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THE ANNALS
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, Barr., F.L.S.—P. J. SELBY, Esa.,F.L.S., GEORGE JOHNSTON, M.D., CHARLES C. BABINGTON, Esa., M.A., F.L.S., F.G.S., J. H. BALFOUR, M.D., Reg. Prof. Bot. Glasg.,
AND
RICHARD TAYLOR, F.L.S., F.G.S.
LONDON:
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY R. AND J. E. TAYLOR.
SOLD BY S. HIGHLEY; SIMPKIN AND MARSHALL; SHERWOOD AND co.; TAVISTOCK STREET ; BAILLIERE, REGENT STREET, AND PARIS: LIZARS, AND MACEASHE Aw AND STEWART, EDINBURGH: CURRY, DUBLIN: AND ASHER, BERLIN.
W. WOOD,
1844.
‘“Omnes res create sunt divine sapientie et potentie testes, divitie felicitatis humane :—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 estimata; a vere eruditis et sapientibus semper exculta; male doctis et barbaris semper inimica fuit.”— LINN.
CONTENTS OF VOL. XIII.
NUMBER LXXXI. I. Observations on the Structure and Propagation of the genus Sagitta. By Cuartes Darwin, F.R.S., V.P.G.S. (With a Plate.)... 1
II. On the Marine Algz of the vicinity of Aberdeen. By G. Dickie, M.D., Lecturer on Botany in the University and King’s College of
Page
Aberdeen, COUT Be PURO) nda a Rted ade bi ere <pocpnee on sdeosnecaseat dosoes 6 III. Descriptive Catalogue of the Sassi ees the Crag. By S. Vis Woon, Baqi, F.GS. sdsvonctscisee ewe eiennv'visin'e hath baie « aisalees dibvlecnectices)}:A@
IV. On the existence of Branchie in the seitans state of a Neuropte- rous Insect, Pteronarcys regalis, Newm., and other species of the same genus. By Greorce Newrort, Pres. Ent. SOC. AC. cececevececcosee agenns.) ae
V. A List of Lichens gathered in different parts of Wales, princi- pally in the neighkourhood of Barmouth, with a few casual observations
upon some of the species. By the Rev. T. SaALWEY .....ccsceeseeseseeee 25 VI. Notes.on Mr. Blyth’s List of Birds from the vicinity of Calcutta. By H. E, Srrickuann, M.A. ......see00e eecaceens S0ddeaseowbeasecedeverereien 32
VII. Contributions to the Entomology of the Southern Destinais of South America. By G. R. Waternouse, Esq., Assistant Secretary and
Curator to the Zoological. Society, Se.,..i-ssesasipacescessnsesicowcsceced sees 41 VIII. Note upon Obisium orthodactylum (Leach). By ALFRED
Tux, M.R.C.S., M.E.S. ...00. Waies Cabeepeet tig Wis ddcudVedudieewse Gdsueces 55 IX. Observations on Fucus Labillardierii, Turner. BY the Rev. M.
J. DOMME loess iy sane cadapbsusectarshee ReEv bhi ing Cen ¥opas oot ossen dente sats - OF
New Books :—Phycologia generalis; oder Anatomie, Physiologie und Systemkunde der Tange, bearbeitet von F. T. Kiitzing.—Synopsis Florze Germanice et Helvetice, auctore G. D. J. Koch ...... 61—63
Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh ; Wernerian Natural History Society ; Zoological Society ........sssecssssesssesssenees 65—-75
Destruction of Trees by Scolytus; Demodex folliculorum; Kentish Birds; Description of two Green-streaked Wrasses (Labrus line- atus), Fleming; Capture of a short Sun-fish (Orthagoriscus Mola) ; Obituary :—J. C. Loudon, Esq., F.L.S.; Meteorological Observa- gs fill chads ae Sen by cn! iy BRR CR seevecsccsseeess LO 80
iv CONTENTS.
NUMBER LXXXII.
X. Notes on the Coleopterous genus of Insects, Rhynchites of Herbst. By JoHn WALTON, Esq. ...sececcesecscesceccscsscenscccsccesecnececssossesseeses XI. An Account of some Seeds buried in a Sand-pit which germi- nated. By Mr. Witt1aMm Kemp of Galashiels, in a Letter to Charles Darwin, Esq. .......-. sobs abaVannsTLDLaANANeneyuavobarassivusasaccenssosesnenine XII. Remarks on the Habits of Birds which are Natives of the Bri- tish Islands. By THomas Austin, Esq. ........ccecececsseceeerecececeeeone
XIII. A List of the species of Myriapoda, Order Chilopoda, con- tained in the Cabinets of the British Museum, with Synoptic descrip- tions of forty-seven new Species. By Grorce Newrort, Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, Pres. Ent. Soc. &. ...ccs.ccseseseeeeeeteeess
XIV. Catalogue of Irish Entozoa, with observations. By O’Bryen Betiincuam, M.D., Member of and Professor of Botany in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 8c. .........seeecscscscnseesseececsceeeceres
XV. Abstract of a paper entitled “ Account of a Botanical Tour in North Wales, the South of England and Jersey.” By R. Granam, M.D., Professor of Botany in the University of Edinburgh ..........sscesseeeee
XVI. On a Fossil Crustacean of the Order Isopoda, discovered by the Rev. P. B. Brodie in the Wealden formation of Britain. By M. MILNE EDWARDS ...0s0.ssesvocececssceaccees BRE SEEL Ss veel sveeseodet's eee
XVII. Notice of the Blind Fish, Cray-fish, and Insects from the Mammoth Cave, Kentucky
XVIII. Further notice of the species of Birds occurring in the vici- nity of Calcutta. By Epwarp Biyrn, Curator to the Museum of the Asiatic Society of Bengal .......... NSU iscdvendstceseaee ses eee
XIX. Observations on Ehrenberg’s De iecloperieat Epistola, &c. By Artaur Hiri Hassart, Esq. ......0cceseeeesscssceeeeseecees ecce lene
XX. Information respecting Scientific Travellers
New Books :—Narrative of a Voyage round the World, by Capt. Sir E. Belcher, R.N.—Eliz Fries Novitiarum Florz Suecice Mantissa tertia.—A Report on the Progress made in the Investigation of the Flora of Hertfordshire, by the Rev. R. H.Webb, M.A.., and the Rev. W. H. Coleman, M.A.—Spicilegium Florz Rumelicz et Bithynice, auctore A. Grisebach.—Flora Dalmatica, sive Enumeratio Stir- pium vascularium quas hactenus in Dalmatia lectas et sibi obser- vatas descripsit, digessit, rarorumque iconibus illustravit Rob. de Visiani—Sertum Plantarum, or Drawings and Descriptions of Rare or Undescribed Plants from the Author’s Herbarium, by H.
Page
81
89
92
94
101
105
110
111
113
117 121
B. Fielding, F.L.S., assisted by G. Gardner, F.L.S. ......... 126—128
Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh ; Botanical Society of
Edinburgh ; Zoological Society ; Geological Society......... 128—154
On the production of Animalcules in great numbers in the Stomach
CONTENTS.
and Intestines during the digestion of herbivorous and carnivorous Animals, by MM. Gruby and Delafond; Development and Pro- pagation of Serpents; On a new species of Hematozoon, Trypa- nosoma sanguinis, by M. Gruby; Meteorological Observations and
Vv
Page
Table sic<urcslens de csvids «ys Panidddce odopteatioes dee bbbindie bids ah paazeke ves 154—160
NUMBER LXXXIII.
XXI. Description of a new Genus of Nudibranchiate Mollusca, with some new species of Kolis. By Josuva Auprer and Autsany Hancock, Esqrs. (With a Plate.) ...ecrecscscrseccssesccssscvenccsescesenponcesecoecsvens
XXII. Catalogue of Irish Entozoa, with observations. By O’Brren Be.uineuam, M.D., Fellow of and Professor of Botany to the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, &c. ( Continued.) ......eccececsecececvens
XXIII. Descriptions of some new species of Birds found in the neighbourhood of Calcutta. By Epwarp Bryrn, Esq., Curator to the Museum of the Asiatic Society of Bengal .........+00000- dedaiide tinted da’s os
XXIV. Descriptions of some newly discovered species of Araneidea. By Joun Buackwa ., Esq., F.L.S. ccoccccecesesccseees Coatiiedaebchiesceves ds
XXV. Observations on a new species of Gnanthe. By the Rev. W. H. Coxeman, M.A., F.B.S. (With a Plate.) ceccicccccccccecscsscecs
XXVI. The Musci and gene of Teesdale. By Ricuarp Spruce, Esq., F.B.S.. ..006 shine ein Sowa cdas kesh tech pages ecbedweasveddesdscvecescses dates
XXVII. On the Nidi of Purpura lapillus and of Buccinum reticu- latum. By Mr. Cuarues Wy PEACH « veiceps toecebniccds cones Sadiucun © denne
XXVIII. Notes on Mr. Blyth’s “ Further notice of the Species of Birds occurring in the vicinity of Calcutta.” By H. E. Srraicxranp, M.A.
XXIX. Notes on British species of the genus Bruchus, with De- scriptions of two species not hitherto recorded as indigenous. By DORM VUSLGOM, Ts, A cgeapsecacsihescmdesseccgeads pees
CCPC CH ORO eOOSeeererese
New Books :—Anatomical Manipulation ; or, the Methods of pursuing Practical Investigations in Comparative Anatomy and Physiology, by Alfred Tulk, M.R.C.S., and Arthur Henfrey, A.L.S.—Ent- wicklung des Hummereies, &c., by Dr. M. P. Erdl.—The Botany of the Voyage of H.M.S. Sulphur; edited by R. B. Hinds, Esq. : the Botanical descriptions by G. Bentham, Esq.—Supplement to English Botany.— Histoire Naturelle des Zoophytes :—Acaléphes,
161
167
175
179
188
191
203
204
206
pat René-Primevere Lesson y.....6.5cccccccccsccccscssessecsoucses 212—216
Proceedings of the Linnzan Society; Zoological Society; Entomo-
LORICRS SUCIREN Vinsh a Sis ae pbatdtinnssasethssptracedn caesar reskcsnihes< 217—234
Note upon the Habits of the Common Toad; Propagation of the genus Syllis; Vessels pierced by the Weapon of the Sword-fish ; Upon the Secretion of Silk ; Fucus Labillardierii, Turn. ; Kentish Birds ;
Meteorological Observations and Table ..........seseeceeeeaees 234—240
vi CONTENTS. Page NUMBER LXXXIV.
XXX. On the’ Zoological condition of Chalk Flints, and the pro. bable causes of the Deposit of Flinty Strata alternating with the Upper Beds of the Cretaceous Formation. By D. T. Ansrep, M.A., F.R.S., Professor of Geology in King’s College, London, and Fellow of Jesus College; Cambridge. ...cic.ss:scskebgtoanisesuases cash s0ie pgceiaeasinminaia ope ae
XXXI. On some species of Cuscuta. By Cuaries C. Basineron, M.A., F.L.S., F.G.S. &c. (With a Plate.) ............ eddbedjebvdiveasepeen 249
XXXII. Catalogue of Irish Entozoa, with observations. By O’Brren BetuincuaM, M.D., Fellow of and Professor of Botany to the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, &c. (Continued.) .....ccccsscececeeereers 254
XXXIII. A List of Lichens gathered in different parts of Wales, principally in the neighbourhood of Barmouth, with a few casual obser- vations upon some of the species. By the Rev. T. SALWEY .....c0ee08 260
XXXIV. A List of the species of Myriapoda, Order Chilognatha, contained in the Cabinets of the British Museum, with descriptions of a new Genus and thirty-two new Species. By Grorcr MRS x
F.R.C.S., Pres. Ent. ‘Soc. 8&6. :....seseccess dies cpnepenvvveblentesedbedves trate 263 XXXV. The Musci and Hepatice of Teesdale. By Ricnarp Rondee, Kags) FBS; (Concluded) tas cee Gah thos suc devevs lececesscventes Hbeutedewts 271
XXXVI. On the Fossil Vegetables ef the Sandstone of Ayrshire. By J. Sueppen Patrick, F.R.S.E., F.R.SS.A. &c.. (With a Plate.)... 283
New Books :—Iconographia familiarum naturalium regni vegetabilis, von Adalbert Schnizlein, Ph. D.— Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Sept.—Dec. 1848 ......... PVGAcEa UAH 9RCAe ee 8 enn'évoeccscecs cease sever 292—295
Proceedings of the Zoological Society; Royal Institution ; Botanical Society of Edinburgh......... fbn Meenbebiind de oun ssibabs cavenescan vee 295—311
List of Birds from Calcutta, by E. Blyth, Esq. ; On the true Situation in the System of Talegalla and Menura? by H. Denny, Esq.; Upon the Metamorphoses of Eledona agaricola and Diaperis Bo- leti, by M. Leon Dufour; On Aptenodytes, by G. R. Gray, Esq. ; On the Transmission of Hydatids by Contagion, by Prof. Klencke ; Meteorological Observations and Table .......s.seseceseseveees 312—320
NUMBER LXXXV.
XXXVII. Description of a new species of Codium recently dis- covered on the west coast of Ireland. By Witiiam Henry Harvey,
Esq. (With a: Plate.) oc. :ccc sees cigseasanbaibaatiatensicleshssnccsvarcenoiah ove O21 XXXVITI. Descriptions of some new British species of Rissoa and Odostomia. By Josuua Atper, Esq. (With a Plate.).............000. 323
XX XIX. Synopsis of the Genera and Species of Zoophytes inhabiting the Fresh Waters of Ireland. By Groree J. Atiman, M.B.,M.R.C.S.1., M.R.I.A., Demonstrator of Anatomy in Trinity College, Dublin ...... 328
XL. On the Marine Alge of the vicinity of Aberdeen. By G. Dickie,
CONTENTS. vil
| Page M.D., Lecturer on Botany in the University and King’s College of
Aberdeen. (Continued.) (With a Plate.) ..ccssccccscecccsseeeeeves seventies. OO XLI. Catalogue of Irish Entozoa, with observations. By O’Bryen Bexuineuam, M.D., Fellow of and Professor of Botany to the Royal
College of Surgeons in Ireland, &c. (Continued.) ...... aad ddacasnvesnssip OOP XLII. Notices of British Fungi. By the Rev. M. J. Berkevey,
M.A., F.L.S. (Continued.) (With a Plate.) ......... soeesese peeceseccercs 340 XLIITI. On the Family Procellaride, with descriptions of Ten new
Species. By Joun Goutp, F.R.S. &c. .....0cccseeveeeees peatsgdaniesensd ia 360 XLIV. On the Plurality and Development of the Embryos in the Seeds of Conifere. By Roserr Brown, Esq., F.R.S., F.L.S., and Foreign Member of the Academy of Sciences in the Institute of France.
(With a Plate.) cc..csccce Raalb Chis Son's vhl'e tpl Wd bak MALONE ba co pauayuh waddnnd 3 ks 368 XLV. Onthe British Desmidiee. By Joun Ratrs, Esq., M.R.C.S., Penzance. ..... Sicasbateg2 dopdaeSurgsdiaudhenplardnancyes depaenibdd oaths oucsabinds 375
New Books :—List of the Specimens of Birds in the British Museum. Part I. <Accipitres.—Voyage de la Bonite: Algz, by C. Mon- tagne, D.M. eeeoeseeveves SOOCSHHSHSOHSTOHEEHOSSSHSHHESEE SESE Eseses eeenee 380—385
Proceedings of the Zoological Society.........seccssscscsseccecsescees 385—403
Popular Traditions relative to the Cuckoo ; Ortyx Virginiana in Nor- folk ; Description of a new species of Voluta; On the genus Ve- nilia; Meteorological Observations and Table ..........++0+. 403-—408
NUMBER LXXXVI. XLVI. Descriptions of several new or imperfectly defined Genera and species of Birds. By H. E. Stricktanp, M.A. (With four Plates.) 409 XLVII. Catalogue of Irish Entozoa, with observations. By O’Bryrn Be.uinenay, M.D., Fellow of and Professor of Botany to the Royal
College of Surgeons in Ireland, &c. _(Continued.) ...... abaaecset «5 deh ie 422 XLVIII. Additions to the Fauna of Ireland. By Witt1am Tuompr- son, Pres. Nat. Hist. and Phil. Society of Belfast ...... pierce stsouben ess 430 XLIX. Researches on the Latex and its Movements. By Prof. H. Moh Sais ccnesesescs Aimiadreesicks bédivienns chi Saspasbiecis Lainedbesbdsko 441 L. Notes on the Synonymy of the Genus Apion, with Descriptions of Five new Species, &c. By Joun Watton, Esq.......... Se tvvodscmesee 444 LI. On the British species of Grammonema and Eunotia. By Joun — Ratrs, Esq., M.R.C.S., Penzance. (With a Plate.) .......cccsseccsssees 457 LII. Description of a new Genus of Gobioid Fish. By Joun Ricnarp- Oats: Ike Dag, Se pe metho Gelewi au radi eaata'ens puvaiictandiientbadd depo cveviladeders wei awetes 461 LIII. Description of aGenus of Chinese Fish. By Jonn Ricnarpson, M.D. F RSs Wee: Ft. PTL Tree SS Sy evdepescscccvecsodeess 462 LIV. On a Monstrosity of the Pistil in Primula vulgaris. By Cuarves C, Basineton, M.A., F.L.S. F.G.S. &. ..cccceceneeees beavees et, 404
LV. On the difference between the Robertsonian Saxifrages of Ire-
vill CONTENTS.
Page land and those of the Pyrenees. By Cuartes C. Basineron, M.A., F.L.S., F.G.S. &c. (With a Plate.)...... BUUAES dec Gatwelen Ss etss codaetaeenees 465
New Books :—Annales des Sciences Naturelles. Third Series, Jan. 1844. 467
Proceedings of the Zoological Society ; Botanical Society of London ; Botanical Society of Edinburgh .........++ GAs Veedbecds esate 468—484
Researches upon the Transformations of the Appendages of the Arti- culata, by M. Brullé; Microscopical Structure of Shells ; Meteoro- logical Observations and Table ..........sssseeesseeeeeees seseee 484—488
NUMBER LXXXVII. SUPPLEMENT. LVI. On the British species of Achnanthes. By Joun Ratrs, Esgq., M.R.C.S., Penzance. (With a Plate.)..........scccses sbedesecaseatapenecces 489 LVII. Examination of some instances of Vegetable Monstrosities, elucidating the Structure of the Pistil and the Origin of Ovules. By
M. AD. BROWGHIARS isysnasivendin cas opsccopcecoccoccedeccnsedeespassegunpmas 494 Proceedings of the Zoological Society ; Linnzan Society ......... 498—521 | Method of preserving Animal Substances. By M. Gannal ........+... 521 Index 2.0.5.0 JénaaenebehWnWARRPahaeadecehecccccecssesccce scoccccccocesansessnees eee 523
PLATES IN VOL. XIII.
Puate I. Fructification of Marine Algee.—Structure of Sagitta. II. Nudibranchiate Mollusca. III. Ginanthe fluviatilis. IV. Species of Cuscuta.—Robertsonian Saxifrages. V. Fossil Plants. VI. Codium amphibium.—Fructification of Marine Alge. VII. Development of the Embryo in the Conifere. VIII. New British species of Rissoa and Odostomia. IX. New British Fungi. X. Spermophaga margaritata. XI. Pitta cucullata. XII. Suiriri icterophrys. XIII. Holocnemis flammata. XIV. Grammonema, Eunotia, Achnanthes, and Striatella unipunctata.
ERRATUM IN VOL. XII.
Page 454, line 5, for “‘ follow at the first moult after the admission of the male. She,’’ &c., read ‘* follow. At the first moult however after the admission of the male, she,’’ &c.
ERRATA IN VOL, XIII.
Page 111, line 25 from top, for “ the cephalic segment is widened like that of Serolis,’’ read ‘‘ the cephalic segment is widened like that of Spheroma, whilst the eyes approach the median line as in Serolis.’’
272, line 10 from top, for ‘‘ Its differences from D. Dillenii may be thus briefly stated,’’ read “‘ Its differences from D. fuscescens,’’ &c.
313, line 11 from bottom, for ‘‘ Had Talegalla been Rasorial,’’ *ead ‘‘ Had Talegalla been Raptorial,’’ &c.
Ann kc Mag. Nat. Hist. No\.13.P1.1.
Marine Ale ee.
Structure of Sagitta .
el lith. linn aa 3. King hin Sean
THE ANNALS
AND
MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY.
©* sescssessssseseee Er litora spargite muscum, Naiades, et circdm vitreos considite fontes : Pollice virgineo teneros hic carpite flores : Floribus et pictum, dive, replete canistrum. At vos, o Nymphz Craterides, ite sub undas ; Ite, recurvato variata corallia trunco Vellite muscosis e rupibus, et mihi conchas Ferte, Dez pelagi, et pingui conchylia succo.” Parthenié Ech. 1.
No. 81. JANUARY 1844.
ie
I.—Observations on the Structure and Propagation of the genus Sagitta. By Cuarxes Darwin, F.R.S., V.P.G.S.
{ With a Plate. ]
THE species of this genus are remarkable from the simplicity of their structure, the obscurity of their affinities, and from abound- ing in infinite numbers over the intra-tropical and temperate seas. The genus was founded by MM. Quoy and Gaimard*; three species have been figured and described by M. A. d’Orbigny, and lately Prof. E. Forbes has added a species to the British fauna, and has given many particulars regarding the structure of the genus. Scarcely any pelagic animal is more abundant: I found it in lat. 21° N. in the Atlantic, and again off the coast of Brazil in 18° S.; between latitudes 37° and 40° S., the sea, especially during the night, swarmed with them. They generally appear to -swim near the surface ; but in the Pacific, off the coast of Chile, I obtained specimens from a depth of four feet. They are not confined exclusively to the open ocean, as supposed by M. d’Or- bigny ; for near the shore of Patagonia, where the water was only ten fathoms in depth, they were very numerous. ; All the individuals which I caught had two pair of lateral fins, * Annales des Sciences Naturelles, tom. x. p. 232. M. d’Orbigny’s ob- servations are given in his grand work (Mollusques, p. 140). Prof. E. Forbes . four years since made his first communication on this genus before the Wer-
nerian Society, and a second one at the Meeting of the British Association for the present year.
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. xiii. JB
2 Mr. C. Darwin on the Structure and Propagation of Sagitta.
but I do not suppose that they all belong to the same species : those obtained in lat. 87° to 40° S. appear certainly to be the S. exaptera of D’Orbigny ; and the few following observations, which relate chiefly to their propagation, apply, when not otherwise stated, to this species. M. d’Orbigny and Prof. Forbes have provisionally placed this genus amongst the nucleo-branch mol- lusca ; but the evidence is hardly conclusive.
Head.—The linear-lanceolate head, which is of a transparent, gelatinous and adhesive texture, is separated from the body by a distinct neck. The head when not in action is slightly flattened and of a truncate-conical shape ; when in action its basal part as- sumes a semilunar or horse-shoe form, in the concavity of which lies the longitudinally-folded mouth. On each arm of the fleshy horse-shoe, a comb, formed of eight strong, curved, slightly hooked claws or teeth, is attached. The animal when lively is constantly clasping these bristle-like teeth together, over its mouth ; when clasped together, and the head in a state of inac- tion, they appear to be situated much nearer to the mouth than when their fleshy bases are expanded in action. The middle teeth are the longest ; besides their clasping action and the power of movement in their fleshy bases, each separate tooth can move itself laterally further from or nearer to the adjoiing ones. The mouth opens on the oblique surface of a part projecting up, be- tween the two fleshy arms. Close to the mouth there are two other rows of exceedingly minute teeth, which have not been no- ticed by other observers, and which I discovered only with a lens of high power. These two rows of little teeth project inwards and transversely to the two great upright combs of teeth ; so that when these latter are clasped over the mouth the minute teeth cross them, thus effectually preventing any object from escaping which might be caught by the longer curved teeth. I could not see any vestige of eyes or of tentacula.
