ZOOLOGY 



ZOOLOGY OF GUATEMALA. 



M. MORELLET states that his explorations of portions of Guatemala 

 have furnished him with two new species of Coniferse, a considerable 

 number of new Echinoderms, Crustaceans, &c., one hundred and sev- 

 enty-eight species of insects, of which at least one half are undescribed, 

 nearly one hundred and fifty undescribed species of mollusks, a new 

 genus and fourteen new species of fishes, besides twelve at present un- 

 certain, six new species of reptiles, and five doubtful, and two new 

 species of birds, besides many other rare specimens, both botanical 

 and zoological. Comptes Rendus, Feb. 25. 



ON THE FORAMINIFEILZE OF THE COAST OF THE UNITED STATES. 



AT the American Association, Charleston, M. Pourtales presented 

 a communication respecting the existence of foraminiferee on the coast 

 of the United States, as indicated by the materials brought up in the 

 soundings made in the progress of the coast survey. The whole num- 

 ber of specimens obtained from the region embraced between the 38th 

 and 40th degrees of latitude, and between the shore and the farthest 

 point they reach, which is about the 100 fathom curve, was near 1,200. 

 The distribution of foraminiferee, the most abundant of the organisms 

 found in deep-sea soundings, has been found to depend, as far as this 

 region is concerned, altogether upon the depth at which they are col- 

 lected. Beginning at the shore, we find a region almost entirely bare 

 of foraminiferae. This region extends to the depth of about 15 fath- 

 oms. The bottom is mostly composed of a quartzose sand exposed to 

 the motion of the water, and consequently not well adapted as a habita- 

 tion for so delicate animals. Beyond this depth the foraminiferse be- 

 come abundant, both in species and individuals. At the depth of about 

 60 fathoms we find one species, the Glolngerina rubra, becoming ex- 

 tremely preponderant in number, and its abundance seems to increase 

 with the depth. The greatest depth from which specimens have been 

 examined is 287 fathoms, and there the Globigerina is still living in 



