Miscellaneous. 229 



between the filaments composing the ordinary cellular tissue, he 

 considers as being fatty matter deposited within these spaces. He, 

 in like manner, regards the observations tending to show the cellular 

 origin of the fibrous, cartilaginous, and osseous tissues, as altogether 

 fallacious ; and maintains that the cells, which these animal textures 

 exhibit when viewed under the microscope, are simply spaces occur- 

 ring in the more solid substance of these structures, like the cavities 

 which exist in bread. These views are pursued by the author in 

 discussing the formation of the skin, the blood-vessels, and the 

 nerves, and in controverting the theory of secretion, founded on the 

 action of the interior surfaces of the membranes constituting cells. 



"On the Organ of Hearing in Crustacea." By Arthur Farre, 

 M.D., F.R.S. 



The author finds that in the Lobster (Astacus marinus), the organ 

 of hearing consists of a transparent and delicate vestibular sac, which 

 is contained in the base, or first joint of the small antennae ; its situa- 

 tion being indicated externally by a slight dilatation of the joint at this 

 part, and also by the presence of a membrane covering an oval aper- 

 ture, which is the fenestra ovalis. The inner surface of the sac gives 

 origin to a number of hollow processes, which are covered with 

 minute hairs and filled with granular matter, apparently nervous. 

 A delicate plexus of nerves, formed by the acoustic nerve, which is 

 a separate branch supplied from the supra-cesophageal ganglion, is 

 distributed over the base of these processes and around the sac. 

 Within the sac there are always found a number of particles of sili- 

 ceous sand, which are admitted, together with a portion of the sur- 

 rounding water, through a valvular orifice at the mouth of the sac, 

 being there placed apparently for the express purpose of regulating 

 the size of the grains. The author considers these siliceous parti- 

 cles as performing the ofliice of otolites, in the same way as the 

 stones taken into the stomachs of granivorous birds supply the office 

 of gastric teeth. Several modifications of this structure exhibited 

 in the organs of hearing of the Astacus Jluviatilis, Pagurus streb- 

 lonyx^ and Palinurus qiiadricornis are next described, and an ex- 

 planation attempted of the uses of the several parts and their sub- 

 serviency to the purposes of that sense. 



The author concludes by a description of another organ situated 

 at the base of the large antennae, which it appears has been con- 

 founded with the former by some anatomists, but which the author 

 conjectures may possibly constitute an organ of smell. The paper 

 is accompanied by illustrative drawings. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



ADDENDA AND EMENDATIONS TO MR. E. BLYTh's LIST OF BIRDS OB- 

 TAINED IN THE VICINITY OF CALCUTTA. 



To Richard Taylor, Esq. 



Calcutta, May 12, 1843. 

 My dear Sir,— The last month has been a very productive one 

 to me, in various classes of animals, and among the rest in that of 



