350 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



for in similar latitudes south, I invite the attention of whalemen to the 

 subject of southern whaling in south summer time. Below the parallel 

 of 50 S. indeed, with here and there an exception, I might say 

 below the parallel of 48 S. the whale chart is a blank ; conse- 

 quently, few vessels go beyond that parallel. The indications to the 

 chart are, that somewhere to the south of these parallels, and between 

 these meridians, as given below, whales are probably to be found in 

 considerable numbers, if not in greater quantities. I have reason to 

 believe that the right whale of the southern hemisphere is quite a dif- 

 ferent animal from the northern ; that the two are separated by (to 

 them) an impassable barrier. I have also reason to suspect, from 

 results that have been elicited in the course of these investigations, 

 that the same whale which is taken in Bearing's Straits is taken in 

 Baffin's Bay also ; and, if this be so, these investigations prove, beyond 

 question, that this animal cannot pass from one region to the other 

 except through the Arctic ocean ; and hence we are entitled to infer 

 that there is, at times at least, an open water communication be- 

 tween these Straits and Baffin's Bay ; in other words, that there is 

 a north-west passage. 



ON THE STORY OF THE PAINTING BY ZEUXIS. 



THE following anecdotes prove, I think, that the ancient story of 

 some fruit having been painted by Zeuxis, which birds were deceived 

 by and pecked at, may be quite true, and yet, that the inference may 

 be wrong that has been drawn from the fact, viz., that they were well 

 painted ; for it appears to be more probable that the birds were at- 

 tracted only by the bright spots of color in the painting. Swainson, 

 in his zoological illustrations, gives a description of the Trichoglossus 

 Swainsoni, a beautiful bird of Australia, which feeds on the honey it 

 obtains from the blossoms of the Eucalyptus tree. In describing it he 

 says, that " a tame bird, on being shown the colored drawing of a 

 native plant, tried to suck the flowers, and it even made the same 

 attempt with a piece of cotton furniture." I have seen an insect in the 

 same way deceived by bright spots of color. In a room rudely sten- 

 cilled with imitations of bright colored flowers, the genus or species of 

 which it would not be easy for the most skilful botanist to decide, I 

 saw the moth of the Sphinx convoluti repeatedly fly along the wall, and 

 dart at every bright spot of color, as if taking it for a real flower. 

 These anecdotes would also tend to show, that some animals are guided 

 to their food more by sight than by scent. Sir W. Trevihjan. 



ON THE STRUCTURE OP THE SPINAL CORD IN BATS. 



CCTIER has stated, as a general law, that the size of the bulging por- 

 tions of the spinal cord is in proportion to the force of the limbs 

 opposite to them. But, in birds, the posterior enlargement is the 

 largest, while the wings are more muscular and stronger than the legs, 

 except in a few instances. In bats the anterior enlargement extends 

 through the lower cervical vertebras and some distance down the dor- 

 sal. It has been a question whether these bulgings of the spinal cord 



