Miscellaneous. 389 



of such attempts. The fact is, but few of these can be reached by gas, 

 let the bellows blow ever so hard ; nor can many be killed by poison, 

 even if the mOst deadly be placed within their doorways, for as soon 

 as they discover harm, they form a new entrance. The only effectual 

 method of destroying them is to dig, and kill the females and young, 

 when the neuters will perish. This is so expensive that it will only 

 be resorted to near a garden or dwelling ; and as the Cutting Ants are 

 scattered through western and central Texas, they probably never will 

 be exterminated by man. — From the Proc. Acad. Nat. Sciences of 

 Philadelphia, 1860, page 233. 



Note on Fredericella Sultana being found in the Winter. 

 By The Rev. W. Houghton, M.A., F.L.S. 



To the Editors of the Annals of Natural History. 



Gentlemen, — Professor Allman, in his valuable Monograph of 

 the Freshwater Polyzoa (Kay Society, 1856), draws attention to the 

 following fact in the economy of Fredericella Sultana : — " The stato- 

 blasts are small and seem to be but sparingly produced, — a circum- 

 stance in which this animal differs strikingly from several species of 

 Alcyonella and Plumatella, in which the tubes at the proper season 

 are constantly found loaded with statoblasts in the greatest profu- 

 sion." In confirmation of the truth of the above remark, and as an 

 interesting fact explanatory of the comparative scarcity of the stato- 

 blasts in the tubes of Fredericella Sultana, I have to observe that I 

 have met with this species in the months of December and January, 

 as well as in the spring, summer, and autumn seasons. This species, 

 therefore, it would appear, is perennial, — a point in which it differs 

 from perhaps all the other members of the Freshwater Polyzoa. Now 

 this seems to me to be a very satisfactory explanation of the fact 

 alluded to by Dr. Allman, inasmuch as this species, since it lasts 

 through the year, requires not a profusion of statoblasts. I know 

 not whether any other species of freshwater Polyzoa are, like the 

 Fredericella, perennial, but I am inclined to believe that the above- 

 named species is an exception to the rule, and that all the members 

 of the other genera which occur in this country do not last through 

 the year ; hence in these cases the necessity of a profusion of stato- 

 blasts (for but a very few, comparatively speaking, ever germinate) 

 as a provision for fresh colonies in the spring of every succeeding 

 year. I remain, Gentlemen, 



Truly yours, 

 Solihull, Oct. 18, 1860. "w. Houghton. 



Note on Mr. Blyth's Paper on the Animals known as Wild Asses. 

 By Major R. Strachey, F.R.S., F.L.S. 



In Mr. Blyth's recent paper on the Animals known as wild Asses, 

 he states that "the late Professor H. Walker referred the Tibetan 

 Kyang to Equus hemionus of Pallas, and the Ghor-khur of this 

 country is even more satisfactorily referable to E. onager of Pallas, 



