Notices of European Herbaria. 179 



Ribs strong, broad, continued far backwards, seven true and three 

 false ; one false one placed anteriorly, the other two posteriorly. 



Vertebrae short, strong, the lateral processes of the caudal ones 

 much lengthened. 



Cer. 15. Dor. 6. Sac. 19 .? Caud. 9. 



The three anterior sacral vertebrae have ribs attached ; the pos- 

 terior caudal one is pointed at the extremity* 



Remarks. — The anatomy of the above bird, as might have been 

 expected from its external appearance, presents a strong resemblance 

 to the Toti-palmate division of Water-birds. The trachea is precisely 

 that of a Cormorant, and is also furnished with the same muscles of 

 voice. 



The tongue and digestive organs resemble those of the sea- or 

 shell-feeding Ducks of the genera Clangula, Melanitta, and Nyroca, 

 I suspect, however, that they will be found to come more nearly to 

 Micropterus, King, than any other genus ; but there at present being 

 no published account of the anatomy of this bird, of course it is 

 merely conjecture. 



The skeleton may be said generally to resemble the Cormorants 

 and Gannets, with the exception of the head, which approaches very 

 nearly in form to that of Clangula. 



The posterior margin of the sternum resembles that of Sula ; but 

 in being much broader posteriorly than anteriorly, it resembles the 

 Fuligulince. The remainder of this bone resembles very closely that 

 of the Common Cormorant ; nearly the only distinction being, that 

 the anterior edge of the keel is not much produced forwards, as in 

 that bird, in which respect it agrees with Melanitta. 



The pelvis, vidth the exception of its being rather broader poste- 

 riorly in proportion to its length, is precisely that of a Toti-palmate 

 bird. 



The coracoids, in not being so long as among the Cormorants, the 

 OS furcatum, the wings and leg-bones, resemble in every particular 

 those of the Sea-ducks. 



XXIII. — Notices of European Herbaria, particularly those 

 most interesting to the North American Botanist^, 

 [Concluded from p. 140.] 

 Besides the herbaria already mentioned, there are two others in 

 London of more recent formation, which possess the highest interest 

 as well to the general as to the American botanist, viz. that of Pro- 

 fessor Lindley, and of Mr. Bentham. Both comprise very complete 

 sets of the plants collected by Douglas in Oregon, California, and 

 the Rocky Mountains, as well as those raised from seeds or bulljs, 

 which he transmitted to England, of which a large portion have, 

 from time to time, been pubhshed by these authors. Mr. Bentham's 

 herbarium is, probably, the richest and most authentic collection in 



* Communicated to Silliman's American Journal by the Author, Dr. Asa 

 Gray. 



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