Locomotive organs.—The animal moves quickly by starts, bending its body. The two pair of lateral fins and that on the tail lie in the same horizontal plane: viewed with a lens of small power they appear formed of a delicate membrane, but under a lens of z5th of an inch focal distance they appear to consist of excessively fine transparent rays, touching each other, like the barbs of a feather, but not, as it appeared to me, actually united by a membrane. The tail, besides being used as a locomotive organ, serves as a means of attachment; for the animal when placed in a basin of water sometimes adhered by its tail so firmly to the smooth sides, that it could not be detached by a consider- able agitation of the water. Out of the innumerable specimens which I procured, I never saw one fastened by its teeth to the ova
Mr. C. Darwin on the Structure’ and Propagation of Sagitta. 3
of pelagic animals, or to other bodies, as M. d’Orbigny has ob- served in some of his species.
Internal viscera.— Within the body, in the same plane with the longitudinally folded mouth, there is a flattened tube or cavity, which in the specimens obtained in lat. 18° S. I observed had the power of contracting and enlarging itself in different parts, and within it there was a distinct peristaltic movement. Within this cavity in the S. exaptera I could clearly discern in the posterior half of the body a delicate vessel, which I presume is the intes- tine, for it appeared to terminate on one side of the body at the base of the tail. I could discover no vestige of a nucleus, of branchie, of a liver, or of a heart. In some exceedingly young specimens, however, just liberated from the egg, there was a di- stinct pulsating organ (as will hereafter be mentioned) in the an- terior part of the body.
Propagation.—The state of the reproductive system varies much in animals caught at the same time. Taking a specimen with this system in a high state of development, the tail, or the taper- ing part of the body into which the intestinal tube does not pe- netrate, is seen to be longitudinally divided by an exceedingly delicate partition, and to be filled with a pulpy finely-granular matter. The column of matter on each side of the central divi- sion also appears (but whether really so I do not know) to be di- vided, making altogether four columns, as is shown in the diagram. The whole of this matter is in a state of steady and regular cir- culation, something like that of the fluid in the stems of the Chara. The matter flowed upwards in the two outer columns, and downwards towards the point of the tail in the two middle columns. The circulation in the up-flowing columns was most vigorous on their outer sides ; and in the down-flowing columns on their insides, that is, on each side of the central partition : this would be accounted for, if we might suppose that the two sur- faces of the central partition were covered with cilia, vibrating in a direction opposite to that in which other cilia situated on the inside of the membrane forming the tail were also vibrating. The stationary condition of the granular matter between the two streams, travelling in opposite directions, perhaps gives the ap- pearance of the partition on each side of the central one. The circulation at the base of the tail was twice as rapid as it was near the apex: where most rapid I found that a granule travelled over the 34,th of an inch on the micrometer in five seconds ; allowing for the slower rate in other parts, I calculated that in an individual, the tail of which was ,%,ths of an inch in length, a granule performed its entire circuit in about six minutes. I could distinctly follow the granules descending one column, turning the angle, and again ascending. In specimens with the reproductive
B
4 Mr. C. Darwin on the Structure and Propagation of Sagitta.
system in a lesser stage of development, the tail contained very little granular matter ; and in proportion as this was less in quan- tity, so was the circulation less and less vigorous: in some spe- cimens no granular matter, and perhaps, consequently, no circu- lation, was visible.
When the tail is filled with vigorously circulating matter two large cul-de-sacs or gut-shaped ovaries are invariably present, ex- tending, as represented (o 0) in the diagram, from the base of the tail along each side of the intestinal tube. These are filled with ova, which in the same animal are in different stages of development, and vary in length from >j,th to »,th of an inch; their shape is pointed oval (Plate I. fig. B), and they are attached by the poimted end in rows to the sides of the ovaries: those of full size are de- tached by avery slight touch. When the ovaries contain many eggs nearly perfect (but not at other times), a small conical and apparently perforated protuberance can be seen on each side (A A) of the body, through which without doubt the eggs are expelled. In different individuals the ovaries are of different sizes and the eggs in different stages of development: before any of the eggs are perfected the ovaries are merely filled with granular matter ; but this is invariably of a coarser texture than that within the tail. The ovaries when not containing granular matter are con- tracted into a very small size* (B). In great numbers of speci- mens taken in latitude 18° S. and between 37° and 40° S., I in- variably observed that there existed a close relationship between the quantity of circulating matter within the tail and the size of the ovaries ; from this circumstance, and from the similarity of the granular matter in the ovaries, before any of the eggs are per- fected, with that in the tail, except that the granules are in this latter part of less size, 1 think it almost certain that the granular matter is first formed within the tail, and that it then passes into the ovaries, where it is gradually developed into ova. I could not, however, trace any opening from the one part into the other, but at the bottom of each ovary there was a space, where a closed orifice might have been situated.
A well-developed egg presents, when liberated by a touch from a torn open ovary, the appearance represented at (B) in the diagram. ‘The egg is transparent, and contains within it an ex- ceedingly minute globule. Twice on one day and once again a week afterwards, | clearly observed the following curious pheeno- menon take place: the apex of the egg, a few minutes after ha- ving been liberated from its attachment, began and continued to
* I also remark in my MS. notes, that the granular matter within the tail is sometimes contracted into small kidney-shaped bodies ; I cannot help suspecting that I ought in every case to have written that the ovaries were contracted into this form,
Mr. C. Darwin on the Structure and Propagation of Sagitta. 5
swell, and soon assumed the form shown by (C). Whilst this was going on, the small internal globule also appeared to be swelling, and at the same time the transparent fluid with which the ovum and its enlarged apex were charged, became more and more opake and granular. The apex continued enlarging until it became of nearly the same size with the ovum from which it proceeded ; and as this took place, all the granular matter was slowly expelled from the original capsule into the newly-formed one, in a manner which seemed to show that it was effected by the contraction of a lining membrane as represented at (D). Directly that this was completed the two balls slowly separated ; one being left a mere empty husk, and the other consisting of a spherical mass of gra- nular matter, within which a minute globule could be discovered. I presume that this was the same globule as seen within the egg in its first state (as at B), and that the appearance of its swelling was caused by the transparent fluid round it being first converted into granular matter. I have reason to suppose from what fol- lows that this little globule contains only air. The whole phe- nomenon was effected in about ten minutes; and in one case I watched the entire process without taking my eye from the mi- croscope.
On the 27th and 29th of September 1832, we passed* through the same tract of sea (off Bahia Blanca on the coast of northern Patagonia) where twenty-five days previously I had observed such great numbers of the S. exaptera with their ovaries distended with eggs, and I now found infinitely numerous ova floating on the surface. They were in different states of maturity ; those least developed presented a sphere of granular matter contained within a larger spherical case. In the next stage the granular matter collects in a linear manner on one side of the inner sphere, and. projects slightly beyond its outline; it then soon forms a di- stinct prominent rim, extending round two-thirds of the circum- ference of the mner sphere. This prominent rim is the young animal; a fine vessel is seen extending within its entire length, and one extremity enlarges into a head: the tail is first berated from its attachment on the surface of the inner sphere, and lastly the head: the young animal, when thus released, lies in a curved position within the outer case, with the inner sphere, on the cir- cumference of which it was developed, pushed on one side, and its function apparently ended. ‘The central intestinal vessel is now much more distinct: an excessively fine membrane-like fin is discernible round the end of the tail; and the young animal being liberated from the outer spherical capsule, progresses by a
* I may add, that in the beginning of April, off the Abrolhos, on the coast of Brazil, in lat. 18° S., numerous specimens of a four-finned Sagitta had their ovaries filled with eggs apparently ready to be expelled.
Bes Dr. G. Dickie on the Marine Alga
starting movement like that of a full-grown Sagitta. At the ante- rior extremity, near the head, a pulsating organ can be distinctly seen. The ovum in all these stages contains a minute globule, which causes it to float on the surface of the water, and appa- rently is formed of air: I presume that it is the same globule with that seen in the egg, when first released from the ovary. The change in the floating ova from the state in which the inner sphere consists of granular matter without any trace of a young animal to the succeeding states must be rapid; for on the 27th of September all the ova were in this first state, whilst on the 29th the majority contained partially developed young ones. These floating ova were ;4;th of an inch in diameter, whereas the spherical balls of granular matter which I saw expelled from their pointed oval cases were barely the ;th ofan inch im diameter ; but as the eggs within the ovaries were of different sizes, accord- ing to their states of maturity, we might expect that their growth would continue after having been expelled from them. I will conclude by expressing a hope that these few observations on the propagation of this curious genus may aid more competent judges than myself in ascertaining its true affinities.
EXPLANATION OF PLATE I. I. Intestinal tube. oo. Ovaries. A A. Apertures of the ovaries, and lateral fins. T T. Tail divided into four columns of circulating granular matter, the course of which is shown by the arrows. B. Egg just liberated from the ovary. C. Egg in first state of change. D. Egg ina succeeding state.
II.—On the Marine Alge of the vicinity of Aberdeen. By G. Dicxiz, M.D., Lecturer on Botany in the University and King’s College of Aberdeen.
{ With a Plate. ]
In the present and subsequent communications it is proposed to enumerate the marine Algz which have been found in the vicinity of Aberdeen, and also to record such observations on their struc- ture as may seem of most interest.
Although no great merit attaches to mere local lists, still such are not to be entirely rejected as useless, more especially when we consider their utility to those whose attention is directed to the geographical distribution of plants, a very interesting and im- portant branch of their history.
All the species to be mentioned have been collected on the Kincardineshire coast, the southern part of the Aberdeenshire
of the vicinity of Aberdeen. 7 coast being for the most part sandy ; the rocky part commencing only on the north side of the estuary of the Yethan, a distance of about sixteen miles from Aberdeen.
The part of the Kincardineshire coast which has been examined is chiefly composed of granite and gneiss ; it is much exposed to the action of heavy seas, and presents few sheltered coves or even calm pools of any extent, and hence probably we may account for the absence of some of the more delicate species. I regret that my records of the temperature of the sea at this place are so few and little trustworthy as to be undeserving of record. iy
The arrangement given in Harvey’s ‘ Manual of the British Algz’ will be followed, although his divisions, founded on the co- lour of the seeds, are not strictly applicable in all cases.
MELANOSPERMES.
Halidrys siliquosa, Lyngb.—Both varieties of this plant occur in considerable quantity ; it is invariably found in pools, mostly at high-water mark, and is generally, or more probably always submersed.
Before proceeding to notice the species of Fucus occurring here, it will be requisite to direct attention to the fructification of this genus, more especially in reference to Dr. Montagne’s paper in the ‘ Annales des Sciences Naturelles,’ October 1842 ; in which work that profound cryptogamist has published observations on his new genus Xtphophora, and in connexion with it has discussed at considerable length the question, whether the Hucacee may not have two modes of propagation ?
In Harvey’s work the fructification of the Fucoidee is defined as “consisting of spherical clusters of opake seeds, imbedded in distinct gelatinous receptacles, and finally escaping by pores ;” of Fucus more particularly it is said, that “ the receptacles con- tain tubercles imbedded in mucus, and discharging thew seeds by conspicuous pores.”
On dissecting these so-called tubercles in different stages, more especially in the earlier, it will be found that they are in reality small sacs, or inflexions of the surface of the frond, having distinct walls composed of condensed cellular tissue and each opening by a small orifice, and having a close resemblance to the perithecia of a Spheria, or the so-called anthers of Marchantia. From the walls of the sacs originate numerous jointed filaments, in some cases simple, in others branched; the apices of many of these protrude from the orifices of the sacs, and present no great obstacle to the emission of the seeds, but prevent the entrance of any small body from without. Dr. Montagne’s account of the structure of Xiphophora corresponds exactly with this: the sacs he calls conceptacles, and compares the filaments to paraphyses.
8 Dr. G. Dickie on the Marine Alge
In the sacs containing simple filaments and at their bases, we find the seeds properly so called. These Montagne calls dasi- sperms, from their position in relation to the filaments, and in order to distinguish them from the other kind of fructification. The seeds are usually imbedded in a gelatinous secretion. In some conceptacleswe find branched filaments which are also jointed, and in the upper articulations of which we observe the other kind of reproductive bodies called acrosperms by Montagne, the microphytes of De la Pylaie, alluded to also by Meneghini, and figured by Lyngbye (Montagne, loc. cit.). It must not be sup- posed, however, that the acrosperms are invariably contained in the terminal joints of the filaments ; the term is, however, sufficient to express the general difference in position of the two kinds of bodies, in relation to the filaments.
On the surface of the frond in many of the Fucotdee are nu- merous pores, from which issue, as Greville remarks, “ little tufts of filaments, the use of which has not been discovered.” These I believe to be barren conceptacles ; both the barren and fertile are in reality mere inflexions of the surface of the frond. The nature of the fructification in Asperococcus appears to be in fa- vour of this opinion ; in the A. fistulosus we have in reality the basisperms and simple filaments of a Fucus completely exposed, there being no inflexion of the surface.
Turner states that Reaumur considered the tufts of fibres arising from the pores on the frond as corresponding to the anthers of Phznogamous plants.
Fucus vesiculosus.—This species is abundant, and particularly near high-water mark and at estuaries. Dr. Montagne has only found basisperms in three specimens which he examined. It how- ever possesses also acrosperms, the two kinds occurring on differ- ent plants.
F. ceranoides.—In this vicinity it is only found at the mouths of the Dee and Don, and also some distance up these rivers. It in some instances makes a close approach to F. vesiculosus, and is probably only a variety of it, produced by the action of fresh or brackish water. Like the former species also, it possesses both kinds of reproductive bodies, which are found on the same plant, but on different fronds.
F. nodosus.—This species is found in great profusion. Mon- tagne and Pylaie have only found on it acrosperms, Lyngbye de- tected basisperms ; Turner says that both occur in the same con- ceptacles. I have found both, but on different plants, and have been unable to confirm Turner’s observations. —
F. serratus —Abundant. This species possesses both kinds of reproductive bodies on the same plant, but on different fronds.
F. canaliculatus is very common ; for the most part an occa-
of the vicinity of Aberdeen. 9
sional moistening with sea-water is all that is necessary for the development of this species, and hence it is mostly found at high- water mark. Dr. Montagne has found both kinds of fructifica- tion in the same receptacle. The basisperms in the course of their development undergo several changes: these may be easily traced in F. serratus and F. canaliculatus. In the former we first ob- serve large cells with several nuclei in their interior ; these rapidly increase in size; the parent cells now appear compound and in course of time disappear, the young cells becoming free. Figs. 1, 2, 3,4 in Plate I. represent these stages in the species alluded to. In F. canaliculatus the young cells are not so numerous as in the former case.
Some time ago a few experiments were made for the purpose of ascertaining the mode of germination in the last species. A considerable quantity of its seeds were placed on slips of glass, to which they readily adhered ; these were kept immersed in sea- water, which was renewed every four or five days. The experi- ments were conducted in a room at a moderate temperature, and in the month of December. In about three weeks the seeds were found to have undergone a. change of form ; from triangular with rounded angles they had become spherical. In the next stage a slight swelling was observed on many of them, and at a more ad- vanced period there issued at this place several minute transpa- rent filaments, never exceeding four in number from the same seed; one or more of these had usually made greater progress than the others. In their interior was seen a granular matter of a pale yellow colour. The observations were interrupted at a more advanced stage, when the filaments appeared to have be- come coherent at their bases. By careful examination under the microscope, it was found that each seed consists of two coats, the inner the most delicate of the two and containing a granular mat- ter ; the filaments appeared to be prolongations of it, and to have burst the outer and stronger membrane.
Figs. 5, 6, 7,8 represent the germination at different periods. The receptacles contaiing the acrospermal conceptacles, gene- rally when newly collected, have an orange-yellow colour, and after some hours an orange mucus exudes from the pores, which on examination with the microscope will be found to consist of acrosperms. ‘The cell in which each of these bodies is included is for the most part so transparent, that it is difficult to detect the presence of any enclosing membrane, more especially if viewed in a drop of sea-water, the medium which ought always to be used in examining the structure of marine species. On placing them in fresh water the containing cell is seen to burst, and the enclosed acrosperms are expelled with considerable force, Each body is composed of a simple membrane containing small
10 Mr.S. V. Wood’s Catalogue of the Zoophytes from the Crag.
granules which are usually regularly arranged. There is some difference in their form at different stages, as well as in the differ- ent species of Fucus. Figs. 9, 10,11 represent those of F. vesicu- losus ; fig. 12 those of F. nodosus. 3
The presence of these bodies being so constant, it is not un- reasonable to suppose that they perform some important function. Those who believe that impregnation is necessary in cellular plants, in the same sense at least as in the higher tribes, may probably consider that they are representatives of the anthers, and perform similar functions.
A few attempts were made for the purpose of ascertaining if they would germinate, by treating them in the same way as the basisperms of F. canaliculatus already mentioned. The experi- ments failed, and the difficulty seems to be to preserve the water at a proper and uniform temperature, for, owing to the delicacy of their structure, they are easily affected by changes. I believe, however, that they afford one means by which the Fuci are pro- pagated, for the reason that the structure of the reproductive or- gans of Alaria, Laminaria, &c. is essentially that of acrosperms : this will be more particularly alluded to in a subsequent paper. The true species of Fucus may be considered as heterospermous, and it will be shown afterwards that other genera are basispermous and others acrospermous..
[To be continued. }
IlI.—Deseriptive Catalogue of the Zoophytes from the Crag. By 8. V. Woop, Esq., F.G.S.
Mr. Ricuarp Cow1ine Taytor, in a very valuable paper upon British “ Antediluvian Zoology and Botany,” communicated to the ‘ Magazine of Natural History’ in 1830, was, I believe, the first to draw attention to the variety and interesting forms pre- sented by the Corals of the Crag, and many very good figures are given by him in the above periodical, but unaccompanied by generic or specific characters. | 7
In the following Catalogue I have endeavoured to furnish a list of these Polypifera, which are principally derived, as might be expected, from the deposit that has been termed par excellence “ Coralline” Crag. This formation in the neighbourhood of Orford presents a close analogy to some of the coral reefs now forming, being composed almost entirely of corals, and suff- ciently indurated to serve as a building-stone.
Among the corals of the crag we are presented with as great anomalies as among the Mollusca; recent species strictly British being associated with genera wholly unknown in a living state, as for example, Fascicularia and Theonoa. Although inferences re-
Mr. S. V. Wood’s Catalogue of the Zoophytes from the Crag. 11
specting the temperature of the coralline-crag sea must be highly conjectural where such incongruous forms are associated, I should still be disposed to adhere to the opmion I have already expressed as to the probability of its approximating that of the coast of Portugal. A current of water like that which now rolls through the Gulf of Florida may have introduced Pyrula, Pholadomya, Lingula and other tropical forms, or these genera, at the time of the coralline crag being deposited, might have been the only living representatives of a tropical fauna otherwise extinct.
The fauna of the red crag must, I think, be regarded as in- dicating a temperature much lower than that which existed during the deposition of the coralline crag. The general cha- racters of its Polypifera agree with those of our own seas, for I consider my red-crag specimens of Theonoa and Fascicularia to have been introduced into this deposit from the underlying coralliferous beds. The greater part of my red-crag corals are attached to the mouths of univalves or the interior of bivalves.
I have not as yet seen any corals from the mammaliferous crag.
Though many of the crag polypidoms are in a very perfect con- dition, others, particularly among the Escharida, from various causes, have undergone structural alterations which render their correct determination often a matter of great difficulty. Flustra membranacea, for example, is generally found with nothing but the bare walls of its cells remaining, and other species have had prominent parts entirely removed ; these alterations are wholly independent of that change which takes place in the external covering of the cells during their progress to maturity, so ably pointed out by M. Edwards in his essay upon the Escharide, and which may be seen in various cells on the same specimen.
The following are from my own cabinet except where otherwise expressed.
Class ZOOPHYTA. Fam. LAMELLIFER. Balanophyllia, n. g.
Polypidom permanently fixed, simple, exterior striated longitudi- nally; disc stellated, with a central style ; lamelle radiating in trios, converging to a point at the circumference.
This differs from Caryophyllia in the tripartite arrangement of the lamelle, and from Dendrophyllia in not being dendroidal.
Cor. Crag. Red Crag. Recent. 1. Balanophyllia calyculus, n. s. | Sutton.
*‘Polyp. subcylindrical ; disc subovate, cup-shaped, with an elongate central style; lamelle radiating and fasciculated, sides of lamelle finely granulate, exterior rugosely striate.” —Mag. of Nat.Hist.vol. iii. 1830, p. 272. f. 60. d.
12 Mr.8. V. Wood’s Catalogue of the Zoophytes from the Crag.
The dise of this coral is partially bisected by a central style, around which are arranged twelve rays, each ray composed of three lamelle, which converge to a point as they approach the circumference. In the intervals formed by the divergence of these rays are placed twelve other rays also tripartite, and the smaller spaces between the terminations of these twenty-four rays are each bisected by a single plate. One in every three of the thirty-six lamellee attached to the style is elevated above those contiguous to it. From the extreme rarity of unmutilated spe- cimens, I am unable to state whether the number of rays be con- stant in this species, but its form varies so greatly that I should presume some variation in the number of its parts to be very probable. It is occasionally much depressed, the base spreading to more than twice the diameter of the disc; sometimes it is a reversed cone, the disc exceeding the base tenfold, such variation appearing to depend upon its place of attachment ; it often occurs much elongated, generally single, never branched, though occa- sionally three or four individuals are grouped together.
The lamelle appear promiscuously arranged where the disc is much injured, which is generally the case with crag specimens. The species is also found in the tertiary formation of Touraine : a specimen in my possession, from this locality, has a portion of a thin periostracum remaining upon the exterior.
Cor. Crag. Red Crag. Recent. 1. Fungia semilunata, Lamk. (2nd edit. Hist. des An. sans Vert. vol. ii. p. 371). Iken. | | I am only acquainted with two specimens of this species, one
in the cabinet of Mr. Bunbury, and the other in the possession of Mr. Wm. Colchester.
1. Turbinolia Milletiana, De France (Dict. des Sci. Nat. vol. \vi. p. 93. Turbinolia ? Taylor, Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. iii. p. 272. f. 60. c).
Sutton. | Sutton. | 1. Cladocora cariosa, Lonsdale MS. (Madrepora cariosa, Goldf. Pet.
t. 8. f.8; De Blainv. Dict. des Sci. Nat. t. 60. p. 355). Ramsholt. | Sutton. |
Class BRYOZOA.
Fam. Crisiapa&. Cor. Crag. Red Crag. Recent. 1. Crisia eburnea, Lamez. (Expos. Méth. de Pol. p. 6; Johnston, Brit. Zooph. p. 262. pl. 31. £.3, 4). Suttons i fusions okie | Britain. 2, — luxata? Flem. (Johnston, Brit. Zooph. p. 262. pl. 31. f. 5, 6). uteon Fe ge. st | Britain.
Mr. 8. V. Wood’s Catalogue of the Zoophytes from the Crag. 138
Only one fragment, which however differs from the description at the above reference. My specimen has the tubes alternate, de- pressed, suborbicular ; surface rugose, probably porous ; the cells are not adnate, but distant from each other rather more than the diameter of the tubes.
Fam. TuBuLiIpoRipD2&.
Cor. Crag. Red Crag. Recent. 1. Fascicularia aurantium, M. Edw. (Lyell’s Elements, p. 304. edit. 1838, var.a; Taylor, Mag. of Nat. Hist. vol. ii. 1830, p. 272. f.61; id. var. f. f. 63). Aldbro’. | Sutton. | Abundant in the coralline crag. A specimen in my possession measures six inches and a quarter in diameter.
1. Theonoa? globosa (Blumenbachium globosum, Koenig, Icon. Foss. pl. 5. £69. Theonoa cristata, M. Edw. MS. Taylor, Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. iii. 1830, p. 2738. f. 64 & 65). Sudbourn. | Sutton. |
In its young state this coral is of a discoidal form with a very short pedicel of attachment ; it then resembles a reversed speci- men of Polyporus, and rarely attains half an inch in diameter. The upper surface exhibits the openings of numerous subpoly- gonal tubes which are most abundant towards the margin ; these tubes converge towards the pedicel as a common centre, and their direction may be sometimes traced along the under surface, which is smooth and entire. The polygonal form of the tubes is pro- bably the result of lateral compression.
