SCHNEIDER, A.-Einige Bemerkungen zu O. Schmidt's "Untersuchungen über Turbellarien von Corfu und Cephalonia." Arch. Anat. 1861, p. 783.

STEWART, J. A.-Description of Asteronyx loveni, Mull. et Trosch., a new British Starfish. Zool. Proc. 1861, p. 96.

STEWART, T. H.-Observations on the Anatomy of the Echinoderms. Zool. Proc. 1861, p. 53.

WALLICH, G. C.-Remarks on some novel Phases of Organic Life, and on the Boring Powers of minute Annelids at great depths in the Sea. A. N. H. 3 ser. viii. p. 52.

chen;

WEINLAND, D. F.-Beschreibung zweier Taenioiden aus dem MensUeber die Bandwürmer der Indianer u. Neger; Monströsität von Taenia solium L. u. Versuch einer systematik der Taenien. 5 plates. Nov. Act. xxviii. and 4to. Jena, 1861. WHITE.-Description of a new Species of Gordius. (G. trifurcatus.) Bost. Proc. 1860, p. 175.

WYVILLE-THOMSON, J.- On the Embryology of Asteracanthion violaceus. Q. J. Mic. Sc. New. Ser. i. p. 99.

Miscellanea.

NOTE ON THE HABITS OF THE VIPER.

IN reference to the "Note" on this subject in our last number (p. 118) we have received several interesting communications from Dr. J. Davy, to whom specimens of the young vipers reported to have taken refuge in the maternal mouth, were forwarded for examination.

Dr. Davy remarks that, if, as Mr. Norman appears to be sure, the eleven young Vipers were all found in the same situation (in the interior of the mother) he has little doubt that that place was the uterus and not the stomach. His reasons for coming to this conclusion will be found in the following observations, consisting for the most part of extracts from his letters.

"Neither of the three specimens," he says, "examined by me bore any marks of having breathed, or of being in a state sufficiently advanced, as I imagine, for independent existence. The poison fangs were not fully developed, though whether at the time of birth these organs are fully formed or not, I do not know. Probably, considering how small and feeble the young snakes would then be, those organs would then be little more than rudimentary, and if so that may account for Vipers, which are so prolific, not being more common, defenceless as they would thus be, and exposed to the attacks of so many enemies."

"The lungs again were perfectly collapsed. If respiration had taken place, I should not have expected this; and I do not think that there would be a complete absorption of the air by the spirit. The

stomach was quite empty, as also the intestine, with the exception of the lower portion, which contained some yelk from the included vitellus."

"The circumstance that in some of the specimens a portion of vitelline sac was still external to the body, is, I think, adverse to the conclusion that any of them had left the uterine cavity. For were the young ones born with the vitellus thus exposed to the rough friction unavoidable in locomotion, on land, such a delicate structure could hardly but suffer injury."

With reference to the circumstance that the young vipers appeared to be moulting, Dr. Davy remarks:

"That this was very distinctly the case in two specimens, the fine cuticle readily separating and exposing a surface of a brighter hue." But this moulting he apprehends is not incompatible with their having been taken from the abdominal (or uterine) cavity.

'May it not be supposed," he observes, "that the young of the snake before birth are subject to several moults, necessary as they increase in size after the integument has been fully formed." In some foetal vipers dissected by him less advanced than those in question such was the condition of the skin; the colouring and markings were distinct and precisely similar to those of their parent. In these instances also the poison fangs though formed could not be detected until the specimens were dried, when, the soft enveloping tissue shrinking, their points came into view.

On the supposition that Mr. Norman's gamekeeper was not deceived in what he saw, but that he really witnessed the swallowing of two or three of its brood by the parent Viper, may it not probably be assumed that she actually devoured them? A prima facie objection to this supposition, lies in the fact above pointed out by Dr. Davy, that the specimens of young examined by him were in an immature condition and had not breathed, and consequently that they had not been born at all. To this it may be answered, that it is by no means certain that the Viper produces the whole of its brood at once. young may be issued one or two at a time as they reach maturity, the rest remaining in the uterine cavity. Those which were swallowed might have been more perfect than the individuals examined by Dr. Davy.

The

That excellent observer, considers it not at all improbable that the parent snake may occasionally devour its own young when pressed by hunger, and if so, that the seeing it in the act may have led to the popular notion. In order to show the occasionally stupid and blind voracity manifested by Reptilian animals, Dr. Davy relates an instance, in Ceylon, of one snake in confinement with another swallowing his companion though about the same size as itself. And an incident in the same island was related to him by the person who witnessed it of a Python owing its death to an attempt to swallow a Deer, the horns sticking in its throat. Other instances of the same kind might be cited, and amongst these, as noticed by Dr. Davy, one which occurred in the Zoological Gardens a few years since of a Python

swallowing its blanket. He also relates an anecdote, for the accuracy of which he can vouch, of a large Frog, in Ceylon, which, reversing the usual order of things, attempted to avenge the wrongs of its race by trying to swallow a Duck. Both were found dead, the head of the Duck in the gullet of the too ambitious Frog.

In further support of the opinion that the Viper may on occasion commit infanticide, Dr. Davy notices an interesting account of the Slow Worm (4. fragilis) given by D. Rankin, Esq. in the 5th volume of the Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal. In speaking of the food of this Reptile, Mr. Rankin remarks; "I have good grounds for believing that its own young are not rejected," and gives an instance of his having witnessed the deed. "Of a brood," he says, "during the first day one was no doubt devoured by its parent, for I found half the tail unconsumed, which the little creature had, in all probability, wriggled off in an instinctive struggle. The parent and young ones were confined in a box." Now, if the Slow-Worm, Dr. Davy pertinently asks, "occasionally devours its young, why should not the Viper ?

