Miscellaneous, 107 



in any of the larval conditions of the Crustacea of Cornwall, though 

 the number T have examined is great. 



" Even the alternations of generations will not serve in this matter ; 

 for if I understand aright, you have examined the young and find 

 them like the adult, while I have examined the great majority of our 

 Decapods without once detecting the strange forms of these genera 

 among them. 



** Agassiz' assertion must be taken with limitation, or he has been 

 altogether deceived, so far as British observations would indicate. 



" I have carefully examined the Zo'c condition of H. varians, PrU 

 deauxiana, and Cranchii, and find they are all totally unlike Cuma 

 and the kindred genera. We must not generalize too quickly. 

 Agassiz' specimens, it must be remembered, were American ; still 

 I should not expect that kindred species would differ so widely as 

 they must, if his observations are correct." 



RARE BRITISH BIRDS. 



To the Editors of the Annals of Natural History. 



Falmouth, December 13, 1856. 

 Gentlemen, — On Thursday last, a specimen of the Thalassi' 

 droma Leachii^ Selby, in an exhausted state, was captured by a ship- 

 wright near the bar. It is in the possession of Mr. Chapman, taxi- 

 dermist. Two specimens of iheLutra vulgaris, Desm., were shot by 

 Mr. Wm. Holder, at the Swanpool, on Wednesday night last. One 

 measured 4 feet long, and weighed 21 pounds ; the other 3| feet 

 long, and 16 pounds. 



I am, Gentlemen, yours truly, 



W. P. Cocks. 



Note on Zootoca vivipara v. nigra, Gray^ Cat. Rept. B. M. 28. 



Mr. Thomas Hopley has lately presented to the British Museum 

 a black specimen of Zootoca vivipara, which was caught by a young 

 friend, Mr. Fritz Noel Mackay, near Eastbourn, Sussex. 



Mr. Hopley states that the variety is permanent in that neigh- 

 bourhood, but nowhere common. 



The Black Lizard has only hitherto been recorded in our fauna as 

 found in Ireland. It is not uncommon in some districts in Germany, 

 but appears local. 



It is regarded as a distinct species by Wolf, and well figured under 

 the name of Laceria nigra in Sturm's beautiful * Fauna Germanlca.* 

 —J.E.Gray. 



On a new Turkey, Meleagris mexicana. 

 By J. Gould, Esq., F.R.S. &c. 



In the lapse of time the origin of several of the animals which man 

 has subjected to his dominion, and which are of the greatest service 