The mode of increase appears to be by gemmules formed upon or near the margin of the disc; as these enlarge, their horizontal extension is interrupted by the mutual approximation of their edges, which consequently bend upwards, except at the points furthest from the centre of the dise upon which they are formed ; and here, as there is nothing to prevent the free extension of the gemmules, they project beyond the parent disc, and in a slightly downward direction: each disc is thus twisted into a triangular or subquadrangular form, producing a sort of depressed compartment by the union of the under surfaces which project around in the form of a crest. In this manner the shape pre- sented by the adult coral is ultimately produced, and is either hemispherical or subglobular, according to its place of attach- ment. This polypidom has sometimes a radius of more than two inches.
1. Heteropora dichotoma, De Blainv. (Man. d’ Actinol. p. 417. Ce- riopora dichotoma, Goldf. Pet. t.10.f.9. var. B. d—f). Ramsholt. — |
What I conceive to be the young state of this coral is a small
14 Mr. 8. V. Wood’s Catalogue of the Zoophytes from the Crag.
attached hemispherical body, consisting of a congeries of tubes radiating from a common centre. This increases cylindrically and branches; a longitudinal section then displays the tubes, arising at the first centrally with avertical direction, but afterwards bending suddenly at nearly a right angle to reach the exterior ; a transverse section would consequently divide the tubes through- out a portion of their extent longitudinally, while in the centre of the branch it would cut them transversely. The tubes are subpolygonal with circular openings, many of which are nearly closed, owing probably to the more extended lives of some of the
polypes. This polypidom attains a height of several inches.
Cor. Crag. Red Crag. Recent. 2, Heteropora septosa (var. a. polymorpha ; var. 8. pustulosa). GUO ghee dn 058 | Britain.
Polypid. boletiform, irregular, sometimes investing; pores irregular.
One fossil specimen invests an Emarginula, and corresponds with a recent British species in my possession upon an Arca lactea.
Var. GB. is globose and pustuliform; pores irregular, large and small, subpolygonal ; a section shows rows of tubes long and straight, with transverse partitions like those in Chetetes.
1, Diastopora meandrina, n. s. Sutton. | [
Polypid. globosely foliaceous ; foliations anastomosing or meander- ing with two layers of opposite cells; cells tubular, slightly raised, or rather strongly inclining towards the plane of axis, irregularly quin- cunxial ; aperture orbicular; surface granular ; radius one inch and a half. ,
Sect. a. adnate.
Cor. Crag. Red Crag. Recent. 1. Tubulipora obelia, Johnston (Brit. Zooph. p. 269. t. 30. f. 7, 8). Sudbourn. | Sutton. | Britain. 2. — patina, id. (Brit. Zooph. p. 267. t. 30. f. 1—3). : Sudbourn. | Sutton. | Britain. _ 3. — serpens, id. (Brit. Zooph. p. 268. t. 30. f.4—6). SOUENORTR NN BA gs ss a e's | Britain. 4. — palmata, n.s. . ; Sudbourn. | Sutton. = |
Polypid. adnate, divergent ; branches enlarging, palmate, truncate ; surface rugose, porous, with numerous dwarfish tubular cells, in- creasing in number (as it diverges) from one or two to seven or eight.
Extent of polypidom three-eighths of an inch.
5, — repens, n.'s. Sutton. | Sutton. | Polypid. adherent by a narrow base, linear, dichotomously or irre-
Mr. 8. V. Wood’s Catalogue of the Zoophytes from the Crag. 15
gularly branched ; upper surface studded with tubular curved cells irregularly quincunx, seldom more than three tubes in the width of each branch.
Polypidom spreading one inch, diameter of branches 3/5.
Sect. 3. free.
Cor. Crag. Red Crag. Recent. 6. Tubulipora ? intricaria, n. s.
Sutton. | | 7. —? arborea, n. s.
Sutton. | | 8. — ? agaricia, n. s.
Sutton. | |
The above three species do not strictly belong to this genus, but I have placed them here provisionally until better specimens and more information be obtained respecting them.
1. Idmonea disticha, De Blainv. (Retepora disticha, Goldf. Pet. t.9. f. 15). Sutton. | | 1. Discopora hispida, Flem. (Brit. An. p. 530; Johnston, Brit. Zooph. p. 270. t. 30. f. 9—11). | } Sudbourn. | Sutton. | Britain.
1. Alecto gracilis? M. Edw. (An. des Sci. Nat. 1838, tom. ix. t. 16. f. 2. Alecto ? Woodward, Geol. of Norf. t. 4. f. 16. Chalk). |
Sutton. My only specimen is not in good preservation.
Filicella, n. g. (filum, a thread, and cella). Gen. Char. Cells filiform, distinct, adnate, united at the extremi- ties ; dichotomous aperture subterminal, not projecting.
1. Filicella anguinea, n. s. Ramsholt. | | Repent, snake-like, elongated, subcylindrical, or rather club-shaped, tubulous, glossy, united at the extremities, adnate, dichotomous; aperture oval, rather depressed, subterminal.
I propose this genus for the reception of a very minute zoo- phyte from the coralline crag which much resembles Alecto, but differs in being more elongated, less cylindrical, and with its pe- ritreme even with the cell; it does not adhere by an expanded side hike Alecto, but is filiform throughout, the cells are more di- stinctly separated, and are but slightly attached (laterally) to the surface of the interior of an Echinus. The cell is compact, smooth, not porous. This is the smallest zoophyte I am acquainted with, being scarcely visible to the naked eye.
16 Mr.8. V. Wood’s Catalogue of the Zoophytes from the Crag.
Dimensions, one-fifth of a line in length ; diameter of the widest part near the mouth of the cell about the eighth part of its length, and this twice the width of the lower portion adjoining its cognate cell. The annexed drawing was made with the camera lucida.
Filicella anguinea.
\ Cor. Crag. Red Crag. Recent. 1. Hornera reteporacea, M. Edw. (An. des Sci. Nat. vol. ix. t.10.f. 2). Sutton. | Sutton. | 2. — striata, M. Edw. (An. des Sci. Nat. vol. ix. t. 11. f. 1). Sudbourn, | ~
The figure above referred to must have been made from an old specimen in which the intermediate pores are closed up ; when young and perfect, the superior surface is striated and porous between the cells.
Fam. EscHarip&. Cor. Crag. Red Crag. Recent.
1. Retepora cellulosa, Johnston (Brit. Zooph. p. 297, vignette no. 46. p. 283; M. Edwards, 2nd edit. of Lamarck, tom. ii. p. 276 ; Lamourour, Exp. Méth. des Polyp. pl. 26. f. 2).
Sudbourn. | Sutton. | Britain.
The crag coral corresponds with the British var., and may probably be distinct from that found in the Mediterranean, whose meshes are much larger. This latter is also supposed by M. Ed- wards to be’ distinct from the one quoted by him as from the In- dian Ocean.
1. Eschara monilifera, M. Edw. (An. des Sci. Nat. vol. vi. pl. 9. f.1).
Ramsholt. | Sutton. |
2. — pertusa, M. Edw. (An. des Sci. Nat, vol. vi. pl. 10. f. 3). Sudbourn. |
3. — Sedgwickii, M. Edw. (An. des Sci. Nat. vol. vi. pl. 10. f. 5). Sudbourn, | |
4, — incisd, M. Edw. (An. des Sci. Nat. vol. vi. pl. 9. f. 2). Sudbourn. |
I have not seen this species.
Mr. 8. V. Wood’s Catalogue of the Zoophytes from the Crag. 17
Cor. Crag. Red Crag. Recent. 5. Eschara foliacea, Johnston (Brit. Zooph. p. 297. t. 40). Sutton. :4 | aguas ova | Britain. 6. — porosa? M. Kdw. An. des Sci. Nat. vol. vi. pl. 11. f. 7. Sudbourn. |
The cells of this are found open.
1, Ulidium Charlesworthii (Melicertina Charlesworthii, Hhrenb. Melicerita Charlesworthii, M. Hdw. An. des Sci. Nat. vol. vi. pl. 12. f. 19). |
Sutton. | | Melicerta has long been used as a genus in the class Crustacea,
Melicertum in Acalepha. Melicerita as stated by Ehrenberg is
not correct. Melicertina is objectionable, as the ma is generally
used for a family termination. I therefore propose the name
Ulidium (odd iStov, a scar), from its close connexion with Eschara.
1. Cellaria fistulosa (Tubularia fistulosa, Linn. Cellaria salicornia, : Lamex. Exp. Méth. des Polyp. p. 5. Farcimia fistulosa, Flem. Brit. An. p. 534). Sutton. | Walton Naze. | Britain. Articulations cylindrical; cells elongato-rhomboidal, immersed ; sides elevated, sharp ; larger opening transversely lunate, unarmed ; smaller opening above transverse, semilunate; surface of cells porous.
The cells occasionally vary in shape upon different articulations of the same specimen, like those represented by Ellis, Coral. pl. 238. D., some being of a subhexahedral form with nearly parallel sides. The lower part of the larger opening (the operculum) is elevated in the centre, projecting outwards ; this in the fossil is occasionally separated into denticulations : the smaller opening above is gene- rally transverse, sometimes lunate, and often orbicular in worn specimens. In those most perfect the smaller opening is a nar- row transverse fissure close to the partition, as may be seen in dead specimens of the recent species, and is probably accidental in all. Fragments of this fossil are abundant, but the articulations are generally separated.
2. — crassa, n.s. Sutton. | Sutton. © |
Articulations ovate ; cells rhomboidal, immersed, plain; sides ele- vated, sharp ; aperture transverse, sublunate.
The cells in some are hexagonal, and the aperture appears as if armed with four teeth, two proceeding from the upper edge pointing downwards, and two from the lower, more obtuse, point- ing upwards; these are probably produced from decomposition : the smaller opening above the mouth varies in shape, being some- times orbicular, sometimes lunate, and is also in all probability accidental.
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. xi. A
18 Mr. 8. V. Wood’s Catalogue of the Zoophytes from the Crag.
Cor. Crag. Red Crag. Recent. 1. Lunulites alveolatus, n. s. Sutton. | Sutton. |
Polypid. cupuliform, convex above, concave beneath, thick; cells radiating in straight lines, open ?, subquadrate ; margin without den- ticulations ; surface beneath striated and porous ?
2. — Owenii, Gray (Spicilegia Zoologica, p. 8. t. 3. £.15). Suttda. | sie ues | Coast of Africa.
Fam. CELLEPORIDA.
1. Cellepora pumicosa, Johnston (Brit. Zooph. p. 278. t. 82. f. 1—3). Sutton. | Sutton. | Britain. Var. a. irregularis. Var. 6. globularis. Var. y. pustulosa. This always envelopes a univalve shell.
Some specimens of irregularis are pierced the entire length, as if originally grown upon the stem of a sea-weed.
2. — cellulosa (Scyphia cellulosa, Goldf. Pet. t.33. f.12).
Sutton. | 3. — ramulosa ? Johnston (Brit. Zooph. p. 274. pl. 32. f. 4). Butson seis, ta Pi | Britain.
4. — coronopus, n. s. Ramsholt. |
Polypid. dichotomously branched; branches subcylindrical, taper- ing, terminations not compressed.
1. Lepralia variolosa, Johnston (Brit. Zooph. p 278. t. 34. f.4).
Sutton. | Walton Nase; | Britain. 2. — ciliata, Johnston (Brit. Zooph. p. 279. t. 34. f. 6). Sudboewmn.. i dissetacianeas | Britain.
The spines are gone, but there are five short tubes (which I presume to be their remains) occupying about two-thirds of the peristome.
3. — puncturata, n.s. Sudbourn. | Sutton. | Polypid. discoidal, radiating ; cells subcylindrical, convex, porous and granular, with generally six rows of punctures; aperture trans- verse, sublunate, bordered and edentate, with an open? ear-like pro- cess on each side of the mouth. On various shells.
4. — umbonella, n.s. Sudbourn. | | Polypid. discoidal, radiating; cells depressed, subtrapezoidal, slightly granular, separated by one row of large oblong perforations, two or three on each facet ; aperture transverse, sublunate ; operculum worn into denticulations ; a prominent umbo below the er Ona Terebratula.
Mr. S. V. Wood’s Catalogue of the Zoophytes from the Crag. 19
Cor, Crag. ed Crag. Recent.
5. Lepralia abstersa, n. s. | Walton Naze. |
Polypid. ramose ; cells elongato-ovate, ventricose, smooth ; aper- ture subterminal, subcircular, depressed. One specimen on a Pholas.
6. — catena, n.s. Sutton. | | Polypid. cateniform ; cells ovate, costated ; coste five, lateral one terminal ; aperture suborbicular, armed ; three teeth? One specimen on an oyster.
7. — geniculata, n. s. Sutton. { Walton. | Mediterran. Polypid. discoidal, radiating; cells ovate, slightly granular, obtusely costated, lines of punctures between the costz radiating; aperture semiovate, bordered, armed with five denticulations. On various shells.
The denticulations have disappeared, leaving so many short tubes. This is identical with a recent species brought from the Mediterranean by Mr. E. Forbes.
8. — pyriformis, n.s. Sudbourn. | Polypid, radiating ; cells elliptical at the upper part, or rather pear- shaped; aperture transverse, semiovate, unarmed. On a Terebratula.
9, — mammillata (Cellepora mammillata, De Blainv. Man. d’ Actinol. p- 444). Sutton. | |
Polypid. adnate; cells subconical, rugose; aperture terminal, sub- orbicular ; peritreme thickened and armed with five long and sharp spines, occupying three-fourths of the anterior portion, one obtuse spine at the posterior part; base of the cell punctured.
On various shells and pebbles. Named by De Blainville but not described.
10. — unicornis? Johnston MS. (Lepralia coccinea, Johnston, Brit. Zooph. p. 278. pl. 34. f. 1—8, bad). Bteon Pe ss | Britain.
The aperture of this has vestiges of spines.
The ovarian capsule above the aperture, observable in many specimens of this genus, will occasionally alter the shape of the aperture, and is itself sometimes worn into an opening.
1. Catenaria dentata, n. s. | Walton Naze. | Cells slender, ovato-lanceolate ; aperture oval, margin dentate. Specimen attached to a Pholas. It is dichotomously and divari-
C2
20 Mr.8. V. Wood’s Catalogue of the Zoophytes from the Crag.
cately branched, emitting a cell sometimes from both sides, at others. only from one; it somewhat resembles Hippothoa lanceolata, Gray, ‘Zool. Mise.’ 35, but differs in having the margin of its aperture armed with eight or nine long denticulations curving inwards. When magnified, the surface of the cells appears finely granulated.
Cor. Crag. Red Crag. Recent. ]. Flustra distans, Johnston (Flustra Peachii, Couch, Cat. of Zooph. of Cornwall). | Sutton. | Britain.
Identified by Dr. Johnston.
2. — membranacea, Johnston (Brit. Zooph. p. 287. t. 37. f. 1—3). Sutton. | Sutton. | Britain. This is generally found with the cells open and nothing but the partition-walls remaining. Specimens from the coralline crag are however occasionally met with quite perfect, showing the form of the mouth and with the obtuse spmes at the corner of the cells.
3. — coriacea, Esper. Sudbourn. | | Identified by Dr. Johnston. . 4, — trifolium, n. s.
Sutton.
Polypid. adnate, discoidal, radiating ; cells ed hexagonal ; surface rugose; centre depressed; aperture irregularly tripartite, unarmed.
On various shells.
5. — holostoma, n. s. Sutton. |
Polypid. adnate ; cells radiating, irregular, bordered; centre de- pressed ; surface rugose ; aperture subcircular, unarmed.
The cells in form somewhat resemble those of F. flabelliformis, Lamx., ‘ Expos. Méth.’ p. 113. pl. 76. f. 11—13, but it is an en- crusting coral, and the interior of the cells are not parallelograms, and the aperture not so central. On various shells.
These last two are probably altered forms.
1, Membranipora pilosa? Auct. (Johnston, Brit. Zooph. p.280. pl. 34. f. 10—12). | Sutton. | Britain.
The perforation through the hollow base is visible, but there are no denticles remaining, and as such I consider it a doubtful identification.
2. — membranacea, Johnston MS. (Flustra tuberculata, Johnston,
Brit. Zooph. t.34. £.9. Flustra membranacea, Miiller, Zool. Dan. Flustra unicornis, Flem. Brit. An. p. 536).
Button. | YG AGs is . | Britain.
Mr. G. Newport on the existence of Branchie in Pteronarcys. 21
Fam. OrsiruLiTipaz. 1. Orbitulites coscinodiscus, n. s. Sutton. Polypid. discoidal, smooth, flat; cells concentric, linear, and radi- ating in straight lines. The cells differ in form and arrangement from those of Orb. complanata. : Ord. Carnosa. Fam. ALCYONIDIADZ.
Cor. Crag. ted Crag. Recent. 1. Alcyonidium circumvestiens, n. s. Sutton. | Sutton.
Polypid. enveloping univalve shells, surface papilliform and rugose. This covering attains a thickness of more than half an inch, and can be partially removed in layers; im some instances the univalve is entirely absorbed. Not restricted to one species of shell.
Class AMORPHOZOA. 1. Grantia compressa, Johnston (Brit. Sponges, p. 174. pl. 20. f. 1). | Walton Naze. | Britain. Three very minute specimens, found by Dr. Johnston adhering to the interior of a shell.
Class LITHOPHYTA. 1. Nullipora. Sutton. | |
IV.—On the existence of Branchie in the perfect state of a Neu- ropterous Insect, Pteronarcys regalis, Newm., and other species of the same genus. By Grorce Newport, Pres. Ent. Soc. &c.*
Havine been favoured by Mr. Barnstone with a specimen of that magnificent Neuropterous insect, Pteronarcys regalis, cap- tured by himself in the high latitude of 54° on the Albany river, North Americat, and preserved in spirit, I have been agreeably surprised at finding in the perfect state of this species a series of thoracic branchie, a condition of the external respiratory organs that is usually met with only in the preparatory larva and pupa states of insects. The persistence of external branchiz in a winged insect, fitted in every other way for flight in the open atmosphere, like other species of the order to which it belongs, is an anomaly that requires a close attention to its habits to explain. This is the only genus, so far as ] am aware, in which the branchial form of the respiratory organs, so common in the larva and pupa of the
* Read at the meeting of the Entomological Society, December 4, 1843.
+ It was brought by Mr. Barnstone with a large collection of Canadian insects which he had recently captured, and has since presented to the Bri- tish Museum. ‘
22 Mr. G. Newport on the existence of Branchia in Pteronarcys.
Neuroptera, is retained in the perfect state. On first observing these organs, in the specimen received from Mr. Barnstone, I was disposed to regard them only as an accidental occurrence ; but I have subsequently detected the remains of them in every dried specimen I have had an opportunity of examining ; and also in the pupa of the same species, in which, however, they are somewhat more developed. They are of the tufted or filamentous form of branchie. They consist of eight pairs of branchial sacs, from the exterior of which proceed numerous elongated, setose filaments, which together form a thick tuft on each sac. These branchiz are situated, as described by Pictet in the larva state of Nemoura cinerea, Pictet, over the proper spiracular orifices or entrances to the great longitudinal tracheze of the body, at the inferior lateral parts of the thorax and basilar segments of the abdomen. The: first pair of sacs is in the tegument of the neck, between the head and prosternum ; the second and third pairs, each of which is composed of two tufts, between the prosternum and mesoster- num, behind the coxee of the first pair of legs ; the fourth and fifth between the mesosternum and metasternum, behind the coxee of the second pair of legs; and the sixth pair behind those of the third pair of legs, at the junction of the thorax with the abdomen. The seventh and eighth pairs, formed each of single tufts, are at- tached more laterally, the seventh to the first, and the eighth to the second basilar segments of the abdomen. These latter branchie correspond in situation in the segments to that of some apparently closed or obsolete spiracles at the sides of the succeed- ing segments. The situation of the branchiz themselves is thus as anomalous as their existence in the perfect insect. In most instances branchie are arranged along the sides of the abdominal segments of the larva, and are often employed to assist in loco- motion ; but they cannot be of use for this purpose in the larvee and pupe of these Perlide which move by means of large and powerful limbs. In Pteronarcys the two posterior pairs of legs of the pupa have the tibize densely ciliated, for swimming, like those of the Dyticide, so that the delicate filamentose branchiz can afford little, if any, assistance in this function. The struc- ’ ture of the filaments themselves differs also from that of the fila- mentose branchiz of the Szalide, in which these organs are said to be quadri- or quinque-articulated, and are employed as organs of locomotion. In Pteronarcys they are simple unarticulated filaments. ach filament is soft, delicate and gradually tapered from its base to its extremity, and ends in a slightly obtuse point. Internally each filament is traversed longitudinally by a tracheal vessel, which becomes, like the filament itself, more and more slender, and at last divides into two branches, which may be traced to the extremity of the filament ; but I have not been able
Mr. G. Newport on the existence of Branchie in Pteronarcys. 23
to discover any orifice in the extremity of the filament itself, nor any direct communication whatever between the external surface and the ramifications of these trachez, and I doubt much whether any such direct communication exists.
M. Pictet has found that branchie are attached to the thorax of the larva in all the species of Perla excepting P. virescens and P. nigra, which circumstance seems to indicate some difference in the habits of these species. Now a like difference exists between the pupa of Pteronarcys regalis and that of Perla abnormis, Newm., which latter insect has not these branchie ; and Mr. Barnstone, who has most assiduously observed the habits of these species, in- forms me that he found the first living constantly in the water at the bottom of streams, but the latter was always hidden in clefts of water-logged timber, the trunks of trees and other places on the banks, and that he has usually found the cast-off exuviee of the pupa “under stones along the banks of rivers.” This dif- ference in the habits of the pupze leads to further inquiry in re- gard to those of the perfect sects. P. regalis he states is a noc- turnal species, being mostly found hidden by day under stones or in damp places, and coming abroad on the wing only at night- fall. Has this habit any reference to the persistence of the branchiz, and the mode in which the aération of the fluids is ef- fected ? or are these persistent branchiz merely accidentally re- tained organs, the functions of aération being performed by other means? The existence of three pairs-of orifices on the sternal surface of the thorax seems at first to favour this latter conclu- sion ; but it yet remains to be shown that these orifices have any communication with the trachese, since they are placed in the middle of the sternal portion of each of the segments, between the coxze, situations in which spiracles do not usually exist. This question, therefore, I leave for the present for closer anatomical investigation.
In regard to the function of aération being performed by these branchize in the perfect insect, I may remark, that it is of little consequence to the preservation of animal life whether aération of the fluids of the body be effected directly, by means of air received znto the body in lungs, or in spiracles and trachee, or indirectly, by means of water or vapour, that holds air intermixed with it, through the agency of external branchial organs, in which case the air is brought into contact with the fluids through the sur- face of these organs in water equally well as in the open atmo- sphere, when air is taken into the body through the spiracles. The function of branchix, or aquatic organs, is equally well per- formed in the open air as in water, so long as the air is charged with a sufficiency of fluid to preserve these organs in a healthy state.
Some circumstances connected with the respiration of larve
24 Mr. G. Newport on the existence of Branchie in Pteronarcys.
distinctly show this to be the case, and also have reference to the apparently anomalous persistence of branchie as respiratory or- gans in Pteronarcys. Mr. Westwood in his ‘ Modern Classi- fication of Insects*’ has quoted, as a remarkable circumstance connected with the respiration of the Sialide, an observation made by M. Pictet, “that one of these larvee lived fifteen days in the earth before it changed to the pupa, being,” he remarks, “ the only instance of an insect furnished with external respiratory or- gans respiring the ordinary atmospheric air.” I cannot perceive, however, what our worthy friend, or M. Pictet, from whom he quotes the fact, has discovered so exceedingly wonderful in this circumstance. There is nothing more remarkable in this fact, than in that of the common caterpillar of the Sphinx remaining unchanged in its cell in moist earth for many days before it enters the pupa state. The truth is, that as the period of change approaches, the respiration of the larva is reduced to its minimum, and is almost entirely suspended ; consequently the medium in which the insect is placed, whether it be water, or air saturated with that fluid, as it necessarily must be in a cell of moist earth, is as well fitted for branchial respiration as water itself. That the functions of branchize are fulfilled under these circumstances, I need but, in proof, direct attention to the known fact that Crustacea will continue to respire in the open air for an indefinite length of time, so long as their branchie are kept moist by fluid retained beneath the folds of the thorax. In closing these re- marks I again refer to the question, have the habits of Ptero- narcys any reference to the branchial structures in the perfect insect ? My own opinion inclines strongly to the affirmative. The Pteronarcys shun the open day, during which they remain - secluded beneath stones or in damp places, where the air is charged with moisture. They come abroad at night, and are con- stantly in the neighbourhood of streams and rivers, in which lo- calities also the air is saturated with moisture. Under either of these circumstances the branchize may be sufficient for all the purposes of aération.
