to be preserved was obligingly made for me by 
T. W. Warren, Esq., and H. H. Dombrain, Esq.: ‘‘ Oct. 20. Num- 
bers seen and some killed in the neighbourhood of Booterstown, 


* Loxia coccothraustes is the scientific name applied to the bird referred 
to, but from the observation that it is significantly called ‘“ cross-beak,” it 
seems to me warrantable to conclude that Lowxia curvirostra is meant. 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 409 


county Dublin.—Feb. 3, 1838. Three shot in the county of Carlow. 
—Feb. 5. Seven from county of Kildare, and 26th of same month a 
similar number were sent from the county of Carlow to Dublin ;— 
about the metropolis itself, specimens were occasionally shot from 
October to March.” At the end of December 1837, I received from 
Portglenone, county of Antrim, two specimens, which with a couple 
more were shot out of a flock of about twelve that made known 
their presence by the noise produced in opening the cones of the 
“Scotch-fir”’ (Pinus sylvestris), in a grove of which trees they were 
feeding. On the 9th of January, and again on the 20th of February, 
two of these birds were killed in a fir-grove near Hillsborough Park, 
county of Down; on the former occasion four were seen, on the 
latter, the two only.—At Finnebrogue, near Downpatrick, one was 
obtained last winter; and the Rev. T. Knox, writing from Tooma- 
vara, in the county of Tipperary, remarked, that he had heard of 
flocks being seen in the west of Ireland at the same period. When 
at Tollymore Park in June 1838, the gamekeeper before alluded to 
informed me that in the preceding winter crossbills were abundant 
there, as many as fifty being sometimes seen in a flock. He pointed 
out a larch-tir upon which he and a gentleman visiting the park saw 
fourteen or fifteen engaged in extracting the seed, some of the birds 
being at the time but a few yards above the spectators’ heads, and 
sending the cones to the ground in numbers ;—like others who have 
witnessed it, he remarks that they are generally very tame when 
feeding. He has seen them picking at the cones of the various spe- 
cies of firs and pines in the park, and particularizes the spruce-fir as 
one on which they were so employed :—since 18386 the crossbill has 
not been known to breed there*. 

In the spring of 1838, as communicated to me by the Rey. B. J. 
Clarke, seven of these birds were shot on the Spire Hill, near Port- 
arlington, Queen’s-county ;—about Mountmellick, in that county, 
they were abundant some years ago, and proved very destructive to 
the apples. Dr. Farran, of Feltrim, near Dublin, has assured me 
that crossbills bred at Delgany and the Vale of Ovoca, in the county 
of Wicklow, in 1838; and in the same year they are said to have 
bred in the county of Meath, but unfortunately no particulars are 
available. A crossbill shot near the town of Antrim on the 20th of 
January 1839 came under my observation. In one instance only have 
any fragments of stone occurred to me in the stomach of this spe- 
cies. A bird-preserver in Wexford, in a letter dated November 1841, 


* My informant states, that about twenty years ago (now 1838) crossbills 
came “in thousands” to the plantations at Dumfries House, in Ayrshire, 
the seat of the Marquis of Bute, “and did not leave a cone upon the firs.” 
The year 1821 is probably alluded to, as these birds are reported to have 
been then particularly numerous in other parts of Scotland and some parts 
of England. Mr. Macgillivray (‘ British Birds,’ vol. i. p. 425) gives a most 
lively and graphic account of a flock of some hundreds he met with in the 
east of Scotland feeding upon the fruit or seed of the mountain-ash (Pyrus 
aucuparia). 


410 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


kindly communicated that “in the last shooting-season”’ several 
crossbills were killed in that neighbourhood. 

Mr. Robert Davis, jun., of Clonmel, a very zealous and observant 
naturalist, replied in February 1837 to a query respecting the occur- 
rence of crossbills in that part of the country, that he had not heard 
of them since their appearance in great numbers about the year 1802. 
I was afterwards informed by this gentleman, that ‘‘ about the 18th 
of January 1838, a flock of these birds appeared at Ballibrado, near 
Cahir, and five of them were killed ; they were very tame, and were 
observed to feed like a parrot, holding the fir-cones in one claw.”” He 
remarks again, that ‘‘ on the 16th of August the same year, four 
crossbills were sent me from Ballibrado, where they still continue in 
considerable numbers. I cannot hear of their occurrence anywhere 
else, except in the neighbouring demesne of Kileommon’---‘ two 
more [he continues, writing on the 12th of September] were sent 
me since, but like the others were much damaged, as, in consequence 
of their tameness, the person who shot them fired from too short a 
distance. They appeared to be as follows—adult males; males 
passing from the red state into the adult ; young males just getting 
a few red feathers; and I suppose females, in the brownish-gray 
state : from what I hear they would seem to be moulting fast.”” On 
the 11th of January 1859, Mr. Davis again observes—‘* Crossbills 
are still to be seen at Ballibrado, where they have been all winter, 
and when last noticed, about a week since, appeared to have paired. 
I am rather of opinion that they bred here last year, but it does not 
amount to more than a surmise grounded upon their appearance so 
early, accompanied by such a number of young, and principally from 
the destruction of the cones of the spruce-fir having been noticed 
throughout the year.” On May 18, 1839, my correspondent, in 
transmitting the skins of two specimens for my examination, con- 
tinues-— “‘ from ten to twenty crossbills have remained all the winter, 
and up to the present time at Ballibrado, but, though some search 
was made, no nest was discovered. About five or six weeks since, 
two or more clutches of young birds were seen accompanying the 
old ones who were observed feeding them. ‘The young bird I send 
was shot in the act of taking food from an old cock ; it was sent me 
five weeks ago [early in April]; the other bird sent varies a little in 
colour from most specimens, and was shot about three weeks before 
that time. The young one had every appearance of a nestling, feet 
soft and weak, bill not strong, and a great number of the large fea- 
thers not fully produced*.”’ On July 18th the same year, Mr. Davis 
observed that the ‘‘crossbills had not been noticed in their usual 
haunts, nor, indeed, anywhere for two months back.” 


* This bird is of adult size: the head, back, and rump, or whole upper 
plumage, is yellowish green, with a dark olive centre to each feather, this 
dark marking occupying more of the feathers anteriorly than towards the 
tail ; the entire under plumage is yellowish-white, with an olive-brown streak 
down the centre of each feather; tail and larger wing-feathers dark brown, 


rr 


with the outer margin yellowish-green.—W. ‘I 


Mr. W. Thompson 9n the Birds of Ireland. 411 


Notes on the plumage, and sometimes full descriptions from the 
recent specimens which came under my examination, were drawn up ; 
but it is sufficient to observe here, that they were in every state from 
that put on at the first moult to maturity; by far the greater 
number were in the bright red plumage : one only (that already no- 
ticed) displayed the markings of the young previous to the first 
moult. 

I have not had the gratification of seeing crossbills in a wild state 
in Ireland ; but early in September 1837, my attention was directed 
to them by Mr. Selby and Sir Wm. Jardine as they were on wing 
from one plantation to another in the demesne at Twizell and at 
Chillingham Park, Northumberland. 

Authors generally report the crossbill as arriving in Great 
Britain in June, but it has mostly been a late autumnal or a 
winter visitant to Ireland, leaving the country again early in 
the spring—like other birds of passage. Mr. Yarrell’s remark 
with reference to England, that crossbills “ were more abun- 
dant during the greater part of 1836, 1837, and 1838 than was 
known for some years before”—might it not be said, than was 
ever known before in three successive years ?—applies to Ire- 
land also, as shown in the preceding notes. In endeavouring 
to account for the cause of the more frequent visits of cross- 
bills to the British Islands of late years, we should perhaps 
know in the first place if any change has occurred in their 
metropolis or chief quarter whence they come; but, ignorant 
of this, we can only look at home and see if there be any at- 
traction for them now that the country was deficient in before. 
Sir Wm. Jardine observes: ‘‘ in the south of Scotland at least, 
where an immense extent of young pine timber has been 
planted within thirty years, the crossbill has undoubtedly 
become more common, and we know now remains through 
the year*.” In Ireland likewise, plantations including the 
Conifere, but above all, the larch, have greatly increased within 
the same period, and may be the means of prolonging the stay 
of crossbills, or inducing them to remain occasionally through- 
out the year. And as somewhat corroboratory of this, it may 
be noticed, that plentiful as these birds were of late years, we 
have heard but little of damage done to orchards by them as 
in earlier times, the seed of the Conifere having general] 
afforded abundance of food. Still, I cannot but think that 
the primary cause of their more frequent migrations hither 
must be looked for in their aboriginal abode. A friend of ex- 
cellent judgement to whom this idea was mentioned, is rather 
inclined to consider crossbills as a wandering tribe having no 
proper home, but who pitch their tent and take up their 


* Naturalist’s Library, British Birds, vol. ii. p. 340. 


4i2 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of [reland. 


abode at a place just so long as it suits them, without con- 


templating a return to any particular region. 


Bewick and Yarrell, in their respective histories of British 
birds, treat us with delightful.and copious accounts of the ap- 
pearance of crossbills in England in the olden time, when, like 
a more potent enemy—* they were attacked with slings and 
crossbows,” valiantly “never thinking of flying off till some 
of them, stricken by stones or apples, or leaden bullets, fell 
dead from the trees.” The grand point of view in which birds 
were considered at that period (1593) is not omitted to be 
mentioned, as in one account it is stated that “ their flesh was 
sufficiently savoury and delicate,” and in the other, that “ they 
were very good meate*.” 

WHITE-WINGED CrossBILL, Lovxia leucoptera, Gmel.— 
The only record of the occurrence of this bird in Ireland is 
the following, communicated by Mr. Templeton to his friend 
Mr. Dawson Turner, and published in the ¢ Linnzan Trans- 
actions “—“ Shot at Greenville, near Belfast, January 11, 
1802.” This is the first notice of the species as a visitant to 
the British Islands. Mr. 'Templeton’s drawing represents the 
female bird as described by C. L. Bonaparte.+ 


* Loxia pytiopsittacus is included in Templeton’s ‘ Catalogue of Irish 
Birds,’ from the supposed occurrence of the species in one instance. A co- 
loured drawing of the specimen, of natural size, was fortunately made by 
that accomplished naturalist. It represents the Z. curvirostra with the point 
of the lower mandible not reaching beyond the profile of the upper. At the 
foot of the drawing, L. pytiopsittacus is followed by a note of doubt, which 
does not appear in the printed catalogue. 

+ It is remarked by Rennie of some species of our small birds, that its 
nests about a cotton mill in Ayrshire were found to be lined with cotton. 
At Whitchouse, near Belfast, (as I have been informed by James Grimshaw, 
jun., Esq.,) the chaffinches and common sparrows which built around two 
cotton-mills always made use of cotton in the construction of their nests. 
The mills were a quarter of a mile distant from each other, and all the nests 
of these birds erected in the intervening plantations, as well as in the vici- 
nity of the mills, exhibited the foreign product, not only as lining, but more 
or less of it on the outside. On remarking to my informant that its con- 
spicuous colour would betray the presence of the nest, and not accord with 
the theory that birds assimilate the outward appearance to surrounding ob- 
jects, he stated, that on the contrary, the use of the cotton in that locality 
might rather be considered as rendering the nest more difficult of detection, 
the road-side hedges and neighbouring trees being always dotted with tufts 
of it, owing to the constant passing of the workers from the one mill to the 
other. 

The same gentleman mentions, that when lately (Nov. 1841) in Man- 
chester, a lady of his acquaintance there told him of her having last summer 
lost a piece of very valuable old lace which was left out to dry, and that on 
the spouts being cleared of sparrows’ nests, the lace was discovered uninjured 
as partly lining one of them. 

A note upon a canary-finch may here be given.—Sept. 9, 1833. A bird 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 413 


SrTaRuine, Sturnus vulgaris, Linn.—Montagu remarks of 
this species, that “ many stay with us the whole year; but 
the vast flocks that are seen in severe winters probably mi- 
grate to this country [England] in search of food, and return 
northward in the spring. We have observed continued flights 
of these birds going westward into Devonshire and Cornwall 
in hard weather, and their return eastward as soon as the frost 
breaks up.” Mr. Knapp observes that—* Towards autumn 
the broods unite and form large flocks ; but those prodigious 
flights with which in some particular years we are visited, 
especially in parts of those districts formerly called the < fen- 
counties, are probably an accumulation from other coun- 
tries.” The Bishop of Norwich, in his ‘ Familiar History of 
Birds,’ gives as his opinion, “ that they are partially migra- 
tory, quitting one part of the kingdom for another ;” and Sir 
Wm. Jardine states, that “in many parts of Scotland where 
they do not breed, they are migratory, appearing in autumn 
and spring.” 

In that portion of the north of Ireland with which I am best 
acquainted, there is nothing irregular in the migration of star- 
lings; they await not any severity of weather; and although 
they may occasionally change their quarters when within the 
island, yet do they of all our birds present the clearest evi- 
dence of migration, as annually they are observed for several 
weeks to pour into Ireland from the north, and wing their way 
southward*. To myself they have frequently so appeared, 
but I prefer giving the more full and satisfactory testimony of 
trustworthy and intelligent “ shore-shooters,” three of whom 
being consulted, agree upon the subject. They state that 
the general autumnal migration of stares or starst} (as they 
are sometimes called) commences towards the middle or end 
of September, according to the season, and continues daily 
for about six or eight weeks {. When the weather is moderate, 


of this species which escaped from its cage at Cromac, the residence of Mr. 
Garrett, near Belfast, yesterday morning flew away and was not seen again 
until this morning, when it appeared at an early hour, and made known its 
presence by tapping at one of the windows with its bill before any of the in- 
mates were up. On a cage being presented, the bird eagerly flew into it. 

* It is now many years since Mr. Templeton, in his valuable ‘ Naturalists’ 
Report’ (published in the Belfast Magazine), called attention to the regular 
migration of starlings into Ireland. 

+ Similar abbreviations are in common use among the dealers in birds 
(whether living or dead) in the north of Ireland ; thus, in gray-linnet, chaf- 
finch, green-linnet, &c. an economy of words is practised, and the first sy]- 
lable alone is sufficient to indicate the species. In the same manner I have 
in Perthshire heard the hooded or gray-crow called simply huddy. 

t So early as the middle of July, a flock was once observed flying south- 


414 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


flocks consisting of from half-a-dozen to two hundred indivi- 
duals are seen every morning coming from the north-east, 
passing over a point of land where a river enters Belfast Bay 
about a mile from the town, and continuing in the same course 
until lost to view. They are generally seen only for one and 
a half or two hours—from eight to ten o’clock A.mM.—none ap- 
pearing before the former hour, and rarely any after the latter, 
except when the wind is high, and then the flight is protracted 
until noon; when very stormy they do not come at all. At 
the season of their earliest appearance, there is daylight be- 
tween four and five o’clock in the morning, and their not being 
seen before eight o’clock leads to the belief that they have left 
some distant place at an early hour. On the same morning 
the flocks all take the same line of flight, but the direction va- 
ries when the wind is sufficiently strong to affect their move- 


erly in the autumnal course.. When they commence migration very late in 
the season, as was the case in 1838, they make up for lost time by an in- 
crease of numbers. ‘Thus they were first seen in that year on the 23rd of 
October, when they made their appearance at half-past eight o’clock a.m., 
and continued passing in flocks of from twenty to one and two hundred in- 
dividuals, until two o’clock. The following day, I had the gratification of wit- 
nessing a flock consisting of about two hundred, going through their beautiful 
evolutions, preparatory to roosting on a bank of Arundo phragmitis at the side 
of the river Lagan, near Stranmillis. From a great height in the air, they se- 
veral times swept down almost vertically to the reeds, and, though the flock 
in each instance seemed to lose some of its numbers there, the great body 
sprang up again to a considerable altitude, and renewed its elegant man- 
cuvres. Every time that they descended to the reeds, it was from the high- 
est range of flight the stoop was made: when flying over at half the elevation, 
and they wheeled downwards, they never drooped so low as the reeds. At 
twenty-five minutes past four o’clock they had allalighted. Concealed by a 
high hedge, I had the opportunity of watching them from a short distance, 
and perceived by their flitting from one part of the reeds to another, that 
they were very restless for some time. In thus changing their quarters they 
rarely rose above the tops of the 4rundo, and when at rest were perched so 
low down as to be invisible. After alighting they kept up a very noisy con- 
cert, in which no sound like their whistle was heard, but rather a medley dif- 
ferent from and more guttural than their ordinary chatter. 

i have seen small flocks of starlings on a few other occasions during the time 
of migration roosting here, and have (different from what has just been men- 
tioned) remarked single birds perch so high up on the reeds as to sway them 
horizontally. These plants were always preferred here, for roosting in, to trees, 
though these, of various size, up to the most lofty, are quite contiguous. By 
Mr.Wm.Todhunter, late of Portumna, I have been informed, that after a hur- 
ricane in September 1836? nearly nineteen hundred of these birds were 
washed ashore on the banks of the Shannon. The reeds in which they placed 
their trust were snapped asunder in consequence of their weight. Starlings 
are stated by Mr. Todhunter to be vastly more numerous during winter than 
summer in that quarter. This gentleman remarked that they frequented the 
same woods for roosting-places for two or three winters only : in the course 
of eight years, during which he lived at Portumna, they thus changed three 
times. 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 415 


ments. Those which come within the hours already men- 
tioned very rarely alight; but when a flock arrives during the 
day it occasionally does so, apparently as if it had flown from 
a greater distance than the earlier comers, and required rest 
and food before proceeding further. The number of birds that 
come in this course is not very great. The average of five or 
six flocks seen in a morning may consist of about 250 indivi- 
duals; the greatest number ever seen in one day may have 
amounted to 1500; and those altogether seen throughout the 
migratory period may be estimated at about 15,000. Of my 
three informants, two live in the district over which the star- 
lings fly, and consequently have had daily opportunities of 
seeing them in their season (one indeed has done so for the 
last half-century), and the other was in the habit of going to 
the place every morning in the hope that the flocks would 
pass over within shot, which they often did. In only one in- 
stance did any of these persons see starlings return this way 
in spring, namely, on the 13th of March, when a flock ap- 
peared passing north-eastward, in the direction whence they 
come in autumn* :—on the 23rd of that month, a flock con- 
sisting of sixty was once observed by myself returning in 
this course. 

These birds very rarely stop anywhere in the vicinity of 
Belfast on their southward migration ; but a low lying tract of 
marshy meadows, when flooded by excessive rain, has occa- 
sionally tempted the latest comers to remain a few days, and 
till the end of December 1833, a flock of about 200 frequented 
a district at the base of the mountains three miles from the 
town. ‘The only instance in which one of the shore-shooters 
before mentioned met with these birds about the bay in winter, 
was some years ago during heavy snow after Christmas, when 
they appeared in immense flocks. So numerous were they, 
that some of the little grassy patches rising above the ooze 
near the shore could not contain them, and a portion of the 
flock kept hovering above their more fortunate brethren who 
had found a resting-place. On such petty islets of green- 
sward or on heaps of “ sleech-grass” (Zostera marina) only did 


* The autumnal flights of these birds can be traced as coming from Scot- 
land. Capt. Fayrer, R.N., in a letter dated Portpatrick, Oct. 23, 1831, and 
published in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, remarks, 
that “ very large flocks of starlings have arrived within. the last few days. 
They start before sunrise and steer to the southward.” I have had circum- 
stantial evidence of this fact myself, as some years ago, when shooting at the 
latter end of October about Ballantrae, in Ayrshire, flocks of these birds 
were numerous, where subsequently, from the 12th of August to the middle 
of September, a very few individuals only, which had their nestling-places in 
the neighbourhood, were to be met with. 


416 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


he on this occasion, or ever in autumn, see them alight—the 
sand or bare beach was always avoided. In the middle of 
March, flocks of starlings have occurred to me in unusual lo- 
calities, and were supposed to be moving northward on mi- 
gration ; and during the first week of April 1837, large flocks 
were seen in “unaccustomed places” in Down and Antrim, 
having doubtless been kept from crossing the channel by the 
prevalence of the north-east wind and very cold weather. 

Although the multitudes seen about Belfast are on their 
way southward, the extensive marshy tracts of the most 
northern counties (Antrim, Londonderry and Donegal) dis- 
play throughout the winter their hosts of migratory starlings. 
Mr. Knapp remarks that these birds sometimes associate, but 
not cordially, with fieldfares (Turdus pilaris) : the Rev. G. M. 
Black informs me that at Newtown-Crommelin, in the county 
of Antrim, where they are in immense flocks throughout the 
winter, they are always associated with these birds *, and as 
there are neither reeds nor trees near the place, he is of opi- 
nion that they must spend the night in company upon the 
ground. That the fieldfare in some districts remains during 
the night upon the ground is mentioned in a former paper 
of this series. 

Mr. R. Ball remarks, that “starlings seem to have fixed on 
our celebrated round towers as favourite nestling-places,” and 
certainly they are admirably suited to such a purpose, there is 
so little danger of molestation. Ruins generally, old trees, 
rocks +, and occasionally chimneys, are resorted to for nestling. 
These birds, it may be remarked, are not spread over Ireland as 
they are over England in the breeding-season, but are confined 
to comparatively few and favourite localities. Within the me- 
mory of old persons they built annually in the steeple of St. 
Ann’s church, Belfast, and in other places within and about 
the town, but have long since ceased to do so f. 

* In his ‘ History of Cork,’ Smith quaintly observes—“ They company 
with redwings and fieldfares, yet do not go off with them.” 

+ When at the peninsula of ‘the Horn” (co. Donegal), and at the largest 
of the South Islands of Arran, I was informed that they build in the lofty 
rocks which rise above the ocean—in the latter locality they nestle also in 
ruined buildings. In Dr. J. D. Marshall’s memoir on the Statistics and 
Natural History of the Island of Rathlin, published in the Transactions of 
the Royal Irish Academy in 1836, it is remarked of the starling,—‘“ This is 
one of the most common birds in Rathlin. It is found over the greater part 
of the island, but principally about Church Bay, where the houses are more 
numerous, and where there are a few trees and shrubs. In July they were 
assembled in flocks of from one to two hundred, dispersing themselves over 
the fields and along the sea-shores. They frequented the more rocky parts 
of the pasture-fields. * * * * They build among the rocks.” 

{{ They still frequent the precincts of the Charterhouse in the centre of 
London.—Eb. ] 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 417 


Massareene deer-park*, and Shane’s Castle Park, both well 
wooded and very extensive domains situated on the banks of 
Lough Neagh, and far remote from public hauntt, are now 
their nearest regular nestling-places. Ruined castles, both in 
marine and inland localities in the north of the island, where 
not very many years ago they nestled, have of late, without 
any apparent cause, been deserted ; and the same has been re- 
ported to me with respect to districts in the southf. 

The starling has been well described by authors as one 
of the most sociable of birds. Every month in the year it 
may be observed in flocks, though in May and June but few 
individuals comparatively are seen congregated in these 
islands. At the end of May, I have in Holland remarked con- 
siderable flocks feeding in the pastures, and flying from tree to 
tree on the road-sides. At the end of June and very early in 
July large flocks are not unfrequent ;—around Penrith in the 


north of England, about Birmingham, and in the very differ- 


ent scenery of the South Islands of Arran, at the entrance of 
Galway bay, I have observed them at this season. 

It is most entertaining to witness starlings feeding, so very active 
and lively are all their movements ; not one moment are they still, 
and well may it be so, for truly are they omnivorous§. In the ‘ Fa- 


* May 29, 1836. I remarked nine starlings associating together here, 
and about the same time saw a single bird hastening with its bill filled with 
food to its mate or young. From the 6th of June to the second week of July, 
according to the season, young starlings have been observed by the Bishop of 
Norwich to be able to leave their birth-place in company with their parents. 

+ This observation, correct though it be, may seem strange to persons who, 
like myself, have at this season observed the starling about the parks of 
London, including the much-frequented St. James’s Park. 

{ Mr. Waterton, in his ‘ Essays on Natural History,’ treats in a most in- 
teresting manner of the starling, and satisfactorily accounts for the compa- 
ratively smaller number of these birds breeding in England than formerly : 
—the reasons there assigned partly apply to Ireland also. 

§ The contents of the stomachs of starlings often show that a great deal of 
life of various kinds is sacrificed to their appetite, and in quantity as well as 
variety of food they exceed all birds that have come under my observation. 
From my notes a few examples may be selected. Dec. 17, 1834.—A star- 
ling was found to contain five perfect and full-grown specimens of Bulimus 
lubricus and a Helix radiatula; some minute Coleoptera, especially dung- 
beetles, and numerous insect larve ; a blade of grass, a few grains of oats, 
and fragments of gravel. 

March 12, 1835.—On opening a starling, thirteen specimens of Bulimus 
lubricus and two Helices, together with perfect Coleoptera of different spe- 
cies, and numerous larve, were observed. 

Dec. 29, 1835.—The stomach of a starling was filled with insects of va- 
rious kinds, or indeed families, but chiefly Coleoptera, some grain, and the 
following shells :—twelve perfect adult specimens of Helix radiatula, a Hel. 
cellaria, and a H. hispida, both whole and of ordinary size ; twelve examples 
of Bulimus lubricus nearly all adult and perfect. 

Nov. 25, 1836.—Nine starlings examined contained only the remains of 


Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. 2K 


418 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


miliar History of Birds’ and the ‘ Journal of a Naturalist,’ their he- 
bits are admirably treated of : in the former work the singular flight 
of a large body before retiring to roost is described in the most graphic 
manner. Mr. Knapp correctly observes, that ‘‘ they seem continually 
to be running into clusters,’”’ which, in the winter season, ‘‘ brings on 
them death,” as they become thereby a temptation to the shooter ; 
but an instance to the contrary may here be mentioned. A small 
flock observed by a shooter of my acquaintance alighted in a field 
where his cow was grazing, and clustering on the ground about her 
head, kept pace with her movements, watching it was believed for 
some favourite food which she aroused; hence the birds, though 
fairly within shot, could not be fired at, lest the cow should be 
brought down by the same discharge ! 

The starling is to be met with very generally over the continent. 
Holland may, from the nature of the country, be called its metro- 
polis. Southward, I have in August seen it in the Pontine marshes 
between Rome and Naples; and eastward, observed numbers in the 
middle of the month of May about the ruined walls of Constantinople, 
near the celebrated Seven Towers. On comparing an example killed 
in Ireland with one from India labelled ‘‘ Suharunpoor ; January,” 
they proved identical in species. 

THe Rosr-cotourEeD Pastor, Pastor roseus, Temm., 
has at rare and uncertain intervals during the summer and 
autumn visited all quarters of the island, including the range 
of the most western counties. In the course of three suc- 
cessive years this bird has been met with. It has generally ap- 
peared singly and during the cherry season, and has in several 
instances been taken alive. 


In a letter from Dr. R. Graves of Dublin to a mutual friend in 
Belfast, dated Nov. 1830, it is mentioned, that “ among my late ac- 
quisitions has been the Turdus rosevs, shot in a cherry orchard in 
the county of Clare [in the summer of 1830 ?] by one of my pupils, 
whose father says he shot a bird of the same species thirty years ago 
in the same orchard.” Dr. Graves was at that period forming a col- 
lection of native birds, and subsequently I saw the pastor alluded to, 
together with other rare species which he possessed. In the first 
volume of the ‘Magazine of Natural History,’ p. 493, a letter ap- 
peared from Mr. C. Adams Drew, dated Ennis, June 25, 1828, im 
which the writer states that—‘ It is now above twenty years since, 
on visiting my friend Mr. Lane at Roxton, I found him in his garden 
endeavouring to shoot a strange bird which had for several days pre- 
vious been making sad havoc among his cherries. After two or three 
unsuccessful attempts on the part of Mr. Lane, the bird at last fell 


insect and vegetable food. They were shot together near Lough Neagh. 
Clausilia rugosa and Limneus fossarius, with earth-worms, and seeds of many 
kinds, have been found in others. 

[A starling which I once had was exceedingly fond of caleavella. After 
having sipped a teaspoonful with avidity, he would dance in an ecstasy of 
delight, repeating his own name, ‘ Jacob.’—R. T.] 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 419 


to my barrel. * * * Its cry resembled that of the water-ouzel. It 
was quite a rara avis in this country, no one knowing anything of 
it.” A description of the bird follows, proving it to have been the 
Pastor roseus. ‘The specimen was given to a gentleman mentioned, 
with the intention that it should be preserved for the “‘ Dublin Mu- 
seum.” It is possible that the same example of the bird may be al- 
luded to, in both of the foregoing letters. In the ‘Zoological Journal,’ 
No. 4, p. 489, Mr. Vigors states that a rose-coloured pastor, shot 
near Wexford in 1820, is in his collection. One obtained in the year 
1830 has already been noticed. [ have been informed by Dr. Har- 
vey of Cork, that a bird of this species “‘ was captured at Carrigataha, 
adjoining Ballibrado, in the county of Tipperary, in June 1833, by 
Mr. Fennell, who baited a fish-hook with a cherry, which the bird 
swallowed, and was thus taken.’ A pastor which I saw in the pos- 
session of Mr. W. S. Wall, bird-preserver, Dublin, was noticed ina 
letter from the Rev. Thomas Knox as “ shot in a garden near Dublin 
on the 20th of July 1833. On dissection, the bird proved to bea 
female ; the eggs were small and not distinct ; gizzard muscular ; the 
skins of cherries visible, by which fruit the inside of the gizzard and 
mouth were stained bright pink.” When in Dublin on the 26th of 
June 1834, I saw in the bird-preserver’s just mentioned an example 
previous to its being skinned of an adult male P. roseus. It was 
taken ina cherry-net in the garden of Richard Long, Esq., Longfield, 
Cashel, on the 7th of that month, and had been kept alive for a fort- 
night. In July 1836, Lieut. Davis, R.N., of Donaghadee, sent to 
the Belfast Museum an individual of this species, which was captured 
early in the month, in a garden near that town. It had been kept alive 
for a few days : on dissection it proved to be a male, and was in adult 
plumage. About the middle of the same month a second example, 
which came under my examination, was shot at Hillsborough, in the 
same county. On the 12th of August that year, a third was made 
known to me as obtained in Ireland: this was shot near Kenmare, 
in the county of Kerry*; and sent by Dr. Taylor, the distinguished 
botanist, resident in that neighbourhood, to Mr. R. Ball of Dublin. 
In the summer of the following year (1837), as I learn from Mr. T. 
W. Warren of Dublin, a pastor, which he saw in a fresh state, was 
shot from among a flock of starlings in one of the islands of Arran at 
the entrance of Galway Bay; it was preserved for Mr. Thompson of 
Clonskea Castle, the proprietor of the islands. In June 1838, as re- 
ported to me, one of these birds was sent from Ashbourne, about ten 
miles from Dublin, to Mr. W. 8. Wall, to be preserved. The sto- 
mach was found on dissection to be filled with cherries. Dr. Farran 
of Feltrim, in the vicinity of the metropolis, likewise informed me, that 
on the 7th or 8th of July 1838, a P. roseus was shot when feeding on 
the same fruit at Newbarron, near Fieldstown, a few miles from Dub- 


* In a letter from Mr. William Andrews of Dublin, dated Nov. 14, 1841, 
it was mentioned, that “three specimens of the rose-coloured pastor have 
been shot near Tralee, one in the garden of Colonel Crosbie.”’ 

O9B 2 


420 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


lin*. On the 13th of September 1838, I saw two specimens which had 
been killed in different parts of the north of Ireland. One was shot 
about the Ist of that month in the plantations about Bangor Castle, 
county of Down, where another was seen in company with it; they 
had been observed for some time before : on dissection, no food was 
found ; it proved to be a male, as the plumage denoted. ‘The other 
example was shot by Alex. Tyler, Esq., at the Umbra, Magilligan, 
county of Londonderry, about the 10th of September. Having the 
opportunity of examining this bird in a fresh state, I drew up the 
following description. 
inch, line. 


Ein tire lenotlivevssseceserecccsse en sen Lavaaaniedeadie tists surdeicameoiceeeen 8 9 
Billtfrominictus foypoint se rspiee ore omac cde. cess stesoeece seae waco 1 23 
Upper mandible, measured along the ridge from ee 0 9 
TO POINE ...creceerccccceserccrccccccsccccscerccccssscccs Sdopstiocs 
Wing from carpus to end of longest quill .............ceeeeeeeuee 5 0 
Tail extending beyond closed wings ...........ccssscesesensssoees 1 0 
Marsiis oa eceins se see aaa coc enr a tsee sree ca seen Ne tackle Boas RceHnOAabac 1 3 
Middletoe’and mailey.cs.0-cceeeees saasdete eect dthecekic teens heme eae 1 3 
Hind toe and tail, measured in a straight line...... SbaoosaonooL 0 9 


Tibia feathered to the tarsal joint. Colours, thase of the adult male 
as described by authors (as are likewise those of the one above no- 
ticed from Bangor Castle), and as such contradistinguished from the 
plumage assumed until the second year as described by Temminck 
(Man., part 3, p. 76). On dissection it proved a male; it was in 
excellent condition. Its stomach, with the exception of a large co- 
leopterous insect, was entirely filled with the seeds of gooseberries. 

In April 1838, I learned from Mr. H. H. Dombrain of Dublin, that 
he had received a rose-coloured pastor which had been captured 
some years before at Woodhill, Ardara, in the county of Donegal, 
the seat of Major Nesbitt: it was taken alive in the green-house in 
an exhausted state, and died a few hours afterwards. 

On a comparison of Jrish examples with specimens obtained in 
India (in the same locality with the starling already mentioned), the 
species proved to be the same. 

THe Cuovent, Fregilus Graculus, Selby, is noticed in 
Harris’s ‘ Down’ (1744), and Smith’s ‘ Cork’ (1749), as one 
of the birds of those counties, and in the latter is said to be 
“ very common, frequenting rocks, old castles and ruins upon 
the sea-coast.” The species is more generally diffused around 
the rock-bound shores of Ireland than British authors would 
lead us to believe it is on those of Scotland and England, and 


* As it was not until some months afterwards that the notes were com- 
municated, the same individual may possibly be alluded to by both my in- 
formants; in which case there would be an error about the month. 

+ Red-legged jackdaw of the north of Ireland ; cliff-daw of Kerry. Smith 
states in his ‘ History of Cork,’ that the Irish name for this bird implies a 
Spanish jackdaw. 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 421 


may be met with in such localities in the north, east, south, 


and west of the island. 

The basaltic precipices of the north-east are admirably adapted to 
choughs, and about the promontory of Fairhead these birds especially 
abound. On one occasion, when visiting this place and the head- 
lands in the immediate vicinity of the Giant’s Causeway on the same 
day (8th of June) during the breeding-season of these birds, I re- 
marked choughs only about the former locality, and jackdaws only 
about the latter, both species b2ing numerous in their respective 
quarters: the choughs too were wonderfully tame in this instance, 
permitting our approach within about twenty-five paces*. About 
Hern Head, in the north-west of the county of Donegal, I saw many 
choughs and jackdaws in the month of June, and was told by the 
gamekeeper of the district that they never bred in company nor as- 
sociated together there ; the nest of the chough was stated by him to 
be placed so far within the clefts of rocks as to be difficult of access. 
The nearest place to Belfast tenanted at present, or within the last 
few years, by a pair or two of these birds, is a range of marine cliffs 
called the Gobbins, just outside the northern entrance to the bay. 
Here on the 28th of May a few years ago, a nest of young birds 
which had made known their proximity to the summit of the rocks 
by their calls for food, was doomed to perish by a visitor to the place 
wantonly shooting both their parents. The only instance in which 
I have had personal knowledge of choughs wandering far from their 
usual haunts, and to a place in no respect suited to them, was on the 


* In Dr. J. D. Marshall’s memoir, before alluded to, on the statistics and 
natural history of the basaltic island of Rathlin (lying off the north of the 
county of Antrim), it is remarked of the chough, “ This is called by the 
islanders, the yackdaw, and is by far the most numerous species on the 
island. In the month of July, I found them everywhere associated in large 
flocks, at one place frequenting inland situations, and at another congregated 
on the sea-shore. They had just collected together their different families, 
now fully fledged, and were picking up their food (which consisted chiefly 
of insects), either on the shore, in the crevices of rocks, or in the pasture 
fields. Mr. Selby mentions that the chough will not alight on the turf, 
if it can possibly avoid it, always preferring gravel, stones, or walls. In 
Rathlin, its choice of situation seems to be but sparingly exhibited, as I 
found it frequenting the corn and pasture fields, in even greater numbers 
than along the shores. * * * They breed on the lofty c:iffs overhanging 
the sea; the eggs are of a whitish colour, speckled at the larger end with 
brown. ‘The chough is of a restless, active disposition, hopping or flying 
about from place to place; it is also very shy, and can with difficulty be 
approached. Temminck says, that the legs of this bird, before the first 
moult, are of a dark colour, while Montagu affirms, that they are orange- 
coloured from the first. The young which I examined were about six 
weeks old, and in them the bills were of a brownish orange; not of that 
brilliant colour which marks the adult bird, but certainly exhibiting enough 
of the orange to lead us to conjecture that they would become completely 
of that colour after the moult. The legs could not be called ‘ orange- 
coloured,’ for although there was a tinge of that colour, yet the brown 
predominated. I should, therefore, agree with Temminck, in stating the 
legs and feet to be ‘ dark-coloured’ in the young birds,” 


499 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


dth of March 1836, when a pair appeared, and one of them (in 
beautiful adult plumage) was shot at Dunbar’s Dock, Belfast. That 
day and the preceding were very stormy, and the wind southerly : 
their haunts to the southward are all far distant. The stomach of 
the specimen was filled with insect larve. 

When on a tour with Mr. R. Ball in the summer of 1834 to the 
west and south of Ireland, choughs occurred to us at Achil Head, and 
the largest of the South Islands of Arran, &c., in the west ; and in the 
south, were heard about the Lower Lake of Killarney ; and were seen 
at Cable Island, near Youghal. Colonel Sabine has noticed that they 
breed in the rocks at Ballybunian, on the coast of Kerry; and the 
late Mr. T. F. Neligan of Tralee, in mentioning to me some years 
ago that they were very common about the marine cliffs of that 
county, stated, that numbers build in the rocks of inland mountains, 
four and five miles distant from the seae The choice of such places 
is not rare in Ireland. Some of the latest writers on British orni- 
thology appear to think that the chough never leaves the vicinity of 
the sea, and in one work it is inadvertently stated that the species is 
“never observed inland,”’ although Crow Castle is noticed by Mon- 
tagu as one of its haunts. This is situated in the beautiful vale of 
Llangollen in North Wales, where the Lombardy poplar spiring 
above the other rich foliage around the picturesque village of the 
same name, imparts, in addition to other accompaniments, quite an 
Italian character to the scene. But to particularise further in Ire- 
land: the Rev. G. M. Black observed a pair of these birds through- 
out the breeding-season about a ruin between Newtown-Crommelin 
and Cushendall in the county of Antrim, and three miles distant 
from the sea: at Salagh Braes, a semicircular range of basaltic rocks 
in the same county, and nearly twice that distance from the coast, 
the chough nestles. The gamekeeper at Tollymore Park, county of 
Down, informed me in 1836, that he had shot these birds in the 
mountains of Mourne, which are regularly frequented by them, and 
where they build in the inland rocks. Here for some years pre- 
viously, he annually discovered two or three of their nests, whence 
he has taken the young with the intention of rearing them, but in 
this he was unsuccessful. This intelligent gamekeeper assured me, 
that once in the mountains here, he came upon seven choughs at- 
tendant on a poor sheep, which was in a particularly weak state when 
lambing. About half of the young animal was protruded, and had been 
nearly consumed by three of these birds, which were busily engaged 
preying upon it*. He had not a gun with him at the time, but was 
so wroth at witnessing this cruelty of the chough, that in the latter 
part of the day, when armed, he sacrificed three of these birds ; all 
which came within his range. He believes that choughs would even 
destroy a weakly animal. They are seen by him commonly fre- 
quenting the entrance to foxes’ earths, for the purpose, he conceives, 


* Mr. Hogg contributes to Macgillivray’s ‘ British Birds’ (vol. i.) a si- 
milar account of the carrion-crow, with horrible details of what to human 
sympathy would seem its cold-blooded cruelty to sheep, when in the act of 
parturition, 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 423 


of feeding on “‘ sheep-shanks”’ and other similar rejectamenta. As 
the chough is not considered a carnivorous bird, I was most parti- 
ticular in questioning my informant as to the species, and of his ac- 
curacy there cannot be a doubt. Montagu mentions that his tame 
bird was fed partly on raw and boiled flesh-meat. 

Mr. R. Davis, jun., of Clonmel, informs me respecting the chough, 
that it has been shot within a mile of that town, and that he has 
seen the species at Helvick Head in the county of Waterford, and 
great numbers at Loop Head on the coast of Clare ;—about the marine 
cliffs generally of the latter county, Mr. W. H. Harvey states that 
itis common. Mr. Davis writes—‘ although Mr. Selby says ‘it has 
been remarked that the chough will not alight on the turf if it can 
possibly avoid it, always preferring gravel, stones or walls,’ I have 
seen hundreds freely alight and feed on it, and have observed them 
feeding like rooks in a ploughed field.” I have myself observed 
these birds on the short pasture of the marine cliffs, but consider 
that they have the predilection noticed by Mr. Selby, whose re- 
mark however may réfer merely to Montagu’s tame bird. Mr. 
Davis further states, that ‘‘ great numbers of chcughs breed in the 
precipices over the lakes in the Cummeragh mountains, county of 
Waterford, about seven Irish miles from the sea, where they are 
very rarely molested, on account of nestling in almost inaccessible 
spots. Here the young were ready to fly on the 6th and 7th of 
August 1836: on the 28th of April 1841, I got four of their eggs 
from this locality.”’ 

I have seen examples of the chough which were killed about Port- 
patrick in Wigtonshire, and on the Ayrshire coast ; and have heard 
_ the call of the species in the evening about the ruined castle at Bal- 
lantrae in the latter county. In July 1826, when in the valley of 
glaciers on the south side of Mont Blanc, I was attracted by the 
well-known but somewhat distant call of the chough, and on looking 
up saw an immense flock bending their way towards the pinnacles 
or aiguilles of that <‘ monarch of mountains *.”’ 

THe Raven, Corvus Coraz, Linn., is distributed over 
Ireland, and is more especially to be seen within a day’s 
foray of the rocks in which it can roost or nestle. As sites 
for the raven’s building, rocks are preferred to trees in this 
island, and wherever there is a range of cliffs suited to the 
purpose this bird is sure to be found, unless the eagle or buz- 


* The call of the closely allied Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, Temm., like- 
wise an inhabitant of the Alps, is unknown to me, but in the present in- 
stance my attention was arrested by the similarity of the note to that of our 
native bird. 

This to my ear is very lively and pleasing, and cannot be mistaken for 
that of the jackdaw. The flight of the chough too is peculiar, though, as 
in others of the Corvidae, the quills are much expanded, and give a deeply 
fringed appearance to the wing as the bird flies overhead. Ai friend re- 
marks upon the flight as “ singularly waving; they flap their wings, then sail 
forty or fifty yards, and so on gradually until they alight.” 


424 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


zard monopolize the locality. From time immemorial ravens 
have been considered to inhabit the same rock. In the lower 
districts of England certain trees have for such a length of time 
been resorted to by this species for nestling, as to have acquired 
the name of Rayen-trees. -In like manner, a wild and unfre- 
quented locality in the Belfast mountains bears the name 
of the Crow Glen, in consequence of a pair of ravens having 
for a series of years nestled there in a cliff. Persecution has 
long since driven them from the spot, which however still re- 
tains the name. ‘Their place was for some years supplied by 
a pair of kestrels (Falco Tinnunculus) ; but as their nest, though 
not easy of approach, could, with some difficulty be reached, it 
was always robbed of its young tenants, and this species too 
has ceased to nidify there*. 

I have with much interest observed in the month of October, about 
the fine basaltic cliffs of the Cave-hill, near Belfast, and long after 
the breeding-season was past, that as evening set in, a few ravens 
would appear together hoarsely croaking about the rocks, whilst at 
the same time hosts of jackdaws were garrulously chattering, and 
several kestrels added their shrill voices as they careered gracefully 
about in company. After some little time they all retired to the 
rocks for the night. 

On one occasion | had interesting evidence of the power of sight 
in the raven. A nest of young rats not more than three or four days 
old had been dug up in a stubble field, and after being killed were 
left there. Very soon afterwards two or three ravens passing over 
the place at a great height, on coming above the spot dropped almost 
directly down upon them. The young rats had not been ten minutes 
dead at the time, and consequently could hardly have emitted any 
efuvia. Besides, they were so small, that even had they given out 
any to the air, it seems hardly possible that it could have ascended to 
the great elevation at which the birds had been. Sight alone, I 
conceive, must in this instance have been exerted. 

Mr. R. Davis, jun., of Clonmel, remarks, that ravens, if taken 
young, can be reared so as not to injure other birds, as he “for a 


* Ravens are generally so very wary and mistrustful of man, that the 
following note (communicated by my brother) may be worth insertion. ‘In 
the middle of March 1828, a pair of ravens had a nest in Grogan’s Glen, in 
the Black Mountain (near Belfast). It was near the top of the highest rock ; 
was formed of sticks and lined with wool; it contained seven eggs of a dark 
green colour, blotched over with black. The birds were very tame, the 
first day I saw them approaching within three or four yards, and hopping 
about near me so long as I remained, when their glossy plumage looked 
very beautiful.” Their tameness arose simply from their being unmolested 
in the locality, perhaps in consequence of a belief among the country people, 
that it is “ unlucky ” to kill a raven; for this very pair of birds was known 
to carry off eggs, young ducks, &c., from the nearest farm-yards. But, as 
is usual in such cases, one of the poor ravens, by thus putting its trust in 
man, was shot a few days afterwards by a vagrant gunner. 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 425 


long time kept in one cage a raven, a hooded crow, a jackdaw, a 
magpie, and a jay, all of which lived on good terms with each other.” 
Mr. R. Ball communicates the following anecdote of this species :— 
** When a boy at school, a tame raven was very attentive in watching 
our cribs or bird-traps, and when a bird was taken, he endeavoured 
to catch it by turning up the crib, but in so doing the bird always 
escaped, as the raven could not let go the crib in time to seize it. 
After several vain attempts of this kind, the raven seeing another 
bird caught, instead of going at once to the crib, went to another 
tame raven, and induced it to accompany him, when the one lifted 
up the crib, and the other bore the poor captive off in triumph.” 
It was a common practice in a spacious yard in Belfast, to lay trains 
of corn for sparrows, and to shoot them from a window, which was 
only so far open as to admit the barrel of the gun; neither the 
shooter, nor any but a part of the instrument of destruction, being 
ever visible from the outside. A tame raven which was brought a 
young bird from the nest to the yard in question, and probably had 
never seen a shot fired, afforded evidence at the same time that it un- 
derstood the whole affair. When any one appeared carrying a gun 
across the yard towards the house from which the sparrows were 
fired at, the raven exhibited the utmost alarm, by hurrying off with 
all possible but most awkward speed to hide itself, loudly screaming 
all the while. Alarmed though it was for its own safety, this bird 
always concealed itself near to and within view of the field of action, 
and the shot was hardly fired when it dashed out from its retreat, 
and seizing one of the dead or wounded sparrows, hurried back to 
its hiding-place. The whole scene I have repeatedly witnessed. 
The raven’s portion of the sparrows was as duly exacted as the tithe 
of the quails killed during their migration at Capri are said to be by 
the bishop of that island. 

Mr. R. Patterson in a note which he has contributed thus states— 
“In September 1831, I travelled from Portarlington as far as New- 
bridge barracks with a very intelligent man, the colonel of a Lancer 
regiment stationed there. This gentleman mentioned, that when tra- 
velling near Limerick on the preceding day, he from the coach-top saw 
a raven alight among a flock of full-grown ducks in a field adjoining 
the road, and after having given one of them a few blows, throw it 
on its back, and begin to tear it up. All works on ornithology men- 
tion that the raven destroys young ducks and chickens, but I did 
not before know that it ever carried its audacity so far as to attack 
a duck when full-grown, as in this instance*.”” The late Mr. T. F. 


* Mr. Waterton states that a tame raven kept at Walton Hall “ took a 
sudden dislike to an old duck, with which, till then, he had been on the best 
of terms; and he killed her in an instant.’’ 

A raven which lived in the yard attached to the chief inn at Antrim, for 
about fifteen years, had occasional encounters with game-cocks brought 
thither to engage it, and bets were pending on the issue. The raven in every 
instance proved the victor. It avoided the blows of the cock, and acted only 
on the defensive, until it could manage to lay hold of the cock’s head, which 
as soon as done, was crushed in its powerful beak, and its antagonist fell 
lifeless on the ground. 


426 Mr. W. Thompson on the Burds of Ireland. 


Neligan of Tralee, mentioned to me, that ravens chiefly frequent the 
sea-shore in the county of Kerry, where he had often seen them 
feeding on putrid fish. Great numbers of these birds are in some 
works (especially those treating of American ornithology) described 
as flying in company. Although ravens may be seen every day in 
the year around Belfast, the most I have heard of being seen on 
wing together did not exceed twelve in number. About Navarino 
and Athens I have met with the raven—at the latter place Chateau- 
briand introduces it, in his description of sunrise as seen from the 
Acropolis*. 

Mr. Waterton, in his ‘ Essays on Natural History,’ gives a highly 
interesting account of the raven, but to his great grief, this bird has 
not for many years been seen about Walton Hall. 

Sir Wm. Jardine, in his ‘ British Birds,’ points out with an accu- 
rately observant eye the favourite haunts of the raven. Mr. Mac- 
gillivray treats very fully of its habits, and gives much desirable in- 
formation (vol. i.) ; as Audubon likewise does, from personal observa- 
tion in America. The raven is honoured with a place in those de- 
lightful articles in ‘ Blackwood’s Magazine’ for 1826, entitled ‘A 
Glance over Selby’s Ornithology,’ in which the keen observer of the 
habits of birds is evident, through the wit and imagination investing 
the whole subject. 

Carrion Crow, Corvus Corone, Linn.—This species was 
noticed by Smith as one of the birds of the county of Cork ; 
but that it is not well known in Ireland is sufficiently indicated 
by the absence of its name from Mr. Templeton’s published 
catalogue of the native vertebrate animals. In the MSS. of 
that eminent naturalist it is remarked—“TI have not seen 
this bird, but from what I have heard am inclined to think it 
is found about Dundalk.” Its not being distinguished from 
its equally sable congener the rook, is one reason for the car- 
rion crow being considered more rare than it really ist. About 
the river Lagan, within the flow of the tide, and along the 
shores of Belfast Bay, this bird is by no means scarce, and 
feeds upon any animal matter cast up by the waves, but more 


* ¢Ttinéraire de Paris a Jérusalem.’ 

+ Since the above was written, the 1st volume of ‘ Tracts relating to Ire- 
land, printed for the Irish Archzological Society,’ has appeared. In ‘A 
Brife description of Ireland, made in this yeere 1589, by Robert Payne,’ 
it is stated,—‘ There is not that place in Ireland where anye venomous 
thinge will liue. There is neither mol, pye, nor carren crow.” In a note 
to this, Dr. Aquila Smith of Dublin (who edited the memoir) remarks— 
“‘ Of the carren or carrion crow (Corvus corone), we have not any authority 
as to the date of its introduction into Ireland. Moryson [in J617] says, 
we have not the blacke crow, but onely crowes of mingled colour, such as 
wee call Royston crowes,” part iii, b. 3. p. 160. Although the attractive 
magpie may have been introduced to this country, I cannot think that the 
carrion crow ever was, but believe it to be strictly indigenous; its compa- 
rative scarcity in this island, together with the reason adduced above, caused 
it, I conceive, to be overlooked. 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 427 
especially rejoices in the carcases of horses, which after being 
skinned are left upon the beach. The refuse of the slaughter- 
house, when spread on meadows for manure, particularly at- 
tracts it inland. 

