Natural-Historical Collections. 143 



»blc grating noise, like the latter part of the cry of the Quinea fowl. Like other 

 birds of the same genus, it builds on the ground, not unfrequently at the foot 

 of decayed stumps, or by the side of fallen timber, in the mountain woods. Its 

 nest is composed of dead leaves and grass, and contains from five to seven eggs, 

 of a dingy white colour, not larger than those of our wood-pigeon. It is said to 

 be one of the most common birds in the valleys of the Rocky Mountains, from 

 Lat. 50 deg. to 54 deg. N., near the sources of the Colombia. It probably in- 

 habits stiU higher latitudes — Mr. Wilson remarked, in conclusion : " I have 

 Httle doubt that some of these birds might be imported into this country, of 

 vhich the soil, climate, and natural productions, are not so dissimilar to those 

 of their native regions, as to preclude the hope of a successful issue to an experi- 

 ment of a very interesting nature, which the wealth and zeal for field sports, in- 

 herited by many of our aristocracy, would render easy, and which miglit eventu- 

 ally prove of more permanent and substantial advantage. Their importation 

 would certainly form a fine addition to the feathered game of Great Britain. — 

 Ed. New Phil. Journ. 



Peculiar Formation of the Negro Stomach — '' I had frequently observed," 

 says Mr. Madden, " that the exhibition of an emetic to the negro soldiers was 

 often attended with convulsions, and even death : on further inquiry I found that 

 these remedies invariably produced distressing effects on all the black people of 

 Dougola and Sennaar. On examining the body, I found the stomach different 

 from that organ in white people, both in size and structure. As this difference 

 has not been noticed hitherto, I am free to acknowledge, that the appearance I 

 observed, might be the consequence of disease, and not its natural state ; but as 

 I remarked the same especial difference in three cases, I think I am warranted in 

 the supposition that the smaUness of the negroes' stomachs, and the peculiar cor- 

 rugation of their folds, are no less distinct marks of that race, (insomuch as phy- 

 sical organization is concerned,) than their thick craniums and prominent cheek 

 bones. The vulgar notion of " thick headed" persons being obstinate, is founded 

 in truth. But the peculiarity to which I alluded was this, the stomach was be- 

 low the ordinary size of that organ in Europeans, and its internal surface resem- 

 bled in some degree a turtle's throat, from the extent of its corrugations. I dis- 

 covered likewise, a difference in the skeleton, in two of these cases, each having 

 six vertebrae of the loins, instead of five, and on examining the spines of many 

 living negroes, I find the occurence of six lumbar vertebrie very frequent. This 

 accounts for the extraordinary length of the lumbar part of the back in so many 

 negroes. That they are a distinct race I think is evident from these, and other 

 peculiarities.* — Travels in Egypt. 



On the Excavation 0/ ra/%s; by Professor Sedgwick We extract, 



from the " Annals of Philosophy" for last month, the following valuable obser- 

 vations, contained in an Address to the Geological Society of London, delivered 

 by the President at the Anniversary Meeting. Those who are desirous of form- 

 ing a proper estimate of the charlatanical " New System of Geology" of Dr. Ure, 

 may refer to the same pages for one of the most caustic exposes that we have for 

 a long time read. 



Our attention has been several times called to the theory of the excavation of 

 valleys, and to the effects produced by river currents in modifying the form of the 

 solid parts of the earth. The subject was introduced during the former year by 

 a memoir of Messrs. Lyell and Murchison, on certain portions of the volcanic re- 

 gions of Central France ; in which they show (in accordance with the views of 

 Montlosier, Scrope, and some other writers) that the existing rivers have, by a 

 long continued erosion, eaten out deep gorges, not only through currents of basaltic 



• In Alexandria, in the JMilitary Hospital, I had many opportunities of wit- 

 nessing the post mortem appearances of the negro stomach, and the result was 

 to confirm the observations I made in Candia. 



