An important collection of Tropical Asiatic fishes has been obtained from Dr. P. van Bleeker, containing typical specimens of the new species of Pharyngognathes and Anacanthines described by that ichthyologist in his forthcoming work on the ichthyology of the East Indian Archipelago.

A second collection, made by one of the members of the Prussian expedition to Siam and Japan, and acquired by the Museum, is not inferior to the former; almost all the rare forms described in the "Fauna Japonica," such as Histiopterus, Velifer, Monocestris, &c., and especially all the Chondropterygian fishes, are represented in it. The last collection made by the lamented M. Mouhot in the interior of Siam contained several new forms, e. g., Catopra, &c.

Her Majesty's Consul at Formosa, R. Swinhoe, Esq., has commenced to collect and to send to the Museum the fishes of that island.

Africa. The assistance of John Petherick, Esq., her Majesty's Consul at Khartoum, has been secured for procuring a complete series of the Fishes of the Nile, important not only for the naturalist, but also for the archeologist. The last collection sent by that gentleman to this country has been carefully examined, and every serviceable specimen was procured at a moderate price, so that the British Museum now possesses the finest collection of the fishes of that river.

The Clarotes, hitherto known from a single deformed example in the possession of Professor Hyrtl, of Vienna, is represented by specimens of all ages.

Several small collections of fresh water fishes have been received from the western coasts; nearly all the specimens contained in them are either entirely new, or but little known; some of the new species are extremely interesting, for instance, Mormyrus Petersii, with the lower lip produced into a long cone.

Australia.-Mr. G. Krefft, acting curator of the South Australian Museum at Sydney, has adopted the plan of having his specimens named in accordance with those preserved in European collections. For that purpose he transmits his duplicates at regular intervals to the British Museum, and, all the specimens being numbered, he receives the names in return; those specimens are of special particular value, inasmuch as the locality of each specimen has been noted. Rare species, as, e. g., Atypichthys, Parma, Labrichthys, have been received through this source.

America. The fishes which have been received from the North American continent during the last year have come from the west

coast.

A series of the viviparous fishes Ditrematide or Holconoti, in the most perfect state of preservation, has been obtained by the naturalist accompanying the British North American Boundary Commission; several undescribed species of Salmonida from the rivers from the western slope of the rocky mountains are in the same collection.

Dr. Ayres, of San Francisco, has commenced to send typical specimens of the species described by him; among them is a new form, Parophrys Ayresii.

A splendid collection of the fresh-water fishes of Guatemala and Vera Paz has been sent by Messrs. Godman and Salvin; 16 new species of Chromides have been already described, including representatives of two new genera, Theraps and Petenia.

In the foregoing observations on the additions of 1862 to the class of Fishes, it will be seen in how many parts of the world there are intelligent collectors, with a desire to co-operate with the Museum authorities in advancing Ichthyology. These remarks are also designed to indicate the extent of space which will be needed for the ulterior exhibition of the illustrations of the important and valuable class of fishes.

The

One of the most remarkable of fossil specimens recently discovered, Archeopteryx macrurus, Owen, has been secured, together with numerous other rare and unusually perfect fossils for the Department of Geology. These specimens are from the quarries of lithographic limestone at Solenhofen and Pappenheim, Bavaria. Archaeopteryx, besides the principal bones of the limbs and of part of the vertebral column, and furculum, exhibits impressions of feathers, including "primaries" and "under-coverts" of both wings, and the "rectrices" and quill-feathers of the tail. By the latter, the fossil bird chiefly differs from living birds; its tail, consisting of 20 vertebræ, is longer than the trunk, and a pair of feathers diverge from each of the vertebræ. The matrix of the Archaeopteryx belongs to the upper Oolite period, and is the most ancient in which fossil remains of a bird have, hitherto, been discovered. The class, however, is indicated by foot-prints in older secondary formations.

Rare and acceptable additions have accrued to all the Departments of Natural History through the International Exhibition

of 1862.

The Geological and Mineralogical Departments have been enriched by a highly instructive and valuable collection of specimens, plans, and maps, graciously presented by Her Majesty, at whose disposal they had been placed by the Imperial Austrian Government. They formed part of the series in the Austrian Department of the International Exhibition.