The carrion crow is known to me as found in the north, east, and 
west of the island: in the south, as already mentioned, it was no- 
ticed by Smith, yet was never seen by Mr. R. Ball during his resi- 
dence at Youghal. About Clonmel, however, Mr. R. Davis, jun., 
states that it is always to be found, though not very common. In 
the neighbouring county of Kilkenny, the attention of a gentleman 
of my acquaintance was one day attracted by a “ black crow” ha- 
ving an extraordinary white appearance about the head. It flew 
about a hundred yards after it was first seen, and then alighted on 
the ground. On running up to ascertain the cause of the pheno- 
menon, he was astonished to see the identical bird fly off an ordi- 
nary crow ; but on reaching the place where the bird had “pitched,” 
a duck’s egg was found, which being carried in the bill had pro- 
duced the appearance described—the egg was still whole *. 

When at Glenarm Park, county of Antrim, in 1833, I was inform- 
ed by the gamekeeper, a native of England, and who knew the bird 
well there, that he had seen a few about Glenarm, and that in the 
breeding-season one of these birds and a gray crow (C. Cornix) were 
constantly associated together for some weeks, and he had no doubt 
were paired. A Scotch gamekeeper who very soon afterwards sup- 
plied the place of my informant, told me the following year that he 
had occasionally killed the carrion crow in Glenarm Park, but con- 
sidered the species rather raret. He assured me that when game- 
keeper in Scotland, he had repeatedly seen the carrion and gray 
crow paired, and knew an instance of such a pair being mated for 
two or three years, and building in the same tree annually. The 
identity of the gray one was sufficiently manifest by its being minus 
a foot, which had not improbably parted company from its owner in 
some trap. In the instances which came under the observation of 
my trustworthy informant, the gray crow was considered to be the 
male, on account of its comparative absence from the nest, &c. The 
young birds in one nest examined by this gamekeeper were stated to 
have exhibited, some the plumage of the gray, and others, that of 
the carrion crow. 

This species is sometimes, if not generally, infested with parasitic 
insects (lice) to an extraordinary degree, so much so, as in one in- 


* In Macgillivray’s ‘ British Birds’ (vol. i. p. 526), an instance of the 
carrion crow bearing off the egg of a wild duck whole is recorded by Mr. 
Weir who witnessed it—this gentleman and Mr. Hogg contribute full and 
interesting narrations of this bird to the work. The contributions of the 
latter, called a “ Shepherd ”’ in the preface, have all the racy spirit of the 
mountain air about them. Mr. Waterton states that the carrion crow car- 
ries eggs off, “ not in his bill but on the point of it, having thrust his upper 
mandible through the shell.” 


+ I saw specimens which had been obtained there exhibited as “ vermin ”’ 
on one or both occasions. 


428 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


stance to deter a friend from skinning one he had received, just after 
it was shot. On mentioning this to another amateur taxidermist, it 
was remarked, that in skinning one of these birds, he became “ co- 
vered”’ with its parasites. According to my own observation, birds 
of prey, or species partly carnivorous, are more infested with lice than 
others ; and particularly with those belonging to the most active and 
stirring genera of their attractive tribe! From Mr. Denny’s forth- 
coming work, ‘ Monographia Anoplurorum Britannie,’ we expect 
much novel information on this subject. 

Tue Gray Crow*, Corvus Cornix, Linn., is a common 
species in Ireland, and resident in all quarters of the island. 
In the north and east it has come under my own observation 
at every period of the year, and is fully as numerous in sum- 
mer as at any other time, although at this season it is absent 
from England. In summer I have remarked it to be com- 
mon in the west and south, and my correspondents there 
agree in noticing it as a resident species. 

From what has been written on the gray crow as a bird of Great 
Britain, it would appear to be more common in Ireland generally, 
than in England, or on the mainland of Scotland. The sea-shore or 
its vicinity is the favourite haunt of this bird, but it is likewise resident 
in far inland localities. Sir William Jardine states, that according 
to his observations rocks are preferred as a nestling-place ; and Mr. 
Macgillivray (vol. i. p. 533) seems to doubt its building at all in 
trees; but around Belfast it prefers trees in the immediate vicinity 
of its ‘“‘ beat”’ to rocks which are a little more distant, and where the 
raven and jackdaw find a home. In some very fine and tall beech 
trees on a lawn bordering the bay, several pairs of these birds have 
built for many years, and two or three of their nests occasionally ap- 
pearing in a single tree, suggest the idea of an infant rookery. When 
however more nests than one appear in any tree, they are I believe 
the erections of different years, or are not tenanted at the same time. 
In wooded glens, and other localities where the Conifere bore a very 
small proportion to the deciduous trees, I have remarked the par- 
tiality of this bird for nestling in the pine. Mr. William M‘Calla of 
Roundstone, states that “the gray crow is very common in Conne- 
mara, and breeds in all the wooded islands of the lakes, in other 
woods and thickets, and even in thorn-bushes in the vicinity of 
houses: it lays from three to five eggs. These birds are not ac- 
cused of doing much harm to the keepers of poultry, the dead ani- 
mal matter at all seasons on the shore supplying abundance of food.” 
He further remarks, that gray crows “‘are very cunning in seeking 
their food, and that in the upper part of Roundstone Bay they may 
be observed picking up the Buccinum boreale (undatum ?], rising with 
them into the air and then letting them fall on the rocks to break 
them : in this they are frequently unable to succeed, and have to drop 


* In the north of Ireland it is commonly called by this, its most distine- 
tive appellation. 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 429 


the shell from a height in the air several times before attaining their 
object.” Mr. R. Ball has seen one of these birds drop a cockle 
(Cardium edule) on a stone to break it, whilst another stood cun- 
ningly by to snatch it up, and succeeded in the theft. All this is 
but a counterpart of what is related by Dr. Fleming in his < Philo- 
sophy of Zoology,’ as having been observed by him in Zetland. The 
mere act of their rising into the air with shell-fish and letting them 
drop on rocks, I have myself repeatedly witnessed. ‘This bird is use- 
ful on the sea-shore by consuming any animal matter cast by the tide 
upon the beach; but by the gamekeeper it is looked upon as an evil- 
doer, accused of sucking the eggs of game, and occasionally destroy- 
ing the infant birds, and is accordingly persecuted. I remember a 
pair of these birds being accused of sucking a dozen or more eggs in 
a wild-duck’s nest in the aquatic menagerie of a friend. At his place 
a novel experiment was once resorted to. Four young gray crows 
in a nest were pinioned, in expectation that their parents would con- 
tinue feeding them so long that a certain opportunity would be af- 
forded of shooting or trapping them. Disappointment was however 
the result, as the old birds, on returning to the nest and perceiving 
the mutilated state of their progeny, left them to perish. 

A gentleman of my acquaintance, who is very observant of the 
habits of birds, once saw two gray crows in pursuit of a rabbit in an 
open field. ‘The chase was continued only as it ran ; when it squatted 
they never attempted to molest it: the chase and parley together 
were continued for some time. According to the testimony of seve- 
ral of the intelligent wild-fowl shooters of Belfast bay, gray crows 
are not uncommonly seen in pursuit of the smaller shore-birds 
(Grallatores); and two of my informants were witness to one of these 
crows pursuing a merlin (Falco Afsalon) which had captured a sand- 
lark (Tringa variabilis) until the hawk dropped it, when the crow 
picked it up from the surface of the water. A pet buzzard (Buteo 
vulgaris) belonging to a friend, was when flying about the demesne 
always persecuted by gray crows. The gentleman before alluded 
to shot one of these birds when it had young, and the same evening 
saw about ten gray crows come to feed the nestlings, which how- 
ever died in the course of the night, which was very cold and wet. 
When engaged in the construction of their nest, these birds are 
more heedless of enemies than at other times, and then occasionally 
fall victims to the gun; but when one has been killed, the survivor 
is soon provided with a mate. At this early stage of the breeding- 
season (as remarked at ‘‘ the Falls” near Belfast) neither these 
birds nor magpies were observed to be mated again for three or four 
days, when a new nest was commenced, not at the same place, but 
contiguous to the former one. ‘The twice-married crows and mag- 
pies here, proved always too wary to be shot. 

Mr. Yarrell observes, that ‘‘ more than two are seldom seen asso- 
ciated together, except when food is to be obtained.” But at all 
seasons of the year, I have seen them associating together in little 
troops up to the number of fifteen, on the shore of Belfast bay, when 
there was no apparent cause for their meeting; and when there has 


430 Mr. J. C. Dale on some British Diptera. 


been such in the inland neighbourhood, so many as seventeen have 
been reckoned on a single tree. In a rabbit warren at the wild pen- 
insula of the Horn, in the north-west of the county of Donegal, I 
once, on the 27th of June, saw forty of these birds in a dense flock. 
A note appears in my journal stating that, on the 3rd of April and 
several previous mornings, seven or eight of these birds frequented 
an old garden in the town of Belfast, and one or two of them were 
occasionally tc be seen perched on the back of a cow kept there. 
By George Mathews, Esq., of Springvale, county of Down, I have 
been informed that a relation living there, had a pet gray crow which 
followed him about the place. When not so engaged, it sometimes 
went to feed with its brethren on the shore, but always hurried 
back to its master when whistled for. 

In the middle of May last, I met with this species in the Valley 
of Sweet Waters, near Constantinople, and at the beginning of June, 
in the islands of Delos and Paros. 


LI. Descriptions, &c. of a few rare or undescribed species 
of British Diptera, principally from the collection of J. C. 
Date, Esq., M.A., F.L.S., &c. 


To the Editors of the Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 


GENTLEMEN, 


Havine some Diptera in my British Collection of Insects which I 
could not ascertain the names of, I forwarded a few to Mr. Haliday 
for his opinion; and wishing that other entomologists should profit 
thereby as well as myself, I think I cannot do better than to make 
it public through the medium of the ‘ Annals.’ 
I am, yours obediently, 
J.C. Date. 


Curtis’s Guide, genus 1157, Limnosia. (Subgenus Dicranomyta ?) 
Sectio.—Nervo cubitali furcato ramis liberis. 

Areola disci nulla. 

Areola brachiali anteriore posteriorem superante. 

L. flavo-limbata(C.G., species 39” ).—Fusca, thoracis et scutellilimbo, 
pectoris vitta laterali dilatata et ventris incisuris flavis : alis ob- 
scure hyalinis, stigmate pallido, nervis pubescentibus. 

& ? Long. 25—3; alar. 6 lin. 

? Synon. L. (39 C. G.) pavida, A. H. H., Ent. Mag. I. From a 
late letter it appears to be different from pavida, though allied to it. 

“ Fusca nitida. Antenne fusce thoracis longitudine. Mesothoracis scu- 
tum et scutellum flavo-marginata. Pleurze magna parte flave. Abdominis 
incisure ventrales et dorsalis ultima tenuiter flavicantes. Terebra rufescens 
gracilis recurva. Forceps g brachiis linearibus reflexis. Pedes fusci. Hal- 
teres fusco-pallidi. Al obscure-hyalinz, nervis pubescentibus, stigmate 
obsoleto lutescente ad apicem nervi subcostalis. Nervus subcostalis margi- 
nem attingit adversus fuscam nervi cubitalis. Nervus mediastinus cum sub- 
costali connexus paulo ultra ortum radii, et cito marginem attingens, Nervus 


Mr. J. C. Dale on some British Diptera. 431 


cubitalis furcatus, ramo anteriore brevi (4 posterioris), areola externa 2da 

dimidio tertiz paulo longior : brachialis 2da parum brevior 1ma.”—Hal. MS. 
This species I find in plenty in a damp part of a small coppice 

here during the end of June and beginning and middle of July. 


Curtis’s Guide, genus 1157, Limnosra. (Subgenus Ipiocera ?) 
L. sex-guttata—Fusca, antennis medio flavicantibus, thorace schista- 

ceo vitté duplicata fusca, pedibus ferrugineis, alis obscuré hyalinis 

albo fuscoque variegatis, guttis 3 marginalibus albis ante apicem. 
6 Long. 24; alar. 54 lin. 
2? 3. 7t 

«“Fusea. Antenne thoracis longitudine articulis intermediis flavicantibus 
basi fuscis extremis valdé aitenuatis. Thorax schistaceus vittis 2 fusco-fer- 
rugineis in scutellum continuatis. Venter fusco-testaceus. Terebra rufes- 
cens gracilis recurva. Pedes cum coxis ferruginei. Femora et tibize apice, 
tarsi preter basin fusci. Ale obscuré hyaline, indistincté albo-maculate. 
Costa fusco-punctata. Nervi transversi et axillaris apex fusco-maculati. 
Costa fusco-limbata a furca nervi cubitalis usque in apicem, guttis 3 albis, 
unica in areola singula. Nervus subcostalis exit adversus fuream nervi 
cubitalis. Nervus mediastinus adversus apicem areole brachialis 2dz exit, 
et cum subcostale connectitur contra ortum radii, Cubitus furcatus ramis 
liberis, posteriore apice incurvo. Areolz externa 2da (que petiolata) di- 
midia longitudine anterioris, nervo posteriore ejusdem basi rectangulatim 
fracto et appendiculato (scilicet areolz disci incompletz) ; areolz brachialis 
posterior multo brevior anteriore.” 

I discovered this exceedingly pretty Limnobia on a boggy spot on 
Cosmore common near this place, and afterwards lost another out of 
my net in the New Forest, and lastly, on the sea-coast at Charmouth 
I took two or three more specimens. 

The dates are June 22, 1840. 

July 1, 1839 (Cosmore common). 
July 8, 1840 (Charmouth). 

It appears to be very rare. Mr. Haliday says it is very distinct, 
and one of the prettiest species he ever saw ; it was quite new to him. 
I have also given a pair to Mr. Curtis. 

I have a ¢ Limnobia fasciata from the lakes of Cumberland, taken 
by G. Wailes, Esq. Mr. Haliday says it is also found in Lapland. 
The L. (or Idioptera?) var.? of marmorata? or pulchella? I took in 
tolerable plenty, in one particular spot only (where the common 
marmorata, though it varies much, did not occur), and they agree in 
size and markings as well as may be. The date is end of May 1840 
and 1841, and at no other time ¥ this seems in favour of its being a 
distinct species. 


Curtis’s Guide, genus 1217, Oxycerra. 

O. longicornis.—* Nigra, macula laterali verticis, orbita interna supra 
antennas repanda, thoracis vitta laterali, scutello et abdominis limbo 
flavis; antennis capitis longitudine apice parim attenuatis. ?” 
Mr. Haliday has this unique species, and I cannot give the exact 

measure, but it is about the size of O. muscaria. 

“ Nigra subglabra. Antenne solito longiores et graciliores, articulis ex~ 


tremis partim attenuatis, unde stylus indiscretus: os flavum : orbita postica 
et interna flayee, heec supra antennas in margine fromtis inflexa. Vertex 


432 Mr. J. C. Dale on some British Diptera. 


utrinque macula flava. Thorax vitta laterali flava pone alas dilatata. Scu- 
tellum flavum. Abdomen limbo tenui flavo. Halteres albidi. Alze hyaline 
nervis introrsum flavicantibus. Pedes cum coxis ferruginei: tibiae anticze 
apice, posteriores medio, tarsi antici toti, posteriores apice fusci.” 

«Seems very much similar to Macquart’s O. tenuicornis, but the 
peculiar marking of the head may afford a distinction, as Macquart 
leaves us to infer that his agrees in that with O. muscaria, very dif- 
ferent from yours.” —Hal. MSS. (in litteris). This (at present) unique 
insect I believe I took at the same place and time on Cosmore com- 
mon with the Limnobia 6-guitata, but had previously taken it for a 
var. of O. muscaria (pygmea, Fall.?). Mr. Haliday considers it very 
distinct. 

While I am on the genus Ovycera, I may as well mention that he 
thinks he saw O. hypoleon? in the cabinet of the late Mr. Tardy of 
Dublin ; but as it is some years since, and he has no opportunity of 
again inspecting it, he will not be positive. If we can ascertain this 
to be British, our list will contain— 

1. O. hypoleon? near Dublin (Mr. Tardy ?). 

2. O. pulchella, tolerably common in England, Scotland (and Ire- 
land ?). 

3. O. trilineata, common everywhere. 

4. O. formosa, pretty common everywhere. 

: muscaria, Cosmore common, Portland. 

a Nantirk (var. affinis), Charmouth, &c. 

6. O. Morrisii, Curtis, Br. Ent. plate 441. ‘This seems to be 
widely distributed : I have taken it here, near Charmouth, near Cam- 
bridge, and Castle Edendene; and Mr. Haliday took it in Ireland. 

7. O. pardalina? I never took, except near Lyme, but I think Mr. 
Haliday has observed it in Ireland. My specimens do not quite agree 
with Meigen’s figure ; the spots on the abdomen are not so united as 
in his figure. 

8. O. analis, confined to Glanville’s Wootton, as far as I know or 
can learn. 

9. O. leonina, the rarest of all; I have a pair, both from Char- 
mouth ; the ¢ I took. 

10. O. terminalis, found here and at Charmouth, and at Pinny, 
near Lyme Regis. 

11. O. longicornis, Mr. Haliday as above. 


Curtis’s Guide, genus 1290, Canosia, Meig. 
(This is not given as a new species.) 


C. mollicula? of Fallen and Zetterstald? ? “* Cesia antennis palpis 
pedibusque flavis ; abdomine antice pallido diaphano.” (Long. 24 
lin.) Mas. 

C. testacea, Desv., et speciebus cognatis (sc. pallidicorne, Desv., ne- 
morali, &c.) gracilior, fronte angustiore, pedibus multo longioribus 
et rarius setigeris. Desvoidio Palusia audiret. 

«‘ Frons vitta atra postice bifurea. Facies pallescens. Antenne facie bre - 
viores, flave, articulo 3° pallidiore oblongo obtuso, aristz subtiliter villosule. 
Thorax czesius, absque vittis. Abdomen compressum, segmentis 2 anticis 
paliido-diaphanis linea dorsali ferruginosa. Pedeselongati flavi.  ‘Tarsi ob- 


Mr. Edward Forster on Mnium annotinum. 433 


scuriores extrorsum fuscescentes. Tibize anteriores setis nullis supra preeapi- 
calem parvam, posticee unica media. Alz hyaline exunguiculate, nervis 
obscuré flavescentes squame albidee. Halteres flavi.”—Hal. in litteris. 


This is from the same locality mentioned for the Limnobia (or 
Idiocera?) sex-guttata, viz. Cosmore common, Glanville’s Wootton, 
and New Forest, middle of June and beginning of July. Mr. Haliday 
at first thought it new and named it albicornis, but as Meigen has one 
so named he thinks it may be as above; it varies however from it in size. 

I sent Mr. Haliday a pair of Limnobia (or Idioptera?) allied to 
marmorata, which I take only in one locality near this part; and as 
they agree in size and markings, I fancied they might be distinct. 
Mr. H. has also taken it in Ireland, and thought the same formerly ; 
but having observed marmorata to vary much, and not being able to 
lay hold of any tangible character, he has come to a very different 
conclusion ; he formerly named it fasciata? (which Wiedman has 
changed to pulchella), and asks me how it agrees with the J. fasciata 
I had from Mr. Wailes, taken in the lake district, which has a di- 
stinct fascia, which the other has not. Mr. Haliday has likewise a 
third species, the J. trimaculata, Zett., taken near Belfast. I also sent 
him a pair of HemEropromtia, which he decidedly says are only a var. 
of H. monostigma, although in size and colour they closely resemble 
Fl. mantispa; but the nerves of the wings at once remove them from 
that division. 

I have lately had sent to me from my liberal correspondent Mr. 
Edleston of Manchester, a Geometra g (so like Cidaria badiata, 
930, 2 of Curtis’s Guide, that I can see no difference), taken on the 
moors in September with an apterous female (also sent) which is 
new tome. G. badiata has a winged 9? and flies in March and April. 

I have an Hermaphrodite Dilophus vulgaris, one ( g) wing white 
and the other ( ? ) black : the size of the white side is much smaller, 
and the same half-side of body is also smaller in proportion. I have 
also an hermaphrodite 4geria ichneumoniformis, Brit. Ent., which 
on one side has the antenna ciliated, and on the other plain like the 9 . 


Glanville’s Wootton, Jan. 1, 1842. 


LII.—On Mnium annotinum of Linneus. By Epwarp 
Forster, Esq., V.P.L.S. 


To Richard Taylor, Esq. 


My Dear Sir, 


Ir sometimes happens that a plant well known formerly is 
now forgotten. This is the case with Mnium annotinum of 
Linnzus, one of the most remarkable among the mosses ; yet 
it has been totally neglected or badly understood, though fifty 
years since, no cryptogamist had any doubts concerning it. 
Difficult indeed it is to account for the present ignorance of 
this Bryum, unless it arose from the plate 1862 in the 28th 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. 2F 


434 Mr. Edward Forster on Bryum annotinum. 


volume of ‘English | Botany’ comprising two very distinct 
species; the barren figure only belongs to Bryum annotinum, 
the others in fruit being evidently Br yum capillare. It may 
be supposed, that as Mr. Wilson has lately communicated to 
the editors of the ‘Supplement to English Botany’ specimens 
with capsules, this singular gemmiferous moss will gain pro- 
per attention ; but as this eminent botanist has given no re- 
ference except to Hedwig and Bridel, I fear the confusion will 
be rather perpetuated. Tt may not therefore be thought amiss 
to point out the following synonyms. 


Bryum annotinum, Huds., 490; Hedw. Sp. Muse., 183. t.43; Smith, 
Fl. Brit., 13878; Hull, 255; Sipth., 291; Turn. Muse. Hib., 123; 
Engl. Bot., vol. xxvi. 1862 (the barren stem with leaf and gemma 
under it) ; Suppl., vol. Ii. 2856 ; Swartz, Muse. Suec., 50; Roth. 
Germ., vol. ii. 232; Bridel. Br. Un., vol. i. 662. 

Bryum annotinum, lanceolatum, pellucidum, capsulis pendulis, Dill. 
Musc., 399. t. 50. f. 68. 

Mnium annotinum, Linn. Sp., pl. 1576; Weir,151; With., 805; Hoff. - 
Germ., vol. ii. 215; Necker Meth., 232; Leers Herborn., 23. 

Trentepohlia erecta, Roth. Catal., vol.i. 139 ; Hoff., vol. 1.17. t. 14. 


In the ‘ British Flora,’ vol. 11. p. 60, the fructified speci- 
mens in ¢ English Botany,’ 1862, are properly referred to B. 
capillare, and no notice is taken of B. annotinum. In the se- 
cond edition of ‘Muscologia Britannica,’ p. 202, it is intro- 
duced under B. turbinatum with a mark of doubt ; in the first 
edition of this work it does not occur, nor has Dr. Taylor in- 
serted it in Mackay’s ‘ Flora Hibernica,’ although it is well 
described in Dawson Turner’s ‘ Muscologize Hibernice Spi- 
cilegium,’ 

I have formerly found this moss at Walthamstow in Essex, 
in fruit, but more abundantly barren male plants with beau- 
tiful gemme in the axils of the leaves, red when ripe. Leers 
describes them purple, I do not recollect that peculiar tinge ; 
in dried specimens they usually fall off. The botanical stu- 
dent should be informed that Mr. Wilson’s specific difference, 
“stem very short ; leaves crowded, erect, lanceolate, nerved, 
subserrulate at the apex ; capsule oblong-pyriform, pendulous; 
lid convex, apiculate,” applies only to the fertile plants, the 
leaves on the barren stems being distant, never crowded. The 
magnified figures are excellent, except in want of gemmz, it 
being understood that all the leaves belong to the fertile 
stems ; the unmagnified are not so satisfactory, the periche- 
tial leaves not being shown ; these are accurately represented 
by Dillenius in his ‘ Historia Muscoram, 

I cannot suppose that B. turdinaium is an eplarged variety 
of this species growing in bogs; if it were so, annotinum ne 


Mr. Shuckard on Bird-catching Spiders. 435 


continue the trivial name, not only because it is Mniwm anno- 
tinum of Linnzus, but, as applied to the genus Bryum, it is 
older than turbinatum. 
I am, my dear Sir, yours sincerely, 
Epwarpb Forster. 
Woodford, January 17th, 1842. 


LIII.—On Bird-catching Spiders, with remarks on the Com- 
munication from W. S. MacLeay, Esq. upon that subject, 
in the January number of the Annals. By W. E. Suuckx- 
ARD, Libr. R.S. 

To the Editors of the Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 

GENTLEMEN, 

I am unwilling to have it supposed that m my reference in 
Lardner’s Cyclopedia to Mr. W.S. MacLeay’s private letter, 
mentioned in his communication in your last number, I had 
made any use of it beyond what I understood to be in con- 
formity with his express wish; and shall therefore merely 
refer to the passage in his letter which I shall quote below, not 
merely permitting, but desiring me to make known his re- 
tractation of an opinion which he had expressed in his paper 
on Mygale in the ‘ Transactions of the Zoological Society.’ 

With respect to the errors which he has ascribed to me, I 
readily acknowledge two, not that I made them willingly or 
wilfully, for I see them only now that they are pointed out 
to me; one of these however is but partly mine, namely, 
mistaking Zosterops for Gasterops, which must be attributed 
in a great measure to Mr. MacLeay’s letter being, as he him- 
self states, hastily written; and being myself no ornithologist, 
I did not investigate the name, but took it as it seemed to 
present itself tome. My second error is, that I said, “ He 
therefore retracts his observations upon Mygale in the Zoolo- 
gical Transactions.” This, I admit, was deduced from too 
hasty a reading of his letter; but certainly I did not mean it 
to imply that Mr. Macleay retracted all his observations 
upon Mygale, as he infers, but those only which referred to 
the subject in hand, namely, the possibility of its propensity 
to feed upon small birds—when it could catch them. 

With respect to the “ tale of Mygale catching birds being 
either ‘substantiated or confirmed’ by another spider of 
totally different habits having been observed to catch them,” 
although Mr. MacLeay may “deny,” I certainly never as- 
serted; I merely mentioned the probability of it from the 
analogy, as the most powerful, most rapacious and fero- 


cious genus of the class was quite as likely to prey upon 
2F2 


436 Mr. Shuckard on Bird-catching Spiders. 


small birds when it could catch them, for there is nothing ir 
their organization to prohibit their indulging in such a re- 
past when falling in their way ; and I still consider that Mr. 
MacLeay’s statement with regard to one of the Epeiride 
lends authority by analogy to the assumption that such might 
be the case. If even it be the exception to the rule of their 
insectivorous habits observed only by his father and himself, 
and which he remarks nobody but themselves has witnessed 
at Sidney, this gives further plausibility to Madame Merian’s 
statement ; for might not she have observed a similar diver- 
gence from ordinary habits in the case of Mygale in the 
Brazils to that which was detected by Mr. MacLeay and his 
father in the case of one of the Epeiride in New Holland ? 
But Madame Merian is not the only authority upon which 
this peculiarity in the habits of Mygale is based. We possess 
much more recent, and much weightier evidence ; and as to 
Langsdorff’s * total denial of it, this may pass current for 
what it is worth, when we reflect how absurd every positive 
negation is in natural history, merely because the fact has 
not come under the observer’s notice, provided always there 
be no insuperable objection arising from organization to the 
possibility of its occurrence. Perty+ says of Langsdorft’s 
statement: “* C. Langsdorff mea opinione perperam negat, 
M. avicularem aves parvas apprehendere, et devorare, addens, 
eam insectis solummodo victitare. Observatores recentissimi, 
priscorum indicia repetentes, non tantum avibus sed etiam 
reptilibus minoribus, preesertim Sauriis ex Anolis genere 
nutriri asserunt.” Baron Walckenaer, who has made the 
Arachnide the study of his life, gives his opmion deduced 
from the observations of recent travellers in the following 
words : “ The Theraphoses,” the tribe of which Mygale is the 
first and chief genus, “include the largest species of Arachnide, 
and catch in their nets! not only very large insects, but 
also small birds, such as humming-birds {.” In support of 
this he cites Milbert’s ‘ Voyage a Isle de France,’ and 
Palissot de Beauvais, who says of the Mygale Blondi, that 
at night it ascends trees, enters the nests of humming-birds 
and sucks their eggs or the blood of their young ones. Per- 
cival, in his ‘ Account of Ceylon,’ says of the Mygale fasciata, 
“Phere is an immense spider found here, with legs not less 
than four inches long, and having the body covered with 
thick black hair. The weds! which it makes are strong 
enough to entangle and hold even small birds, which form 


* Reise um die Welt. i. Bd. 63. t Delect. Animal. Artic., p. 37. 
t Walckenaer, Aptéres, tom. i. p, 205. 1837. 


Mr. Shuckard on Bird-catching Spiders. 437 


its usual prey*.” It was, besides, M. Latreille’s opinion, who 
distinctly says of Mygale, “ This division contains those mon- 
strous spiders, whose legs, in their natural position, occupy 
a circular space, the diameter of which is seven or eight 
inches, and which sometimes seize upon small birds+ ;” 
and M. Moreau de Jonnés, who made the natural history 
of these spiders the subject of special observation in the 
Island of Martinique, says, “ It chases far and wide in search 
of its prey, and conceals itself beneath leaves for the purpose 
of surprising it, and it will climb the branches of trees to 
devour the young of the humming-bird, and of Certhia 
flaveola, Linn.{.” He further says of its mode of attacking 
its prey, whence we may infer it was derived from persona! 
observation, “ When it throws itself upon its prey, it clings 
to the body by means of the double hooks which terminate 
its tarsi, and it then strives to reach the occiput, that it may 
insert its fangs between the skull and the first of the cervical 
vertebra. I have observed in other American insects a simi- 
lar destructive instinct §.” With regard to its power of exe- 
cuting this, he says, “ The muscular strength of the Mygale 
is very great, and it is with difficulty made to let go what it 
seizes, even when the surface scarcely presents a hold for 
the claws with which the tarsi are armed, or for the powerful 
fangs which assist them to kill birds and the Anolis. Its 
obstinacy and ferocity in fighting cease only with its life.” 
It would be easy to add other authorities in support of their 
strength and rapacity, and those already cited state that 
Mygale spins nets or webs; I did not say they constructed 
geometrical webs, for very few genera of spiders form these, 
although all the pulmonary spiders have the means of spin- 
ning some kind of net. 

I will now cite the words of Mr. MacLeay’s letter to me, 
to show how far my account, which is to be found extracted 
in his letter to you, differs from his own; for, as old Chapman 
sings, I have no wish to “ blanch things further than their 
truth.” Mr. MacLeay’s words, verbatim, are these : “ I wish 
you would have the goodness to mention to such of your 
friends as have taken up the study of Arachnide, that I have 
found a spider that will prey on small birds, and in fact 
catches them in its net as well as insects. In my paper on 
Mygale in the ‘ Zoological Transactions’ I expressed a be- 
lief that no true bird-catching spider exists; but I retract 
this belief, as J have found a spider of the family Epeiride 

* Account of Ceylon. London, 1805, p. 510. 
+ Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., second edition, vol, xxii. p. 113. 
+ Ibid, p. 117. § Ibid. 


438 Mr. Bidwill on a new species of Araucaria. 


actually devouring the young of a Zosterops that had no 
doubt lately flown from the nest. My father had witnessed 
the same circumstance before, so that there is a spider which 
will feed on the juices of a warm-blooded animal. However, 
its more common food consists of Gryllide and large Lepi- 
doptera.” 

Having shown that I had authority for saying that Mygale 
makes nets and catches birds in them, I think the probability 
of the accuracy of the accounts enumerated above of their 
feeding upon birds was a legitimate deduction from the 
analogical discovery of one whom we know to be a fully 
competent observer, and I therefore suggest the comparison 
of the two extracts, which is all that either party said-upon 
the subject, and which will necessarily reduce my “ tissue of 
mistakes” to two, namely, Ist. The mistake of one name for 
another, which in Mr. MacLeay’s autograph was exceedingly 
similar ; and 2ndly, my too hastily stating that he retracted his 
observations upon Mygale; whereas it should have been merely 
that he retracted his disbelief that any spider fed upon the juices 
of a warm-blooded animal. For this mis-statement I beg to 
apologize to him, although it is very venial, considering the 
array of authorities quoted above in support of the opinion 
that Mygale is a red- and warm-blood-thirsty creature, and 
that it constructs a web. 

I am, Gentlemen, truly yours, 


W. E. SHuCKARD. 
Robert Street, Chelsea, January 2, 1842. 


LIV.—On a new species of Araucaria from New South Wales ; 
and on Nuytsia floribunda. By H. Bipwiut, Esq.* 


Description of a new species of Araucaria from about forty 
miles N.W. of Moreton Bay, New South Wales. 

A tree from 100 to 200 feet high, often without branches for 
100 feet. Branches very slender, lax, verticillate ; branchlets 
very numerous, slender; leaves sessile, of two different kinds 
on different parts of the branches; some #ths of an inch long, 
somewhat triangular, slightly incurved, very like those of 
young specimens of A. imbricata; the others lanceolate, 2 
inches long, + an inch wide, recurved; both somewhat mu- 
cronate, surrounding the stem as in other species, but not so 
numerous ; the long ones are probably produced in summer, 
and the others in winter. Neither cones nor male flowers seen. 
Scales from top of cone containing abortive seeds 3 inches 


* We have to thank Mr. Bidwill for the male twig which accompanied 
his description ; and shall be happy to avail ourselves of his offer.—Ep. 


Scientific Travellers. 439 


long, 13 broad, spongy, hooked at end; seed 13 inch long, 
egg-shaped, compressed, free from the scale, apparently not 
winged ; whether dicecious or not, not known. Ripens seed 
in January, when the natives collect from great distances to 
feed on it. It is said there is also another species, but I have 
not seen it.—H. Bipwitu. 


Note on Nuytsia floribunda. 


In the government garden at Sidney is a single plant of 
Nuytsia, which flowers every year, but does not ripen many 
seeds. I this year picked up several and sowed them, but they 
have not come up. As I was particularly anxious to preserve 
the plant, I invariably looked around it for seedlings when- 
ever I entered the garden, and a few days since discovered 
two just breaking the ground. I then found that this curious 
plant has three (!) cotyledons, which are awl-shaped and per- 
fectly equal in size and appearance. As I never recollect to 
have heard of a plant with three cotyledons before, I thought 
it worth mentioning, in order to compare it, if possible, with 
Schepfia, Gaiadendron, Aucuba, &c., the other terrestrial ge- 
nera of (so-called) Loranthacee. I should like to know if it 
is to be found in English collections *.—H. B. 


Sidney, July 5, 1841. 


LV.—Information respecting Scientific Travellers. 
Some account of the Natural History of the Island of Che- 


dooba, from the Report of Kpwarpv P. Hausrxap, Esq., 
Commander of Her Majesty’s Sloop Childers+. 


Tue island of Chedooba measures 154 miles in length, viz. from 
18° 40’ to 18° 55! 30” N. latitude, and 17 miles in width, viz. 
from 93° 30! to 93° 47! E. longitude, and shows on the map as a 
square the S.W. angle of which has been reduced. With its de- 
pendency of Flat Island on the south coast, it covers an area of about 
200 square miles. Its general appearance and character is that of a 
fertile, well-wooded island of moderate height and irregular outline. 
A band of level plain, but little raised above the sea, extends around 
its coasts, of far greater width on the east than on the west; within this 
lie irregular, low, undulating hills, varying in height from 50 to 
500 feet, enclosing several higher detached mounds, of steep, well- 
wooded sides, the loftiest of which, near the south part of the island, 
rises nearly 1400 feet. 

The view from the top of these higher summits presents, imme- 


* On reference to Mr. Loudon’s ‘ Arboretum et Fruticetum Britannicum,’ 
it appears not to have been as yet introduced.— Ep. 
¢ From the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, No. exiii. 


440 Scientific Travellers. 


diately below, a scattered irregular mass of hills, confined principally 
to the western part of the island, covered with jungle, interspersed 
with grass plains of more or less extent. To the eastward a broad 
flat plain intersected with patches of jungle; and surrounding all, 
lie the cultivated rice-fields with the different villages on their verge 
nearest the sea, the coast of which to the westward is everywhere 
strewed with broken and detached masses of rock jutting far out. 

In introducing to notice the more natural productions of the island, 
in the vegetable kingdom, it may be well first to speak of the soil in 
which they are found. 

This is with little exception of one character, a loose friable earth 
of light yellow colour, having the general clay base much modified 
with decayed vegetable matter, the angular fragments of soft sand- 
stone having passed from a greenish into a dirty yellow colour, and 
being in a state of rapid decomposition. 

The exceptions to this were found in a few spots to consist of a 
soil bearing more of the character of mould. The above soil extends 
throughout the interior parts of the island, embracing all the hills 
higher and lower down to those flatter lands which have been noticed 
as applicable for the extension of rice cultivation, and constitutes 
that of the jungles, which are co-extensive with it. 

These in their general character are open, consisting much of de- 
tached clumps of bamboo or of trees from | foot to 18 inches in dia- 
meter, well separated below, but in their branches having creepers 
thickly entwined. Throughout the lower jungles, open spaces, some 
deserving the character of small plains, are of very frequent occur- 
rence. On the higher hills the trees are closest of growth and largest 
of size, but still clear of understuff. 

Timber of great size, and some of valuable quality, is to be found, 
but it is confined to the very summits of the highest hills, and is 
therefore partly inaccessible, nor would its amount ever remunerate 
the labour of constructing roads for its transport. The soil in which 
these grow is of the same nature as that described above ; but within 
a few hundred feet of the summits, all of which are very steep, it is 
piled up in the loosest possible manner. The stroke of an axe or dah 
on an extensive hill-top would so shake it for a space of 150 yards 
around, as to make observation in the quicksilver of an artificial ho- 
rizon impossible. 

Precisely at the spot where this loose texture commences—com- 
mences the growth of the large timber, increasing in size thence to 
the summits, and from the trees not being deciduous (or at least not 
so at the same season), a most marked line of separation is thus 
traced out between these and the smaller leafless jungle below. 

The wood oil-tree was the most conspicuous in growth and size 
of the larger trees of these summits. One was felled on the west 
hill, which measured in diameter at the respective ends of a 60-feet 
length, 4 feet G inches and 3 feet 6 inches; and another is left stand- 
ing as a mark, on the summit, which measures 21 feet 4 inches in 
girt at 6 feet from the ground. ‘The wood of this tree will not, I 


Scientific Travellers. 441 


fear, be found valuable as timber, but its produce, the wood oil, has 
yet to be better appreciated than at present. This substance is pro- 
duced by cutting a hole into the body of the tree* and kindling a 
fire in it; the flat floor, as it were, of the hole has a groove cut in 
it, which receives the oil as it exudes from the wound, and whence a 
split bamboo conducts it to the pots placed for its reception; the 
quantity thus yielded from a large tree is surprisingly great. In 
felling the above-mentioned individual the oil ran in a stream from 
it, and it must have contained even tons. The strict propriety of 
designating it an oil may be doubted. It has always seemed to me 
more like a varnish ; it speedily forms a highly polished surface on 
wood work, and has a fine aromatic scent, not unlike that of cedar; 
mixed with reeds and dried, it makes a brilliant and fragrant torch. 
The colour of the wood is a dull pink. 

In the course of clearing these summits for observations connected 
with the survey, many other trees were felled exhibiting characters 
apparently valuable as.timber. Among the natives there were dif- 
ferences of opinion about their names, and waving even this obstacle 
to any description of them, the remark already made, of the difficulty 
opposed to their being brought down, renders such attempt unneces- 
sary. The oil-trees would be found most valuable as a source of 
supply for that material, and perhaps many of their neighbours also 
would be found more useful living than dead by the produce they 
may be found to yield. One of these, of large size, and with a bark 
similar to cork, was found to produce caoutchouc in great abundance. 
On cutting through the outer rough coat, a soft inner one, nearly 
an inch thick, is found closely attached to the more solid wood; on 
wounding this, the caoutchouc exudes freely, of a consistency and 
colour like thick milk. The tree was much avoided by the natives 
on account of the noxious quality of this milk, which, if by accident 
entering the eye, on the tree being struck, so as to wound it, was 
said to produce certain blindness. 

Another tree of very large leaf but moderate size was also much 
avoided, and great care taken in felling it to prevent its juice from 
touching the skin, which it was said to blister and poison. The 
adhesive quality of this substance was therefore more taken for 
granted than proved. 

A plant, with the appearance of a Cactus, but growing to the 
height and size of a tree, and known perhaps generally under the 
name of Sisso (not the timber tree of that name), yielded the caout- 
chouc in the greatest abundance. On severing a leaf, it ran forth 
in a small stream like milk. Many of the creepers also contained it 
in large quantities, and in one spot of the jungle of the Krae-rone 
Circle, I found the Caoutchouc tree of South America, affording 
prospect, that, as European intelligence and enterprize became more 
attracted towards the products of India, that continent may some 
day find its exclusive trade in this every day increasing valuable ar- 
ticle formidably disputed. ‘The wild cotton tree grows to a great 
size, and at the time seen was covered with a mass of its beautiful 


* See Dr. Spry’s Visit to Arracan, No. 110, 


442 Scientific Travellers. 


crimson flowers and flocks of birds. Its wool is sometimes used for 
stuffing pillows or beds. 

The Gamboge tree was found of large size, and in considerable 
quantity, in clearing the jungle from the summit of the N.W. Peak ; 
it was well known to the natives ; but no use is made of its beautiful 
gum, which covered the stems in considerable quantities. It lives 
in the higher jungles. 

It is not doubtless the only tree in these wilds yielding a valuable 
gum, but want of acquaintance with botanical science prevented re- 
searches of that kind, which might have led to useful discovery. The 
safety and facility, and even enjoyment with which such researches 
may be carried on in the fine season, in the woods of Chedooba, 
seem however to point them out as a spot very eligible for the care- 
ful examination of an able botanist, unless indeed they be considered 
too limited in extent to exhibit a sample of the general character of 
the jungles of this coast. 

A very brilliant crimson gum was found to flow in great quantity 
from a large creeper (J'allee-medzou-nowy) which is very common. 
If dried speedily in the sun, becoming very brittle, but retaining its 
colour; it is of very astringent quality, and is used in some diseases 
as a medicine by the native quacks. 

I may not fail to mention another creeper, whose properties are as 
valuable as interesting, and not the less so from its being found 
everywhere, both high and low. It is truly a traveller’s friend, and 
the wandering Mug well appreciates its value. With his dah he 
cuts off a junk and quenches his thirst with its contents, a pure, 
tasteless, cool water, of which it contains as much as its large nu- 
merous pores will hold, and which are immediately emptied by 
holding the piece perpendicular. A piece about 2 feet in length, and 
as thick as a small wrist, gave rather more than half a pint of water. 
In the rainy season it would have given double that quantity. 

In travelling through the jungles, the liquid of this water-creeper 
(Jabroon nony) is the constant beverage of the natives, when not 
otherwise supplied with that necessary, and its universal presence 
makes him very independent in his choice of road. 

The rattan is everywhere found in the jungles, and performs all 
the ordinary duties of rope; it grows to a great size; two were 
taken from the West Hill 114 feet in length, and 14 inch diameter. 

Although Chedooba may not be looked to for supplying valuable 
timber to other parts, yet for its own consumption, and most, if not 
all domestic purposes, it possesses amply sufficient to meet any de- 
mand. For such purposes plank may easily be brought down from 
the hill, whence the whole tree must be immoveable. The lower 
jungles contain woods perfectly adapted to such uses; and in those 
of the Eastern Plains was found the Thew-gaan growing plentifully, 
some of the trees between 2 and 3 feet in diameter, and which itself 
would supply material for almost all purposes. The wood of this 
tree is hard and close-grained, of a yellow colour and most durable. 
In the southern provinces of Tenasserim it grows to an immense 
size, and in the Sandoway district; hereafter its qualities may 


Scientific Travellers. 443 


be appreciated by other than the natives, with whom its durability 
has given rise to the proverb that ‘a Cemoe of Thew-gaan lasts 99 
years.’ 

Of the productions of the animal kingdom, the island exhibits but 
a limited variety. 

Of wild animals, the deer is the largest and most plentiful; they 
are very numerous throughout the island, though I never either 
heard or saw but one species, that which is generally known as the 
‘barking deer.’ The natives run them down with dogs ; they have 
no means of shooting them. ‘The flesh was found less dry and un- 
flavoured than was expected. 

Next in size and number to the deer is the wild hog, the only 
species on the island. They are not large, but numerous, especially 
in the jungles which lie closest to the rice lands, on which they 
commit heavy depredations, and our assistance was frequently in- 
voked to destroy at least some-of the enemy. But in general the 
labour of the day was deemed enough for our party without trench- 
ing on the hours of rest, which was necessary in order to comply 
with the request. 

Jungle cats are found, but are not numerous ; but one was ever 
seen by any of our party. 

Squirrels are plentiful, and of large size, though of but one 
species; a dark brown in colour throughout, with exception of the 
throat, and a narrow stripe along the belly of yellowish white. One 
was shot of the size of a full-grown rabbit ; it was a male; his lady 
in company was of more delicate size. 

Monkeys we heard of, but I much doubt their existence on the 
island ; at least it is strange, that in so long and extensive a traverse 
of it such an animal was neither seen nor heard. 

The freedom from any formidable wild beast is a circumstance of 
advantage in these countries, which may not be passed over without 
remarks; it contributed largely to the comfort and freedom with 
which we were enabled to penetrate through the Chedooba, forming 
a source of congratulation when obliged to take up a night’s lodging 
or a day’s journey in the jungle. 

The natives state that a tiger did once attempt a landing on the 
island, but fortunately being seen while yet swimming towards the 
shore, time was afforded to the inhabitants of the nearest village to 
prepare for his welcome ; and before he could gain footing, either for 
attack or escape, he was cut in pieces with their dahs, since which 
his example has never been followed. 

I know not how far the swimming qualities of a tiger may bear 
witness to the truth of this story, but the feat in an opposite direc- 
tion was safely performed by one of the elephants which were placed 
at our service, which, after breaking from his ropes, swam the straits, 
and landed safely on the opposite coast of Ramree, a distance of 
seven miles at the least, where he was recaptured and sent back. 

Of reptiles, one snake was seen, and a few lizards and insects; the 
most numerous and beautiful are the butterflies, which were found 
even on the highest peaks. Bees are plentiful, but the jungles alone 


444 Scientific Travellers. 


supply the honey, which is very sweet and good, and serves through- 
out the island in the place of sugar. 

Fish forms a very important part of the diet of the Mug, and 
mainly in this view are the villages of Chedooba formed around the 
shores. It is very plentiful, though not of any great variety. ‘The 
most common is a species of Bonito, a muscular fish of rapid mo- 
tion and great strength, though seldom arriving at a weight of 4 lbs. 
It has a very thick smooth skin, without scale, and is of silvery 
white, longitudinaily spotted with blue. On the western coast, in 
the sandy bays, they are very numerous, and are taken in great 
plenty with hook and line. 

The bamboo supplies the fishing-rod, and in the evening, when 
most readily taken, the shore may be seen with twenty natives in a 
line from the nearest village, as close together as they can stand, up 
to their middles in the water, with their baskets slung on their backs, 
and casting their lines as rapidly as if fly-fishing, laughing and joking 
at their success, without the least fear of driving their prey away, 
though they must be among their legs. The flesh of these fish is 
very firm and nutritious. 

Very great quantities of a tiny little fish, most similar to, if not 
in fact, the Anchovy or a small Sardine, are taken on the same coast. 
They are dried in the sun without any preparation, a day or two’s 
exposure being sufficient for the purpose, and exported in great 
quantities to Ramree and the neighbouring coast. ‘The method of 
taking them is perhaps peculiar, and forms an interesting and lively 
scene. ‘The morning is the time of the best ‘ take,’ at which period, 
and when near high water, young and old assemble on the sand in 
groups, with flat open-mouthed baskets of bamboo work, awaiting 
the opportunity for a catch. This occurs when the shoals of tiny 
fish are driven for supposed safety close into the beach by their 
larger, persecuting, and ravenous brethren. Then away dashes the 
nearest group of expectants into the water, to the back of the surf 
which is constantly though not heavily rolling in on the coast, and, 
driving back the original pursuers, face round in shore and place the 
flat mouths of their baskets in line together, just outside the retiring 
wave, receiving from it its finny contents. Sometimes more than a 
gallon will be thus deposited in a single basket. 

The uncertainty as to where the shoal will come in, and the ra- 
pidity and ability with which the fortunate group take advantage of 
their opportunity, afford all the excitement and amusement to these 
cheerful people of a game of chance, and cannot be looked on by a 
stranger without interest. Flocks of cranes, crows, kites and gulls, 
of many sizes, colours and voices, looking out for the stragglers on 
the sand that have escaped the mouths of the fishes and the bas- 
kets, form an addition to the scene. 

The gray mullet, of good size and flavour, is got from the creeks 
of the east side of the island. Rock fish are plentiful, but not easily 
taken ; when intended to be preserved, they are split into quarters, 
kept together at either end, and then opened by strips of bamboo, 
and the whole hung up to dry in the sun. Skate were frequently 


Bibliographical Notices. 445 


seen, but none caught; they were often observed to make very high 
though clumsy leaps, a feat not often I believe practised by flat fish. 
A fisn of considerable size, from twelve to twenty lbs. weight appa- 
rently, and in form resembling the salmon, was frequently seen of an 
evening performing very astonishing leaps. ‘They were always quite 
perpendicular, and therefore appeared as a gambol, more than an effort 
to take prey, and sometimes extended to a height of thirty feet. 

Of shell-fish we found craw-fish and prawns, the latter of great 
size and very delicious; they are limited to the creeks of the east 
side of the island, where also the one in the neighbourhood of the 
Meug-breng village possesses truly fine oysters. They are large, 
but of a flavour as delicate as our own Colchester luxury: it may 
be lamented that they are not more generally known, and attempts 
made to grow them elsewhere. They have been transported to Kyouk 
Phyoo, and do well there. 

Turtle are common, and are taken by the natives on the sand- 
islands and bays. They are of large size and of good species, but I 
can make no mention of their quality as food. 

Many beautiful and valuable species of shells are to be found on 
the flats off the North Point of the island, where however but little 
leisure or opportunity of dredging for them was afforded. 

Of wild birds, the Sarus [ Larus?]is perhaps the largest on the island, 
and is plentiful. ‘They are common in other parts of India, and are, I 
believe, good eating. There are a great many varieties of the crane, 
some of very beautiful plumage and great size. These constitute 
the greatest portion of the feathered inhabitants, and would supply 
perhaps some new and valuable varieties, if not species: doves are 
very numerous; a small green parrot is found, and some few green 
pigeons were seen. But in general, other than have been mentioned, 
the birds are of those species most commonly met with in these cli- 
mates. ‘The jungles are, however, scantily peopled, though I may 
not omit to notice one which, with its sweet and soft note late in 
the evening, often gratified us, and was deemed not an unworthy 
brother-songster of the nightingale. 


NIGER EXPEDITION :—DR. VOGEL. 

Our readers will rejoice to learn that Dr. Vogel, Mr. Fraser, and 
Dr. Stanger are not among the victims of the fatal Niger expedition. 
Dr. Vogel has recovered from an attack of fever, and will remain for 
a time at Fernando Po, for the purpose of botanical investigation. 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 


On the Structure of the Cyst-worm. By George Gulliver, F.R.S. 
(Medico-Chir. Trans., vol. xxiv.) 

In this memoir, after remarking the great importance of the Cyst- 

worm as one of the very few parasites that infest the muscular fibre 

of man, as well as that of animals used by him as food, the author 

proceeds to describe many points in the anatomy of the Entozoon 


446 Bibliographical Notices. 


which he believes have hitherto been either imperfectly elucidated 
or altogether neglected. 

