1835.] Philosophical Transactions for 1834. 313 



tween the animals of these genera no line of distinction could b 

 detected. From these physiological observations, corrections may be 

 brought about of the arrangement of many species. The Serialaria 

 lendigera he removes from the Sertulariat and the Anguinaria 

 anguina from the Tubular ids to the Cellular polypi. 



In the paper of Mr. Newport, a minute detail is given of the ner- 

 vous system of the Sphynx ligustri during the latter stages of its 

 pupa and imago states, and on the means by which its developement 

 is effected. During the passage of the insect from the larva to the 

 pupa state, the gauglia and nervous cords undergo great changes 

 both in their form and situation, and likewise in their number ; and 

 after these changes have been carried to a certain extent they are sus- 

 pended for several weeks, during which the insect hybernates. At 

 the end of this period the changes again proceed. The insect re- 

 mains in the pupa state about 43 weeks, and during this period the 

 concentration of the nervous system proceeds to a much greater ex- 

 tent. The author describes the double origin and connexions of the 

 nerves distributed to the wings, the object of which appears to be, to 

 establish a harmony of action between the wings in those insects es- 

 pecially, which are remarkable for velocity and power of sight, a dif- 

 ferent structure being adopted in those which fly with less regularity 

 or speed. 



A pneumogastric nerve or par vagum is described, which is dis- 

 tributed to the organs of digestion and respiration. The author like- 

 wise notices lateral cephalic ganglia, which may be regarded as aux- 

 iliary brains, and a sympathetic nerve ; besides a set of nerves which 

 appear to correspond with the respiratory nerves of vertebrated 

 animals. The primary longitudinal nervous cords of insects are 

 shown to consist of two tracts, the one situated over the other, cor- 

 responding to the two columns of which the spinal cord consists in 

 vertebrated animals ; the one forms the seat of sensation, and the 

 other of motion. The same observation has also been made upon 

 the lobster, Scorpion, and Scolopendra, and in several insects, as 

 the Gryllus viridissimus, the Carabus, and Papilio urticae. 



Such are the principal papers of which this portion of the Philo- 

 sophical Transactions consist. The substance of Mr. Powell's paper, 

 with additions, is inserted in a preceding part of this Journal. It is 

 rather remarkable, that with the exception of a short notice of a 

 mineral water, there is no purely chemical paper contained in it. 



Article VIII. 



SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 



I. — Employment of Gypsum in Agriculture. 



Gypsum has been employed in Switzerland, Germany, England, 

 and North America for many years as a manure, but it was only 

 brought into use in France about forty years ago. At present it is 

 very generally used in that country, with the exception of the de- 

 partments of Gard and Herault. {Ann. des Mines, vi, 193.) 