Amongst these specimens may be particularised an extensive series of characteristic examples of coal, lignite, and allied forms of petrified and carbonised vegetable matters from the several carboniferous strata in the Austrian dominions. Such a series will form an important element in a Geological Department, properly so called, should such department be hereafter associated with the collections of Fossil Remains (Palæontology) in the Natural History Departments of the British Museum.

The space which these specimens of the coal of a single continental country occupied in the Austrian Department of the Inter

national Exhibition-specimens illustrative of a Geological subject replete with interest in its economical relations to a manufacturing and commercial country-exemplifies the data and considerations on which exhibition space was estimated in the Superintendent's Report of 16th March, 1859, for the combined Geological and Palæontological Departments of the National Museum of Natural History. The instructive series of Crystals accompanying the above donation of Geological specimens, is noticed in the Report from the Department of Mineralogy.

From the Spanish Department of the International Exhibition have been received, by donation from the Commissioners, specimens of marbles from Cordova, of Anglesite from Toledo, and of Meerschaum from Vallicas.

From the Canadian Department the Mineralogy has received, by donation from Professor Sterry Hunt, a series of characteristic specimens from that province.

From the Australian Department the Zoology has received a series of dried and stuffed Fishes, mostly of large size, including the Histiopterus, with some rare sharks.

The number of additional specimens to the Natural History, during the year 1862, is 28,273, of which 13,129 are registered in the department of Zoology, 3144 in the department of Geology, and 1200 in the department of Mineralogy.

RICHARD Owen.

Bibliography.

LX.-PHYSIOLOGY AND ANATOMY.

1862.

ADRIAN, ADOLPH.-Ueber die Funktionen des Plexus caliacus und mesentericus. Eckh. Beitr. iii. p. 59.

AEBY, CH.-Untersuchungen über die Fortpflanzungs-geschwindigkeit der Reizung in der quergestreiften Muskelfaser. 8vo. Brunswick, 1862.

AUERBACH, L.-Ueber einen Plexus myentericus, e. bisher unbekannten ganglio-nervösen Apparat im Darmkanal der Wirbelthiere. Vorläufige Mittheilg. Breslau.

BAER, K. E. von.-Welche Auffassung der lebenden Natur ist die richtige? Zur Eröffnung der Russischen entomologische Gesellschaft im Mai 1860, gesprochen. 8vo. Berlin, 1862.

BALOGH.-Ueber d. Jacobsche Organ d. Schafes. 5 plates. Vien. Sitz. V. 42, pp. 280-450.

BAUB, II.-Ueber die Falten des Mastdarms. Eckh. Beitr. iii. F. 1.

BEALE, LIONEL.-Lectures on the Structure and Growth of the Tissues of the Human Body, delivered at the Royal College of Physicians, April and May, 1861. Q. J. Mic. S. N. S. ii. p. 1, 75. BEAUDOUIN. Faits pour servir à l'histoire des effets de la consanguinité chez les animaux domestiques. Comp. rend. lv. p. 236. BECKLINGHAUSEN, F. v.-Die Lymphgefässe und ihre Beziehung zum Bindegewebe, (6 plates). 8vo. Berlin, 1862.

BENEKE, F. W.-Studien über das Vorkommen der Verbreitung und die Function von Gallenbestandtheilen in den thierischen und pflanzlichen Organismen. 4to. Giessen, 1862.

BERGMANN, C.-Ein Wort über die Zellenbildung in der Cicatricula des Vogeleies. Arch. Anat. 1862, p. 496.

BERNARD, CLAUDE.-Récherches expérimentales sur les nerfs vascu laires et calorifiques du grand sympathique. Compt. Rend. lv. pp. 228-305,

Récherches expérimentales sur les ganglions du grand sympathique. Ibid. p. 341

Des phénomenes oculo-pupillaires produits par la section du nerf sympathique cervical: ils sont indépendants des phénomènes vasculaires calorifiques de la tête. Ibid, p. 381.

BERNSTEIN, JULIUS-Einiges zur Ursache der Herzbewegung. Arch. Anat. 1862, p. 527.

BEZOLD, ALBERT. Untersuchungen über die Innervation des Herzens. 8vo. Leipsic, 1863.

Ueber die Natur der negativen Stromesschwankung im gereizten Muskel, mitgetheilt von du Bois-Reymond. Berl. Mon. 1862, p. 199.