The neck or true body of the worm is thickly studded with oval 
corpuscles, the average long diameter of which is ;4,5nd of an inch, 
and the short diameter 5,'5;5th. These corpuscles are composed of 
a shell of carbonate of lime inclosing an internal granular matter. 
Mr. Gulliver thks it probable that they are the ova of the worm. 
‘They are almost exclusively confined to the body, not one of them 
being found in the caudal vesicle; but the tissue of the latter is 
throughout pervaded by oil-like spherules. 

In a description of the configuration and arrangement of the hook- 
lets, the author shows that the two sets, though alike in form, are 
quite distinct in size, and arranged alternately ; and that each claw 
has a blunt lateral process, which has been mistaken for an ovum; 
and this process, when seen foreshortened, has the appearance of an 
oval body distinct from the claw. 

The paper is illustrated by several figures, exhibiting the form and 
structure of the corpuscles supposed to be the ova, of the tentacles, 
as well as of body, caudal vesicle and cyst of the Cysticercus, from 
the omentum of the Mexican deer. 


Genera Plantarum secundum Ordines Naturales disposita, auctore 
Stephano Endlicher, 1836—1840. 


A work to which reference could be made with almost a certainty 
of finding the complete characters of any genus of plants has long been 
a desideratum with botanists, and from the labour, not to say know- 
ledge, requisite for the production of such a book, many of them have 
almost despaired of its ever appearing. We feel therefore peculiar 
pleasure in congratulating botanists in general, and more particu- 
larly Prof. Endlicher, on the completion of the above gigantic under- 
taking, the earlier portions of which have been long enough in our 
hands to give us practical experience of its usefulness. ‘This book 
is closely printed in very large 8vo, consisting of 1483 pages, and 
containing nearly 7000 genera, and is so arranged as to form either 
one or two volumes at the pleasure of its possessor. A collection 
into one place of the descriptions given by the first observers of the 
several genera would have constituted a valuable work ; but here we 
find the characters of each genus in an order reduced to the same 
form so as to contrast with each other, and thus point out in a 
peculiarly satisfactory manner the distinctions of each genus from 
every other. This is a point far too much neglected by botanists 
in the description of species as well as genera, and we are therefore 
rejoiced to find that it has been so carefully attended to in the work 
before us. 

The author states that it is his intention to publish supplements, 
containing corrections and additions, as often as a sufficient quan- 
tity have been collected, and expresses a hope that all botanists will 
communicate to him such new genera as they may describe, or errors 
which they detect. We have no doubt that this very reasonable re- 
quest will be most cheerfully complied with, and that thus we shall 


Linnean Society. 447 


have the advantage of possessing a Genera Plantarum complete up 
to the time of publication of each of the supplementary parts. 


Nomenciator Botanicus, seu Synonymia Plantarum Universalis, auctore 
E. T. Steudel, M.D. Ed. 2. 1840-41. 


The completion of the above laborious undertaking points out in 
a peculiarly clear manner the great advance in the knowledge of 
species that has been attained during the last twenty years. In the 
former edition of this work (if such it ought to be called), which ap- 
peared in 1821, there are 3376 genera and 39,684 species recorded, 
whilst in the present edition, which has appeared at intervals during 
the years 1840 and 1841, the names of 6722 genera and 78,005 spe- 
cies are recorded ; thus almost doubling the number of ascertained 
genera and also of species. It is probable that no previous period of 
similar extent would show any approach to so great a relative ad- 
vance in our knowledge of the Phanerogamic plants, to which di- 
vision the present work is confined. 

We need scarcely say more concerning a work that must recom- 
mend itself so strongly by its mere usefulness to the notice of bota- 
nists, but may add that, as far as English publications are concerned, 
it appears to include nearly everything up to the conclusion of the 
17th volume of the Linnzan Transactions. 


Enchiridion Botanicum exhibens Classes et Ordines Plantarum ; accedit 
Nomenclator Generum, auctore S. Endlicher, M.D. 1841. 


The great work that we have already noticed by Prof. Endlicher 
had hardly been completed when he again comes before us with the 
present volume, which contains very full descriptions of the natural 
orders of plants ; a complete list of the genera included under each ; 
and numerous observations on their affinities, geography, qualities 
and use in medicine, for culinary purposes, and in the arts. We can- 
not too strongly recommend this book to all botanical students. 


PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 
LINNAZAN SOCIETY. 
June 15, 1841.—The Bishop of Norwich, President, in the Chair. 


Read, an Extract from a Letter from William Griffith, Esq., F.L.S., 
to R. H. Solly, Esq., F.L.S., dated Meerut, March 29, 1841. 

Mr. Griffith states, that in its placentation, ovula, and protrusion 
of the embryonary sac, Osyris approaches Santalum, but presents in 
some particulars still more curious anomalies. First, the embryo- 
nary sac of Osyris seems to be produced beyond the base of the 
ovulum, passing down through the placenta and through the central 
tissue of the young fruit to its base. Secondly, the first steps of the 
growths consequent on fecundation take place outside the protruded 
sac, which may be found unaltered in the placenta of the ripe fruit. 
Whether the first cells, constituting the rudiments of the part in 


448 Linnean Society. 


which albumen is subsequently deposited, are derived from the boyau 
or from the embryonary sac, Mr. Griffith states, that he has not 
been able to determine ; but he imagines that they are derived from 
the boyau. He adds, that if his views of the seed of Loranthus being 
derived from the boyau solely be correct, Osyris is intermediate be- 
tween Loranthus and Santalum; and intimates his intention of send- 
ing, on his arrival at Calcutta, a Supplement to his paper on Loran- 
thus, published in the Society’s Transactions. 


Read also a paper ‘‘ Ona reformed character of the genus Cry- 
ptolepis of Brown.” By H. Falconer, M.D., Superintendent of the 
Hon. East India Company’s Botanic Garden at Saharunpore. 

Dr. Falconer’s character is as follows :— 


CryrrTocepis, R. Br. 

Calyx 5-partitus. Corolla infundibuliformis, 5-fida ; tubo intus proces- 
subus 5 earnosis, obtusis, inclusis, cum limbi laciniis alternantibus, in- 
structo; fauce nuda. Stamina imo corollz tubo inserta, inclusa ; fila- 
menta brevissima, distincta; anthere sagittate, dorso penicillato-bar- 
bate, basi stigmatis margini adheerentes. Masse pollinis solitariz, 
granulose, corpusculi glandulformis appendiculz lineari tenuissimz 
applicite. Ovaria 2. Stylus brevissimus. Stigma dilatatum, margine 
attenuatum, apiculo conico. Squamule hypogyne nulle. Folliculi di- 
varicatissimi, ventricosi, apice acuto recto. Sema ad umbilicum co- 
mosa. 

Frutex volubilis, glaberrimus, succo lacteo scatens ; foliis oppositis, breve- 
petiolatis, lato-ellipticis cum acumine subulato brevi, supra lete-viren- 
tibus, subtus albido-glaucis, transverse venosis ; petiolis supra basin ar- 
ticulatis ; corymbis axillaribus, breve-pedunculatis, curtatis ; floribus 
subsessilibus, majusculis, citrinis; corollze limbo patulo, segmentis ligu- 
latis. 

C. Buchanani, Reem. et Sch., iv. p. 409. 

C. reticulata, Royle, Illustr., p. 270. 

Nerium reticulatum, Roxb. Flor. Ind, Orient., ii. p. 9. 

Hab. passim in India Orientali. 

In his Monograph in the Wernerian Transactions, Mr. Brown re- 
ferred the genus Cryptolepis, which he there established, to Apocynee, 
placing it next to Apocynum, and in this he has been foilowed by all 
subsequent writers; but Dr. Falconer states that it has the whole 
stigmatic apparatus of Asclepiadee, with granular pollen as typically 
developed as in Cryptostegia or any other of the Periplocee, although 
in a less considerable degree of evolution. He regards it, however, 
as constituting the closest known transition from that family to Apo- 
cynee. He thinks the extreme minuteness of the appendicule may 
account for their having escaped Mr. Brown’s observation in the dry 
specimen; but adds, that there are two other points of difference, 
which lead him to suspect his plant to be distinct from that described 

Mr. Brown. These are the want of hypogynous scales, of which 
he finds no trace, and which he believes to be wanting in the series of 
Periploceous genera allied to Cryptolepis; and the axillary, and not 
interpetiolar, inflorescence. He also gives a detailed description of 
the sexual organs, and states that he has never been able to observe 
the pollen tubes either naturally or artificially produced. 


Linnean Society. 449 


In a supplementary note, Dr. Falconer adds, that he has since 
learned by letters from Dr. Wight and Mr. Griffith, that both those 
gentlemen have been long aware of Cryptolepis being an Asclepiadeous 
genus. With reference to Dr. Wight and Mr. Arnott’s genus Stre- 
ptocaulon, under which those authors include the mass of Dr. Wallich’s 
Indian species of Periploca, he observes, that S. calophyllum wants 
the principal character on which the distinction of that genus from 
Periploca is founded, and suggests its restoration to Periploca, of 
which he also characterizes a new species from the neighbourhood 
of Cashmeer with a peculiar pseudo-aphyllous habit. Of these spe- 
cies he gives the following characters :— 

P. calophylia, volubilis glabra, foliis angusté lanceolatis longé attenuatis 
utrinque nitidis transversé venosis, cymis subsessilibus paucifloris, flo- 
ribus breviter pedicellatis, corollis intus parcé hirsutis, squamis hirsutis- 
simis, folliculis elongatis gracilibus subparallelis (nec divaricatis !). 

Streptocaulon calophyllum, Wight, Contr. Ind. Bot., p. 65. 

Hab. passim in vallibus extericribus montium Himalensium. 

P. Hydaspidis, volubilis .ramosissima glabra, ramis fasciculatis nodoso- 
articulatis, foliis tenuissimis linearibus apiculatis adpressis remotis ca- 
ducis, cymis axillaribus multifloris, floribus breviter pedicellatis, corolla 
ints squamisque tomentosis. 

Hab. secus ripas Hydaspidis extra Kashmeer prope ‘‘ Khutao Kelah.’”"— 

#1. Septembri. 


The paper was accompanied by a coloured drawing of Cryptolepis 
Buchanani ? var. reticulata, and of the details of its fructification. 

Read also, ‘‘ A Description of an additional species of Paussus.”’ 
By J. O. Westwood, Esq., F.L.S., &c. 

The following are the characters of this species, which Mr. West- 
wood states to be most nearly allied to P. ruber, Thb., and of which 
he has seen only a single specimen in the collection of Samuel 
Stevens, Esq., who obtained it together with specimens of Platyrho- 
palus denticornis and P. aplustrifer in a small collection of Indian in- 
sects, without any indication of its precise locality. 

Paussus Stevensianus, pallidé luteus, capite rugosulo tuberculis 2 elevatis 

inter oculos, antennarum clava magna posticé excavata, elytris versus 
apicem fasciculis duobus minutis pilorum instructis. 


November 2.—The Bishop of Norwich, President, in the Chair. 


Read, ‘‘ Notes on the Habits of the Box-Tortoise of the United 
States of America, the Cistuda Carolina of Gray.” By George Ord, 
Esq., F.L.S. 

Mr. Ord states that this species is common in Pennsylvania, and 
appears to prefer dry situations, only frequenting the wet in pursuit 
of some favourite food, such as the remains of fish which lie scattered 
under the trees in swamps where the Night-heron (Ardea Nyctico- 
rax, lL.) breeds. It feeds also on insects, worms, and tender fungi, 
and eats greedily of strawberries, raspberries, and soft peaches. Its 
flesh is excellent, but the farmers have the same prejudice against it 
as against that of frogs. It hybernates about the middle of October, 
preferring a loose soil and southern exposure; and in severe winters 
some individuals perish in consequence of not having penetrated toa 


Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. vii. 2G 


456 Linnean Society. 


sufficient depth to escape the frost. About the 20th of April the sur- 
vivors reappear in a feeble state, until invigorated by the returning 
warmth. 

Mr. Ord kept a number of these Tortoises for several years in his 
garden, where they had an ample range, abundance of suitable food, 
and convenient places of winter resort. They regularly deposited 
their eggs, but seldom produced young, a circumstance which he at- 
tributes to the destruction of the eggs by ants. He gives from his 
books of memoranda the details of observations made in the years 
1814 and 1832 on their mode of laying and depositing their eggs, 
and the circumstances attending their hatching. 

The earliest deposit observed took place on the 22nd of June 18]4. 
The Tortoise scooped out the earth with her hinder feet, using them 
alternately, as deep as she could reach, when the earth at the bottom 
of the hole was loosened. The first egg was secured in this loose 
earth, and five other eggs were laid and deposited in the same man- 
ner, at intervals of four or five minutes, the earth being scraped from 
the sides of the hole and carefully pressed upon each egg as it was 
deposited, and the hole itself being finally covered over with the 
loose earth carefully packed and pressed. The animal kept in one 
position during the whole process, not looking once at the deposit. 
The eggs appeared to pass with facility, and shortly after laying the 
last egg, she uttered a guttural sound, several times repeated. ‘The 
number of eggs appears to vary from three to six. 

In June 1832 Mr. Ord renewed his observations. Two of the 
female Tortoises then in his possession having been disturbed when 
about to lay, abandoned the place ; one of these laid on the subsequent 
day, and the other not until the second day after, whence Mr. Ord 
concludes that they possess the power of retaining their eggs under 
certain circumstances. The eggs were always laid about or after sun- 
set; and some of the Tortoises, if not all, laid twice during the season. 
Of a deposit made on the 28th of June, one of the eggs (that nearest 
the surface) was hatched on the 24th of September. On struggling 
out of the shell the young animal seemed to be almost blind; its case 
was very soft and cartilaginous ; and in the centre of the under shell, 
or between the abdominal and the femoral shields, there was a large 
umbilical process. It measured an inch in length and could crawl 
with ease. On the 14th of October another young Tortoise made 
its appearance from the same deposit ; it was livelier and larger than 
that first hatched, measuring an inch and three-quarters in length, 
and its eyes were completely open. Mr. Ord conjectures that it had 
emerged from its shell some days previously, but had only then made 
its way to the surface. On the 15th another made its appearance, of a 
size between the other two; and on the same day Mr. Ord inspected 
the deposit and found a fourth young one, still in its shell, but strug- 
eling to get free, in which it succeeded during the afternoon. It was 
rather larger than any of the rest, and had remained in the shell one 
and twenty days longer than the first. On the 29th of September, 
Mr. Ord examined a deposit of eggs laid on the 26th of June. None 
appeared to have hatched, but the shell of the uppermost having 


Linnean Society. 451 


been partly eaten by the ants, he opened it and found a perfectly 
formed fcetus, measuring an inch in length, attached to a yolk-bag 
three-quarters of an inch long. On the 21st of October Mr. Ord 
examined one of a number of eggs which he had removed from their 
deposits on the 24th of September, and found it to contain a living 
young, not quite so large as that last mentioned, and having a much 
larger yolk-bag; and on the Ist of December he took up all the eggs 
of which he had any knowledge, none of which (although some were 
still living) were sufficiently matured for exclusion ; a circumstance 
which he attributes to a deficiency of the usual summer heat and to 
severe early frosts. Of the four young ones hatched, one escaped ; 
and the remaining three hybernated with the adults, reappeared in 
the spring, and lived in the garden for several years. 


November 16.—E. Forster, Esq., V.P., in the Chair. 


Read, ‘‘ Descriptions of some Vegetable Monstrosities,’”’ by the 
Rev. William Hincks, F.L.S., F.R.S.E., &c. 

In this paper, which is a continuation of one read before the So- 
ciety towards the close of the year 1839, Mr. Hincks arranges the 
monsters described by him under the several heads of adherences, 
transformations, and increased or diminished developments of par- 
ticular parts. 

The adherences comprise, first, a case of the union of five grapes 
into one fruit in so complete a manner as to render it probable that 
the flowers were also united; secondly, an instance of cohesion be- 
tween four peduncles of Centaurea moschata, without fusion of their 
capitula; and thirdly, the common case of adherence of two flowers 
of Fuchsia fulgens. The latter is introduced for the purpose of re- 
marking how frequently, when the usual number of organs in a circle 
results from the suppression of certain parts rudimentally present, 
the same cause which produces adherence with the nearest flower, 
also developes all the rudiments, and thus increases the number of 
parts. On the other hand, in cases of union by fusion, that is, where 
the united flowers form one enlarged flower, Mr. Hincks observes, 
that one organ at least is generally sacrificed at each point of junc- 
tion. 

Of transformations Mr. Hincks notices two: first, a terminal bud 
of an Azalea, gathered about the period when the plant ceased to 
produce blossoms, which is partially converted into a flower, the 
leaves nearest the centre being imperfectly changed into stamina, 
and surrounded by many of petaloid aspect, while the outer leaves 
differ from the ordinary appearance only in haying a little colour; 
the organs are not arranged in circles, and one leaf only, and that 
among the most remote from the centre, assumes the form of a pi- 
stillum. The second transformation described occurs in a specimen 
of Gentiana campestris, in which all the parts of the flower are con- 
verted into leaves, which are somewhat petaloid and crowded into a 
rose-like tuft: this kind of transformation is similar to that described 
and figured by M. De Candolle in Trifolium repens. 

The first case of increased or diminished development noticed by 


2G 2 


452 Entomological Society. 


Mr. Hincks affects a specimen of Anagallis arvensis, resembling one 
described by M. Moquin-Tandon as found by M. Gay, in which an 
increased development of the exterior circle is accompanied by dimi- 
nution in the interior ones: the effect produced is stated to be very 
unequal in different flowers, but the more the calyx is enlarged, the 
more the interior circles are contracted. The second case is the well- 
known wheat-ear carnation, Dianthus Caryophyllus imbricatus, L., 
which is noticed as probably affording the best example of the mon- 
strous multiplication of a particular circle. A third case occurs in 
a capitulum of Matricaria, in which the bractez, consisting under 
ordinary circumstances of paleaceous scales, are enlarged into full- 
sized leaves, completely deforming the flower: the rose-ribwort is 
noticed as a phenomenon of the same kind. Fourthly, Mr. Hincks 
mentions a monstrous variety or highly developed form of Convallaria 
multiflora, cultivated at Kew, which he presumes to be the var. 
bracteata of De Candolle and Duby: in it the number of flowers 
usually reaches five or six, and each of them proceeds from the 
axilla of a small leaf on the pedicel. And lastly, the author notices 
under this head a case of abortion or atrophy affecting the leaf of 
a fern cultivated by Messrs. Rolleston, by which in one instance the 
whole side of a frond, and in another the secondary veins with the 
parenchyma at both sides are entirely suppressed; a phenomenon 
which he has also observed in Scolopendrium officinale. 

Read also the commencement of a paper “ On the Influence of 
the Dew-point on the Temperature of Plants,’ by D. P. Gardner, 
M.D., of Hampden Sidney College, Virginia, communicated by the 
Secretary. 

December 7.—R. Brown, Esq., V.P., in the Chair. 

Read, ‘‘ On the Structure of the Nut known as Vegetable Ivory,” 
by Daniel Cooper, Esq., A.L.S. 

Read also the conclusion of Dr. Gardner’s paper ‘“‘ On the In- 
fluence of the Dew-point on the Temperature of Plants.” 


ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
August 2nd, 1841.—John Walton, Esq., V.P., in the Chair. 


Mr. 8S. Stevens exhibited a number of minute British Coleoptera 
recently captured in Kent, including specimens of a species of Mi- 
cronyx Schénh., a genus not hitherto recorded as British, but which 
Mr. Curtis had described as a species of Pissodes (P. pygmaeus). 
Mr. Curtis still however considered his insect as distinct, being 
smaller than Mr. Stevens’s specimens; but Mr. Walton stated that 
he possessed specimens smaller than any of Mr. Curtis’s. 

Mr. F. Parry exhibited two cases of splendid insects (chiefly non- 
descripts) from the Himalayas. 

Mr. Westwood stated that three specimens of Carabus Schinherri 
were taken on Ben Lomond in 1822 by A. Melly, Esq., in whose col- 
lection he had recently observed them. Mr. White also stated that 
there was a specimen in the British Museum cabinet, taken on Ben 
Lawes by Dr. Leach, which had also been supposed to be this species. 


Entomological Society. 453 


Mr. Westwood exhibited a few of the extensive collection of dis- 
sections made by Latreille, consisting of several hundred illustrations 
chiefly of the Coleoptera and Hymenoptera, accompanied by notes and 
sketches, and which had been presented to him by Mr. Melly. He 
commented upon the value of this collection, as affording the means 
of authenticating Latreille’s various descriptions and notices ; adding 
as a proof of the minute scrupulosity of that distinguished entomo- 
logist, that occasionally several dissections occurred of the same insect 
(four of Oryssus and three of Psammechus were exhibited): it likewise 
afforded the means of determining the precise types of certain genera, 
of which Anteon and Ceraphron, with their dissections, were exhibited 
as illustrations. 

Mr. Westwood also exhibited Latreille’s specimens and dissections 
of the anomalous genus Prosopistoma, from Madagascar, regarded 
by that author as Crustaceous near Apus, but which M. M. Edwards 
regards as the larva of some other crustaceous animal. 

Mr. A. White exhibited a drawing of Echidnocerus cibarius, a new 
genus of Anomourous crabs, brought from the Colombia river by Sir 
George Staunton, used by the natives for food, and nearly allied to 
Lithodes, but distinguished by the spinose basal joint of the antenna. 
He also exhibited drawings of a species of Ega, allied to EF. affinis of 
M. Edwards, taken on the cod by the Newfoundland fishermen, by 
whom it is called the fish-doctor. Its spawn is called by them egg- 
salve, and is used both as a salve and as a bait for the cod. 

He also exhibited specimens of some very minute bees, which had 
lived in a colony for two years near Southampton. Their nest had 
been found in a piece of log-wood from Campeachy, from which they 
had been removed into a cocoa nut filled with pieces of log-wood, 
in which they had thriven and made honey. The specimens were 
too much damaged to admit either the genus or species to be deter- 
mined. 


The following memoirs were read :— 
Monograph of the Elaterideous genus Compsosternus, Latr. By the 
Rev. F. W. Hope. 

Sp. 1. (Type of the genus) Elater fulgens, Fabr. Long. corp. lin. 
20. [{Hab. China. 

Sp. 2. C. sumptuosus, H. C. aurato-viridis, nitidus, capite antice 
subfoveolato, elytris aurato-viridibus, acuminatis, glabris, nitidis et 
punctulatis. Long. corp.lin. 143. [Hab. Java? Manilla. Mus. 
Dupont. 

Sp. 3. C. aureolus, H. Metallico-viridis roseoque colore tinctus, 
antennis nigricantibus, thorace vix subconvexo, postice lobato, elytris 
viridibus striato-punctatis, striis haud fortiter impressis. Long. 
corp. lin. 144. (Hab. Singapore. Tenasserim coast. 

Var. C. Calanus, Hope, MSS. olim. 

Sp. 4. C. Cantori, H. neus thorace marginato et tomentoso, an- 
tennis palpisque nigricantibus, thoracis lateribus roseo-cupreis, 
elytris eneis, substriatis, tenuissime punctulatis. Long. corp. lin. 
222. (Hab. Assam. Dr. Cantor. 

Sp. 5. C. Latreillii. Purpureo-viridis, thorace in medio purpureo, 


454 Entomological Society. 


lateribus roseis, elytris viridibus purpureoque tinctis; corpore 
infra aurato-viridi. Long. corp. lin. 154. (Hab. Cochin China. 
Duvaucel. M. Dupont. 

Sp. 6. C. Wilsoni, H. Aurato-viridis, lateribus thoracis subroseo- 
tomentosis, elytris viridibus, antennis atro-violaceis, thorace sub- 
convexo, tomentoso, medio viridi, lateribus eneis roseo colore tinctis, 
elytris viridibus, lateribus auro fluentibus, femoribus tibiisque vio- 
laceo- eneis, tarsis cyanescentibus. Long. corp. lin. 18. [Hab. 
Madras and Neilgherry Mountains. . 

Sp. 7. C. Smaragdinus, H. Viridis, antennis palpisque nigro-vio- 
laceis, scutello nigro-eneo, elytris atro-viridibus sublilissime pune- 
tulatis, corpore infra cyaneo-viridi, femoribus tibiis violaceis tar- 
sisque atro-piceis. Long. corp. lin. 14. (Hab. Madras. 

Sp. 8. C. Delessertii, Guerin. 

Sp. 9. C. Duponti, H. Viridis, thorace antice convexo, angulis la- 
teralibus subdepressis, elytris viridibus tenuissime punctulatis, cor- 
pore infra subaurato-viridi, pedibus obscurioribus. Long. corp. 
lin. 12. [Hab. Malabar. Mus. Dupont. 

Sp. 10. C. rosicolor, H. Puniceo-viridis roseoque colore tinctus, 
thorace viv convexo, punctato postice subprotenso roseo, elytris 
fortiter striato-punctatis, sutura marginibusque externis elevatis et 
roseis, pedibus flavo-testaceis, tarsis obscurioribus. Long. corp. 
lin. 114. [Hab. Java. Mus. Dupont. 

Sp. 11. C, Proteus, H. Aurato-viridis, antennis nigricantibus, tho- 
race convexo sub lente subtilissime punctulato, elytris auratis splen- 
didis, marginibus lateralibus elevatis, sutura violacea, pedibus viri- 
dibus, tarsis piceis. Long. corp. lin. 16. [Hab. Manilla. 

Sp. 12. C. Stephensii, Hope. In Gray’s Zool. Miscell. (Had. 
Nepaul. 

Sp. 13. C. Leachii, H. Chalybeo-viridis thorace cerulescenti, ely- 
trisque acuminatis et eneo-viresceniibus, thorace in medio parim 
convexo, elytris viridibus, corpore infra cerulescenti, pedibus con- 
coloribus. Long. corp. lin. 17. [Had. East India. Singapore. 

Sp. 14. C. Echscholtzii,H. Chalybeo-violaceus, capite inter oculos 
viv foveolato, aniennis atro-violaceis, elytris sub lente tenuissime 
punctulatis, pedibus violaceis, tarsis infra piceo-pilosis. (Hab. 
Manilla. 


Notice of a hitherto unobserved character distinguishing the sexes 
of certain Lucanide. By J. O. Westwood (since published in the 
Annals of Natural History, vol. vui. p. 121). 


Descriptions of some Dynastide, in the collection of the Rev. F. 
W. Hope, illustrating the natural relations of the genus Cryptodus 
with figures. By J. O. Westwood. 

RuizopLatys, W. (Subg. nov. e genere Phileuri.) Corpus ob- 
longum subconverum. Clypeus antic? acuminatus postice tuberculo 
armatus. Antenne articulo 1” latissimo. Mazille galea triden- 
tata, mandone inermi. Mentum magnum heptagonum, labium et ar- 
ticulos duos basales palporum labialium obtegens. Ungues pedum 
anticorum inequales, articulo basal tarsorum posticorum supra 
elongato-acuminato. 


Entomological Society. 455 


Rh. cribrarius, W. Piceo-niger prothorace rudé punctato, excava- 
tione profundd in parte medid et anticd, utrinque tuberculis duobus 
elevatis armato, elytris irregulariter punctatis. Long. corp. lin. 
10. [Hab. Senegal? 

Actinopotus, W. Corpus oblongo-ovatum convexum. Clypeus an- 
tice in lobos 5 rotundatos productus. Antenne articulol”® lato. Os 
inferum mento magno obtectum, Labrum transversum. Labium et 
palpi labiales (nisi apex articuli ultimi) mento obtecta. Mandi- 
bule cornee, curvate apice acute. 

Act. radians, W. Piceo-rufus antennis tarsisque nigricantibus, ca- 
pite postice et prothorace antice varioloso-punctatis, hoc lined dor- 
sali impresso, elytris striato-punctatis. Long. corp. lin. 9. [Hab. 
Brazil. 

A review of the characters of the Phileurideous Dynastide in 
comparison with those of Cryptodus and the two groups above de- 
scribed, was then made, and a description was added of a genus 
<‘ which possesses a structure of the organs of the mouth quite unlike 
that of every other Dynastideous group ;” namely, 

Leproenatuus, W. Corpus oblongo-ovatum convexrum.  Clypeus 
(os omnino obtegens) antic in lobes duos rotundatos elevato-pro- 
ductus. Os inferum minutum mento magno clausum. Mandibule 
minute bipariite (fere ut in Cetoniis). Mazille lobis duobus 
minutissimis membranaceis (supero vel galed vix distinguendo). 
Prothorax magnus, g antice subquadratus impressione magnd trans- 
versd notatus. ‘ 

Leptognathus Latreillianus, W. Piceo-niger, nitidus, prothorace 
rude punctato postice sulco impresso, elytris rude punctato-striatis 
striis ante apicem confluentibus. Long. corp. lin. 8-10. [Hab 
Senegal. 


September 6th.—W. W. Saunders, Esq., F.L.S., President, in 
the Chair. 


The President read an extract from a letter received from S. 8. 
Saunders, Esq., in Albania, giving an account of some experiments 
made with Mygale Ionica, whence it appeared that the peculiarity 
previously observed and described by him in his memoir on that 
insect, consisting of the formation of a trap door at each end of its 
tube, was only an accidental circumstance. 

Mr. Tulk exhibited a specimen of Tachina pacta, Meig., together 
with the abdomen of Carabus violaceus: the former insect had been 
reared from one of four pup found in the interior of the abdo- 
men of the latter. The Curabus was found dead amongst moss on 
the 16th August, 1841, and the first imago appeared on the 21st, 
the second on the 23rd, the other two still remained undeveloped, 
These four pupx almost entirely filled up the cavity of the abdomen. 
An oval aperture existed in the margin of the third ventral are of 
the abdomen, near the margin of the elytra, and was probably that 
by which the larve made their way into the interior, after having 
been hatched from eggs deposited on the exterior of the living beetle. 

He also exhibited some specimens of Pediculus Melitte, K., found 


456 Entomological Society. 


upon the body of Volucella bombylans. Mr. Newport stated, that 
notwithstanding this fact he was convinced, by a series of observa- 
tions, that these supposed Pediculi were in reality the young larve 
of Meloe. 

Mr. Hope communicated a letter and drawing received by Prof. 
Royle from Dr. Malcolmson in India, illustrating the habits of a 
large species of Lamia which had destreyed some large trees, and 
the reply he had written to the queries of the latter gentleman as to 
the name, habits, and means of destruction of the insect in question. 

Mr. Ingpen exhibited a species of Clytus which had been reared 
from the sugar-cane, having remained at least three years in the 
larva state. 

Mr. G. R. Waterhouse exhibited a specimen of a Coleopterous 
larva, which he had found on the stems of water plants, which he 
regarded as the larva of Donacia micans, and of which he read a de- 
tailed account. 

Mr. Hope communicated a letter he had received from Dr. Cantor, 
stating that he had kept Fulgora candelaria alive for a length of time, 
and had never observed the slightest luminosity, the existence of 
which was also denied by several intelligent Chinese with whom he 
had spoken. If at all luminous, he considered that the luminous 
property might only be developed at particular seasons. 

Mr. Yarrell exhibited a large globular nest, of beautiful white 
silk, formed by an English spider, and which was half filled with 
minute spiders just hatched. 

Mr. 8. Stevens exhibited an extensive series of rare Curculionide 
captured by himself néar Arundel, of which he has since published 
a list in the ‘ Entomologist,” including Apion dissimile, Germar, a 
species new to Britain. 

Mr. Walton mentioned that he had recently captured both sexes 
of the rare Apion levigatum at Birch Wood, the species having been 
previously only found in Suffolk, and females alone known, these 
were of a blue colour, but the male is black, as in A. Sordi. He 
likewise brought for distribution amongst the members a number of 
specimens of Apion Limonii, which he had recently captured in great 
numbers upon the Statice Limonium at Holme-juxta-mare, on the 
coast of Norfolk, where this beautiful plant covers hundreds of acres. 

Mr. Newport announced the recent discovery of Scolopendrilla 
notacantha of Gervais, which he had found at Sandwich in Kent. 

Mr. Westwood exhibited a fossil which he had obtained at Stones- 
field, and which from its form appeared to be the large elytron of a 
beetle, especially as Dr. Buckland had obtained many elytra from 
that place, and which, in his Bridgewater treatise, were described 
as Buprestideous, but which Mr. Westwood regarded as Prionideous, 
Dr. Buckland having exhibited them to him together with some ¢ri- 
lobites recently received from Cincinnati, together with another, 
supposed to be a Calymene, but which Mr. Westwood regarded as the 
abdomen of Pinnotheres. This distinction was important, since, if 
correct, it implied the existence of recent animals in the supposed 
older formations (of which the fossil tooth recently found at Stones- 


Lintomological Society. 457 


field offered an instance), thereby bringing into question the cor- 
rectness of the generally received views of the superposition of the 
different geological formations. 


A memoir was read upon Mechidius, Mach., a genus of Lamelli- 
corn beetles, with descriptions and figures of some new genera be- 
longing to the same tribe, by J. O. Westwood, F.L.S. 

From a review of the characters of the genus Mechidius Mr. West- 
wood refers it to the family Melolonthide, and describes the follow- 
ing new species. 

Meechidius Hopianus, W. M. oblongus, scaber, nigricans, opacus, 
setulis luteis (presertim thorace) subcinereus; prothoracis an- 
gulis posticis valde emarginatis. Long. corp. lin. 54. [Hab. 
New Holland? Mus. Hope. 

Mechidius Mellianus, W. WM. augustior nigricans, capite antice 
viv emarginato, prothoracis lateribus rotundatis, angulis posticis 
extus prominentibus, tibiis anticis obtuse tridentatis. Long. corp. 
lin. 44. [Hab..New Holland. Mus. Melly. 

Mechidius Macleaynus, W. M. piceus, nitidus, punctatus, lon- 
gius setosus, elytris oblongo-ovatis depressis, thorace lateribus 
rotundatis, angulis posticis acutis, tibiis anticis acute 3-dentatis. 
Long. corp. lin. 5. [Hab. New Holland. Mus. Westwood. 

Meechidius Raddonianus, W. WM. piceus, punctatus, brevissime 
setosus, capitis margine antico profunde et acute emarginato, tho- 
racis lateribus rotundatis, angulis posticis acutis. Long. corp. 
lin. 44. [Hab. Port Philip, Australia. Mus. Raddon. 

Meechidius rufus, (Hope MSS.). Rufo-castaneus, nitidus, puncta- 
tus, tenue setosus, capite lato, marginibus elevatis, tibiis anticis ob- 
tuse bidentatis, femoribus posticis in medio dilatatis articuloque 
basalt tarsorum posticorum longe penicillato. Long. corp. lin. 
24. [Hab. Port Essington, Australasia. Mus. Hope. 

Cryprocrenius, W. (Gen. nov. ad fam. Trogidarum pertinens.) 
Corpus supra planum, rugosum, setosum, prothorace subrotundato, 
elytris angustiori, pedibus longis, gracilibus, serrulatis. Clypeus 
inferus. Labrum maximum, os (insecto quiescenti) omnino obtegens. 
Mentum lateribus angulatis, antice profunde et acute emarginatum. 
Antenne \0-articulate. 

Cryprocrentus Miersianus, W. Cr. nigricans, subnitidus, luteo- 
setosus, capite et prothorace circulis concentricis confluentibus, 
sculpturatis, elytris striis numerosis tenue impressis, singulo tuber- 
culis triplici serie ordinatis. Long. corp. lin. 34. LHab. South 
America. D. Miers. 

Anaipes, W. (Gen. nov. ad fam. Trogidarum pertinens.) Cor- 
pus supra planum, rugosum, setosum, antice angustius, prothorace 
in medio longitudinaliter impresso ; postice latiori. Caput sub- 
ovale. Labrumeasertum, transversum, pariim emarginatum. Mandi- 
bule porrecte, apice curvate, acute. Mazille elongate, lobo apicali 
longo, setoso. Mentum oblongum, lateribus pariim rotundatis, mar- 
gine antico fere recto. Pedes longiusculi, serrati. Antenne 1\0- 
articulate. 


458 Entomological Society. 


Awnaines fossulatus, W. A. nigro-fuscus, subnitidus, punctulatus, se- 
tosus, antennarum clavd pallidiori, tibiis anticis dentibus tribus 
armatis. Long. corp. lin. 85. [Hab. South America. Mus. Hope. 

Srtpuopes, W. (Gen. nov. ad fam. Geotrupidarum pertinens.) 
Corpus ovatum, subconvexum, marginibus reflexis. Labrum porrec- 
tum, breve, in medio emarginatum. Mandibule robuste, cornee, 
margine externo valdé rotundato, apice in dentibus duobus minutis 
declivibus producto. Mazille lobo externo magno, rotundato. 
Mentum subquadratum, lateribus rotundatis. Pedes longi, graciles, 
unguibus inequalibus et irregularibus. 

SitpHopEes Sumatrensis, W. S. piceo-castaneus, capite latior?, 
elytris striato-punctatis, margine longe-setoso. Long. corp. lin. 
34. [Hab.Sumatra. Sir S. Raffles. 

Sitpuopes Philippinensis, W. S. piceo-castaneus, capite thoraceque 
magis rufescentibus, elytris irregulariter valde punctatis, strid 
suturali alterisque 8 longitudinalibus (per paria dispositis) e 
punctis confluentibus formatis. Long. corp. lin. 45-6. [Hab. 
Philippine Isles. Mr. Cuming. 

SinpHopEs Gambiensis, W. 8S. castaneo-fuscus, prothoracis et 
elytrorum marginibus suturdque rufescentibus ; elytris sub lente 
tenuissime punctatis striisque tribus & punctis majoribus in singulo 
elytro. Long. corp. lin. 6. [Hab. Gambia and Senegal. Mr. 
Tebbs. Mus. Brit. 


October 4th.— W.. W. Saunders, Esq., F.L.S., President, in the 


Chair. 


Mr. Westwood exhibited some beautiful insects from the Gold 
Coast, Africa, and Port Philip, Australia, from the collection of Mr. 
Raddon, including a new species of Goliathus (Hudicella ignita, W.), 
some fine Cerambycide, &c. Also a new and singular genus of large 
size allied to Cicada, from New Holland, from the collection of Mr. 
Curtis, and which that gentleman proposed to name Cystosoma 
Saundersii. Also a common house-spider, to the hind extre- 
mity of the cephalothorax of which remained attached the exuvium 
of the dorsum of the former cephalothorax, although it had remained 
alive in that state several days. He also exhibited a drawing of a 
new modification of the pad-like cushion on the under-side of the 
basal joints of the fore tarsi of a new species of Cicindelide, from the 
Mauritius (constituting a new and distinct subgenus), in which the 
whole of the under-side of the limb was thickly clothed with clavate 
sete, visible to the naked eye. 

The following memoirs were read :— 

Notices of the cannibal habits of various caterpillars. By G. A. 
Thrupp, Esq. 

Additional observations upon, and descriptions of new species 
belonging to the genera Cryptodus, Mechidius, and Parastasia. By 
J. O. Westwood, the substance of which is incorporated in the abs- 
tract of the proceedings of the meetings of July 5th, and September 
6th, 1841. 


Geological Society. 459 


GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 


May 19th, 1841.—A paper “‘ On the Agency of Land Snails in cor- 
roding and making deep Excavations in compact Limestone Rocks,” 
by the Rey. Professor Buckland, D.D., F.G.S., was first read. 

During the meeting of the Geological Society of France at Bou- 
logne, in September 1839, Dr. Buckland’s attention was called by 
Mr. Greenough to a congeries of peculiar hollows on the under sur- 
face of a ledge of carboniferous limestone rocks. They resembled 
at first sight the excavations made by Pholades, but as he found in 
them a large number of the shells of Helix aspersa, he inferred that 
the cavities had been formed by snails, and that probably many ge- 
nerations had contributed to produce them*. 

A few years since, the Rev. N. Stapleton informed the author that 
he had discovered at Tenby, in the carboniferous limestone on which 
the ruins of the castle stand, perforations of Pholades 30 or 40 feet 
above high-water level ; but having recently examined the spot, Dr. 
Buckland ascertained that these excavations were the work of the 
‘same species of Helix as that which had formed the cavities in the 
limestone near Boulogne, and he found within them specimens of 
the dead shells as well as of the living. The mode of operation by 
which the excavations were made, he conceives, is the same as that 
by which the common limpet (Patella vulgata) corrodes a socket in 
calcareous rocks, and he is of opinion that the corrosion is due to the 
action of some acid secreted from the body of the limpet or helix. 

That the perforations, both at Boulogne and Tenby, were not the 
work of Pholades, Dr. Buckland says, is evident, 

lst. From their size and shape, which, instead of the straight and 
regular form accurately fitting the shell of the animal by which each 
hole was perforated, are tortuous, irregularly enlarging and contract- 
ing, and rarely continuous in a straight line. The holes moreover 
are often separated by only a thin partition, or are confluent. 

2ndly. Because they are wanting on the upper surface of the 
projecting ledges of limestone, whilst on the sides and lower sur- 
faces of the ledges they are excavated to considerable depths. 

The above reasons, Dr. Buckland says, against the excavations 
having been made by any marine lithophagous animal, are favour- 
able to the hypothesis which refers the production of them to snails. 
These animals, he observes, could find shelter only on the margin 
and lower surface of the projecting rock, and the irregular form of 
the confluent cavities correspond with that of the clusters of snails 
in their ordinary latitat and hybernation ; and if to these reasons be 
added the fact of finding both living and dead shells in the excava- 
tions, the evidence, the author conceives, is decisive as to the agency 
of snails in producing the phenomena under consideration. 

In conclusion, the author offers some remarks on the means by 
which these hollows have been corroded having been overlooked, 
in consequence, he suggests, of their having been probably referred 


* See Bulletin Geol. Soc, France, vol, x. p. 434, 1839. 


460 Geological Society. 


to the action of the weather, or water, or to original irregularities in 
the composition of the stone. 


A paper “ On Moss Agates and other Siliceous Bodies,”’ by John 
Scott Bowerbank, Esq., F.G.S., was then read. 

In a paper ‘‘ On the Origin and Structure of Chalk-flints and 
Greensand Cherts*,” Mr. Bowerbank inferred that the sponges from 
which he conceives those bodies originated, differed from recent kera- 
tose sponges only in having possessed numerous siliceous spicula. 
Since that paper was read, the author, however, has found in true 
keratose sponges from Australia}, as well as in the sponges of com- 
merce from the Mediterranean and the West Indies, siliceous spicula 
in great abundance. All discrepancies, therefore, between the extinct 
and modern types of a portion of the animals under consideration, he 
says, is now removed. In these prefatory remarks, Mr. Bowerbank, 
likewise states that there is at present only one known species of 
recent sponge (S. fistudaris) the fibre of which is truly tubular. 

The author then proceeds to detail the evidences of the existence 
in moss agates from Oberstein and other parts of Germany, as well 
as from Sicily, and in green jaspers from India, of the remains of 
sponges, in the following order: Ist, the proofs of the fibrous struc- 
ture; 2nd, of the preservation of gemmules; and 3rd, those of the 
existence of vascular structure. ‘The specimens were examined as 
opake objects, with direct light concentrated by a convex lens. 
The number of agates amounted to nearly 200, and that of green 
jaspers to about 70. 

1. Fibrous structure—Though polished agates afforded Mr. Bow- 
erbank, in almost every specimen, strong evidence of spongeous origin, 
yet the structure and arrangement of the fibres were seldom per- 
fectly preserved throughout, presenting every intermediate state from 
complete decomposition to the most distinct spongeous tissue. ‘The 
siliceous matrix of these remains exhibited a clear and frequently 
crystalline aspect, but the prevailing tint of the enclosed organic 
matter was bright red, brown, or ochreous yellow ; occasionally, how- 
ever, the fibre was milk-white or bright green. The colouring mat- 
ter was generally confined within the bounds of the animal tissue, 
leaving its surface smooth and uninterrupted; sometimes it occurred 
only in the interior of the tubular fibre, the sides being semipellucid 
or milk-white ; whilst in other cases not only the fibre was com- 
pletely charged with colouring matter, but the surface was also 
slightly encrusted with it. In an agate believed to be from Sicily, 
the greater part consisted of a confused mass composed of innume- 
rable bright red fibres with no perceptible remains of surrounding 
structure, but near the margin of the specimen the tubuli were as 
perfectly preserved as in a recent sponge, presenting a semi-pel- 
lucid and horny-looking substance enveloping red fibres. In those 
instances in which the red pigment did not appear to have entered 


* See Geol. Trans., 2nd Series, vol. vi. Part 1. 1841. Proceedings, 
vol. ili. p. 278, 1840. 

{+ Annals of Nat. Hist., April 1841. 

t Microscopic Journal, vol. i. No. 1, p. 8, 1841. 


Geological Society. 461 


the tube, the structure was best preserved, and Mr. Bowerbank 
states that such ought to be the case, as the fibres of the Spongia 
fistularis, though hollow throughout, are closed near the natural ter- 
mination. The tubes in the Sicilian agate anastomosed in the same 
manner as the fibres of the Mediterranean sponge of commerce, and 
in the places where they were intersected they frequently exhibited 
the internal cavity. These characters, the author remarks, prove 
that the red fibre is the cast of the interior of the tube, and its dia- 
meter, he adds, is as nearly as possible the same as that of the 
hollow of the tube. In a moss agate from Oberstein the walls of 
the best-preserved tubuli were charged with red pigment, and the 
internal cavity was filled with pellucid silex, while the portion which 
had suffered most from decomposition was a confused bright red mass 
with obscure traces of fibrous structure. 

In the green jaspers from India the organic remains were found 
to be generally better preserved than in the moss agates of Germany 
and Sicily, and admitted of being recognised as distinct species. 
The green colouring matter was confined, with very few exceptions, 
within the boundaries of the sponge-fibre, the surrounding matter 
consisting of minute pellucid radiating crystals. Some of the spe- 
cimens examined by Mr. Bowerbank were furnished with minute 
contorted tubuli, very similar to those which are described in his for- 
mer paper* as occurring upon the surface of chalk-flints. In other 
specimens the fibres were not disposed in the same manner as in the 
sponge of commerce, but in a series of thin plates, resembling very 
much the macerated woody fibres of the leaves of some endogenous 
plants. Only one recent species, from Australia, is known to Mr. 
Bowerbank to exhibit this structure. 

No spicula are mentioned by the author in either the agates or jas- 
pers, and but one instance of the occurrence of foraminifera. The whole 
of the sponges contained in the green jaspers, Mr. Bowerbank refers 
to that division of the keratose which he has called Fistularia. 

2. Gemmules.—A specimen of Indian green jasper, which had under- 
gone so great decomposition as to prevent the original fibrous structure 
from being detected, presented innumerable globular vesicles of nearly 
uniform size. Many of them were simple and transparent, and could 
be recognised as organic only by the regularity of their size and form, 
and by having universally dispersed over their outer surface minute 
irregular black particles; but by far the greater number of them 
had in their interior a globular opake body, about one-third their 
own diameter. Associated with these vesicles were numerous small 
fibrous masses resembling minute keratose sponges, the largest of 
which were five or six times the diameter of the vesicles; but the 
smallest were identical in nature with the nucleus, though in a higher 
state of development. In other specimens from the same mass of 
jasper, larger vesicles were found more sparingly imbedded amidst 
the fibrous tissue of the sponge. From these characters and their 
resemblance to those of the ova of some recent sponges, Mr. Bower- 


* Geol. Trans., 2nd Series, vol. vi. Part 1. 1841. 


462 Geological Society. 


bank has little doubt that the vesicles are the fossilized gemmules of 
the sponges which gave the form to the siliceous masses in which they 
are imbedded. An agate supposed to have come from Oberstein, 
presented characters which, Mr. Bowerbank is of opinion, indicated 
gemmules in an immature state, or in different stages of development, 
fixed to the fibre of the sponge ; and in another specimen, believed to 
have been received from the same locality, gemmules in different 
conditions were sparingly scattered amid the tissue. 

If this idea of the development of the gemmules in situ be correct, 
it will account, the author thinks, for the frequent occurrence of small 
detached patches of minute sponge-fibre in well-developed and large- 
sized tissue. Several other specimens, considered by Mr. Bower- 
bank to contain gemmules in different stages of development or de- 
composition, are described in the paper, particularly an agate from 
Antigua in the possession of Mr. R. Brown; and one from Ober- 
stein, which contained vast numbers of small, pellucid, yellow glo- 
bules, bearing a strong resemblance to the minute granules which 
occur in the gelatinous or fleshy sheath surrounding the fibres of the 
sponge of commerce, and which are probably incipient germs. In 
accounting for the preservation of the gemmules in a fossil state, 
Mr. Bowerbank refers to the covering of the ova of birds, fishes and 
reptiles ; and he says, it is natural to expect that the gemmules of 
the sponge should be similarly protected, and therefore preserved 
after the decay of the sponge from which they derived their origin. 

3. Vascular structure.—In a species of recent Turkey sponge, and 
in some others from Australia*, Mr. Bowerbank detected in the horny 
sheath which invested the solid fibre, minute anastomosing vessels ; 
but he has not observed a similar vascular covering on the external sur- 
face of the two specimens of Spongia fistularis which he has ex:mined. 
The co-existence, however, of this sheath with a tubular fibre, he 
states, he has discovered in specimens of Indian green jasper. On 
examining with a power of 60 linear a thin polished slice, he 
found that some well-preserved tubes, of greater size than the rest, 
had, on their external surface, a coating of a darker colour than the 
other parts of the fibre, and were evidently analogous to the vascular 
sheath of the keratose sponges of commerce. On employing a power 
of 500 linear, the presence of a reticulated vascular structure was 
exhibited as distinctly as in the recent sponge, particularly where a 
portion of the originally horny or fleshy part of the sheath had un- 
dergone a slight degree of decomposition. ‘This structure Mr. 
Bowerbank has also detected in two fragments of flint-pebbles. - 

The characters exhibited by this external coating are not the 
only evidences of vascular structure which the author found during 
his examination of the organic remains inclosed in moss agates and 
Indian green jaspers, for he discovered in the centre of the tube 
which exhibited the sheath, a dark thread penetrating the cavity for 
a considerable distance, and when examined with a power of 500 
linear, it assumed the appearance of a spiral tubular thread, frequently 


* Microscopic Journal, vol. i, No. 1, p. 10. 


Geological Society. 463 


obseured by irregular patches of a substance which the author con- 
ceives may have been glutinous animal matter. In another specimen 
of green jasper the spiral course of this curious tissue was much less 
obscure, and when examined with a power of 800 linear its tubular 
nature was evident. The same tissue also lined the cavity of almost 
every fibre of the sponge which was stated to exhibit a structure com- 
posed of foliaceous plates, like the skeletons of the leaves of some 
endogenous plants. In an agate, probably from Oberstein, Mr. 
Bowerbank says, he detected other evidences of tissue of an exceed- 
ingly remarkable character. ‘The fibre, which was very large, had 
been apparently surrounded by a villose coat, and wherever, by po- 
lishing, a longitudinal section had been exposed, one or two minute 
vessels of uniform diameter and simple structure were visible in the 
centre of the fibre, and ranging in the direction of its axis. At irre- 
gular distances within these vessels the author discovered pellucid 
round globules, the diameter of which varied from the 1000th to the 
2380th of an inch, the diameter of the vessels ranging from the 
1000th to the 2000th of an inch. In other parts of the interior of 
the fibre were opake or semi-pellucid spheres, and in different por- 
tions of the agate were considerable numbers of larger, opake, round 
bodies, the whole of which Mr. Bowerbank considers to be gemmules 
in various states of development ; and he thinks it is extremely pro- 
bable that thevessels containing the globules were true ovarian ducts. 
In support of this inference Mr. Bowerbank describes another agate, 
in which there were no appearances of well-defined anastomosing 
fibres, but which exhibited numerous long and simple thread-like 
fibres apparently much decomposed, as their substance consisted 
sometimes of a congeries of minute separate particles, and sometimes 
of straight or curved lines composed of minute black bodies. In 
other cases these strings of incipient gemmules were contained 
within the boundaries of the tubes, and then presented rarely more 
than a row of single gemmules; but occasionally the diameter of the 
vessels appeared to have been much enlarged, and the gemmules 
vere indiscriminately dispersed within its cavity. In some instances 
also they exceeded in diameter the vessel or its remains, as if they 
had outgrown and burst their natural boundary, or the walls of the 
latter had contracted. From the close resemblance in the structure 
and contents of these vessels to those contained in the large sponge- 
fibre first described, Mr. Bowerbank has little doubt, whatever may 
have been their original nature, that they are the same kind of tissue, 
under somewhat different conditions. 