ON COLLECTING AND PRESERVING SPECIMENS OF FISHES
AND REPTILES.

Through the zealous efforts of the present able head of the Zoological department at the British Museum, the series of specimens of cold-blooded Vertebrata preserved in spirits has of late years received very considerable accessions. From one of the most indifferent in Europe, our national collection is, as regards this class of zoological preparations, now become one of the finest, if not the very best, in the world, embracing as it does about 7000 specimens of Reptiles and 20,000 of Fishes. A well known and accomplished German naturalist, Dr. A. Günther, has been engaged for these last three years in arranging and cataloguing this vast mass of materials. Dr. Günther has already prepared and published catalogues of the Batrachia salientia and the Colubrine Snakes, and is now engaged in working out the extensive series of Fishes, of which he has already issued three thick volumes, relating to the Acanthopterygians. But although so much has already been done towards the investigation of these extensive departments of the Animal Kingdom, still more, we may safely say, remains to be done. The Reptilian Faunas of many parts of the globe are as yet comparatively but little known, and in the class of Fishes still larger discoveries remain to be made. So little trouble is involved in the preparation of this class of Zoological Specimens, that it is easy for any person resident abroad, however little leisure he may have, to give important assistance to science in this matter. For the following directions how to set about this in the most simple way, we have to thank the kindness of one of our correspondents who is greatly interested in the subject. We

N. H. K.--1862.

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may remark that as regards fishes, though at the present moment the fresh-water species of the inner waters and mountain-streams of extra-European countries are the most important desiderata; yet, those from the low lands and marine fishes are also very valuable.

Directions for Collecting and Preserving Fishes and Reptiles. 1. Collect fishes of every size. The eel-like fishes ought not to exceed thirty-six inches in length; the broad kinds not eighteen. Six specimens of each species will be quite sufficient.

2. Tie to each specimen a label of parchment or of tin foil, on which the name of the exact locality where the specimen is procured, is written, or a number referring to a list of localities.

3. Cut a small slit in the belly of the specimens, so as to admit the spirit, but do not remove the intestines.

4. Put the specimens into a large jar or tub containing spirit to extract the water, mucus, etc. This spirit may be used for any number of specimens as long as it is strong enough to preserve them from early putrefaction. Leave the specimens in this spirit for from 8 to 10 days.

5. Transfer the specimens into other spirit, stronger than the former, and leave them there for another fortnight.

6. Pack, finally, the specimens in spirit which is strong enough to be inflammable with a lighted match. In spirit, like this, the specimens may be shipped, and will keep for 6 or 8 months. Rum of the strength indicated, answers very well for this purpose.

7. The best way of sending specimens is in a square tin box fitted into a wooden case. Wrap each specimen in a piece of linen to prevent the rubbing off of the scales and other injuries. Pack the specimens as close as herrings, and do not leave any free space at the top or on the sides of the box. Fill the box with spirit, taking care to drive out the air which may remain between the specimens, and close it hermetically by soldering down the cover. The best way of closing the box is to make a small round hole in the cover of the box. First fix down the cover of the box, then pour spirit through the small hole, until the box is quite full. This hole may then be easily closed by another small square lid of tin.

8. Turn the box upside down and see whether it keeps in the spirit perfectly.

9. Reptiles of every description may be preserved in the same way. However, as they naturally contain less fluid, it will be sufficient, to change the spirits once.

10. It frequently happens in very hot climates, that the specimens begin to decompose even in very strong spirits; in such cases, it will be better to add arsenic or corrosive sublimate to the spirit. This ought to be mentioned to the party who receives or opens the box.

11. It may be advisable to prevent sailors, servants, etc. from tasting the spirits. This may be done by adding some nauseous substance to the mixture.

P. L. S.

THE

NATURAL HISTORY REVIEW:

A

QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE.

Reviews.

XXV.-ON THE TWO FORMS, OR DIMORPHIC CONDITIONS, IN THE SPECIES OF Primula, AND ON THEIR REMARKABLE SEXUAL RELATIONS. By Charles Darwin. Linnean Society's Journal, VI. (Botany), pp. 77-96.

WE do not wish to attach an undue importance to the observations which have been here recorded by Mr. Darwin upon the remarkable sexual relations which he has proved to exist between individuals of that very commonest and most familiar of our spring favourites, the Primrose; yet we may say, with all sincerity, that Botanical Science has, of late years, been enriched with few of equal value. And this impresses us as especially the case if we regard the impulse and direction which these observations must necessarily give to future investigation. The simple fact that, in one set of primroses or cowslips, the stigma reaches to the mouth of the corolla-tube, the anthers being externally invisible, while in the other set the anthers surround and close its mouth while the stigma is far down the tube, is not, of course, advanced by Mr. Darwin as novel. As he says, gardeners speak of the two forms as the "pin-eyed" (with stigma at the mouth of tube) and "thumb-eyed" (with anthers at mouth of tube). Children too, he tells us, select the former for their necklaces; the upper part of the corolla-tube being wider, and not closed by sessile anthers, they more easily slip them over each other. It is the satisfactory explanation which, with characteristic sagacity, this distinguished zoologist offers of the (botanical) fact that primarily concerns us, and it is this that we so greatly admire.

We feel that we are yet far from being in a position to enter upon a discussion of the general question of sexuality in plants: it is a very large subject, and the basis upon which we can rest an argument is much too slender for useful application. We shall be content;

N. H. R.-1862.

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