I may also further observe, that branchize appear to be a well- marked generic character of these insects, although hitherto over- looked. In the dried specimens they become shrivelled, and are almost lost ; but I have had the satisfaction of detecting the re- mains of them in the original specimens described by Mr. New- man, and now in the collection of the Entomological Club. They are in so shrivelled a condition as to have been easily overlooked ; and would not, probably, have at all been recognised were they not first seen in this recent and well-preserved specimen in spirit +.
* Vol. ii. p. 50, note.
+ The specimen preserved by Mr. Barnstone in spirit was exhibited at the meeting.
Rev. T. Salwey’s List of Lichens in Wales. 25
The species in which these branchie exist in the perfect state are Pteronarcys regalis, P. biloba, P. proteus, and also in an unde- scribed species brought by Mr. Doubleday from New York, and
now in the same collection.
V.—A List of Lichens gathered in different parts of Wales, prin- cipally in the neighbourhood of Barmouth, with a few casual ob- servations upon some of the species. By the Rev. T, Satwey.
‘Tux species common everywhere are omitted, unless marked by some peculiarity of growth. All the habitats, except where it is otherwise specified, are in the neighbourhood of Barmouth.
Beomyces roseus. Hill above the half-way-house between Barmouth and Dolgelley.
rufus. Walls and rocks. I have gathered this so finely
developed upon decayed turf as to look like a different plant.
placophyllus. Rocks above Corwen : this habitat was first pointed out to me by Mr. Borrer ; top of Snowdon, and in fruit at the top of Cader Idris, Mr. Ralfs. anomalus. On rocks at Crafnant near Llanbedr, and above Gwastad-annos ; on a rock below the Tannery, Mr. Ralfs.
Calicium. I have only met hitherto with a few of the common spe- cies of this genus in Wales.
Opegrapha saxatilis. Not uncommon on mortar and hard sandstone : on an old building at Llanaber by the side of the turnpike-road. dendritica. On old trees at Cors-y-gedol. Two or three curious varieties of this occur upon trees at Holyland near Pem-
broke.
Verrucaria leucocephala. On old oaks at Wyunstay.
levata. In the stream at Cors-y-gedol and below Cwm Bychan.
maura. Upon stones on the shore at Barmouth, princi- pally on the south side of the ferry, and on rocks upon the Mowddach.
erysiboda. Arddog.
viridula. Ona rock below the Tannery, Mr. Ralfs.
muralis. On old mortar. Pont Ysgethin, Pont Fadog, &c.
Endocarpon miniatum, with its varieties : common.
leptophyllum. Llyn Bodlyn, Llyn Howel, &c.
pulchellum. Common: Ty Gwyn, &c.
lete-virens. Common on the tops of the hills.
smaragdulum. Common on walls; on the wall near the
third milestone on Dolgelley-road, and above Aber-Artro.
-—— sinopicum. Abundant in several places on the rocks by the side of the turnpike-road between Barmouth and Dolgelley ; Bod Owen, Borthwnog, &c.
Pertusaria ceuthocarpa. Rocks and walls; above the Harlech turn- pike at Barmouth. .
26 Rey. T. Salwey’s List of Lichens in Wales.
Pertusaria crassa. Upon an old tree at 'y Gwyn; on an old ivy-tree in Cheriton churchyard, Pembrokeshire.
Thelotrema lepadinum. In great perfection upon old trees at Cors-y- gedol. It grows also upon rocks at Llyn Bodlyn, the only instance I know of its growing upon stone.
melaleucum. Upon trees at Holyland near Pembroke.
Lepraria Iolithus*. Very finely upon stones about Cors-y-gedol.
Variolaria lactea. In great perfection about Barmouth.
terricola. Cwm Bychan, Pont Fadog, &c.
Urceolaria Acharit. This usually grows upon stones occasionally sub- merged, as in rivulets and at the edge of lakes; but I once found a very beautiful specimen upon a wall in a very high and dry situation, so finely developed in all its parts, that I could for some time scarcely persuade myself it was not a new lichen.
Lecidea atrata. Craig Drwg: very scarce.
— atro-alba. Rocks at Llyn Bodlyn.
Susco-atra. Rocks about Barmouth.
— cechumena, [3 athrocarpa. Rocks behind the Union-house at
Corwen.
a leeiien \ Common.
confluens.
lapicida. Rocks above Gwastad-annos and Llyn Bodlyn.
prominula. Rocks about Barmouth.
parasema (not eleochroma, with which it has been con-
founded). Upon beech-trees near the House at Crafnant, Cors-y-
gedol, &c.
— sanguinaria. Uponrocks and old gate-posts : not uncommon.
— viridi-atra. Walls and rocks: an obscure and puzzling
lichen.
- geographica.
silacea.
CEdert.
flavo-virescens. I once found Gideri in a remarkably high state of development upon
a mass of stone, which, upon breaking it, was found to be principally
copper ore, to which circumstance undoubtedly the alteration of the
plant was owing.
scabrosa. Not uncommon, but seldom found in a good state:
Aberhamfrac, &c.
uliginosa. On the road-mud thrown on the top of the wall
Common.
* T have inserted a species of the genus Lepraria because British authors have hitherto, as far as [ am aware, agreed in retaining this genus. I should be glad however to see not only this genus, but also Variolaria, which is almost equally unsatisfactory, rejected altogether from an Enumeratio Li- echenum. Whether Fries is right in considering them as the decaying re- mains of more perfect Lichens, or other authors as the commencement of Lichens which require only more favourable circumstances to become more fully developed, I will not venture to decide, though my own opinion leans to the latter view of the question. The genus /sidium is perhaps equally unsatisfactory and ought also to be rejected.
Rev. T. Salwey’s List of Lichens in Wales. 27
oetween Aberhamfrac and the cut through the rock by the first milestone. : Lecidea simpler. Not uncommon: Pont Fadog, &c. rivulosa. Very common. albo-atra. A very variable lichen. Lightfootii. On birch-trees at Rhaidr-Da. pulverea. Cwm Bychan, Hendreforion, Ty Gwyn, Cae Pellaf, &c. This is decidedly different from incana. The apothecia are invariably black and of a bright horny substance, which swells re- markably in wet weather. incana. In fruit at Crafnant and elsewhere. sulphurea. Common. expallens. In fruit upon a rock at Gelli Rhad.
—— coronata. Common.
pezizoides. Woods at Crafnant.
cornea. Upon oaks at Wyunstay. — ferruginea. Common upon stones and trees: a very variable plant.
icmadophila. Very finely and in great abundance on the
western slope of the Rhinog Vawr.
— microphylla. In fruit at Crafnant, Hendreforion, Cae Pel-
laf, &c.
marmorea. Common.
polytropa. \ Not uncommon upon walls in very high situa-
—~—— intricata. tions. I am not quite satisfied that these are
not different states of the same plant.
— caneseens. Common in fruit about Llanaber, Llandewi, &c. ;
very finely so in the lane leading down from Llandewi church to
the sands.
— lucida. Common, but rare in fruit.
——— macula. Common about Barmouth.
——— fuliginosa. Not uncommon: very fine above Gelli Rhad.
——— geomea. Llyn Howel: very scarce.
coniops.. Aber-T'y-Gwyn.
stellulata. On stones on the shore at Barmouth, and upon a
wall inside the sand-banks. ;
— Salwett. Common on the hills about Barmouth, but rare in fruit: in fruit at Gelli Rhaid, Drws-y-nant, and on the Breiddin hills, Montgomeryshire.
Lecanora exigua. Aber-Ty-Gwyn.
cvarctata.. A lichen, which my friend Mr. Borrer has referred
to this, grows upon a rock below the Harlech turnpike at Bar-
mouth, and upon the wall between Borthwen and Aberhamfrac.
The shields, which are about the size of those of atra or glaucoma,
are, both in a wet and dry state, of a pale diluted red without any
border. In wet weather they attract the eye at some distance. I
should be inclined to consider this plant at least, if not the normal
state of coarctata, as a Lecidea. It is so remarkably unlike any
other state of coarctata, that, familiar as I am with the Protzan
character of many of the Lichens, I confess that I can scarcely
28 Rev. T. Salwey’s List of Lichens in Wales.
persuade myself that the plant i in guivetion is the Lecanora coarc- tata of ‘ Eng. Bot.’ Lecanora squamulosa. Walls about Barmouth : not common. — glaucoma. Common: an extremely variable lichen. ——-— thelostoma. Llyn Bodlyn. ventosu. Common. Hematomma. Common. A singular variety of this lichen grows upon the rocks above Barmouth ; the shields are raised upon podetia-like elevations of the crust, giving the plant the appear- ance of a minute Scyphophorus. — Turneri. On trees at Hendreforion, &c. Perhaps not di- stinct from tartarea. atro-rufa. On the top of Rhinog Fach. ———. muscorum. Dolwraiggiog, Rhinog Fach, &c. elegans. Aber-Ty-Gwyn, &c. Sulgens. On rocks at Lydstep and Stackpole Court, in Pem- brokeshire. albo-flavida. Common, but barren, on rocks about Barmouth. gelida. Common, but not with apothecia. Parmelia globulifera. In great perfection in the woods, particularly about Cors-y-gedol. caperata. Ditto; but not common in fruit. ——— conspersa. Common. scortea. Scarce about Barmouth; Cader Idris, Mr. Ralfs ; upon trees in the grounds at Holyland near Pembroke. Borreri. Not common: in fruit near Cors-y-gedol ; frequent in Pembrokeshire, but barren. saxatilis. omphalodes. proboscidea. Common upon old walls about Barmouth, but rarely met with in fruit. I have gathered however very fine spe- cimens in that state at Gelli Rhdid, Drwys-y-nant, and upon the walls of the turnpike-road between Dolgelley and Friog. perlata. Common, but rare in fruit. Beautiful specimens in that state are however occasionally met with. — levigata. Rare in fruit. sulcata. Not uncommon. reticulata. On trees at Nannau, first discovered there by Mr. Ralfs. herbacea. Grows very finely in the avenue at Cors-y-gedol. — erosa. On walls and old buildings about Barmouth ; in fruit on an old building at Llanaber: first pointed out to me there as distinct from stellaris by my friend the Rev. John Gisborne of Derbyshire. lanuginosa. Common, but always barren. — Clementi. On an old stone building at Llanaber, discovered there by Mr. Borrer.
cesia. : Common. affinis.
——_—— conoplea. Not uncommon. From long acquaintance with
\ Very common.
Rev. T. Salwey’s List of Lichens in Wales. 29
this plant, I am inclined to think with Acharius that it is distinct from affinis, though not allowed to be so by British authors.
Parmelia speciosa. On stones at Llyn Bodlyn: first discovered in the neighbourhood of Barmouth by my friend Mr. Ralfs, who found one or two specimens on the rocks above the town.
incurva. Not very common: lane between Glan Mowddach
and Bodowen, Moelfre, &c.
Fahlunensis. Rocks above Llyn Cae on Cader Idris, pointed
out to me by Mr. Ralfs.
aquila. Common on the rocks near the sea.
plumbea, Common on trees and rocks. A singular variety
of this plant (the y plumbea of Taylor) grows upon the North
Rocks at Tenby, where it hangs in large loose thin masses, slightly
attached only here and there at the edges.
— aleurites. A variety of this plant, having the same relation
to its normal state that the var. y plumbea has to the normal state
of that species, is found upon an isolated mass of rock in the meadow above Dolwraiggiog leading up to Cwm Bychan. ambigua. In fruit in the woods at Crafnant, also in that state upon pales in the park at Powis Castle in Montgomeryshire. sinuosa. Upon stones in the higher hills about Barmouth, but not in fruit; on birch-trees at Rhaidr-Diu.
physodes. In fruit in Cwm Bychan.
diatrypa. Common, but barren. A single specimen in fruit
was found by Mr. Ralfs in 1839 upon the rocks above the Tan-
nery.
— isidioides. Upon trees at Crafnant, 1835; on a single tree
near Tyn-y-Groes, Mr. Ralfs.
cartilaginea, Swartz. On a single mass of rock in Llyn Bodlyn.
Sticta pulmonaria. Common. I have found this plant with all the shields quite black, both old and young. It is not uncommon in this and other species for the shields to turn black with age, but in the case alluded to the young shields were perfectly black as well as the old ones.
scrobiculata. Common, but not usually in fruit.
—— limbata. Common, but always barren.
fuliginosa. Common. It is occasionally met with in fruit, as
by myself upon walls and rocks in damp situations in the woods
at Garth, and in similar situations at Capel-curig and Bettws-y-
Coed, and by Mr. Ralfs in the lane leading up from the Towyn
turnpike-road to the top of Cader Idris.
sylvatica. Common, but always barren. There is a Sticta (al- lied to sylvatica?) in a wood between Arddog and Ynysfaig co- vered with blue mealy soridiz. It is perhaps a distinct species intermediate between sylvatica and scrobiculata.
Collema nigrum. Not common, being principally confined to lime- stone rocks.
— cristatum. On the wall opposite the stables at the Cors-y-
gedol Arms.
30 Rev. T. Salwey’s List of Lichens in Wales.
Collema Burgessii. Woods about Barmouth and Dolgelley, Garth,
Crafnant, &c. nigrescens. Common, but usually barren ; very finely in fruit
upon trees at Stackpole Court in Pembrokeshire.
There is a large spreading foliaceous Collema, of a looser habit and of adull tawny green colour, found not uncommonly in the woods in Wales, and has been gathered also by Mr. Borrer in Sussex. Dr. Taylor refers it to nigrescens, but it is very different from the usual state of that plant. flaccidum. Common upon wet rocks and trees, but barren. crispum. Common. dermatinum. On limestone rocks at Stackpole Court, Pem- brokeshire. tremelloides. On wet rocks above the Tannery, and above the Harlech turnpike-gate at Barmouth, but not in fruit. 3 lacerum. In fruit at Garth Issa. myriococcum. I have a single specimen of this plant ga- thered on the limestone rocks at Lydstep in Pembrokeshire. velutinum, Ach. Occasionally met with on trees. Dr. Taylor refers this to nigrum. ceranoides. Rocks at Tenby and Lydstep, Pembrokeshire. muscicola. Common, but not in fruit.
Solorina saccata. Clogwyn-y-Garnedd, Snowdon. Peltidea venosa. By the side of a brook on the Glyder Vawr, Mr. Ralfs.
I consider this as distinct from spuria. scutata. In fruit at Cors-y-gedol, &c. horizontalis. Not uncommon. aphthosa. Very finely amongst the stones by the borders of lakes, as Llyn Bodlyn, &c. spuria. Ynysfaig.
It is stated by Hooker in the ‘ Eng. FI.’ that rufescens scarcely differs except in hue from spuria, whilst he says of this (spuria) that it appears as distinct as any. Acharius, who in his ‘ Lich. Un.’ had made spuria a variety of canina, has in his ‘ Syn.’ united these two. Dr. Taylor, a high authority on such points, has done the same; and I am inclined to agree with them that spuria is only a starved and diminutive state of canina; but I cannot persuade myself that rufes- cens and canina are the same. Dillenius (103. xxvii. p. 203, Edinb. ed. 1811) makes rufescens to differ from canina, principally in the following particulars :—
Ist. In the thallus being somewhat thicker, more rigid and smaller ; in being'divided into narrower and deeper segments ; and in the mar- gins being inflexed, sinuated and crisp.
2ndly. In the colour, which in rufescens is darker, and when dry is reddish.
3rdly. In the under part of the thallus being more villous, and with blacker, shorter and more curled roots. Dillenius speaks of ru- fescens also as being more common than canina, which corresponds also with my own experience.
Gyrophora polyphylla. Common.
Rev. T. Salwey’s List of Lichens in Wales. 31
Gyrophora erosa. Hills above Barmouth ; hill to the left of Bwlch-y- lan above Cell-fawr. cylindrica. Not uncommon on the higher hills. murina. \ have a single specimen of this plant gathered (I believe upon the Glyder) in 1824, but neither I nor my friends Messrs. Borrer and Ralfs, who have since looked for it there, have been able again to find it. My plant is identical with a French specimen of Persoon’s given me by Mr. Borrer, except that the French plant is not quite so coarsely granulated on the upper sur- face. pellita. Hills above Barmouth ; hill to the left of Bwlch-y- llan above Cell-fawr ; Craig Drwg. pustulata. Not uncommon: usually grows on flat sloping rocks which are occasionally wet. Cetraria sepincola. Not uncommon. glauca. Common. Borrella ciliaris. tenella. Grows very beautiful in many places. furfuracea. On trees at Nannau. flavicans. Common on the rocks above Barmouth : grows in the greatest luxuriance, clothing the stems of the trees in large patches at Llawrenny in Pembrokeshire. Evernia prunastri. In fruit at Cae Pellaf. Ramalina frazxinea, fastigiata, scopulorum and farinacea. Usnea florida. plicata. Grows occasionally a foot or more long in some of the woods. barbata. Woods at Bettws-y-Coed, Carnarvonshire. Alcetoria jubata. Common. Cornicularia tristis, Rhinog Vawr, Rhinog Fach, &c. aculeata. Amongst stones on the high hills, Bwlch-y- Rhiwgur, &c. lanata. Cader Idris. Tsidium inne (ha elaaes: coccodes. Westringit. On walls: Gor-llwyn, Gwastad-annos, &c. microsticticum. On walls and rocks. paradozum. In great beauty about Barmouth. corallinum. Common. Spherophoron coralloides. } C ommon.
\ Common.
compressum. Stereocaulon paschale. Common. botryosum. Llyn Howel, Llyn Bodlyn, &c. cereolus. Cader Idris ; on the wall leading up from Hen- dreforion to Moel Diffws ; Llyn Gwernon, Mr. Ralfs. Cenomyce vermicularis, Cader Idris. uncialis. rangeferina. pungens. Sureata.
32 Mr. H. E. Strickland’s Notes on Mr. Blyth’s
Cenomyce cespititia. Not common. sparassa. Common. alcicornis. I join these two together, as I confess my- endiviefolia. { self unable to distinguish them ;-the tufts of hair at the edges of the frond (the main difference depended on) appear to me not sufficient to keep them distinct. In a specimen of alcicornis, which I have from the Unio Itineraria of Strasbourg, and which, according to the character of the plant, ought to have marginal tufts of hairs, I can distinguish none. If the true al- cicornis always has tufts of hairs, I have never gathered it. ‘The plant without them, and which I suppose therefore would be called endiviefolia, is not common about Barmouth, though occasionally met with. It grows in great beauty upon the rocks at Lydstep in Pembrokeshire, but rare in fruit. cervicornis. I never met with this in so beautiful a state as at Llyn Howel. pyzidata. Common. verticillata. Scarce: rocks to the south of Gwastad-
annos.
fimbriata. Not common.
radiata. Rhinog Fach.
cornuta.
gracilis.
——_——_—— filiformis.
deformis. Not common.
coccifera.
bellidiflora. Moel Diffws. Pycnothelia papillaria. Scarce: Gelli Rhid.
pre
VI.—WNotes on Mr. Blyth’s List of Birds from the vicinity of Calcutta. By H. E. Srrickuann, M.A. |
Tue ‘Annals of Natural History’ have seldom contained orni- thological papers of greater value than that by Mr. E. Blyth in the Nos. for August and September of the present year. While ob- servations on the habits of the commonest British birds have been published and republished till the subject is quite exhausted, we are wholly ignorant of the food, habits, nidification and anatomy of the majority of foreign species. The zoological treasures of India have been till within the last ten years most unaccountably neglected, and in many cases our knowledge on the subject was worse than none, it was incomplete and inaccurate. A better day has now dawned; British officers in India have discovered that by studying the wonders of tropical nature they may get through the day more pleasantly than by indulging in indolence, and consequently the natural history of that country will ere long be as thoroughly investigated as that of the British Isles.
The appointment of a well-qualified zoologist like Mr. Blyth,
List of Birds from the vicinity of Calcutta. 33
versed in the literature of zoology and a good observer of facts, to the curatorship of the Asiatic Society’s Museum at Calcutta, has been a fortunate event for Indian natural history. Much had indeed been effected by the labours of Franklin, Sykes, Jerdon, Elliot, Hodgson and others, but their observations were in many cases unreduced, and we look to Mr. Blyth to correct their syno- nymy and to incorporate their facts into the exact systems of modern zoology.
In India, however, the best zoologists lie under a disadvantage from the want of scientific works, while their fellow-labourers at home are equally inconvenienced by the scarcity of authenticated specimens from India, so that many doubts arise in connexion with the identification of species. In order to the clearing up of some of these, I subjoin such remarks and queries as have oc- curred to me in perusing Mr. Blyth’s paper, and shall feel grate-. ful to him or any other zoologist who can throw light upon them.
No. 1 of Mr. Blyth’s list (Annals, vol. xii. p. 90) for alewandrinus read alexandri.
3. Paleornis bengalensis ; the earliest legitimate name for this is P. cyanocephalus (Lin.).
6. Does Mr. Blyth here imply that the Hobby of Bengal is really the Falco subbuteo (and not F. aldrovandi, as he supposed in Journ. As. Soc. Beng. vol. xi. p. 161), or does F’. aldrovandi also inhabit Bengal? :
In the Journ. As. Soc. Beng. vol. xi. p. 789, Mr. Blyth says that the Falco bengalensis, Briss., of India is distinct from the so-called Hierax (it should not be written Jerax) cerulescens of Java and the Malay countries. If this be so, the Indian bird is the true Falco cerulescens of Linnzus (founded on Edwards, pl. 108), and the Ma- lay species might be called Hierax malayensis. An exact description of the Indian bird is desirable, as most of the specimens in our mu- seums are Malayan.
9. The ‘‘ Astur”’ dussumieri, as well as the Australian A. approzi- mans and A. cruentus, belong unquestionably to Accipiter and not to Astur, as is evident on comparing them with the types of these two genera. I consider A. dussumieri to be the Falco badius, Gm. (Brown, Ill. Zool. pl. 3), and the latter specific name should therefore be used.
16. Spizaétus niveus belongs to the genus Limnaétus, Vig. The true Spizaétus of Vieillot is an American genus.
(The Spizaétus albogularis, Plyth, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. vol. xi. p. 456, is the Astur kieneri, Geoff. St. Hilaire in ‘Magazin de Zoologie,’ ser. 1. pl.35. It will now stand as Limnaétus kieneri (Geoff.).)
23. “* Hyptiopus, Hodgson (olim Baza, Hodgson).” Mr. Hodg- son having defined and published a number of new genera with La- tinized Indian names attached, was afterwards led to disapprove of these names and to substitute words of classical origin in their place. I must venture to remark upon this point that such a change was quite unnecessary, and it would have been far better not to have
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. xiii.
34 Mr. H. E. Strickland’s Notes on Mr. Blyth’s
made it. It is true that in the first instance it would have been pre- ferable to have given classical instead of barbarous names to these ge- nera, but the latter having been first published to the world, they must, according to the principles of zoological nomenclature now generally adopted by European naturalists, be permanently retained, and the improved classical names must sink into synonyms. (See Report of British Association on Zoological Nomenclature, Rule 1, and Recom- mendation A.) I trust therefore that the zoologists of India will, for the sake of uniformity with their European brethren, employ the first set of names proposed by Mr. Hodgson in preference to the second.
25. Vultur leuconotus ; this I presume to be the same as V. indi- cus of Temminck (Pl. Col. 26) and Col. Sykes. T'wo other Indian vultures are recorded, viz. 1. V. bengalensis of Gmelin, Latham and Sykes, and 2. V. indicus, Lath. (nec Tem. ?), figured in Sonnerat’s Voy. Ind. vol. ii. pl. 105, and said by Temminck to be the young of V. kolbi. Does Mr. Blyth recognise these two as distinct from V. leuconotus ?