In all the agates and jaspers which have been microscopically in- 
vestigated by the author, the spaces not occupied by remains of 
spongeous texture were filled with silex or chalcedony arranged in 
bands which conformed more or less to the outline of the enclosed 
fossil. Where, however, the matrix consisted of radiating crystals, 
the decayed animal remains frequently appeared to have been impelled 
forward, in the same manner as the decomposed cellular portions of 
fossil wood have often yielded to the crystallizing process of the as- 
sociated mineral matter. 


464 Zooloyical Society. 


Egyptian jaspers, Mocha stones, &¢.—The author has examined 
also numerous specimens of polished Egyptian jaspers, which, when 
viewed as opake objects, by direct light and with a power of 150 
linear, were found to consist of finely comminuted light buff or brown 
irregular granules, cemented by semi-transparent silex, very much 
resembling the state in which it exists in chalk-flints and greensand 
cherts, and to the variations in its colouring matter the banded ap- 
pearance of the jaspers is due. Imbedded, but very unequally in 
the layers composing the jaspers, Mr. Bowerbank discovered hun- 
dreds of beautiful foraminifera closely resembling those found in 
chalk-flints, and often difficult to distinguish from the species found 
in the Grignon sand of the calcaire grossier. 

The Mocha stones which the author has examined, presented no 
indications of organic structure, the moss-like delineations and other 
appearances, resembling beautiful, thin, reticulated tissues, being due 
to dendritical or metallic infiltrations. 

In the larger pebbles of a mass of Herefordshire pudding-stone, 
Mr. Bowerbank discovered the characteristic spongeous structure of 
chalk-flints. 

In conclusion, the author dwells upon the difficulties attending 
the study of the bodies which he has examined and described, in 
consequence of the little attention which has been paid, with few 
exceptions, to the structure of recent sponges; and he states that 
the aspect of the latter, when viewed by the unassisted eye, is so 
different from that which it presents when seen under a high micro- 
scopic power, that those who have not been accustomed to study 
recent sponges with that aid would never recognise a similar struc- 
ture in the fossils described by him. He also shows that the pre- 
valence of keratose sponges over those belonging to the genus Hali- 
chondria is what might naturally be expected, as the spicula which 
form the skeleton of the latter would be less likely to be preserved 
in their original position than the horny fibres of the former. 

Lastly, the author alludes to the great share which sponges have 
had in the production of the solid strata of the earth’s crust. 


ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 


March 9, 1841.—James Whishaw, Esq., in the Chair. 


A paper by Dr. Richardson, on some new or little known fishes 
from the Australian seas, was read. The following is an abstract 
of this paper. 

1. CuEerLopacryius Gisposus, formd Cheilodactyli zonati, (h. e. 
capite brevi, ore parvulo, dentibus brevibus setaceis ; dorso gibbo, 
spind quartd longissimd ;) radiis pinne dorsalis articulatis radios 
spinosos numero plus duplo excedentibus. 

Rap PS: Vis DS17-365 Vella y Ass 5 -C; 

This species differs from the ordinary Cheilodactyli, and agrees 
with the Japanese species discovered by the naturalists who accom- 
panied Admiral Krusenstern, in the body being very high in the pec- 
toral region, and tapering away in a lengthened manner posteriorly ; 


Zoological Society. 465 


in the abruptly and steeply arched form of the spinous dorsal ante- 
riorly, the smallness of the mouth, the slender teeth, and in horn- 
like protuberances on the fore-part of the orbit, and also on the tip 
of the snout, the latter formed by the projecting shoulders of the 
maxillary bones. The Japanese species named zonatus in the ‘ Hist. 
des Poissons,’ has only twenty-nine articulated rays in the dorsal, 
and differs in the distribution of its dark bands of colour, which in 
gibbosus run as follows :—one obliquely backwards over the eye 
and operculum, another over the nape and tip of the gill-flap, 
meeting the former at the base of the pectoral; a third takes in the 
first three short dorsal spines, and tapers away on the side under the 
middle of the pectoral ; while a fourth proceeding from a black patch 
which occupies the fifth and seven following spines, and keeping par- 
allel to the base of the dorsal, runs along the summit of the back to 
the tail. In zonatus there are seven or eight dark stripes running 
obliquely backwards. Both species appear to have spots on the tail. 
The description of Cheilodactylus gibbosus is drawn up from two 
Western Australian specimens brought home by Mr. Gould; and the 
fish also inhabits the seas of New Zealand, Mr. Gray having recog- 
nised a drawing by Parkinson of a specimen which was caught in 
Endeavour River, on Cook’s second voyage, as being a correct repre- 
sentation of this fish. (Vide Banks, Icon. ined. t. 23.) One of Mr. 
Gould’s specimens is deposited in the British Museum, and the other 
at Haslar Hospital. 


2. OsrracION LENTICULARIS, inermis, ovali-compressus, dorso ven- 

treque carinatis. 

Raver. ¥2 5D. 10: Al 10 Cx 11. 

The discovery of this species adds another form to the genus Os- 
tracion, the shapes enumerated in the ‘ Régne Animal’ being trian- 
gular with or without spines, quadrangular with or without spines,— 
and compressed with a keeled belly and scattered spines. In Jenti- 
cularis we have a compressed form with a keeled back and belly and 
no spines. The compressed Ostracions with scattered spines have been 
characterized by Mr. Gray as a subgeneric group, under the name 
of Aracana, and several Van Diemen’s Land species were lately de- 
scribed to the Society by the author of the present paper. The Aracana 
Reevesii (Gray) from China differs from the Van Diemen’s Land 
species in having the back slightly keeled, and thus forms a transi- 
tion to the form of Jenticularis, in which the sides are convex, the 
back and belly acute, and the profile elliptical. Lenticularis, though 
unarmed, exhibits an analogy tothe armed A4racane, in the umbones 
of the reticulated surface being largest where the spines would be 
situated, did they exist. ‘The species is Australian, and the author 
expresses his obligations to Dr. Andrew Smith, of Fort Pitt, for the 
loan of two specimens of different ages. 


3. ANGUILLA AUSTRALIS. Van Diemen’s Land Eel. 
ANGUILLA AUSTRALIS, mavilld inferiore longiore, pinnd dorsi supra 
anum incipienti, rictu magno. 


Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. vii. ae | 


466 Zoological Society. 


This is a Port Arthur freshwater species, for which the author 
expresses himself indebted to Mr. Lempriére. It differs from the 
common freshwater eels of Europe in the more posterior origin of 
the dorsal, as well as in the more anterior position of the vent. The 
pectorals are lanceolate, the vertical fins are but moderately high, 
and the gape extends to the posterior margin of the orbit. 


4. Narcine TasmanieEnsis, dorso dipterygio, corpore late obovato ; 
valvuld nasali obtuse trilobatd integerrimd ; pinnd ventrali disco 
pectorali approximatd. 

The author having but recently had an oppertunity of consulting 
Henle’s Monograph of the genus Narcine, takes this opportunity of 
supplying a specific character of the Van Diemen’s Land species, 
which was formerly described to the Society (Zool. Proceed. for 
March 1840, p. 29), but which could not be distinctively character- 
ized from his want of knowledge of the other species. 


A paper by W. J. Broderip, Esq., in which the author proceeds 
with his descriptions of Mr. Cuming’s shells, was next read. 


Heuix cryprica. Hel. testéd tumidd, subumbilicatd, subglobosd, 
anfractibus 3 subcorrugatis (ultimo longe maximo, obscure fascia- 
to), lineis incrementi creberrime obliqué substriatis, purpureo- 
brunned, epidermide sordidé brunned ; aperturd subelongato-auri- 
culiformi, intus subargenteo-cerulescente, subiridescente ; labii 
limbo rubro-brunneo, haud patulo, reflexo. 

Long. 16; lat. 24 poll. 

Hab. ad ‘Catbalonga Insulz Samar sub foliis desiccatis. 

Mr. Cuming found this Helix hidden under the decayed leaves of 
trees. The inside of the mouth has that silvery iridescence which 
may be observed in the tendon of a muscle in some of the mammife- 
rous animals, and through it may be seen the purple-brown colour 
of the shell, which thus puts on a subcerulescent appearance. 


Hewix tatirans? el. testd subtumidd, subcomplanatd, purpureo- 
rubrd, anfractibus 3 lineis incrementi creberrimé striatis (ultima 
longissime maximo), epidermide sordide albente’; aperturd maxima 
e brunneo subalbido-iridescente, labio patulo, reflexo, rubente, albi- 
do interne gene 

Long. 13; lat. 23 poll. 

Hab. ad Gindulman Insulze Bohol sub foliis desiccatis. 

At first sight, this Helix, which was also found by Mr. Cuming 
under decayed leaves, looks a good deal like H. cryptica; but on a 
nearer inspection not only will a difference in form almost inde- 
scribable be observed, but also in the texture of the shell, which is 
without corrugations. The mouth too is much wider and broader, 
and the reflected lip much more patulous. The silvery iridescence 
of the mouth extends but a short distance within the aperture, but 
the polish is continued far in. Still it may only be a variety of H. 
cryptica. 

Herrx cretata. Hel. testd subglobosd, tumidd, anfractibus 3 (ul- 


Zoological Society. 467 


timo longé maximo, fasciis et lineis nigricantibus cincto), lineis in- 
crementi creberrimé oblique striatis et lineis elevatis cinctis, brun- 
neo-nigricante, epidermide cretaced ; aperlurd argenteo-subceru- 
led, labii limbo obscure rubente. 

Hab. ad Tannauan Insule Leyte foliis arborum herens. 

Mr. Cuming has shown me a young shell which he brought from 
the mountains of Tanhay in the Isle of Negros, where it was taken 
on the leaves of trees. I thought at first that it might be the young 
of Helix Harfordii, but the sculpture of the shell and the quality of 
the epidermis correspond so closely with those of the adult shell 
just described, that though there is some difficulty arising from the 
capture of the two shells in different islands, I am inclined to be of 
opinion that it is probably the young of Helix cretata. 


Hexix Pan. Hel. tesid globosd, subelevatd, umbilicatd, zonatd, an- 
fractibus 4 (ultimo maximo) lineis incrementi minutissime oblique 
striatis ; columelld albidé, aperturd subrotundd, c@ruleo-albente, 
labii limbo angusto, subreflexo. 

Long. 14; lat. 14, variat ad infinitum. 

Var. a. Albens brunneo et nigro pulcherrime fasciata. 

Of the whitish class of variety (a) there are variations without 
end, according as the bands are more or less present or absent. In 
some the whitish epidermis is only relieved by a brown sutural line 
and a deep submedial band on the body-whorl, which is more or less 
interrupted and ribanded with white and light brown towards the 
base. 

Var. 6. Brunnea albido et nigricante concinné fasciata. 

The same may be said of this section, which varies as much as var. 
a. This imperfect description was drawn from six of each class; 
but at least treble the number of each would be requisite to give a 
correct idea of the infinite variations of this beautiful species. 


March 23.—William Yarrell, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 


A collection of birds from Newfoundland, presented by E. Moore, 
Esq., was exhibited: it consists of specimens, in different states of 
plumage, of the Willow Ptarmigan (Tetrao Saliceti), a specimen of 
the Pin-tailed Duck (Dafila caudacuta), the American Teal (Querque- 
dula Americana), and the Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus). ‘The 
collection also contains a foetal Esquimaux preserved in spirit. 


A paper by G. B. Sowerby, Esq., was read, in which the author 
proceeds with his descriptions of the new species of shells collected 
by H. Cuming, Esq., in the Philippine Islands. The following 
species were described and exhibited :— 


Hexix marruetis. Hel. testd depressiusculo-subglobosd, tenuius- 
culd, levi, castaned, epidermide opacd, pallescente, hydrophand 
indutd ; spird subdepressd, anfractibus quatuor subrotundatis, ul- 
timo maximo, ventricoso ; suturd distinctd ; aperturd subtrape- 
zoidali, extis rotundatd, intis sinum prope columellam efformante, 

9H 2 


468 Zoological Society. 


labio externo reflexo rotundato, fusco ; columella latiuscutd, declivi, 
antice oblique subtruncatd. 

Long. 1:1; lat. 1°6 poll. 

Hab. supra folia arborum prope Cagayan, Provinciz Misamis, In- 
sule Mindanao, Philippinarum. 

Obs. Variat interdim spird minus depressda. 

Of this species there are two varieties in form and several in 
colouring. ‘The variety with a rather more than usually elevated 
spire very closely resembles some of the varieties of Helix Roissyana ; 
still it may be distinguished from that species by the much greater 
declivity of the columella, and its broader and less rounded outer 
lip. In the general arrangement of the colouring all the varieties 
are somewhat similar, particularly in the dark chestnut colour of the 
apex, which is continuous down the anterior part of the following 
volutions ; the upper part of the second and third volutions are 
lighter ; the columella is dark brown, and there is always a very 
light band surrounding it, which when covered with its epidermis is 
light yellow-brown, but when deprived of it is white; this is sur- 
rounded by a very dark brown band. ‘The following are the varieties 
in colour, viz. 

a. Shell with a dark brown band at the periphery and another 
antesutural dark brown band; epidermis with a very pale band at 
the circumference. 

6. Shell coloured precisely like a.: epidermis with a very dark 
band at the circumference. 

c. Shell with the spire more elevated; last volutions very dark 
brown, with a white antesutural and another white band at the cir- 
cumference. 


Heurx seticer. Hel. testa suborbiculari, tenui, brunned, spira le- 
vatiusculd, anfractibus senis, rotundatis, angustioribus ; apertura 
semilunari, labio externo, tenuissimo ; epidermide setigerd, setis 
regulariter coordinatis. 
Long. 1:; lat. 1°2 poll. 
Hab. in ligno putrido prope St. Jaun, Provincize Cagayan, Insulz 
Lucon. 

Shell dark brown, with a yellowish band in front of the periphery, 
and a broad band of the same surrounding the columella, which is 
small and white and deeply placed. 


Heirx vetutTina. Hel. tesid suborbiculari, subdepressd, tenui, 
pallide brunned, epidermide velutino indutd, anticé levi, nitida ; 
spird depressd, anfractibus quinque, rotundatis ; aperturd semi- 
lunari, postice rotundato-subtruncatd ; labio externo tenui; colu- 
mellad parva, profundad. 

Long. 0°7; lat. 1:2 poll. 

Hab. in arboribus putridis ad Insulam Guimaras, Philippinarum. 

Close-set short hairs, covering the whole of the upper part of the 

shell and part of the lower, give it a velvety appearance and soft- 
ness. ‘T'wo varicties of this species have occurred, one of smaller 


Zoological Society. 469 


size and paler colour at the Isie of Negros, and the other like the 
last with two brown bands at Mount {sarog. 


Heurx srevivens. Hel. testé suborbiculari, subdepressa, tenuius- 
culd, pallidé brunned, lined brunned superneé circumdatd; spira sub- 
planulatd, anfractibus quatuor, superné subplanulatis, ad periphe- 
riam rotundato-subangulatis, infra rotundatis ; apertura semiluna- 
ri, postice depressd, labio externo albo, rotundato-reflexo, antice, 
prope columellam unidentato, dente brevi, obtuso, albo ; umbilico 
parvo, labio columellari partim obtecto. 

Long. 0°5; lat. 0°8 poll. 

Hab. at Puerto-Galero. 

The epidermis of this species has numerous close-set, very short 

hairs, which renders it rather rough to the touch. 


Hewix cummata. Hel. testé suborbiculari, ¢conico-subdepressa, 
crassiusculd, superné decussatim striata, infra levi, nitidd, striis 
incrementi solim insculptd ; spird conico-subdepressda, anfractibus 
senis, rotundatis, angustioribus, epidermide corneo, nitido, superné 
indutis ; apertura semilunart, labio externo tenui, prope columel- 
lam subincrassato ; columelld profunda. 

‘Long. 0°8; lat. 1°3 poll. 

Hab. in ligno putrido prope Nuevam Insule Lucon, Philippinarum. 

The upper or posterior part of this shell is covered with a thin 

horny epidermis, which gives it the appearance of having had a coat 
of varnish or gum spread over it, whence the name. In colour its 
apper surface is dark brown, the circumference light yellowish 
brown, then a band of the same colour as the upper surface, and then 
the lower or anterior part is of the same colour as the circumference. 
A yariety occurs which is smaller and darker coloured, at the same 
time its brown band in front of the circumference is much broader. 


Heuix spua#eica. Hel. tesitéd spheroidali, crassiusculd, flava, 
lined spirali nigro-fuscescente circumdatd ; haud nitente, spird ob- 
tusd, anfractibus quatuor ventricosis, ultimo maximo ; apertura 
subcirculari, labio externo crasso, reflevo, albo, margine nigro ; 
columella lata, crassa, albé margine nigricante. 

Long. 0°9; lat. 1:0 poll. 

Hab. supra folia arborum propé St. Esteven Provincie Ilocos me- 

ridionalis Insule Lucon, Philippinarum. 

Five varieties of this very brilliant species have occurred to Mr. 

Cuming; viz. 

a. Bright yellow with a narrow white band close te the suture 

in front. 

6. Pale brownish yellow: in other respects the same as a. 

ec. Bright yellow with a narrow white band close to the suture in 

front and a broad brown band at the circumference. 

d. Same as a, only having in addition pale brown irregular lon- 

gitudinal stripes on the last volution. 

e. Same as a, only having in addition bright brown irregular 

longitudinal stripes on the last volution ; found on the leaves of the 
Pandanus in the mountains of the Igorro in the north part of Lu¢on. 


470 Royal Irish Academy. 


Hexix (Carocotia) seEmMiGRANOSA. Hel. testd suborbiculari co- 
nico-subdepressd, superné granulosa, subtis levi, nitidd ; spirad 
conico-subdepressd, anfractibus senis, rotundatis, ad marginem ca- 
rinatis ; labio externo tenui, acuto, prope columellam crassiusculo ; 
umbilico minimo. 

Hab. ad Insulam Luban dictam, Philippinarum. 

The margin of the last volution immediately in front of the keel is 

slightly crenulated, and of a dark brown colour: the remainder of 
the shell is of an uniform yellow-brown colour, 


ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY. 


Feb. 22, 1841.—Mr.Charles T. Webber presented to the Academy 
an ancient stone, on which is carved a rude bass-relief, supposed to be 
the representation of a dog killing a wolf. Mr.Webber accompanied 
the present with a communication to the effect that the stone was 
taken from the Castle of Ardnaglass, in the barony of 'Tireragh and 
county of Sligo, and was said to commemorate the destruction of the 
last wolf in Ireland. ‘The current tradition in the place from whence 
it came was, that, some years after it was supposed that the race 
of wolves was extinct, the flocks in the county of Leitrim were at- 
tacked by a wild animal which turned out to be a wolf; that there- 
upon the chieftains of Leitrim applied to O’Dowd, the chieftain of 
Tireragh (who possessed a celebrated dog of the breed of the ancient 
Irish wolf-dog), to come and hunt the wolf; which application being 
complied with by O’ Dowd, there ensued a chase, which forms the sub- 
ject of an ancient Irish legend, detailing the various districts through 
which it was pursued, until at length the wolf was overtaken and 
killed in a small wood of pine-trees, at the foot of one of the moun- 
tains in Tireragh. The quarter of land on which the wolf was killed, 
is to this day called Carrow na Madhoo, which means the dogs’ quar- 
ter. In commemoration of the event, O’Dowd had the representation 
of it carved on the stone, and placed in the wall of his baronial resi- 
dence. A wood engraving of the bass-relief is given in the Pro- 
ceedings of the Academy, No. 28. 

March 16.—In connexion with the subject of Mr. Webber’s re- 
marks at the last meeting, Sir W. Betham communicated the follow- 
ing document, giving an account of an order made by King James I. 
for the destruction of wolves in Ireland. 

Patent Roll, 12 Jac. I.d. R. 17. ‘* The King bemg given to un- 
derstand the great loss and hindrance which arose in Ireland by the 
multitude of wolves, in all parts of the kingdom, did by letters from 
Newmarket, 26th November 1614, direct a grant to be made by 
patent to Henrie Tuttesham, who by petition had made offer to 
repair into Ireland, and there use his best skill and endeavour to de- 
stroy the said wolves, providing at his own charge men, dogs, traps, 
and engines, and requiring no other allowance, save only four nobles 
sterling, for the head of every wolf, young or old, out of every county, 
and to be authorized to keep four men and twelve couple of hounds 


in every county, for seven years next after the date of these letters.” 
12 Jac, 's. L. R, 27. 


Imperial Academy of St. Petersburgh. 471 


IMPERIAL ACADEMY OF ST. PETERSBURGH, 1841. 


In the botanical section, M. Trinius delivered a revision and a clas~ 
sification of the genera and species of the family of the Agrostidee 
and MM. Fischer and Meyer, two notes, the first containing the de 
scription of a plant from Mexico, which forms the type of a new 
genus of the family of the Orchidee, under the name of Seraphyta 
multiflora ; and the second, of the Uwarowia chrysanthemifolia of M. 
Bunge, with a drawing of this plant. M. Meyer also read a mono- 
graphic memoir on the Alyssum minutum, and the analogous species, 
followed by a view of the species which form the genus Psilonema, 
as well as the first part of a long treatise on the natural family of 
the Polygonacee, under the title of An attempt at a natural arrange- 
ment of the genera of this family. He has in fact finished a work 
begun by the late M. Bongard, the object of which is the descrip- 
tion of the plants gathered, in 1838, in the neighbourhood of the 
Saisang-Nor, and on the banks of the Irtish. This collection, con- 
taining 331 species, was made by a pupil of M. Gebler, named Po- 
litoff, at Barndoul, in an excursion during the summer months of the 
above-mentioned year, at the expense of the Academy. However 
abundant this collection may be thought, considering the little time 
and expense which it cost, it is still far from furnishing us with a 
complete picture of the remarkable flora of Songarie; it nevertheless 
presents some of its isolated and characteristic features, to which 
M. Meyer directs the attention of botanists in his preface. He has 
annexed to his memoir drawings of eighteen new species contained 
in this collection, and has expressed a desire of seeing his work not 
only inserted in the Collected Acts of the Academy, but of its being 
printed separately in octavo by the title of M. Ledebour’s Second 
Supplement to the Flora of the Altai, the first having been made by 
M. Bunge from the materials which he had collected during his 
journey in 1832, which was also made at the expense of the Aca- 
demy. The Academy complied with this desire. M. Ruprecht, 
who, as we mentioned above, has furnished a description of the 
Algz collected by Mertens in his circumnavigation, has, together with 
M. Baer, undertaken the arrangement and the determination of the 
Thalassiophytes which this academician brought back from his ex- 
peditions in the north. M. Bunge, a corresponding member, has sent 
us a note on the genus Siphonostegia, established by Mr. Bentham 
the English botanist, and a memoir on a new species of the genus 
Pedicularis. M. Trautvetter has sent to the Academy the descrip- 
tion of a new species belonging to his genus Faldermannia, and to 
which he gives the specific name of parviflora ; and also, in two notes, 
his remarks on two species of (Nenuphar) water-lily to which he has 
given the name of Lotus circinatus and Lotus Candollei, and on the 
genera which have the greatest analogy with Trifolium. Lastly, we 
are indebted to M. Schrenk for an interesting sketch of the vegeta- 
tion of the island of Hochland, in the Gulf of Finland.— Recueil des 
Actes, &c., p. 32. 


472 Miscellaneous. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 


FAUNA OF DORSETSHIRE. 


To the Editors of the Annals and Magazine of Natural History- 


1 senp you an account of the occurrence of two or three rare 
birds which do not seem to be noticed in Dr. Pulteney’s ‘ Nat. Hist. 
of Dorsetshire,’ viz. Scolopax Sabini, shot by George Morant, Esq., 
about the middle of November last at Muston, near Dorchester, 
and preserved by Mr. Wheatham of Abbotsbury, who prepared also 
Falco peregrinus for me, which was taken alive here by a labourer 
two winters ago just after it had killed a woodpigeon and was going 
to devour it. Strix nyctea was shot in a wood at Langton, near 
Blandford, two or three years ago, belonging to J. J. Farquharson, 
in whose possession I saw the specimen (a most beautiful and dark 
spotted [¢ ?] one). The Ardea nigra (Black Stork) was also shot 
a year or two ago near Wareham, and is now in the possession of 
the Earl of Malmesbury. Mr. Anstice of Bridgewater lately men- 
tioned in the paper that Ais specimen (sent to Col. Montagu) was 
unique ; but I think Mr. Edward Quekett, of the Langport Museum, 
told me another had been shot a few years ago between that town 
and Bridgewater, which he endeavoured to obtain, but it found its 
way to Taunton in rather a mutilated state. Thus we have four in- 
stances of its being found in Britain ; and should any doubt arise, a 
reference to the persons named above would settle the matter. I 
have seen the solitary snipe myself in Elsington Wood (the property 
of the Earl of Orford). I saw the gray wagtail yesterday; it has 
some yellow above the tail, not a yellow breast (Iam not much of an 
ornithologist, but I am pretty sure I am right), and it is not unfre- 
quent here in winter and spring, and three sorts I saw formerly in 
plenty in ploughed fields near Cambridge in spring, whilst being 
ploughed. The Egyptian goose was shot last winter at West Staf- 
ford, near Dorchester, and is now amongst a collection of aquatic birds 
belonging to (my cousin) John Floyer, Esq. Merops apiaster (Bee- 
eater), shot many years ago at Chidiock near Bridport, is in the 
Museum there, belonging to the late Dr. Roberts, who suspected 
that the bird had escaped from some cage. 

From the Dorset County Chronicle, Jan. 1st, 1835, is the follow- 
ing :—‘‘ Phoca vitulina was taken off Portland, Dec. 29, 1834, ina 
cod-net ; weight, 80 lbs.; 3 feet 6 inches from snout to tail; body, 
26 inches in circumference ;” now in the museum of Mr. Bridge, 
Surgeon, Weymouth. We have had lately about here rabbits of a 
black slate colour and of a yellowish cast; and in Yorkshire I saw a 
white one, at large, but suspect some tame rabbit had escaped and 
caused the mixture. J also saw some years ago a stuffed gray hare 
in the possession of Mr. Goatley of Newbury, Berks. An eagle was 
shot in Sherborne Park some years ago, and is in the possession of 
the Earl of Digby. 

Circus cinerascens (Ash-coloured Harrier), shot near Charmouth 
by C. Bartlett, Esq., on the authority of Dr. B. R. Morris ; also 
a Hoopoe near Charmouth, spring of 1835, by Lord Bridport’s 


Miscellaneous. 473 


gamekeeper ; also Cinclus aquaticus (Water Ouzel), near the same 
place ; a hybrid between the pheasant and turkey, figured by Edwards 
from one shot (out of four or five) at Hanford by the late H. Sey- 
mer, Esq., F.L.S.; Anthus rupestris (Rocklark), common at Char- 
mouth and Portland ; Least Willow-wren, Isle of Purbeck, the late 
Rey. J. M. Colston; Turdus? (Pastor ?) roseus, shot in Portland, 
1831 or 1832, by the Rev. G. Port, now in Stalbridge Museum 
(Mr. Hoddinott); Emberiza nivalis, shot near Turnwood prior to 
1826, in the possession of the Rev. E. Stuart of Houghton; Pied 
Flycatcher, Mr. Selby had one from Dorset ; Emberiza cirlus, Char- 
mouth, Dr. Morris ; F. montifringilla, near Blandford, the late Hon. 
A. Stuart, and also near Christchurch, Hants; Hirundo riparia I 
once saw late in autumn in very great abundance near late (the old 
passage now ) Portland Bridge, as if preparing to migrate ; Lesser Tern, 
at Glanville’s Wootton, end of October 1831; Lesser Black-backed 
Gull, Charmouth, Dr. Morris ; Larus ridibundus (Black-headed Gull), 
Charmouth, Dr. Morris; 1831-32, Tringa maritima (Bruce), shot 
near Lyme Regis; Colymbus stellaris and Procellaria Leachii near 
Charmouth, by R. H. Sweeting, Esq., Surgeon, Charmouth. 
Your obedient Servant, 
Christmas Eve, Glanville’s Wootton, fe (7, ADYrtioe 
near Sherborne, Dorset. 


Ribes petreum.—In Hooker’s British Flora, ed. 4, Ribes petraum 
is combined with R. rubrum, and Wulfen’s figure in Jacq. Aust., t. 
49, is quoted as “‘ bad ;’”’ Smith also, in Eng. Bot., fol. 705, considers 
that same figure as faulty, from the colour of its flowers. Now it 
appears to me that Hooker is correct in referring the R. petreum ot 
Smith to R. rubrum, but wrong in quoting Wulfen, since his plant 
is described by all the continental writers as a distinct species, cha- 
racterized by a campanulate coloured calyx, with its edges ciliated, 
and leaves deeply divided into somewhat triangular acute lobes, 
which are not serrated to their base; whilst in R. rubrum the calyx 
spreads so much as to be almost flat, and is not ciliated, and the 
leaves are less deeply divided into rounded blunt lobes, serrated to 
their base. J have examined specimens of R. petreum from Bohemia 
(contained in Tausch Pl. Selecta), from Croatia (bemg No. 1736 of 
Reich. Fl. Exsic.), and from the Vosges mountains, and find them to 
agree exactly with the above characters, and to be quite distinct 
specifically from the plant called R. petreum in Britain. The figure 
in Jacquin’s work is certainly far from being a good one, for it re- 
presents the flowers of R. petraum as spreading in the same manner 
with those of R. rubrum, which is certainly not the case in the spe- 
cimens that I have examined, and does not agree with the descrip- 
tions given by foreign authors. Cares C, Basrneron. 


Cream-coloured Courser.—Mr. Mummery informs us that there has 
just been placed in the Margate Museum a fine male specimen of 
the Cream-coloured Courser (Cursorius europaeus), an African bird, and 
rarely found north of the Mediterranean (see Mr. Yarrell’s ‘ Birds’). 


474 Miscellaneous. 


Some years ago one was shot by Mr. Hammond of St. Alban’s 
Court, near Wingham, in Kent. The present specimen was shot by 
a boy employed in keeping crows in a field at Dandelion, near Mar- 
gate, on the 21st of last December, and sold for fourpence to a 
dealer. 

LONGEVITY OF GEESE. 

To the Editors of the Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 

GrenTLEMEN,—Most willingly do I concede to Mr. Hassall pri- 
ority in his observations on the phosphorescence of zoophytes, &c.,* 
and I regret that I was ignorant of them till I received a kind and 
polite note from himself. I have little reason however to regret that 
I sent my paper to you, as it has been the means of obtaining for 
me the acquaintance of Mr. Hassall, whose experiments have been 
made on a richer field and a more extensive scale, and who writes in 
the con amore style of a true naturalist. 

Before I lay down my pen, may I use the liberty of asking you, 
as I am not deeply read in Anserine annals, whether you can tell me 
how many years a goose may live, if insured against all deadly at- 
tacks at Christmas and New-Year’s-day from gourmand and gastero- 
nome? You may perhaps archly reply, that you could give a good 
guess, if you knew the age of some of your veteran correspondents. 
I shall not tell you mine; but I may state that I am not yet so old as 
a goose whose premature death was recorded about seven years ago 
in my manuscript memorabilia. I was then told by the Rev. Mr. 
Gibb, that when he was tutor in the family of Mr. Campbell, of 
Auchlian, in Argyleshire, a new cook, by mistake, killed a goose 
which had reached the patriarchal age of threescore and four years. 
This was matter of great sorrow to the family, for the goose was 
precisely the same age as the Laird; and willingly would they have 
cherished it all the days of its natural life. With these feelings of 
regard, it would have been lke cannibalism to feast on their old 
feathered friend. Mr. Gibb and two of his pupils were at Glasgow 
College when the catastrophe took place, and they sent the slaugh- 
tered goose to them, that in their ignorance they might regale them- 
selves without prejudice. ‘The goose was welcomed and roasted, 
and served up; but sharpset as these young Highland chieftains 
were, poor goosie set them at defiance, for its flesh was as tough as 
leather. Yours, &c., D. LanpsBoroueu. 

Manse of Stevenston, Ayrshire, 13th January 1842. 


M. PETIT ON THE QUESTIONABLE AUTHENTICITY OF NAMES GIVEN TO 
" UNDESCRIBED GENERA AND SPECIES. 


We have submitted to our readers in one of the late numbers of 
the ‘Revue Zoologique,’ some observations tending to show the 
error into which Dr. Grateloup had, in our opinion, been led, in 
considering as definitely established specific names given by him, 
without description, to some new shells which he did not actually 
make known till subsequently, and after Mr. Sowerby. 


* We would refer our correspondents to Ehrenberg’s treatise on the phos- 
phorescence of the sea in the Memoirs of the Berlin Academy.—Eb. 


Miscellaneous. 475 


Since our article appeared, we have received several letters, pro- 
ving the adhesion of various persons to these principles, the general 
adoption of which seems to them to be quite indispensable for put- 
ting an end to this confusion ; which, as one of our [English] cor- 
respondents writes, “‘ is constantly increasing in the nomenclature of 
species.” 

The Academy of Sciences has also just sanctioned the opinion 
which we have expressed on this subject, on the following occasion. 

At the very time when we were opposing the course pursued by 
Dr. Grateloup, the medical officers belonging to the sloops Astrolabe 
and Zelée communicated to the Institute some short descriptions of 
birds, insects, and mollusks, &c., collected by them during their ex. 
pedition, thinking in this manner to entitle their labours to take 
their date. This was proceeding exactly as Dr. Grateloup did, if 
the descriptions communicated were not inserted textually in the 
proceedings of the sittings of the Academy of Sciences. Such in- 
sertion has not been ordered, nor anything further than a mere ac- 
knowledgement of the sending the document, together with a 
bare list of specific names; this mode of giving publicity has then 
been rejected by the Academy; but it has done still more: a natu- 
ralist living in Paris desired to inspect the descriptions thus depo- 
sited in the archives of the Institute ; for this purpose he addressed 
a request to the Secretary, who did not think it right to entertain 
it. The subject is thus mentioned in the Compte Rendu of the sit- 
ting of the 27th of September 1841, p. 666. 

“M. Allibut asks permission to inspect the notices sent by 
MM. Jaquinot, Hombron and le Guillon, concerning observations 
in natural history made during the voyage of the Astrolabe and the 
Zelée. 

““M. Allibut must apply to the authors to obtain an opportu- 
nity of consulting their writings, or wait until these writings have 
been made public by being printed.” 

It is thus, in fact, decided by the Academy that the communica- 
tions made by MM. Guillon, Jaquinot, and Hombron cannot con- 
stitute a publication, and that their labours must remain unpublished, 
in manuscript, until they shall have been made public by being printed. 

Moreover, one of these medical officers, Dr. le Guillon, fully 
understood how insignificant was the fact of the deposit which he 
had made with the Institute, a deposit sanctioned by courtesy 
merely ; for he hastened to get a considerable number of the de- 
scriptions which he had sent to the Academy inserted in the ‘ Revue 
de la Société Cuviérienne,’ of which he is a member; and by this 
real publication has established an authentic date for his labours : 
the English do so in their “‘ proceedings ;”’ so also did M. d’ Orbigny 
upon his American voyage. It is the course that MM. Jaquinot 
and Hombron will also probably adopt; the means of publication 
will not be wanting at Paris ; and if it were necessary, the editor of 
the last voyage of M. Dumont Durville would not refuse to devote 
a hundred francs to the publication of a synopsis of whatever they 
have brought which is new. 


476 Miscellaneous. 


These two gentlemen will also feel the necessity of not separating 
themselves from their laborious colleague M. le Guillon ; they will 
not wish to leave him all the burden and all the honour of the work ; 
still less will they be able to treat, as having no existence, whatever 
has been described before them, and made public by being printed. 
There would be but one voice in opposition to this manner of treat- 
ing science, and without being aware of it, they would come toa 
lamentable result, that of for ever throwing discredit upon publica- 
tions for which the state makes enormous sacrifices. —S. Perir. Revue 
Zoologique, p. 329, No. x. 1841. 


[ We know nothing of the merits of this particular case, but insert the 
above as the subject to which it relates is of general interest.—Eb. ] 


NESTS OF THE HIRUNDO RIPARIA. 


“« M. Eugene Robert, having had an opportunity of observing the 
nests which the sand-martens excavate in the gravelly banks along 
the river Volga, noticed that the upper surfaces exhibited a yellowish 
white plastermg of animal matter. ‘This matter, in which he ex- 
pected to find some analogy to that of which the nest of the Hirundo 
esculenta is composed, appeared to him formed of the spawn of fish, 
perhaps of the sturgeon, which is common in that river. 

“It is impossible,”’ says M. Robert, ‘‘ not to observe in this ar- 
rangement an admirable foresight in the bird, to prevent the falling 
down of the gravel from destroying its dwelling.”—Comptes Rendus 
Noy. 1841. 


Some Notices oF THE LatTE Proressor Don, anv or HIs FATHER, 
Mr. Georert Don, FORMERLY CURATOR OF THE EDINBURGH 
Boranic GAarpDEN*. 


As Professor Don was, in the strictest sense of the terms, a here- 
ditary botanist, naturalist, and man of general information, it may 
not be amiss, before giving an exceedingly brief outline of the prin- 
cipal events of his life, to say something still more brief of his father. 
We have no occasion to dilate upon the character of either; they 
are safe in the memories of large circles of friends ; and wherever 
either had an opportunity of making an impression, the remembrance 
of it is delightful. 

Mr. Georce Don was a native of Kincardineshire, from which, 
however, his parents removed in his infancy. While yet a very 
little boy he revisited the place of his nativity ; and the clergyman 
of the parish, having called on the family with whom Don was re- 
siding, found the nascent student of nature busily engaged forming 
into a natural system of his own, all the wild flowers which he had 
been able to cull in the neighbourhood ; upon observing which, the 
clergyman remarked, that a boy, who voluntarily entered upon such 
a course at the very dawning of life, would ultimately become one 
of the brightest and most successful naturalists of his time. 


* Extracted from an article in the Florist’s Journal, No. xxiv. 


Miscellaneous. 477 


The hint was in so far taken, from this prediction, that Don was 
bound apprentice to the gardener at Dupplin Castle, in Perthshire, 
a near relation of his own. While in this situation he devoted his 
leisure time to the study of the natural sciences, especially botany ; 
but he was careful not to neglect his employment. The fact is, 
that while still at that age at which the majority of boys addict 
themselves to frivolous sports, Don was a general and successful 
observer in the fields, and student in the closet; and he continued 
to be so under all the vicissitudes of a very varied life. The botany 
of the Grampians, and the secondary hills at their base, was a fa- 
vourite study with him at the commencement, and continued to be 
so till the close of his life. 

On leaving Dupplin he went to the south of England, and after 
a short residence there he visited the continent. On the completion 
of this tour, he returned to Forfar, along with a relation of his own, 
and soon after established a nursery and botanical collection of 
plants at Doo Hillock, a spot remarkably well adapted for his pur- 
pose, from the great diversity of the soil. Though of very limited 
extent, some parts of it are very elevated and dry; and the soil 
passes through all the gradations, from this to a sludgy peat bog. 
Consequently the soils best suited to every variety of British plants 
were found within a short distance of each other. While settled 
here he resumed his observations of nature with fresh ardour, and in 
the course of his studies passed many nights on the Grampians, 
sometimes with only the shelter of his cloak. 

After residing for some time in Forfar, he went to Edinburgh, 
where he studied in the medical classes, and acquired some acquaint- 
ance with the theory and the practice of the healing art. Amid all 
this study and practice, he also evinced much knowledge and dex- 
terity in the mechanical arts ; and had his main studies not led him 
to different subjects, he would have been a first-rate artist in the 
construction of time-keepers, and the finer parts of spinning and 
other machinery ; for even circumstanced as he was, he gave prac- 
tical proofs of the skill of his head and the dexterity of his hand in 
such matters. 

Some time after, having taken up his residence in Edinburgh, he 
was appointed Curator of the Botanic Garden there. This appoint- 
ment brought him in contact with the ablest men in Edinburgh, of 
pursuits similar to his own; and, among others, with Mr. Patrick 
Neill, Secretary to the Wernerian Society, and author of some ad- 
mirable memoirs on scientific subjects. This friendship, begun in 
congeniality of feeling, went on increasing, till it was closed by the 
death of Mr. Don in January 1814, or the same month in 1816. 
Several years before this he had returned to Forfar, to resume the 
cultivation of his nursery and the study of nature ; and here conti- 
nued to reside till his death. Altogether, Mr. Gzorer Don was an 
extraordinary man, both for the vigour and the versatility of his 
talent ; and had the vicissitudes of his life been recorded and pre- 
pared for the press by a competent biographer, they would have 


478 Miscellaneous. 


afforded a most curious and entertaining, as well as a most useful 
memoir. 

Mr. Don was married, and had a family of fifteen children, of 
whom four sons still remain, who are eminent as botanists, as cul- 
tivators, or as both. 


Professor Davin Don was born in his father’s cottage at Doo 
Hillock, in the year 1800; and may be said to have been a botanist 
and cultivator from his very infancy, having acquired a thorough 
knowledge of these subjects under his father, who made the best of 
all possible teachers ; and along with these studies, and afterwards, 
he made himself acquainted with Latin, and acquired some know- 
ledge of Greek and Hebrew, as well as those modern languages 
which could be most serviceable to him in his pursuits. 

Mr. D. Dow continued in his father’s nursery until he made him- 
self, while yet merely a lad, a botanist of no mean acquirements,— 
we will not say pretensions, for few men, of anything like equal 
capacity, have been so unpretending as Professor Dow. Upon lea- 
ving Forfar he went to Edinburgh, in order to enjoy a wider range 
both of study and of occupaticn ; and while there had charge of the 
conservatories and stoves in the grounds of Messrs. Dickson, brothers, 
nurserymen at Broughton, in the close vicinity of that city, who 
had at that time one of the best collections in Scotland. 

After remaining there for some time, Mr. Don removed to London, 
where his brother George then was, and engaged in the Physic 
Gardens at Chelsea. ‘Then, or soon after, the late Mr. Lambert, 
one of the great encouragers of botanical science, was in want of a 
librarian; and Mr. Don’s practical experience, general knowledge, 
and suavity of manner, recommended him as amply suited for the 
situation ; he accordingly went to reside in the town mansion of 
Mr. Lambert, to the mutual satisfaction of both parties, and the 
gratification of Mr. Lambert’s scientific friends and the visitors of his 
ample collection. ‘This situation, and more especially the manner 
in which the duties of it were discharged, brought Mr. Don into 
general acquaintance with the higher classes of the botanical world ; 
and soon after the death of Sir Joseph Banks, the illustrious Mr. 
Robert Brown having resigned his office of Librarian to the Linnean 
Society and Curator of its Museum, Mr. Don was chosen as a 
worthy successor to that first botanist of the age. 

In this new position, Mr. Don was found to be a most valuable 
acquisition to the Society ; and his accurate knowledge and amiable 
manners endeared him to all, while his numerous contributions to 
science extended his name widely over the botanical world. 

About the year 1836, he was appointed Professor of Botany in 
King’s College ; which situation he held jointly with the Librarian- 
ship of the Linnzan Society. 

He was seized with his last illness, in a serious form, in the end 
of April, or the beginning of May. It may be regarded as a general 
breaking up of the system, which assumed a topical character, and 
defied the skill of the most eminent men. Though latterly his 


Meteorological Observations. 479 


disease became a very painful one, he bore it with singular fortitude, 
until delivered both from the evil and the good of this world, on 
the 8th of December 1841. On the 15th of the same month he was 
borne to his resting-place in the cemetery at Kensal Green; his re- 
mains being followed to that mansion of repose by Mr. Brown, Sir 
William J. Hooker, Mr. Bentham, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Anderson, Mr. 
Smith, and various other botanists, who, no doubt, felt the blank 
which had been made in their circle. Of his character we need add 
nothing to what has been already embodied in this brief notice. 


[We would add, as our own record of his personal character, that 
he was unpretending, disinterested, openhearted, and sincere. His 
native kindness, cordiality and hilarity as a companion will long be 
affectionately remembered by those who knew him.—Eb. ] 


METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR DEC. 1841. 


Chiswick.—Dec. 1. Overcast. 2. Cloudy: rain. 3. Fine: rain: clear at night. 
4. Clear: heavy rain: densely clouded. 5. Cloudy: clear and fine: cloudy. 6. 
Overcast: heavy rain: clear. 7. Clear: overcast at aight. 8. Rain: cloudy. 
9. Very fine: rain. 10. Overcast: rain: clear. 11. Slightly overcast: clear: 
rain at night. 12. Rain: stormy. 13. Rain: clear at night. 14. Cloudy and 
cold. 15. Densely overcast. 16. Very fine. 17. Clear and frosty. 18. Frosty 
haze. 19. Sharp frost: slight snow. 20. Frosty: fine. 21. Clear. 22. Slight 
frost: drizzly. 23. Hazy: drizzly. 24. Overcast: rain. 25. Rain: clear. 
26. Overcast: clear: cloudy at night. 27. Hazy. 28. Foggy: cloudy and fine. 
29. Dense fog. 30. Hazy. 31. Very fine: rain at night. 


Boston.—Dec. 1. Fine: rain yesterday p.m. 2. Fine. 3. Rain: rain early 
A.M. 4. Stormy: rain early A.m.: rain a.m. and p.m. 5. Stormy. 6. Rain: 
rainearly a.m. 7. Fine. 8. Cloudy: rain early a.m. 9. Fine: rainr.m. 10. 
Cloudy: rain a.m. 11. Fine. 12. Cloudy: rain early a.m.: rain a.m. 13. 
Cloudy. 14. Stormy. 15. Cloudy. 16. Fine: rainearly a.m. 17—19. Fine. 
20. Misty. 21, 22. Fine. 23. Cloudy. 24. Fine. 25. Fine: rain rp.m. 26— 
28. Fine. 29. Rain: rain early a.m. 30, 31. Fine. 


Applegarth Manse, Dumfries-shire—Dec. 1. Slight showers. 2. Rain a.m. 
3. Wet and stormy. 4. Fine a.m.: raine.m. 5. Fine. 6, 7. Rain morning 
and evening. 8. Rain morning and evening: Aurora. 9. Frost a.m.: rain 
P.M. 10—12. Heavy showers. - 15. One slight shower. 14. Frost a.m.: 
Aurora. 15. Heavyrain. 16. Rain and squalls. 17. Clearand frost. 18. 
Clear and frost: cloudy rv.m. 19. Slight fall of snow: frost. 20. Thick fog: 
frost. 21. Frost. 22. Frost: fine. 23. Fog and thaw: rain. 24. Rain. 25. Frost 
A.M.: rain p.M. 26. Frost, fair and clear. 27. Frost a.m.: thaw and rain p.m. 
28. Fine. 29, Dull and moist; raine.m., 980. Thick fog; rainr.u. 31. Fog 
and rain. 

Sun shone out 21 days. Rain fell 21 days. Frost 10 days. Snow 1 day. 
Fog 4days. Aurora 2 days. ! 

Wind north } day. North-north-east } day. North-east lday. East 2 days. 
South-east 15 day. South-south-west 4 days. South-west 11} days. West- 
south-west 14 day. North-west 53 days. North-north-west 3 days. 


Calm 9 days. Moderate 9 days. Strong breeze 6 days. Boisterous 6 days. 
Stormy 1 day. 
Mean temperature of the month .........000e0e0ee0s 38°°9 
Mean temperature of Dec. 1840 ..........0seeeeeeees 36 -O 
Mean temperature of spring-water .....c.eeeeeeeen 41 ‘6 


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THE ANNALS 
AND 


MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 
SUPPLEMENT TO VOL. VIII. MARCH 1842. 


LVI.—On a new genus of Fossil Bivalve Shells. By Mr. 
SaMuEL Srutcupury, F.G.S., A.L.S., &c., Curator of 
the Bristol Institution. ‘ 

[ With two Plates. ] 


SOME years since my attention was called to several species 
of bivalve shells which were generally placed in the genus 
Unio; upon a close examination of many specimens, I was 
enabled to characterize eight or nine species certainly distinct 
from any established genus ; also finding that they appeared 
to be confined to the lias and inferior oolite, which are deter- 
minate marine beds, I was anxious to remove them from the 
genus Unio, with which they appeared to have but slight ana- 
logy. 

With this view I forwarded, in 1837, a paper to the then 
editor of the ‘ Magazine of Natural History,’ which from some 
cause was not inserted; but in the meantime the name Pa- 
chyodon, by which I had designated the new genus, became 
pretty generally adopted by those who had access to the Mu- 
seum of the Bristol Institution. I have since been informed 
that Professor Agassiz has given, or intends to notice the 
genus under the name of Cardinea: if he has already done so, 
I shall yield the name Pachyodon, being anxious not to in- 
crease the already overloaded list of synonyms. 

In the list of genera published in the ‘ Synopsis of the Bri- 
tish Museum,’ by J. E. Gray, Esq., it is designated by the 
name of Ginorga, and arranged among the Crassinide, but no 
description accompanies the name. 

I have also to observe, that both in the ‘ Mineral Concho- 
logy’ and in the ‘ Genera of Recent and Fossil Shells,’ the 
Messrs. Sowerby, with their accustomed acumen, had thrown 
considerable doubt upon the propriety of continuing these 
several species in the genus Unio. 


PACHYODON. 


Gen. Char.—Shell bivalve, equivalve, inequilateral; hinge con- 
sisting of a single, oblique, thickened cardinal tooth in the right 
valve, with a hollow for its reception in the left valve; anterior la- 
teral tooth in the right valve obtusely conical; the posterior lateral 


Ann. & Mag. N. Hist, Vol.viii. Suppl. 2] 


482 Mr. S. Stutchbury on Pachyodon, 


tooth in the left valve elongated and attenuated towards the umbo. 
In the right valve there is a flattened fold parallel to the ligament, 
and divided obliquely near the umbo by a faint groove; from the an- 
terior extremity of this fold a depression extends beneath the lunule 
in front of the anterior lateral tooth, and in the left valve there is a 
corresponding elevation. Umbones closely approximating ; muscular 
impressions deep; ligament external, situated in a deep, marginal, 
posterior dorsal sinus. 

This remarkable genus of bivalve shells differs essentially 
from any other described, as will be seen by reference to the 
generic character above. 

The difference between this and other genera, particularly 
Unio, in which genus several species have hitherto been 
placed, consists in the following characters :—In Pachyodon 
the cardinal tooth is often obsolete; the anterior lateral tooth 
is thick, simple, without striz, situated in the right valve, ha- 
ving for its insertion a corresponding hollow in the left valve ; 
the posterior lateral tooth is placed in the left valve, the sul- 
cus for its reception being in the right. There are two cica- 
trices of muscular adhesion very deep and strongly marked, 
with a small round impression above the anterior one in the 
left valve. 


The impression of adhesion of the mantle is entire, having 
no siphonal sinus. 

Shell thick and heavy, without any trace of erosion at the 
umbo, socommon to freshwater bivalves; apparently without 


nacre ; the lines of growth very prominent, forming strongly 
marked transverse lines. 


