Journal of the Philadelphia Aaademy, 587 



v'lously fallen under our notice. As on former occasions, we 

 arrange our analysis of them according to the rank in the scale of 

 organisation of the subjects to which they are devoted. 



A ^' Note on the genus Condylura of Illiger : by J. D. Godman, 

 M.D.," describes minutely several external characters peculiar to 

 the Cond, cristata, which had been previously overlooked ; parti- 

 cularly the form of the external ear, which, although it is destitute 

 of auricle, is very extensive, and is situated at a short distance 

 from the shoulder in the broad triangular fold of integument con- 

 necting the fore-arm and head; the form and situation of the 

 scales on the anterior and posterior extremities ; the enlargement 

 of the carpal edge of the palm by an elongation of the integu- 

 ments : and the existence of five circular distinct spots on the 

 soles. The differences in setveral respects between this genus, and 

 Scalops and Talpa^ are also pointed out by Dr. Godman, who 

 remarks that its name is founded on a mistake, the knotted ap- 

 pearance of the tail not being distinguishable in the recent state. 

 It is the authour's opinion that one species alone, the Cond. cristatUy 

 is found in the United States, he being convinced that the Cond, 

 longicaudata of Pennant is a nominal species founded on a stuffed 

 and dried specimen in which the nasal radii were shrupk and dis- 

 torted. 



The ornithological papers are all from the pen of the Prince of 

 Musignano. They are three in number, and two of them require 

 only a brief notice from us, the works in which they have since 

 been embodied having already passed under our review ; the 

 '' Observations on the nomenclature of Wilson's Ornithology,'* 

 the continuation of which here given embraces a portion of the 

 Water Birds ; and the '^ Additions to the Ornithology of the 

 United States," referring to six species collected in Florida, 

 which have since been figured and fully described by the Prince 

 in his American Ornithology. The " Notes to the paper en- 

 titled Descriptions of ten species of South American Birds," men- 

 tion certain peculiarities in which the bird there referred to as 

 the Ficus ruhricollis varies from a specimen of that species recently 

 obtained ; and also state that the Rallus nigricans of that paper 

 Js not the Ral, nigricans^ Vieill., as had been supposed, but a new 