& E. DU BOIS REYMOND.-Ueber die Einwirkung der Nervi vagi und das sympaticus auf das Herz. Arch. Anat. 1862, p. 143. BILHARZ, ALFONS, and NASSE, OTTO.-Elektrotonus in modificirten Nerven. Arch. Anat. 1862, p. 66.

BOJANOWSKI, CARL.-Beobachtungen über die Blutkrystalle. Z. w. Z. xii. p. 312.

BOUDIN.-Mariages consanguins; l'hérédité morbide n'explique pas la production des infirmités. Compt. Rend. Iv. p. 659. BOURILLON, A.-Sur la physiologie du cervelet. (Thése inaug.) 4to. Paris, 1861.

BRUCH, C.-Ueber eigenthumliche Anhänge der Fischwirbel. Z. w. Zool. xi. p. 179.

CANTANI, A.-Sullo sviluppo della cosi detta Membrana secondaria della cellula vegetale. Mil. Atti. iii. p. 419.

CHAUVEAU, A.-Du nerf pneumogastrique considéré comme agent excitateur, et comme agent coordinateur des contractions œsophagiennes dans la déglutition. Compt. Rend. liv. p. 664.

et MAREY.-Determination graphique des rapports du choc du cœur avec les mouvements des oreillettes et des ventricules. (2me. Mém.) Ibid. pp. 32-128.

Rapport sur ce Mémoire par M. Milne-Edwards. Ibid. p.

899.

CHAUVEAU, A.-Récherches physiologiques sur l'origine apparente et sur l'origine reélle des nerfs. Ibid. p. 1152.

CLARKE, J. LOCKHART.-On the Development of Striped Muscular Fibre in Man, Mammalia, and Birds. Roy. Soc. Proc. xi. p. 513. COHN, F.-Ueber das Verhältniss der Zellen in den niederen Pflanzen und Thieren. Schles. Jahrber. 1862, p. 51.

COLIN, G.-Sur la sensibilité des artéres viscerales. Compt. Rend. lv. p. 403.

Sur les mouvements pulsatiles et rhythmiques du sinus de la veine cave supérieure chez les Mammiféres. Ibid. p. 494.

CORNAY, J. E.--Principes de physiologie, et exposition des formules des forces vitales. 12mo. Paris, 1862.

Principes de physiologie et exposition de la loi divine d'harmonie. 12mo. Paris, 1862.

CRISP, EDWARDS.-On the Situation, Form and Capacity of the Gall-Bladder in the Vertebrata; on its Absence in certain Animals; and on the Colour of the Bile. Zool. Proc. 1862, p. 132.

DARESTE, M.-Cause probable des Monstruosités par arrêt de développement. C. rend. lv. p. 723.

DELBROUK, J.-Sur la quantité d'air indispensable à la respiration durant le sommeil. Comp. rend. lv. p. 892.

DOR, H.-On Vision in the Arthropoda. (Translated from Bibl. Un. d. Gen. 1861.) A. N. H. 3 ser. ix. P. 230.

DU BOIS-REYMOND, EMIL.-Beschreibung einiger Vorrichtungen und Versuchsweisen zu elektro-physiologische Zwecken. (From Berl. Abhand, 1862). 4to. Berlin, 1863.

DURAND, M.-Action directe de l'electricité sur la contraction musculaire. Comp. rend. Iv. p. 833.

EBERTH, C. J.-Ueber die doppelte Rachis. Z. w. Z. xi. p. 394. Zur Kenntniss der Verbreitung glatter Muskeln. Ibid. xii.

p. 360. ECKHARD, C.-Beiträge zur Anatomie und Physiologie. Bd. iii. les Heft. 4to. Giessen, 1862.

Ueber die Eigenschaften des Secretes der menschlichen glandula submaxillaris. Ibid. p. 39.

Ueber die Diffusionserscheinungen von Gummilösungen. Ibid. p. 51.

nen.

Ueber Diffusions-geschwindigkeit durch thierische Membra-
Ibid. p. 85.

Beleuchtung des Aufsatzes von Herrn Felix Nawrocki über den Stannius'schen Herzversuch und die Einwirkung constante Ströme auf das Herz. Ibid. p. 105.

EDWARDS, H. MILNE.-Leçons sur la physiologie et l'anatomie comparée de l'homme et des animaux, faites à la Faculté des sciences de Paris. Tome 7, 1re et 2e partie. Excrétions. Nutrition. Svo. Paris.