Stientffic IntelUgene^^-^ZoM^gy. 363 



Meandrtna) in the pools ; one of the' last, remarkable for its verj 

 long, slender, black spines, has the power of giving an exceedingly 

 painful puncture, if carelessly handled — for a few minutes the sensa- 

 tion is similar to that caused by the sting of a wasp ; of the others, a 

 fine Ophiura is remarkable for its great size and grass-green colour, 

 and an Ophiocoma for the prodigious length of its arms. — {Vo;t/a(je 

 of H. M. S. Rattlesnake f vol. i., p. 102. Commanded by the late 

 Capt. Owen Stanley. By J. MacyilHvray .) \ 



11. Cause of the Jet from the Blow-Holes of Whales, — At a 

 meeting of the Boston Society of Natural History, for February, 

 Dr Wyman made some remarks on the probable cause of the jet 

 from the blow-holes of whales. While on a recent visit to Labrador, 

 lie had an opportunity of observing this phenomenon. Three causes 

 for this jet had been assigned, namely, the water taken into the 

 mouth with the food of the animal, the water in the nasal cavities, 

 and the secretions of the bronchial tubes. As it appears in the form 

 of a sudden discharge of vapour, he thought a fourth explanation 

 might be added, — the sudden rarefaction of the air when inhaled, 

 followed by a sudden condensation when emitted. He thought it 

 was partly due also to the small quantity of water which entered 

 the outer extremity of the nasal passages. He had succeeded in imi- 

 tating the appearance in question, by introducing a small quantity 

 of water into the en 1 of a syringe and suddenly expelling it, with 

 the body of air behind it, with considerable force. 



Dr Pickering said he could not think the condensation of the air 

 when expelled from the lungs of a whale was a circumstance of much 

 importance in forming the jet, as in tropical climates, where this 

 could hardly occur, the jet was as complete as in colder latitudes. , 



Dr Wyman said, that in some instances he heard the inspiration 

 as well as the expiration of Cetacea. It follows the expiration in- 

 stantaneously, but it is much shorter and less audible. 



Mr Ayres, from his own observations, confirmed Dr Wyman's 

 views. He had noticed in a young porpoise that the act of breath- 

 ing is much more slowly performed than in the adult. — (American 

 Jpt^rnpl of ScieVf^ifip Di8covery^fpr^]^p6^j j^, j337.) 



1^. Oh tfie Palo de Vel^s or Candle-Tree (Parmentiera cereifera. 

 Seem.) By M. Berthold Seemann. — This tree is confined to tho 

 valley of tho Chagres, where it forms entire forests. In entering them, 

 a person might almost fancy himself transported into a chandler's 

 shop. From all the stems and lower branches hang long cylindrical 

 fruits, of a yellow wax colour, so much resembling a candle, as to 

 have given rise to the popular appellation. The fruit is generally 

 from two to three, but not unfrequently four, feet long, and an inch 

 in diameter. The tree itself is about twenty-four feet high, with 

 o]^p6site tri foliated leaves and large white blossoms, which appear 