1. Pachyodon Listeri, Plate IX. fig. 1, 2. 


Shell thick, heavy ; transverse lines of growth from ;/,th to th of 
an inch apart, as distant near the umbo as towards the base; height 
from basal margin to the apex of the umbo, 1 inch ;6,ths ; length from 
the anterior to the posterior margin, 2°0 ; thickness 0:7. 

Lias, Frethern, Gloucestershire, and Battledown, near Cheltenham. 

Unio Listeri, Sowerby, Min. Conch., tab. 154. fig. 1, 3, 4. 

-, Goldfuss, p. 181. pl. 132. fig. 1. 
Donax ? Parkinson, Org. Rem., vol. iii. pl. 13. fig. 7. 
Museum of Bristol Institution. 


2. Pachyodon hybridus, Plate IX. fig. 3, 4. 

Shell cuneiform, thick; lines of growth distant and strongly 
marked ; umbones closely approximating ; lunule deep; height 1-2, 
length 1°8, thickness 0°7. 

Lias, Langar, Nottinghamshire; near Cheltenham, Gloucester- 

shire. 

Unio hybrida, Sowerby, Min. Conch., tab. 154. fig. 2. 

Museum of Bristol Institution, Samuel Worsley, Esq. 


a new genus of Fossil Shells. 483 


I think it probable that this species may, upon examination 
of numerous specimens, prove to be merely a variety of P. Lis- 
teri. 

3. Pachyodon imbricatus, n. s., Plate IX. fig. 5, 6. 


Shell subtriangular; lines of growth thin-edged, imbricated and 
numerous; lunule cordate ; height 171, length 1°5, thickness 0°7. 
Lias, banks of the Severn, Gloucestershire, and Bishport, Somer- 
setshire. 
Museum of Bristol Institution. 


4, Pachyodon crassissimus, Plate IX. fig. 7. 


Shell subtriangular ; umbo incurved towards the anterior margin*, 
lines of growth forming deep transverse sulci; height 2°6, length 2°8, 
thickness 1°6. 

Inferior oolite, Dundry Hill, Somersetshire. 

Unio crassissimus, Sowerby, Min. Conch., tab. 153. 

Museum of Bristol Institution, George Cumberland, Esq. 


This species I have little doubt is the Unio crassissimus of 
Sowerby, although I do not understand his figure as regards 
the teeth; the shell is remarkably thick, bemg 1°6 from the 
outside extremes of one valve to the other, while the space for 
the animal is only 0°6. 

I have seen another specimen from Wick, near Bath, three 
inches in height and nearly four in length; both in the col= 
lection of George Cumberland, Esq. 


5. Pachyodon crassiusculus, Plate IX. fig. 8. 


Shell ovate, symmetrical ; lines of growth equidistant ; anterior 
extremity 4th of the length; height 1°8, length 2°5, thickness 1-1. 
Lias, Langar, Nottinghamshire ; near Cheltenham; Blue Anchor, 
Somersetshire ; Robin Hood’s Bay, Yorkshire. 
Unio crassiusculus, Sowerby, Min. Conch., tab. 185. 
Pullastra, Phillips, Geol. of Yorkshire, pl. 13. fig. 16. 
Museum of Bristol Institution, Wm. Bean, Esq., Scarborough. 


It is evident from the figure in the ‘ Mineral Conchology,’ 
that the Unio crassiusculus belongs to this genus, three or four 
specimens having come into my possession. I have no doubt 
of its being a distinct and well-characterized species ; it is the 
most symmetrical of the genus. 

I very strongly suspect that the locality given in the ‘ Mine- 
ral Conchology ’ must be a mistake, originating from the close 
resemblance in colour which the fossils of the ferruginous 
marlstones have to the fossils of the crag formation. 


* This portion of the shell is frequently described as the posterior in the 
‘Mineral Conchology,’ and vice versa, 


pda U2 


484 Mr. S. Stutchbury on Pachyodon, 


6. Pachyodon abductus, Plate X. fig. 9, 10. 


Shell triangular; umbones produced anteriorly ; lines of growth 
nearly smooth ; lunule cordate ; height 1°3, length 1°7, thickness 0°7. 

Inferior oolite, Dundry Hill, Somersetshire. 

Lias, near Cheltenham. 

Unio abductus, Phillips, Geol. of Yorkshire, tab. 11. fig. 42. 

Museum of Bristol Institution. 


7. Pachyodon cuneatus, n. s., Plate X. fig. 11, 12. 


Shell cuneiform ; anterior portion but slightly produced beyond the 
umbo ; lunule deep and heart-shaped ; height 0°7, length 1-2, thick- 
ness O'4. 

Lias, Frethern, Gloucestershire. 

Museum of Bristol Institution. 


8. Pachyodon lanceolata, n. s. 


Shell lanceolate ; anterior portion 4th of the length, posterior 
portion acutely produced ; hinge-line straight; lunule small; base 
curved ; height 1°4, length 3-4, thickness 0°9. 

Robin Hood’s Bay, Yorkshire. 

Mus. W. Bean, Esq., Scarborough, 


This singular species has been kindly sent me for exami- 
nation by Mr. Bean of Scarborough, who has for some time 
distinguished it by the specific name of lanceolata. 

It approaches most closely to P. attenuatus, but differs in 
being more acute posteriorly, by the straightness of the hinge- 
line, as also by its greater thickness upon the basal margin. 
I regret that this species did not come to hand in time to al- 
low of its being included in the Plates. 


a new genus of Fossil Shells. 485 


9. Pachyodon attenuatus, n. s., Plate X. fig. 13, 14. 

Shell cuneiform ; transverse diameter twice its height ; posterior 
end strongly attenuated ; lunule small but deep ; transverse diameter 
2°8, height 1:4, thickness 0°7. 

Lias, Battledown, near Cheltenham. 

Museum of Bristol Institution. 


For an extended suite of this elegant species I am indebted 
to my excellent young friends Messrs. Buckman and Murley 
of Cheltenham, and I would gladly have availed myself of 
the opportunity of attaching their names to this and another 
species, but from the feeling, that character alone can be le- 
gitimately used for specific names. 


10. Pachyodon concinnus, Plate X. fig. 15, 16. 


Shell smooth, transversely oblong, ovate, anterior portion produced ; 
lunule deep; lines of growth distant with intervening lines; basal 
margin convex ; height 2°0, length 4:5, thickness 0°9. 

Lias, Langar, Nottinghamshire ; Saltford and Weston, near Bath. 

Unio concinnus, Sowerby, Min. Conch., tab. 223. fig. 1, 2. 

-, Goldfuss, p. 181. pl. 132. fig. 2. a 6. 
Museum of Bristol Institution, Samuel Worsley, Esq. 


This elegant species has the anterior (posterior of Sowerby) 
margin considerably more extended than is exhibited by the 
figure in the ¢ Mineral Conchology.’ 

Casts of the interior are common in the lias at Saltford and 
Weston, near Bath. (Vide Walcott’s Fossils near Bath, fig. 4.) 


11. Pachyodon ovalis, n. s., Plate X. fig. 17, 18, 19. 


Shell elliptical ; anterior margin rounded, posterior margin but 
little attenuated ; the lunule or depression of the anterior dorsal part 
small and narrow ; height 1°1, length 1°7, thickness 0°6. 

Lias, Frethern, Gloucestershire. 

Museum of Bristol Institution. 


Of this species there is a singular rugose variety (fig. 19.) 
which deserves especial notice, and were it not for the inter- 
vention of H. E. Strickland, Esq., I should have described it 
as a distinct species under the name of P. rugosus ; but from 
an examination of a large number of specimens, he is con- 
vinced the rugose and crumpled character depends upon a 
crushing under pressure subsequent to interment. 

In addition to the species above described, I have seen two 
individual specimens, which I think, upon further examina- 
tion, will prove distinct—one in the Bristol Institution collec- 
tion, the other in the possession of H. E. Strickland, Esq. 


486 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


LVII.—The Birds of Ireland. By Wu. Tuompeson, Esq,, 
Vice-Pres. Nat. Hist. Society of Belfast. 


[Continued from p. 430.] 


No. 10.—Corvide (continued) ; Picide; Certhiade. 


Tur Rook, Corvus frugilegus, Linn., is as common through- 
out the cultivated and wooded parts of Ireland as in any 
other country*. It is generally looked upon by the farmer 
as an arch enemy, of which he has ocular demonstration,— 
“ the evil that it does” being very apparent in the headless 
stalks of grain, while its virtues do not in a direct manner 
come under his cognizance. I have always been disposed to 
regard the rook as a bird intended by its CREATOR to check 
the unwonted increase of the insects most destructive to the 
vegetation of the field, and keep them within due bounds: 
both England and the continent furnish us with instances of 
the almost total destruction of crops in particular districts, 
consequent on its extirpation. 

The good done by this bird is generally admitted by our authors 
who have written within the last sixty years, greatly to exceed the 
evil it commits. The only exception to this which I have met 
with is Sir Wm. Jardine, who speaks of the good as “ at least com- 
pensating for their destruction or injury to the produce of the fields.” 
It may be possible that in particular localities the “‘Dr.” and “Cr.” 
account will about balance. A gentleman whose extensive farm is 
situated in the valley of the Lagan, and little more than a mile di- 
stant from three extensive rookeries (his place forming, as it were, 
the centre of the circle), once remarked to me, that he would rather 
than ten pounds a year that rooks never alighted on his fields. His 
charges against them comprise about the sum total of the evil pro- 
pensities of the species. They are as follow :—‘*‘ When the blade 
of wheat just shows itself above ground, and the pickle of grain is 
by frost or otherwise rendered accessible, these birds at daybreak 
pick it off; when grain is lodged they utterly destroy it, and do 
serious damage to it when in stooks, not only by eating it, but by 
carrying away heads of the grain, which are found scattered about 
the adjacent fields. The potatoe crop too they injure, by picking 
up the planted ‘sets’ in spring whenever accessible, as likewise in 
autumn the young potatoes ; but only where the crop is thin and 
poor, as from such bare spots they can have a look-out against ap- 
proaching enemies : where the foliage is luxuriant they never alight. 
They sometimes too have attacked the cherries in the garden +.” 

* At the more genial period of the year, flocks of rooks occasionally visit 
the mountain pastures about Belfast. 

+ Mr. Jesse, who in his ‘Gleanings of Natural History’ treats most agree- 
ably of rooks generally, and particularly of the Royal rookeries, remarks, that 
these birds are “sad depredators on my cherry-trees, attacking them early 
in the morning and carrying off great quantities.” He is nevertheless sa- 
tisfied that the good done by the species greatly counterbalances the evil. 


Mr. W. Thompson ox the Birds of Ireland. 487 


The only good here attributed to them is in “ picking the grubs off 
lay ground, when broken up and harrowed.”’ That where very nu- 
merous they do much of the harm here alleged is undoubted ; but to 
prove that they do much more good than is imagined, I requested to 
be allowed to examine any slaughtered birds, that by exhibiting the 
food they contained, my friend might be convinced of the evil of his 
ways in destroying them; but though promised they were never 
sent. The propriety of having boys to guard the lately-sown wheat 
under the circumstances mentioned, where the depredations are per- 
haps the most serious, was suggested, but the very early hour was 
said to be an insuperable obstacle. They could however be watched* 
and frightened away by boys at this time, and when the grain is 
lodged, at a trifling expense, and then very little harm indeed would 
be done by them. One of the inimitable tail-pieces to Bewick’s Birds 
(ed. 1832, vol. i. p. 93) points to the inutility of one kind of scarecrow, 
where a rook is represented peering curiously, but without the least 
fear, at the wretched effigy of humanity erected to frighten the spe- 
cies from its vicinity. Every person may have observed similar in- 
stances. The most notable that has come under my own observa- 
tion, was where, in a newly-planted potatoe-field, a host of these 
birds were feeding, while among them hung four of their brethren 
gibbeted, and looking so fresh, that they had apparently been killed 
only two or three days beforet. 

By Wm. Sinclaire, Esq., of Milltown, near Belfast, I am in- 
formed, that towards the end of autumn, when the harvest has been 
gathered in, numbers of rooks have, for the last dozen years or more, 
come every morning, for about a fortnight, to the pine-trees (Pinus 
sylvestris) in that district, for the sake of the cones, which they 
pluck from the branches and carry away. When the cones cannot be 
detached in the ordinary manner, they seize them in their bills, and 
launch off from the branch into the air, that the weight of their bodies 
may detach them. This is their common procedure with unyielding 
cones, and has been witnessed with much interest from the windows 
of my friend’s house, within a few yards of which are some pines, 
in which this ingenious feat is regularly practised. The rook being 
an especial favourite with me on account of the benefit it does man- 
kind, I was much gratified to learn this proof of its intelligence, 
which raises it to an equality with the gray crow (as evinced by its 
rising into the air with shell-fish and dropping them on the rocks to 
break them), and proves it to be not unworthy, on the score of in- 
tellect, of being placed in the same family group with the raven. 
What they do with the cones has not been ascertained. It would 
seem to me, that unless the scales of the cone be so widely open that 


* In his ‘Familiar History of Birds,’ the Bishop of Norwich fairly weighs 
the good and harm done by rooks, and is convinced that the former greatly 
preponderates. He suggests this watching, as Sir Wm. Jardine, likewise, 
has subsequently done. 

+ A friend who kept three eagles procured rooks enough on which to 
feed them in summer, as these birds came to regale themselves at the troughs 
containing pig’s-meat, of which potatoes formed the principal part. 


488 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


the seed is ready to drop out, they could hardly reach it, and even 
then a portion only would be accessible ; the scales themselves could 
not, I conceive, be detached, unless they were partially decomposed ; 
unfortunately, the proceedings of the birds, subsequent to their carry- 
ing off the cones, have not been watched*. 

Great meetings of rooks, before the breeding season commences, 
have been alluded to by authors, some of whom consider that the 
object is to settle preliminaries respecting that important period—of 
the correctness of this idea I have little doubt. These assemblages 
are sometimes long continued. During four weeks in the year 18387— 
from January 2ist to February 17th—whenever I happened to ride 
between two and three o’clock in the direction of two rookeries, I 
always saw, at a place intermediate between them, and about a mile 
distant from each, extraordinary numbers, amounting certainly to 
several thousands; more than I conceive the two rookeries could 
furnish—a third rookery, about a mile and a half distant, must, I 
imagine, have likewise contributed its numbers. Although they 
closely covered fields of all kinds (pasture, meadow-land and ploughed 
ground), they were not congregated for the purpose of feeding, not 
more perhaps than one in a hundred being ever so engaged. Again 
they would be all on wing at such a height as to look no larger 
than swallows, and keeping within as limited a space in the air as 
they had occupied on the earth. 

As remarked by Mr. Macgillivray, rooks ‘‘ seem to calculate upon 
the protection which they usually receive in the neighbourhood of 
their breeding-places.” Here it is highly interesting to observe 
them become fellow-labourers with man when the plough is at work, 
closely following its track to consume the destructive insect larvee 
which are turned up; thus performing an important office that the 
lords of creation could not accomplish for themselves. At such 
times too, as if conscious of the good in which they are engaged, 
they admit of a near approach, and their finely polished plumage has 
a beautiful effect as it glances like burnished metal in the sun. 
Their time of roosting varies a little, according to the afternoon 
being bright or gloomy. On the 10th of August 1837, I remarked 
a great number busily employed in feeding at some distance from 
the rookery so late as seven o’clock in the evening : the day through- 
out had been dull and dark. 

I was informed by Richard Langtry, Esq., in the spring of 1831, 


* Mr. Blackwall, in his ‘ Researches in Zoology’ (p. 156), remarks, 
that ‘‘rooks in the autumn frequently bury acorns in the earth, probably 
with the intention of having recourse to them when their wants are more 
urgent.” It is added, that they sometimes forget where they have concealed 
them. Mr. Jesse too states, that these birds “ are known to bury acorns, 
and I believe walnuts also, as I have observed them taking ripe walnuts 
from a tree, and returning to it before they could have had time to break 
them and eat the contents. Indeed, when we consider how hard the shell 
of a walnut is, it is not easy to guess how the rook contrives to break them. 
May they not, by first burying them, soften the shells,and afterwards return 
to feed upon them?” (Gleanings in Nat. Hist., Ist series.) 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 489 


that a pair of herons built their nest in the rookery at Dromedaragh 
(county of Antrim), that the rooks tore the first nest to pieces, but 
that the herons eventually succeeded, and reared their brood in 
safety. A few years before that time about one hundred and fifty 
young rooks had been killed there during a storm, by being blown 
out of the nests. Among adult birds, there was an extraordinary 
fatality in the county of Westmeath on the night of the great hurri- 
cane of January 7th, 1839. As was noticed in a communication to 
the Annals*, my friend Mr. R. Ball was assured by Dean Vig- 
nolles, on whose property the circumstance occurred, that the ama~ 
zing number of 33,000 + were picked up dead on the shores of a 
lake some miles in length, and with extensive rookeries on its 
borders. So remarkably numerous were the dead bodies, that as a 
matter of curiosity they were reckoned by some boys as they gathered 
them into heaps. Dean Vignolles likewise submitted to Mr. Ball’s 
inspection a more than ordinarily strong panel of a new window 
shutter, which was driven in and split by a rook being dashed 
against it on the night in question—the innocent cause of the damage 
was found dead between the window and the shutter inside the 
room. Other fatalities occasionally befall the rook. In the autumn 
of 1831 (?) there was a dense fog over Lough Neagh and its neigh- 
bourhood for two nights and an entire day, during which time great 
numbers of these birds perished in its waters, and were afterwards 
washed ashore. I have been told that a similar circumstance occurred 
in the harbour of Cove in the south of Ireland some years ago. 

At Redhall, county of Antrim, a friend once saw a brood of four 
young rooks, all of which were white : both parents were of the or- 
dinary sable hue. J. V. Stewart, Esq. of Rockhill, near Letterkenny, 
informs me that he possesses two varieties of the rook, one entirely 
of a dingy brown colour, and having a diseased appearance ; and the 
other with two white bars across the wings, the rest of the plumage 
being of the usual colour. In the year 1839 I was told by Mr. G. 
J. Allman of Bandon, that several light fawn-coloured birds of this 
species were shot near to that town a few years before, some of which 
he had seen in company with other rooks, that freely associated with 
them. 

In Scotland these birds have, by suiting themselves to circum- 
stances, come under my observation in a manner in which they have 
not done in Ireland, I have for many miles along the coast of Ayr- 
shire met with them in the autumn, feeding among the fresh sea- 
weed or rejectamenta of the preceding tide ; and at other times they 
were crowded seeking for food among the heaps of sea-weed collect- 


* ‘Note on the Effects of the Hurricane of January 7, 1839, in Ireland, 
on some Birds, Fishes, &c.’ vol. iii. p. 182. 

+ Were a figure taken off the above number, it would be reduced to what 
I have remarked to constitute a respectable rookery. Mr. Jesse too states that 
“the average number of rooks’ nests, during the last four years, in the ave- 
nue of Hampton Court Park, has been about 750; allowing three young 
birds and a pair of old ones to each nest, the number would amount to 
3750.”—Gleanings, p. 65, Ist Kd. 


490 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


ed on the beach for manure. About two miles inland from Ballan- 
trae, in Ayrshire, a few hundreds of these birds, in the autumn of 
1839, regularly roosted on the ground upon a rising knoll in a pas- 
ture-field. I first saw them there at eight o’clock p.m. on the 20th 
of August ; and afterwards, on returning late from grouse-shooting 
im distant moors, they were always to beseen. ‘This roosting-place 
was in the midst of a cultivated district, in which there was no wood 
of sufficient age to be patronized by the rook. At the commence- 
ment of a snow-storm in England, and after the ground became well 
covered, I was once amused at seeing a rook rolling m the snow, 
apparently enjoying itself as much as a Newfoundland dog could 
have done *. In summer I have met with the rook in Holland, 
France and Switzerland, and in some parts of the first-named coun- 
try observed that it was as common as in its chief haunts in the 
British Islands. At the Hotel Bellevue, which is situated close to 
the king’s park at the Hague, I for the first time experienced the 
evils of a rookery, the cawing from a closely adjacent one being 
so incessant from daybreak as to drive all sleep from me, unaccus- 
tomed as I was to such music ;—this was at the end of May, when 
the calls of the young are almost constantly uttered. 

The rook has attracted the attention of authors possessing a cele- 
brity of a very different kind. In the ‘ Bracebridge Hall’ of Wash- 
ington Irving, an admirable chapter is devoted to it. Goldsmith 
gives a very interesting account of its nestling in the Temple Gar- 
dens, London, as observed by himself. A most graphic description 
of its manner of life about Selborne is furnished by White. Sir 
Wm. Jardine introduces it in a picturesque manner as an adjunct to 
the scenery of the park; and Mr. Macgillivray, as if conceiving that 
the subject had already been quite exhausted, imparts a new feature 
to the history of the bird, by visiting a rookery at night, and relating 
the proceedings at that period. 

THE Jackpaw, Corvus Monedula, Linn., is found through- 
out the island, especially where the labour of man is evinced 
by buildings, the plantation of trees, and the cultivation of 
the ground. But it is much more interesting to meet with 
this bird in its more wild and natural abode in the bold and 
precipitous cliffs which it frequents, whether inland or ma- 
rine. 

‘The basaltic precipices of the north-east of Ireland are much re- 
sorted to by these birds, and I believe at all seasons—in the month 
of October, in different years, I have observed them at the approach 
of evening to gather in as great numbers as in summer, to roost in 
the rocks at the Cavehill, near Belfast. In the wild peninsula of the 
Horn (co. Donegal) they breed in the marine cliffs, and according to 
the late T. F. Neligan, Esq., of Tralee, they nestle in caverns in 
very small islands about three miles distant from the coast of Kerry. 
On the 29th of May, 1836, [ saw many jackdaws at the sandy pre- 


* Waterton in his ‘Essays on Natural History ’ mentions a tame raven 
acting similarly. 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 491 


cipitous cliffs rising above the beach of Lough Neagh, at Massareene 
deer-park, where they breed in holes, all of which were stated by 
the gamekeeper to be the deserted burrows of rabbits. 

Church towers* and steeples, chimniesf, and occasionally trees, are 
their ordinary nestling-places. They are generally described as late 
breeding birds ; but a most accurate observer furnishes me with notes 
to the effect that on the 2nd of March he had seen them carrying 
building materials to.a chimney in Belfast ; and to other chimnies in 
the same town he on the 20th of that month, and on the 7th of April, 
saw them carrying food, as he conceived, for their young. The first 
foray of certain country jackdaws, in the early morning, is to the 
town, where they are very punctual in making their appearance: on 
the 11th of June I once noted the precise time of their appearance 
to be 45 minutes past 3 o’clock. Here they are quite innocuous ; but 
in the country, it must be confessed, they occasionally levy contri- 
butions. Montagu has remarked that they are “‘ fond of cherries,” to 
the truth of which more than one of my friends’ gardens about Bel- 
fast, had they not ‘‘ poor dumb mouths,” could bear testimony. Of all 
birds they are the most destructive to this fruit. A friend on one 
occasion coming upon a number regaling in one of his cherry-trees, 
fired at them, without reflecting on the damage he must necessarily 
do to the tree, and five fell dead to the ground; here they and other 
species, particularly blackbirds (Turdus Merula), for some years en- 
tirely consumed the crop of cherries on a number of fine and tall 
standard trees which could not conveniently be netted, and in conse- 
quence of their depredations the trees were all cut down. The cherry- 
trees in the garden of another friend, resident in the neighbourhood 
of Belfast, were sacrificed for a similar reason. In a district well 
known to me, jackdaws generally associate with rooks, and hence 
participate both in the good and evil done by these birds to the farm ; 
though, as mentioned in treating of the rook, the former greatly 
preponderates. In a wild and uncultivated district on the northern 
coast of the island, I have in summer remarked flocks of these birds 
feeding on the sea-shore between tide-marks, and among /fucus-cover- 
ed stones. 

The sites chosen by the jackdaw for perching are frequently 
amusing; thus I have observed five of them, in flying to a vane, 
alight with the most correct regularity on the letters N. E. W.5S., 
while the other surmounted the ball, and thus would they remain 
stationed for some time, looking as if they were ‘‘ part and parcel”’ 
of the weathercock. On the head of Nelson, as he stands erect in 
all his majesty on the top of the pillar which bears his name in 

* In the tower of a country church near Belfast, jackdaws had in the 
course of time accumulated such quantities of sticks, that cart-loads of them 
had to be removed before some repairs on the building could be com- 
menced. 

+ The burning of Shanes Castle (the mansion of Earl O'Neil, situated on 
the borders of Lough Neagh), which happened about twenty years ago, was 
said to have been caused by the dry sticks forming the nests of jackdaws in 
one of the chimnies having caught fire. {The last fire at York Minster has 
been attributed to the same cause.— Ep. } 


492 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


Sackville Street, Dublin, I have seen the jackdaw alight, and impart 
an air of the ludicrous to the hero of Trafalgar. But under similar 
circumstances, this bird would not scruple to perch even 


‘€ On the bald first Czesar’s head*.’’ 


Three jackdaws, entirely white, were reared in a chimney in Bel- 
fast a few years ago, and about the same time two of a similar colour 
were brought up in a demesne in the neighbourhood; here they 
were observed by a friend associating, both in feeding and on wing, 
with their sable brethren, who acknowledged them as kindred. On 
account of their colour, they were unfortunately persecuted to the 
death, when they proved to be perfect albinoes, the bill and legs, as 
well as the plumage, being white; their hoary moustaches gave 
them a most venerable appearance, though in reality they were birds 
of the year. 

On the 29th June 1835, I saw many jackdaws about the fissures 
of the lofty chalk-cliffs rising above the river Derwent, near Mat- 
lock in Derbyshire, where it was presumed they nestled, and the 
next evening heard their call there so late as ten o’clock, which 
tended to confirm the conjecture. In the Morea and the Archi- 
pelago, late in the spring and in the summer of 1841, I observed 
jackdaws equally numerous, and in localities similar to those at 
home, such as about the ruins of the old castle at Patras, the high 
western cliffs of the island of Sphacteria (the scene of Byron’s Cor- 
sair), and on a rocky islet, lying to the north-east of the entrance to 
Port Nousa, in the island of Paros. 

Tue Maepie, Corvus Pica, Linn., has long been common 
throughout the island, but, according to several authors, was 
unknown down to a certain period. Smith, in his ‘ History 
of the county of Cork,’ published in 1749, remarks, that it 
“was not known in Ireland seventy years ago, but is now 
very common ;” and Rutty, in his ‘Natural History of Dublin,’ 
observes, that “ it is a foreigner, naturalized here since the 
latter end of King James the Second’s reign, and is said to 
have been driven hither by a strong wind.” (!) Dean Swift 
thus alludes to it in his ‘ Journal to Stella’:— Pray observe 
the inhabitants about Wexford; they are old English; see 
what they have particular in their manners, name and lan- 
guage. Magpies have been always there, and nowhere else 


* The following note is contributed by my friend Mr. R. Patterson of 
Belfast :—‘‘ I remember some years ago my uncle, John Fowler, Esq., of 
the bank of Ireland, had a pet jackdaw, which answered to the name of 
Jack, and was regularly in the habit of performing a feat, which might 
baffle many a person who talks about ‘the centre of gravity.” When Mr. 
Fowler after dinner had mixed his ‘ tumbler’ of punch, and called ‘ Jack,’ 
the bird instantly came, and perched on the edge of the glass, where he 
poised himself so nicely that it was never upset. I believe that, on such 
occasions, he used to get from his master a bit of white sugar, which he ate 
while thus resting on the tumbler.” 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 493 


in Ireland*, till of late years.” To a commentary on this by 
Mr. Ogilby, published in Yarrell’s ‘ British Birds’ (vol. i. 
pp- 111, 112), the reader is referred. In the Irish Statutes, 
17 Geo. II. ch. 10, a reward is offered for magpies, along 
with other “ four- and two-footed vermin +.” 

That this bird has, like other species, increased and multiplied to 
a goodly extent in Ireland, appears from the following circumstance. 
In September 1836, I was informed by the intelligent and trust- 
worthy gamekeeper at Tollymore Park (co. Down), the seat of the 
Earl of Roden, that by ranging the country for many miles around 
the park, he, by robbing their nests, shooting and trapping them, 
destroyed in one half year 732 birds and eggs. At the assizes held 
in the spring and autumn of every year he ‘“ presented” for vermin 
killed, and on the occasion in question received 12/. for magpies, 
&c. So long as a reward was offered for their heads, he killed im- 
mense numbers of these birds—it was discontinued two or three 
years previous to 1836. In extensive districts in the north of Ire- 
land, where the farms are small, and every cottage possesses a few 
sheltering trees, the magpie’s nest is a certain accompaniment; and 
the trees being generally the open-topped ash, the dark ball of the 
nest is visible from so great a distance, that I have often reckoned a 
considerable number from one point of view. The magpie builds 
rather early, and in all kinds of trees, none being greater favourites 
than fine old hawthorns: the eggs not uncommonly amount to seven 
in number. In a note on the margin of the copy of Montagu’s ‘ Or- 
nithological Dictionary’ which belonged to the late Mr. John Mont- 
gomery, of Locust Lodge near Belfast, an accurate observer, it is 
stated, that “‘ when angry or alarmed for the safety of its young, the 


* Derricke, who wrote his ‘ Image of Ireland’ in Queen Elizabeth’s time, 
So: ‘“‘ No pies to pluck the thatch from house 
Are breed in Irishe grounde, 
But worse than pies, the same to burne 
A thousande maie be founde.”’ 
Letter xxvi. vol. ii. p. 309, 2nd edit. 

+ The following notice of the magpie appears in the lately published 
‘Tracts relating to Ireland,’ printed for the Irish Archzeological Society, 
vol. i. In ‘A brife Description of Ireland, made in this yeere 1589, by 
Robert Payne,’ it is remarked—“ There is neither mol, pye, nor carren 
crow.” In a note to this, contributed by Dr. Aquila Smith of Dublin, it 
is observed, ‘‘ As to the magpie (Pica caudata) our author is probably cor- 
rect, for Derricke, who wrote in 1581, in his ‘ Image of Ireland,’ says— 
{[—the four lines above quoted are introduced here.] ‘Ireland,’ says 
Moryson, in 1617, ‘hath neither singing nightingall, nor chattering pye, 
nor undermining moule.’ Itinerary, part iii. b. ili. p. 160. [The extract 
elsewhere given from Smith’s ‘Cork’ appears here.] The earliest notice 
of this bird as indigenous in Ireland is in Keogh’s ‘ Zoologia Medicinalis 
Hibernica,’ Dublin, 8vo, 1739: he merely mentions the ‘ magpie or pianet, 
Hib. Maggidipye.’ This evidently Anglo-Irish word, for we have no name 
for it in the ancient Irish language, favours the opinion held by our best- 
informed naturalists, that this bird is of recent introduction into this 
country.” 


494 Mr. W. Thompsen on the Birds of Ireland. 


magpie is not only very clamorous, but pecks the branch on which 
it rests, violently tearing the bark off in its rage.”’ On the 9th of 
May, I once saw a gray crow attack the nest of a magpie, when 
the latter, “single-handed,”’ boldly repulsed and drove it off to some 
little distance. The crow nevertheless returned to the nest several 
times, but was always beaten off without effecting its evil purpose. 
Bold as the magpie is in defence of its own, I have more than once 
seen it beaten away by a pair of missel-thrushes (Turdus viscivorus) 
from the vicinity of their nest. 

It has been often observed, that if one of a pair of magpies 
having a nest be shot, another mate is soon found, the period, 
according to Mr. Selby, ‘‘ sometimes scarcely exceeding a day ;”’ 
but a gentleman of my acquaintance assures me, that on his shoot- 
ing one of a pair of these birds in the forenoon, the survivor had 
found another partner before evening. Perhaps the most remarkable 
instance of widowed magpies becoming provided with new partners 
is that recorded by the celebrated Dr. Jenner in the Philosophical 
Transactions for 1824 (p. 21). These birds are often so far gre- 
garious as to frequent particular groves near their feeding-ground 
for roosting, in considerable numbers, and to whick they resort in 
straggling flocks: I have thus reckoned twenty-six on wing to- 
gether, when the distance between the first and last resembled that 
in an ill-matched pack of hounds during the chace. November 20, 
1838, was a dull, dark, true November day throughout, and so early 
as half-past two o'clock p.m., I saw a number of these birds that had 
evidently retired to roost for the night; so many as about twenty of 
them, which on being alarmed by me flew from a fine old willow on 
the banks of the Lagan, looked very beautiful as they rose together. 

Magpies are very generally persecuted with us on account of their 
evil propensities. One friend complains that his garden has suffered 
much from their depredations on cherries and other fruit; another 
that the eggs of game, &c. are greatly destroyed by them ;—their 
propensity for eggs is taken advantage of for their destruction, and 
they become victims to the trap baited with those of our domestic 
fowl. Grain, too, they certainly consume, but ther numbers are not 
anywhere so great as to do much injury in this respect. That they 
do a great deal of good, I have had abundant and positive evidence 
from an examination of the contents of their stomachs (supplied me 
by bird-preservers) at various times, but particularly in winter, when 
almost every one contained insects (chiefly Coleoptera), or the re- 
mains of mice and slugs—of the last, the internal shell (Limacellus, 
Brard.) only remained—mixed with these occasionally appeared oats 
and other grain. In winter, the magpie, as well as others of the 
Corvide, is of great service to the public, by resorting in numbers 
to such meadows as are manured with the offensive refuse of the 
slaughter-house, and feeding on the titbits*! By George Mathews, 


* Since writing my account of the magpie, I find that this and several 
other particulars dwelt upon are much better treated of by Mr. Waterton 
in his ‘ Essays on Natural History.’ His description of the bird through- 
out is excellent. 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 495 


Esq., I have been informed that a trustworthy warrener at Springvale, 
county of Down (the seat of his grandfather Major Mathews), assured 
him, that he once saw a magpie fly some distance out to sea with 
a stoat or weasel fastened to it, and that he and some other men 
launched a boat, and followed to see the issue ; when they found the 
magpie lying dead upon the water. The quadruped had disappeared, 
and they conjectured had been drowned; but Mr. Mathews thinks 
that it may rather have made its way ashore, as he has often seen 
these animals swim admirably. Montagu, in the ‘ Supplement to his 
Ornithological Dictionary,’ mentions his having been witness to a 
weasel killing a carrion crow, the latter being in the first instance 
the aggressor. 

Magpies are so bold, as apparently, through mere wantonness, to 
persecute birds that would seem to be more than a match for them: 
the beautiful kestrel or windhover they occasionally annoy. To- 
wards the peregrine falcon they dare hardly show any impertinence, 
but the curiosity which I once saw exhibited by a pair of them to- 
wards a bird of this species was highly amusing. A trained falcon 
belonging to my relative Richard Langtry, Esq., on being given its 
liberty, after taking a few circuits through the air, alighted in a 
small tree, where first one, and then another magpie likewise 
alighted, without exhibiting the least fear, but with the intention 
only, to all appearance, of examining it more closely. ‘They gradu- 
ally approached the hawk until almost touching it ; one indeed seemed 
to strike it, and immediately after they both flew to a tree close by, 
and commenced an incessant chattering, which was continued for 
some time, and which a spectator could not have believed to be any- 
thing short of a discussion upon the merits of the stranger bird. 
When in the tree with the hawk, they maintained a respectful 
silence. At the same place, a tame magpie and a sheep of a peculiar 
variety, whose fleece hung nearly to the ground, were great friends, 
and generally associated together. The favourite perch of the bird 
was on the sheep’s back, and this animal became innocently a re- 
ceiver of stolen goods, as the magpie concealed its pilferings in the 
thick wool of its back. It sometimes hopped after the sheep, pick- 
ing at its heels; and, whether through mischief, or manifesting a 
natural carnivorous propensity, was very partial to pecking at the 
bare heels of beggars who came about the house, excessively to their 
annoyance. Here, also, two magpies were proficients in talking. 
One, without any teaching, learnt all the phrases of a parrot kept in 
a neighbouring cage*, and the other was taught several words and 
short sentences, by their being repeated to it by its master; perhaps 


* It would seem that, in a wild state also, either this species or a nearly 
allied one will imitate the notes of other birds. Mr. Nuttall, who, from a 
knowledge of the bird both in Europe and America, considers the common 
magpie of the two continents identical, remarks—‘‘I one day observed a 
small flock, and among the fraternity heard one chattering familiarly in the 
varied tone of the cat-bird, as he sat on a bough by the water, where birds 
might become his prey.”—Audubon’s Ornithological Biography, vol. iv. 
p. £09. 


496 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


the most comical of these was ‘ pretty-poll,” as passing strangers, 
on hearing the well-known words, turned round to look at the sup- 
posed parrot, and saw only impudent “‘ mag” instead. But anything 
more on this subject would be only taking a ieaf out of the history 
of a pet magpie communicated by my friend Mr. Stevelly, Professor 
of Natural Philosophy in Belfast College. He remarks— 

«‘ When a boy I succeeded in rearing a magpie from a very young 
bird; he became much attached to me, and long before he could 
fly would follow me about with a curious kind of sideling hop, and 
even at this time of life began to show great archness, running after 
the peasant children, who, in the south of Ireland, go for the most 
part without shoes and stockings, and pecking at their bare heels; 
and then instantly looking up to see if punishment were meditated, 
of which, if he saw the least symptom, he would escape with won- 
derful celerity. He became so adroit at length at this amusement, 
that the children who came near the house were much afraid of him ; 
when his beak became stronger, he also attacked dogs in the same 
manner, but always with much and very droll caution. He flew well 
and strongly before I attempted to confine him in the slightest de- 
gree, and roamed at large round my father’s place; but when I 
wished him to come home in the eyening, one or two loud calls of 
his name ‘ Jack’ were sure to bring him from some neighbouring 
high tree on which he had perched, to my shoulder, which was a 
very favourite resting-place ; when there, it was a favourite practice 
of his gently to run his beak between my lips or into my ear, with 
that peculiar motion which pigeons are observed to use when they 
caress each other; the tickling sensation which this process caused 
when my ear was in question made me always submit with diffi- 
culty, and I was frequently obliged to withdraw my head suddenly 
with a shudder; at this he always seemed highly delighted, and 
used to chatter with a guttural sound not unlike Irish words. 

“The country people in the south of Ireland have a manner of 
calling each other from a distance by bending their fore-finger, put- 
ting it into their mouth, and producing a very loud and shrill 
whistle. This whistle ‘Jack’ became very expert at imitating, and 
it was a favourite amusement of his to sit on a very hot day on the 
top of the house, and if he chanced to espy any person at a distance, 
as, for example, the market-boy riding into town, a whistle from 
Jack, repeated if necessary, was sure to bring him back, however 
great his hurry, under the impression that some important commis- 
sion had been forgotten, or that his presence was required at the 
house or farm-yard; the length of the avenue, and a gentle slope in 
it at about a quarter of a mile distance from the house, rendered this 
trick very easy to be practised, and he seemed to take great delight 
in it when successful, and many a hearty curse he received from the 
wearied subject of his practical joke as soon as he had discovered the 
individual who had so importunately called him back. 

«« He was particularly fond of any shining article, such as spoons 
and trinkets ; these he frequently stole, and we came upon his trea- 
sure-house in a laughable way. There was an old gentleman, a 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 497 


great friend of my father, who resided with us almost continually. 
He was of a peculiarly studious disposition, but from a deformity in 
his person used generally to read standing, with his arms and breast 
resting on the back of a chair, and the book placed on a table before 
him ; after having read for a while, it was his habit to take off his 
spectacles, lay them beside him, blow his nose, take a pinch of snuff, 
and after a few moments, pondering what he had been reading, re- 
sume the spectacles and proceed. One very warm day I lay read- 
ing at one end of a room in which there was an open glass door 
leading to the greenhouse ; in this room the old gentleman was most 
intently pursuing his studies at a little distance from me. My at- 
tention was soon arrested by seeing the magpie perched upon the 
chair near him, eyeing him most intently and with a very arch ex- 
pression, and at length, in an instant, he had with a most active hop 
touched the table, secured the red leather spectacle-case, and was 
out of the glass door with the most noiseless wing and with a very 
graceful motion. I remained quiet, resolved to see the end of the joke ; 
after a few seconds’ absence ‘ Jack’ was again at his post, eyeing the 
old gentleman with a most inquisitive and yet business-like glance ; it 
was nearly impossible to resist the ludicrous impression produced by 
the entire scene : at length off came the spectacles, and out came the 
pocket handkerchief and snuff-box; quick as thought Jack had in- 
vaded the table and was out of the open door with the prize, which I 
have no doubt had from the beginning been the object of his covetous 
admiration while they were on the nose of the old gentleman. This 
time the magpie did not return, either because he found it more dif- 
ficult to reach his storehouse with the spectacles than with the 
case, or because, having gained the object of his ambition, he con- 
ceived his presence no longer necessary. At length the period of 
rumination having elapsed, the old gentleman set about replacing 
the spectacles ; as soon as his surprise had abated at not findig them 
with his hands beside him on the table, he removed the chair and 
groped about on the carpet, then raised the book and examined every 
part of the table. Not being able to restrain myself any longer, I ex- 
ploded in laughter; and of course I was instantly suspected of playing 
off a practical joke, and charged with taking the spectacles, but at 
length succeeded in convincing him I had never risen from the sofa 
on which I reclined; but after a good deal of laughing, and two or 
three other members of the family having been attracted to the room 
by the hubbub, I was compelled, under cross-examination, to own 
that I had witnessed ‘ Jack’s’ abstractions. ‘lhe question then be- 
came serious how the articles were to be recovered ; some person sug- 
gested to leave a teaspoon near him and watch him, This was ac- 
cordingly done, but his motions were so rapid that he eluded us all, 
seeming at first to pop completely over the house; at length, by 
placing two or three persons in favourable positions, he was ‘ mark- 
ed’ in a leaden valley between a double part of the roof; and this 
having been closely searched, a deposit was discovered not only of 
the things which ‘ Jack’ had that day carried off, but also of some 
articles which had been for some time supposed to be lost, but re- 


Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. Suppl. 2K 


498 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


specting which a breath of suspicion as to him had never been en- 
tertained. This day’s successful foray led to his losing his entire 
store, no doubt in the midst of his triumphal rejoicing. 

‘“‘ His thieving propensities seemed to gather strength from this 
period ; but I have little doubt many articles which were lost were 
set down to his account without sufficient evidence that he was the 
thief. A valuable brooch which belonged to a lady who was on a 
visit with my mother was at length lost, and every finger pointed 
to ‘Jack’ as the thief; this charge acquired probability from the 
fact that he had on the previous day overturned and destroyed a very 
valuable writing-desk in her room while examining too anxiously 
some of the silver ornaments of its bottles; an order was forthwith 
issued by my father that a cage must be made for him, and the ab- 
solute liberty he had heretofore enjoyed somewhat curtailed. I sub- 
mitted the more cheerfully to this order as his flights from home 
were now becoming obviously longer, and on one or two occasions 
he had not returned all night; and although at these times he made 
his appearance next morning hungry and cold and with a very rue- 
ful aspect, yet I was beginning to fear that he would at length ac- 
quire the habits necessary for shifting for himself, and stay away al- 
together. Accordingly he was caged ; at first he furiously attacked 
the wooden bars of the cage and broke some of them, but in places 
so scattered, that in no one place did he succeed in making a breach 
large enough for his exit. He pined very much at the confinement, 
and the beauty of his plumage was much deteriorated, so that I at 
length began to let him fly about: his delight on these occasions 
was excessive and often laughably expressed ; but his distress when 
again seized on to be returned to his cage was at least equally 
strongly expressed. He used to screech long and loudly, and resist 
with beak and talon; hence he soon began when liberated to fly 
straight off and remain away for several hours. In one of these 
rambles, a woman returning from Cork was astonished to see him 
stand so tamely on the public road beside a small pond at which he 
occasionally drank; she came near him and held out a herring to- 
wards him, which he very thankfully began to eat, when she secured 
him, cut one of his wings, and on reaching her home put him among 
some poultry, who beat him most unmercifully. It was four or five days 
before I was able to discover his prison, the woman living three or 
four miles off; and when I did, and had paid a few shillings for his 
ransom, he came home in most piteous plight; his spirit was quite 
broken, his plumage much injured and dingy, and except for the 
well-known ‘ Jack’ and one or two other words, chiefly Irish, which 
he pronounced, I should have doubted or disbelieved his identity. I 
however pulled the feathers of his wings (which were mere stumps 
on one side), and by care he was beginning to recover his vivacity ; 
when, attempting to drink at a barrel, in which, when he could fly, 
he was in the habit of splashing, he fell in, and was drowned before 
his danger was discovered. I never felt so bereaved as upon the 
death of poor ‘ Jack.’ ”’ 

At the performance of the Maid and the Magpie in Belfast Thea- 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 499 


tre, on one occasion in my young days, a schoolfellow about fourteen 
years of age, who had not before been at any dramatic representation, 
was present. On seeing that the woman was about to be executed 
for the theft committed by the bird, he from the pit gallantly roared 
out at the top of his voice that she was innocent, for he had seen the 
magpie steal the spoons.—I well remember the laugh of the school 
being turned against him on the following morning. 

This species rarely exhibits variety in its plumage: a white one 
frequented a demesne near Belfast for two or three years; and a 
friend once saw three pure white ones, which were brought from the 
neighbourhood to town for sale ;—they had probably been reared in 
the same nest. 

In the month of May last, I met with the magpie about Smyrna: 
over the greater part of the European continent it is common. 

In their respective works on British Birds, Sir Wm. Jardine ad- 
mirably points out the favourite haunts of the magpie ; and Mr. Mac- 
gillivray gives a very characteristic description of its manners in a 
wild state. ; 

Tue Jay, Garrulus glandarius, Flem., can now be claimed 
as an indigenous bird by about the southern half of Ireland 
only. 

Smith, in his ‘ History of the county of Waterford’ (1745), says, 
‘the jay is pretty common in our woods,” and in his ‘ History of 
Cork’ enumerates it among the birds of that county. Mr. R. Ball 
considers it to be now rare in that quarter: in the summer of 1837 
he saw young birds which were taken from a nest near Youghal. 
Mr. G. J. Allman informed me in 1839, that the jay had of late, 
owing to its being protected, become common in Lord Bandon’s 
park, in the last-named county. Mr. R. Davis, jun., of Clonmel, 
replied as follows to some queries in Feb. 1837 :—‘‘ The jay must be 
indigenous : the oldest inhabitants remember them to be much more 
plentiful than they now are: they still breed in woods near us, but 
were formerly to be seen close to the town.” About Portarlington 
(Queens-county) they are particularly numerous, and to go out 
there specially for jay-shooting is not an uncommon practice. About 
Portumna they are said to be met with, but not frequently. In Rutty’s 
‘Natural History of Dublin,’ the jay appears as one of the birds of 
that county, and as such it is known at present to Mr. R. Ball. 

I am not aware of the existence of this bird either now, or for a 
long time past, in the north of the island, although there are 
many districts apparently well suited to its abode, and every year 
becoming more so from the increasing age of full-grown timber. 
Dubourdieu, in his ‘ Survey of the county of Antrim,’ remarks—‘‘ The 
jay was much more frequent before the woods at Portmore were cut ; 
it is still [1812] however to be met with about Shanes Castle, and 
other woods at the borders of the lake [Neagh].” I have been un- 
able to verify its being there at so late a period. It must not be 
taken for granted that the bird called jay in the north of Ireland is 
the Garrulus glandarius, as that name is frequently bestowed on the 


2K 2 


500 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 


missel-thrush (Turdus viscivorus*). The latest positive evidence 
known to me of the occurrence of the true jay in the quarter alluded 
to, is afforded by a venerable friend, who about sixty years ago re- 
ceived three young ones from a nest in Portmore park, on the borders 
of Lough Neagh, once rich in fine woods of oak, but which long 
since have fallen before the axe. In the Irish Statutes, 17th of 
George II., chap. 10, a reward is offered for the head of the jay, 
together with that of the magpie and others of the Corvide. Mr. 
Yarrell seems to imagine that itis to the numbers killed in conse- 
quence of this reward being offered, that the species generally be- 
came less numerous with us; but as the jay can, like the Corvide, 
for which a reward was at the same time offered, take very good 
care of itself, I should attribute its decrease to other and more natu- 
ral causes. With reference to the distribution of this bird in Ireland, 
it is desirable to ascertain its distribution in Scotland. Sir Wm. 
Jardine observes, that ‘‘as we proceed northward it becomes much 
more local, though by no means rare, where it is found frequenting 
generally the older wood around private seats, and in parks, and 
some of the forests in the middle highlands. It is common both in 
Perth- and Argyleshire, but we are not sure that it extends to the 
forests of the far northt+.”’ 

I have never met with this beautiful bird in a wild state in Ire- 
land, but have had the gratification of seeing it in Scotland among 
the natural wood about the northern extremity of Loch Lomond, as 
well as about Coniston Water in Lancashire; and on the continent, 
in Switzerland and Italy—in the latter country, on the richly wooded 
banks of the Nera, not far from its confluence with the Tiber, and 
14° to the south of the first-named locality t. 

GREATER SpotreD WoopPEcKER, Picus major, Linn.— 
All that can be positively stated of woodpeckers as Irish 
birds, is, that the P. major has in a very few instances been 
met with. 

Templeton records a specimen obtained in the county of London- 
derry in August 1802, having been sent to Dr. M‘Donnell of Bel- 
fast§; and a second having been met with since. An example 


* This bird is correctly remarked by Dubourdieu to be “ now frequent,” 
so that the true jay is evidently the bird alluded to. 

t+ Brit. Birds, vol. ii. p. 253. 

+ The nutcracker, Nucifraga Caryocatactes, Briss., cannot be announced 
with any certainty as having ever been met with in Ireland. Among the 
notes of Mr. Templeton is one to the effect that a bird of this species ‘ had 
been shot at Silvermines, county of Tipperary, by Mr. J. Lewis.’’ In the 
preparation of Mr. Templeton’s ‘ Catalogue of the Vertebrate Animals of 
Ireland ’ (published in the ‘ Magazine of Natural History,’ vol. i. New Se- 
ries) by his son, the nutcracker was omitted in consequence of the latter 
gentleman being unaware of any further particulars. 

§ Among Mr.Templeton’s drawings is a beautiful coloured representation 
of this bird. I have only met with this species in its native haunts, in the 
richly wooded valley of Sarnen, Switzerland. 


Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland. 501 


which I saw in the museum of the Royal Dublin Society in 1834, 
was stated by Mr. W. S. Wall, bird-preserver, to have been killed 
on the banks of the canal near the metropolis in December 1831, 
when another was seen in company with it. By a letter from Mr. 
R. Davis, jun., of Clonmel, dated Feb. 1837, I learned that, six years 
before that time, a P. major was shot at St. Johnstown, in the same 
county. ‘To the fifth vol. of the ‘Annals’ I communicated the fol- 
lowing note on the greater spotted woodpecker. ‘‘ On Nov. 13, 1839, 
one of these birds 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 unaccom- 
panied by any of its species. It is a male bird, but not in adult 
plumage; and has been liberally presented by the gentleman just 
named to the Belfast Museum.” 

Smith, in his ‘ History of Cork,’ remarks under ‘‘ Hoopoe’”’—* Mr. 
Willoughby ranks it among the woodpeckers, of which I have not 
yet seen one in this county.” In the same author’s ‘ History of 
Waterford’ there appears «« Picus Martis, the woodpecker, a bird 
rare in this county:” can P. martius here be meant? Rutty enu- 
merates the ‘‘ Picus varius minor, lesser spotted woodpecker,” as one 
of the birds of the county of Dublin; and it likewise appears in Dr. 
Patrick Browne’s ‘ Catalogue of the Birds of Ireland,’ into which it 
was probably copied from Rutty. All these notices of woodpeckers 
are very unsatisfactory *. 

