373 Dr. Cantor on the Foetus of Zygsena laticeps. 



the name above given. The Isle of Wight plant appears cer- 

 tainly to be the same as that of Sweden, and as in that country, 

 so in this, it is a very variable one. Its nearest alliance appears 

 to be with R. ccesius and R. dumetorum, but it is very much 

 stouter than either of those, having, in its strongest state, a stem 

 of about an inch in diameter, and so thickly set With, prickles on 

 very dilated bases, that they may be said to be actually confluent. 

 In the hollows between the bases or on the latter are a few scat- 

 tered hairs and glands, with an occasional aciculus. The stem is 

 occasionally slightly glaucous. The leaves are very large and ru- 

 gose, and soft with hairs beneath. The flowers are on long, 

 branched and excessively-armed panicles, are very large and of a 

 beautiful deep rose-colour. As far as I have hitherto observed, 

 they seldom mature their fruit, which is composed of a few large 

 grains, of an acid taste, black and slightly glaucous. As observed 

 by Mr. Babington, the prickles on the summer growth of the 

 plant are nearly horizontal, while those on the autumnal portion 

 are more slender and much-hooked. 



In the weaker states of the plant, the prickles are far less nu- 

 merous than described above. 



The young plants are suberect, and before arriving at the fully- 

 developed arching form, flower and matm^e their seed, quite as 

 freely as the stronger plants. In some instances, where light or 

 nutriment is deficient, it does not become developed beyond this 

 point, when it constitutes the var. /S. above enumerated. In this 

 form the panicle is very short, with large leaves among the 

 flowers. oyjTo'/i .iuulrint' 



XL. — Notice of the Foetus of Zygsena laticeps. Cantor. By 

 Dr. Cantor, Civil Surgeon, Prince of Wales Island. 



Library, East India House, Nov. 5, 1845. 



[Dear Sir, — Dr.Theodor Cantor, who has for several years zealously 

 prosecuted his researches relating to the zoology of Penang and the 

 opposite Malayan coast, has entrusted to me a notice on the Zygana 

 laticeps, Cantor, to which Dr. John Richardson has, at my request, 

 added an explanatory note, giving an account of the history of this 

 fish, since the period of Dr. Cantor's departure from England, with a 

 remark on the most important points of this communication. Should 

 you find it a proper subject for the ' Annals of Natural History,' I 

 wish to leave it at your disposal. 



Yours very truly, 



Thomas Horsfield.] 



Richard Taylor, Esq. 



Of the genus Zygcena two species occur in the Malayan seas : 

 Z. Tudes, Valenciennes {^' Koma Sorra/' Russell), which is but 