32. Is the Upupa minor of India identical with that from the Cape? The latter exhibits two states of plumage, viz. 1. with back, belly and vent deep rufous, and two-thirds of the secondaries from the base pure white; 2. back and belly dusky rufous, vent white, and the white portion of the secondaries divided across by two black bars. This last is said by Lichtenstein and Wagler to be the young of the other. Do the Indian specimens present both these states of plu- mage?
33. Merops indicus should be called M. viridis, Lin.
38. The species described as allied to Halcyon smyrnensis is the H. gularis (Kuhl) (H. ruficollis, Sw. A. melanoptera, Tem.) described by Brisson as inhabiting Madagascar and the Gambia, but both these habitats are probably erroneous, as specimens were brought by Mr. Cuming from the Philippine Islands.
39. The “ Ceryle rudis’” of India is I believe distinct from the true rudis of Europe and Africa, to which Jspida bicincta, Sw., is now re- ferred. (See Ann. Nat. Hist. vol. vi. p. 418, vol. xii. p. 220, where I have proposed the name C, varia for the Indian species.)
42. Bucco viridis of Gmelin (“64 inches long”) cannot be the B. caniceps, Frankl. (‘10 inches long.”’)
43. Is not Picus strictus the same as P. goensis, Gm. (P. peralai- mus, Wag.) and P. guttacristatus, 'Tickell ?
44. Is not Picus bengalensis the same as P. aurantius, Lin. ?
52. For Cuculus niger, Latham, read C. niger, Lin. (C. orientalis, y, Lath.) The bird so designated by Mr. Blyth (which is the C. tenuirostris, Gray, and C. flavus, Jerdon,) cannot however be the true C. niger of Linnzus, which is described as entirely glossy black, the beak orange, with its margin undulated. If it were not that the latter species is said to be only 9 inches long, I should suppose that it referred to Hudynamys orientalis.
53. Oxylophus edoliusshould be denominated O. serratus (Sparrm.).
55. There is so much confusion among the oriental species of Centropus, that Mr. Blyth would do a service by sending a descrip-
List of Birds from the vicinity of Calcutta. 35
tion, with measurements, of the species which he intends by C. phi- lippensis. Is it the same as the C. bubutus, Horsf.; the C. castaneus, Buchanan; the C. pyrrhopterus, Jerdon; and the C. castanopterus, Pearson? N.B. He may have already settled these points in his monograph in Journ. As. Soc. Beng. No. 46, which I have not yet seen. :
56, 57, 58. Are all these typical Caprimulgi?
61. Corvus macrorhynchus of Wagler, from New Guinea, Java and Sumatra, is described as 21 inches long, and therefore cannot be the Indian C. culminatus, which is only 14 inches long.
62. What are the ordinary dimensions of Cervus splendens? Col. Sykes states its length at 18 inches, but I have a specimen which is only 143.
64, 65. The two species Gracula religiosa and indica are correctly distinguished. G. religiosa appears not to inhabit India, but Java, Sumatra, and, according to Mr. M‘Clelland, Assam. The precise habitat of G. indica seems to be as yet undetermined, though Lesson states it is from Java, and Cuvier from India.
70. Pastor caniceps should be called P. malabaricus (Gm.), and Mr. Jerdon should give a new name to the white-headed species which he called P. malabaricus.
(I may remark that Trichostoma rostratum and affine, Blyth, are synonyms of Malacopteron magnum and cinereum, Eyton.)
76. Orthotomus bennett should be called O. longicauda. I con- sider it to be the Motacilla longicauda and sutoria (imperfectly de- scribed) of Gmelin, Sylvia guzuratta, Lath., Orthotomus sphenurus, Swains., and Sylvia ruficapilla, Hutton.
77. The affinities of the genus Jora are at present very undecided, and if the Indian ornithologists would supply some information as to the anatomy, food, habits and nidification of these birds, it would be very desirable.
79. Geocichla rubecula of India is clearly the Turdus citrinus of Latham. G. rubecula of Gould from Java is perhaps a distinct spe- cies, as it is said to have the tarsi 14 inch long, while in my speci- men of G. citrina they are barely 14 inch.
92, 93. The Australian genus Dasyornis is now proved to be the type of the prior genus Sphenura, Licht.; and these Indian birds, if really identical in generic characters with the Australian, must as- sume the latter name.
96. The Siphia leucura is said by Mr. Blyth, in Journ. As. Soc. Beng. vol. xi. p. 791, to be the Muscicapa leucura of Latham, but not of Gmelin. This is an error, as both authors give that name to the same species, which Latham says is from the Cape; but as the de- scription agrees sufficiently well with the Indian bird, he was pro- bably mistaken in the habitat.
101. Mr. Blyth’s positive assurance confirms what I had long sus- pected, that the Muscipeta indica and castanea of authors is the sub- adult male M. paradisi. Am I right in supposing that the short- tailed specimens with black throats are still younger males, and that
D2
535 Mr. H. E. Strickland’s Notes on Mr. Blyth’s
the very young males as well as the females at all ages are rufous, short-tailed, and with gray throats?
106. Pericrocotus princeps is the Turdus speciosus of Latham, and should retain the latter specific name.
109. I have little doubt that the so- called “ Graucalus papuensis”’ of India is distinct from the true papuensis of New Guinea; and if Mr. Blyth will send an exact description of the Indian bird, perhaps the point can be decided.
111. Having referred to Col. Sykes’s original specimen of his ‘‘ Ceblepyris cana,” I find that it is not the true C. cana (which is a Madagascar bird), nor is it the male of C. fimbriatus, as supposed by Mr. Jerdon. In fact it is not a Ceblepyris (Campephaga) at all, but a Lalage, Boié, though with a stronger beak than the type of that genus. ‘The total length is 74 inches, beak to gape 11 lines, wing 4 inches 1 line, tail 3 inches 4 lines, tarsus 10 lines; head, neck, breast, beak and legs black; back and middle rectrices gray; belly and vent grayish white; wing-covers and quills black, with gray edges; lateral rectrices black, broadly tipped with white. If pre- viously undescribed, I would call this species Lalage sykesi.
112. The Lanius referred to is, I suspect, the L. cristatus of Lin- neus and L. superciliosus of Lath., in which case (the former name being decidedly erroneous, as the bird is not crested,) the species might retain the name superctliosus.
116. Cometes krishna should be termed Chibia hottentotta (Lin.). (Corvus hottentottus, Lin., a name expressive of its black plumage.
118. Mr. Blyth, in the Journal of As. Soc. of Bengal, vol. xi. p.169, has distinguished four species of Dicrurus (Edolius, Cuv.) with the outer rectrices long and spatulate, but their synonymy seems to require some correction. It appears to me they should stand thus :— 1. D. paradiseus (Lin.) (being certainly the Cuculus paradiseus, Lin., i. cristatellus, Blyth; and probably EK. malabaricus, Horsf., and £. retifer, Tem.). 2. D.malabaricus (Lath.) (Sonn. Voy. Ind. vol. ii. pl. 111; E. rangoonensis, Gould; D. retifer, Jerdon). 3. D. grandis ( Gould) (Lanius malabaricus, Lath. Syn. Sup. i. pl. 108, copied by Stephens, vol. xiii. pl. 47, but not the true L. malabaricus described by Latham from Sonnerat; Chibia malabaroides, Hodgs. )- 4. D.re- mifer (Tem.) (possibly E. malabaricus, Horsf.). It is the first of these which Mr. Blyth intends by his No. 118.
119, 120, 121. The genus Dicrurus is still in a state of great con- fusion, notwithstanding the valuable but too concise notice by Mr. Blyth in Journ. As. Soc. Beng. vol. xi., and it is especially desirable ‘that exact descriptions and measurements of the Indian species should be published, without which it is impossible for European zoologists to understand them. ‘The true Lanius cerulescens, Lin., (founded on Edwards, pl. 56; Lanius fingah, Shaw;) is described by Brisson as 74 inches long, beak to gape 8 lines, depth of fork in the tail 8 lines. As the belly is said to be white, it is probably an immature bird, re- ferable, I conceive, to Dicrurus eneus, Vieill., D. @ratus, Steph. (both names founded on Levaill., pl. 176), Chaptia muscipetoides,
List of Birds from the vicinity of Calcutta. 37
Hodgson, and Melisseus eneus, Blyth, in which case the permanent title of that species (if it deserves generic separation from Dicrurus) would be Chaptia cerulescens (Lin.). From want of a description, I cannot identify the species termed cerulescens by Mr. Blyth. The Dicrurus Jingah of Mr. Blyth (balicassius of Indian authors but not of Linnzeus, and commonly called ‘‘ King Crow,’’) is, I apprehend, the true Di- crurus macrocercus of Vieill. (Muscicapa biloba, Licht.; D. indicus, Steph. ), as that is said to inhabit India, and to have the fork of the tail 21 inches French (24 English) deep. If this be so, the D. ma- crocercus, Blyth, should be called D. annectens. Is the latter the ma- crocercus of Jerdon?
122. [vos (more properly Pycnonotus) cafer. Two, if not three, species have hitherto been confounded under this name, viz. 1. the true P. cafer (Lin.), 81 inches long, the whole head, neck and up- per breast black, from South Africa. 2. P. hemorrhousa (Gm.) (Muscicapa hemorrhousa, Gm., lxos pseudocafer, Blyth), from Ceylon and South India; and 3. P. ? (Izos cafer, Blyth), from North India, a description of which is wanting. Is this last the Hemato,- nis pusilla, Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. vol. x. p. 841?
124. Pitta brachyura; I presume Mr. Blyth intends the species so _ called in Gould’s ‘ Himalayan Birds,’ possessing a black beak, white throat, and red vent. But the true Corvus brachyurus of Linneus is from the Moluccas, and is described with a brown beak, black throat, and fulvous vent, so that the Indian bird wants a specific name. A third allied species is the P. abdominalis, Wagl. (Edwards, pl. 324), with yellowish beak, white throat, a white line over the eye, and red vent, otherwise like the other two, said to inhabit Ceylon, and perhaps also Southern India. This last seems to be the same with the Pitta malaccensis (Scop.), superciliaris, Wagl., Sonn. Voy. Ind. pl. 110.
125. Mr. Swainson describes his Oritolus hodgsoni as smaller than O. melanocephalus of India, which agrees with my own observations of the latter species. I would ask—1st, does any such bird as Oriolus melanocephalus (distinct from O. monachus, Gm. (O. capensis, Sw.) and O. brachyrhynchus, Sw. W. Af.,-in both which the primary co- vers are tipped with white,) really inhabit Africa? and 2ndly, if so, is it distinct from O. melanocephalus of India? If both these ques- tions be answered in the affirmative, this African species must have a new name, for the name melanocephalus was originally given to the black-headed oriole of Bengal.
126. Col. Sykes’s name Oriolus kundoo was prior to O. aureus, Jerdon, and though applied to the female only, yet it does not thereby lose its claim to be retained for the species. Moreover the name aureus is pre-engaged by Linnzus for another species of true Oriolus. )
128. Motacilla lucopsis is the M. leuzoniensis of Scopoli.
139. Pyrrhulauda crucigera is the Alauda grisea of Scopoli, and should retain the latter specific name.
143. The correct designation of the Amaduvat would be Estrilda (not Amadina) amandava (Lin.). It is a desideratum to ascertain
38 Mr. H. E. Strickland’s Notes on Mr. Blyth’s
the precise original habitats of many birds of this group which are so commonly kept in cages.
144. Spermestes nisoria; the specific name of this species should be punctulata (Lin.); it is not a Spermestes, that genus being de- fined by Swainson with the ‘tail short, even.” Col. Sykes makes it the type of his genus Lonchura, which name being pre-occupied, Mr. G. R. Gray has changed it to Ovycerca. But 1 can see no ge- neric difference between it and Amadina, Sw., as typified by A. fas- ciata (Gm.), and I therefore call the species Amadina punctulata (Lin. ).
i Mr. Blyth gives no authority for his name Spermestes mela- nocephala, but he probably refers to the Lonchura melanocephala of M ‘Clelland.
147. From Mr. Blyth’s description in Journ. As. Soc. Beng. vol. xi. p- 601, there seems no doubt that this is the Hmberiza fucata, Pall. (E. lesbia, Temm., but perhaps not of Gm.)
148. This is not Erythrospiza rosea, but E. erythrina (Pall.), as I have proved by comparing specimens of the latter from Siberia in my own collection with Mr. Blyth’s description in Journ. As. Soc. Beng. vol. xi. p. 461.
149. Boié’s name Phyllornis is said to be prior to Chloropsis. What are the anatomy, structure of tongue, food, and habits of this genus? Till this question is answered, it is impossible to say whether those authors are most correct who class it among the short-legged thrushes (Pycnonoting), or those who refer it to the suctorial family Meliphagide.
152. Diceum erythronotum should be called D. cruentatum (Lin.).
153. Diceum tickellie is perhaps the Certhia erythrorhynchus (Lath.). What is the colour of the beak in D. tickellie?
154. Vinago militaris is probably intended for the species so named in Gould’s ‘ Himalayan Birds,’ which is I believe the true militaris of Temminck, but which ought to be called phenicoptera (Lath.). The Vinago militaris of Mr. Jerdon is a very distinct and unnamed species, smaller than the true militaris, the beak much weaker, the lower belly bright yellow, and all the tail-feathers plain gray above. I would call it Treron jerdoni, as a deserved compliment to Mr. Jer- don’s labours.
155. Vinago bicincta, Jerdon, I take to be the same as Teron (Vinago, Cuv.) vernans (Lin.) (Columba purpurea, Gm.), in which case its range would extend from India through Sumatra and Java to the Philippine Islands. The Vinago unicolor of Jerdon is perhaps the female, but we want more information respecting the changes of plumage which the different species of Treron undergo. Almost every species presents individuals with a plain green plumage, devoid of the purple or orange colours of the perfect bird. Are these adult females, or young males? or are they in any instance distinct spe- cles f |
157. There is no doubt that the “‘ Columba risoria” of Indian au- thors is the true Turtur risorius (Lin.) (T. erythrophrys, Sw.), ex- tending thence through N. Africa to Senegal. The S. African T.
List of Birds from the vicinity of Calcutta. 39
vinaceus (Gm.) (T. semitorquatus, Sw.) is distinct. Major Frank- lin mentions two varieties in India, differing only in size: do these constitute two species ?
161. The wild pigeons mentioned by Mr. Blyth as procured in the London markets, and combining the spotted wings of Columba enas with the white rump of C. divia, must be regarded as immature birds of the latter species. ‘The Indian species is quite distinct from both, distinguished, besides the barred wing and gray rump, by its black beak, and by the metallic green feathers entirely surrounding the neck. It seems to be the variety of enas indicated by Wagler as found by Eversman in Tartary. As this species has never received a name, I would propose for it that of Columba intermedia, as indicating its relation to the two well-known species above mentioned.
163. Francolinus gularis; I presume Mr. Blyth here intends the Perdizx gularis of Temminck, but as he mentions no authority for the name, this is only a conjecture. Has Mr. B. recognised the F. lu- nulatus, Less. Traité d’Orn., with ‘‘ the back chestnut, the fore-neck brown, both spotted with black and white, belly cinnamon, spotted with black, from Bengal” ?
166. The proper specific name of Coturnia textilis is coromande- lion (Gm.).
167. Coturnizx philippensis should be termed C. chinensis (Lin.).
175, 176, 177. The determination of the white Egrets from dif- ferent parts of the world is so difficult, that I would request Mr. Blyth to publish exact descriptions and measurements of the three Indian species here indicated, together with any synonyms which he has ascertained.
187. Argala; this genus should be termed Leptoptilus, Less.
189. Here again we are in want of a description of the Indian bird, in order to determine whether it is identical with the true Mycteria australis of New South Wales, or, what is more probable, a distinct species, called by Latham Mycteria asiatica.
193. Ibis macei; the proper specific name of this is melanocepha- lus (Lath.).
196. Is the identity of this bird with Gidicnemus crepitans of Eu- rope clearly ascertained? Mr. Gould says, in Proc. Zool. Soc. vol. ii. p. 51, that Gd. crepitans does not inhabit India.
198. The group Lobivanellus, Strickl., typified by L. goensis (Gm.), is very distinct from the true Pluvianus, Vieill., of which the type is P. egyptius (Lin.).
199. The Charadrius bilobus, Gm., wants the hind toe, and con- sequently belongs to my genus Sarciophorus, not to Lobivanellus. Lesson describes two species, Charadrius myops with orbital, and C. bilobus with frontal (or more properly Joral) wattles, but possibly the former may be a younger state of the latter, in which the orbits are also expanded and membranous.
208. It is customary to call the Indian Greenshanks Totanus glot- toides, but I have specimens from Madras agreeing in the most mi- nute particulars with the true glottis of Britain. The T. glottoides of the Himalaya may be distinct, but I suspect it ss caso only the winter plumage of 7’. glottis.
40 Observations on Mr. Blyth’s List of Birds from Calcutta.
212. Is this certainly the Totanus glareola of Europe, or is it the T.. affinis of Horsfield, which is said to be 10 inches long, and is there- fore probably distinct ?
223. Mr. Hodgson mentions a variety of Scolopax gallinago with 16 rectrices. ‘This is probably the S. brehmi of Europe.
224. Scolopar heterura; the earliest specific name is stenura, Tem.; it is S. horsfieldi, Gray, and probably also biclavus, Hodgson.
231. Is the ** Porphyrio smaragnotus” of Indian naturalists cer- tainly the same as the true smaragnotus, 'Tem., of S. Africa, or is it the P. indicus, Horsf. (P. smaragdinus, Tem.) of Java?
Page 230. The Anous tenuirostris of Mr. Blyth is probably the same as Sterna tenuirostris, Tem. Pl. Col. 202, from W. Africa.
Page 231. I had long suspected that Ninow lugubris (N. nipalen- sis, Hodgs.) was synonymous with Strix hirsuta, Tem. ; but’ Mr. H. described his bird as wholly unspotted above, while in S. hirsuta there are large white patches on the scapulars. Granting, however, these names to belong to one species, I should hesitate in referring it to the species very vaguely described by Raffles as S. scutulata, unless there be evidence that the Indian species has also been pro- cured in Sumatra.
All naturalists who may consult the valuable paper which has given rise to the above criticisms will join with me in hoping that Mr. Blyth may long be enabled to continue his zoological labours. The impulse which has at last been given to the study of Indian zoology will speedily clear up the doubts which still attach to the subject. I would especially recommend to the naturalists of India to identify the numerous species of birds described by Latham from the drawings of Lady Impey and others, many of which have not been subsequently recognised. Unfortunately the original drawings of Lady Impey were sold by auction at her death, and I have never been able to trace into whose possession they passed, so that there is now no other clue to follow than the brief descriptions made by Latham from those drawings. Still these descriptions will in most cases enable an Indian ornithologist to recognise the species and correct its synonymy; a process which, in the present state of the science, tends almost as much to its advancement as the discovery of new species. Another desideratum in the ornithology of India is the investigation of many of the species described by Lieut. Tickell in the Journ. As. Soc. Beng. vol. ii. p. 569. ‘The following species there described are not sufficiently ascertained, and any information as to their exact generic characters or synonyms will be acceptable : Falco lathami, Strix dumeticola, S. candidus, Muscicapa tyrannides, M. cerulea (apparently not M. cerulea, Gm.), Motacilla luzonia, M. cantator, Sylvia longicaudata, Motacilla affinis, M. dumetieola, Turdus lividus, Emberiza sylvatica, Fringilla agilis, Emberiza olivacea, Capri- mulgus albonotatus, Hirundo coronata, Columba agricola. ‘The * Voy- age aux Indes Orientales’ of Sonnerat alsc contains several unde- termined, though determinable, species of Indian birds, to which Scopoli in his ‘ Delicize Flore et Faune Insubriz, Ticino, 1786,’ as- signed one set of systematic Latin names, and Gmelin subsequently gave another.
Mr. G. R. Waterhouse on the Entomology of S. America. 41
VII.—Contributions to the Entomology of the Southern Portions of South America. By G. R. Warernovse, Esq., Assistant Secretary and Curator to the Zoological Society, &c.
Tue Marquis de Bréme having learnt through the Rev. F. W. Hope that I was particularly interested in the Heteromera of the southern parts of South America, kindly brought a portion of his collection containing the Nyctelide to England and placed it in my hands, that I might make such notes as I required, and at the same time requested me to publish so much as I thought desirable. Availing myself therefore of this kindness and libe- rality, I will commence my ‘ Contributions’ &c. by making some observations on the species of the genera Nyctelia and Entomo- deres as they stand in Dejean’s catalogue,—the collection of He- teromerous beetles belonging to the Marquis de Bréme now com- prising Dejean’s specimens of that group.
Sp. 1. Nyctelia Luczotii, Buquet, is now a member of M. Gué- rin’s genus Gyriosomus, and is figured in the ‘Iconogr. du Rég. Anim.’ (Ins. pl. 28. f. 5.), and the parts of the mouth, &c. are figured (under the name Gyriosoma curvilineata) in Guérin’s ‘ Mag. de Zool.’ class ix. pl. 103. fig. 2.
2. Nyct. erythropus, Lacord. 3 ebenina, Lacord.
These two are undoubtedly in my opinion varieties of one spe- cies, the former differmg from the latter on/y in having red in- stead of black legs; I possess specimens in which the legs are pitchy. They constitute the genus Kpipedonota of M. Solier, who considers them specifically distinct. See ‘ Ann. de la Soe. Ent. de France,’ tome v. p. 342.
4, Nyct. senex, Lacord., also belongs to the genus Epipedo- nota, and I very much doubt its being distinct from Ep. ebenina. In the collection there is but one specimen, and that deformed. Its chief characters may be thus expressed :—
Epipedonota atra; thorace latiore quam longo, plano, rugis longitu- dinalibus, ad latera obliquis, notato ; elytris thorace latioribus, singulorum striis tribus supra; interstitiis distincte convexis, his duabus externis irregulariter transverso-sulcatis ; carina laterali obtusa.—Long. corp. 9} lin. ; lat. 54 lin.
In the form of the thorax this species agrees with Ep. ebenina, and in the sculpturing there is scarcely any difference ; the lateral oblique grooves on the thorax are rather more distinct and regular.
5. Nyet. cristalliisata, Lacord. A good species, in my opinion, and belongs to the genus Epipedonota. Its characters are :—
Ep. atra, nitida; thorace latiore quam Jongo, rugis longitudinalibus irregularibus et ad latera rugis brevibus transversis notato : elytris
42 Mr. G.R. Waterhouse: Contributions to the Entomology
thorace latioribus valde rugosis ; rugee plerumque transverse ; sin- gulorum supra costis duabus elevatis.—Long. corp. 94 lin.; lat. 5 lin.
Descrip.—Head punctured in front, with some strongly waved transverse rugz on the disc, and behind with minute confluent punctures. Thorax less than half as broad again as long, flat (or rather slightly concave), covered nearly throughout with longi- tudinal folds, the usual transverse rugs at the sides being very short. Elytra covered with distinct rugee throughout ; each ely- tron with two moderately elevated costz, the second or outermost being the most distinct ; suture not elevated; the rugee between the suture and the first mb or keel very irregular ; between the first and second coste, and between the latter and the lateral keel, they are transverse, and for the most part curved and waved ; they are strongly marked, but less regular than the transverse folds in Kp. ebenina.
6. Nyct. monilis, Lacord. This is the species which I regarded as avariety of Ep. ebenina, and noticed as such in my account of the species of Nyctelide brought home by Mr. Darwin (see ‘ Pro- - ceedings of the Zool. Soc.’ for December 1841, p.118). Lacor- daire’s specimens agree with Mr. Darwin’s in having the white zigzag lines on the elytra; they are rather smaller than the ty- pical ebenina, the transverse grooves between the costz on the elytra are less strongly marked, and the tarsi are apparently more slender. Iam not however yet satisfied that it is a distinct species.
7. Nyct. andicola, Lacord. This, with the N. crenicosta of Guér., is grouped under the generic title of Auladera by M. Solier, and is described in the ‘Annales de la Soc. Ent. de France,’ tome v. p. 834.
8. Nyct. desertorum, Lacord. 9. serva, Lacord.
10. caraboides, Lacord.
14. —— picta, Lacord.