Tue Tree Creeper, Certhia familiaris, Linn., generally 
inhabits districts throughout Ireland in which old wood pre- 
vails, and is everywhere resident. 

Owing to its habits, it is perhaps of all our native birds the least 
known, but to the ornithologist is particularly interesting, from being 
the only one of the zogodactyle birds indigenous to the island: 
its presence too throughout the winter is an additional attraction. 


* [ have been told that the green woodpecker is found in an old wood 
in the county of Donegal, but no proof was ever afforded :—when in Dublin 
some years ago, I saw in the possession of a bird-preserver a fresh example 
of this species, which was accordingly believed to have been shot in Ireland ; 
but by inquiry from the owner, I learned that it had been sent him from 
England: other similar cases respecting the Picus viridis have occurred to 
me. 

A recent specimen of the Nuthatch (Sitta europea), sent to a bird-pre- 
server in the metropolis, was on the same presumptive evidence as the 
green woodpecker mentioned to me as an Irish bird; but on inquiry it was 
found to have been killed in Wales. This species is not known to have ever 
visited the island, 

Wryneck, Yuna Torquilla, Linn. There is no record of this species 
having ever been met with in Ireland. On the 29th of April last I saw one 
of them among some shrubby plants in the island of Sphacteria, which 
bounds the western side of the fine bay of Navarino. On the 25th of the 
same month, a wryneck which alighted in H.M.S. Beacon, when about sixty 
miles to the south-east of Calabria, was captured, as mentioned in the ‘ An- 
nals,’ vol. viii. p. 127. 


502 Royal Society. 


In the woods of the counties Down, Antrim, and Fermanagh *, this 
bird has occurred to me. Mr. J. V. Stewart notices it as found in 
the north of the county of Donegal; Mr. R. Ball, as met with about 
Dublin and Youghal; to the Rev. Thomas Knox it is known as 
common in some parts of Westmeath, and about Killaloe ; by Mr. 
R. Davis, jun., it is reported to be not uncommon in Tipperary ; and 
that the species is common in Kerry, I was informed by the late 
Mr. T. F. Neligan. Such of these birds as have come under my 
observation, though apparently aware of my presence, never ex- 
hibited any shyness, but admitted of a near approach, when it was 
extremely interesting to observe the regular, quick, and business- 
like manner in which they searched for their food. Now one would 
appear moving in a straight line up the trunks of the largest pines, 
from near the base until it would almost reach the summit; then it 
would be seen ascending the next tree to which it flew, by spirally 
winding round it, the effect being much heightened by its breast, in 
contrast with the dark-coloured bark, appearing of a silvery white- 
ness. Mr. R. Ball has ‘‘ known the creeper to be captured by boys 
getting to the opposite side of a tree at the base of which it com- 
menced feeding, and making a random stroke with a cap or hat, at 
the place they supposed it had reached in its upward movement.” 
This species is generally stated by authors to live entirely on insects ; 
but the stomachs of the only two I have examined, contained each, 
in addition to such food, a few seeds of the common pine (Pinus syl- 
vestris) : the specimens were shot in the month of January. Wil- 
son, in his ‘ American Ornithology,’ mentions his having found the 
seeds of the pine-tree (of course a different species from P. sylvestris) 
in the stomachs of individuals killed in the United States, and like- 
wise “‘ fragments of a fungus that vegetates on old wood.” Mr. 
Macgillivray gives a very full and graphic description of the creeper, 
‘ Brit. Birds,’ vol. iii. 
[To be continued. ] 


PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 


ROYAL SOCIETY. 


Dec. 16, 1841, and Jan. 6, 1842.—A paper was read, entitled, 
“On Fibre,” by Martin Barry, M.D., F.R.SS. Lond. and Edin. 

The author observes, that, in the mature blood-corpuscle, there is 
often seen a flat filament, already formed within the corpuscle. In 
Mammalia, including Man, this filament is frequently annular ; some- 
times the ring is divided at a certain part, and sometimes one ex- 
tremity overlaps the other. ‘This is still more the case in Birds, Am- 
phibia, and Fishes, in which the filament is of such length as to con- 


* Here I have seen it close to the house at Florence Court; and a friend 
living near Belfast has observed this bird creeping up the yard-wall attach- 
ed to his dwelling-house. There is in reality nothing remarkable in such 


cases : they are mentioned, as some persons imagine that the creeper never 
leaves the depth of woods. 


Royal Society. 503 


stitute a coil. This filament is formed of the discs contained within 
the blood-corpuscle. In Mammals, the discs entering into its forma- 
tion are so few as to form a single ring; and hence the biconcave 
form of the corpuscle in this class, and the frequent annular form of 
the filament it produces. In the other Vertebrata, the discs contain- 
ed within the blood-corpuscle are too numerous for a single ring; 
and they consequently form a coil. At the outer part of this coil, 
the filament, already stated to be flat, often presents its edge; whence 
there arises a greater thickness of the corpuscle, and an appearance 
of being cut off abruptly at this part; while in the centre there is 
generally found the unappropriated portion of a nucleus ; and hence 
the central eminence, surrounded by a depression, in those corpuscles 
which, from the above-mentioned cause, have the edge thickened. 
The nucleus of the blood-corpuscle in some instances resembles a ball 
of twine ; being actually composed, at its outer part, of a coiled fila- 
ment. In such of the invertebrata as the author has examined, the 
blood-corpuscle is likewise seen passing into a coil. 

The filament, thus formed within the blood-corpuscle, has a re- 
markable structure ; for it is not only flat, but deeply grooved on both 
surfaces, and consequently thinner in the middle than at the edges, 
which are rounded ; so that the filament, when seen edgewise, appears 
at first sight to consist of segments. The line separating the appa- 
rent segments from one another is, however, not directly transverse, 
but oblique. 

Portions of the clot in blood sometimes consist of filaments having 
a structure identical with that of the filament formed within the 
blood-corpuscle. The ring formed in the blood-corpuscle of Man, 
and the coil formed in that of Birds and Reptiles, have been seen by 
the author unwinding themselves into the straight and often parallel 
filaments of the clot; changes which may be also seen occurring in 
blood placed under the microscope before its coagulation; and simi- 
lar coils may be perceived scattered over the field of view, the coils 
here also appearing to be altered blood-corpuscles, in the act of un- 
winding themselves ; filaments, having the same structure as the fore- 
going, are to be met with apparently in every tissue of the body. 
The author enumerates a great variety of organs in which he has ob- 
served the same kind of filaments. 

Among vegetable structures, he subjected to microscopic examina- 
tion the root, stem, leaf-stalk, and leaf, besides the several parts of the 
flower : and in no instance of phanerogamous plants, where a fibrous 
tissue exists, did he fail to find filaments of the same kind. On 
subsequently examining portions indiscriminately taken from ferns, 
mosses, fungi, lichens, and several of the marine alge, he met with 
an equally general distribution of the same kind of filaments. The 
flat filament seen by the author in all these structures, of both ani- 
mals and plants, he states to be that usually denominated a fibre. 
Its appearance is precisely such as that of the filament formed within 
the corpuscle of the blood. It is known, he remarks, that discoid 
corpuscles circulate in plants; and it remains to be seen whether or 
not filaments are formed also in these. 


504 Royal Society. 


By gradually tracing the fibre or filament above-mentioned into 
similar objects of larger size, the author endeavours to show that it 
is not possible to draw a line of separation between the minutest fila- 
ment, and an object being to all appearance composed of two spirals 
running in opposite directions, and interlacing at certain regular in- 
tervals; an arrangement which produces in the entire object a flat- 
tened form, and gives it a grooved appearance. It is, in fact, the 
structure which, for want of a better term, he has called a flat fila- 
ment. The edge of this filament presents what, at first sight, seem 
like segments, but which, in reality, are the consecutive curves of a 
spiral thread. A transverse section of such an object is rudely re- 
presented by the figure 8. This is also precisely the appearance pre- 
sented by the minutest filament, generally termed Fibre: and the 
author particularly refers to the oblique direction of the line sepa- 
rating the apparent segments in the smaller filament, in connexion 
with the oblique direction of the spaces between the curves of the 
spiral threads in the larger one. 

The spiral form, which has heretofore seemed wanting, or nearly 
so, in animal tissues, is then shown to be as general in animals as in 
plants. Nervous tissue, muscle, minute blood-vessels, and the cry- 
stalline lens, afford instances in proof of this. And if the author’s 
view of identity in structure between the larger and the smaller fila- © 
ments be correct, it follows that spirals are much more general in 
plants themselves than has been hitherto supposed; spirals would thus 
appear, in fact, to be as universal as a fibrous structure. 

The tendency to the spiral form manifests itself very early. Of 
this the most important instance is afforded by the corpuscle of the 
blood, as above described. The author has also obtained an interesting 
proof of it in cartilage from the ear of a rabbit ; where the nucleus, 
lying loose in its cell, resembled a ball of twine, being composed at 
its outer part of a coiled filament, which it was giving off to weave 
the cell-wall ;—this cell-wall being no other than the last-formed por- 
tion of what is termed the intercellular substance—the essential part 
of cartilage. These nuclei in cartilage, as well as those in other tis- 
sues, there is ground for believing to be descended, by fissiparous ge- 
neration, from the nuclei of blood-corpuscles. 

The author then describes the mode of origin of the flat filament 
or fibre, and its reproduction in various animal and vegetable tissues, 
which he enumerates. He conceives that each filament is a com- 
pound body which enlarges, and, from analogy, may contain the ele- 
ments of future structures, formed by division and subdivision, to 
which no limits can be assigned. 

He then traces the formation of muscle out of cells, which, ac- 
cording to his observations, are derived from corpuscles of the blood, 
to the state where there exists what is denominated the fibril. In 
this process, there are to be observed the formation of a second order 
of tubes within the original tube; a peculiarly regular arrangement 
of discs within these second tubes; the formation, first of rings and 
then of spirals, out of dises so arranged ; the interlacing of the spirals ; 
and the origin, in the space circumscribed by these, of spirals having 


Royal Society. 505 


a minuter size; which in their turn surround others still more mi- 
nute; andsoon. ‘The outer spirals enter for the most part into the 
formation of the investing membrane discovered by Schwann, but 
for the only complete description of which, in a formed state, we are 
indebted to Mr. Bowman. ‘The inner spirals constitute what are de- 
nominated the fibrille. The fibril appears to the author to be no other 
than a state of the object which he designates a flat filament; and 
which, as he shows, is a compound structure. The fibril he finds to 
be, not round and beaded, as it has been supposed, but a flat and 
grooved filament ; the description above given of the structure of the 
filament being especially applicable here. This flat filament is so 
situated in the fasciculus of voluntary muscle, as to present its edge 
to the observer. It seems to have been the appearance presented 
by the edge of this filament, that is to say, by the curves of a spiral 
thread, that suggested the idea of longitudinal bead-like enlarge- 
ments of the fibril, as producing striz in the fasciculus of volun- 
tary muscle. In the author’s opinion, the dark longitudinal striz 
are spaces (probably occupied by a lubricating fluid) between the 
edges of flat filaments, each filament being composed of two spiral 
threads, and the dark transverse striz, rows of spaces between the 
curves of these spiral threads. The filament now mentioned, or its 
edge, seems to correspond to the primitive marked thread or cylinder 
of Fontana—to the primitive fibre of Valentin and Schwann—to the 
marked filament of Skey—to the elementary fibre of Mandl—to the 
beaded fibril of Schwann, Miiller, Lauth, and Bowman—and to the 
granular fibre of Gerber. ‘The changes known to be produced by the 
alternate shortening and lengthening of a single spiral are exhibited 
in the microscope by a fasciculus of spirals, not only in its length 
and thickness, but in the width of the spaces (stri@) between the 
curves of the spirals. Anda muscle being no other than a vast bundle 
of spirals, it is in contraction short and thick; while in relaxation it 
is long and thin; and thus there occurs no flattening of bead-like 
segments in contraction. ‘The author has found no segments that 
could undergo this change. These observations on the form of the 
ultimate threads in voluntary muscle, were first made on the larva 
of a Batrachian reptile ; and have been confirmed by an examination 
of this structure in each class of vertebrated animals, as well as in 
the Crustacea, Mollusca, Annelida, and Insects. 

He finds that the toothed fibre, discovered by Sir David Brewster 
in the crystalline lens, is formed out of an enlarged filament; the 
projecting portions of the spiral threads in the filament, that is, the 
apparent segments, becoming the teeth of that fibre. 

The compound filaments are seen with peculiar distinctness in the 
blood-vessels of the arachnoid membrane. In connexion with the 
spiral direction of the outer filament in these vessels, the author refers 
to the rouleaux in which the red blood-discs are seen to arrange them- 
selves, in the microscope, as probably indicating a tendency to pro- 
duce spiral filaments. To form rouleaux, corpuscle joins itself to 
corpuscle, that is to say, ring to ring; and rings pass into coils, 
The union of such coils, end to end, would form a spiral. But the 
formation by the blood-corpuscles of these rouleaux is interesting in 


506 Geological Society. 


connexion with some facts recorded by the author in a former me- 
moir; namely, that many structures, including blood-vessels, have their 
origin in rows of cells derived from corpuscles of the blood. The hu- 
man spermatozoon presented a disc with a pellucid depression, each 
of the two sides of the peripheral portion of which was extended into 
a thread; these two threads forming by being twisted the part 
usually designated as the tail. The occurrence of two tails, observed 
by Wagner, is accounted for by the author by the untwisting of these 
threads. 

The author has noticed very curious resemblances in mould, arising 
from the decay of organic matter, to early stages in the formation of 
the most elaborate animal tissues, more particularly nerve and muscle. 
Flax has afforded satisfactory evidence of identity, not only in struc- 
ture, but in the mode of reproduction, between animal and vegetable 
fibre. 

Valentin had previously stated that in plants all secondary deposits 
take place in spiral lines. In the internal structure of animals, spirals 
have heretofore seemed to be wanting, or very nearly so. Should 
the facts recorded in this memoir, however, be established by the re- 
searches of other investigators, the author thinks the question in fu- 
ture may perhaps be, where is the ‘‘ secondary deposit’ in animal 
structure, which is not connected with the spiral form? ‘The spiral 
in animals, as he conceives he has shown, is in strictness not a se- 
condary formation, but the most primary of all; and the question 
now is, whether it is not precisely so in plants. 

In a postscript the author observes, that there are states of volur- 
tary muscle in which the longitudinal filaments (‘‘ fibrillz’’) have no 
concern in the production of the transverse striz; these strie being 
occasioned by the windings of spirals, within which very minute 
bundles of longitudinal filaments are contained and have their origin. 
The spirals are interlaced. When mature, they are flat and grooved 
filaments, having the compound structure above described. With 
the shortening of the longitudinal filaments (‘ fibrille’’) in muscular 
contraction, the surrounding spirals, and of course the strie, be- 
come elongated and narrow ; while in relaxation these changes are 
reversed.* 


GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 


April 7, 1841.—** A note by Mr. Murchison on a Section and a 
List of Fossils from the State of New York,” by James Hall, Esq., 
was read. 

Mr. Murchison says, that in consequence of the researches of Mr. 
Featherstonaugh, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Hall, Mr. Vanuxem, Mr. R. C. 
Taylor, and other geologists, large tracts in the British colonies in 
North America and in the United States have been for some time 
known to be composed of formations containing Silurian, old red 
sandstone and carboniferous fossils. Mr. Hall’s section, presenting 
a tabular view of the succession of formations, commences with the 


(* We learn that the author has satisfactorily demonstrated to Professor 
Owen and others, since the reading of the above paper, the facts described 
in it.—Epir. ] 


Geological Society. 507 


red sandstone of Blossburgh in Pennsylvania, proved to be the repre- 
sentative of the old red sandstone or Devonian system of Great Bri- 
tain, in consequence of its inclosing remains of Holoptychius and 
Coccosteus. This deposit is succeeded in descending order by others, 
referable, on account of their testaceous remains, to the lower part of 
the same system, and these are again underlaid by limestones and 
shales, especially at Lockport and Rochester, charged with Ptilo- 
dictya lanceolata and other Silurian corals and fossils. The lowest 
deposit alluded to by Mr. Hall is the Medina sandstone. The fol- 
lowing sectional list, in descending order, is copied from his com- 
munication :— 

Red sandstone. 

Sandstone and shale, abundance of fossil shells. 

Shale, with thin layers of sandstone ; Fucoides, abundance ; few 

shells. 

Green and black shale, several hundred feet thick. 

Black shale. 

Moscow shale. 

Encrinal limestone. 

Ludlowville shale. 

Thin mass, with Bellerophons. 

Shale. 

Thin limestone, with fossils. 

Marcellus shale. 

Limestone, with hornstone. 

Onondaga limestone. 

Onondaga saliferous group, containing gypsum and salt-springs. 

Lockport limestone. 

Rochester shale. 

Limestone. 

Green shale, with fossils. 

Pentamerus limestone. 

Green shale and iron ore. 

Red and grey sandstone, Medina sandstone*. 

With respect to the Onondaga saliferous group, Mr. Murchison 
points out its extremely low geological position, resting upon a cal- 
careous stratum, which has been proved by its organic remains to be 
the equivalent of the Wenlock limestone ; and he states that it is 
of higher antiquity than the oldest salt-bearing beds of Russia. Mr. 
Murchison also alludes to the great value of Mr. Hall’s communica- 
tion in proving the wide application of the palozoic succession esta- 
blished in Great Britain. 

June 2.—‘ On the Faluns of the Loire, and a comparison of their 
Fossils with those of the newer Tertiary Strata in the Cotentin, 
and on the relative age of the Faluns and Crag of Suffolk,” by 
Charles Lyell, Esq., V.P.G.S. 

In a paper “ On the Crag of Norfolk and Suffolk,’ read in 1839 +, 


* For detailed accounts of the New York Devonian and Silurian Systems 
and their Organic Remains, see the Geological Reports of the State for 
1838, 1839, 1840. 

+ Proceedings, vol. iii. p. 171. 1839. 


508 Geological Society. 


Mr. Lyell stated, that when M. Desnoyers assigned in 1825 a con- 
temporaneous origin to the Crag and the Faluns of Touraine, he dis- 
sented from the conclusion; first, because the per-centage of recent 
species then assigned to the crag, including the Norwich beds, was 
greater than that ascribed by M. Deshayes to the shells of Touraine ; 
2ndly, because almost all the fossils in each locality were of distinct 
species, though only 300 miles apart; and 3rdly, because the fauna 
of the Suffolk crag had a northern, and that of ‘Touraine an almost 
tropical aspect, notwithstanding the geographical proximity of the 
two districts. In 1839, however, when he compared, with the as- 
sistance of Mr. G. Sowerby, a large collection of Touraine shells, 
and ascertained that the recent species amounted to 26 per cent., a 
nearly similar result to the one at which he had previously arrived 
respecting the red and coralline crag, he was induced to adopt M. 
Desnoyers’ views. As some doubts nevertheless remained in his 
mind respecting the localities and true geological position of certain 
shells assigned to the Faluns, and as he was desirous of determining 
the range southwards of the organic remains of the English crag, as 
well as northwards of those of the Faluns, and ascertaining whether 
the fossils of the most northern of the Falun deposits approached 
nearest in character to the shells and corals of the English crag, Mr. 
Lyell examined in the summer of 1840, first, certain of the newer 
tertiary deposits in La Manche, particularly those near Valognes, 
and between Carentan and Coutances ; then the tertiary strata in the 
neighbourhood of Dinan and Rennes; and afterwards those along 
the course of the Loire from Nantes to Tours and Blois, extending 
his researches northwards of that river as far as Savigné, and south- 
wards to Bossée and Pontlevoy. The following notices contain sum- 
maries of the observations made at each locality. 


Crac. 


Tertiary strata near Valognes.—The first geologist who explored 
the Cotentin was M. De Gerville. M. Desnoyers, in his memoir on 
that part of Normandy (published in 1825), shows that the newest 
secondary rock near Valognes is Baculite limestone*, and that it is 
overlaid by patches of tertiary strata, of the age of the Paris basin ; but 
he does not allude to any deposit of more recent date. By the advice 
of M. De Gerville, Mr. Lyell visited a marl-pit at the farm of Cadet, 
near Ranville la Place, eight miles south-west of Valognes, and he 
found it to abound with Suffolk crag shells. He obtained twenty- 
nine species of Testacea, fifteen of which Mr. Searles Wood has 
identified distinctly with crag species, and seven doubtfully, the 
most abundant shell being Lucina radula. In M. De Gerville’s col- 
lection from this locality, Mr. Lyell saw a specimen of the Falun va- 
riety of the Voluta Lamberti, or of what he considers to be a distinct 
species of Voluta. It is stated to have been found under an oyster- 
bed, and beneath the stratum containing the above shells. 


* Mr. Lyell examined this limestone, and recognised its resemblance to 
the uppermost chalk at Faxoe in Seeland. See ‘ Proceedings,’ vol. ii. p. 191, 
and ‘ Geol. Trans.,’ 2nd Series, vol. v. p. 248, for an account of the Faxoe 


deposit. 


Geological Society. 509 


Carentan.—At St. George de Bohon, five miles south-west of Ca- 
rentan, is another deposit of Suffolk crag fossils. In travelling south 
from Carentan this formation is first met with at the hamlet of La 
Flaget. It consists of an iron-stained calcareous tufa, or an aggre- 
gate of fragments of organic remains, and is in some places thirty 
feet thick. The shells are difficult to extract, but Mr. Lyell ob- 
tained fourteen species; also three species of corals, and a caudal 
tubercle of a Raia, all of which have been identified with Suffolk crag 
fossils. Among the shells are numerous fragments of the large 
Terebratula variabilis. The corals and some of the Testacea are com- 
mon to the Faluns of Touraine, but none of the distinguishing fossils 
of the latter have been discovered in the Carentan deposits. 

Sainteny.—In sinking a well at this place, more than sixty feet of 
a white calcareous agerepate of comminuted shells were passed 
through. At Longueville, one and a half mile from Sainteny, is a 
soft calcareous stone, consisting of innumerable casts of fragments 
of shells, among which Mr. Lyell detected the Pecten striatus of the 
Suffolk crag; and a similar rock occurs at the farms of Blehou and 
Raffanville, several miles distant. The fossils obtained at these lo- 
calities could not be satisfactorily determined, but Mr. Lyell is of 
opinion that they agree with those which are found near St. George 
de Bohon, except that he observed no fragments of the Terebratula 
variabilis. As far as they can be identified, they consist of Suffolk 
crag species, and they do not appear to possess a character interme- 
diate between the Suffolk fauna and that of the Faluns. 

Mr. Lyell saw no recurrence of this crag further south, and the - 
most northern point at which he noticed a deposit of the age of the 
Faluns of Touraine was near Dinan, sixty geographical miles to the 
south-east of Sainteny, the intermediate country consisting of ancient 
strata and crystalline rocks. 


Fabuns. 


Dinan.—M. Desnoyers does not describe the Falun near Dinan, 
although he alludes to it. The neighbourhood of Dinan is en- 
tirely composed of granitic rocks ; but at the village of Evran, situated 
near a stream which flows into the Rance, seven miles south of Dinan, 
is a small tertiary deposit, consisting of ten or twelve feet of white 
coralline and shelly sand, overlaid by a bed of stiff, reddish-brown 
clay, of very variable thickness. The great irregularities presented 
at the junction of the two strata, and the occasional projection of 
continuous layers of the sand into the clay, Mr. Lyell explains by 
supposing that the former at the time of its denudation, and pre- 
viously to the deposition of the clay, possessed a certain amount 
of hardness, which allowed of its being undermined. At the bottom 
of the sand occur large oysters, different from the common Touraine 
species O. virginica; and in the same quarries Mr. Lyell found many 
corals, fragments of Echinodermata, sharks’ teeth, ribs of the Laman- 
tin, vertebre of a Delphinus, and a tooth of a Mastodon. Some 
of the bones were buried in a solid semi-crystalline limestone, in 
which casts of shells are common. ‘The formation occasionally 


510 Geological Society. 


assumes a concretionary or travertine structure: at Le Quiou it 
is micaceous, and splits into flags; and at the village of Pas de 
Hac some pinnacles of soft, white, calcareous aggregate present 
in the lower part fine examples of cross-stratification. At St. 
Juvat the variety of building-stone called La jauge, and com- 
posed of comminuted organic remains, resembles the deposit near 
Sainteny, but the occurrence of casts of cones and large Cypres 
convinced Mr. Lyell that it must be assigned to the Faluns. It 
is overlaid by a bed of clay of variable thickness, having been 
very irregularly denudated; and it is penetrated by cylindrical hol- 
lows, similar to the sand-pipes in the English chalk. From these 
localities Mr. Lyell obtained twenty-six species of shells, one Cir- 
riped, five species of Echinodermata, five of corals, and seven of 
fishes, besides the remains of Cetacea and Mammalia before men- 
tioned. ‘The shells are for the most part identical with species found 
in the Faluns of Touraine; the whole of the corals are well- 
known Touraine fossils; and the fishes, according to M. Agassiz, 
have been all found in the molasse of Switzerland, with the excep- 
tion of one species, Carcharias megalodon. In the solid limestones of 
the localities above enumerated, many of the shells, which in several 
places in Touraine are beautifully preserved, occur cnly as casts 

Rennes.—The country between Dinan and Rennes consists of an- 
cient rocks. M. Desnoyers states, in the memoir before alluded to, 
that tertiary beds of the age of the Paris basin and of the Faluns 
occur near Rennes, but Mr. Lyell is not aware of any published ac- 
count of the fossils. In the ancient quarries of St. Gregoire, to 
which he was conducted by M. Pontallier, he found corals and casts 
of shells of Touraine species; also a large Spatangus, a claw of a 
crab, and teeth of sharks, imbedded in soft and hard limestones 
similar to those near Dinan. At La Chaussairie, five miles south of 
Rennes, occurs a perfectly distinct limestone, containing Milliolites 
and casts of marine shells, resembling those of the Paris basin; and 
associated with it are green and blue marls, enclosing freshwater 
Testacea. The deposit is of small extent, and rests upon transition 
strata; but Mr. Lyell suspects that it is in places overlaid by the 
ruins of the true Faluns, and that from these were derived the re- 
mains of a Lamantin and a tooth of Carcharias megalodon, found in 
the debris of a shaft sunk at La Chaussairie. 

Nantes.—The district between Rennes and Nantes consists of 
transition and granitic rocks, but there are many detached patches of 
Miocene strata around Nantes. At Les Cleons is a soft coralline 
limestone, containing pebbles of quartz and spangles of mica, the 
fundamental rock of the country being mica-schist. Mr. Lyell ob- 
tained from the limestone six species of corals and five of Testacea, 
the whole of which, capable of determination, belong to Touraine 
fossils. In the museum at Nantes he saw specimens which indicate 
the existence of Falun strata at Le Loroux, Vieilleville and Limousi- 
niére, places within thirty miles of Nantes; also other organic re- 
mains which prove that Eocene strata occur at Cambon. 

Angers.—Mr. Lyell was prevented from examining the pits north 


Geological Society. 5d 


of this place, but he was presented by M. Millet with an extensive 
suite of shells and corals, collected by that gentleman. Of fifty- 
seven species of Testacea, all but thirteen occur in the Faluns near 
Tours, Savigné and Pontlevoy ; but the fact of there being thirteen 
peculiar to the Angers district induces Mr. Lyell to suspect that the 
fossils depart more than those of other localities from the common 
type. The collection contains also only nine species which can be 
positively identified with known recent shells, and one which is 
doubtful, giving about seventeen per cent. of existing species, a much 
smaller proportion than was obtained by the author in other localities. 

Doué.—At this town are extensive quarries of a calcareous build- 
ing-stone, composed of comminuted shells and corals, and exposed 
to the depth of forty feet. The beds are horizontal, but exhibit 
highly inclined cross-stratification. From the marl-beds at La Gré- 
zille, and the calcareous sand and limestone of Renaudan and Tllet, 
villages situated six or seven miles north of Doué, Mr. Lyell pro- 
cured twenty-four species of corals, four of Echinodermata and three 
of fishes ; also a few species of shells, the most conspicuous being the 
large Pecten solarium. In the great abundance of corals and Kchi- 
noderms, and the small number of Mollusks, Mr. Lyell states that 
this deposit presents a perfect analogy to the white or coralline crag 
of Suffolk; but that its fauna is as distinct, with respect to species, 
from the fauna of the coralline crag, as the other localities of the 
Faluns of the Loire generally. 

Savigné.— Between Doué and Savigné the country consists partly 
of the Eocene freshwater formation, which extends thence almost 
continuously to Paris, and partly of Craie tufeau. Near Savigné the 
Falun is composed of limestone, containing most of the Doué fossils. 
The result of Mr. Lyell’s labours in this neighbourhood gave the 
following amount of organic remains, obtained chiefly from a pit 
which he had made near the point where the road from Savigné to 
Channay divides from that leading to Courcelles. ‘The total number 
of species of corals which have been determined amounts to eighteen, 
of Echinodermata to two, of Testacea to seventy-six, and of fishes to 
four. Mr. Lyell also obtained an upper molar of a deer, and a molar 
of the Cheropotamus Cuvieri. Of the shells, only ten species were 
not found by the author at other Falun localities near the Loire; and 
twenty-three species, or about thirty per cent., have been identified 
with recent shells. Among the fishes.is Lamna contortidens, a spe- 
cies which occurs in the Suffolk crag. The tooth ascertained by 
Mr. Owen to belong to the C. Cuvieri, affords, Mr. Lyell states, an- 
other instance of a mammifer common to Evcene and Miocene pe- 
riods. 

District south of Tours.—The immediate neighbourhood of Tours 
consists of cretaceous valleys, with intervening platforms of Eocene 
freshwater strata. ‘The Faluns occur from twelve to sixteen miles 
to the south, at Louans, Manthilan and Bossée. At Louans the de- 
posit is exposed in pits from four to five yards deep, and consists of 
white and yellow marl, formed, to a great extent, of comminuted 
shells and corals. From this bed Mr. Lyell obtained 180 species of 


512 Geological Society. 


shells, many very small, and generally overlooked by collectors ; the 
corals hitherto determined amount to only six species. Of the Tes- 
tacea he procured all the species, except thirty-three, at other loca- 
lities ; and the recent species have been ascertained to be about forty- 
nine, or in the proportion of twenty-six per cent. At Bossée he 
obtained 129 species of Testacea, forty of which, or thirty-two per 
cent., have been identified with living shells ; and of the entire num- 
ber Mr. Lyell found all except thirteen in some of the other Faluns. 
Six species of corals,and remains of Lumna and Myliobates, have been 
also ascertained to occur at Bossée; and a posterior molar tooth 
which Mr. Lyell procured there, Mr. Owen has proved to belong to 
the Dichobunes, a genus of Pachyderms, found likewise in the Eocene 
strata of France and the Isle of Wight. 

Pontlevoy.—At this town, thirty miles south-east of ‘Tours, a patch 
of white Falun marl rests on the Eocene freshwater formation. In 
the pits east of the town Mr. Lyell procured perfectly preserved 
shells; and fragments of the Eocene freshwater limestone are found 
in the Falun bored by Petricole, and full of their shells. The marl 
is usually covered by three feet of red clay, sand and mould. Mr. 
Lyell found here the first specimens of the shell, generally con- 
sidered to be the Voluta Lamberti of the English crag, but which he 
believes to differ from it. During his researches at Pontlevoy he 
procured 163 species of shells, forty-five of which, or twenty-five per 
cent., have been identified with existing Testacea ; and on comparing 
the whole number with a collection of 180 from Louans, 106 were 
found to be common to the two localities. Only thirty-four of the 
Pontlevoy shells were not procured by Mr. Lyell, at some other Fa- 
lun locality. Not more than six species of corals have yet been as- 
certained to occur in this district. The other localities near Pont- 
levoy examined by Mr. Lyell are Sambin and Contres. At the 
former the white Falun, containing hard flags, is covered by a great 
deposit of red, ferruginous, stratified gravel, with grains of quartz and 
flint derived from the Eocene freshwater formation ; and it bears a 
striking resemblance to the gravel-beds which overlie the red crag 
in Suffolk. Immediately east of Sambin, as well as between Contres 
and Soing, Mr. Lyell found specimens of the Ostrea virginica asso - 
ciated with fragments of other Testacea, which identified the deposits 
from which they were obtained with those of Touraine. ‘These de- 
tached Faluns imply, he says, that a large part of France, now 
drained by the Loire and its tributaries, was submerged during the 
Miocene period, although it is only at a few isolated points that the 
evidence can be detected of the long time this submergence must 
have lasted, and of the distinctness of the fauna which then lived, 
both from that now existing, and still more from that of the ante- 
cedent Eocene epoch. 

Gencral Remarks.—Previously to his tour, Mr. Lyell considered 
that the collections which he had seen from the Loire might be di- 
vided into two groups, the larger resembling a Mediterranean or even 
a more northern fauna, and the smaller a tropical one ; and that some 
of the shells composing the latter came from inferior beds of the de- 


Geological Society. 5a 


posit, or from patches of Falun of more ancient date than others; 
he also suspected, that where the tropical forms abounded, there 
would be found a smaller proportion of recent shells. He is, how- 
ever, now convinced that all the shells belong to one group, or that 
the forty-four crag species were really contemporaneous in Touraine 
with the large cones, Cyprzeas, Fasciolarias, and other tropical forms 
of Testacea. At Bossée, where he found these large univalves, as well 
as the Astrea, Lunulites, and Dendrophyllia, most fully developed, he 
obtained the greatest proportion of recent shells, or thirty-two per 
cent., the average being twenty-five. In making the examinations 
upon which these results depend, Mr. Lyell states that he always 
had recourse to the assistance of Mr. G. Sowerby, and in doubtful 
cases to that of Mr. E. Forbes, or some other conchologist ; and that 
he excluded from his calculations a great many species of which he 
did not possess perfect specimens, or a sufficient number to enable 
the specific identification to be confidently proved. Of the corals 
collected by the author, forty-three species have been determined by 
Mr. Lonsdale, only seven of which, or fifteen per cent., agree spe- 
cifically with those found in the Suffolk crag. This per-centage in 
the Polyparia is almost exactly the same as that which has been ob- 
tained from a comparison of the Testacea. Some of the genera of 
corals, fossil in Touraine, as the Astrea, Lunulites, and Dendrophyllia, 
have not been found in European seas north of the Mediterranean; ne- 
vertheless thePolyparia of the Faluns do not indicate a climate warmer 
than that which now prevails on the southern coasts of Europe. 

The next general question considered by Mr. Lyell is, whether 
the Faluns of the Loire and the English crag can be referred to the 
same geological period, eighty-five per cent. both of the corals and 
the shells being of distinct species. ‘‘ Can,” he says, “such a con- 
clusion be embraced on the ground of the corresponding degree of 
analogy which both deposits bear to the existing fauna, and to the 
extremely wide departure which both the crag and the Faluns make 
from the fossils of the Eocene period?” 

When Mr. Lyell compared in 1839, with the assistance of Mr. 
Searles Wood and Mr. G. Sowerby, the Suffolk crag shells in Mr. 
Wood’s cabinet, the proportion of recent species in the red crag was 
found to be about thirty per cent., and in the older or coralline about 
twenty, or, including both, twenty-five per cent., the same amount 
as in the Faluns of 'Touraine ; the analogy of the recent crag-shells 
being almost entirely to shells of the British seas, and that of those 
of the Faluns mostly to Mediterranean species. The argument which 
might be derived in favour of the more modern origin of the crag, from 
the recent species being precisely those of the neighbouring seas, 
while the existing species of the Faluns are not to the same extent, 
Mr. Lyell combats by stating that the whole assemblage of English 
crag genera and species departs very widely from that of the ad- 
jacent seas, consisting of northern and southern forms. ‘Thus the 
Glycimeris, Cyprina and Astarte are northern genera, and of the 
Astarte there are about fourteen species ; and of genera now known 
as existing only in equatorial latitudes, are Pyrula, Lingula, and some 


Ann. § Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. Suppl. 2L 


514 Geological Society. 


others. The fact, that four-fifths of coralline crag 'Testacea are ex- 
tinct, implies high antiquity ; as well as the sixteen species of Echino- 
derms found in the crag being unknown as recent species. ‘The 
author therefore refers both the crag and Faluns to the Miocene 
epoch, notwithstanding the specific discordance of their fossils, and 
he is of opinion that this disagreement may be diminished when the 
two faunas are better known. The difference between the Testacea 
of the British coasts and of the Mediterranean is pointed out ; and if 
the greater distance of these seas from each other than of the eastern 
shores of England from the Faluns should be urged as an objection 
to the inference that the crag and Faluns belong to one epoch, Mr. Lyell 
calls attention to the difference in the Testacea on the opposite sides of 
the isthmuses of Suez and Panama, though these tracts are very incon- 
siderable, both in height and breadth. That land existed in the imme- 
diate neighbourhood of the Faluns, Mr. Lyell says, is proved, from 
the occurrence of the remains of terrestrial Mammalia, and of land and 
freshwater shells, though they are of rare occurrence, compared with 
the marine reliquiz ; and if it formed a barrier between the district oc- 
cupied by the crag and that by the Faluns, the more northern charac- 
ter of the crag fauna might be due to the sea in which it lived opening 
tothe north; and in supportof thisopinion he alludes to the rapid trans- 
ition in the southern hemisphere from a district possessing a mild and 
equable climate, in which tropical forms of Testacea exist with others 
common to high latitudes, to one of extreme cold. Lastly, Mr. Lyell 
says, whatever speculations may be indulged, it is clear that the fos- 
sils of the crag and Faluns are almost entirely different from those of 
the London clay and Paris basin; that at least one-fifth of the fossil 
shells, both in the crag and Faluns, are identical with recent species ; 
that fifteen per cent. of the shells and corals of the Faluns are spe- 
cifically identical with those of the Suffolk crag; and that the sup- 
posed difference of climate indicated to the Testacea and Polyparia 
is by no means so great as some observers have supposed. Mr. Lyell 
nevertheless does not attach such importance to the per-centage of 
recent shells in the present state of knowledge of all the recent species, 
as to deduce from this source alone a positive inference regarding 
the precise agreement in age of the Faluns and the crag, merely 
stating that both deposits are referable to the Miocene epoch ; and as 
the red and coralline divisions of the Suffolk crag were not formed 
at the same time, so he conceives there may have been shades of dif- 
ference in the relative age of the Faluns and the crag. 


Junel6. “ Description of a Newer Pliocene Deposit at Stevenston, 
and of Post-Tertiary Deposits at Stevenston and Largs, in the County 
of Ayr,” by the Rev. David Landsborough, and communicated by 
James Smith, Esq., F.G.S. 

The Newer Pliocene Deposit.—This stratum was discovered in 1839 
in opening two coal-pits in the parish of Stevenston. After penetra- 
ting from thirty to thirty-five feet of sand, a bed of blue clay, nine 
feet thick, was passed through, and found to contain marine fossils 
of the newer Pliocene epoch. All the species have been obtained in 
other deposits of the same age in the basin of the Clyde, except two, 


Geological Society. 515 


— Astarte borealis, which occurs in a fossil state in the crag and living 
in the Arctic seas, and Astarte propinqua, a new shell. Mr. Lands- 
borough gives a list of the twenty-seven species collected by him, 
nineteen of which are common in the adjoining seas, six are known 
to exist in the Arctic seas, and two, Natica glaucinoides, a crag fossil, 
and Astarte propingua, are believed to be extinct. 

Post-Tertiary Deposits —The author prefixes to his account of 
these beds a notice of the older formations in that part of Ayrshire. 
The prevailing rock is red sandstone, which, at almost every point 
on the coast, has been worn, by the former action of the sea, into 
cliffs, which indicate a change of level of about forty feet. ‘The ter- 
race at the base of the cliff, Mr. Landsborough states, may be con- 
sidered a marine raised beach, and the shells contained in it are, with 
two exceptions, one of which is doubtful, of existing species. 

At Ardrossan, a deposit twenty feet above the level of the sea, 
and at Kelly, the soil which covers the base of the inland cliff to the 
height of thirty feet, are full of common marine shells. Similar beds 
are stated to occur in the islands of Arran, Cumbra, and Inch Mar- 
nock. In the parish of Stevenston, immediately under the vegetable 
soil, is a bed of shingle, in which forty-seven species of shells com- 
mon on the adjacent shores have been found. It rests upon shale 
perforated in many places by the Pholas crispata, of which the shell, 
in a very friable state, is generally found within the cavity. 

At Largs the shore rises to the height of twenty feet above high 
water. Under a bed of loam, from five to ten feet above the sea- 
level, is a sandy stratum one foot thick, from which Mr. Lands- 
borough has obtained specimens of Millepora polymorpha, and seventy 
species of marine shells, the whole of which are well-known inhabit- 
ants of the British seas, except two species of Rissoa, one of which 
had been previously found only in the crag, and the other is referred 
with doubts to the Rissoa Harveyii of Mr. Forbes. 

Respecting the age of this deposit, Mr. Landsborough states, that 
160 species having been found in it by Mr. Smith and other geolo- 
gists, it would be rash to infer from the above two exceptions, “‘ that 
there is a difference in the faunas of the existing period of sea-level 
and of that which preceded it ;” but he thinks it is not improbable 
that some change may have taken place during the very long period 
in which the inland cliff was formed by the slow wasting of the sea ; 
and he adds, the position of the bed at Largs, being ten feet under 
the surface, indicates a considerable antiquity, although its age must 
be much newer than that of the Pliocene strata, in which there is a 
decided proportion of extinct Testacea. 

Lists of the shells found by the author at each locality accompany 
the paper. 


“Notes by Mr. Maclauchlan, F.G.S., to accompany some Fos- 
sils collected by himself and Mr. Still, F.G.S., during their employ- 
ment on the Ordnance Survey in Pembrokeshire.” 

Taking for a base-line the northern boundary of the Llandeilo 
flags laid down by Mr. Murchison, the author proceeds to describe 
a section extending from near Llanhuadain on the south, to Dinas 

2L2 


516 Geological Society. 


Head on the north. At Potter’s Slade, a little north-west of Llan- 
huadain, a conglomerate dips to the northward, and is traceable 
westward to Ford, and eastward towards Llangan, where a sandstone 
conglomerate occurs containing Trilobites and shells. Proceeding 
on the line of section, the conglomerate is succeeded first by sand- 
stone and sandstone shales, and then at Clarbeston by limestone with 
carboniferous shales, dipping northward, and containing Graptolites 
and casts of shells. Similar carbonaceous shales exist on the west 
of Clarbeston, at St. Catharine’s Bridge, near Camrose; also at 
Rudbaxton, and on the east at Long Ford, near Llandysilio. They 
have in some localities been unsuccessfully worked for coal. Grap- 
tolites have likewise been found in calcareous shales at Robleston, 
about a mile north-west of Camrose. At Llys-y-fran, north of Clar- 
beston, the carbonaceous shales are succeeded by roofing-slates, 
which at Mynydd Castell-bythe (Castell-y-furoch, Ord. Map) and 
Morfel alternate with trap. On the summit of Mynydd Pontfaen, 
sandstone with coarse slates occurs, and between the summit and 
Pontfaen, trap again alternates with slates. The summit of Mynydd 
Llanllawer consists of coarse-grained, rudely columnar greenstone, 
flanked on the northern declivity of the mountain by coarse sand- 
stone of trappean aspect. This rock is overlaid by roofing-slates, 
which extend nearly to Dinas Head, where a hard conglomerate 
sandstone, containing crinoidal remains, is exhibited. All these 
strata are represented in a section as dipping towards the north. 

In Aberreiddy Bay, about twelve and a half miles to the south- 
west of Dinas, slaty beds with a northwardly dip, and apparently 
prolongations of the schists on the line of section, contain the Grap- 
tolithus Murchisonii and G. foliaceus of the Llandeilo flags, also nu- 
merous casts of an Euomphalus, resembling the EH. perturbatus of 
that formation, and a species of Lingula. Although these slates 
differ in lithological characters from the Llandeilo flags, yet Mr. 
Maclauchlan is of opinion that this difference may have been pro- 
duced by the masses of trap which are associated with the slates. 

The conglomerate sandstone of Dinas Head, which occurs also in 
Newport Bay and at Trewyddel, near Cardigan, is stated to resem- 
ble one of the conglomerates of the Caradoc sandstone described by 
Mr. Murchison; and the crinoidal stems which it contains, to agree 
with analogous remains found by Mr. Murchison in the Caradoc 
sandstone at Little London, May Hill*. 

In addition to the phenomena which occur in the immediate vi- 
cinity of the section, Mr. Maclauchlan alludes to indications of anti- 
clinal lines near Narberth and at Camrose, in Southern Pembroke- 
shire ; also at Solfach, south-east of St. David’s, and at Porthllisky, 
to the south-west of that city. At the latter village the dip changes 
to the westward, and continuing to alter, assumes in Whitesand Bay 
a northwardly direction. This dip also prevails at St. Laurence, 
thirteen miles east of St. David’s Head; at Leweston, three miles 
south of St. Laurence, and at Long Ford, about two and a half miles 
south of Llandysilio. Trappean ash also is stated to occur near green- 


* Silur. Syst., pl. xx. fig. 19. 


Geological Society. 517 


stone at Penbury (Penberry, Ord. Map) Hill, two and a half miles 
north-north-east of St. David’s; at Llanllawer, two miles south-east 
of Fishguard ; and at Carningley, one mile south of Newport. 

Though the summit of the principal Pembrokeshire chain is 
roofing-slate, yet trap-rocks occur near the top, and are described by 
the author as continuous through the district, extending to Plumb- 
stone Mountain (five miles north-west of Haverfordwest) and to St. 
David's Head, re-appearing at the Bishop and Clerks and the Hat 
and Barrels rocks, and at the Smalls light-house. At Fishguard and 
Strumble Head, three miles west of Fishguard Bay, the trap is co- 
lumnar. On the north-east of the chain at Whitechurch (Eglwys- 
wen), six miles south-east from Newport, on the east at Llanfirnach 
(Llanfrynach, Ord. Map), and on the south at Llanglwydwen, are 
beds of dark carbonaceous shale, which have been fruitlessly worked 
for culm; they appear to mantle round the trap, but preserve a 
northerly dip ; they are accompanied by lead-veins, one of which, at 
Llanfirnach, has been worked successfully. At Llanglwydwen Bridge 
are indications of copper in a lode in contact with a considerable 
bed of limestone. Mineral veins also exist along the coast, from 
Newgate, in St. Bride’s Bay, to St. David’s Head. 


“Description of some remains of a gigantic Crocodilian Sau- 
rian, probably marine, from the Lower Greensand at Hythe; and of 
Teeth from the same formation at Maidstone, referable to the genus 
Polyptychodon,”’ by Richard Owen, Esq., F.G.S. 

The fossil saurian remains from the lower greensand discovered 
by Mr. H. B. Mackeson include portions of the iliac, ischial and 
pubic bones, a large proportion of the shaft of a femur, parts of a 
tibia and fibula, and several metatarsal bones. In consequence of 
the absence of vertebrz and teeth, the determination of the specific 
characters of this Saurian is, the author states, a subject of great 
difficulty, and he therefore confines his remarks, in the present paper, 
to indications of the characters by which it differs from previously 
known extinct genera of Saurians. In the first place, Mr. Owen 
shows, from the femur and other long bones having no medullary 
cavities, but a central structure composed of coarse cancelli, that 
the animal of which they formed part was of marine habits; he, 
however, adds, that the principal bone being a femur, independently 
of the size and shape of the metatarsals, at once negatives the idea 
that these remains belonged to the cetacean order; and that the 
form and proportions of the metatarsals equally forbid their reference 
to any other mammalian genus. 

Femur.—The portions of this bone secured by Mr. Mackeson in- 
clude about the two distal thirds, excepting the articular extremity. 
Its length is two feet four inches, its circumference in the middle or 
smallest part of the shaft is fifteen inches six lines, and at the broken 
distal end, two feet five inches. ‘These dimensions prove that the 
animal was equal to the most gigantic described Iguanodon*. If 


* Femur of the [guanodon,—tength, 4 feet 6 inches ; smallest circum- 
ference, 1 foot 10 inches. 


518 Geological Society. 


the supposition of the proportion of the femur which has been pre- 
served be right, this bone, Mr. Owen says, differs from that of the 
Iguanodon, not only in the want of a medullary cavity, but also in 
the absence of the compressed second trochanterian process which 
projects from the outer side of the middle of the shaft, and which 
forms one of the several curious analogical relations between the 
Iguanoden and Rhinoceros. The bone also expands more gradually 
than in the femur of the Iguanodon, and the posterior part of the 
condyles must have been wider apart in consequence of the posterior 
inter-condyloid longitudinal excavation being longer and wider. Va- 
rious other minor points of difference are noticed by the author. 

Tibia and Fibula.—The portion of a tibia which has been preserved 
is compressed near its head, and the side next to the fibula is slightly 
concave. The longest transverse diameter is eight inches nine lines, 
and the two other transverse diameters at right angles to the pre- 
ceding give respectively three inches three lines and two inches six 
lines. ‘The bone soon assumes a thicker form, its circumference at 
about one-third from its proximal end being sixteen inches six lines. 
The cancelli occupying the central portion of the bone are arranged 
in a succession of layers around a point nearest the narrower end 
of the transverse section. Lower down the tibia again becomes 
compressed, and towards the distal end the transverse section exhi- 
bits a plate bent towards the fibula, and its narrowest transverse 
diameter is two and a half inches. 

The portion of the fibula is eleven and a half inches long. In the 
middle it is flat on one side, slightly concave on another, and convex 
on the two remaining sides. It presents the same cancellous struc- 
ture as the tibia, but the concentric arrangement of the layers of 
cells is more exact. ‘Towards the opposite end of the bone the con- 
cave side becomes first flat and is then produced into a convex wall, 
terminating one end of a transverse section of a compressed and bent 
thick plate of bone. 

Metatarsals.—These bones, Mr. Owen says, exhibit the charac- 
teristic irregularity of length of the crocodilian metatarsals. Of two 
imbedded in the rock, and considered by the author to be the inner- 
most and second, the former or smaller measured one foot in length, 
and the latter two feet, having a diameter of eight inches at its 
greater and of four inches five lines at its narrowest or middle part, 
and of six inches at its other extremity, which was imperfect. The 
whole of the bone within the compact outer crust consisted of cells 
varying from a half to two-thirds of a line in diameter. Portions of 
four other detached metatarsals are described. 

Ilia, Ischia, Pubis, and Coracoid Bone.—These bones, the author 
states, also conform to the crocodilian type. The remains of the 
ilia are flat and nearly straight, and they gradually but slightly 
widen towards one end. Of one ilium, a portion, twenty-five inches 
long and ten inches across at the broadest end, is preserved, and of 
the other a fragment twenty inches in length. 

The mesial extremities of the pubis and ischium are preserved in 
the same block of stone. ‘The pubis, Mr. Owen states, differs from 


Geological Society. 519 


the crocodilian type in its greater breadth. The portion exposed 
in this block is principally convex, but it becomes concave towards 
the opposite or median margin. At its broadest part it is thirteen 
inches across, and its length is seventeen inches. This expanded 
extremity is rounded, and the diameter of the corresponding ex- 
panded extremity of the ischium, which is obliquely truncated, is 
nine inches. In another block of stone the expanded extremity of 
the opposite pubis is preserved, and measures fourteen inches across 
and twenty-two inches in length. 

The bone, considered by Mr. Owen to be a coracoid, is two feet 
in length and seventeen inches in its greatest breadth, and it varies 
in thickness from three to five inches. The breadth of this bone in- 
dicates, the author states, the great development of the muscles de- 
stined for the movement of the fore-leg, whence he infers that the 
anterior extremities were more powerfully and habitually used in 
progressive motion than in the Crocodiles, and that they were con- 
sequently provided with a webbed modification of the hand. 

