of dividing it up. As occurs very commonly, in the course of time some new species belonging to it are described under names, which, being preoccupied in that genus, are very properly changed. The new designations become established and may be used for years. At last it becomes necessary to divide the genus, and the species whose names have been referred to are found to belong to different genera. Shall the old reduplicated specific name, or the substituted one be now adhered to? Naturalists are about equally divided in opinion upon this point.

The propriety of using small initial letters to proper specific names, nouns or adjectives, has been made the subject of discussion. Whatever method be followed here, it would seem that uniformity is desirable; if any of these proper names are to have small initials, why not all? Most zoologists and botanists seem in this matter to follow the usage of their own language rather than that of the Latin, or any uniform system. The Germans will have all nouns begin with a capital, and all adjectives with a small letter, as Ocypode Cursor, Chiton emersonianus, whereas the English write common nouns with a small initial, and all proper appellations, whether nouns or adjectives, with a capital, as Ocypode cursor, Chiton Emersonianus. The truly convenient system will be to write all specific names without exception, with a small initial letter, as is done by one of the most eminent zoologists of this country, and by many of those of Europe. We shall then have no difficulty in distinguishing specific from generic names, and may discuss the relations of species without the necessity of repeating the generic name or its initial every time they are mentioned. A proper name, modified for use as a specific appellation, becomes a part of a new title, and involves a different idea.

We will not detain the reader by discussing other mooted points, as whether ante-Linnæan names shall be accepted, if binomial; whether names of faulty etymology shall be corrected, etc. The above are only mentioned as instances of the necessity of establishing many rules to produce uniformity of usage among naturalists. In pointing out how this may be satisfactorily done, we proceed to our promised suggestion.

We have somewhere read, that when any orthographical or other difficulty occurs in the use of the French language, the case is immediately referred, in accordance with the admirable system for which the nation are remarkable both in science and literature,-to the Academy, who decide upon it, arbitrarily it may be, but finally. The action of this tribunal is respected, and no farther uncertainty or diversity in the use or spelling of the word can occur to embarrass French authors. Now why may not a similar mode of action be of use in science, and enable us at last to settle all our difficulties. Science is cosmopolitan, not national. Let a convention meet at Paris or some other central point, composed of delegates from all the scientific societies of the earth, and representing at least all the departments of zoology and botany. Here they may hold sessions of the entire body, for a sufficient length of time to establish all the general rules of nomenclature which can be conveniently applied. But as we have before observed, there are some particular cases for which no rule will serve, and which must in some way be decided separately and arbitrarily. For the settlement of these cases let the convention divide itself into as many sections or committees as there are classes of

plants and animals; a committee of ornithologists for the birds, of entomologists for the insects, etc. These committees being composed of experts in the various branches, will not find it difficult to discuss and pass judgment by vote upon the name of each contested genus or species. Let these decisions be respected, and let the names of those who will not abide by them be placed upon a new edition of that black-book which LINNEUS kept of old,—the list of Damnati!

2. Les genres Loriope et Peltogaster, H. Rathke; par W. LILJEBORG, Professeur de Zoologie à Upsala en Svède. pp. 35, 4to, pl. 3. (Extr. des Nova Acta Reg. Soc. Sc. Upsal, Ser. 3, Vol. iii.)-M. Liljeborg has unraveled a singular history in relation to the curious sac-like parasites found on the abdomens of Decapod crustaceans. They were first observed by Cavolini, and in more recent times by Rathke, who considered them to be worms, probably Entozoa, and instituted the genus Peltogaster for their reception, describing two species, P. paguri and P. carcini. Diesing placed them among his Myzelmintha, and formed a new genus, Pachybdella, for P. carcini. These forms were made the subject of discussion by Kroyer, Steenstrup, O. Schmidt, and Lindstrom, who agreed with Cavolini in referring them to the Crustacea, but could only conjecture their more intimate relations, although suggesting those with the Entomostraca, the Lerneidæ, or the Bopyride. From a study of their larvæ M. Liljeborg now ascertains their true place to be among the Cirripedes, and describes two new species.