15. Dejeanii, Lacord.
These belong to M. Solier’s genus Mitragenius, of which the typeisthe NV. Dejeani. I cannot follow M. Lacordaire in regard- ing these species as all of them distinct. There appear to me to be but three species at most. N. Dejeanit and N. serva are very probably distinct, but N. desertorum, N. caraboides and N. picta I think should certainly be grouped under one specific title.
N. Dejeanii is described by M. Solier in the vol. of the French Society’s Transactions already quoted. The colour of the epi- dermis covering the elytra is very remarkable, and is described by M. Solier as “dun cuivré pale,” terms which did not convey to me the tint which I found upon seeing the specimens. I should
of the Southern portions of South America. 43
term it gray with cupreous reflections. I will proceed to point out the characters of the remaining species.
N. serva, Lacord.
Nyct. (Mitragenius) ater; thorace subquadrato, antice emarginato, supra paulo convexo, plicis minutis longitudinalibus notato : elytris oblongo-ovatis, supra convexis, singulorum supra costis duabus parum elevatis absque costis intermediis tribus indistinctis.—Long. corp. 7? lin. ; lat. 33 lin.
This species resembles the N. Dejeanii, but is of a narrower and more elongated form. Although both Lacordaire’s specimens are black, in one of them there are traces in parts of the cupreous gray epidermis, which in Dejeanii covers the elytra. The head is finely punctured: thorax nearly quadrate, more than one-third broader than long ; the anterior angles prominent and acute, the posterior nearly right angles but slightly acute ; the sides nearly straight, or but indistinctly rounded ; the surface slightly convex, and covered with very fine longitudinal striz (still finer than in N. Dejeanii) ; a space along the outer margin is very nearly smooth. Elytra oblong-ovate, pointed behind, and with the sur- face convex ; each elytron with two longitudinal costz, narrow and + but little elevated, and besides there is a very indistinct ridge in the interspaces. The coste are scarcely as distinct as in N. De- jeanii.
11. Nyct. multicosta, Guérm. Now a member of M. Solier’s genus Callyntra (see loc. cit.). Described by M. Guérin in his ‘Mag. de Zool.’ -
12. Nyct. rustica, Dej., is very closely allied to the Epipe- donota rugosa of my paper in the ‘ Proceedings of the Zool. Soc.’ quoted, and might even be an extreme variety. It differs in being considerably smaller (length 7 lines, width 31 lin.), and has the sculpturing more coarse ; the two coste of the elytra are much stronger, and the very strong rugz on the elytra, though irre- gular, are for the most part transverse, especially between the outer longitudinal ridge and the lateral keel. The legs, antenna, tip of the labrum and palpi are red.
138. Nyct. Jugleti, Buquet. This I have very little doubt is the N. crenicosta of Guér. (see ‘ Mag. Zool.’), which belongs to M. — Solier’s genus Auladera.
16. Nyct. mamillonea, Lacord. Placed by Solier in his genus Psectrascelis, and described by him in the paper before quoted.
17. Nyct. discicollis, Lacord. Also belonging to M. Solier’s genus Psectrascelis, and described by that author.
18. Nyct. levipennis, Dupont, is the Nyct. pilipes of Guérin,
44 Mr. G.R. Waterhouse : Contributions to the Entomology
‘Mag. Zool.’ Psectrascelis pilipes, Solier, 1. c. I am not aware that M. Dupont has characterized this species.
19. Nyct. Klugit, Buquet, is Psectrascelis glabratus of Solier (/. c.). The latter name must of course stand, unless M. Buquet should have previously described this species with the name at- tributed to him by Dejean. I have been unable to find that he has.
20. Nyct. vestita, Lacord. Cerostena vestita, Solier, 1. c.
21. Nyct. deplanata, Lacord. Cerostena deplanata, Solier, J. c.
22. Nyct. plicatipennis, Lacord., is the Nyctelia transverso-sul- cata of my paper in the ‘ Proceedings of the Zool. Soc.’ for Dec. 1841, p. 106.
23. Nyct. nebulosa, Buquet. N. picta, Klug. This species is in several of our cabinets, but I am not aware whether it is de- scribed under either of the above names. The characters are as follows :—
Atra, tomentosa: thorace brevi, lateribus rotundatis, supra convexo, postice macula fuscescenti-alba : elytris ovatis postice acuminatis, quoad latitudinem thorace fere cozequalibus, supra convexis, nigro alboque variegatis, atque costis duabus elevatis.—Long. corp. 7} lin. ; lat. 32 lin.
Var. 6. elytris fuscis, marginibus albis vel fuscescenti-albis, dorso albo-variegato.
Nyctelia nebulosa appears to me to be allied to Cerostena, but it does not associate perfectly with any of M. Solier’s subdivisions. From Cerostena, which is on the whole the nearest, it differs in not having the posterior tibic dilated at the extremity, a character which appertains likewise to Psectrascelis ; but in this latter genus there is considerable difference, both in the sexes and in the spe- cies, as to the degree of dilatation of the tibie : of Cerostena I have but one specimen, but probably the sexes vary in the same way. The antennz in the insect under consideration if extended back would reach rather beyond the base of the thorax, and they are moderate as to thickness ; the joints are moniliform and not elon- gated, nor so slender as in Cerostena. The labrum is transverse and emarginated in front, but less deeply than in the genus last mentioned ; the mentum is transverse, contracted behind and truncated in front ; the labium is very narrow in the antero-pos- terior direction, and emarginated in front ; the palpi are short, and the terminal joint of each palpus is swollen at the extremity. The legs are moderate, covered with pubescence ; the posterior tibiz are slightly curved. :
This species is described and figured by Erichson under the name Nyctelia decorata (see ‘ Act. Acad. Ces. Leop.’ vol. xvii.
of the Southern portions of South America. 45
Suppl. p. 336), a name which must stand, unless the species be described either by Klug or Buquet, and that previous to 1834, the date of Erichson’s paper. |
24. Nyct. picipes, De}., is the N. nodosa, Lat., and N. brunnipes of the same author. Nyctelia nodosa, Soler. The only true Nyctelia known to the last-mentioned author when he restricted the genus. Should it be true, as M. Solier states, that this species is found both in Chile and at Buenos Ayres, it would afford an exception to a general rule, not only that the same species do not occur on both sides of the Andes, but that the restricted genus Nyctelia (now containing to my knowledge no less than twenty species, seven- - teen of which are described in the ‘ Proceedings’ quoted) is con- fined to the west side of that range of mountains. I know that the N. nodosa is found at Maldonado La Plata, Bahia Blanca and Mendoza ; but though I-have seen several very extensive collec- tions from Chile, I have not found that species in them. I think there must be some accidental error in the labelling of the speci- mens placed in M. Solier’s hands.
Genus Entomoperss, Solier.
M. Solier characterizes but one species of this genus, the Ent. Erebi.. Three others are enumerated by Dejean, viz. :—
Entomoderes Draco, Lacord.
Ent. niger, et epidermide sordida quasi limosa obtectus : thorace an- gulis anterioribus productis, posticis obtusis, et postice ad latera profunde emarginatis, exinde angulo oriente abrupto acuto et re- trorsum spectante, superficie dorsali costis duabus asperis longi- tudinalibus et parallelis : elytris subovatis, superne leviter convexis et tuberculis crebre obsitis, carina laterali tuberculis parvis irregu- lariter gemmata.—Long. corp. 10 lin.; lat. 52 lin.
Ent. Draco is covered throughout with a substance resembling mud. In the form of the thorax it approaches most nearly to Ent. Erebi, but there is no second prominent angle behind as in that species; the second angle bemg the posterior angle of the thorax, which is produced in a lateral direction: it is obtuse in the present species. The anterior angles of the thorax are very prominent: on each side of the dise are two considerably elevated longitudinal protuberances (larger than the corresponding pro- tuberances in Ent. Erebi), and between these and the outer margin are two narrow curved protuberances ; there is moreover a short central raised line on the hinder part of the thorax; the thorax is much contracted in front, and greatly dilated rather be- hind the middle. The elytra are formed as in Ent. Hrebi, but they are flat above, excepting towards the apex, where they de- scend somewhat suddenly ; they are destitute of the ridge which in that species runs parallel with the lateral costa: various irre-
46 Mr. G.R. Waterhouse: Contributions to the Entomology
gular tubercles are observable on the surface, and on the apical third are four (two on each and one above the other) which are larger than the rest ; beyond these there are some small irregular rug, somewhat oblique but nearly transverse, which run in as it were from the lateral keel.
Entomoderes cellulosus, Lacord. Appears to me to be a small specimen of Ent. Erebi. Beyond the size, it differs only in having the network-like raised ridges on the elytra rather more strongly marked. Length 9 lin. ; width 44 lin.
Entomoderes satanicus, Lacord.
Ent. niger, infra fulvescenti-albo pulverulentus, partibus superioribus, at parce cinereo-pulverulentis, nisi apud elytrorum apicem, ibi pul- vere notas duas per sulcum carine lateralis et marginem externum ductas, effeciente: thorace cum angulis lateralibus valde prominen- tibus, apice acuto, retrorsum extrorsum spectante, costis duabus superne et post has costa brevi centrali; elytris supra fere planis, cum tuberculis parvulis et lineis elevatis in modo irregulariter re- tiformi dispositis.—Long. corp. 7} lin. ; lat. 3% lin. Considerably smaller than either of the preceding species:
covered throughout as it were with an ash-coloured dust ; on the under parts and on the antennz this powder-like substance hides the black ground-colour of the insect, but the upper parts are only partially hidden by it ; it is more dense in parts; along the lateral keel it forms a grayish line, and on the apical portion of the elytra two irregular markings, one on each elytron commending broad and dentated about the apical third of the elytron, and be- coming gradually narrower to the apex. The thorax is very short, and the lateral projecting points are very prominent and acute, but, as in Ent. Draco, the posterior angles are not produced,—they are in fact nght angles; the anterior angles are produced in the form of a narrow process rounded at the point; on each side of the central dorsal line, which is slightly raised on the hinder part of the thorax, are two raised lines as in Ent. Erebi, but they are rather more prominent than in that species. The elytra are sculptured as in Knt. Hrebi, excepting that there is scarcely any trace of the first mner costa, which is observable im the basal por- tion of the elytra of that insect: the lateral keel is divided into two ridges by a longitudinal groove, and is very rough ; towards the apical portion of the elytra, the keel is provided with acute tubercles.
Perhaps I should be rendering these notes more useful by add- ing a brief description of the Ent. Erebi (the type of the genus), and thus completing the characters of the species, so far as they are at present known.
Entomoderes Erebi, Lacord.
Ent. niger, vel piceo-niger ; thorace supra costis duabus longitudi-
of the Southern portions of South America. 47
nalibus, et costa centrali in medio interrupta, angulis lateralibus
acutis et retrorsum spectantibus; elytris cum costis duabus irre-
gularibus a basi ad partem apicalem tertiam longitudinaliter ductis, costis duabus brevioribus basalibus, et cum lineis parvis punctisque elevatis crebre dispositis: elytrorum carina laterali et apice non-
nunquam piceo-rubris, vel piceis.—Long. corp. 10} lin.; lat. 5%
lin.
Black or pitchy black, and glossy; legs and antennz pitchy : head rather coarsely punctured and somewhat rugose in parts, and with a transverse impression : thorax broader than long ; the anterior angles produced ; the sides much dilated, but at a short distance from the hinder margin, with a deep notch suddenly re- ducing the width of the hinder part of the thorax nearly to that of the fore part, and leaving to project in the form of an acute angle (the point of which is directed backwards) the dilated la- teral margin ; in this notch is a small triangular projection, which may perhaps be regarded as the posterior angle of the thorax, if we imagine that angle to be curved forwards and slightly upwards ; the dorsal surface of the thorax is slightly convex, and has some scattered punctures ; in the middle, behind, is a short and small longitudinally elevated ridge, and on the disc are two other ridges separated by a narrowish interspace which presents numerous small ruge ; on the fore-part of the thorax (which is emarginated) there is a fourth little keel. The elytra incline to an ovate form, and are considerably arched in the longitudinal direction ; in the transverse direction the outline is but little arched : the lateral keel is notched in parts, and extends nearly to the apex of the elytra, sending out a small sub-apical brush: the surface is glossy and uneven, and at about one-third of the distance from the lateral keel to the suture is a longitudimal ridge which extends the base of the elytron, but is obliterated on the apical third; within this ridge are some irregular large shallow depressions and indistinct ridges ; these depressions and minute ridges are confined to a space which would be included between the longitudinal rib and a se- cond rib ; but that second rib is obliterated, if we except a small portion at the base of the elytron, and a short minute keel in a line with the point of termination of the outer and more developed rib: the lateral margins of the elytra and the lateral keel are pitchy red: the red colour of the lateral keel is continued to the apical portion of the elytron, where it forms a broad and conspi- cuous mark,
This description is drawn up from a specimen brought from Mendoza by Mr. Darwin. |
Besides the species of Nyctelide here noticed, the Marquis de Bréme’s collection contains a true Nyctelia (Solier) closely allied to the Nyct. Westwoodii of my paper: I propose to name it
48 Mr. G.R. Waterhouse: Contributions to the Entomology
Nyct. Bremii.
Nyct. ater, nitida; elytris profunde striatis interstitiis convexis, striis rugosis et obliquis.
I regret my notes on this species are imperfect ; they however state that it greatly resembles the Nyct. Westwoodi, but may be distinguished by the striz or grooves, with their convex inter- spaces, which are next the suture, being oblique and not longi- tudinal as in that species ; the grooves are moreover less strongly marked, less regular, more numerous and rugose.
Nyctelia macrocosta, Guér., ‘ Mag. de Zool.’
This I strongly suspect will prove to be a local variety of my Epi- pedonota rugosa. Of Ep. rugosa Mr. Bridges sent very many spe- cimens to England, all of which were perfectly black throughout ; I was not prepared therefore to suppose they could be specifically identical with Guérin’s N. macrocosta, an insect of which I had seen a description only, and which differs in having the legs and antenne bright red, and the margins of the thorax, the lateral keel of the elytra, and the large costa on each elytron also red, but inclining to pitchy. The coste are more strongly marked in the Marquis de Bréme’s specimens (which are all that I have seen) than in my Lp. rugosa.
As regards these differences, | may observe, that in the Marquis de Bréme’s collection, all the specimens of Guérin’s Nyct. multi- costa (genus Callyntra, Solier), have the legs and lateral keel of the elytra pitchy red, excepting one, and in this the keel is almost uniform in colour with the body ; in four specimens of this spe- cies in my own collection the lateral keel is black, and one of them has the legs black, or very nearly so. Both of Epipedonota ebenina and Nyctelia levis I possess black and red-legged speci- mens; similar varieties occur in the Nyctelia nodosa. In some cases the different varieties appear to be confined to particular ~ districts *.
In works on entomology the ‘ habitats’ of the species are often
* T recollect in conversation with the late most amiable, and I am sure much-lamented Dr. Natterer (who resided in the Brazils very many years, during which time he amassed an enormous collection of natural-history subjects), he expressed a strong opinion that several of the so-called species of South American monkeys were not specifically distinct, but that they con- stituted different races of the same species, confined to particular districts, animals which differed in colour only. He alluded especially to the genus Mycetes, the species of which have so much puzzled mammalogists, and ob- served, that sometimes on different sides of the same river, animals of what he considered the same species differed in colour very materially. Dr. Nat- terer was one of the most careful observers I ever met with ; and that he pub- lished so little of the mass of information he possessed relating to natural history, I perceived upon intimate acquaintance arose from over-caution,— from too great a fear of committing an error.
of the Southern portions of South America. - 49
of necessity very vague, arising from the difficulty there exists of ascertaining the precise spot whence they were procured ; thus I find Chile is the only habitat given for certain species,—undoubt- edly for the most part found in that country,—but then Chile is a district of such enormous extent, especially of latitude, and the parts differ much in climate, and consequently in general features. Thus to the north, is a most dry and arid country, ha- ving scarcely any rain; generally sandy and stony, and abound- ing in Cacti ; and in the south the opposite characters would apply, wooded (and i in many parts with a most luxuriant vegetation), and abundance of rain. The northern arid district will include the provinces of Coguimbo and Copiapo, and the southern Chiloe, Val- divia and Concepcion. Lastly may be noticed the district which may be termed Central Chile, and which is intermediate in its characters ; where there are periodical rams during the months of May, June, July and August, a tolerable abundance of trees in the valleys and low bushes on the sides of the mountains ; it em- braces Valparaiso, Aconcagua and Saniago.
With such a variety in the physical nature of this country, we can associate no general facts relating to the geographical distri- bution of the insects it contains, when the habitat of Chile only is given for the species ; the following notes, kindly furnished me by Mr. Bridges, will therefore no doubt be acceptable, since they furnish the precise habitats of various Chilian, and some few extra- Chilian Coleopterous insects, and moreover contain observations on their habits.
1. Megathopa villosa, Eschsch.
Hab. Quintaro, about ten leagues north of Valparaiso ; buries itself in the ground, under recent cow-dung, to the depth of from four to eight inches.
2. Phaneus imperator, Guér.
Hab. Mendoza. Buries itself under cow-dung to she depth of about nine inches, making a perfectly round hole like Copris lu- naris. Frequents the sandy fields near Mendoza, and is called by the natives ‘ Catanga.’
3. Brachysternus viridis, Guér.
Hab. Valparaiso. Makes its appearance as soon as the Lom- bardy poplars are clothed with leaves, and flies about these trees in the evening.
4. Brachysternus castaneus, Lap. Hab. Valparaiso. Flies about in the evening, and often enters the windows of the houses when the candles are lighted.
5. Polycaon Chiliensis, Lap. Found on shrubs in the province of Colchagua, South Chile. Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. xiii. E
50° Mr. G. R. Waterhouse: Contributions to the Entomology
6. Physogaster tomentosa, Guér. Found in great abundance under stones near the town of Co- piapo, North Chile.
7. Praocis submetallica, Guér.
Found on stems of shrubs (a species of Coccoloba), and on the
ground under them, near Valparaiso. 8. Praocis spinipes, Lap.
Hab. Coquimbo, On stems of bushes. 9. Nyctelia levis, Waterh.
Found on the east side of the Andes in Valle Hermosa, about nine leagues from the volcano of Peteroa, amongst herbage in dry sandy situations. This species hides itself during the sun- shine, and makes its appearance in the evening ; if the weather be dull it will crawl about in the day.
10. Nyctelia transverso-sulcata, Waterh. Habitat believed to be the same as the last, but not quite cer- tain.
11. Psectrascelis pilipes ?
Hab. Los Zapos, north of the city of Coquimbo. Inhabits dry sandy districts. Common under stones, and frequently seen run- ning about in the daytime.
12. Epipedonota ebenina, Lacord. Found near the silver mines of Uspallata; runs about in the evening.
13. Epipedonota affinis, Waterh. Hab. Province of Colchagua.
14. Epipedonota rugosa, Waterh. Hab. Province of Colchagua.
15. Gyriosomus Hopei, G. Gray.
Hab. Dry sandy plains between the city and port of Coquimbo, 16. Gyriosomus Whitet.
Gyr. ater, nitidus: thorace transverso, lateribus paulo rotundatis, superne convexo, rugis irregularibus plerumque sublongitudina- libus, impresso: elytris ovatis, convexis, lineis obliquis albis or- natis.—Long. corp. ( g) 83 lin. ; lat. 44 lin. ; long. corp. ( 2) 11 lin. ; lat. 62 lin.
This species (which I have named in honour of Mr. Adam White of the British Museum) is very variable in size, like others of the group ; but the average size of the individuals is between that of G. Hopei and G. Bridgesti. It might at a glance be mistaken for either of these species ; indeed I had not perceived that there were three species of this little division (all the individuals of which have the elytra adorned with numerous white lines) at the time that
of the Southern portions of South America. 51
I sent my descriptions to a recent number of the ‘ Annals.” Find- ing however in a specimen in my collection (one which had been brought home by Mr. Bridges) certain characters which I regarded as important, I requested to be allowed to re-examine Mr. Bridges’ collection, and was immediately satisfied that it contained two new species allied to G. Hopei, and many specimens of both sexes of each, and although they have a common superficial resemblance they are easily distinguished. G. Hope differs from the other two species in having the preesternum broader and not continued be- hind the line of the coxe of the anterior pair of legs. InG. Wiitec and G. Bridgesii the presternum is contracted, keeled, pointed behind and produced beyond the coxze. In the form of the thorax the present new species agrees most nearly with Hopez ; that is, | in having the sides, from the middle to the posterior angle, nearly straight and parallel, and in having the diameter, in the longi- tudinal direction of the insect, greater. The thorax in Bridgesi gradually widens from the apex to the base, and it is shorter than in Hope: and Whitei. The reflected margin of the thorax in Whitei is broader than in Hope: ; in Bridgesi it is but indistinctly marked. Lastly, in Bridgesi the dorsal surface of the thorax has numerous strong rugee—irregular, but for the most part longitu- dinal in their direction, and in this respect resembling G. Luczotit, but in this last-named insect the rug are rather stronger. In G. Hopei and G. Bridgesii the thorax is smooth, glossy in the former insect, but dull in the latter. The elytra are less convex in Whitei (much less so in the male sex) than in Hope: and Bridgesti, and the suture is but indistinctly keeled ; in Hope it is not keeled, and in Bridgesii it is strongly keeled. As regards the white lines which adorn the elytra there is a considerable differ- ence. In G. Hopet and G. Bridgesit the white les are almost entirely confined to the hinder half of the elytron; on the other portions there are white dots, excepting towards the scutellum : the number of white lines is usually five or six. In G. Whitei the lines are nearer together, and eleven or twelve, on each ely- tron, may be counted ; they cover the elytra, with the exception of a dorsal patch, which is broad at the base of the elytra, and ter- minates in a point about the middle, or rather behind that part. In G. Hopei and G. Bridgesit the white lines are for the most part parallel with the suture, the exterior ones diverging but little: in G. Whitei they may be said to radiate from a point, and that point at, or near the scutellum. The legs in Whitei are decidedly more slender than in G. Hopei, and in this respect re- semble those of G. Bridgesii. The antenne, as compared with those in Bridgesit, differ in having the terminal joints less dilated. I may mention, that of the G. White: I have seen about a dozen
specimens of both sexes, of Bridgesit more than double that num- | ! E 2
52 Mr.G.R. Waterhouse: Contributions to the Entomology
ber, and likewise examples of both sexes. Of G. Hopei I have seen’ many hundreds of individuals. The two last-noticed species were found together by Mr. Bridges, the G. Whitei was found in a dif- ferent locality. The three species are in the collection of the British Museum, as well as the Gyriosomus marmoratus and G.
elongatus, described by me (from the same collection) in the ‘ An- nals and Magazine of Natural History’ for October 1843, vol. xii. pp. 258—260.
17. Gyriosomus Bridges, Waterh.
Common in the vicinity of Coquimbo : like most of the species of Nyctelide it hides itself during the heat of the day and comes forth in the evening. It feeds upon the Malvaceous plants (genus Cistaria).
18. Gyriosomus marmoratus, Waterh. Hab. Near Villa Vicufia, valley of Elqui, province of Coquimbo.
19. Gyriosomus Luczotii, Guér.
Hab. Vicinity of Coquimbo. 20. Gyriosomus elongatus, Waterh.
Found in dry sandy plains between Huasco and Coquimbo. Makes its appearance in dull weather.
21. Scotobius rugulosus, Guér. Frequent in cellars of the houses of Valparaiso.
22. Gonogenius brevipes, Waterh.
Found (often in company with Physogaster tomentosa) under stones at Copiapo. 23. Psammetichus crassicornis, Waterh.
Hab. Near Huasco. Found under plants of the Cactus tribe, and under stones.
24. Naupactus Bridgesu, Waterh. Hab. Uspallata. 25. Atgorhinus phaleratus, Erichs. Genus Lophotus, Schonh. Hab. Valparaiso. Found on the trunks of trees, especially on the peach, apple and pear. 26. Listroderes costirostris, Schénh. Hab. Coquimbo. Found on the stems of shrubs (Helianthus thurifer), generally close to the ground. 27. Listroderes subcostatus, Waterh., Proc. Zool. Soc. Dec. 1841. From the Quebrada de Vergara, west side of the Sat pro- vince of Colchagua.
