\1S 



Germination 

 of grasses. 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS, 



several rare animals found by him in Shetland; particu- 

 larly pleuronectes punctatus, a specimen of which he exhi- 

 bited to the Society; lucernaria quadricornis; echinus mi* 

 liaris, &c; and some undescribed species, particularly a 

 flustra, which he proposed to call Jittstra Ellisii, in honour 

 of Mi. Ellis, the illustrator of the corallines. At the same 

 meeting, Dr. John Barclay read remarks on some parts of 

 the structure of the large marine animal cast ashore ia 

 Stronsay last jear. 



At a meeting on the <26th of May, Dr. John Yule read a 

 summary of experiments and observations on the germina- 

 tion of the graminea*, in which he stated some uew facta 

 respecting the economy of this useful class of plants, illus- 

 trated by a series of drawings and specimens of the germi- 

 nated seeds of the cerealia or cultivated species, and of the 

 buds of the stem, and panicle of viviparous grasses. And 

 the Secretary read a communication from William Fitton 4 

 Bsq., on the porcelain earth of Cornwall. 



Copley an 



The Copleyan medal for last year was adjudged by the 

 Royal Society to Mr. Edward Trougbton, for the account 

 of bis method of dividing astronomical instruments, printed 

 in the last volume of the Philos. Trans. See Journal, vol, 

 XXV, p. 1 and 100. 



Eye of the 



codfish. 



Mr. Albers, of Bremen, having examined the eye of the 

 codfish, gadus morrhua, L., finds, that the sclerotica is com- 

 posed of two coats ; the outermost of which is membranous, 

 while the innermost is horny, knd divisible into several 

 layers. The innermost of these layers is coated with a sub* 

 stance resembling spermaceti, which forms little cysts, con- 

 taining water in their intervals. This separates the sclero- 

 tica from the outermost silvery coat of the choroids, which 

 by maceration in water becomes divisible into two layers. 

 The intermediate coat of the three principal ones, that oc- 

 cupy the place of the choroides in the eyes of fishes, is com- 

 posed in the cod of a retiform vascular texture, the trunks 

 of which issue from the horseshoe shaped tubercle peculiar 

 to tithes, and the use of which is so difficult to explain. 



Some 