Within the body of Peltogaster paguri, Rathke found a minute Tetradecapod, scarcely a line in length, which he considered to have been swallowed as food by that animal, and described it as an Amphipod under the name of Loriope. It was afterward referred to the Tanaida by Dana, who described a new allied genus Cryptothir. Its history however remained very obscure, although it was demonstrated that, being always found alive, it was not the food of the Peltogaster, and some naturalists even suspected it to be the male of that parasite. By a fortunate discovery M. Liljeborg has now cleared up the difficulty. In examining a Peltogaster taken from the abdomen of Pagurus pubescens, he found attached to it another sac-like body filled with Loriopes, which might well have been taken for the egg-pouch of the Peltogaster itself, but which after careful study proved to be a distinct animal,-a parasite upon a parasite! It proved, in fact, to be the female of the Loriope, grown monstrous by a process of degradation similar to that observed in the female of the Bopyrida, to which family indeed the Loriope must now be referred. The occurrence of the young Loriopes in the digestive cavity of Peltogaster is, then, simply adventitious.

3. Neue Wirbellose Thiere, beobachtet und gesammelt auf einer Reise um die Erde, 1853 bis 1857, von LUDWIG K. SCHMARDA; 1st Band, 1st Hälfte, 4to, pp. 66, and 15 colored plates. Leipzig, 1859. (New York, B. Westermann & Co.)-A quarto volume, handsomely bound and splendidly illustrated, containing descriptions of the Turbellaria and Rotatoria collected and observed by Dr. Schmarda during a voyage round the world. The descriptions of the animals belonging to the former order are made additionally clear by woodcuts showing the shape of the head and the distribution of the ocelli. A review is given of the genera of

each order. The Dendrocoela are divided into two divisions, Acarena and Carenota, the former having no distinct head, which those of the latter group possess. We should judge this to be a character of much less importance than those derived from anatomical characters, which forbid such division. Following it, the author separates Planaria gonocephala from the other freshwater Planariæ and places it with such forms as Cephalolepta and Planaria oceanica, Darwin! There is also a large number of genera hitherto considered sufficiently well established, which are entirely ignored by M. Schmarda, as Prosthiostomum, Dendrocælum, Procerodes, Fovia, Bdelloura, Geoplana, and Rhynchodemus. The new genera of Dendrocoela are Dicelis, Prostheceraus, Homaloceraus, Goniocarena, Carenoceraus, and Sphyrocephalus. Of these several have been previously established under different names. Prostheceraus may be adopted, as Quatrefages' name Proceros is preoccupied. Goniocarena is Dugesia Girard, Carenocereus is Nautiloplana Stm., and Sphyrocephalus is Bipalium.

The Nemertinea are subdivided upon more certain grounds than the preceding order, but we are at a loss to understand why the proboscis should not be considered as the mouth, as it is certainly the aperture through which food is introduced into the body. Oken's name Borlasia is adopted (although it is exactly synonymous with Lineus, Sow.) and made to include Amphiporus, Acrostomum and Baseodiscus of Diesing. A new genus, Loxorrhochma, is established for the Polia coronata of Quatrefages. The figures are excellent, showing well the colors, which among these animals form the most reliable specific characters, and notwithstanding errors of nomenclature and arrangement, we have to thank M. Schmarda for an exceedingly interesting and beautiful work. W. S.

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4. A Supplement to the Terrestrial Air-breathing Mollusks of the United States and the Adjacent Territories of North America;" by W. G. BINNEY. Boston, 1859. 8vo, pp. 207, and 6 colored plates. (Extracted from the Journal of the Boston Society of Natural History.)— This much needed supplement to Dr. Binney's great work contains the additions and corrections which have accumulated in the rapid progress of the science during the seven years which have elapsed since the publication of that work. Several doubtful species which were omitted in that work have since been investigated, and are now included or referred to their proper place in the synonymy. Besides these, we have figures and descriptions of all the recently discovered species, of which the number is large, particularly among those of the Pacific coast. These are placed together in the first part of the volume. The writings of foreign authors upon our land-snails are properly discussed, and their descriptions reprinted in full wherever there was any doubt as to the species to which they should be referred. Thus the whole subject is thoroughly posted up to the date of Jan. 1st, 1859, and the work forms a most acceptable contribution to American conchology.