28. Listroderes pilosus, Waterh., 1. c. Hab. Same as last.
of the Southern portions of South America. 58
29. Adioristus punctulatus, Waterh., 1. c. Hab. Same as last.
30. <Adioristus angustatus, Waterh., 1. e. Hab. Same as last.
31. Aditoristus conspersus, Waterh., 7. c. Hab. Same as last.
32. Adtoristus simplex, Waterh., 1. c.
Hab. Same as last.
Obs. Mr. Bridges found the above six species of Listroderes and Adioristus all in one spot, both under stones and under dung.
33. Rhyephenes Incas, Schonh.
Hab. Valparaiso. On trunks of trees.
The new species of Gyriosomus noticed in this paper were de- scribed in the ‘ Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist.’ for October 1843, vol. x. p. 258.
Besides these, Mr. Bridges’ collection contains a new species of each of the following genera, viz. Gonogenius, Psammetichus and Naupactus, which I will proceed to describe. I may here observe, as regards two genera noticed in the foregoing pages, Lophotus and Rhyephenes, that the genus Eublepharus of MM. Gay and Solier* is synonymous with the former, and the genus Physotho- rus of the same authors is synonymous with the latter. The Eu- blepharus Rouleti, Gay et Sol., is undoubtedly the same as the Lophotus nodipennis, Hope, previously described and figured in the first volume of the ‘ Transactions of the Ent. Soc. of London.’ The Eub. Germari (G. et Sol.) is, I Piet bile the Artipus superci- hosus, Guér., Voy. de la Coqu.
Genus Gyriosomus. In addition to the characters already pointed out, I may notice that G. Luczotit, G. Bridgesii and G. elongatus have the preesternum contracted and produced back- wards beyond the insertion of the femora, whilst in Gyriosomus Hopei and. G. marmoratus the presternum is broader and not pro-
duced backwards.
Gonogentus brevipes.
Gon. niger sub-obscurus; corpore plerumque pulvere fusco obsito : capite rugose punctato : thorace lateribus-qualiter rotundato, an- tice posticeque subemarginato, angulis acutis; supra paulo convexo, punctis distinctis, irregulariter adspersis, impresso: elytris ova- libus, leviter convexis, punctato-striatis ; interstitiis striarum, cos- tatis, distincte punctatis vel rugosis : pedibus brevibus, crassis.— Long. corp. 6—8 lin. ; lat. 22-33 lin.
This species differs from the Gonogenius vulgaris in being rather shorter, in having the head narrower, the thorax shorter and not
* See Annales de la Soc. Ent. de France, tome viii. p. 5.
54 Contributions to the Entomology of South America.
cordiform, but with the sides evenly rounded from the base to the apex ; the elytra have the interstices of the striz not in the form of simple smooth ridges as in G. vulgaris, but either distinctly punc- tured or more generally rugose; and lastly, the legs are consi- derably shorter and stouter: the tibize are very angular, and the prominent angles are serrated.
Psammetichus crassicornis.
Psam. niger ; capite thoraceque tuberculis minutis creberrime obsitis; antennis percrassis: thorace dorso carina longitudinali, postice abbreviata, instructo: elytris ovatis, valde rugosis, costatis, costis denticulatis et rugosis.—Long. corp. 84 lin.; lat. 34 lin.
This species is about equal in size to, or perhaps generally rather larger than, the Ps. costatus, from which it is readily distinguished by the thickness of its antenne ; these organs are but little larger than in the Ps. costatus, but in thickness their bulk is double that of the antenne in the insect last mentioned. The legs are rather stouter than in Ps. costatus (the tarsi distinctly so) ; the head and thorax are covered in the same way with small tubercles, but in the present species they are more minute and more crowded. The costz on the elytra instead of being nearly simple ridges are
very rough and strongly notched, presenting a distinctly serrated outline. ,
Naupactus Bridgesi. , Naup. ater, squamulis viridi-argenteis ornatus; corpore elongato: capite crebre punctulato postice rugoso, supra, rostroque canali- culatis: thorace rugoso et punctato, vittis tribus viridi-argenteo squamosis : elytris punctato-striatis dense viridi-squamosis, sutura, vittis duabus longitudinalibus, marginibusque denudatis : corpore
subtus squamulis sordide albis adspersis : antennis pedibusque pilis albis obsitis.—Long. corp. 7 lin.
In general form this species most nearly resembles the Naupac- tus rivulosus ; it is however considerably smaller than that insect. The head and rostrum are finely but thickly punctured, and the former is somewhat rugose behind; both have scattered bluish white scales: the thorax is rather broader than long, narrower in front than behind, has the sides slightly rounded, and is some- what constricted near the base, so that the posterior angles are rather prominent and acute ; the posterior margin is indistinctly waved, the surface uneven and rugose; above are three longitu- dinal broadish silvery green marks, and these are somewhat im- pressed as it were. The elytra are scarcely broader than the thorax at the base, thence to the middle the width is about equal, but from the middle to the apex the width decreases; the apex is rounded; they are punctate-striated, and the interstices are ob- scurely rugulose ; the suture is raised and destitute of scales ; the
Mr. A. Tulk on Obisium orthodactylum. 55
second interstice is in part also raised, and forms an oblong slightly raised hump near the base of the elytron; this hump being destitute of scales presents a black mark; again the fifth interstice is strongly convex, excepting for a short: distance from the base of the elytron; the sixth interstice is convex,— strongly so at the base of the elytron, and projects in the form of a rounded angle at the shoulder, but posteriorly the convexity of this interspace decreases; on the hinder half of the elytron it is flat: the convex portions of both the fifth and sixth imter- stices are denuded of scales, and so is the lateral margin of the elytron ; so that as regards the colouring, the elytron may be de- scribed as silvery green, with the suture, a small oblong mark at the base, a semi-lateral mark extending from the base nearly to the apex, and the lateral margin black, if we except a small por- tion of the latter at the base of the elytron. Numerous longish pale hairs are observable on the apical portion of the elytra.
VIII.—Note upon Obisium orthodactylum (Leach). By Atrrep Tux, M.R.C.S., M.ES.
So much yet remains to be learnt concerning the structure and habits of many of the inferior forms of Arachnida, that every ob- servation tending to throw additional light upon them cannot but be regarded by the naturalist as deserving of record. Upon the internal edge of either claw of the chelicerze, in the above- named species of Pseudo-scorpion, we perceive, under the micro- scope, an immoveable pectinated appendage, of. a delicate white colour and transparent texture: that upon the external claw, to nearly the middle third of which it is attached by about half the extent of its back, is the most prominent, and consists of fourteen slightly curved and obtuse teeth, which gradually imcrease in length from behind forwards, the posterior one differmg from the rest in its rounded form and greater breadth. The internal, from not being implanted so directly upon the edge of the claw as the preceding, but deeper down towards its base, is less distinct, its extremity alone projecting so as to render visible four or five of its teeth, the remainder of which are with difficulty counted, though a careful examination has at length convinced me that their total number is the same as upon the other comb. The plane of position of the two claws, when the cheliceree are at rest, is obliquely downwards and outwards, so that the internal is placed most superiorly, and overlaps by its apex that of the ex- ternal. The two combs preserve constantly this slanting direction towards each other. But, besides these organs, there arises from the front of a slightly elevated ridge upon the inferior surface of
56 Mr. A. Tulk on Obisium orthodactylun.
the basal joint of the cheliceree, and near to the commencement of the claws, a tuft of long pinnate hairs, eight to nine in num- ber, which converge together at their extremities to form a com- plete brush reaching almost to the middle of the claws.
I had often speculated upon the probable use of this peculiar contrivance, until upon more than one occasion, having placed the animal alive in a glass cell for examination beneath the micro- scope, I observed it very busily engaged in cleaning its long palpi, especially their didactyle forceps, by drawing them repeat- edly between the claws of the chelicerz, the latter being freely rotated during the operation, so as to bring every part of these organs in contact with the combs and hairy tuft. The tarsi were cleaned also at the same time, by applying them against some scattered bristles which project inwards from the coxal joints. Before I had noticed the above facts, my attention had indeed been directed to these comb-shaped organs in Obistum by the very striking resemblance which they bore to the abdominal pec- tines of the scorpion; and now that we had conclusive evidence of their functions in the one, it became a question whether those of the latter might not perform some similar office. The uses which have been assigned hitherto to these parts in the scorpion by different writers, appear to me far from satisfactory. While their lamellated structure alone has induced some to regard them as external branchie, their situation near to the generative open- ing in both sexes has led others to view them as claspers durmg the act of copulation, by their plates mutually interlacing with each other; they have been regarded even as aiding in locomo- tion. It may be objected to the view which I am here disposed to take of their acting as cleansers to the palpi, tarsi and elon- gated portion of the abdomen, that their position is widely dif- ferent in the true as contrasted with the Pseudo-scorpion ; but need we be more surprised at this than that the poison-sac, which in one group of Arachnida is placed within the chelicere, should in another be transferred to the opposite extremity of the body ? Admitting then that such has been the case in the present in- stance, it may be understood why the combs of the scorpion and each of their separate teeth should be moveably articulated to compensate for the immobility of that part of the abdomen to which they are attached, while such a provision would, for ob- vious reasons, be unnecessary in the little Obistum.
There is a remarkable agreement, however, in many other points of external structure between these two animals which must not be overlooked, as they tend to support still further the above analogy. Treviranus has noticed the striking resemblance between the palpi and maxille of an allied genus Chelifer and those of the scorpion, and the comparison may be drawn more closely still between the
Rev. M. J. Berkeley on Fucus Labillardieru. 57
latter and Obdisium. There is one point of importance which yet remains to be ascertained, and the more so from its having been taken as a primary character in the classification of the Arach- nida,—the means by which the above animals respire. _Trevira- nus has described two rows of puncta as occurring both upon the upper and under segments of the abdomen in Chelifer, which he regards as stigmata, but states also that he was unable to detect either tracheze or pulmonary sacs in their situation. It is most probable therefore that they were merely impressed points, serving, as in others of the class, for the attachment of muscles. Be that as it may, I have been unable to discover any indications of such external openings in Odisiwm, or to arrive for the present at any satisfactory conclusion in regard to the existence of an in- ternal respiratory apparatus; but I introduce these remarks here for the purpose of inquiring whether, if we knew the precise con- ditions under which the breathing of these animals was effected, it is then a function of sufficient value to be adopted in the ar- rangement of the Arachnida, since it has been already invalidated by the co-existence of pulmonary sacs and trachee in the genera Segestria and Dysdera; whether, in a word, until more is made out of the anatomy of Obisiwm to establish its further affinity to the Scorpionide, its present position among the Trachearia may not be regarded as a provisional one? As yet, I am strongly disposed to believe that subsequent facts will prove that the pre- sent and allied forms are the true dwindled acaudal representa- tives in this country of the gigantic and formidable species which infest the tropics. 1 Arthur Street, Gray’s Inn Road.
IX.—Observations on Fucus Labillardierii, Turner. By the Rev. M. J. Berxenny. Ina Letter to R. Taylor, Esq.
My pear Sir, Tue following extracts from a letter with which I have been fa- voured by Dr. Montagne relate to a subject of much interest as regards the physiology of Algee, and are in themselves so excel- lent that they cannot fail to be acceptable to many of your read- ers. The plant to which they principally refer is Fucus Labil- lardierii, Turn., which was improperly referred by J. Agardh to Suhria, and has lately been raised to the rank of a genus, under the name of Ctenodus, by Kiitzing, on characters taken almost en- tirely from the structure of the frond, without reference to any peculiarities in the fructification. The genus Calocladia, Grev., founded upon an Alga supposed to be identical with Turner’s plant, though in reality very different, is, it appears, the same with Delisea, Lamouroux. Mr. Harvey had ascertained the real
58 Rey. M. J. Berkeley on Fucus Labiilardierii.
structure of Labillardiére’s Alga, respecting which he writes to me as follows :—“ In a paper which I have had in MS. for the last three years, I have proposed Fucus Labillardierii as the type of a new genus, which I purposed to call Seirospora. Its fruit is altogether unlike that of any other Floridea, and more resembles that of a Fucoidea than anything else. It is a receptacle con- taining a number of cells, each communicating with the surface by a pore, and filled with linear four-jomted sporules !””
Having premised so far, I proceed to my extracts from Dr. Montagne’s letter :—
“ More than a year since I made an analysis of Fucus Labil- lardierii, of which my specimen left no room for doubt, as it came out of the herbarium of the illustrious traveller. I then disco- vered the singular disposition of the tetraspores, which has been also recognised, as you inform me, by Mr. Harvey. Soon after making this important discovery, I begged you to procure me, if possible, from Dr. Greville, conceptaculiferous individuals. I then told you that the theory of M. Decaisne must fall before the fact of tetraspores contained in conceptacula exactly after the fashion of real spores, and, what is equally curious, converging as the spores of Fucacee, from the periphery to the centre. I compared this singular disposition to what I found in my new genus No- thogenia (Chondrus variolosus, Prodr. Phye. olim), a Floridea in whose conceptacula the true spores are also convergent. I had purposed to dedicate this new genus to Lenormand, who has done so much for science by his bountiful distribution of species in all parts of Europe, but my intention was arrested by the publica- tion of this species under the name of Ctenodus by Kiitzing. After having described minutely the singular fructification of this Alga in my ‘Cryptogamie du Voyage de la Bonite, which is at. this moment in the press, I immediately drew up the article Ctenodus for the ‘ Dictionn. Univ. d’Hist. Nat.,’? which is on the eve of being published. I have copied both these articles for you, to make you completely master of a question of great in- terest. This 1s much increased by the Alga you have sent me from Dr. Greville. It confirms a doubt which I have thrown out under the word Delisea (which is not, however, printed at pre- sent), that Calocladia, Grev., does not differ from Delisea, Lamx. Dict. Class. The Alga, though received from Dr. Mertens, is most certainly not Fucus Labillardierti, Turn., but Delisea fim- briata, Lamx. ‘There is the same conceptacular fructification as I have figured in my ‘ Cryptogamie des Canaries’ under my ge- nus Asparagopsis, and in my ‘Cryptogamie de Cuba’ under Thamnophora ; but what will surprise you not a little is that I possess tetrasporic individuals whose tetraspores resemble those of Ctenodus, with this difference,—that they are not convergent,
Rev. M. J. Berkeley on Fucus Labillardierii. 59
but radiating from a basilar or axillary placenta. These plants agree indeed in external habit and in the form of the tetraspores, though not in their disposition, but their internal structure for- bids their association in the same tribe. Delisea, by the struc- ture of the frond and conceptacula, must be arranged with Chon- driee ; and as Ctenodus cannot be arranged in any of the tribes hitherto established amongst Floridee, | am compelled to form a distinct tribe for it, under the name of Ctenodontées, on which I purpose shortly to present a memoir to the Institute.
“ The tetrasporic fruit consists of oblong or spheroidal, shortly pedicellate receptacles (polythecia) situated at the axille of the pinnules which fringe its branches. The most curious point is, that these receptacles contain not spores but tetraspores, alto- gether analogous to the compound sporidia of certain genera of Lichens, or even Fungi. I have no hesitation in asserting that this mode of fructification is of very high importance for science and very instructive. The interior disposition of the tetraspores is as follows :—The capituliform summit of the fructifying ra- mule (or, in other words, the receptacle,) is divided into periphe- rical, ovoid, or spherical cavities. In a vertical section passing through the axis five or six of these cavities are observed, and the number in the whole receptacle amounts perhaps to fifteen or twenty. These cavities have a great analogy with those of Fu- cacee, by the place the tetraspores occupy, by the form of these tetraspores (with the exception of their articulation), and, what is still more worthy of attention, by their convergent direction, which are accompanied by paraphyses, or, im other words, by abortive tetraspores. The question indeed would not be one of analogy but of perfect resemblance, if the spores were sim- ple instead of being compound. Short continuous filaments converging towards their centre proceed from all points of the cavities, at least in the first stages of evolution, for in the adult state the portion of the cavity corresponding with the cortical stratum of the receptacle is unoccupied. The greater part of these filaments, which are clavate and branched at the base only, remain sterile and transparent (paraphyses); a few privileged individuals undergo a metamorphose of the granular line which occupies their axis, im virtue of which they become compound spores. At first simple and continuous, oblong and conform- able to the tube of the thread which performs the functions of a perispore, the tetraspore is gradually furrowed by three trans- verse lines, by which at maturity it is divided into four spores. These separate, fall into the cavity, and probably are not dispersed before the decay of the receptacle, for I have not been able to find any pore which may serve as a natural outlet. In this sin- gular fructification we see most evidently that the filaments in
60 Rev. M. J. Berkeley on Fucus Labillardierii.
which the tetraspores are developed are the termination and ex- pansion of those which traverse the axis of the frond, and consti- tute its medullary stratum ; a fact which contradicts in the most formal way the assertion of M. J. Agardh, ‘Si denique vera sunt que de utriusque organi diversitate attulimus, nimirum utraque in eodem individuo nunquam obvenire, evolutionem utriusque esse plane contrariam, alterum vero exterioris strati productum,’ &c. (Alg. Medit., p. 62.) On the other hand, it is easy to convince oneself, that from the beginning the compound. spore is contained in a linear or slightly clavate filament, and that, though at first simple, it is by insensible degrees only that it is divided into four spores. These at length become free by bursting the common perispore in which they are formed. Would we consider these compound spores as simple spores formed in the endochrome of radiating moniliform filaments, as in the tribe Spherococcoidee, I reply, that the assimilation in question not only appears contestable but is absolutely untenable, since the conceptacula of this last-mentioned tribe offer threads radiating from a sort of basilar or axillary placenta; but we have here a disposition exactly the reverse. I have indeed found something analogous in a Floridea, of which I have made a genus, under the name of Nothogenia. [Vide ‘Ann. d. Se. Nat.,”? Oct. 1843 ; and plate 10. fig. 3. of the ‘ Cryptogamic Atlas of the Voyage to the South Pole.’] This Alga presents, like Ctenodus, filaments which converge from all points of the conceptacle towards its centre; but as these filaments are articulate and moniliform, the spores contained in each endochrome, of which they are a trans- formation, are simple and not compound spores ; in other words, they are not tetraspores. :
“ We have then a Floridea, containng,—not in a single cavity but in a plurilocular receptacle, which I call polythecium, for each of these cavities is as it were an introverted Nemathecium,— compound spores accompanied by paraphyses, as the simple spores of Fucacee, or the compound spores or asci of Lichens and of various Fungi, which are isolated at maturity and fall into the middle of the cavity. This curious Floridea shows us then—Ist, The profound analogy and, as it were, confluence of two kinds of reproductive bodies. 2nd, Their common origin (at least in the present Alga, contrary to the assertion of J. Agardh). 3rd, A second example in Floridee of the convergent direction of the sporigerous filaments,—a direction hitherto supposed to be pecu- liar to Fucacee. | |
“These are the most important observations I have recorded, and you will at once see what bearing they have on the division into Aplospores and Chorispores. I do not recognise a specific difference in the two Alge which Mr. Harvey has so kindly com-
Bibliographical Notices. 61
municated at your solicitation. It would be curious, however, to establish the fact that this Alga has but one form of fructifi- cation : we should then have a perfect confluence and assimila- tion of the two kinds of fruits.”
I shall only add, that Dr. Montagne showed me his sketches when I was with him last summer, at which time he had not the slightest notion that Mr. Harvey had made similar observations.
I am, my dear Sir, yours very faithfully, King’s Cliffe, Dec. 15, 1843. M. J. BERKELEY.
~ —
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.
Phycologia generalis ; oder Anatomie, Physiologie und Systemkunde der Tange, bearbeitet von F. T. Kiitzing. 4to, tab. 80. Leipzig, 1843.
Frizs remarked in his ‘Systema Orbis Vegetabilis,’ published in 1825, that the study of aquatic Algze was in the same condition as that of Fungi a century, or that of Lichens half a century before. The characters were principally taken from outward form, without proper attention to differences of structure. It was certainly matter of great difficulty to obtain clear views of structure with the older microscopes, and the analyses by Sir W. J. Hooker given in Turner’s ‘Fuci,’ which were admirable for the time, lost a great deal of their sharpness in engraving, and the greater part of the copies of that excellent work do not exhibit them so clearly as might be wished, the difference between early and later impressions being very con- siderable.
This opinion of the great Swedish mycologist appeared to many harshly expressed, but it was nevertheless not far from truth, as the labours of modern algologists have clearly demonstrated.
Attention has been drawn to the subject, more especially during the last two or three years, by the memoirs of Decaisne, Chauvin, J. Agardh, Montagne, &c.; and though these are in many cases ac- companied by admirable. analyses, a larger mass of illustrations was most desirable, which is exactly what the work of Kiitzing supplies.
The figures are admirably drawn and engraved by the author him- self, and we can answer for their general correctness from having had the advantage of inspecting a large quantity of precisely similar ana- lyses in the herbarium of Dr. Montagne. The engraving is so mi- nute, that frequently it is really useful to examine it with the help of alens. The illustrations are very various, entering into the most minute details of structure both of the frond and fruit, and where possible of the germination, and they present such a mass of facts and such valuable materials for students as perhaps were never be- fore collected in a single volume.
It is exactly analogous to the work of Corda on Fungi, having the same excellences and the same faults. The text in most cases does not answer one’s expectation so fully as the plates would promise. The arrangement on the whole is good and natural; the prefatory
62 Bibliographical Notices.
remarks, which extend toa considerable length, relating to structure and other general matters, excellent ; but all that relates to characters, species, synonyms, literature, &c. by no means satisfies us.
The characters both of genera and species are very loosely drawn, without any clear notions, as it appears to us, of what a genus or spe- cies should be ; the synonyms are often incorrect or insufficient ; the phraseology new and needlessly complex ; but the main fault, in a work of such a general scope, is the very limited acquaintance which the author seems to have with French and English literature. The greater part of the discoveries for instance of Dr. Montagne, not to mention a host of other algologists, both in France and England, and those recorded mostly in works of easy access, are not so much as mentioned, and genera which have been characterized years since are treated as if they were but now extracted from the chaos. This is the more to be lamented, because no part of botany perhaps has suffered so much as algology, from the circumstance of writers, even such as Agardh, not being fully acquainted with the literature of the day; in consequence of which a master-hand is requisite to produce a nomenclature, which would meet with universal approbation, at once consistent with the laws of priority and free from all spirit of partiality ; and this can only be done by the acknowledged excellence of some general work upon the subject, or by a special memoir under- taken with the express view of reconciling differences.
At the same time it is but just to state, that the author adverts himself to the difficulties under which he laboured in this respect in consequence of his being located where he had the advantage of a very limited library only, and doubtless some of these faults will be re- medied in his future labours. The Diatomacee are not included in the work, but will form a distinct treatise, for which the author is preparing copious illustrations.
Notwithstanding the drawbacks mentioned above, there cannot be a doubt that the work will have a most beneficial influence upon sci- ence; and it is not merely to the algologist that it will prove interest- ing, but to all who study the structure of plants. The cellular tissue is very various and abounds in points of interest; there is even in some Algz a close approach to the dotted cells, to which attention has been directed so much by Mohl and others.
The differences in the arrangement and development of the fruc- tification are far more numerous than might be expected, and present characters as various as they are important, and fully justify the an- ticipation of Fries, put forth at the same time with the opinion which we before noticed as to the state of algology, that the fructification would in process of time afford the best and most natural means of arrangement.
One of the most interesting points afforded by the work is the means which it gives of judging of the correctness of Decaisne’s theory of the identity of the spores and tetraspores in Floridea, and of the propriety of his division into Aplospores and Chorispores. Our impression is, that in the end this will be found untenable ; but even should this be the result of mature judgement, we shall not think
Bibliographical Notices. 63
that it will at all detract from the merit of Decaisne, or from the ob- ligations which the algologist will owe to him. Not only in any case will his theory be regarded as most ingenious and as indicative of great powers of observation, but algologists will have to thank him, in combination indeed with one or two of his countrymen (not for- getting the younger Agardh), for showing how Alge ought to be © studied, and will acknowledge his title to be regarded as one of the
prime leaders in the new school of algology.
Synopsis Flore Germanice et Helvetice. Auctore G. D. J. Koch. Editio 2. ParsI. 8vo. Frankfort, 1843.