Mr. Owen then enters upon the question of the identity or affini- 
ties of the Hythe remains with any of the known marine genera of 
the saurian order, the texture of the long bones being conclusive 
against their having belonged to the terrestrial genera, the Iguano- 
don and Megalosaurus. 

The length, thickness, and indications of condyles in the femur, 
and the length, thickness, and angular form of the metatarsal bones, 
place, he says, the Plesiosaurus and the Ichthyosaurus out of the 
pale of comparison ; as well as the Mosasaurus, the locomotive ex- 
tremities of which are considered to have been flattened paddles. 

The superior expanse of the pubis and the broad coracoid (?), with 
the form of the femur and the gigantic proportions of the bones, for- 
bid a reference to any subgenera, recent or extinct, of the crocodilian 
reptiles ; and he shows that it is distinct from the Poikilopleuron of 
M. Deslongchamp by the long bones of that Saurian having medul- 
lary cavities. 

Saurian Teeth from the Lower Greensand.—These teeth, described 
by Mr. Owen in his ‘ Odontography’ under the name of Polypty- 
chodon, are characterized by the crown presenting numerous closely 
set longitudinal ridges, which are continued, of nearly equal length, 
to near the apex of the crown. In their size and simple conical form 
the teeth of the Polyptychodon resemble those of the great sauroid 
fish, Hypsodon, Ag., but may be distinguished by the solid compact 
structure of the dentine, which is resolved by decomposition into 
successive cones ; and also by the ridges on the exterior of the crown 
of the Hypsodon’s teeth being alternately long and short, and ter- 
minating abruptly at different distances from the base, the interspaces 
between the longer ridges widening as they approach the apex. ‘The 
tooth of the Polyptychodon is slightly and regularly curved, and in- 
vested with a layer of enamel of a clear, amber-brown colour, and of 
which the ridges are composed, the surface of the outermost layer 
of dentine being smooth. A tooth from the lower greensand near 
Maidstone has a crown three inches long, and one inch four lines 


520 Zoological Society. 


across the base. It consists of a body of compact dentine composed 
of successive lamelliform cones, and has a short and wide conical 
cavity at the base. 

From the teeth supposed to have belonged to the Poikilopleuron, 
the specimens above described differ in the ridges on the crown 
being greater in number and more closely set, as well as in the form 
of the teeth being nearly circular instead of elliptical; from the teeth 
of the Pliosaurus they differ also in being round and not three-sided, 
and in having longitudinal ridges over the whole surface of the crown ; 
and from the teeth of the Mosasaurus they differ in being ridged 
and not smooth. 

In conclusion, Mr. Owen states, that as the Hythe Saurian is di- 
stinct from all other described Saurians, and as these teeth belonged 
to a great Saurian also undescribed, and further, as the Maidstone 
tooth was found in the same formation as the Hythe fossil, so it may 
be convenient to consider all these remains for the present to have 
belonged to the genus Polyptychodon, originally proposed for the 
animal which was provided with the teeth. 


ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 


April 13, 1841.—William Yarrell, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 


The following paper, on some new genera of Birds, by Hugh E. 
Strickland, Esq., was read. 

“It is not without some unwillingness that I venture to point 
out some new generic groups of birds, because I am of opinion that 
the process of naming and defining new genera has been in many 
cases carried too far already. The class of birds probably does not 
contain more than 6000 species, and these have already been dis- 
tributed into upwards of 1000 genera, and I think therefore there 
can be no doubt that systematic ornithologists are now fast approach- 
ing the point beyond which it will not be expedient to carry the 
subdivision of the older groups into new genera. For we must not 
lose sight of the fact, that expediency or practical convenience does 
form an element in the construction even of a natural system. In 
such a system the materials which constitute any group must be na- 
turally allied, and they must be placed in such order as will best 
show their natural affinities, and yet the number of nominal genera 
into which such a group is to be divided may be a question of mere 
expediency. For the species, which are the only rea/ ingredients in 
a family or subfamily, often pass from one form of structure to an- 
other without any hiatus, so that it becomes a mere matter of opinion 
whether the so-called genera into which they are to be classed shall 
be many or few. Nature draws no line by which the rank or ex- 
tent of genera can be determined. As a general rule, varieties of 
form are considered to constitute genera, and varieties of colour, 
species; but this criterion is far from infallible, for we very rarely 
find two species, however closely allied, possessing precisely the 
same form and proportions; so that if every difference of structure 
he held to be generic, we shall end in having as many genera as 


Zoological Society. 521 


there are species. Take, for instance, the two very natural groups 
Corvus and Parus, as now restricted; it will be found on examina- 
tion that there are marked differences of both structure and habits 
which characterize almost every one of the species. It is plain then 
that we have in general no other guide in the definition of new ge- 
nera than a mere opinion as to the amount of structural variation 
which is considered to authorize their adoption, and I think there 
can be no doubt that in many of the genera recently established in 
ornithology, the standard has been reduced too low; in other words, 
these genera are based on diversities of structure of so little value as 
to be practically inconvenient. All genera profess to be of equal 
rank, and we should therefore aim at making them as nearly so as 
possible, and at the same time not inconveniently numerous. 

“ Granting, however, that many of the existing genera of birds are 
based on insufficient characters, and may require to be reincorporated 
with the groups from which they have been divided, it is equally 
certain that other groups exist in our cabinets, whose characters, as 
yet undefined, are so marked, as to demand in fairness, and with the 
view of producing equality of rank, to be defined and named as ge- 
nera. A few of these groups I now bring forward, illustrated by 
specimens from my own cabinet, and the meeting will be able to 
judge how far the structures here exhibited appear to authorize 
generic distinction. 

“T also take this opportunity of exhibiting a specimen of that rare 
bird the Glyphorhynchus cuneatus (Licht.), afterwards named Xeno- 
phasia platyrhyncha by Mr. Swainson. This bird has the tail of 
Dendrocolaptes and the general form of Xenops, while the beak is 
altogether anomalous, being compressed at the sides and depressed 
at the apex.” 

Fam. SYLVIADz. 


Subfam. Maturinz. 


nus SPpHEN@ACUS*, n. & 
Ge Ss Acus*, n. g 


< Motacilla, Gm., < Malurus, Sw., < Sphenura, Licht. 
Diff. Char.—Beak much compressed ; tail cuneate. 

Rostrum mediocre, compressum, ad basin elevatum, culmine sub- 
recto, juxta apicem deorsum, gonyde pariter sursum curvato, to- 
mio maxillari emarginato, commissura leviter deflexd. Nares 
oblonge, membrana supra tect. Vibriss null. 

Ale breves rotundate, remigibus 44, 54, 64, 74, aequalibus, primam 
duplo excedentibus. 

Cauda longiuscula, maximé cuneata, rectricibus strictis, acutis, sub- 
decompositis, intermediis exteriores tripld superantibus. 

Pedes fortes, tarsis longiusculis, acrotarsiis scutellatis, paratarsiis 
integris, digitis lateralibus equalibus. 

Ungues modice curvati, acuti. 

Ptilosis rigida, pennis subdecompositis. 

Habitat in Africa. 
Species unica, S. Africanus (Gm.), Levaill. Ois. d’Af., pl. 112. f. 2. 

(Sphenura tibicen, Licht.) 


* Shiv, a wedge; otaé, a helm. 


522 Zoological Society. 


Fam. Muscicaprip#. 
Subfam. Firuvico.tinz. 


Genus Coprurvus*, n. g. 

< Platyrhynchus, Spix, < Muscipeta, Cuv. 

Diff. Char.—The two medial rectrices greatly prolonged. 

Rostrum triangulare (desuper spectanti) paulo longius quam latum, 
modicé depressum. Culmen rotundatus, ad basin lente, versus 
apicem citits decurvans. Nares ovate, patule. Tomia maxillaria 
modicé emarginata. Commissura leniter decurvata, gonys leniter 
ascendens. Vibrisse rictales mediocres. 

Ale longiuscule, remige prima breviore, 24, 34, 44, fere aqualibus. 

Cauda mediocris, quadrata, nisi quod maris rectrices due intermedi 
graciles spathuliformes reliquas magis duplo excedunt. 

Tarsi mediocres, acrotarsiis paratarsiisque scutellatis. Digitus ex- 
ternus interno longior, ad basin paulo cum intermedio coadunatus. 
Ungues longiusculi, satis curvati, acuti, graciles. 

Habitat in America Meridionali. 

Species unica, C. filicaudus (Spix), Av. Braz. vy. 2. pl. 14. (Mus- 
cicapa leucocilla, Hahn.) 

Obs. This bird bears much resemblance to Pipra in the colours of 
its plumage and in the elongate rectrices, as Mr. Swainson has re- 
marked (Classif. Birds, v. ii. p.90). The depressed beak, however, 
rounded culmen, shorter tarsus, and slender claws, sufficiently prove 
its true place to be among the Flycatchers, near Alectrurus. 


Fam. Pirripm ? 
Subfam. ParpALOTINa? 


Genus Prionocnitusf, n. g. 

< Pardalotus, Temm. 

Diff. Char.—Margins of the beak minutely serrated. 

Rostrum longiusculum, subcompressum, mandibulis subzqualibus ; 
culmine subcarinato, juxta basin recto, deinde usque ad apicem 
gradatim decurvato ; commissura modice decurvata; gonyde sur- 
sum curvaté. Maxilla haud emarginata, sed tomia mandibulz 
utriusque per medietatem externam minutissime serrata. Nares 
oblong, membrana supra tectz. 

Ale mediocres, remige 14 spurid, 34, 44, et 54 subsequalibus. 

Cauda brevis, rectricibus zequalibus. 

Pedes subbreves, gressorii, acrotarsiis subscutellatis, paratarsiis in- 
tegris. Digitus externus interiore longior, ad medium per longi- 
tudinis dimidium coadunatus. 

Habitant in Malasia. 

Species: 1. P. percussus (Temm.), Pl. Col. 394.f. 2. 2. P. thora- 
cicus (Temm.), Pl. Col. 600. f. 1, 2. 3. P. maculatus (Temm.), PI. 
Col. 600. f. 3. 

Obs. The nearest affinity of this group is Calyptomena, Raff., to 
which it approaches in the structure of the beak and feet much more 


* Kon, an oar; ovpa, the tail. 
+ Ilpiwy, a saw; yeiAos, a lip. 


Zoological Society. 523 


nearly than to Pardalotus. The serrations of the tomia appear not 
to have been hitherto noticed. 


Fam. Laniapz? 
Sabian. ———— 
Genus AXruiops*, n. g. 


Diff. Char.—Beak subconical, slightly emarginate, dilated at the base. 

Rostrum subconicum, subelongatum. Maxilla ad basin paulo dila- 
tata, juxta apicem compressa, leviter emarginata, apice paulo de- 
orsum curvato, tomiis inflexis. Culmen subcarinatus, gradatim 
a basi ad apicem decurvatus. Nares ovate. Commissura leviter 
decurvata, gonys ascendens. 

Ale mediocres, rotundate, remige 14 spuria, 34, 44, et 54 subeequalibus. 

Cauda breviuscula, rotundata. 

Tarsi breves, acrotarsiis scutellatis, paratarsiis integris. Digiti me- 
diocres, medius tarsum equans, postico longior; externus inter- 


num paulo superans: Ungues breviusculi, modicé curvati, ad la- 
tera sulcati. 


Habitat in Africa occidentali. Species unica. 


/ETHIOPS CANICAPILLUS. Ath. vertice, cervice, dorsoque canescente- 
cinereis, verticis lateribus, uropygioque canescente-albidis. Fronte, 
genis, guld, partibusque inferioribus omnibus nigerrimis. Ale 
nigre, tectricibus minoribus omnibus, majoribusque dorso proximis 
maculd subapicali rotundata albaé. Cauda unicolor nigra, tectrici- 
bus superioribus nigrescente-plumbeis. Rostrum pedesque nigri. 

Long. tot. 5 poll. Rostrum ad rictum 7} lin., ad frontem 6 lin., 
latum 34 lin., altum 3 lin. Ala 2 poll. 8 lin. Rectrices medii 1 poll. 
11 lin., externi 1 poll. 7 lin. Tarsus 8 lin. Digitus intermedius cum 
ungue 8 lin., externus 6 lin., internus 54 lin., posticus 6 lin. 

Hab. in insula Fernando Po. Mus. meo. 

Obs. This singular generic form is very difficult to classify. The 
beak is somewhat similar in form to that of a Tanager, but its other 
characters and the African habitat forbid such a collocation. The 
beak also exhibits some resemblance to that of Artamus, but the 
shortness of the wings makes a marked contrast to that genus. 


Fam. FrincGinyip2. 
Subfam. TanaGrinz. 


Genus STEPHANOPHORUST, DN. g. 
=< Tanagra, Tem., < Pyrrhula, Vieill. 
Diff. Char.—Beak very short, tumid, of equal height and length. 
Rostrum breve, subconicum, mandibulis subzequalibus, intumidis ; 
culmine gradatim deorsum, gonyde sursum incurvatis; commis- 
sura subrecta, leviter deorsum curvata; maxilla juxta apicem ob- 
soletissimé emarginata. Nares subrotunde. 
Ale mediocres, rotundate, remigibus 34, 44 (hac longissima) et 
5t§ feré aequalibus. 


* Aidiow, a negro, in reference to the colour and habitat. 
| Drépavos, a crown; pépw, to bear. 


524 Zoological Seciety. 


Cauda mediocris, rectricibus subzequalibus. 

Pedes mediocres, acrotarsiis scutellatis, paratarsiis integris. Digitus 
externus interiorem paulo excedens. Ungues mediocres, leviter 
curvati. 

Ptilosis ceerulescens, nitore sericeo. Vertex colore igneo insignis. 
Habitat in America meridionali. 

Species unica, S. ceruleus (Vieill.), (7. diadema, Temm.), Pl. Col. 
243. 

Obs. The beak is more tumid and the under mandible more de- 
veloped in this well-marked type than in any other of the Tanagrine, 
and it has hence been referred to the genus Pyrrhula. The mar- 
ginal notch, however, together with the blue and silky plumage, and 
the geographical distribution, sufficiently prove the true place of this 
bird to be among the Tanagers, and in the vicinity of Tanagra, Lin. 
(restr.), and Calospiza, Gray (Aglaia, Sw.). 


Fam. Picip#. 
Subfam. CELEIN&. 


The genus Brachylophus, as defined by Mr. Swainson, includes 
three very distinct groups: first, the Green Woodpeckers, which had 
previously been named Gecinus by Boié; secondly, the crimson- 
winged species, miniatus, puniceus, and mentalis, to which I propose 
to restrict Swainson’s name Brachylophus; and thirdly, the short- 
thumbed Woodpeckers, which are here characterized. 


Genus BracuyrrEeRNvs”™, n. g. 

< Picus, Linn., < Brachylophus, Sw. 

Diff. Char.—Hind toe and claw very short, almost obsolete. 
Rostrum longitudine caput equans, apice obtuse securiformi, culmine 

paulatim decurvato, acie laterali nulla, commissura rectissima, go- 

nyde paulo ascendente. 

Ale mediocres, remige 14 subspuria, 44, 54 (hac omnium longissima) 
et 62 subeequalibus. 

Cauda mediocris. 

Tarsus mediocris. Digitus intermedius ac versatilis tarsum zequipa- 
rantes, posticus cum ungue brevissimus, propemodum obsoletus. 
Ptilosis ; dorsum aleeque aurantia aut rubra, facies et partes inferiores 

albido nigroque variegate. 

Habitant in India, Malasia. 

Species : 1. B. aurantius (Linn.), (P. bengalensis, Gm. ; P. nuchalis, 
Wael.; B. hemipodius, Sw.). 2. B. goensis (Gm.), (P. peralaimus, 
Wagl.). 3. B. philippinarum (Lath.), (B. palalacca, Wagl.). 4. B. 
hematribon (Wagl.). 5. B. erythronotus (Vieill.), (P. neglectus 
Wagl.). 

Fam. CuaRADRIADZ. 
Subfam. CuarapRIANZ&. 


The group of Plovers affords an instance in addition to those fur- 
nished by the genera Ceyx, Alcyone, Jacamaralcyon, Tiga, Tridactylia, 


* Boayds, short; mrépva, a heel. 


Zoological Society. 525 


Halodroma, and others, that the presence or absence of the hind-toe 
in birds becomes, under certain circumstances, a character of very 
small value in the natural arrangement. The fact seems to be, that 
when in any group the hind-toe becomes so slightly developed as to 
be unable to perform those functions of prehension or of progression 
which are its usual duties, the transition from the abortive state of 
this organ to its total disappearance becomes very unimportant. In 
the group of the Plovers too much weight has hitherto been attached 
to the presence or absence of the hind-toe; it has been made the 
groundwork of divisions into families and subfamilies, whereas the 
utmost value that can justly be assigned to it amounts only to that 
of a generic character. ‘This is proved by the fact that the absence 
of the hind-toe is not coincident with the other and more extensive 
changes of structure in the group, so that it becomes indicative of 
analogy rather than of affinity, as the following table of the genera of 
Charadriane will show :— 

A. Acrotarsia reticulate, wings pointed, plumage spotted. 
MPHTee-LOEG. 2s eaten. «5, - Charadrius. 
Four-toed..*s7 :-*.. 0.22) “Squatarota. 

B. Acrotarsia reticulate, wings pointed, plumage black, white, and 

grey, in large masses. 
Three-toed .... Hudromias. Hiaticula. 

C. Acrotarsia scutate, wings rounded, plumage black, white, and 

grey, in large masses. 
I. Face unwattled. 
a. wing-spine short, 
Three-toed. . Philomachus, Mehr. P. coronatus (Gm.). 
(Hoplopterus, Bon.) b. wing-spine long, 
P. spinosus (Linn.). 
a. wing-spine short, 
V. cristatus (Linn.). 
b. wing-spine long, 
V. cayennensis (Gm.). 
II. Face wattled. 


M@bree-tOed), « a4..5,0\..2-0 = Sarciophorus, mihi. 
OUT-LOCGA. o.-0-s say. Lobivanellus, mihi. 
The last two groups which have hitherto been united, the one 
with Charadrius, the other with Vanellus, are now for the first time 
defined. 


Four-toed .. Vanellus, Temm. 


Genus Sarcrorpnorus*, n. g. 


=< Charadrius, Gm. 
Diff. Char.—Three-toed, lores wattled. 

Rostrum ut in Charadriis. 

Membrana loris affixa, nuda, erecta, in anticum protensa. 

Ale elongate, caudam vix superantes, remigibus tribus primariis 
subeequalibus. Spina pollicaris brevis, obtusa. 

Cauda modice longitudinis, rectricibus aqualibus. 


* Yapkiov, a caruncle ; pépw, to bear. 


526 Zoological Society. 


Pedes elongati, graciles, tridactyli, acrotarsiis scutellatis. 

Habitant in Africé, Asia, Australia. 

Species: 1. S. pileatus (Gm.), Pl. Enl. 834. 2. S. tricolor (Vieill.), 
(Charadrius pectoralis, Wagl.). 3. S. bilobus (Gm.), Pl. Enl. 880. 


Genus LosivanELLus%, n. g. 


< Parra, Gm., < Tringa, Lath., < Charadrius, Wagl., < Va- 
nellus, Cuv. 

Diff. Char.—Four-toed, lores wattled. 

Rostrum ut in Charadriis. 

Membrana loris aflixa, nuda, erecta, in anticum protensa. 

Ale elongate, caudam vix superantes, remigibus tribus primariis 
subeequalibus. Spina pollicaris valida, acuta. Cauda modice 
longitudinis, rectricibus equalibus. 

Pedes elongati, graciles, tetradactyli, acrotarsiis scutellatis. 
Habitant in Africa, Asia, Australia (America ?). 

Species: 1. L. goensis (Gm.), Pl. Enl. 807. 2. ZL. gallinaceus 
(Wagl.), Jard. Ill. Orn. ser. 1. pl. 84. 3. L. ludovicianus (Gm.), Pl. 
Enl. 835. 4. ZL. senegalus (Linn.), Pl. Enl. 362. 5. L. albicapillus 
(Vieill.), Sw. W. Af. v. ii. pl. 27. 6. L. tricolor (Horsf.), (Ch. 
macropterus, Wagl.). 7. L. dominica (Gm.), (Ch. brissonii, Wagl.). 
8. L. albiceps (Gould), Proc. Zool. Soe. pt. ii. p. 45. 9. L. cucul- 
latus (Temm.), Pl. Col. 505. 


The Secretary called the attention of the members to a new spe- 
cies of Monkey, allied to the green Cercopitheci, living at the So- 
ciety’s Menagerie. 

The Monkeys allied to Cercopithecus sabeus, observes Mr. Ogilby, 
are now so numerous, that they may be considered to form a sub- 
genus of themselves, at least for all the practical purposes of de- 
scriptive zoology. Four species have been already distinguished 
by M. Frederic Cuvier, C. sabeus, fuunus, griseus, and pygarythrus. 
Colonel Sykes has described a fifth, C. albogularis, though it is cer- 
tainly less closely allied to the others than they are among them- 
selves; and there is now a fifth living in the Gardens. This species 
is most nearly related to C. sabeus and pygarythrus, between which 
it is intermediate in many of its characters. It may be described 
as follows :— 


CERCOPITHECUS TANTALUS. Cerc. supra saturate flavo-viridis, in 
artus cinerescens, subtus stramineus; facie subnigrd, circa ocu- 
los lividd ; auriculis palmisque fuscis ; caudd fuscd ; apice caude, 
mystacibus et perineo flavis ; tenid frontal albd. 

Head, back and sides a mixture of yellowish brown and green, of 
the same intense shade as that which prevails on the upper parts of 
the allied species, C. sabeus and pygarythrus ; outer surface of the 
limbs of a clearer ashy grey colour; whiskers, throat, breast, belly, 
and inside of the limbs yellowish white ; tail brown at the root, light 
grey at the tip; backs of the hands and feet light grey ; face covered 
with very short hairs, black on the nose and cheeks, livid flesh-colour 


* Lobus, a caruncle; vanellus, a Lapwing. 


Zoological Society. 527 


round the eyes, and light brown on the lips; eyebrows black, sur- 
mounted by a broad white fillet which passes across the forehead ; 
nose very prominent and narrow between the eyes, but flatter and 
broader towards the extremity ; ears and palms of the hands brown; 
scrotum surrounded by yellowish hairs; size and form of C. sabeus, 
but with a rounder head and shorter face. 

The specimen here described was procured at Liverpool, but its 
previous origin is unknown. 


A paper, in which Mr. Broderip proceeds with his descriptions of 
Mr. Cuming’s shells, was next read. 


Heuix Reevu. Hel. testd ovato-subpyramidali, anfractibus 5 ven- 
tricosis, lineis incrementi creberrime oblique striatis, ultimo maz- 
imo, ceteris dupld longiori, apice subplano, umbilico vix apparente, 
columelle robuste basi subsinuatd, labii limbo reflexo, apertura 
ceruleo-alba. 

Long. 3; lat. 23 poll. 

Var. a. Rubro-brunnea, epidermide ex albo brunnescente obtecta, fas- 
ciis latis nigricantibus insignis. 

Var. 6. Lineis fasciisque nigricantibus numerosis cincta. 

Hab. ad Luchban in Tayabas insule Luzon. 

Legit H. Cuming in sylvis. 

Var. c. Tota rubro-brunnea anfractu basali nigrescente. 

Hab. ad Tayabas insule Luzon. 

Legit H. Cuming in sylvis. 

This fine Helir, named, at the request of Mr. Cuming, after Mr, 
Reeve, an assiduous collector, was found by the former at the lo- 
calities above mentioned, adhering to the leaves of trees. The 
ground-colour is reddish brown, deepening on the body-whorl to rich, 
dark plum-colour, approaching to black. A brownish white epider- 
mis covers the two first varieties, with the exception of certain inter- 
vals, through which the ground-colour is exposed in the form of 
lines and bands, Thus in var. a. three small cinctures of brown lines 
appear towards the upper part, and a broad brown band at the lower 
part of the fourth whorl. At the upper part of the body-whorl are 
two hair-like dark lines, and the middle and lower part of it is belted 
with four bold, broad, nearly black bands. In var. 6. the body- 
whorl is belted and filleted with more numerous lines and bands, but 
none of the latter are so broad as they are in var. a. In all the va- 
rieties the peritreme and reflected lip are of a rich plum-colour, and 
the inside of the aperture is bluish white. The pattern resides in 
the epidermis, and, when the shell is plunged into water, disappears. 


Buiinus Onyx. Bul. testd subpupiformi, umbilicatd, lineis incre- 
menti obliquis creberrime substriata, anfractibus 7, ultimo maximo ; 
anfractibus 4 primis sordide albis, quinto et sexto castaneis, ultimo 
superne castaneo, basi albo, labii reflexi margine lato et columelld 
nigricantibus, apertura albd. 

Long. 25; lat. 1} poll. 

Hab. ad Calanang insule Luzon. 

Legit H. Cuming in sylvis. 


528 Zoological Society. 


The above description is taken from a shell deprived of its epi- 
dermis, and I have only seen one with the epidermis on, and that one 
is notin good condition. ‘The epidermis is dirty white. On the an- 
terior part of the fourth whorl a band of longitudinal brown dashes, 
occurring at regular intervals, extends far upon the whorl from near 
the suture. A similar band skirts the anterior part of the body- 
whorl, which is belted with two whitish bands, the uppermost rather 
below the middle, and is greenish at the base. Upon plunging the 
shell into water the upper epidermis disappears, and exposes the 
ground-colour ; but the greenish epidermis remains unchanged. The 
aperture of the shell almost looks as if it had been curtailed arti- 
ficially, so suddenly does it terminate. 

Buuinus Auperti. Bul. testa pyramidali, anfractibus sex, lineis 
incrementi obliquis creberrimé striatd, anfractu ultimo ceteros vir 
equante, apice acuto, rubro-brunneo, basi viridi ; columella subsi- 
nuatd et labii reflexi margine nigricantibus ; apertura alba. 

Long. 26; lat. 1$ poll. 

Var. a. Strigis angulatis albidis et nigricantibus concinne marmorata ; 
anfractu basali fasciis 2 subalbidis cincto. 

Hab. ad montem Isarog insulz Luzon. 

Legit H. Cuming in sylvis. 

Var. 6. Obscurior ; anfractu quinto albido superneé unifasciato, an- 
fractu basali albido trifasciato. 

Hab. ad Calanang insule Luzon. 

Legit H. Cuming in sylvis. 

This species, the most elegant of all the Bulini which I have yet 
seen, is named in honour of His Royal Highness Prince Albert. 
The form and rich but elegant colouring of the shell combine to make 
it very beautiful. The pattern, as in the two last species, resides in 
the epidermis, and, when the shell is plunged into water, disappears ; 
but the green at the base remains unchanged, as in the last species. 

Mr. Cuming found var. a. on the leaves of trees in the woods at 
the foot of- Mount Isarog, in the province of South Camarines, at 
the south-east end of Luzon. It was very rare, for Mr. Cuming, 
after a search of many days, could only procure six specimens. 

Var. 6. was found in dense woods, also on the leaves of trees. in 
the province of the Laguna, at Calanang, in that island.—W. J. B. 


April 27.—William Horton Lloyd, Esq., in the Chair. 

The exhibition was resumed of the new species of Shells collected 
by H. Cuming, Esq. in the Philippine Islands, and the following de- 
scription of new species, by W. J. Broderip, Esq., was read. 

Hexrx (Carocorta) Reeinaz. Car. testd hyalind, prasind, lineis 
incrementi oblique striata, lineolis transversis creberrime decussata 
suberectd, antice compressa ; anfractibus 3, ultimo latissimo, acuto, 

~ suturam versus concinne celato ; aperturd infra angulata ; labii 
margine subexpanso, acuta. 

Long. #; lat. 1 poll. 

Hab. ad Sibongam Insule Zebu foliis arborum heerens, rarissima. 

Legit H. Cuming in sylvis. 


Zoological Society. 529 


This rare Carocolla excels in beauty and delicacy all the land- 
shells that I have yet seen. Green is by no means a common colour 
in the testaceous mollusca generally; but in the pulmoniferous tes- 
taceans it is comparatively rare, and, in the cases where it occurs, 
generally resides in the epidermis, or forms a part of the pattern. 
But this elegant species, of a delicate transparent green, somewhat 
between the colour of an emerald and a chrysoprase, is more like a 
gem than a shell. It does not lie flat like most of the Carocolle, 
but when placed with its aperture downwards, stands at a high 
angle. A light-coloured line marks the suture and the edge of the 
body-whorl, while the expansion of the lip (which expansion termi- 
nates at the angle of the aperture) is of a glassy clearness. On the 
under part of the shell, especially, the striz formed by the lines of 
growth are crossed by other delicate and very frequent transverse 
lineations. 

Var. a. Anfractus basalis angulo brunneo lineatus. 

The animal of both varieties is grayish white. 

Hab. ad Puerto Galero insuiz Mindoro foliis arborum herens. 

Legit H. Cuming in sylvis. 

Hexix (Caroconia) papyracea. Car. testé albo-flavescente, dia- 
phand, lineis incrementi oblique creberrimé striata; columella 
crassa, excavatd, lata et elongata ; labii limbo viz expanso. 

Long. }; lat. 1 poll. 

Though this Carocolla may at first sight be taken for a variety of 
Car. Regine—and such was my original impression—a nearer inspec- 
tion will detect the distinction between the shells. The spire in 
Car. papyracea is more elevated, and the shell stands at a higher 
angle; the expansion of the lip is not so wide, and it is not termi- 
nated at about half the distance from the outer edge to the columella 
(as it is in Car. Regine), but continues until it forms a slight angle 
below the columella. In Car. papyracea the edge of the expanded 
lip is the lowest part of the shell, whereas in Car. Regine the white 
continuous edge of the columellar lip is placed above a green por- 
tion of the base of the volution, which is prominent below it; the 
columella is also quite different; and these distinctions cannot be 
attributed to difference of age, for the most complete specimens of 
each which have furnished the comparison are full-grown. 

Hab. ad Puerto Galero in insula Mindoro foliis arborum herens. 

Legit H. Cuming in sylvis. 

Herrx (Carocotia) Dryorr. Car. testa subdiaphand, subpy- 
ramidali, linets incrementi creberrimé striata et striis transversis 
levibus frequentissime decussata ; anfractibus 4, ultimo maximo 
acuto, ex albido virescente ; apice, labii limbo, et umbilico nigro- 
castaneis ; apertura auriculiformi, intis iridescente. 

Long. 3; lat. 1 poll. 

Hab. ad St. Juan in provincia Cagayan insulz Luzon, foliis arbo- 
rum heerens. 

Legit H. Cuming in sylvis. 

The sculpture of this species resembles that of Car. Regine, but 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol.viii. Suppl. 2M 


530 Zoological Society. 


there the similitude ends. The termination of the aperture is below 
the line of the body-whorl. The shell consequently rests more on 
its base: it is much more opaque than Car. Regine, and has no 
angle at the aperture, the inside of which has the iridescence of 
mother of pearl. ‘The sharp edge of the body-whorl is light yellow. 
Var. a. Planior albido- et luteo-virescens ; anfractu basali maculis 
albidis obscuris guttato ; basi flavescente ; labii limbo ex albido 
flavescente. 
Hab. ad insulam Bureas, foliis arborum parvorum herens. 
Legit H. Cuming in sylvis. 
In this variety, which is much flatter, the sharp edge of the body- 
whorl is whitish. 


Hewix (Carocotta) Lister. Car. testa complanatd, umbilicaté ; 
anfractibus 4, lineis incrementi creberrimé striatis, ultimo maximo 
acuto ; albido-fuscd maculis brunneis guttatd, et brunneo uni-fas- 
ciaté; peritremate deorsim flexo auriculari, albido ; labii uni- 
dentati margine acuto, antice lanceolato. 

Long. 2; lat. 12 poll. 

Hab. ad Albay insulez Luzon, truncis arborum herens. 

Legit H. Cuming in sylvis. 

Mr. Cuming had named this species Car. Gallina; but as it is 
designated as Car. Listeri on the boards of the British Museum, and 
as Lister appears to have been the first who figured it, but appa- 
rently from an imperfect shell, the latter name is retained. 

In colour and in the direction of the form and shape of the aperture 
it bears much resemblance to Helix auriculata, figured by Mr. Swain- 
son (Zoological Ilustrations, lst series) from a specimen formerly in 
the cabinet of Mr. C. Dubois, afterwards in mine, and now in the 
British Museum; but in H. auriculata the whorls are comparatively 
rounded, and the body-whorl is quite round instead of having a sharp 
edge. H. auriculata is besides, in many individuals, dimpled with 
small depressions. These differences may be sufficient in the present 
state of our knowledge to constitute specific distinction ; but whether 
they are in reality strong enough to form such a separation, may 
well be doubted. My present impression is, that H. auriculata and 
H. Lisieri are identical; but I shall return to this subject when I 
have examined the whole of the cognate series in Mr. Cuming’s 
collection. 


Herix (Carocotta) Parmua. Car. testa valde complanatd, um- 
bilicata ; anfractibus 4, lineis incrementi striatis, ultimo maximo, 
acuto ; fuscd, lined brunned suturam jucta albam fasciatd, margine 
anfracttés ultimi acuto, albo ; peritremate deorsitm flexo auriculari ; 
labii antice sublanceolati subalbidi margine subreflexo. 

Long. 2; lat. § poll. 

Hab. ad Argao insule Zebu, arborum excelsorum truncis herens. 

Legit H. Cuming in sylvis. 

This is a delicate though not showy species. 

Var. a. Elevatior, obscure albens fascia suturali et centrali fuscis 
ornata. 


Zoological Society. 53% 


Hab. ad insulam Negros, truncis arborum herens. 

Legit H. Cuming in sylvis. 

Herrx (Carocoiia) Siquisorensis. Car. testa subcomplanata 
anfractibus 4, lineis incrementi creberrimé striata ; ultimo maximo, 
acuto ; labii subreflexi limbo superiore haud deorsuim depresso ; 
JSusca, epidermide cinerascente cooperta. 

Long. 2; lat. 1§ poll. 

Hab. ad radices arborum et arbusculorum in insula Siquijor. 

Legit H. Cuming in sylvis. 

The ash-coloured epidermis which covers this species, upon im- 
mersion in water, disappears. to reappear when it is dry. When it 
is wet the dark brown ground-colour is exposed. The shell varies 
to a lighter whitish-brown hue. The sutural line is darker than the 
general colour, and the lower surface of the expanded edge of the lip 
is dark brown and shining in each variety. The termination of the 
upper edge of the lip is on the same line with the edge of the body- 
whorl. 

Herix (Carocorna) Tuersires. Car. testdé subcomplanatd, gibbd, 
tenuissimd, hyalind, diaphand ; anfractibus 4, lineis incrementi cre- 
berrime striatis, ultimo antice acuto, postic? subitd rotundato, gibbo ; 
apertura magna ; labii antice reflexi limbo subreflexo, flavescente ; 
anfractibus suturam versus et medio castaneo-fasciatis ; nucleo 
castaneo. 

Long. 4; 13 poll. 

Hab. ad Calopan in insula Mindoro, foliis arborum herens. 

Legit H. Cuming in sylvis. 

The deformed appearance of this species arises from the flattened 
and sharp edge of the body-whorl suddenly becoming rounded at 
about half way. The colouring is pretty, the chestnut bands show- 
ing to advantage on the transparent amber-colour of the shell. The 
young shell has no gibbosity. 

Var. a. Subdiaphana, fascia latissima nigro-castaned ornata. 

Hab. cum precedente. 

This variety is more opake, and the broad, blackish, chestnut band 
extends from the suture half-way down the whorls. The base of 
the shell is broadly bifasciated with the same dark colours, the nar- 
rowest band being nearest to the outside edge. The termination of 


the lip in this species is on the same line with the body-whorl.— 
W. J.B. 


The next paper read was by G. B. Sowerby, Esq. This also con- 
sists of descriptions of Mr. Cuming’s new species of shells. 


Hewix mopesta. Hel. testa acuminato-subovali, tenui, albicante, 
fasciis spiralibus badiis modeste ornata ; spird acuminatiusculd, 
apice obtuso; anfractibus 44. subrotundatis, levibus, lineis incre- 
menti tenerrimé insculptis, ultimo maximo, ventricoso ; sutura di- 
stincta ; aperture margine externo rotundato, interno superne an- 
Sractu penultimo modificato ; columellari recto, angulum efformante ; 
peristomate paululim reflexo, badio ; columella recta, alba, subin- 
crassalda. 


2M 2 


532 Zoological Society. 


Long. 1:1; lat. 0°8 poll. 

Hab. supra folia arborum, propé Catanauan provincie Tayabas 
insule Luzon, Philippinarum. 

An extremely rare species, rather remarkable among its gay asso- 
ciates of the Philippine Islands for its unpretending modesty of co- 
louring, as well as for its neat contour. 


HeELrix pyRAMIDALIS. Hel. testa oblongo-pyramidali, brunned, cras- 
siusculd ; apice obtuso, saturatiore ; fascid suturali nigro-brunned 
nonnunquam ornatd ; spird acuminata ; anfractibus 54, leviter ro- 
tundatis, levibus, lineis incrementi tenerrimeé insculptis, ultimo ma- 
jori, rotundato ; aperture margine externo rotundato, interno su- 
perne anfractu penultimo modificato ; columellari recto, angulum 
efformante ; peristomate reflexo, subincrassato, brunneo ; columella 
rectd, crassiusculd, alba. 

Long. 1°5; lat. 0.8 poll. 

Hab. supra folia arborum, ad insulam Cuyo, Philippinarum. 

This species most nearly resembles our Helix incompta, but may 

be easily distinguished by its proportions, the number of volutions, 
and its longer, more pyramidal spire. 


Hexrx acuminata. Hel. testé acuminato-pyramidali, brunned, 
nigra, crassiusculd ; apice obtusiusculo, pallidiore, spird acuminato ; 
anfractibus 5, planulatis. levibus, nitidis, lineis incrementi tenerri- 
me insculptis, ultimo majori, mediane subangulato ; apertura antice 
subeffusd ; peristomate externo subincrassato, reflexo, brunnescente- 
nigro ; columella alba, subincrassatd, subdeclivi. 

Long. 1°3; lat. 0°8 poll. 

Hab. supra folia arborum ad insulam Cuyo, Philippinarum. 

Two specimens only of this species have been found ; it somewhat 
resembles the last, but may be known from that by its more acumi- 
nated shorter spire, and by the sides of the volutions being nearly 
straight, and not rounded. Remains of an opake hydrophanous epi- 
dermis are to be seen on both the specimens. 


Hewix optonea. Hel. testd oblongd, subcylindricd, tenui, brunned, 
obscurd, subrugosd ; anfractibus senis, latis, ventricosis, ultimo ma- 
jori; suturd distinctd ; aperturd subovali, postice anfractu ultimo 
modificato ; peristomate amplo, subincrassato, reflexo ; columella 
albd, subincrassatd, rectiusculd ; umbilico mediocri. 

Long. 1°5; lat. 0°75 poll. 

Hab. supra folia arborum, ad insulam Luban, Philippinarum. 

Somewhat like H. Oomorpha, but distinguished easily by its pro- 

portions, by the number of its volutions, and by the nature of its pe- 
ritreme. 


Hewix Fracitis. Hel. testd subglobosd, tenuissimd, levi, viri- 
descente ; anfractibus tribus, raptim crescentibus, ultimo maximo, 
lineis interruptis fasciisque duabus anticis albis ; apertura magnd ; 
peristomate tenui, subreflexo ; columella tenui, rectiusculd. 

Long. 1°; lat. 1°15 poll. 

Hab. supra folia arborum, prope Tanauan ad insulam Leyte, Phi- 

lippinarum. 


Zoological Society. 533 


One of the most delicate and fragile of the Helices, which in ge- 
neral form somewhat resembles our common Helix aspersa ; the white 
interrupted lines, as well as the two white bands, consist of hydro- 
phanous epidermal matter. 

Heurx BrunneEA. Hel. testa subglobosd, crassiusculd, levi, obscura, 
brunned, albido nigroque fasciatd ; spird brevi, obtusd ; anfractibus 
quatuor, subrotundatis, ultimo maximo, ventricoso ; aperturd late 
semilunari ; peristomate nigro, subexpanso, crassiusculo, reflexo ; 
labio columellari lato, albo ; columelld declivi, incrassatd, albd. 

Long. 1°3; lat. 17 poll. 

Hab. supra folia arborum, prope Puerto Galero ad insulam Min- 
doro dictam, Philippinarum. 

Usually of a rich brown colour, the circumference having a black 
band posteriorly, and a whitish band anteriorly, in front of which 
there are several whitish and brown bands alternately: the circum- 
ference of the columellar lip is nearly black. 


May 25.—William Yarrell, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 


A letter was read from the Society’s Corresponding Member, J. 
M‘Clelland, Esq. It states that several Birds and Quadrupeds had 
been forwarded from India for the Society’s Menagerie, and likewise 
that Mr. M‘Clelland had sent a collection of the rarer Indian fresh - 
water fishes for the Museum. 

Some notes, from Sir Robert Heron, Bart., were next read. These 
notes relate to the breeding of Gold-fishes in the author’s menagerie. 
Sir R. Heron observes, that about two out of five of the specimens 
hatched are deficient of the dorsal fin, and about two in a hundred, 
or rather more, have a triple tail-fin, and as many have the anal fin 
double. All the deformed fishes are separated from the others and 
placed in a pond by themselves, but they do not produce a greater 
proportion of deformed offspring than the perfect fishes. 


The following paper, by George Gulliver, Esq., F.R.S., entitled 
‘‘ Observations on the Blood-corpuscles of the order Fere,”’ was then 
read. 

“It appears to me that a systematic and comprehensive set of ob- 
servations is yet wanting on the blood-corpuscles of the different 
orders of the class Mammalia, for the subject is interesting in con- 
nexion with physiological questions now perpetually arising, and 
which may be expected to multiply as inquiries in minute anatomy 
are extended. 

“In the order Fere the result of my observations will show that 
the size of the blood-discs has a general relation to the different 
families. Although some exceptions may appear, these will probably 
fall into order as our knowledge of the subject becomes more com- 
plete ; and it must be recollected that zoologists differ as to the exact 
affinities of a few of the animals in question. 

“In the Insectivora the size of the corpuscles is considerably 
smaller than in the Plantigrada. ‘The corpuscles of this latter fa- 
mily are very uniform in size, and, as far as I have at present ob- 
served, larger than those of the other species of the Mere, with the 


534 Zoological Society. 


exceptions afforded by the genera Canis, Lycaon, Hyena, Lutra, and 
Phoca. ‘The corpuscles of the common species of the two latter, and 
of the Dog, are the largest I have yet found in the order. The most 
minute corpuscles of the Fere were also found in the family Carni- 
vora. In the Viverride and Felide the corpuscles appear to be very 
small, as compared with those of the Phocide and Canide; and in 
the genera Paradoxurus and Herpestes the corpuscles are, for the 
most part, remarkably so, especially in the Paradorurus Bondar*, in 
which animal they only slightly exceed those of the Goat in size, as 
noticed in the ‘ Proceedings of the Society,’ Nov. 24, 1840. Among 
the Cats there is a great resemblance of the corpuscles, which are 
only just appreciably larger in the Lion, Tiger, Chetah, and Leopard, 
than in the domestic Cat, so that it would require a nice observation 
to detect any difference. In the Serval and Norway Lynx, the cor- 
puscles, obtained after death from the heart, appeared to be fully as 
large as those of any other species of the genus; the corpuscles of 
the Ocelot and Persian Lynx presenting the smallest size. But as 
the blood was obtained from the two last species during life, the ob- 
servations were not quite satisfactory for comparison, as the corpus- 
cles soon undergo changes after death}, and are very liable to certain 
alterations quickly after being abstracted even from the living ani- 
mal}. In the Dog they were uniformly found to be slightly larger 
than in the Fox and some other congenerous species; and in the 
Striped and Spotted Hyznas the corpuscles closely resemble those 
of the genus Canis, and are therefore distinctly larger than in the 
Viverride and Felide, with both of which the Hyzena has been as- 
sociated. The corpuscles of the Bassaris approximate pretty nearly 
to those of the Urside. 

“On the whole then, although there is considerable diversity in 
the magnitude of the red particles of the order, there is generally a 
well-marked relation between these and the different families. Thus 
the blood-corpuscles of the Plantigrada may be immediately distin- 
guished from those of the Viverride. Adopting Mr. Waterhouse’s 
subdivisions of the Carnivora, they would stand as follows, if set 
down in the order of the size of their blood-discs :—Seals, Dogs, 
Bears, Weasels, Cats, Viverras. ‘The difference in size is generally 
quite distinct between the corpuscles of the first two and last two 
tribes, the discs of the Weasels forming the connecting link, and 
closely approximating to those of the Cats. The corpuscles of the 
Otter, however, are much larger than any I have yet seen of the 
rest of the Mustelide, and in fact agree very nearly in size with the 
corpuscles of the Seals and Dogs. 

“It has been stated, that in the Carnivora the corpuscles are inter- 
mediate in size to those of the omnivorous species and of the strictly 
vegetable feeders—smaller in the Carnivora, for example, than in 


* In the Menagerie of the Zoological Society this animal is called Para- 
doxurus Typus, but | have been assured that it is the P. Bondar of authors ; 
it is the same species as that designated P. 7'ypus in the Phil. Mag. for Jan. 
1840, p. 28. 

+ See Lond. and Edin. Phil. Mag. for March 1840, p. 195. 

+ Ibid, Nov. 1840, p. 325. 


Zoological Society. 535 


Man and the Quadrumana, but larger than in the Ruminantia; and 
the same assertion has been extended to the Marsupiata, especially 
that the red particles of the Perameles, which derives its nourish- 
ment from the greatest number of organized substances, are larger 
than the particles either of the carnivorous Dasyure or of the herbi- 
vorous Kangaroo. 

‘« This opinion is not supported by numerous measurements given 
by me in the‘ Philosophical Magazine’ for January, February, March 
and August, 1840. In one of the Ruminants indeed the corpuscles 
are singularly minute, but in another granivorous animal they are as 
singularly large; and they are larger in several of the Ruminants 
than in some of the Carnivora. Among the marsupial animals, al- 
though the corpuscles of the Perameies slightly exceed those of the 
Viverrine Dasyure in size, yet in the Ursine Dasyure the corpuscles 
are larger than in either, and just as large too as those of Bennett's 
Kangaroo.” 

An abstract of the measurements of the blood-corpuscles of the 
order Fer is subjoined. 


Measurements of the Blood-corpuscles of the order Fere. 


The measurements are all expressed in fractions of an English 
inch, and, for the sake of brevity, the average-sized corpuscles only 
are mentioned, as deduced from numerous observations in each spe- 
cies. 


Canis aureus, Linn. .... 1°3860 


Talpa Europea, Linn... 1°4747 mesomelas, Schreb. 13645 
Sorex tetragonurus, Herm.1°4571 | Lupus, Linn. .... 1°3625 
ErinaceusEuropzeus, Linn. 1°4085 ee een 
Hyena vulgaris, Desm.. 1°3735 
crocuta, Linn. ..-. 1°5820 
Herpestes griseus, Desm. 1°4662 
Javanicus? ...... 1:4790 
Smithii, Gray..... 14466 
Viverra Civetta, Linn... 1°4274 
tigrina, Schreb.... 1°5365 


INSECTIVORA. 


PLANTIGRADA. 
Meles vulgaris, Desm. .. 1°3940 
Ursus maritimus, Linn. . 1°3870 | 
Arctos, Linn. .... 1°3732 
—— Americanus, Pallas. 1°3693 
ferox, Lewis & Cl. . 1°3530 


labiatus, DeBlainv. 1°3728 | Relig Leo, Linn. ...... 1-4322 
Procyon lotor, Cuv..... 1°3950 Dnige Tina «dan 
Nasua fusca, Desm..... 1°3789 | Tigris, a er 1:4206 

rufa, Desm. . -.- +. 13878 Leopardus, Linn... 1°4319 
Basaris astuta, Licht. .. 1°4033 | jubata, Linn. .... 1:4220 

CaRNIVORA. pardalis, Linn..... 1°4616 


Paradoxurus binotatus.. 1°4660 
leucomystax, Gray 1°4236 | 


domestica, Brisson. 1°4404 
Caracal, Gmelin .. 1°4684 


SAB ONO AES 4 os sio'greec! 17569 3ul cervaria, Temm. .. 14220 
Canis familiaris, Linn. .. 1°3542 | Serval, Linn. .... 1:4129 
Dingo, Blum. .... 1°3397 | Galictis vittata, Beil.... 1°4175 
Vulpes, Linn. .... 1°4117 | Mustela Zorilla, Desm... 14270 
fulvus, Desm. .... 1°3920 fUrOs LAN ac elet los: 


argentatus, Desm.. 1°3888 


| Lutra vulgaris, Hral. .. 1°3502 
lagopus, Linn... .. 1°3888 


Phoca vitulina, Linn. .. 173281 


536 Zoological Society. 


The next paper read was from W. J. Broderip, Esq., in which the 
author resumes his descriptions of Mr. Cuming’s shells. 


Hewrx (Carocotia) Virco. Car. testdé subcomplanato-globosa, 
nitidd, subdiaphand, lineis incrementi obliquis creberrimé striata, 
suturis et anfractis basalis angulo subelevatis subcrenatis, vir 
umbilicata ; apertura auriculato-angulata ; labii limbo subreflexo. 

Var. a. Alba, labii limbo purpureo-brunneo. Long. 3; lat. 14 poll. 

Var. b. Tota alba. 

Hab. ad insulam Zebu, foliis arborum herens. 

Legit H. Cuming. 

The entirely white variety of this delicate shell (which has the ap- 
pearance of being framed of the purest wax overlaid with a glassy 
transparent enamel) is rather smaller than var. a. The animal in 
both varieties is of a light bluish green, so that when it is with- 
drawn into the transparent shell it produces a strong resemblance 
to Carocolla Regine ; and indeed, when Mr. Cuming first saw them, 
he for a moment thought that he had found large specimens of that 
lovely shell; but when the animal was taken out, the delusion va- 
nished. 

HeEx1x (CarocoLia) DEALBATA. Car. testd sordidé alba, subfla- 
vescente, subdiaphand, subglobosd, lineis incrementi obliquis creber- 
rime substriatd, vix subumbilicatd ; apertura auriculatad, magna ; 
labii limbo vix substriato. Long. +9; lat. 1$ poll. 

Hab. in insula Siquijor, foliis arbusculorum herens. 

Legit H. Cuming. 

The dim and sordid white of this species is enriched when the 

greyish white animal is withdrawn into the shell. 


Hexix (Carocouia) Purtya. Car. testdé globosd, diaphand, lineis 
incrementi obliquis creberrime substriatd ; apertura auriculato-ro- 
tundatd ; labu limbo subreflexo. 

Hab. in insula Camiguing, foliis arbusculorum adherens. 

Var. a. Alba, anfractu basalt lined brunned subcentrali cincta. 

Var. 6. Tota alba. 

Legit H. Cuming. 

The colour of the animal is dark greyish white. 

Heurx (Carocotuta) Rora. Car. testd complanatad, rotundatd, 
subdiaphand, umbilicatd, superné lineis elevatis, acutis, infra lineis 
elevatis haud acutis, concentricis, regularibus corrugatd, flave- 
scente ; anfractibus superné medio bilineatis, anfractis basalis infra 
unilineati angulo acuto, dentato, unilineato ; lineis custaneis ; aper- 
turd auriculata ; peritrematis unidentati limbo subexpanso albo. 
Long. 3; lat. 1 poll. 

Hab. in insula Siquijor, arborum truncis herens. 

Legit H. Cuming. 