W. S.

5. Catalogue of the Recent Marine Shells found on the Coasts of North and South Carolina; by J. D. KURTZ. 8vo, pp. 10. Portland, Me., 1860. This catalogue shows the results of the author's researches in the conchological fauna of our southern coast made in the years 1848-52. The number of species given is 204, an increase of 78 over that given

by Prof. Gibbes in his catalogue published in Tuomey's "Geology of South Carolina," published in 1848. Several species are mentioned as occurring on the marl-bottom off the N. C. coast which have not been hitherto observed north of Florida. Four new species are briefly described, viz., Venus trapezoidalis, (which is perhaps the same as V. pygmæa,) Arca Holmesi, Scalaria rupicola and Chemnitzia textilis; and several new ones are mentioned by name only. Capt. Kurtz has also contributed very largely to our knowledge of the marine animals of the same coasts, in other departments, as our zoological archives abundantly show. w. s. PROCEEDINGS PHILADELPHIA ACAD. NAT. SCI., 1859. p. 281, Resolutions on the death of Thomas Nuttall.-A new Unio from the Isthmus of Darien; 1. Lea.Additions to the Coleopterous Fauna of Northern California and Oregon; J. L. Le Conte. p. 294, Notes and Descriptions of Foreign Reptiles; E. D. Cope.-p. 297, A new Myalina and Posidonia from the Carboniferous of Texas; W. M. Gabb. -p. 297, New birds from Cape St. Lucas; J. Xantus. p. 299, Notes on Birds collected at Cape St. Lucas by Mr. John Xantus; S. F. Baird.-p. 306, Mineralogical Notices; W. J. Taylor.-p. 310, New Histerida; J. Leconte.-p. 317, Contributions to American Lepidopterology, No. 2; B. Clemens. p. 329, On the soft parts of certain Unionida; I. Lea.-p. 331, Descriptions of three new species of exotic Uniones; I. Lea.-Notice of Shells collected by Xantus at Cape St. Lucas: P. P. Carpenter-p. 332, Catalogue of the Venomous Serpents in the Museum of the Academy, with notes on the families, genera, and species (new genus, Teleuraspis); E. D. Cope.-Index to vol. for 1859.

Transactions of the Am. Philos. Society (Philadelphia). Vol. XII (new series), Part II, contains:-Art. XI. Della Correlazione delle Forze Chimiche Colla Rifrangibitita delle Irradiazione; Di ZANTEDESCHI.-Esperimenti Eeguiti Col Calorico Solave.-Art. XII. Geological sketch of the estuary and freshwater deposit of the Bad Lands of the Judith, with some remarks upon the surrounding formations; by F. V. HAYDEN, M.D.-Art. XIII. Extinct Vertebrata from the Judith River and Great Lignite Formations of Nebraska; by JOSEPH LEIDY, M.D.-Art. XIV. A sketch of the Botany of the Basin of the great Salt Lake of Utah; by E. DURAND. -Art. XV. Observations on the Magnetic Dip in the United States; by Prof. ELIAS LOOMIS.

REPORT OF THE TWENTY-EIGHTH MEETING OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE, held at Leeds, Sept. 1858. London, 1859.-Contains the following zoological papers of more general interest:-On the Anatomy of the Araneidea, particularly of their Spinning organs (2 plates); R. H. Meade.-Various reports of Dredging committees.-On the reproductive organs of Sertularia tamarisca; Allman.-On the Migration of Birds; Collingwood.—Anatomy of the Brain in some small quadrupeds; Garner.—On the formation of the Cells of Bees; Tegetmeier.