This is the first portion of a new edition of Koch’s extremely va- luable ‘ Synopsis,’ and we rejoice to add that the second and con- cluding part is in active preparation. The whole work has been carefully revised, and we find very numerous altera ions and improve- ments, although we fear that some of the plants newly introduced as species will not sustain the rank to which they have been raised. This half of the volume extends to 452 pages, and, following the arrangement of the former edition, includes the natural orders as far as the middle of the Composite. Any recommendation of the work is quite unnecessary ; it and its author are too well known to re- quire it. :
PREPARING FOR PUBLICATION.
A History of the Fossil Insects in the Secondary Rocks of England. By the Rev. P. B. Brodie, M.A., F.G.S. The author proposes to connect the results of his investigations in this interesting branch of fossil zoology, illustrating the text by numerous plates of the most characteristic specimens in his large collection of insect remains.
Subscribers’ names will be received by the publisher, Mr. Lee, Bookseller, High Street, Cheltenham.
The Ray Club.—Under this name it is proposed to institute a So- ciety for the objects explained in the following prospectus. Persons intending to become members are requested to forward their names and addresses, at their earliest convenience, to Dr. Geo. Johnston, Berwick-upon-T'weed, who has consented to act as Secretary until the feasibility of the project has been ascertained, and a Council ap- pointed. |
Prospectus.—I. The Ray Club shall have for its object the pro- motion of Natural History by the printing, and circulation among its members, of original works on Zoology and Botany ; of new editions of works of established merit; of rare Tracts and MSS. which throw light on the history of these branches of science ; and of translations of such foreign works as tend more directly to illustrate the Zoology and Botany of the British Islands.
II. Every subscriber of one guinea annually, payable in advance, to be a member of the Club, and to have a vote in the election of its
office-bearers. ‘The first payment to become due on the 2nd of Fe- bruary 1844.
64: Bibliographical Notices.
III. The management of the Club shall be vested in a Committee or Council of thirteen-members. ‘The Secretary to be ew officio a member of the Council, and to be paid such amount of salary as to the Council may appear to be a fair remuneration of the trouble at- tached to the office.
IV. The annual subscription shall be deposited in a chartered Bank in the name of the Secretary and two members of the Council ; and the fund shall be exclusively applied in publishing such works as the Council shall sanction.
V. The accounts of the receipt and expenditure of the Society shall be examined annually by two Auditors appointed by the Coun- cil,—the Auditors to be members of the Club who are not members of Council,—and their statement circulated among the subscribers.
VI. The Publications of the Club shall be confined to members only, excepting in cases where the Council may otherwise determine by a unanimous vote. When the work selected is original, an ar- rangement may be made with*the author for extra-copies,—the Club being always secured against any charge for the same.
VII. The number of volumes to be printed annually must depend on the amount of subscriptions, and the size and nature of the vo- lumes selected ; but the Council will be directed to divide the fund as equally as possible in the printing of the Botanical and Zoological departments. At least one volume in Zoology and one in Botany should be published annually.
VIII. The works which the Club shall endeavour to print may be arranged under the following heads :—
(1.) Original works in Zoology and Botany, more especially such as illustrate the Natural History of Great Britain and Ireland.
(2.) A uniform edition of approved works which, when chrono- logically arranged, shall present a complete and perfect view of the progress of the Natural History of the British Islands. The works selected to be edited by competent individuals, who may add pre- faces and notes where these may be thought necessary.
(3.) The collection of Memoirs, Essays, Tracts, &c., scattered in the Transactions of learned Societies and elsewhere, into convenient volumes, and on a systematic plan.
(4.) The MSS. preserved in the British Museum, and other pub- lic repositories, relating to the Natural History of Great Britain, &c.
(5.) A Systematic History of the Zoology and Botany of the British Islands.
(6.) A ‘ Systema Nature.’
(7.) A Descriptive and Systematic Catalogue of all printed books in Zoology and Botany.
N.B.—These rules, &c. are to be understood as provisional, and are intended only to give an idea of the objects for the accomplish- ment of which the Ray Club is projected. Ifthe Club meets with that support from naturalists which it seems to merit, more efficient and better defined rules may be made by the Council, whose election will be in the hands of the members in general.
Royal Society of Edinburgh. 65
ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH.
The first ordinary meeting of the 61st session of the Society was held on Monday the 4th of December at 8 p.m.
Sir T. Makdougall Brisbane, Bart., President, in the Chair.
Professor Christison read a paper having the following title :—*‘ On the Influence of various circumstances in Vegetation upon the Ac- tivity of Plants.” Part II. The Umbelliferous Narcotics, of which the following is a summary :—
In the first part of this inquiry the author gave an account, in 1840, of some observations made by him as to the influence of sea- son on the activity of the acrid plants of the natural family Ranun- culacee, and of the narcotics belonging to the family Drupacee. In the second part now laid before the Society he proceeded to relate a series of experiments instituted by him with the view of determining the influence of season on the activity of the poisonous narcotic plants of the family Umbellifere.
The plants belonging to this family are for the most part aromatic and stimulant, and destitute of poisonous properties. In four spe- cies only have narcotic properties been unequivocally recognised, viz. Conium maculatum, Qinanthe crocata, Cicuta virosa and Atthusa Cynapium ; but these are universally held to be highly energetic.
1. The Contum maculatum, Common Hemlock. No accurate in- formation is yet possessed as to the influence of season on the acti- vity of this species ; for all investigations on the subject are vitiated by the uncertain strength of its preparations, and the ignorance which prevailed till very lately as to the conditions required for securing their uniformity. The author has found by experiment, as Professor Geiger had already been led to conclude, that every part of the plant is poisonous,—the root, the leaves, and the fruit; and that the root is least active, the leaves much more so, but the fruit most active of all. ‘The root is commonly held to be most active at Midsummer, when the plant is in full vegetation and coming into flower ; but this bélief is founded only ona single, and not altogether conclusive experiment made by Professor Orfila. The author found this part of the plant to be so feeble at all times, that its respective energy at different seasons could not be satisfactorily settled. ‘The expressed juice of twelve ounces of roots had no appreciable effect on a small dog at the end of October or towards the close of June; but an al- coholic extract of six ounces at the beginning of May killed a rabbit in thirty-seven minutes when introduced into the cellular tissue. The leaves are commonly thought to be most energetic when the plant is coming into flower at Midsummer, and to be very feeble while it is young. The author finds it to be probable that the leaves are very active at Midsummer; but he has likewise observed, that they are eminently energetic in the young plant both at the begin- ning of November and in the month of March, before vegetation starts on the approach of genial weather; thirty-three grains of a carefully prepared alcoholic extract, representing one ounce and a third of fresh leaves, killed a rabbit in nine minutes when introduced into the cellular tissue. The frnit is most active when itis full- -grown,
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Vol. xn.
66 Royal Society of Edinburgh.
but still green and juicy; it then yields much more of the active principle Conia than afterwards, when it is ripe and dry. The author added, as a fact contrary to general belief, that he had found the ripe seeds of hemlock and an alcoholic extract of the leaves to sustain no diminution in energy by keeping, at all events for eight years.
2. Ginanthe crocata, Dead-tongue. This species is universally considered to be the most deadly of all the narcotic Umbellifere. Many instances of fatal poisoning with its roots have been published during the last two centuries in the various periodicals of Europe. It has repeatedly proved fatal in two hours ; and a portion no bigger than a walnut has been thought adequate to occasion death. Fatal accidents have occurred from it in England, France, Holland and Corsica. ‘The root would seem from these cases to be the most ac- tive part ; but few observations are on record as to the effects of the leaves, and none as to the fruit. The root appears from these cases to be very active in all seasons,—at least at the beginning of January, the end of March, the middle of April, June and August.
The author proceeded to inquire carefully into the effect of season upon this species, as it grows wild in the neighbourhood of Edin- burgh; but he was surprised to find that every part of the plant in this locality is destitute of narcotic properties at all seasons. The juice of a whole pound of the tubers, the part which has proved so deadly elsewhere, had no effect when secured in the stomach of a small dog, either at the end of October, when the tubers are plump and perfect, but the plant not above ground, or in the month of June, when it was coming into flower; and an alcoholic extract of the leaves, and that prepared from the ripe fruit, had no effect whatever when introduced into the cellular tissue of the rabbit under the same conditions in which the common hemlock acts so energetically. By a comparative experiment he ascertained, that tubers collected near Liverpool, where one of the accidents alluded to above happened in 1782, acted with considerable violence on the dog; and he briefly no- ticed some experiments made at his request by Dr. Pereira with the (inanthe of Wernich, showing that there also it is a powerful poison to the lower animals. Climate seemed to the author to furnish the only adequate explanation of these extraordinary differences ; yet the plant grows in all parts of Scotland with great luxuriance.
3. Cicuta virosa, Water-hemlock. This species has been also held to be a deadly poison ever since an express treatise on its effects was published by Wepfer in 1716; and repeated instances of its fatal action have been observed since, and some of these very recently, in Germany. ‘The root is the only part which has given occasion to accidents : it has proved fatal in two hours anda half. Neverthe- less this plant too seems innocuous in Scotland, or nearly so, although, like the last species, it grows with great luxuriance. ‘The juice of a pound of the roots, collected at the end of July while the plant was in full flower, produced no narcotic symptoms; and the only effects observed, namely efforts to vomit, might have arisen from the opera- tion which is necessary to secure the juice in the stomach. An al- eoholic extract of the leaves collected at the same time, and a simi-
Wernerian Natural History Society. 67
lar preparation made with two ounces of the full-grown seeds while still green and juicy, had no effect whatever when introduced into the cellular tissue of a rabbit, except that inflammation was excited where the extract was applied.
4. The author has not yet had an opportunity of trying the effects of the fourth species, Zthusa Cyrapium, or Fool’s-parsley.
WERNERIAN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
The first meeting of the season of this Society was held in the
College on Saturday the 16th of December, at 2 p.m. Professor Jameson, President, in the Chair.
1. The first paper read was upon ‘“ The Temperature of the Firth of Forth, and on the Specific Gravity of its Water,” by Dr. John Davy, F.R.S.L. & E.
After consideration, the Society resolved to institute measures whereby this interesting subject might be still further prosecuted.
2. The next communication was entitled «‘ A Short Account of the Mode of Reproduction of Lost Parts in the Crustacea,” with il- lustrative drawings, by Harry D. 8. Goodsir, Esq., Conservator of the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh. The follow- ing is a short analysis :—
It has been long known that the animals belonging to this class have the power of reproducing parts of their body which have been accidentally lost. If one of the more distal phalanges of a limb be torn off, the animal has the power to throw the remaining part of the limb off altogether. This separation is found to take place always at one spot only, near the basal extremity of the first phalanx. The author has discovered that a small glandular-like body exists at this spot in each of the limbs, which supplies the germs for future legs. This body completely fills up the cavity of the shell for the extent of about half an inchin length. The microscopic structure of this glan- dular-like body is very peculiar, consisting of a great number of large nucleated cells, which are interspersed throughout a fibro-gelatinous mass. A single branch of each-of the great vessels, accompanied by a branch of nerve, runs through a small foramen near the centre of this body, but there is no vestige either of muscle or tendon, the at- tachments of which are at each extremity. In fact, this body is per- fectly defined, and can be turned out of the shell without being much injured.
When the limb is thrown off, the bleod-vessels and nerve retract, thus leaving a small cavity in the new-made surface. It is from this cavity that the germ of the future leg springs, and is at first seen as a nucleated cell. A cicatrix forms over the raw surface caused by the separation, which afterwards forms a sheath for the young leg.
3. The third paper was “ On the Dislocation of the Strata and Beds in the Coal-fields of Scotland,” by James Robertson, Esq., Mining Engineer, with an extensive series of illustrative drawings. From the length of this valuable communication a portion of it only could be read.
F2
68 : Zoological Society.
ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
February 28, 1843.—William Horton Lloyd, Esq., in the Chair.
A letter from J. E. Gray, Esq., addressed to Mr. Waterhouse, was read, containing an account of two new species of Bats, a species of the family Hystricide, and a new Manis.
The two specimens of Bats to which Mr. Gray’s observations refer, are from Hayti, and were presented to the Society by J. N. Tweedy, Esq., Corresponding Member.
One, Mr. Gray observes, constitutes a second species of the genus Chilonycteris, which he had founded upon some specimens brought from Cuba by W. S. MacLeay, Esq.*, and agrees in almost every particular with Chilonycteris MacLeayi, but differs from the three specimens of that species contained in the collection of the British Museum in being of a much darker colour, and in having the ears larger and rather narrower. The principal characters are as follows :—
CHILONYCTERIS FULIGINOSUS. Chi. supra fuliginosus, fusco-tinctus,
subtis fuscescens, guld femoribusque ad basin rufescentibus ; au- ribus elongatis, attenuatis, acutis.
unc. lin. Longitudo ab apice rostri ad caude basin .. 1 8 CN ane 8 ale go ae we Tee hd ERE AE Se REE He De CI a 0 53 ———— antibrachtt....... 00.6 eee nee 1 7 ALATUM BUADUEGING sie vig a 4 og WN wk os Stns eo 8 10
Hab. Hayti.
The second species, Mr. Gray remarks, is more interesting, since it proves to be a new genus, readily characterized by the size and structure of the ears, and the length of the tail. It agrees most nearly with the genus Macrophyllum, but differs from it in having the last joint of the tail produced beyond the edge of the large trun- cated interfemoral membrane; the tail in the species of the genus last mentioned only extending to the edge of the membrane. An- other important difference consists in the large size of the ears and their union on the upper surface uf the head—a character which is the more remarkable, since it afforcs an exception to the rule which has hitherto been general, viz. that the Bats with a simple nose-leaf (Phyllostomina), which are inhabitants of the New World, have the ears separate and confined to the sides of the head, whilst those found in the Old World have them united as in this genus from Hayti, which thus unites the Glossophagine genera of this tribe with the Rhinopome of India and Africa. The large size of the ears sug- gests for this genus the name
Macroruvs.
Ears large, lateral, slightly plaited, united over the head by a rather high transverse membrane. ‘Tragus elongate, acute; lobule broad and divided from the conch by a slight nick. Nose-leaf lanceolate, erect; the front margin distinct. Lower lip with a narrow, tri-
* See Annals and Magazine of Natural History, vol. iv. p. 4.
Zoological Society. 69
angular, smooth-edged wart, grooved in front. Wings broad ; thumb rather elongated; the first joint webbed. Interfemoral membrane large, truncated; the heel-bones long ; feet free to the aukles; largest toes subequal. Tail elongate, tapering, enclosed in the membrane with the exception of the last joint, which is produced beyond the edge.
Macrotus Watrrnousit. Macr. colore murino, abdomine palii- diore ; prosthemate lanceolato.
unc. lin. Longitudo ab apice rostri ad caude basin .. 2 6 COMME Ca hits LEEW he 6 RN swe 1 2 — re) BRA Cen ae Sr a ak 1 2 —— GOOMIAE iis 6S Gipcwin na 6 =. 4 ico phate Ui 0 .64 oa prosthematis ........ of acdGchie b=. 5 0 5 antibrachit...... ei ema edb aes 2 2 $$$ HUT ocr cces care reeecece 0 11 Ts Kaine d tid “inhi iNeed yaiecs A$ 0 6
Hab, Hayti.
The interfemoral membrane, in this Bat, has a muscular band on each side, situated about one-third of the distance between the base of the tail and the heel-bone. ‘The ears are rounded at the apex, and slightly hairy. The tragus is of an ovate-lanceolate form, has an acute tip, and a very indistinct notch near the base on the outer side.
Mr. Gray has since received specimens of this species from Jamaica, where it was discovered by Dr. Parnell; this and the two following species are indicated under the name here used in the recently pub- lished list of the Mammalia in the British Museum.
Mr. Gray next proceeds to make some observations upon a species of Porcupine in the collection of the British Museum. This animal is the Hystrix subspinosus of Lichtenstein, and has been described under that name by Kuhl. It however presents various important modifications in the structure of the skull and teeth, upon which Mr. Gray thinks it desirable to establish a new genus under the name of
CuzTomys.
The body and limbs are covered with subequal, short, and rather flexible spines. ‘The tail is of an elongate conical form, and provided with rings of square scales and scattered bristles.
The skull is short, and has broad, convex, swollen zygomatic arches, and the palate is contracted. The cutting teeth are rounded
in front; the grinders are ; each grinder of the upper jaw has
4-43 two principal folded plates of enamel and a smaller transverse fold between them. The lower grinders are oblong, and the foremost of these teeth presents two roundish rings of enamel, each of which has an internal fold, and the hinder ring has moreover a small fold on the fore part of the outer side. Each of the other molars in this jaw is furnished with two sinuous folds on the inner side and one on the middle of the outer edge. Of this animal (which is from Brazil) a
70 Zoological Society.
figure will be found in the ‘ Abbildungen’ &c. of the Prince de Neu- wied.
The new species of Manis referred to in the letter is from Western Africa, and is at once distinguished, Mr. Gray observes, from the Manis tetradactyla (which it most nearly approaches) by its having the tail rather shorter—that is, about half as long again as the body —and double the number of series of scales on the body, and also by the scales being more acute, and furnished each with three sharp points. ‘Two specimens of this species, of different sizes, are con- tained in the British Museum collection. It is named by Mr. Gray
Manis Muutiscutata. Manis caudd corpore multum longiore ;
squamarum dorsalium Bt acelin tricuspidum, ad basin striata- rum, seriebus 23.
Hab. Western Africa.
Mr. Gould exhibited a new species of Australian Heron :—
ARDEA RECTIROSTRIS. Ardea superne fuscescenti-cinerea, capite et cristd nigris ; rostro magis recto atque robusto quam in Ardea cinerea.
Crown of the head and crest dull black; back of the neck and all ‘the upper surface brownish grey, passing into greyish white on the tips of the wing-coverts ; secondaries, scapularies and tail-feathers dark grey ; spurious wing and primaries greyish black; sides of the face and chin white; down the front of the neck an interrupted line of black, formed by each feather having an oblong stripe of black on the inner side of the stem near the tip, the marks becoming larger and paler in colour as they approach the chest, the same kind of marking continuing over the under surface, but the stripes very pale -brown;. under tail-coverts white; bill dark horn-colour, becoming nearly black on the culmen ; feet greenish black.
Total length, 37 inches; bill, 7; wing, 161; tail, 7; tarsi, 62.
Hab. New South Wales.
The above description is taken from a bird which appears to be immature ; it has much the appearance of, and is nearly allied to, the Common Heron of Europe.
A communication from Mr. Hinds, contaming descriptions of two new species of Shells, from the collection of Hugh Cuming, Esq., was then read. ~
Genus Tripnoris, Deshayes, Hinds, Ann. Nat. Hist. vol. xi. p. 16.
Tripnoris pacopus. Tri. (Ino) testd cylindraced, elongatd, acumi- natd, anfractibus 18-20, tricarinatis ; carinis inequalibus, inferiore multo maximd, dwobus superioribus parvis equalibus ; apertura quadratd. Axis 84 lin.
The only specimen of this shell is dead and imperfect. It is, how- ever, slightly mottled with brown, being most probably the remains of an uniform colour. It is rendered very distinct from any species hitherto described by the manner of its keeling. A faint elevated line would also appear to traverse the course of the suture.
Zoological Society. 71
Hab. Baclayon, island of Bohol, Philippines. Found under stones at low water.
Tripnorts cottaris. Tri. (Mastonia) testd ovatd, acuminatd ; an- fractibus duodecim biseriatim granulosis, serie inferiore paululim maximd, margaritaced, superiore pallide fused ; anfractu ultimo quadriseriatim subequaliter catenato. Axis 4 lin.
Hab. Island of Corregidor, Philippine Islands.
Found among coarse sand at a depth of six fathoms.
Many of these small shells have received an injury which has de-
stroyed the mouth, and the present specimen has not escaped.
Descriptions of some new species of the Genus Lima, in the col- lection of H. Cuming, Esq., by G. B. Sowerby, Jun., were read.
Lima Cuminer, Nob. Thes. Conch. pl. xxii. f. 25. Lim. testa
tenui, parvd, ventricosd, oblique ovato-subelongatd utringue fere clausd, ad marginem posticum subangulatd, ad marginem ventralem subquadratd ; cardine brevi ; auriculis obtusis ; umbonibus inflatis ; striis in medio duodecim elevatis, distantibus, ad marginem ven- tralem dentatis : colore albo.
Long. 0°25; lat. 0°12; alt. 0°35.
Hab. Bolinao, Ins. Luzon Philippinarum. H. Cuming legit.
I have seen only one specimen of this very distinct small shell, which differs from L. fragilis (Chemn. t. 68. f. 650.) in being more ventricose, and having the margin nearly closed all round. In the latter respect it resembles L. Loscombii, Leach (Bullata, Turton).
Found in sandy mud : ten fathoms.
Lima aneutata, Nob. Thes. Conch. pl. xxii. f. 39,40. Lim. testd oblique ovatd, ventricosd, radiatim striatd, utrinque paululim hiante, ad marginem posticum angulatd, ad marginem ventralem oblique rotundatd, prope umbones angustatd ; cardine brevi; au- riculis parvis, posticd acutd: colore albo.
Long. 0°90; lat. 0°60; alt. 1°10.
Hab. Panama. H. Cuming legit.
In form resembling LZ. Loscombii, from which it differs in having an hiatus on both sides, and a rather strong angle at the base of the posterior lateral margin. . Collected at Panama, in sandy mud, at twelve to twenty fathoms.
The following descriptions of new species of Cyprea were commu- nicated by J. S: Gaskoin, Esq.
Crprma SauLta. Cyp. testd oblongo-ovatd, antice subattenuatd, ful- vescente fusco punctulatd, maculd magna mediand dorsali, maculis- que parvis lateribus castaneis; basi subrotundatd, pullescente; aper- turd angustd, subflecuosd, anticé latiusculd ; columelid posticé subgibbosd ; dentibus prominulis albidis interstitiis aurantiacis ; extremitatibus prominentibus subreflexis ; marginibus prominenti- bus subangulatis ; spird profundé umbilicaid.
Shell oblong-ovate, gradually attenuating towards the anterior
-end, quite smooth ; of a very light fawn or light flesh-colour, dotted distinctly and irregularly with small chestnut-brown spots, with much
72 Zoological Society.
larger ones on both margins, and a remarkably large spot of the same colour about the centre of the dorsum: base rather round, of a very light reddish yellow colour: aperture rather narrow, slightly flex- uous, somewhat wider towards the anterior extremity: columella rather gibbous at the posterior half of the shell ; no columellar groove : teeth rather bold, whiter than the base, even, excepting those at the anterior end of the columella, where they are larger: all terminate ex- ternally on the columella in an even line at the edge of the aperture, and within, also in an even line, on the columella, except two or three at the anterior end, which advance a little more inwards; those on the lip are even, and extend a little over it, outwards ; in number they are from sixteen to eighteen on the columellar side, fourteen to sixteen on the lip; interstices between the teeth and between the extremities more or less of an orange colour: extremities produced, the posterior curving towards the columella; the posterior outer beak longer than the inner, the anterior very slightly so: margins, the outer prominent, angular, more so towards the anterior extremity ; the inner exists but on the anterior third of the shell, and is also prominent and angular; a groove across the anterior end, from the depression formed on either side by the projecting margins, and ter- mination of the channel reflecting outwards: spire umbilicated, with a notch or groove on the columellar side, from a partial reflection of the posterior channel: internal colour light reddish brown. I have seen but four examples of this shell, two perfect and two decorti- cated. Axis, {ths; diameter, $ths of an inch.
Hab. Island o Corregidor, Bay of Manilla. Found in coarse sand and grayel at seven fathoms.
In the collection of H. Cuming, Esq.
Decorticata light brown colour ; large darker spot in the centre of the dorsum well-marked ; a brown spot on the outside of each ante- rior extremity ; aperture much paler than in the perfect shell.
I know no species with which this elegant shell could be con- founded; the remarkable, large, well-defined spot on the dorsum, the orange (more or less) coloration between the teeth and beaks, and its gradually attenuating graceful form, distinguish it from all others.
~Mr. Cuming, whose valuable labours in the service of natural history were rewarded, inter alia, by the discovery of