Proposed new name for the genus Proteus. 53 



and return to the mountain ash, as soon as the hunter has re- 

 tired to some distance. Thus the whole flock may be destroy- 

 ed, by repeating the same operation. — W. Weissenborn. — 

 Weimar, Oct. 20, 1837. 



Singular effect supposed to have been caused by change of 

 temperature on small birds. — A singular occurrence took place 

 the night of Wednesday, Nov. 8th, ult, which, as you may 

 perhaps remember, was the coldest we have experienced this 

 season. Four small birds, (Haberdevats), were exposed at a 

 window in an apartment, during the night, and were disco- 

 vered, the following morning, to be dead in the cage. Upon 

 examination it was found that the skin of each was ruptured 

 on both sides the median line extending from the head to the 

 tail. This is an extraordinary fact. Has cold the power of 

 contracting the skins of animals to such a degree as to rupture 

 them ? I have shewn one of the birds to my friends, Messrs, 

 Bell and Walker, and mentioned the circumstance to Mr. J. 

 E. Gray, who, like myself, cannot account for this extraordi- 

 nary occurrence. Should a similar effect have come under 

 the observation of any of your readers, I should feel obliged 

 by their recording it, as I think it may perhaps account for 

 the death of many of the smaller birds during the winter 

 months, whose skins are extremely fine. By inserting this 

 in your Magazine, you will much oblige &c. — Daniel Cooper. 

 82, Blackfriars Road. 



On Monday last a fine specimen of the Mergula melano- 

 lencos, or little Auk, was found in the garden of Wm. W. Lu- 

 ard, Esq. of Witham Lodge. It was so much exhausted that 

 it suffered itself to be taken by the hand ; and on being open- 

 ed, no trace of food was found in it. 



It is here considered a very rare bird, though I do not know 

 whether it is sufficiently so to merit a corner in your " Short 

 communications/' On that point you must exercise your own 

 discretion. — Edward H. Burnell. Witham, Nov. 17, 1837. 



Substitution of a new generic name, Thetis, for the second 

 genus of Proteus, in the class, Infusoria. — 



" Majus in sequora Proteus, 



" Jushabet" anguinus. 

 Having given a short memoir of the Proteus anguinus, Laur. 

 in the last No. of the Magazine of Natural History, I think 

 it worth while to correct the following error. 



On reference to the order " Les Infusoires Homogenes" in 

 Cuvier's Regne Animal, (Edit. 1817), it will be seen that there 

 is mentioned another genus of Proteus ; now as this is a vio- 

 lation of the well-kuown rule in Natural History, — that not 

 more than one genus in Zoology, or one in Botany, or one in 