DET KONGELIGE DANSKE VIDENSKABERNES SELSKABS SKRIFTER, 5te Raekke, Naturv. og Math. Afdeling, 4de Binds. Copenhagen, 1856-59.-Contains the following zoological papers:-Coroctoca and Spirachtha, Staphylines which bring forth living young and are domesticated with a Termite (with 2 plates); J. C. Shiödte.-On the Hectocotyle forms of the Octopod genera Argonauta and Tremoctopus (with 2 plates); J. J. Sm. Steenstrup.-Attempt at a monographic exposition of Sergestes, a genus of Shrimps, with remarks upon the organs of hearing in the Decapod Crustacea (5 plates); H. Kroyer.-On Mephitis Westermanni, a new "Stinkdyr" from Brazil; J. Reinhardt.-5te Binds, 1ste Hefte, 1859: Additamenta ad historiam Ophiuridarum, descriptions of new or little known species of Serpent-stars; 1st and 2d parts, 7 plates, (new genera, Ophiocten, Ophionereis, Ophiactis, Ophiostigma, and Ophioblenna); Chr. Fr. Lütken.

W. S.

6. New Zoological Journal.-Dr. H. F. WEINLAND, already well known to American zoologists, has commenced, Oct. 1, 1859, at Frankfort on the Maine, a monthly journal (8vo, 16 pp.) entitled Der Zoologische Carten. Organ für die Zoologische Gesellschaft.

IV. ASTRONOMY AND METEOROLOGY.

1. Supposed intra-Mercurial planet. The announcement of M. Le Verrier that the existence of one or more planets within the orbit of Mercury is rendered highly probable by his computations on the movement of the perihelion of Mercury, has called out former observations of the transits of bodies over the sun's disc, in addition to those mentioned in vol. xxviii, pp. 445 and 446 of this Journal.

(1.) Dr. Lescarbault at Orgères (Dept. Eure et-Loir), France, observed with a telescope, March 26th, 1859, a small black circular spot moving across the upper limb of the sun, at a rate which would occupy 4h 26m 48s to traverse the entire disc. Its apparent diameter was less than a quarter that of Mercury in transit. M. LeVerrier thinks the observation worthy of credit, and computes that on the supposition of a circular orbit the time of the planet's revolution around the sun is 19d-7, and the inclination of its orbit 12° 10'. Its greatest elongation from the sun would not exceed eight degrees, and its light be less than that of Mercury. This planet seems however insufficient to account for all the movement of the perihelion of Mercury.-Comptes Rend. Acad. Sci., Jan. 2, 1860.

(2.) Mr. Benj. Scott, of London, states that about midsummer in 1847, he chanced to turn a telescope towards the sun then near its setting, and saw on the sun's disc a well defined black spot, which was not to be seen there at sunrise the next morning. Its angular diameter appeared as large as that of Venus. Mr. Scott mentions that a similar body, or spot, was seen by Mr. Lloft, January 6, 1818.

2. Mr. Alvan Clark's New Micrometer for measuring large Distances, (Extracted from the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society for July 1859). At the monthly meeting of the Society in June, Mr. Alvan Clark, of Boston U.S., exhibited a micrometer invented by himself, which is capable of measuring with accuracy any distance up to about one degree. It is also furnished with a position-circle. Its character is essentially the same as that of the parallel-wire micrometer; but it has some peculiarities not, it is believed, previously introduced, and on which its wide range depends.

The most remarkable of these peculiarities consists in its being furnished with two eye-pieces, composed of small single lenses, mounted in separate frames, which slide in a grove, and can be separated to the required distance. A frame carrying two parallel spider-lines, each mounted separately with its own micrometer-screw, slides in a dove tailed grove in front of the eye-pieces; and, by a free motion in this frame, each web can be brought opposite to its own eye-lens.

In using this micrometer, the first step is, to set the position-vernier to the approximate position of the objects to be measured. Then the eye-lenses are separated till each is opposite to its own object. The frame containing the webs and their micrometer-screws is then slid into its place; and, the webs having been separated nearly to their proper distance by their free motion in the frame, they are placed precisely on the objects by their fine screws, the observer's eye being carried rapidly from one eye-lens to the other a few times, till he is satisfied of the bisection of each of the objects by its own web. The frame is then removed for