396 Scientific Intelligence — Zoology. 



it would seem that the phosphorescence of the glow-worm is a pheno- 

 menon of combustion, the result of the combination of the oxygen of 

 the air with carbon, which is one of the elements of the phosphores- 

 cent matter. — L'Instituty No. 503. 



10. On the Structure of the Skin in the different races of Man ^ 

 and new 'proof of the common origin of all the Varieties of the 

 Human Species. — The following is an abstract of the results of M. 

 Flourens' researches on the comparative structure of the skin in the 

 different human races, which he communicated along with illustrative 

 drawings. One of the figures represents the skin of an individual of 

 the white race, which is seen to be composed of three layers or dis- 

 tinct membranes, the dermis and the two epiderms ; and, between 

 the second or internal epidermis and the dermis, there is no trace 

 visible of a pigmental layer — no trace of a pigmentum. Other 

 figures represent the skin of a Kabyle, a Moor, and an Arab. All 

 these skins are of a bistre colour, but in general this colour is deeper 

 in the Arab than in the Moor, and in the Moor than in the Kabyle. 

 Except in this respect, every thing in their structure is similar : in 

 all there are two epiderms and a dermis, and in all there is a layer 

 of pigmentum, and a pigmental membrane between the second epi- 

 dermis and the dermis. There is also a representation of the skin 

 of a cross of an Arab and a Negress ; and another of the skin of a 

 Negro. They exhibit the same structure as the skin of the Kabyle, 

 the Arab, and the Moor. One drawing of the skin of an Arab, 

 affected by partial albinism, is specified by M. Flourens as meriting 

 particular attention. Upon that skin there are many white spots ; 

 and at the side of these spots the skin preserves its ordinary colour, 

 which is blackish or bistre-coloured. Now, where the skin is black, 

 there is a well-marked pigmentum, but where the white spots occur, 

 there is no pigmentum. Judging, then, from this example, the 

 malady termed albinism would only tend to produce the absence — 

 the non-secretion of the matter which constitutes the pigmentum. 

 With regard to all these preparations of the skin, M. Flourens 

 makes the following general remarks : — If we compare the structure 

 of the skin in all these races, viz. the Kabyle, the Arab, and the 

 Moor, on the one hand, and, on the other, the American and the 

 Negro, we find that it is every where the same. So that the 

 Kabyle, the Arab, and the Moor, who probably belong to the Cau- 

 casian or white race, but certainly do not belong cither to the red 

 or to the black race, have, nevertheless, a pigmental apparatus per- 

 fectly similar to that of the black and the red races. The white 