The animal of this elegantly worked Carocolla is yellowish, some- 
what like the ground-colour of the shell, which is exquisitely scul- 
ptured after the manner of engine-turned trinkets. Above, the ele- 
vated concentric lines are sharp, and the shell on that side has some- 
what the appearance of a flattened Sca/aria: beneath, the elevated 


Zoological Society. 537 


lines are rounded, and radiate very regularly from the open umbili- 
cus. The chestnut line that borders the sharp dentated edge of the 
angle of the body-whorl is, beneath, interrupted with white bead- 
like elevations. All the four chestnut lines of the body-whorl can 
be seen through the shell when it is placed with the lower side up- 
permost. 

Heurx (Carocotia) ZesuEnsis. Car. testa complanato-convexa, 
solida, subumbilicatd, purpurascente ; lineis incrementi obliquis 
creberrimeé striata ; suturis acutis subelevatis ; anfractis basalis 
angulo acuto ; apertura ceruleo-albd, acuto-auriculari ; labii limbo 
nigro-castaneo, subexpanso, subacuto ; epidermide fusca, subcrassda. 
Long. 3; lat. 12 poll. 

Hab. ad Dalaguete in insula Zebu, foliis arborum herens. 

Var. a. Albido-fusca nigro-castaneo interrupte lineata et maculata. 

In this variety the edge of the whorls above the suture is consi- 
derably elevated with a gutter or furrow on the upper side. The 
brown interrupted lineations take the form of bands running in the 
directions of the whorls, and the lower side of the body-whorl is 
marked immediately under the edge of the angle with a circle of 
large, well-defined, tessellated spots, which reach to the edge of the 
angle of the whorl. 

Var. b. Fusca anfractibus suturam jucta obscuré maculatis. 

In this variety the angle of the whorl next to the body-whorl is 
elevated, but there is no gutter above. 

Var. c. Albescens, suturis et anfractts basalis angulo nigro-castaneo 

maculatis, infra nigro-castaneo creberrime teniata. 

In this variety there is no elevation of the suture; the broad tes- 
sellated band near the angle of the body-whor] below, and the in- 
terrupted spotted and lineated bands which ornament the lower side 
of the shell, are neatly and prettily disposed. 

Var. d. Fusco-albescens rubro-brunneo oblique strigata. 

In this variety the edge of the penultimate whorl is elevated, and 
has a slight gutter on the upper side. The shell beneath is ob- 
scurely lineated in the direction of the whorl, and the red-brown 
dashes radiate from the angle of the whorl to the interrupted linea- 
tions which gird it. On the upper side the bold oblique stripes of 
the same colour completely cross the whorls. 

Var. e. Tota fusca. 

In this variety the angle of the upper whorls is very much ele- 
vated. 

The ground-colour of all these varieties is a purple or red-brown, 
and the pattern of the variegated specimens resides in the epidermis, 
or rather is produced by the intermixture of the ground-colour of the 
shell and of the epidermis. ‘Thus, if any of the variegated varieties 
be immersed in water, the pattern vanishes as long as the shell re- 
mains wet; when it is dry, the pattern is restored. If, for instance, 
var. a. and var. e. be immersed, the general colour becomes identi- 
cal, and the dark interrupted lineations of the former can hardly be 
traced. The absence or presence of the elevation of the edge of the 
upper whorls, in the different varieties of this species, shows that such 


538 Zoological Society. 


a conformation cannot be trusted as a specific character. The animal 
is a dark purplish brown.—W. J. B. 


Mr. Yarrell exhibited a British example of the Motacilla alba of 
Linneus, which had been shot at Kingsbury. ‘Iwo pairs of this 
species of Wagtail were seen by Mr. Bond near the reservoir in the 
early part.of the present month, and, although they were very shy, 
that gentieman, who furnished Mr. Yarrell with the specimen ex- 
hibited, succeeded in shooting three of them, two males and one 
female. 


M. Leonard read a paper on the intelligence of animals, which he 
illustrated by means of two pointer dogs which he had trained for 
the purpose. 

To show that these animals possessed the power of comparison, he 
placed different objects upon the ground, such as a glove, a roll of 
paper, a small box, &c., and having kept similar objects himself, he 
showed them one after another to either of the dogs, and desired the 
animal to fetch that which was like it from the ground. The dogs 
performed this task correctly, and all others which they were desired. 

Cards, with numbers from 1 to 9 painted upon them, were placed 
upon the ground, and the dogs fetched any particular number they 
were bidden: a number brought, M. Leonard ordered the dog to 
take back again and exchange for another number, and at the same 
time to deposit it in the place of that number. The dogs also se- 
lected a card of a particular colour, when desired, from among many 
of different colours. Pieces of bread were placed on the ground, and 
in placing them, their master called them by the names of different 
numbers in an irregular manner, and afterwards ordered the dogs to 
fetch the piece of bread he had called a certain number. These and 
various other experiments (some with pieces of meat) were all per- 
formed correctly, and tended to show the great intelligence of the 
animals and the control which their master had obtained over them. 

The dogs were named Phylax and Braque, and either dog, upon his 
name being called, performed the task he was ordered; but one of 
them appeared to be more quick than the other. 


June 8.—William Yarrell, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 


Read a paper by G. B. Sowerby, Jun., Esq., entitled ‘‘ Descrip- 
tions of eight new species of the genus Ranella,” in the collection 
of Mr. Cuming. 


1. RANELLA VEXILLUM, Conch. Illustr., f. 3. R. testd ovali, ven- 
tricosd, subacuminatd, pallide brunned, transverse striatd, fasciis 
rufescentibus elevatis noduliferis cinctd; varicibus irregulari- 
bus, decumbentibus, latis ; aperturd magna albd, intis griseo fas- 
ciatd, postice viv canaliferd, antice in canalem brevem rectum, 
latum terminante ; labio interno sublevi decumbente, dentibus le- 
vibus paululiim incrassato ; labio externo subexpanso, leviter undu- 
lato, dentibus feré obsoletis intis incrassato. 

Long. 3°40; lat. 2 poll. 

Hab. ad (Chiloe) Conception. 


Zoological Society. 539 


Mr. Cuming collected specimens at rocky places from three to six 
fathoms deep. The outer lip is more expanded, and the knotted 
brown bands are narrower and more numerous than in R. argus. 


2. RANELLA cRUENTATA, Conch. Illustr., f. 5,5*. R. testd sub- 
quadratd, rugulosd albd vel pallide fulvd, rubro-maculatd, inter 
varices ad angulum anfractuum tuberculis magnis tribus, in medio 
tribus minoribus ; varicibus elevatis, utrinque foveolatis ; aper- 
turd paululim angustatd, extremitatibus validissime canaliferis ; 
labio interno decumbente, dentibus acutis instructo, maculis san- 
guineis 5 ad 6 in medio picto ; labio externo complanato, subdigi- 
tato, intus dentibus validis instructo. 

Long. 1°50; lat. 1°20 poll. 

Hab. ad insulam Ticao, Philippinarum. H. Cuming legit. 

Found on coral reefs. This species is remarkable for the well- 

defined spots of blood-red colour by which that part of the inner 
lip which rests upon the body-whorl is ornamented. A darker va- 
riety occurs, in which the spots are of a strong brown colour. 


3. Ranetua nana, Conch. Illustr., f. 6. R. testd elongato-ovali, 
levi, inter varices nebuloso-purpured, in medio anfractu fascid 
albd cinctd, ad angulum anfractuum tuberculis acutis quatuor, 
anterits tuberculis parvis ; varicibus prominentibus, antic? laque- 
atis, postice canalem exhibentibus; aperturd ovali, ad extremita- 
tes validissimeé canaliferd ; labio interno granoso ; labio externo 
valde denticulato. 

Long. 1°80; lat. 1:05 poll. 

Hab. ad insulam Panama, Philippinarum. H. Cuming legit. 

Found in coarse sand at seven fathoms. 


4. RANELLA ALBO-FASCIATA, Conch. Illustr., f. 14. R. testd ovali, 
subcompressd, granulosa, fusco-purpured, fascid albd in medio 
anfractu cinctd, lineis moniliformibus numerosis et ad angulum 6 
ad 7 tuberculis cinctd ; varicibus granuloso-tuberculiferis ; aper- 
turd ovali, ad extremitates validissim2 canaliferd ; labio interno 
granoso ; labio externo valde denticulato. 

Long. 1°80; lat. 1-20 poll. 

Hab. ad insulam Panama, Philippinarum. 

Much broader and more completely granulated than the former, 
which is nearly all over smooth. In this respect our shell resembles 
R. granulata, Lam., but it is neither so oval nor so compressed, the 
varices are more strongly marked, and the posterior canal is more 
perfect. 

Found in coarse sand at 10 fathoms. 


5. RaneELLA rnHoDostoma, Conch. Illustr., f. 10. R. testd sub- 
quadratd, rugulosd, granulatd, pallide fulvd, rufo-punctatd et 
maculatd, inter varices tuberculis prominentibus tribus ad angulum, 
tribus in medio anfractu ; aperturd roseo-purpured, paululim an- 
gustatd, ad extremitates valde canaliferd ; labio interno granu- 
loso prope canales transverse dentato, labio externo sub-expanso, 
undulato, intis dentato ; varicibus granoso-tuberculatis, validis, 
utrinque foveolatis. 


540 Zoological Society. 


Long. 1°15; lat. -85 poll. 

Hab. ad insulam Masbate, Philippinarum. 

Found on coral reefs by Mr. Cuming. It is a pretty little species 
with a delicately purple aperture. 

6. RanELLA suBGRANOSA, Conch. Illustr., f. 18.  R. testd ovali 
subangulatd, purpureo-fuscd, brunneo-fasciatd et maculata, trans- 
verse lineis elevatis, moniliformibus alternantibus striatd ; ad an- 
gulum anfractuum tuberculis acutis ; varicibus elevatis, utrinque 
subfoveolatis, granoso-tuberculatis ; aperturd ovali, albd, intus 
pallide purpured ; canali postico lato, antico subrecurvo, lato ; labio 
interno tenui, postice dentato antice extanti; labio externo crenu- 
lato validissime dentato, ad canalem posticum aculeato, antice sub- 
expanso. 

Long. 2°85 ; lat. 1:70 poll. 

Hab. ad sinus Manille. H. Cuming legit. 

This species very nearly resembles R. elegans, Beck, Chemn. 1270, 
Conch. Illustr., f. 17, of which it may perhaps be only a local va- 
riety. Our shell is of a more oval shape and is more evenly granu- 
lated in every part. Found in sandy mud at ten fathoms. 


7. RaneLua ne@LEcta, Conch. Illustr., f. 22. R. testd subquad- 
ratd, brevi, lineis granulatis transverse striata, pallide fulvd, 
Susco-maculatd ; inter varices ad angulum posticum tuberculis 
tribus magnis, in medio tribus ad quatuor parvis, prope caudam 
uno, et aliquando serie moniliformi tuberculorum parvorum ; vari- 
cibus crassis liratim granulosis postice foveolatis ; aperturd ovali 
albd ; canali postico brevi, recto ; canali antico brevi, subrecto ; 
labio interno decumbente, granulato, prope canalem posticum acute 
denticulato ; labio externo, minute denticulato, prope canales solium 
reflexo. 

Long. 1°60; lat. 1°15. 

Hab. ad insulam Ceylon. 

This shell, which is now common, differs from &. crumena in the 
foliowing respects : it is shorter, the tubercles are more obtuse, the 
canals are shorter and straighter, the outer lip is scarcely reflected, 
and the inner lip is not raised at the caudal extremity. 


8. Ranetia ruGosa, Conch. Illustr., f. 7. R. testd ventricosd, 
granulosd, angulatd, pallide fulvd, fusco-maculatd ; inter varices 
ad angulum posticum tuberculis tribus obtusis, granulosis, inter 
granula fusco interrupto-lineatis, in medio lined duplicatd mo- 
niliformi ; caudam versis lineis quingue alternantibus monilifor- 
mibus ; varicibus crassis, granoso-tuberculatis, utrinque validis- 
sime foveolatis ; canali antico tortuoso, magno; aperturd rotun- 
dato-ovali albd, canali postico sub-elongato ; labio interno tortuoso, 
prope extremitates valide extanti; labio externo reflexo, extis la- 
queato, intis quinquefariam bi-denticulato, denticulis foveolato. 

Long. 2°30; lat. 1°50. 

Hab. 

This species has not the thickness, flatness, nor the elongated, 

curved, posterior canal of R. bufonia, nor are the tubercles so large. 


Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 541 


BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 


This Society held its first meeting for the season on Thursday the 
11th of November, 1841, Professor Graham in the Chair. 

The following papers and communications were read :— 

1. Account of a Botanical Excursion to Skye and the Outer He- 
brides, during the month of August 1841, by Professor Balfour and 
Mr. Charles C. Babington; and remarks on the plants observed by 
them in the Islands of North Uist, Harris and Lewis. 

In this communication the authors drew attention chiefly to those 
facts which tend to illustrate the variations produced by climate, soil 
and elevation. In Skye their observations were confined to the south- 
western part of the island. They landed at Armadale, and passing 
by Knock, Ord and Strathaird to Loch Coiruisg, they crossed the 
Cuillin Hills to Sligachan, and from thence went by Bracadale to 
Dunvegan. Among the plants observed in this route may be men- 
tioned Rumex aquaticus, Atriplex rosea, Arabis petreaa, Myriophyllum 
alterniflorum, Potamogeton oblongus, Orobanche rubra, Mimulus luteus, 
&e. 

From Dunvegan they crossed the Minsh to Loch Maddy in North 
Uist, and after examining the botany of that island, they proceeded 
to Harris and Lewis. 

On the lofty mountains of the Forest of Harris, some of which they 
reckoned to be at least 3000 feet high, they were surprised to find 
very few alpine plants, for which they could only account by suppo- 
sing the climate of the island to be so modified by the vicinity of the 
great Atlantic Ocean, as to be too mild for the production of the usual 
alpine vegetation. 

The following are mentioned among the more interesting plants 
found in Harris and Lewis :—Lamium intermedium, Ruppia maritima, 
Pinguicula lusitanica, Thalictrum alpinum, Salix herbacea, Aira alpina, 
Saussurea alpina, Luzula spicata, Arabis petrea, Silene acaulis, Blys- 
mus rufus, Juncus balticus, Scirpus lacustris, &c. ‘They also gathered 
Hymenophyllum Wilsoni among rocks upon the summit of Chesham, 
apparently the highest mountain of the range. 

The number of species observed in North Uist, Harris and Lewis, 
during this excursion, was 311, of which 21 belonged to the orders 
Filices, Lycopodiacee and Equisetacee. The number of true ferns 
was 14, being in the proportion of 1 to about every 22 of the flower- 
ing plants; that is, they form about 1-22nd part of the whole number 
of species at present known to be indigenous in these islands. Mr. 
T. Edmonston, jun. records 249 species of native plants for the 
Shetland Islands (Ann. Nat. Hist. viii. 287), of which 14 are ferns, 
Lycopodiacee and Equisetacee, the number of true ferns being 7, 
thus showing a proportion of 1 fern to about 33 flowering plants. 
Owing to the necessarily imperfect character of the Long Island list, 
it is impossible to draw any satisfactory conclusions, from the above 
proportions, between the flowering plants and ferns; yet it may be 
noticed that there is a great preponderance of ferns in both these 
northern and insular countries, although the actual numbers recorded 


542 Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 


are remarkably small. The ferns in Shetland are less numerous than 
those in Iceland or Faroe, while those of the Long Island exceed the 
Faroe species by four, and are exactly equal to the number found in 
Iceland,—the Faroe and Iceland lists being the smallest recorded in 
Mr. Watson’s valuable paper on the Distribution of Ferns, recently 
published in the ‘Transactions of this Society (vol. i. p. 89). 

The more mountainous character of the Long Island will probably 
account for the much larger proportion (1 to 22) which its ferns bear 
to the flowering plants, than that which appears to exist in Shetland ; 
for although considerable allowances be made for the imperfect state 
of the Long Island list, on account of the short time employed in its 
preparation, yet it does not seem probable that the number of its 
flowering plants will be so far increased as to raise their relative pro- 
portion as high as that shown to exist in Shetland, since this would 
require an addition of 151 species, even if the number of ferns re- 
mained stationary. 

The communication concludes as follows :—‘‘ We must be allowed 
to impress upon the Society, that this tour is not of the less interest 
for not having produced any plants new to the British Flora, since we 
consider the determination of the flora of any district, peculiar either 
in its structure or situation, to be of importance, as elucidating the 
effect of soil or climate upon the distribution of plants. 

“ We would also take this opportunity of expressing our sense of 
the obligations under which we lie to the gentlemen of Skye and the 
Long Island, who in a truly kind and liberal manner exercised their 
hospitality towards our party, and greatly contributed to the pleasure, 
indeed we may say to the success, of the excursion.” 

2. On the Anatomy and Physiology of the seed of Phaseolus vul- 
garis, or French Bean, by Dr. Spencer Thomson, Burton-on-Trent. 

In this paper, which was accompanied by illustrative drawings, the 
author, after giving an elaborate dissection of the seed, stated a va- 
riety of circumstances relative to its mode or course of germination, 
and traced the analogy between that process and the growth of the 
foetus in the animal kingdom. He also noticed M. DeCandolle’s 
views on the subject, and pointed out the results which seemed to 
arise from them. 

3. On the discovery of three species of Fungi new to the British 
Flora, viz. Tuber ferrugineum, Aicidium Thesii, Leefe, and Uredo Sym- 
phyti, D.C., by the Rev. J. E. Leefe. 

With regard to the first of these fungi, Mr. Leefe says,—‘‘ The 
specimens are in general of a rich red bronze colour. ‘Their smell 
is peculiarly strong and penetrating, so that on receiving a letter 
enclosing specimens, Mr. Berkeley can, before opening it, determine 
positively what it contains.” 

4. Notice of the discovery of Cerastium triviale (3. holosteoides, 
Fries, near Kinfauns Castle, Perthshire; and of Rubus arcticus, near 
the head of Glen Tilt, Perthshire, by Mr. J. Robertson, Kinfauns 
Garden. 

Considerable interest was manifested respecting the occurrence of 
the latter species in the British’Flora, and some discussion took place 


Bibliographical Notices. 543 


with regard to its identity; but the specimen exhibited was so im- 
perfect as to leave doubts whether the discovery ought yet to be fully 
relied on, especially as our botanists have more than once been dis- 
appointed in this respect. 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 


A History of Infusoria, living and fossil, arranged according to ‘ Die 
Infusionsthierchen’ of C. G. Ehrenberg ; containing coloured en- 
gravings illustrative of all the Genera, and Descriptions of all the 
Species in that work, with several new ones. By Andrew Pritchard, 
author of ‘ Microscopic Illustrations, &c.’ 8vo. 1841. Whittaker 
and Co. 


Mr. Prircuarp informs us in his Preface, that ‘‘ the translation of 
‘ Die Infusionsthierchen’ was made for him by Dr. Willshire, who 
also compared his manuscript of Part II. with that work,” and on 
whose authority he relies for stating that the materials taken there- 
from are correctly given. ‘‘Since Dr. E.’s volume appeared,” he adds, 
‘© some discoveries in Fossil Infusoria have been made; these, and the 
Spermatozoa of plants, unknown in this country, I have introduced. 
Information derived from other sources is duly acknowledged.” 

The work is illustrated by twelve large and well-filled plates*, 
containing more than 500 finely executed and coloured figures, 
which must greatly recommend it to the student as well as render 
it attractive to the general reader. Of the drawings, the author 
informs us, “‘ Those for plate xii. were kindly furnished me by that 
venerable and distinguished botanist, Dr. Unger of Gratz, and the 
late eminent microscopic observer, Mr. F. Bauer. Every original 
drawing has the artist’s name mentioned in the description of it, and 
the others, with few alterations, are from ‘ Die Infusionsthierchen.’ 
The labour and time occupied in selecting, reducing, arranging and 
condensing these was far greater than most persons would imagine, 
and the cost of this undertaking has far exceeded my anticipation ; 
but should it meet with patronage sufficient to repay the outlay, 
and my health permit, it is my intention to bring out, on another 
branch of microscopic science, a work of equal extent to the present, 
materials for which I have been for some time collecting.” 

The ‘ Natural History of Animalcules’ being out of print, Mr. 
Pritchard offers the present volume as a preferable substitute for a 
new edition of that work, in which to introduce the later discoveries. 
** Dr. Ehrenberg’s magnificent and elaborate work, entitled ‘ Die In- 
fusionsthierchen,’ having since appeared, and offering a better classi- 
fication than Miiller’s, it has been adopted here. I have only to regret,” 
he adds, ‘‘ that its distinguished author, or some more competent na- 
turalist than myself, has not presented us with an epitome of it.” 

“In the description of the families, genera and species, I have 
not adhered to ‘ Die Infusionsthierchen,’ but only condensed such 


* Of which the one attached to our present Number will, except as to 
colour, serve as a specimen. 


544 Bibliographical Notices. 


portions as appeared desirable, interweaving them with other matter; 
hence it would be unjust to its author to consider this manual an 
abstract of it. ‘That work being intended to establish a new classi- 
fication, and as a book of reference, a large portion of its ample 600 
folio pages is occupied in giving the synonyms, in references, and in 
discussions ; these I have omitted, but every species described in 
that work will be found here, together with many others since dis- 
covered. A new system of classification is seldom acceded to wholly 
at first: that by Dr. Ehrenberg has met with its share of opponents. 
The principal arguments respecting it will be found herein ; so that 
the student, having both sides of the question before him, will be 
able to arrive at a fair conclusion.” 

The work is divided into two Parts. In the First, the general 
history of infusorial animalcules is treated of, in 34 sections; and 
Part II. consists of their classification and description, viz. 188 
genera, and 732 species. Ehrenberg’s late work on the Infusoria of 
the Chalk Formations* is briefly alluded to inan Appendix, bringing 
the number of species up to 786. 

We are much pleased to find in Mr. Pritchard’s volume a very 
seasonable assistant and acceptable source of information to those 
who feel an interest in the contributions which the microscope is 
daily making to the knowledge of nature. 


Supplementary remarks on Mr. G. R. Gray’s ‘ Genera of Birds.’ 


Since the publication of my former notice of Mr. Gray’s work in 
the ‘Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist.’ for January last, a few additional 
observations have occurred to me. Being desirous of rendering this 
excellent work as extensively useful as possible, by pointing out 
those minor details which seem to require correction, I do not scruple 
to add the following criticisms by way of supplement to my former 
review. 


Page 12 of the ‘Genera of Birds.’ Dr. Horsfield’s genus Hury- 
laimus should be written Hurylemus. 

P.72. It is satisfactory to find that the several authors who claim 
the honour of giving a specific name to. the type of Geococcyx, may 
cease from the contention. This bird was first described by Fer- 
nandez 191 years ago under the name of Hoitlallotl (see Ray, Syn. 
Av., p. 158), and was recorded by Latham and Gmelin under the 
name of Phasianus mexicanus. It will therefore now stand as Geo- 
cocccyx mexicanus (Gm.). 

P.80. The European species of Bonasa should be called B. betulina 
(Scop.) instead of B. sylvestris (Brehm.). 

P. 83. Cursorius europeus, Lath., ought, in point of priority, to 
be called C. gallicus (Gm.). 


* Of this record of Prof. Ehrenberg’s latest discoveries, with his state- 
ment of the important geological inferences to be deduced from them, a 
translation will immediately appear in the forthcoming Part of the ‘Screx- 
Tirtc Memorrs.’ 


Miscellaneous. 545 


P. 86. Tigisoma lineatum (Gm.) ought to be termed 7. braziliense 
Lin.). 
The European species of Nycticorax should be called N. griseus 
(Lin.). The specific name gardeni was originally given to the nearly 
allied American species, after Dr. Garden of South Carolina. 

P.88. Aramus scolopaceus (Gm.) was called Scolopax guarauna by 
Linneus, and should therefore bear the latter specific name. 

Glottis chloropus (Nils.) should be called G. canescens (Gm.), 
being the Scolopax canescens of the latter author. 

P.93. The word ferus was first used as a specific name for the 
Wild Goose by Stephens, not by Gmelin, and is therefore subsequent 
to Meyer’s name cinereus. 

The Wild Swan should be termed Olor musicus (Bechst.), as Lin- 
nzus did not distinguish it specifically by the name of ferus. It may 
be further remarked, that the characters which distinguish Olor of 
Wagler from Cygnus are far too unimportant for generic separation. 

P. 94. Pecilonitta’should be written Pecilonetia. 

The original type of the genus Querquedula (Briss.), Steph., is 
clearly the Garganey (Anas querquedula, Lin., Cyanopterus circia 
(Lin.), Eyton), and not the Teal (Azas crecca, Lin.). But would it 
not be better to follow Stephens in uniting the Teals and Garganeys 
in one genus, Querquedula? 

P. 96. The specific name leucocephala, Scop., is prior to mersa, 
Pall. 

Mergus castor, Lin., should be called M. merganser, Lin., as the 
former synonym applied to the female, while the latter name was 
given to the adult male. 

P. 98. Those who adopt Meehring’s genus Uria should retain for 
its type the specific name grylle, Lin. But as I consider that Mceh- 
ring’s work is beyond the pale of the binomial nomenclature, I adopt 
Stephens’s name of Grylle scapularis. 

Buffon’s Pl. Enl. 993 represents the Thalassidroma oceanica 
(Forst.), not T. pelagica (Lin.). 

P. 100. Gygis candida (Forst.) was first published by Sparrman 
under the name of Sterna alba, and the latter specific name ought 
therefore to prevail. 

P.101. The name Onocrotalus, Briss., should be cancelled as a 
mere synonym of Pelecanus, Lin., and a new generic name should 
be given to the Pelecanus thagus of Molina. 

H. E. Srrickianp. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 
DR. MARTIN BARRY ON FIBRE. 

Dr. Barry requests us to add the following, in connexion with his 
Memoir on Fibre, an abstract of which is given at p. 502. 

The “‘ white substance of the nervous fibre,” surrounding Remak’s 
‘« band-like axis,” consists of filaments having the remarkable struc- 
ture above described, and often curiously interlaced with one an- 
other, as though each of them had a spiral direction. In examining 


Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. viii. Suppl. 2N 


546 Miscellaneous. 


the substance of the optic, olfactory, and auditory nerves, as well as 
that of the brain and spinal chord, Dr. Barry employed for the most 
part such as had been preserved in spirit; and, besides using ex- 
tremely minute portions, he very often avoided adding any covering 
whatever, the weight of thin mica itself being sufficient to rupture 
or to flatten this delicate substance, and thus entirely prevent its 
structure from being seen. In the parts last mentioned, he finds red 
discs, which pass first into rings, and then into spirals. In fasciculi 
from the spinal chord, and surrounded by spiral filaments, he met 
with a ‘‘ band-like axis,” which perhaps corresponds to that of Re- 
mak in the nerves: but if so, Dr. _ Barry's observations go farther 
even than Remak’s. The “axis” described by this observer was 
found by him to be susceptible of division into filaments. So also 
is the one described by Dr. Barry. But the latter adds, that each 
filament is a compound object, which enlarges, and, from analogy, 
may contain the elements of future structures, formed by division 
and subdivision, to which no limits can be assigned. The sperma- 
tozoa, mentioned in the abstract, were from the epididymis of a per- 
son who had died suddenly. The depression noticed in their discoid 
extremity—corresponding apparently to the ‘‘sugient orifice” of 
some authors—is probably analogous to the source of new substance 
in other discs. In these examinations, Dr. Barry has generally added 
to the objects dilute spirit (sp. gr. about 0°940), containing about 
zhath of corrosive sublimate. Spirals from the leaf-stalk of the 
strawberry, after the addition of this reagent, were seen to have di- 
vided into parallel filaments having the same structure as those above 
described. Flax presented a quadruple coil of such filaments. In 
early states of voluntary muscle also, there were seen double and 
quadruple coils, evidently produced by the same means—division. 
Dr. Barry compares the appearance of the vegetable ‘‘ dotted duct,” 
in its several stages, with that of objects found in mould, in the 
cornea, in the crystalline lens, and in voluntary muscle ; all of which 
are produced by associations of minute spiral threads. The distri- 
bution of the remarkable filaments above described is so universal, 
that they are found in silk, in the incipient feather, in hair, in the 
feather-like objects from the wing of the butterfly and gnat, and in 
the spider’s web. 

Dr. Barry informs us that he has had the opportunity of showing 
to several physiologists the principal appearances described in his 
memoir on fibre. And Professor Owen permits him to state, that 
he has exhibited to him spirals in voluntary muscle,—muscular 
“ fibrille ” having a flat, grooved, and compound form,—the fila- 
mentous structure of the ‘‘ white substance in nervous fibre, ’—the 
vegetable spiral becoming double by division,—a coiled filament 
within red blood-discs,—and the incipient unwinding of the coil in 
coagulating blood. 


547 


INDEX to VOL. VIII. 


AGATES, moss, 460. 

Alder, Josh., on Lottia virginea, 404. 

Algz, on new species of, 90; Manuel of 
the British, reviewed, 211. 

Amici, G. B., on the stomata of plants, 184. 

Ammonites, on some new species of, found 
in the Oxford clay, 161. 

Amylum, on the presence of, in flowers, 
328; on the structure of, 362. 

Animals, on the chemical statics of, 360; 
intelligence of, 538. 

Annular vessels, on the structure of, 16, 
25. 

Antechinus, description of the new genus, 
241, 337. 

Apion levigatum, 456. 

Araucaria, new species of, 438. 

Arcana Entomologica, noticed, 296. 

Arum maculatum, evolution of heat in the 
spadix of, 28, 31. 

Australia, fishes of, 464. 

Austria, on the freshwater fish of, 207. 

Babington, C. C., on the saxifrages of the 
Robertsonia group which are found in 
Treland, 3215 on Ribes petreum, 473 ; 
on the plants in the islands of North 
Uist, Harris, and Lewis, 541. 

Balfour, Prof., on the plants in the islands 
of North Uist, Harris, and Lewis, 541. 

Barry, Dr. M., on fibre, 502, 545. 

Bat’s hair, on the microscopical structure 
of, 227. 

Beetles, longicorn, 221; lamellicorn, 457. 

Bergsma and Van Beck, on the heat of 
vegetables, 30. 

Bidwill, H., on a new species of Arauca- 
ria from New South Wales; and on 
Nuytsia floribunda, 438. 

Birds, of the Outer Hebrides, 9; notes 
on, 46, 230, 317; new species of Aus- 
tralian, 66, 138, 150, 880; notices re- 
specting migratory, 125; of Thibet and 
Cashmere,224; of Ireland, 273, 3538; 
a List of the Genera of, reviewed, 367 ; 
on some new genera of, 520. 

Blood-corpuscles of Fere, 533 ; measure- 
ments of the, 535. 

Botanical excursion to Skye and the Outer 
Hebrides, 541. 

Botanical Society of Edinburgh, 541. 


Botanical travellers, information respect- 
ing, 210. 

Botany, physiological, report on, 27, 130, 
249, 328. 

Bowerbank, J. S., on three new species 
of sponges, 395; on moss agates, and 
other siliceous bodies, 460. 

Bowman, J. E., notice respecting the late, 
399. 

Box-tortoise of America, habits of the, 
449, 

Broderip, W. J., on new species of shells 
from the Philippines, 62, 148, 380, 466, 
527, 536. 

Buckland, Rev. Prof., on excavations by 
snails, 459. 

Bulimus, new species of, 63, 149, 380. 

Bushnan’s, Dr. J. T., Natural History of 
Fishes, noticed, 138. 

Carabus Schénherri, from Ben Lomond, 
452. 

Carabus violaceus, 455. 

Carinese, T., on the crystalline moisture 
in the cotyledons, 332. 

Carnivora, measurement of blood-cor- 
puscles of, 535. 

Cephalopods, on the curious motion of 
the colour-cells of, 49. 

Cerambycide, 458. 

Cerastium triviale (3. holosteoides, disco- 
very of, 542. 

Certhiadz, 486. 

Cetoniide, on a character distinctive of 
the sexes in, 338. 

Charadriade, 524. 

Chedoola, Natural History of, 439. 

Chough, numerous in Ireland, 420. 

Chusan, notice of the zoology of, 288. 

Cicada, new genus of, 458. 

Coleoptera, new species of, 123, 203. 

Colocasia odora, development of heat in 
the spadix of, 27. 

Compsosternus, on the Elaterideous genus, 
458. 

Corvide, 406, 486. 

Corylus, observations on the genus, 344, 

Craticus Tibicen, remarks on, 47. 

Crossbill, occurrence of in Ireland, 407 ; 
white-winged rare in Ireland, 412. 

Crow, carrion, 421; gray, 422, 


2QN2 


548 


Cryptodus, on the genus, 303. 

Cryptolepis, on the genus, 448. 

Cucurbitacez, on the fruit of the, 260. 

Cuming, H., on new sheils collected by, 
62, 148, 380, 527, 5386, 538; on new 
insects collected by, 217. 

Cursorius europeus, 473. 

Cycadez, on the gum-passages in the, 
256. 

Cyclostoma elegans, occurrence of in Ire- 
land, 228. 

Cyprinide, descriptions of Indian, 35, 
108, 192. 

Cyst-worm, structure of the, 445. 

Dale, J. C., on some British Diptera, 430 ; 
on the fauna of Dorsetshire, 472. 

Decaisne, M., on the structure of the wood 
of the misseltoe, 130; on the structure 
of the beet-root, 253 ; on the Lardiza- 
bale, 254. 

Dendromys, new species of, 53. 

Deposits, pliocene, 514; post-tertiary, 519. 

Dermoptera, description of new, 272. 

Deslongchamps, M., on the occurrence of 
cryptogamous plants on the air-cells of 
an Hider duck, 229. 

Diptera, British, 430. 

Disphericus, description of the genus, 
298. 

Dogs, the Natural History of, reviewed, 
137. 

Don, Prof., notice respecting the late, 397, 
476; and of his father, 476. 

Dorsetshire, fauna of, 472. 

Drosera, on the glanduliferous hair of, 
132. 

Dumas, M., on the chemical statics of or- 
ganized beings, 360. 

Dutrochet, M., on the temperature of 
plants, 28. 

Dynastide, 454. 

Echidnocerus cibarius, 453. 

Eel, on the geographical distribution of 
the, 207. 

Egerton, Sir P. G., on the occurrence of 
triassic fishes in British strata, 391. 
Elsner, M., on the red-colouring matter 

in plants, 33. 

Endlicher S., genera plantarum, noticed, 
446; enchiridion botanicum, noticed, 
447. 

Entomological Society, proceedings of the, 
217, 297, 452. 

Entophytes, on, 229. 

Entozoa, on the anatomy of four species 
of, 151. 

Eocene sand of Kyson in Suffolk, occur- 
rence of molar teeth in the, 1. 

Epilobium angustifolium, observations on, 
170, 246, 401; Epilobium brachycar- 
pum, description of, 403. 


INDEX. 


Euplectella aspergilium, a new species of 
sponge, 222. 

Eurynotis, new species of, 53. 

Everest, Rev. R.,on the effects of cold on 
Mammalia, 325. 

Eyton, T. C., notes on birds, 46. 

Falconer, Dr. H., on the genus Crypto- 
lepis, 448. 

Faluns, of the Loire, 5073; occurrence of, 
near Dinan, 509; at Rennes, 510; at 
Angers, 510; near Savigné, 511; near 
Tours, 7b.; at Pontlevoy, 512. 

Ferz, blood-corpuscles of, 533 ; measure- 
ments of the, 535. 

Fibre, Dr. Barry, on, 502, 545. 

Fishes, fossil, of Mundesley, remarks on 
the, 61; the Natural History of, no- 
ticed, 138; on the breeding of, artifici- 
ally, 166; remarks on some observed 
in the neighbourhood of Aberdeen, 230; 
on the occurrence of Triassic, in British 
strata, 391; Australian, 464. 

Flora of Western Norfolk, 171. 

Flowers, on the production of odours in, 
31. 

Foraminifera, fossil, in the greensand of 
New Jersey, 158. 

Forster, Edward, on Mnium annotinum, 
4338. 

Fossil bivalve shells, new genus of, 481. 

Fossils, from Stonesfield, 456; from New 
York, 506; Suffolk crag, near Valognes, 
508; at Carentau, 509; at Sainteny, 
ib.; from Pembrokeshire, 515. 

Fringillide, 406, 523. 

Fungi, occurrence of, on insects, 217 ; 
discovery of three species of, 542. 

Geese, longevity of, 474. 

Geological Society, proceedings of the, 56, 
305, 391, 459, 506. 

Geology, analogies of European and In- 
dian, 74; of Russia, 289. 

Glacial and diluvial phenomena, remarks 
on, 319. 

Gobel, F., on the quantity of potash and 
soda contained in the principal Halo- 
phytes of the Caspian Steppe, 333. 

Gold-fishes, breeding of, 533. 

Goliathus, new species of, 458. 

Gould, Mr., on new species of Australian 
birds, 66, 138; on a new species of 
Himantopus, 227; on a new species of 
Hypsiprymnus, 380; on Menura su- 
perba, 396. 

Gray’s, G. R., List of the Genera of Birds, 
reviewed, 367 ; supplementary remarks 
on, 544, 

Greensand, saurian teeth from the, 519. 

Griffith, W., on the fecundation of Osyris, 
447. 

Gulliver, George, on the cyst-worm, no- 


INDEX. 


ticed, 445; on the blood-corpuscles of 
Fere, 533. 

Hairs on the stigma in plants, on the 
functions of the, 84. 

Hall, J., on fossils from New York, 506. 

Halstead, E. P., on the Natural History 
of Chedooba, 439. 

Hares of Little Thibet, remarks on the, 
225; new species of, 231. 

Harvey’s, W. H., Manual of British Alge, 
reviewed, 211. 

Hassall, A. H., on the functions performed 
by the hairs on the stigma in plants, 
84; on the structure of the pollen gra- 
nule, 92; on the phosphorescence of 
Zoophytes, 341. 

Helix, new species of, 62, 72, 148, 383, 
527, 531, 536. 

Hering, M., on some new species of Alge, 
90. 

Heron, Sir Robert, Bt., on breeding gold- 
fishes, 533. 

Himantopus, new species of, 227. 

Hincks, Rey. W., on vegetable monstro- 
sities, 451. 

Hirundo riparia, nests of the, 476. 

Hodésum, on the Natural History of the, 
153. 

Hodgson, B. H., on the common hare of 
the Gangetic provinces, 231; on three 
new species of monkey, 314. 

Hotimann, S. F., on the hairs in the air- 
passages of plants, 136. 

Hogg, J., on the horny sponges, 3. 

Hope, Rev. F. W., on some nondescript 
Lamellicorn insects, 302; on the Ela- 
terideous genus Compsosternus, 453. 

Horses, the Natural History of, reviewed, 
137. 

Hunefeld, M., on vegetable colours, 34; 
on the presence of amylum in_ the 
flowers of plants, 328. 

Hypsiprymnus, on a new species of, 380. 

Hyracotherium, on a new species of, 1. 

Imperial Academy of St. Petersburgh, 
471. 

Infusoria, history of, noticed, 543. 

Insectivora, measurement of blood-cor- 
puscles of, 535. 

Insects, new genera and species of, 123, 
203, 221, 272, 298. 

Ireland, on the birds of, 273, 353, 486. 

Jackdaw, 486. 

Jay, 499. 

Jeffreys, J. G., on testaceous Mollusca 
collected in the Shetland isles, 165. 

Keith, P., on the pith of plants, 131. 

Korthals, M., on the glanduliferous hairs 
of Drosera, 132. 

Labyrinthodon, on the teeth of, 58, 305. 

Lamia, 455. 


549 


Lamellicorn beetles, descriptions of new, 
221, 302. 

Landsborough, Rev. D., on the phospho- 
rescence of Zoophytes,257 ; on the lon- 
gevity of geese, 474; on pliocene and 
post-iertiary deposits in the county ef 
Ayr, 514. 

Laniade, 523. 

Lardizabalez, anatomical structure of the, 
254. 

Larve, coleopterous, 455. 

Latreiile, his dissections of coleoptera, &c., 
453. 

Leefe, Rev. J. E., on the discovery of 
three species of Fungi, 542. 

Leighton, W. A., on Epilobium angusti- 
folium, 246, 401; notices in Botany, 
344, 

Leonard, M., on the intelligence of ani- 
mals, 538. 

Lepus, new species of, 53. 

Lindley, Prof., on the anatomy of the 
roots of the Orchidez, 330. 

Linnzan Society, proceedings of the, 447. 

Loire, faluns of the, 507. 

Longicorn beetles, descriptions of new, 
221. 

Lottia virginea, remarks on, 404. 

Lyell, C., on the faluns of the Leire, 507. 

Lucanidz, on a character distinctive of 
the sexes in, 121. 

Lyell, Mr., on the fossil fishes of Mun- 
desley, 61. 

MacLeay, W. S., on bird-catching spi- 
ders, 435. 

Macacus, remarks on the genus, 314. 

Maclauchlan, Mr., on fossils from Pem- 
brokeshire, 515. 

Macgillivray, J., on the zoology of the 
Outer Hebrides, 7; on some Mamma- 
lia, birds and fishes, observed in the 
neighbourhood of Aberdeen, 230. 

Mackenzie, Sir F., on the breeding of sal- 
mon and other fish artificially, 166. 

MacLeay, W. S., o» anew genus of Mam- 
malia discovered in New South Wales, 
241, 337; on doubts respecting the 
existence of bird-catching spiders, 324. 

Magpie, 492. 

Mammalia, remarks on some, observed 
near Aberdeen, 230; on a new genus 
of, 241, 837; effects of cold on, 325. 

Mantell, G. A., on fossil remains of tur- 
tles from the chalk, 55. 

Martin, Mr., on the eastern and western 
chalk denudations, 56. 

M‘Clelland, J., on Indian Cyprinide, 35, 
108, 192. 

Medusa aurita, on the development of, 48. 

Menura superba, description of, 396. 

Mergulus Alle, on the occurrence of, 394. 


550 INDEX. 


Meteorological observations, 79, 159, 239, 
319, 399, 479. 

Meyen, Dr. F. J., report on physiological 
botany, 27, 130, 249, 328; on glan- 
duliferous hairs, 152; on the roots of 
the Orchidee, 530. 

Meyer, E., on the structure of amylum, 
332. 

Microscopical Society, proceedings of the, 
74, 151, 227, 392. 

Mnium annotinum, Linn., 433. 

Mohl, H., on the structure of annular ves- 
sels, 16; on spiral formations in the 
cells of plants, 251. 

Mollusca, list of, collected in the Shetland 
isles, 165. 

Monkey, new species of, 314, 526. 

Monstrosities, vegetable, 451. 

Moore, E., notice on the pilot fish, 316. 

Morren, Prof., on the appearance of in- 
digo in Polygonum tinctorium, 34; on 
Malaxis Parthoni, 180; on the discoid 
pith of plants, 131; on the structure of 
Hedychium and Musa, 135; on the 
presence of fatty and volatile oils in the 
cells of plants, 255; on the gum found 
in the Cycadee, 256. 

Munford, Rev. G., on the Flora of West- 
ern Norfolk, 171. 

Murchison, R. I., on the geology of Rus- 
sia, 289. 

Mus agrestis, notice on, 395. 

Musa paradisiaca, en the fibres in, 133. 

Muscicapide, 524. 

Mygale Ionica, experiments made with, 
455. 

Myriapoda, on the organs of reproduction 
and on the development of the, 389. 

Mystromys, new species of, 53. 

Naturalist’s Library; Marsupialia, re- 
viewed, 54; History of Dogs, of Horses, 
reviewed, 137; of Fishes, 138. 

Naturhistorisk Tidskrift, contents of the, 
296. 

Naucrates ductor, occurrence of, 316. 

Nematoptera, monograph of the, 376. 

Newport, G., on the organs of reproduc- 
tion and on the development of the My- 
riapoda, 389. 

New York, fossils from, 506. 

Niger expedition, 445. 

Norfolk, on the Flora of, 171. 

Nuytsia floribunda, note on, 439. 

Ogilby, W., on a new species of monkey, 
526. 

Orchidez, anatomical structure of the 
roots of the, 330. 

Ord, George, on the box tortoise of Ame- 
rica, 449. 

Ornithichnites, remarks on, 235. , 

Osyris, fecundation of, 447. 


Owen, R., on some molar teeth from the 
Eocene sand, 1; on the teeth of Laby- 
rinthodon, 58, 805; description of a 
new genus of sponge, 222; ona gigantic 
crocodilian Saurian from Hythe, 517. 


- Pachyodon, description of, 481. 


Pachyrhynchus, new species of, 218. 
Panorpa, monograph of the genus, 298. 
Pastor, rose-coloured, rare in Ireland, 418. 
Paussus, species of, 449. 

Pediculus Melitte, 455. 

Petit, M., on names given to undescribed 
genera and species, 474. 

Phaseolus vulgaris, anatomy and physi- 
ology of the seed of, 542. 

Picide, 486, 524. 

Pilot-fish, capture of, in fresh water, 316. 

Pines, on some species of European, 87. 

Pipride, 522. : 

Plantigrada, measurement of blood-cor- 
puscles of, 535. 

Plants, on the structure of annular vessels 
in, 16, 25; on the evolution of heat 
by, 27; on the odours of, 313 on the 
formation of colours in, 83; onthe func- 
tions of the hairs on the stigma in, 84 ; 
on the pith of, 131; on the stomata, 
134; of Western Norfolk, list of the, 
171 ; on spiral formations in the cells 
of, 249; on the presence of fatty and 
volatile oils in the cells of, 255; cata- 
logue of British, reviewed, 294; on the 
presence of amylum in the flowers of, 
328; on the movement of the sap in, 
334; on the chemical statics of, 360. 

Pliocene deposit at Stevenston, on a 
newer, 514. 

Pollen, on the structure of, 92. 

Polyptychodon, on teeth referable to the 
genus, 517. 

Pratt, S. P., on some new species of Am- 
monites found in the Oxford clay, 161. 

Pritchard, A., on Infusoria, noticed, 543. 

Psophodes crepitans, remarks on, 46. 

Pteromys, new species of, 53. 

Quekett, J., on the anatomy of four spe- 
cies of Strongylus, 151; on the minute 
structure of bats hair, 227. 

Ranella, new species of, 538. 

Raven, numerous in Ireland, 423. 

Reade, Rev. J. B., on the stomata in the 
epidermis of the garden rhubarb, 74, 
392. 

Rhombomys, new species of, 53. 

Ribes petreeum, 472. 

Richardson, Dr., on Australian fishes, 464. 

Rodentia, on the natural arrangement of 
the, 50; observations on the, $1. 

Rook, 486. 

Royal Irish Academy, proceedings of the, 
470. 


INDEX. 


Royal Society, proceedings of the, 55, 
389, 502. 

Rubus arcticus, discovery of, 542. 

Salmon, on the breeding of, artificially, 
166. 

Sargassum, remarks on the genus, 213. 

Sars, M., on the development of Medusa 
aurita, 48. 

Saunders, S. S., on some experiments with 
Mygale Ionica, 455. 

Saurian, gigantic, from Hythe, 517. 

Savi, P., cn the stomata of plants, 134; 
on the resin-passages of Schinus molle, 
328. 

Saxifrages of the Robertsonia group, ob- 
servations on the, 321. 

Schinus Molle, on the resinous passages 
of the, 328. 

Schleiden, Dr., on the structure of annular 
‘vessels, 25; on spiral formations in the 
cells of plants, 249. - 

Schultz, Dr., on the movement of the sap 
in plants, 334. 

Scientific travellers, information respect- 
ing, 439. 

Seeds, experiments on the conservation of 
the vegetative powers in, 77; on the 
vitality of, 317. 

Semnopithecus, remarks on the genus, 
314, 

Shells, new species of, 62, 72, 148, 380, 
527; new genus of, 481. 

Shuckard, W. E., on bird-catching spiders, 
435. 

Smith’s, Lieut.-Col. C. H., Natural History 
of Dogs and of Horses, reviewed, 137. 

Snails, limestone rocks corroded by, 459. 

Sowerby, G. B., on new shells from the 
Philippines, 72, 383, 467, 527, 531. 

Sowerby, G. B., jun., on the genus Ra- 
nella, 538. 

Spach, Ed., on the genus Corylus, 344. 

Spiders, doubts on the existence of bird- 
catching, 324; bird-catching, 435. 

Sponges, proposed divisions of the order 
of, 3; new species of, 222, 393. 

Starling, migration of, into Ireland, 413. 

Steudel, E. T., nomenclator botanicus, 
noticed, 447. 

Stephens, H. O., on Epilobium angusti- 
folium, and species which have been 
confounded with it, 170. 

Stevens, S., on coleoptera from Kent, 452. 

Strata, tertiary, near Volognes, 506. 

Strickland, H. E., on Gray’s genera of 
birds, 367 ; on Mergulus Alle, 394; on 
some new genera of birds, 520. 

Sturnide, 406. 

Stutchbury, S., on a new genus of fossil 
bivalves, 481. 

Sylviade, 521. 


951 


Sylvia rnbecola, on the disappearance of, 
in parts of Belgium and Germany, 
395. 

Tachina pacta, 455. 

Teeth, Saurian, from the lower green- 
sand, 519. 

Thomas, Dr. S., on the anatomy and 
physiology of the seed of Phaseolus 
vulgaris, 542. 

Thompson, W., on migratory birds which 
were seen on a passage from Malta to 
Morea, 125; on the occurrence of Cy- 
clostoma elegans in Ireland, 228; on 
the birds of Ireland, 278, 355, 406, 
486. 

Tickell, Lieut., on the natural history of 
the Hodésum, 1538. 

Tree creeper, 501. 

Trinchinetti, Sig., on the production of 
odours in flowers, 31. 

Turtles, on fossil remains of, from the 
chalk of the south-east of England, 
155. 

Upupa epops, occurrence of, 235. 

Volognes, tertiary strata near, 506. 

Vigne, G. '., list of birds found by him in 
Thibet, Cashmere, &c. 224. 

Vrolik, and de Vriese, on the evolution 
of heat in the spadix of Colocasia 
odora, 27. 

Wagner, Prof. A., on the arrangement of 
the Rodentia, and natural families, with 
descriptions of new species, 50. 

Walton, Mr., on Apion levigatum, 456. 

Waterhouse, G. R., natural history of 
Marsupialia, reviewed, 54 ; observations 
on the Rodents, 81; on two new spe- 
cies of birds, 151; on names applied 
to certain Carabideous insects, 205; on 
a new genus of Carabide from tropical 
Africa, 208 ; on new species of Pachy- 
rhynchus, 218; on new Coleoptera 
from the Philippines, 221. 

Webber, C. T., on the wolves of Ireland, 
470. 

Westwood, J. O., on a character distinc- 
tive of the sexes in certain Lucanide 
and Cetoniidz, 121, 338; on new in- 
sects, 123, 208, 272 ; Arcana Entomo- 
logica, noticed, 296; monograph of 
the Panorpide, 298; on the Austra- 
lian genus Cryptodus, 603; monograph 
of the genus Nematoptera, 376; on 
species of Paussus, 449 ; on Dynastide, 
454 ; on a fossil from Stonesfield, 456 ; 
on Lamellicorn beetles, 457. 

Widdrington, Capt., on some species of 
European pines, 87; on the Eel and 
on freshwater fish of Austria, 207. 

Wieymann’s Archiv fur Naturgeschichte, 
notice of the contents of, 47. 


INDEX. 


352 


Wight, Dr., on the fruit of the Cucurbi- 
tacex, 260. 

Woodpecker, greater spotted, 500. 

Zoological Society, proceedings of the, 62, 
138, 222, 376, 464, 520. 


Zoological travellers, information respect- 
ing, 210, 288. 

Zoology of the Outer Hebrides, 7. 

Zoophytes, cn the phosphorescence of, 
257, 341. 


END OF THE EIGHTH VOLUME. 


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